CHAPTER 11
A dramatic pause crept between all of them. The increasingly annoying sound of the rain flopping down on the asphalt was the only noise heard through the stormy night. Around them, the crowd of fighters began to disperse. Humans and demons alike either hid in the shadows or simply decided to run off.
Angel's dark and menacing eyes were glued on the Groosalug, who held the little boy as if it were a toy he had gotten utterly bored with by now. The blade of the sharp dagger hung dangerously close to Connor's infant throat while the two warriors stared at one another.
"Oh my God…Groo…" Cordelia managed to let out, fear and growing disgust quickly overpowering every other emotion in her body.
"Aww…I'm hurt," Groosalug spoke with a boyish sigh. "I remember a time when those exact words were met with a lot more enthusiasm – and dare I say it – satisfaction." He smirked and Cordelia suddenly felt nauseous.
"Shut up!" Angel growled despite himself at the implications of the Groosalug's words.
Cordelia had to force herself to look at a stunned, alarmed Groo standing beside her, eyes riveted on his agitated double. This was, for lack of better word, disconcerting.
"If I were you I would be careful in how I speak to me," Groo replied, glaring back and forth between Angel and the squirming Connor. "Now, put the book down before I decide to shut this baby up right here, right now."
"You wouldn't." Angel said through his teeth, never letting go of the ritual book.
His eyes momentarily softened as they rested on Connor, and then darkened again as they met Groo's.
"You want to try me?" the future nemesis challenged.
"You need him. The book is of no use to you if you kill Connor." Angel gritted, clutching the book cover and quickly glancing towards Alessia.
"Quite right." Groo nodded, pensively, as he squeezed Connor's whimpering body in his hands. "But the way I see things…if I don't get what I want, then why should you?"
There was a long silence between the two men as they stared at one another, motionless. The inner turmoil in Angel was increasing in intensity by the second. He looked back and forth between a painfully silent Alessia and his crying baby. His hands tightened around the book and Angel clenched his jaw, trying to think reasonably.
"He's serious," Alessia's voice was what finally broke the horrifying silence. "He would do it." She said, never looking at Angel and always staring at the Groosalug with invisible daggers in her eyes.
Angel turned to look at her, his body and soul struggling to choose here. When his eyes fell upon the beautiful but beaten young woman between him and Cordelia, he felt the need to take a quick breath. He could see the pain in her eyes, but most of all, he could see the knowledge.
The knowledge of what lied ahead. The knowledge of just how far Wolfram and Hart – and Groo – would go.
"He's not kidding." She said through her teeth, in a barely audible voice, as the rain traced small curvy lines on the side of her face.
"Yes, listen to the little one, Angel." The Groosalug spoke with a lighter voice. "After all, she's experienced first hand just how far…" he began but Alessia's harsh and threatening voice stopped him.
"Shut the hell up!" she gritted through her teeth, holding her breath.
Cordelia turned to face her daughter and it broke her heart to see the dark look in her eyes. That darkness. That pain. That anger. It wasn't a weakness that Cordy saw in the young woman; it was strength. A frightening strength. And the more she observed Alessia, the more she realized where she had seen such darkness before.
Angel.
"Alessia…" Groo almost sang in the air. "Alessia Chase." He repeated, shaking his head, as if he had trouble believing it himself. "You always were a feisty one, just like your mother."
"And that was always the problem wasn't it?" Skip said, speaking for the first time since the world had stopped turning. All eyes turned to him as he stared at the future Groo with such hatred and coldness in his eyes that it made Wesley's skin crawl. "She reminded you too much of her…"
"You don't know what you're talking about…" Groo almost spit back.
"I reminded you too much of Cordelia," Alessia spoke again, going off of Skip's statement. "That's why you never killed me."
Tension seemed to rise in that instant, and silence grew deeper and deeper. Cordelia could feel her heart pounding in her chest and, by the look on Angel's face he could sense it. The two exchanged an intense, emotion- filled look that spoke louder than words ever could.
"What is it?" Alessia threw at him, fearlessly. "You don't like what you see?" she spit out as he looked at her weak body. The bracelet around her wrist stopped glowing and Groo saw the painful look in her eyes. "You don't like what you and Lilah did?"
There was a long silence and everyone waited for Groo's response. He looked back and forth between Cordelia and Alessia and realized what Skip had said may have been true. She did remind him of Cordelia. Cordelia Chase. His princess…
"I won't make the same mistake twice." Groo said, now sounding both annoyed and angry by the young woman. "Now [b]you[/b]," he then said, waving the dagger in Angel's direction before placing it right back on Connor's throat. "Put the book down right now. I hate repeating myself."
When Angel seemed to momentarily hesitate, Groo grabbed Connor's head and jerked it back, the dagger pressing against his flesh.
"Now!" he yelled at the vampire.
"Angel, do not obey to this delusional man!"
Now all eyes turned to present Groo, who had been impressively silent up to now. But his voice filled the atmosphere so quickly that everyone jumped.
"Oh God!" Future Groo let out in disgust. "I really did talk like that." He added, noticing the way present Groo spoke. "I'm growing very impatient here…" he then said, threatening Connor still.
"Okay…" Angel finally spoke, his eyes never leaving Connor. "Okay…I'll put the book down, but only after you let go of my son." He said, trying to reason with him.
"What do you think I am? Stupid?" Groo said and heard Alessia snort in the back. "Not a good idea to mess with me right now little girl!" he then yelled at her.
"Hey!!" Cordelia exclaimed at the threatening words of the warrior, and she stepped in front of Alessia.
Groo, growing all the more impatient and annoyed, took the knife and with one swift move, cut Connor's cheek, lightly. The gesture brought on a chorus of gasps from the gang and a loud, frightened growl from Angel. Mere seconds passed before Angel savagely threw the book down on the ground.
"There!" he growled again.
The ritual book lied on the ground a few feet in front of Angel and Groo smiled that wide, toothpaste-advertising smile of his.
"I have a better idea, why don't you read it…" Groo then spoke, evil thoughts running rampant in his brain.
Angel froze and he swallowed back the threatening tears in h is eyes as he heard Connor's cried under the rain. He looked aside to Cordelia and Alessia, who were looking at him for answers he simply did not have. His eyes locked with Alessia's and he saw the pain of failure in her eyes. He could almost feel the apology imprinted on her face.
And then the memory of his conversation with Cordelia came back to him. Connor or Alessia…On one hand, Angel could lose his son…on the other, Cordelia could lose her daughter…Angel closed his eyes in pain and forced himself to take a deep breath. Under the pouring rain and the intense crying of Connor's, Angel bent down on the ground and picked up the book, slowly shielding it from the rain and turning the pages.
"Read it!" Groo ordered him as he played with the dagger near Connor's throat.
Angel looked one last time towards Alessia and Cordelia and that's when he saw it.
A nod.
Alessia nodded, and the look in her eyes told him to do it.
To save Connor.
Angel looked down at the page with tears in his eyes and began to read.
"Louder!" Groo commanded and Angel obeyed against his better judgement.
But at this point, his wasn't thinking with his head. He was thinking with the invisible heart he had learned to feel in his chest.
The words rolled off Angel's tongue with difficulty as the ground around them began to tremble. Fred grabbed Gunn's arm for support while Cordelia caught Alessia's already weak body and held her close. Skip felt warmth inside him and realized what was actually happening. He lifted his head up just in time to see Angel finish the incantation and to see Groo place Connor down on the ground in the middle of the circle.
At the second Connor was out of Groo's hands, Angel leapt in the air and landed on the warrior. Punches were thrown and blood was shed while the earth kept on shaking beneath them.
"Angel!!" Cordelia found herself yelling when she saw the blinding blue light coming from Connor's body and shooting straight up in the air.
Angel turned around and saw Connor crying on the floor. He turned around to go and get him but Groo grabbed him from behind. He heard the sound of a sword being pulled out and Angel closed his eyes, expecting the feel of the sharp piece of metal piercing through his skin.
But it never did.
He felt the grip on his shoulder loosen and he opened his eyes quickly. Everything seemed to happen to slowly – yet so quickly – that he barely could comprehend it. He spun around and came face to face with Groo's wide eyes and open mouth. The look of terror was imprinted on the ex-Pylean face from the future, and that's when Angel lowered his eyes and saw a large sword piercing through the Groosalug's chest. The man grabbed his wound in pain as blood filled his hands and he fell to his knees with a resounding noise. The fall of his body revealed the man behind him – the one who had killed the time traveling warrior.
"Groo…" Angel let out in a barely audible whisper as he stared at him.
Present Groo stood there, blood on his hands….his own blood…and stared down at his double, lying on the floor. Everyone froze for a moment. Angel's eyes went back and forth between the two Groosalugs, in disbelief. He noticed the small tears in Groo's eyes as he looked down at his future self.
"How could you…?" Future Groo spoke before letting out his last breath and closing his eyes.
Shocked didn't even begin to describe what everyone was feeling at the moment. Groo took a few steps back, silently, while Angel turned back to Connor. He ran towards the little boy but was blinded by the blue light that emanated from him.
Before they knew it, the light formed a bubble around them, shielding them from any outside forces. Angel was thrown in the air, back to where Cordelia, Alessia, Skip, Wesley, Fred and Gunn were standing. Groo joined them after untying Lorne, all expecting the worse.
Just when they thought the ritual was going to take its course, Connor stopped crying and the light stopped coming out of him. The large blue bubbled stayed around them, but a strange peacefulness came like a breeze into the night. Skip looked up and a soft smile crept up on his face. Not wasting any time, Angel rushed to Connor and picked his son up in his arms, desperately trying to protect him from whatever was happening.
Suddenly, appearing from nowhere, ten figures took form in front of them, all brilliant in their glowing and matching auras. The Oracles formed a perfect line in front of the shaken group, as a warmth and light made their way to them.
"Oh my God…Are they…?" Fred whispered, unable to even finish her thought out loud.
"It is afraid. It is weak. It is stubborn." The voices spoke all at once, while they looked at Angel and Connor. "It is emotional." One of them added in a reluctant tone.
Everyone seemed motionless, except for Alessia, who dared to take a step forward.
"Angel…" She whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.
"We have come to take the son." The lead of the Oracles spoke, stoically.
"No." Angel refused immediately.
Alessia stopped walking, standing on the side, looking back and forth between Angel and the Powers.
"The ritual has begun." The voices spoke again. "The son will die. It is not cooperating. It is afraid."
"I will protect Connor…my son will not die." Angel argued, emotions taking over him.
"Angel…" Cordelia's voice stopped him and he turned to see her tearful face.
She didn't need to say more. Angel looked at her and then shifted his eyes towards a painfully silent and t earful Alessia. The images of what Skip had showed them filled through his mind once again. The stories Alessia had told them haunted him. He closed his eyes and held his son tight in his arms.
"The son will be protected. He will be trained and loved." The voices said again and this time in a much softer tone. "It will be returned."
Angel looked up at that last statement, his un-beating heart breaking inside. He looked at the circle on the floor, surrounded by the fires of hell and he saw the book lying on the ground nearby. If Connor stayed, the ritual would be completed and everything Alessia had told them would happen. If he left…
Angel swallowed back his tears.
"The son will be returned in time. It will be safe. It will be his mission." The Oracles informed a heartbroken Angel.
"When?" His voice chocked on the single questioning word.
"When the son is ready." Was all they could answer.
Angel looked again at the circle on the floor, and then back towards Cordelia. She took a few steps towards him, tears rolling down her face, and she put a hand on his shoulder. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before lowering his face to his son and placing an emotional kiss on his forehead.
Cordelia took the little baby's hand into hers and held her breath for a moment.
When she looked back up into Angel's eyes, she didn't need to ask what his decision was. Between watching his son die or letting him go, his choice was an easy one. Painful, but easy. Angel walked towards the oracles and slowly handed the child to them, after whispering a tearful "I love you". Connor settled beautifully in the female Oracle's arms and the two stepped away from Angel.
"It should be proud of itself." She spoke to him in regards to his decision.
Cordelia took Angel's arm and held it tight, as they both realized what Alessia and Skip had known all along. The ritual wasn't what mattered in order to change the future. This was.
This decision.
One by one, the Oracles began to disappear. All except one. One of the male Oracles took a step towards Alessia. The young woman had reached down and picked up the ritual book, handing it over to him silently.
"You should be proud of yourself, my child. Courage is within you." He whispered to her, cupping her face with his warm hands. "The heart of your mother; the strength of your father. We owe you, Alessia Chase." He smiled and whispered before lowering his head and kissing Alessia's forehead softly.
Angel, Cordelia and everyone watched the uncharacteristically tender gesture from the male Oracle with awe and sadness. When Alessia opened her eyes, the Oracle, as well as the blue screen bubble had disappeared. They found themselves standing in the rain once more, the magic being gone.
Angel, Cordelia and Alessia looked down at the Groosalug's dead body and after a few seconds, the man disappeared into thin air.
Alessia then turned to face her parents, speechless for the first time in her life. Angel and Cordelia were standing side by side, looking back at her, thinking the exact same thing that she was. they had dreaded this instant, and Cordelia had even chosen not to think about it until now. But the look on Alessia's face told them what was coming next. they had thought that changing the course of history was going to be the hardest thing they ever had to do. But now, as Alessia looked at the two faces she loved most in this world, she realized she had been wrong.
Saying goodbye would be the hardest.
A dramatic pause crept between all of them. The increasingly annoying sound of the rain flopping down on the asphalt was the only noise heard through the stormy night. Around them, the crowd of fighters began to disperse. Humans and demons alike either hid in the shadows or simply decided to run off.
Angel's dark and menacing eyes were glued on the Groosalug, who held the little boy as if it were a toy he had gotten utterly bored with by now. The blade of the sharp dagger hung dangerously close to Connor's infant throat while the two warriors stared at one another.
"Oh my God…Groo…" Cordelia managed to let out, fear and growing disgust quickly overpowering every other emotion in her body.
"Aww…I'm hurt," Groosalug spoke with a boyish sigh. "I remember a time when those exact words were met with a lot more enthusiasm – and dare I say it – satisfaction." He smirked and Cordelia suddenly felt nauseous.
"Shut up!" Angel growled despite himself at the implications of the Groosalug's words.
Cordelia had to force herself to look at a stunned, alarmed Groo standing beside her, eyes riveted on his agitated double. This was, for lack of better word, disconcerting.
"If I were you I would be careful in how I speak to me," Groo replied, glaring back and forth between Angel and the squirming Connor. "Now, put the book down before I decide to shut this baby up right here, right now."
"You wouldn't." Angel said through his teeth, never letting go of the ritual book.
His eyes momentarily softened as they rested on Connor, and then darkened again as they met Groo's.
"You want to try me?" the future nemesis challenged.
"You need him. The book is of no use to you if you kill Connor." Angel gritted, clutching the book cover and quickly glancing towards Alessia.
"Quite right." Groo nodded, pensively, as he squeezed Connor's whimpering body in his hands. "But the way I see things…if I don't get what I want, then why should you?"
There was a long silence between the two men as they stared at one another, motionless. The inner turmoil in Angel was increasing in intensity by the second. He looked back and forth between a painfully silent Alessia and his crying baby. His hands tightened around the book and Angel clenched his jaw, trying to think reasonably.
"He's serious," Alessia's voice was what finally broke the horrifying silence. "He would do it." She said, never looking at Angel and always staring at the Groosalug with invisible daggers in her eyes.
Angel turned to look at her, his body and soul struggling to choose here. When his eyes fell upon the beautiful but beaten young woman between him and Cordelia, he felt the need to take a quick breath. He could see the pain in her eyes, but most of all, he could see the knowledge.
The knowledge of what lied ahead. The knowledge of just how far Wolfram and Hart – and Groo – would go.
"He's not kidding." She said through her teeth, in a barely audible voice, as the rain traced small curvy lines on the side of her face.
"Yes, listen to the little one, Angel." The Groosalug spoke with a lighter voice. "After all, she's experienced first hand just how far…" he began but Alessia's harsh and threatening voice stopped him.
"Shut the hell up!" she gritted through her teeth, holding her breath.
Cordelia turned to face her daughter and it broke her heart to see the dark look in her eyes. That darkness. That pain. That anger. It wasn't a weakness that Cordy saw in the young woman; it was strength. A frightening strength. And the more she observed Alessia, the more she realized where she had seen such darkness before.
Angel.
"Alessia…" Groo almost sang in the air. "Alessia Chase." He repeated, shaking his head, as if he had trouble believing it himself. "You always were a feisty one, just like your mother."
"And that was always the problem wasn't it?" Skip said, speaking for the first time since the world had stopped turning. All eyes turned to him as he stared at the future Groo with such hatred and coldness in his eyes that it made Wesley's skin crawl. "She reminded you too much of her…"
"You don't know what you're talking about…" Groo almost spit back.
"I reminded you too much of Cordelia," Alessia spoke again, going off of Skip's statement. "That's why you never killed me."
Tension seemed to rise in that instant, and silence grew deeper and deeper. Cordelia could feel her heart pounding in her chest and, by the look on Angel's face he could sense it. The two exchanged an intense, emotion- filled look that spoke louder than words ever could.
"What is it?" Alessia threw at him, fearlessly. "You don't like what you see?" she spit out as he looked at her weak body. The bracelet around her wrist stopped glowing and Groo saw the painful look in her eyes. "You don't like what you and Lilah did?"
There was a long silence and everyone waited for Groo's response. He looked back and forth between Cordelia and Alessia and realized what Skip had said may have been true. She did remind him of Cordelia. Cordelia Chase. His princess…
"I won't make the same mistake twice." Groo said, now sounding both annoyed and angry by the young woman. "Now [b]you[/b]," he then said, waving the dagger in Angel's direction before placing it right back on Connor's throat. "Put the book down right now. I hate repeating myself."
When Angel seemed to momentarily hesitate, Groo grabbed Connor's head and jerked it back, the dagger pressing against his flesh.
"Now!" he yelled at the vampire.
"Angel, do not obey to this delusional man!"
Now all eyes turned to present Groo, who had been impressively silent up to now. But his voice filled the atmosphere so quickly that everyone jumped.
"Oh God!" Future Groo let out in disgust. "I really did talk like that." He added, noticing the way present Groo spoke. "I'm growing very impatient here…" he then said, threatening Connor still.
"Okay…" Angel finally spoke, his eyes never leaving Connor. "Okay…I'll put the book down, but only after you let go of my son." He said, trying to reason with him.
"What do you think I am? Stupid?" Groo said and heard Alessia snort in the back. "Not a good idea to mess with me right now little girl!" he then yelled at her.
"Hey!!" Cordelia exclaimed at the threatening words of the warrior, and she stepped in front of Alessia.
Groo, growing all the more impatient and annoyed, took the knife and with one swift move, cut Connor's cheek, lightly. The gesture brought on a chorus of gasps from the gang and a loud, frightened growl from Angel. Mere seconds passed before Angel savagely threw the book down on the ground.
"There!" he growled again.
The ritual book lied on the ground a few feet in front of Angel and Groo smiled that wide, toothpaste-advertising smile of his.
"I have a better idea, why don't you read it…" Groo then spoke, evil thoughts running rampant in his brain.
Angel froze and he swallowed back the threatening tears in h is eyes as he heard Connor's cried under the rain. He looked aside to Cordelia and Alessia, who were looking at him for answers he simply did not have. His eyes locked with Alessia's and he saw the pain of failure in her eyes. He could almost feel the apology imprinted on her face.
And then the memory of his conversation with Cordelia came back to him. Connor or Alessia…On one hand, Angel could lose his son…on the other, Cordelia could lose her daughter…Angel closed his eyes in pain and forced himself to take a deep breath. Under the pouring rain and the intense crying of Connor's, Angel bent down on the ground and picked up the book, slowly shielding it from the rain and turning the pages.
"Read it!" Groo ordered him as he played with the dagger near Connor's throat.
Angel looked one last time towards Alessia and Cordelia and that's when he saw it.
A nod.
Alessia nodded, and the look in her eyes told him to do it.
To save Connor.
Angel looked down at the page with tears in his eyes and began to read.
"Louder!" Groo commanded and Angel obeyed against his better judgement.
But at this point, his wasn't thinking with his head. He was thinking with the invisible heart he had learned to feel in his chest.
The words rolled off Angel's tongue with difficulty as the ground around them began to tremble. Fred grabbed Gunn's arm for support while Cordelia caught Alessia's already weak body and held her close. Skip felt warmth inside him and realized what was actually happening. He lifted his head up just in time to see Angel finish the incantation and to see Groo place Connor down on the ground in the middle of the circle.
At the second Connor was out of Groo's hands, Angel leapt in the air and landed on the warrior. Punches were thrown and blood was shed while the earth kept on shaking beneath them.
"Angel!!" Cordelia found herself yelling when she saw the blinding blue light coming from Connor's body and shooting straight up in the air.
Angel turned around and saw Connor crying on the floor. He turned around to go and get him but Groo grabbed him from behind. He heard the sound of a sword being pulled out and Angel closed his eyes, expecting the feel of the sharp piece of metal piercing through his skin.
But it never did.
He felt the grip on his shoulder loosen and he opened his eyes quickly. Everything seemed to happen to slowly – yet so quickly – that he barely could comprehend it. He spun around and came face to face with Groo's wide eyes and open mouth. The look of terror was imprinted on the ex-Pylean face from the future, and that's when Angel lowered his eyes and saw a large sword piercing through the Groosalug's chest. The man grabbed his wound in pain as blood filled his hands and he fell to his knees with a resounding noise. The fall of his body revealed the man behind him – the one who had killed the time traveling warrior.
"Groo…" Angel let out in a barely audible whisper as he stared at him.
Present Groo stood there, blood on his hands….his own blood…and stared down at his double, lying on the floor. Everyone froze for a moment. Angel's eyes went back and forth between the two Groosalugs, in disbelief. He noticed the small tears in Groo's eyes as he looked down at his future self.
"How could you…?" Future Groo spoke before letting out his last breath and closing his eyes.
Shocked didn't even begin to describe what everyone was feeling at the moment. Groo took a few steps back, silently, while Angel turned back to Connor. He ran towards the little boy but was blinded by the blue light that emanated from him.
Before they knew it, the light formed a bubble around them, shielding them from any outside forces. Angel was thrown in the air, back to where Cordelia, Alessia, Skip, Wesley, Fred and Gunn were standing. Groo joined them after untying Lorne, all expecting the worse.
Just when they thought the ritual was going to take its course, Connor stopped crying and the light stopped coming out of him. The large blue bubbled stayed around them, but a strange peacefulness came like a breeze into the night. Skip looked up and a soft smile crept up on his face. Not wasting any time, Angel rushed to Connor and picked his son up in his arms, desperately trying to protect him from whatever was happening.
Suddenly, appearing from nowhere, ten figures took form in front of them, all brilliant in their glowing and matching auras. The Oracles formed a perfect line in front of the shaken group, as a warmth and light made their way to them.
"Oh my God…Are they…?" Fred whispered, unable to even finish her thought out loud.
"It is afraid. It is weak. It is stubborn." The voices spoke all at once, while they looked at Angel and Connor. "It is emotional." One of them added in a reluctant tone.
Everyone seemed motionless, except for Alessia, who dared to take a step forward.
"Angel…" She whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.
"We have come to take the son." The lead of the Oracles spoke, stoically.
"No." Angel refused immediately.
Alessia stopped walking, standing on the side, looking back and forth between Angel and the Powers.
"The ritual has begun." The voices spoke again. "The son will die. It is not cooperating. It is afraid."
"I will protect Connor…my son will not die." Angel argued, emotions taking over him.
"Angel…" Cordelia's voice stopped him and he turned to see her tearful face.
She didn't need to say more. Angel looked at her and then shifted his eyes towards a painfully silent and t earful Alessia. The images of what Skip had showed them filled through his mind once again. The stories Alessia had told them haunted him. He closed his eyes and held his son tight in his arms.
"The son will be protected. He will be trained and loved." The voices said again and this time in a much softer tone. "It will be returned."
Angel looked up at that last statement, his un-beating heart breaking inside. He looked at the circle on the floor, surrounded by the fires of hell and he saw the book lying on the ground nearby. If Connor stayed, the ritual would be completed and everything Alessia had told them would happen. If he left…
Angel swallowed back his tears.
"The son will be returned in time. It will be safe. It will be his mission." The Oracles informed a heartbroken Angel.
"When?" His voice chocked on the single questioning word.
"When the son is ready." Was all they could answer.
Angel looked again at the circle on the floor, and then back towards Cordelia. She took a few steps towards him, tears rolling down her face, and she put a hand on his shoulder. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before lowering his face to his son and placing an emotional kiss on his forehead.
Cordelia took the little baby's hand into hers and held her breath for a moment.
When she looked back up into Angel's eyes, she didn't need to ask what his decision was. Between watching his son die or letting him go, his choice was an easy one. Painful, but easy. Angel walked towards the oracles and slowly handed the child to them, after whispering a tearful "I love you". Connor settled beautifully in the female Oracle's arms and the two stepped away from Angel.
"It should be proud of itself." She spoke to him in regards to his decision.
Cordelia took Angel's arm and held it tight, as they both realized what Alessia and Skip had known all along. The ritual wasn't what mattered in order to change the future. This was.
This decision.
One by one, the Oracles began to disappear. All except one. One of the male Oracles took a step towards Alessia. The young woman had reached down and picked up the ritual book, handing it over to him silently.
"You should be proud of yourself, my child. Courage is within you." He whispered to her, cupping her face with his warm hands. "The heart of your mother; the strength of your father. We owe you, Alessia Chase." He smiled and whispered before lowering his head and kissing Alessia's forehead softly.
Angel, Cordelia and everyone watched the uncharacteristically tender gesture from the male Oracle with awe and sadness. When Alessia opened her eyes, the Oracle, as well as the blue screen bubble had disappeared. They found themselves standing in the rain once more, the magic being gone.
Angel, Cordelia and Alessia looked down at the Groosalug's dead body and after a few seconds, the man disappeared into thin air.
Alessia then turned to face her parents, speechless for the first time in her life. Angel and Cordelia were standing side by side, looking back at her, thinking the exact same thing that she was. they had dreaded this instant, and Cordelia had even chosen not to think about it until now. But the look on Alessia's face told them what was coming next. they had thought that changing the course of history was going to be the hardest thing they ever had to do. But now, as Alessia looked at the two faces she loved most in this world, she realized she had been wrong.
Saying goodbye would be the hardest.