"How does this work?" Ashling asked Willow and Tara when they went back to Cordeila's house.
"Well we need a few ingredients," Tara answered.
"What are they?"
"Umm…we have to be at his grave at midnight and have something that use to belong to him and blood of a relative,"
"That's it?"
"Yup and then there's a nifty little spell that goes with it," Willow explained further,"
"Are you sure it will work?" Cordelia asked.
"Pretty sure," Tara replied.
"What are we gonna use for pession?"
"This," Cordelia pulled a chain from her neck out which was hidden beneath her shirt. She took a silver ring off it. "He left this for me." She felt tears welling in her eyes. She ran to her bedroom.
"I'll check on her," Angel traveled the hallway and crept into the room. Cordelia was sitting on her bed and a box of tissues floated near her. "Are you okay Cordy?"
"I don't know, its just that…. he's gonna be back. After a year and a half. He'll be back,"
12:00AM
Graveyard
Ashling trembled as she walked to Doyle's headstone. She was still wearing his jacket and pulled tight to her body as the wind blew.
"Cordelia, Angel, you need to stand back," Willow told them.
"Okay, come on Cordy," Angel led her a few feet away to the sidewalk. Cordelia didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay. If this worked she wanted to be there. She wanted to be the first thing Doyle saw. She wanted to kiss Doyle as soon as he was back.
"Ashling, put the ring on the grass," Tara instructed. Ashling nodded and placed the silver Claddagh ring on the ground. Tara started placing a few moonstones around the ring.
"This is gonna sting, but give me your hand," Willow said. Ashling extended her hand and Willow pulled a knife out. She made a small slit in the palm of Ashling's hand. Ashling winced in pain. "Squeeze your hand so the blood will hit the ground." Ashling did just that. Small blood droplets surrounded and landed on the ring. "Just sit back and hope this works." Ashling stood a few feet back along side with Angel and Cordelia. Willow closed her eyes, as did Tara and the locked hands. When Willow opened her eyes they were dark brown and the colored part of the eyes almost completely covered the white. Tara's were normal. "Spirits of all come to us now. Bring back the one lost, Allen Francis Doyle. Blood and value wait here."
Tara said next, "Once was done now undo. So him the way home."
Then together. "Back to us now, back to us now. Three times. Back to us now."
A light shot down causing all to close their eyes momentarily. Ashling forced her eyes open and walked closer. A figure was forming in the light.
"Allen," she said quietly. She reached to touch the light. A hand formed. She touched the light and the hand from the other side matched hers.
FLASH~
"You
don't smell human," Angel said to Doyle as he lingered in the doorway.
"Well,
that's a bit rude. As I happens I'm very much human," SNEEZE. A green face and
blue 'pins' sprouted all over his face. "On my mother's side." He shook the
demon off and into his true form.
FLASH~
"You made a good choice. She'll provide a
connection to the world. She has a very humanizing influence," Doyle watched
Cordelia walk out of the room to move more boxes.
"You
think she's a hottie," Angel smirked.
"Oh,
she's a stiffener alright, can't lie about that. But she could use a hand,"
FLASH~
"There's
a lot of people in this city need helpin'," Doyle told to Angel as they stood
over the city. "You game?"
Angel
let the wind ruffle his long trench coat and a smile moved across his face.
"I'm game."
FLASH~
"Doyle
if you want to ask Cordelia out, just do it your self," Angel said to Doyle.
"I don't
even know if she likes me man, unless you put in a good word for me. You know
just tell her what a great guy I am,"
"I
barely know you," Angel shrugged.
"Perfect!
That should make it easier for you,"
FLASH~
"That's
it!" Cordelia was about ready to punch the lights out in the man who just
called her a hooker.
"Down
Cordy…"
"Did you
hear what he just said about me?!"
"We all
need to just simmer down here okay? Violence doesn't solve anything," Doyle
started to turn away but the went right back and hit the guy in face with his
own head. He fell backwards. "On the other hand it is kinda festive."
FLASH~
"I'm
gonna celebrate with a drink down at the pub," Doyle said as he walked out of
Angel's basement.
"He'd
celebrate the opening of a mailbox down at the pub," Cordelia said to Oz as she
followed Doyle out.
FLASH~
"First
thing I do is hire someone to get ride of that wall," Cordelia pointed to the
plaster wall that was hideous to her, and then walked towards the kitchen.
"I
though you said it was perfect," Doyle looked at the same wall not seeing
anything wrong with it and followed Cordelia.
"Yes!
And part of being perfect is having one tiny flaw for me to fix,"
"Must be
why you find me so fascinating," Doyle smiled at her. She gave him a 'yeah
right' look and continued on.
FLASH~
"That
was…you were so…brave," Cordelia looked up at Doyle after he saved her from a
vampire.
"Think
you could say that again without so much shock in your voice? You're standin'
on my moment of manliness here,"
"I'm
sorry. I'm just-"
"Surprised?"
"Grateful,"
FLASH~
"Hey
Francis," Cordelia and Doyle turned to see a blond woman standing in the
doorway.
"Harry?"
"Francis?
Who Francis?" Cordelia wrinkled her nose.
"That
would be me," Doyle said still looking at Harry. "Allen Francis Doyle."
FLASH~
Cordelia
walked in Angel's office seeing Doyle laying on the couch holding a pillow to
his chest like a fifteen year old who just found out his teacher didn't like
him back. "Hi Doyle." She smiled. "Are you gonna become loser pining guy, like
full time now? Because you know we already have one of those around the
office."
"Hey!"
Angel retorted.
"Hey!"
Doyle said the same.
"He can
get away with it. He's tall and look at the way clothes hang on him. But he…"
"I think
you've cheered us both up," Angel interrupted.
"You
can't live in the past. You gotta move on. Let it go. Forget it. Tomorrow is
another day," Doyle sat up still holding the pillow. "Did I mention letting it
go?"
"Twice,"
he dropped the pillow.
Cordelia
sat down next to him. "You'll get through this Doyle. Nice guys don't always
finish last."
"You
think I'm a nice guy?"
"I think
it, I say it. Its my way,"
"Thanks,"
"Feeling
better?"
"Yeah,"
he nodded.
FLASH~
"You're
alive!" Cordelia said.
"And
you're not happy?"
"We were
worried,"
"Well
there's nothing to-" Cordelia raised her hand and slapped him across the face.
He looked back at her. "What was that fer?"
"Why
didn't you tell me you were half demon? I thought we agreed that secrets were
bad!"
"I
wanted to tell you. I was afraid. I thought that you'd reject me,"
"I've
rejected you way before now! So your half demon, big whoop! I can't believe
you'd think I'd care about that. I mean I work for a vampire. Hello?"
"True
but-"
She
wasn't through with him yet. "What do you think I am? Superficial? I mean
you're half demon. That is so far down the list. Way under short and, and poor.
Is there anything else I should know?"
"That
half demon thing, pretty much my big secret,"
"Good.
That's out. It's done. Would you ask me out for dinner already?" she spat out.
Doyle
looked at her strangely. "Yeah?" Cordelia smiled. "Cordelia would you like to-"
"Its
Angel,"
FLASH~
"The
good fight yeah?" Doyle said to Angel. "You never know 'till you've been
tested. I get that now." There was a moment of silence. Doyle punched Angel
square in the jaw and he went flying over the chain rail and down to the ground.
Cordelia was shocked. Doyle looked at her and walked right up and kissed her.
He ran his head threw her hair. He felt something leaving him. Something that
passed to Cordelia. He pulled away from her. "Too bad we'll never know." He
changed to his demon face. "If this is a face you could learn to love." He
turned away from her and looked at the light.
Angel
pushed himself up. "Doyle!" he yelled. "Doyle!" he started to climb the ladder.
"Doyle! Doyle no!" with the word 'no' Doyle jumped to the light. "No!" Angel
was now standing next to Cordelia. "No!" Doyle looked back at Cordelia flashing
his killer Irish smile. He turned back to the light. His hands gripped the
cords. He felt himself melting away. His demon form faded away. Just as the
cords disconnected he screamed and faded away.~
"No!" Ashling yelled. She felt his pain. She looked up and saw a pair of sparkling blue eyes like her own. The light faded away. She moved her hand back. "Allen?"
"A-Ashling?"
"You're, oh my God," she wrapped her arms around his stomach hugging him. She started crying.
"Its okay Ash," Doyle was very confused right now, but all he knew was he had to comfort his sister. "What's wrong?" she still didn't look up. "You're kinda soaking my shirt here." He joked. He felt Ashling laugh. She looked up at him.
"I'm fine," she wiped her tears.
"Okay," suddenly the fact that he had been dead came reeling back to him. "How long have I been gone?"
"One year and six months," Doyle heard the voice of the woman he still loved. "That's how long."
"Cordelia," he stated. They walked towards each other and stopped. "How…are you?"
"You're back," tears came falling down her face.
"Why are you crying Princess?" he wiped her tears. "I'm back now. But I'm still really confused."
"Lets just go back to the office and we'll explain everything,"
"Okay,"
Willow and Tara stared cleaning up and followed the group out. Ashling was standing side to her brother as they walked out of the graveyard.
NOTE- this isn't the end so there IS more!
