Chapter 2
"What did you just say?" Cordy asked, confusion covering every inch of her face.
All she could do was stare at Cordelia. She looked exactly as she remembered. Every line on her face was the same, though a bit younger. It was exactly as she remembered it. The way Cordelia and Angel had laughed when walking in the hotel. The sound had enveloped her as it had done so many times when she was a child. The look of utter confusion on Cordy's face right now was also one she recognized. Cordy's hair seemed shorter and lighter but she remembered seeing pictures of that hairstyle in her parent's photo albums. It suddenly overwhelmed her and she began to stammer.
"I…I…I thought you were someone else." She lied, finally finding her voice.
There was an awkward pause; one which Skip knew probably broke the girl's heart in pieces.
"Skip." Angel then interjected. "What is going on here?"
"We are in very big trouble is what is going on here." Skip answered with a sigh.
"Oh my God…you're covered in blood." Fred said, looking at all the blood covering the girl's clothes and skin.
"It's…It's not mine." She replied softly…regretfully as tears welled up in her eyes.
"It's human blood…" Angel observed, smelling it off of her and sensing some sort of familiarity in its smell.
Skip nearly chocked at the idea that it was Connor's.
Cordelia sort of lost track of the conversation for a little while, being captivated by the strangely familiar young woman. There was something about her. She couldn't quite put her finger on it though. Cordy was startled, just like everyone else, when the girl suddenly jerked and turned to Skip in a panic.
"You have to go back!" she exclaimed as if she suddenly remembered something important. "Skip, you need to go back and save him!" she almost begged him, grabbing him by the shoulders.
"Sweetie…"
"No! You have to go back and get them somewhere safe…" tears welled up in her eyes. "Skip…he can't die…"
"Sweetie…" he said, holding her by the arms to calm her down. "That's y our job. That's why you're here, remember…I can't save him, but you can." He said in a low voice.
Angel saw the young woman stand still and lower her eyes momentarily.
"Save who?" he asked, but neither Skip nor the girl looked at him in the eyes. "Save who, Skip?" he repeated.
"All of you." Skip soberly stated as he let go of Ally's shoulders.
"Am I the only one completely lost here?" Gunn interjected, as everyone stood silent around him.
"We are from the future, and she was sent here to change it." Skip replied as they all stared at him blankly.
--
Lilah sat at her desk, thinking of new ways to get to Connor and destroy Angel forever. They had failed once but they wouldn't make the same mistake twice, she vowed.
She stared at a file blankly, in silence, until a blinding light took over her office. She closed her eyes for several seconds and then reopened them only to find a tall, dark man standing in front of her.
"You…" Lilah mumbled, recognizing a much older version of Groo standing in front of her.
"I have come to help you, my lady." The future Groosalug spoke as he stared at her from his place in the doorway.
--
Once again, Cordelia found herself losing track of the conversation that followed. She absent-mindedly heard Skip's explanation of the situation: how the future, which was once a promising one, was now filled with darkness, danger, heartbreak and evil, thanks to something that could have been avoided. She didn't pay much attention as he warned Angel of what was going to take place in the next couple of days. How, in the original outline, Connor was going to be kidnapped by Wolfram & Hart, and how the little boy was the link between good and evil in all dimensions. Wolfram & Hart would need Connor and his innocence for a certain ritual that would unleash the forces of hell onto earth, allowing them to create evil as they please. Angel and the gang would be able to rescue Connor, but only too late. Wolfram & Hart were going to acquire tremendous power through that ritual, allowing them not only to blur the lines between the fires of hell and earth, but also to create brand new species of evil. Create, being the operative word here. It would take years for the full effect of this ritual to be completed, fuelled by Connor's presence in this world and his lack of training in controlling his inner force – his energy.
Cordy caught bits and pieces of Skip telling them how the Hellmouth would finally open and the invasion and massacre would begin. Or how he warned Angel that it's a decision he would have to make that would determine the fate of the world. The first time around, Angel made the wrong, selfish decision, with all the best intentions, but the Powers were powerless to change it. That's why they sent this girl to change what would bring the ruination of mankind.
Cordelia heard Angel pressing Skip for more information on that decision he'd have to face, but Skip refused to answer more for now.
"First things first. We have to protect Connor and stop Wolfram and Hart from getting their hands on him. Then we'll worry about the rest." Skip answered.
Meanwhile, Cordy inspected the girl who stood by Skip's side, covered in fresh blood, looking exhausted but mostly, looking like she needed a hug. The girl's shoulder length messy brown hair hid a couple of blonde highlights; her eyes were tired, wise beyond their 19 years, dark but determined. Cordy saw the traces of blood on the side of her cheek and all around her clothes, as if she'd actually bathed herself in a blood bath. The girl wasn't very tall, but there was something intimidating in her posture.
That's when Cordy noticed something that struck her. The girl was wearing the same exact jacket that she was wearing. That blue denim jacket. Cordy felt her heart skip a beat. Of course, there are millions of jackets like this one, but it was a gut feeling. Something was up. Could it be? Could it be possible?
"Buffy must have pronounced something wrong because we're here 3 days early." The girl said, looking at a newspaper on the counter, careful not to touch it with her bloody hands.
"It's good. Gives you more time." Skip replied.
"Buffy?" Angel asked, a bit surprised by just how casually she had said Buffy's name.
"How do you know Buffy?" Cordy asked reluctantly.
The girl paused and looked at her silently.
"Who are you?" Cordelia asked, taking a few steps forward. When the girl hesitated, Cordy pressed her for answers. "Who are you?"
"My name is Alessia…" she answered reluctantly.
"Alessia who?" But Alessia didn't reply. "How do you know Buffy, and why did you think I was someone else when I walked in….who are you?"
"It doesn't matter…"
"It matters to me." Cordy's tone was both slightly fearful and firm.
"Cordy, what are you doing?" Angel asked, concerned by her sudden attitude towards Alessia.
Cordy didn't stop. What WAS she doing?
"Where did you get this jacket?" she finally asked as her voice shook under her every word.
Alessia found herself at a loss for words, which was an event in and out of itself. Cordy walked towards the girl and reached out to touch the blue denim jacket with her fingers. Alessia nervously took a step backwards and all of a sudden Cordelia knew what she was hiding. Cordy took another step forward and this time grabbed the jacket and looked at the inscription on its inside.
C.C.
Cordy froze and suddenly shook her head in disbelief. This wasn't happening. It wasn't possible.
"This is mine…" Cordy whispered almost to herself as it became her turn to step back. "Where did you get this?"
Skip stared at the scene expectantly. His eyes went back and forth between Cordelia and Alessia, and he waited for a reply.
"It was given to me." Alessia admitted, carefully.
"By who?" Cordy let out as she kept on stepping back.
They both stared at one another for a long time before Alessia could speak.
"It was my mother's." Alessia whispered, almost reluctantly, but everyone heard her.
They all froze. Angel's eyes bore into Cordelia's face as she just stared in front of herself, completely taken aback by the revelation. Angel felt his un-beating heart both break and lead for joy at the same time. Cordelia's daughter.
Cordelia had a daughter.
And it dawned on him, joy and sadness all at once. Cordelia would have a daughter.
"This…this isn't…it's not possible…" Cordy mumbled, on shock.
"You gave it to me…" Alessia added, finding her voice. "My name is Alessia." She repeated, but this time didn't stop there. "Alessia Chase."
"Oh dear Lord…" Wesley couldn't help but say.
"What did you just say?" Cordy asked, confusion covering every inch of her face.
All she could do was stare at Cordelia. She looked exactly as she remembered. Every line on her face was the same, though a bit younger. It was exactly as she remembered it. The way Cordelia and Angel had laughed when walking in the hotel. The sound had enveloped her as it had done so many times when she was a child. The look of utter confusion on Cordy's face right now was also one she recognized. Cordy's hair seemed shorter and lighter but she remembered seeing pictures of that hairstyle in her parent's photo albums. It suddenly overwhelmed her and she began to stammer.
"I…I…I thought you were someone else." She lied, finally finding her voice.
There was an awkward pause; one which Skip knew probably broke the girl's heart in pieces.
"Skip." Angel then interjected. "What is going on here?"
"We are in very big trouble is what is going on here." Skip answered with a sigh.
"Oh my God…you're covered in blood." Fred said, looking at all the blood covering the girl's clothes and skin.
"It's…It's not mine." She replied softly…regretfully as tears welled up in her eyes.
"It's human blood…" Angel observed, smelling it off of her and sensing some sort of familiarity in its smell.
Skip nearly chocked at the idea that it was Connor's.
Cordelia sort of lost track of the conversation for a little while, being captivated by the strangely familiar young woman. There was something about her. She couldn't quite put her finger on it though. Cordy was startled, just like everyone else, when the girl suddenly jerked and turned to Skip in a panic.
"You have to go back!" she exclaimed as if she suddenly remembered something important. "Skip, you need to go back and save him!" she almost begged him, grabbing him by the shoulders.
"Sweetie…"
"No! You have to go back and get them somewhere safe…" tears welled up in her eyes. "Skip…he can't die…"
"Sweetie…" he said, holding her by the arms to calm her down. "That's y our job. That's why you're here, remember…I can't save him, but you can." He said in a low voice.
Angel saw the young woman stand still and lower her eyes momentarily.
"Save who?" he asked, but neither Skip nor the girl looked at him in the eyes. "Save who, Skip?" he repeated.
"All of you." Skip soberly stated as he let go of Ally's shoulders.
"Am I the only one completely lost here?" Gunn interjected, as everyone stood silent around him.
"We are from the future, and she was sent here to change it." Skip replied as they all stared at him blankly.
--
Lilah sat at her desk, thinking of new ways to get to Connor and destroy Angel forever. They had failed once but they wouldn't make the same mistake twice, she vowed.
She stared at a file blankly, in silence, until a blinding light took over her office. She closed her eyes for several seconds and then reopened them only to find a tall, dark man standing in front of her.
"You…" Lilah mumbled, recognizing a much older version of Groo standing in front of her.
"I have come to help you, my lady." The future Groosalug spoke as he stared at her from his place in the doorway.
--
Once again, Cordelia found herself losing track of the conversation that followed. She absent-mindedly heard Skip's explanation of the situation: how the future, which was once a promising one, was now filled with darkness, danger, heartbreak and evil, thanks to something that could have been avoided. She didn't pay much attention as he warned Angel of what was going to take place in the next couple of days. How, in the original outline, Connor was going to be kidnapped by Wolfram & Hart, and how the little boy was the link between good and evil in all dimensions. Wolfram & Hart would need Connor and his innocence for a certain ritual that would unleash the forces of hell onto earth, allowing them to create evil as they please. Angel and the gang would be able to rescue Connor, but only too late. Wolfram & Hart were going to acquire tremendous power through that ritual, allowing them not only to blur the lines between the fires of hell and earth, but also to create brand new species of evil. Create, being the operative word here. It would take years for the full effect of this ritual to be completed, fuelled by Connor's presence in this world and his lack of training in controlling his inner force – his energy.
Cordy caught bits and pieces of Skip telling them how the Hellmouth would finally open and the invasion and massacre would begin. Or how he warned Angel that it's a decision he would have to make that would determine the fate of the world. The first time around, Angel made the wrong, selfish decision, with all the best intentions, but the Powers were powerless to change it. That's why they sent this girl to change what would bring the ruination of mankind.
Cordelia heard Angel pressing Skip for more information on that decision he'd have to face, but Skip refused to answer more for now.
"First things first. We have to protect Connor and stop Wolfram and Hart from getting their hands on him. Then we'll worry about the rest." Skip answered.
Meanwhile, Cordy inspected the girl who stood by Skip's side, covered in fresh blood, looking exhausted but mostly, looking like she needed a hug. The girl's shoulder length messy brown hair hid a couple of blonde highlights; her eyes were tired, wise beyond their 19 years, dark but determined. Cordy saw the traces of blood on the side of her cheek and all around her clothes, as if she'd actually bathed herself in a blood bath. The girl wasn't very tall, but there was something intimidating in her posture.
That's when Cordy noticed something that struck her. The girl was wearing the same exact jacket that she was wearing. That blue denim jacket. Cordy felt her heart skip a beat. Of course, there are millions of jackets like this one, but it was a gut feeling. Something was up. Could it be? Could it be possible?
"Buffy must have pronounced something wrong because we're here 3 days early." The girl said, looking at a newspaper on the counter, careful not to touch it with her bloody hands.
"It's good. Gives you more time." Skip replied.
"Buffy?" Angel asked, a bit surprised by just how casually she had said Buffy's name.
"How do you know Buffy?" Cordy asked reluctantly.
The girl paused and looked at her silently.
"Who are you?" Cordelia asked, taking a few steps forward. When the girl hesitated, Cordy pressed her for answers. "Who are you?"
"My name is Alessia…" she answered reluctantly.
"Alessia who?" But Alessia didn't reply. "How do you know Buffy, and why did you think I was someone else when I walked in….who are you?"
"It doesn't matter…"
"It matters to me." Cordy's tone was both slightly fearful and firm.
"Cordy, what are you doing?" Angel asked, concerned by her sudden attitude towards Alessia.
Cordy didn't stop. What WAS she doing?
"Where did you get this jacket?" she finally asked as her voice shook under her every word.
Alessia found herself at a loss for words, which was an event in and out of itself. Cordy walked towards the girl and reached out to touch the blue denim jacket with her fingers. Alessia nervously took a step backwards and all of a sudden Cordelia knew what she was hiding. Cordy took another step forward and this time grabbed the jacket and looked at the inscription on its inside.
C.C.
Cordy froze and suddenly shook her head in disbelief. This wasn't happening. It wasn't possible.
"This is mine…" Cordy whispered almost to herself as it became her turn to step back. "Where did you get this?"
Skip stared at the scene expectantly. His eyes went back and forth between Cordelia and Alessia, and he waited for a reply.
"It was given to me." Alessia admitted, carefully.
"By who?" Cordy let out as she kept on stepping back.
They both stared at one another for a long time before Alessia could speak.
"It was my mother's." Alessia whispered, almost reluctantly, but everyone heard her.
They all froze. Angel's eyes bore into Cordelia's face as she just stared in front of herself, completely taken aback by the revelation. Angel felt his un-beating heart both break and lead for joy at the same time. Cordelia's daughter.
Cordelia had a daughter.
And it dawned on him, joy and sadness all at once. Cordelia would have a daughter.
"This…this isn't…it's not possible…" Cordy mumbled, on shock.
"You gave it to me…" Alessia added, finding her voice. "My name is Alessia." She repeated, but this time didn't stop there. "Alessia Chase."
"Oh dear Lord…" Wesley couldn't help but say.