Chapter 12
There are moments like that when you wish you could just freeze time and make the instant last longer. Forever. Moments that you can't really describe, for they go beyond words. Moments that you pray to God you won't forget. This was one of those moments.
Cordelia ran a hand through her dripping wet hair and wiped the rain from her face, trying to see Alessia's face more clearly. The girl was standing a couple of feet in front of them, looking away in the distance at the tall buildings of L.A. as if they held the most precious secrets. A daydreamer she was, Cordelia thought. The look on her face was once she recognized: dreamy yet realistic, hopeful yet resigned.
Angel, standing beside Cordelia, immobile, observed Alessia intensely, repressing the urge to say her name out loud. It came over him like a flood, carrying the weight of the last three days heavily. He felt the need to say her name…his daughter's name…for no particular reason, if only to just see her reaction. He had known for a little while now, but it didn't hit him completely until now. Alessia Chase was his daughter. He wanted to just say it out loud. Once. But he didn't. He just stood there with Cordelia, in silence, looking at her. The rain made Alessia's face look much younger than she actually was. Like a little girl. It gave her a childish quality that almost made Angel smile.
"Wow…" Alessia finally let out, looking around her at all the familiar faces. "I had thought about this, and prepared for it, and planned it…I thought about it all, up to now." She smiled sadly. "I never really thought of what I would say once it was all over…That was Connor's job." She chuckled to herself, shaking her head at the memory.
Her eyes locked with Angel's and the softness on her face made him smile softly. A part of him wanted to feel broken up inside. A part of him wanted to find that comforting darkness within him, but for some reason, he didn't. The sadness was soothed by a strange warmth he could not describe. Peace. He could feel that Cordelia was feeling the same way.
"Alessia…" Skip's voice came from the sidewalk where he was waiting, his tone holding a warning as to what was to come.
"I know…" Alessia nodded, lowering her eyes to the ground for a moment.
Cordy felt like someone had squeezed her heart too tight all of a sudden. It's strange how quickly you can become attached to someone you never even knew existed…or would exist. It's funny the instinct that rises within you in the face of something larger than life: your future.
"I wish you had more time…I…" Cordy felt her voice trail off into the darkness.
"I don't." Alessia replied in all simplicity, which shocked everyone.
"What?" Angel's voice seemed strained…as if he had to force the word out of his mouth.
Faced with their seemingly hurt faces, Alessia quickly rectified what she had meant.
"I mean, I do…but I don't at the same time." She added quickly, looking back and forth between Angel and Cordelia. "There's this voice in the back of my head that keeps saying 'God, I wish I had more time!'" Alessia smiled gently. "But then, there's this other voice – this thump inside my heart – this louder voice, that keeps telling me to just look in front of myself…" They all listened in silence as Ally's gentle words continued. "When you lose someone, you spend the rest of your life wishing with every breath you take that you could just see them one last time…just one more time." She paused and smiled through misty eyes. "How many people can actually say they got that chance?" she asked, as everybody sighed and nodded, taking in the meaning of her words.
After a short pause, during which everybody seemed to ponder the value of her words, Gunn cleared his throat.
"How did you get to be so deep? You didn't get [b]that[/b] from Barbie here…" he grinned, avoiding Cordelia's icy glare with amusement.
Alessia laughed softly.
"Well, try hanging around this guy every day," she pointed at Skip with a chuckle. "It'll rub off on you."
Cordy and Angel couldn't help but smile wholeheartedly.
"So, what happens now?" Fred asked in a tired voice.
Alessia thought about that for a second and tenderly looked at the bookish woman.
"You guys get to live your lives." She answered very simply. "You get to write your own future…one that's not been chosen for you." She said, turning to Cordelia with a sheepish, childlike expression on her face, and grinned. "And maybe, you know…not putting any pressure here or anything…you know…but maybe, just maybe…you kind of bring me into the picture at some point in time…just [b]maybe[/b]." she emphasized the maybe once again with a grin. "That sounded like I was campaigning for my birth, didn't it?"
"You sold it pretty well." Cordelia replied softly while Angel repressed a laugh. "Then again, I'm guessing you father, whoever he will turn out to be, will have a say in that little matter…" she added.
"Well, at least you can narrow the list down now, 'cause we all know who it [I]isn't[/I]." Lorne unintentionally let slip out, holding his bruised head with one hand.
He realized the impact of his words too late, unfortunately. An intense silence befell them and uncertain eyes hesitantly turned to Groo. No one spoke until Alessia walked towards the uncomfortable Pylean Warrior. She stood close to him and searched his innocent face for a moment.
"Groo…" she began as everyone else watched, slightly feeling out of place.
"I apologize…" He whispered in a strained voice, unable to look into Alessia's face.
Groo was taken aback when Alessia reached out to place a hand on his arm, and he finally looked up to see her facial expression. There, he found a mixture of pain and pity, but most of all understanding. He instinctively reached out and traced the bracelet around her wrist with his fingers.
"I did this…" His words were stating and asking at the same time.
"No." she said as Cordy and Angel watched her and Groo intensely. "Groo…" Alessia took a deep breath before continuing. "It would be a lie if I didn't say that you and I, we were never friends…I grew up to despise your face…but it wasn't you." She admitted. "It was him…someone you are not yet."
"How…why? Why did I do those things…" he asked in disbelief.
"Love hurts." She whispered. Groo glanced over to Cordelia, who lowered her eyes. And it can make you do some pretty stupid things."
Groo had known that Cordelia's heart wasn't free, but a glimpse of hope had kept him in L.A.
"Go home Groo." Alessia then spoke quietly. "Just go back home before you do things that I know you don't want to do…before you become someone I know you don't want to become. Just think about it." She almost pleaded with him and he nodded.
She squeezed his hands and smiled before turning away from him and facing Angel and Cordelia again. She and her parents shared an emotion-filled silence before Alessia shook her head with an awe-inspiring grin and turned to Gunn.
"Gunn, would you do me a favor?" she asked and he quickly agreed. "If these two go into broody mode or do anything that doesn't involve a smile once I'm gone, knock some sense into them would you!" she said, handing him her sword and everyone laughed softly.
Cordelia then saw the look on the girl's face and knew something had happened in the back of Alessia's head. She looked like she had just remembered something important.
"What is it?" Cordy asked her.
"I just remember something you told me when I was little…and I never understood it until now."
"What did I say?"
"That beginnings are always a little scary, and endings always a little sad…but it's what's in the middle that counts." Alessia whispered.
Right at that moment, Alessia turned to face Skip, as if asking him permission to do something. The time traveling demon nodded silently, as Alessia turned back to her mother, taking a deep breath.
"Close your eyes." Alessia gently spoke and Cordelia frowned, confused.
"Why? What are you going to do?" she asked.
"I wasn't lying when I told you that it hadn't been all bad." Ally whispered. "Before you left, you let me read you….you let me see your memories. Now it's my turn. It's my turn to give them back to you along with some of mine." She said, sounding like a child too tired for her young age.
Cordelia exchanged a glance with Angel before closing her eyes. Alessia placed on hand on her mother's forehead as the rain poured on them. She closed her eyes as well and concentrated as the images passed from daughter to mother, slowly.
[I] Connor's little feet hit the sand in slow motion as he ran on the beach, the sun dancing across his young boyish grin. He was laughing and after a moment he ran into his father's arms as the waves brushed Angel's ankles. The sun cast colors on his slightly tanned skin that Cordelia had never seen before
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
Sweat covered Cordelia's face and neck as she let her head fall back onto the pillow, exhausted to a point she had never reached in her entire life. A slightly relieved Faith and a dishevelled Buffy held their breaths as the Slayer placed the tiny little naked child in Cordelia's arms. Cordy's trembling hands held the fragile little girl to her chest as tears filled her eyes. Buffy and Faith smiled through their own tears – which had stemmed from panic, fear and joy – as they leaned closer, wrapping a tiny blanket around Cordelia and the baby. The two Slayers brushed a few drops of sweat from their faces, respectively, as they watched the awe, exhaustion and emotionally drained expression in Cordelia's eyes. The slow- motion in which the images appeared conveyed the intensity of the painful delivery perfectly.
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
Cordelia kneeling besides the bathtub, wearing a man's shirt with the sleeves pulled up, while a little girl splashed water all over her with her toys. The smile on Cordelia's face and the sound of laughter filled Cordy's ears as the image seemed to freeze on that image for a few seconds.
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
Flash Forward to Fred, Willow and Cordelia sharing a high five in the middle of the Magic Box, laughing for no particular reason.
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
A slightly older Cordelia leaning down and kissing the forehead of her mother, who was lying asleep in a hospital bed.
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
A Connor all grown up and an Alessia in her late teens stood in the middle of Buffy's kitchen while Tara tried to teach Connor how to cook. Alessia watched with a rather amused grin from her seat at the counter.
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
Alessia, Buffy, Gunn and Connor standing in a beautiful church while Gunn and Buffy said their vows. The images lingered on the happiness on Connor and Alessia's face as they fell into their roles of Best Man and Maid of Honor.
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
Cordelia crashed onto the couch, holding a giggling one-year-old Alessia in her arms, while laughing hysterically. Angel came running from the other side of the hotel lobby, carrying Connor on his back and he flopped down beside her, allowing the little boy full range to tickle Cordy. The laughs echoed in the entire hotel and the images slowed down considerably as Angel and Cordelia's eyes met and locked. Slowly, Angel bent down, placing a long, soft kiss on Cordy's lips…
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
A hand tenderly came around Cordy's waist, pulling her closer. There she stood, wearing a simply white man's shirt that fell right above her knees, while Angel stood in only a pair of grey sweat pants, bare-chested and smiling that sexy smile of his. With one hand around her waist and the other entangled with hers, they began to dance to a music only they could hear, in the middle of the courtyard, under the sunset. Angel rested his forehead against hers as they moved slowly into a simple dance. Beautiful dance.
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
An image of a full-grown Connor carrying an equally grown-up Alessia on his back while walking through the sewers, teasing one another slowly melted into an image much more familiar. An image of Angel carrying Cordelia on his back while entering the lobby and finding Alessia and Skip standing there, covered in blood. The images were shown through the eyes of Alessia, as she had seen them.
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
Back to Cordelia and Angel dancing in the courtyard, sharing one of those secret smiles.
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
Cordelia, Wesley, Angel, Fred, Gunn, Lorne, Buffy, Willow, Xander, Giles, Tara, Connor and Alessia all gathered around a table where a birthday cake waited. They were all singing as young Connor blew out the candles.
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
Four figures sound asleep on a bed, all cuddled up to one another…Angel on his back, with an infant Alessia sleeping on his strong chest. Cordelia with her arms around him, while Connor lied by her side, his head resting on her stomach as if it was the most comfortable pillow ever invented. A perfect motionless image that disappeared too quickly.
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
Back to Cordelia and Angel kissing, this time in the rain, in the middle of a street somewhere, laughing between kisses.
[b]Slowly fades out…[/b]
[/I]
When Cordelia opened her eyes, she found Alessia looking at her with a soft, loving expression on her face. Cordy opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. She held her breath, feeling her heart racing in her chest and turned quickly to look at Angel. Not a word was spoken as she looked at him, awe, surprise and realization hitting her all at once.
Angel met her eyes, knowing what Alessia must have silently revealed to her and he waited for her reaction. In those eyes Cordy saw something she'd never seen before…so much more than she'd allowed herself to see before. And suddenly, voices from the past filled her head.
[I]Alessia: "You always said that I had my father's eyes. I think it was mostly the eyebrows."
Skip: "Not only were seers never supposed to bear their warrior's child…"
Angel: "There's something you need to know about Alessia…her father…"
Alessia: "Most of all you were loved… My father loved you with all his heart, and gave his life for you…never doubt that."
[/I]
Alessia smiled to herself and Cordelia, still speechless for one of the very few times in her life, turned back to look at her daughter. Small tears welled u p in Cordy's eyes. She had felt it. She hadn't just seen the images inside Alessia's mind, she had felt them. The feel of a newborn child in her trembling arms for the first time, or the touch of Angel's lips…the love that she felt for him…Alessia looked up at the rain and smiled, looking back at Cordelia.
"I told you it'd be pouring rain." She whispered, not needing to say anything else.
With her heart pounding in her chest, Cordy wrapped her arms around the precious young woman standing before her. They shared an emotional hug, one which Cordelia had trouble pulling away from. Alessia took a few steps back and they both smiled through their tears.
"It's the middle that counts." She whispered again and Cordelia's smile grew even wider.
"Alessia, it's time…" Skip said in a strained voice from behind her.
Alessia nodded and prepared to turn away but then stopped herself. She slowly turned around and locked eyes with Angel. She held her breath for a while, looking into his deep dark, reassuring eyes. Without giving it a second thought, she took a few hasty steps forward and wrapped her arms around his neck so tightly that she could have chocked him had he been human. Cordelia felt small tears roll down her cheeks when she saw Alessia burry her face into Angel's shoulder. Angel instinctively held the girl close to him.
"I was always the lucky one…and [b]I[/b] never got to tell you that…" Ally whispered against her father's shoulder as her tears mixed with the rain.
Angel took a deep, unnecessary breath.
"You just did." He whispered back with a soft smile.
Alessia closed her eyes, his words having more meaning to her than anyone could ever understand. She didn't seem able or willing to let him go, but Skip's voice pulled her back to reality.
"Ally…"
Alessia pulled away and proceeded to walk away. She then abruptly turned around and called out to them.
"Mom? Dad?" she called out. "In that new future of yours…if I ever…you know…if I ever turn out to be – God forbid – a boy…" she sighed. "Please. Not Angelo, ok?" she flashed a bright smile that made both Cordy and Angel smile back and nod.
And with that, she disappeared. They all stood still, looking at the empty space she'd left behind, until Cordelia noticed something on the ground. She saw the object and bent down to pick it up. She felt her heart beat faster and a genuinely peaceful smile came across her face as she looked at the bracelet she was holding in her hands.
"She's free." Skip said. "She's finally free now…And so are you." He added before disappearing as well.
Cordelia then felt Angel's hand on hers, touching the bracelet slowly. She looked up into his eyes and words seemed useless. Their silent conversation was enough. A part of them felt sad, but strangely enough, a bigger part of them felt good. At peace. Hopeful.
Safe.
Angel wrapped his arms around her without saying anything and they just held each other under the rain, while the others stood aside in silence.
--
Back in Cordelia's apartment, silence filled every room. In the kitchen, Dennis slowly picked up the picture that Alessia had left on the counter and he noticed the faces slowly vanishing from the print…disappearing, as history was being re-written. And all that was left were a few written words in the back of the picture by Alessia.
"Make the best of what you know."
TO BE CONTINUED…
There are moments like that when you wish you could just freeze time and make the instant last longer. Forever. Moments that you can't really describe, for they go beyond words. Moments that you pray to God you won't forget. This was one of those moments.
Cordelia ran a hand through her dripping wet hair and wiped the rain from her face, trying to see Alessia's face more clearly. The girl was standing a couple of feet in front of them, looking away in the distance at the tall buildings of L.A. as if they held the most precious secrets. A daydreamer she was, Cordelia thought. The look on her face was once she recognized: dreamy yet realistic, hopeful yet resigned.
Angel, standing beside Cordelia, immobile, observed Alessia intensely, repressing the urge to say her name out loud. It came over him like a flood, carrying the weight of the last three days heavily. He felt the need to say her name…his daughter's name…for no particular reason, if only to just see her reaction. He had known for a little while now, but it didn't hit him completely until now. Alessia Chase was his daughter. He wanted to just say it out loud. Once. But he didn't. He just stood there with Cordelia, in silence, looking at her. The rain made Alessia's face look much younger than she actually was. Like a little girl. It gave her a childish quality that almost made Angel smile.
"Wow…" Alessia finally let out, looking around her at all the familiar faces. "I had thought about this, and prepared for it, and planned it…I thought about it all, up to now." She smiled sadly. "I never really thought of what I would say once it was all over…That was Connor's job." She chuckled to herself, shaking her head at the memory.
Her eyes locked with Angel's and the softness on her face made him smile softly. A part of him wanted to feel broken up inside. A part of him wanted to find that comforting darkness within him, but for some reason, he didn't. The sadness was soothed by a strange warmth he could not describe. Peace. He could feel that Cordelia was feeling the same way.
"Alessia…" Skip's voice came from the sidewalk where he was waiting, his tone holding a warning as to what was to come.
"I know…" Alessia nodded, lowering her eyes to the ground for a moment.
Cordy felt like someone had squeezed her heart too tight all of a sudden. It's strange how quickly you can become attached to someone you never even knew existed…or would exist. It's funny the instinct that rises within you in the face of something larger than life: your future.
"I wish you had more time…I…" Cordy felt her voice trail off into the darkness.
"I don't." Alessia replied in all simplicity, which shocked everyone.
"What?" Angel's voice seemed strained…as if he had to force the word out of his mouth.
Faced with their seemingly hurt faces, Alessia quickly rectified what she had meant.
"I mean, I do…but I don't at the same time." She added quickly, looking back and forth between Angel and Cordelia. "There's this voice in the back of my head that keeps saying 'God, I wish I had more time!'" Alessia smiled gently. "But then, there's this other voice – this thump inside my heart – this louder voice, that keeps telling me to just look in front of myself…" They all listened in silence as Ally's gentle words continued. "When you lose someone, you spend the rest of your life wishing with every breath you take that you could just see them one last time…just one more time." She paused and smiled through misty eyes. "How many people can actually say they got that chance?" she asked, as everybody sighed and nodded, taking in the meaning of her words.
After a short pause, during which everybody seemed to ponder the value of her words, Gunn cleared his throat.
"How did you get to be so deep? You didn't get [b]that[/b] from Barbie here…" he grinned, avoiding Cordelia's icy glare with amusement.
Alessia laughed softly.
"Well, try hanging around this guy every day," she pointed at Skip with a chuckle. "It'll rub off on you."
Cordy and Angel couldn't help but smile wholeheartedly.
"So, what happens now?" Fred asked in a tired voice.
Alessia thought about that for a second and tenderly looked at the bookish woman.
"You guys get to live your lives." She answered very simply. "You get to write your own future…one that's not been chosen for you." She said, turning to Cordelia with a sheepish, childlike expression on her face, and grinned. "And maybe, you know…not putting any pressure here or anything…you know…but maybe, just maybe…you kind of bring me into the picture at some point in time…just [b]maybe[/b]." she emphasized the maybe once again with a grin. "That sounded like I was campaigning for my birth, didn't it?"
"You sold it pretty well." Cordelia replied softly while Angel repressed a laugh. "Then again, I'm guessing you father, whoever he will turn out to be, will have a say in that little matter…" she added.
"Well, at least you can narrow the list down now, 'cause we all know who it [I]isn't[/I]." Lorne unintentionally let slip out, holding his bruised head with one hand.
He realized the impact of his words too late, unfortunately. An intense silence befell them and uncertain eyes hesitantly turned to Groo. No one spoke until Alessia walked towards the uncomfortable Pylean Warrior. She stood close to him and searched his innocent face for a moment.
"Groo…" she began as everyone else watched, slightly feeling out of place.
"I apologize…" He whispered in a strained voice, unable to look into Alessia's face.
Groo was taken aback when Alessia reached out to place a hand on his arm, and he finally looked up to see her facial expression. There, he found a mixture of pain and pity, but most of all understanding. He instinctively reached out and traced the bracelet around her wrist with his fingers.
"I did this…" His words were stating and asking at the same time.
"No." she said as Cordy and Angel watched her and Groo intensely. "Groo…" Alessia took a deep breath before continuing. "It would be a lie if I didn't say that you and I, we were never friends…I grew up to despise your face…but it wasn't you." She admitted. "It was him…someone you are not yet."
"How…why? Why did I do those things…" he asked in disbelief.
"Love hurts." She whispered. Groo glanced over to Cordelia, who lowered her eyes. And it can make you do some pretty stupid things."
Groo had known that Cordelia's heart wasn't free, but a glimpse of hope had kept him in L.A.
"Go home Groo." Alessia then spoke quietly. "Just go back home before you do things that I know you don't want to do…before you become someone I know you don't want to become. Just think about it." She almost pleaded with him and he nodded.
She squeezed his hands and smiled before turning away from him and facing Angel and Cordelia again. She and her parents shared an emotion-filled silence before Alessia shook her head with an awe-inspiring grin and turned to Gunn.
"Gunn, would you do me a favor?" she asked and he quickly agreed. "If these two go into broody mode or do anything that doesn't involve a smile once I'm gone, knock some sense into them would you!" she said, handing him her sword and everyone laughed softly.
Cordelia then saw the look on the girl's face and knew something had happened in the back of Alessia's head. She looked like she had just remembered something important.
"What is it?" Cordy asked her.
"I just remember something you told me when I was little…and I never understood it until now."
"What did I say?"
"That beginnings are always a little scary, and endings always a little sad…but it's what's in the middle that counts." Alessia whispered.
Right at that moment, Alessia turned to face Skip, as if asking him permission to do something. The time traveling demon nodded silently, as Alessia turned back to her mother, taking a deep breath.
"Close your eyes." Alessia gently spoke and Cordelia frowned, confused.
"Why? What are you going to do?" she asked.
"I wasn't lying when I told you that it hadn't been all bad." Ally whispered. "Before you left, you let me read you….you let me see your memories. Now it's my turn. It's my turn to give them back to you along with some of mine." She said, sounding like a child too tired for her young age.
Cordelia exchanged a glance with Angel before closing her eyes. Alessia placed on hand on her mother's forehead as the rain poured on them. She closed her eyes as well and concentrated as the images passed from daughter to mother, slowly.
[I] Connor's little feet hit the sand in slow motion as he ran on the beach, the sun dancing across his young boyish grin. He was laughing and after a moment he ran into his father's arms as the waves brushed Angel's ankles. The sun cast colors on his slightly tanned skin that Cordelia had never seen before
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
Sweat covered Cordelia's face and neck as she let her head fall back onto the pillow, exhausted to a point she had never reached in her entire life. A slightly relieved Faith and a dishevelled Buffy held their breaths as the Slayer placed the tiny little naked child in Cordelia's arms. Cordy's trembling hands held the fragile little girl to her chest as tears filled her eyes. Buffy and Faith smiled through their own tears – which had stemmed from panic, fear and joy – as they leaned closer, wrapping a tiny blanket around Cordelia and the baby. The two Slayers brushed a few drops of sweat from their faces, respectively, as they watched the awe, exhaustion and emotionally drained expression in Cordelia's eyes. The slow- motion in which the images appeared conveyed the intensity of the painful delivery perfectly.
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
Cordelia kneeling besides the bathtub, wearing a man's shirt with the sleeves pulled up, while a little girl splashed water all over her with her toys. The smile on Cordelia's face and the sound of laughter filled Cordy's ears as the image seemed to freeze on that image for a few seconds.
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
Flash Forward to Fred, Willow and Cordelia sharing a high five in the middle of the Magic Box, laughing for no particular reason.
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
A slightly older Cordelia leaning down and kissing the forehead of her mother, who was lying asleep in a hospital bed.
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
A Connor all grown up and an Alessia in her late teens stood in the middle of Buffy's kitchen while Tara tried to teach Connor how to cook. Alessia watched with a rather amused grin from her seat at the counter.
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
Alessia, Buffy, Gunn and Connor standing in a beautiful church while Gunn and Buffy said their vows. The images lingered on the happiness on Connor and Alessia's face as they fell into their roles of Best Man and Maid of Honor.
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
Cordelia crashed onto the couch, holding a giggling one-year-old Alessia in her arms, while laughing hysterically. Angel came running from the other side of the hotel lobby, carrying Connor on his back and he flopped down beside her, allowing the little boy full range to tickle Cordy. The laughs echoed in the entire hotel and the images slowed down considerably as Angel and Cordelia's eyes met and locked. Slowly, Angel bent down, placing a long, soft kiss on Cordy's lips…
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
A hand tenderly came around Cordy's waist, pulling her closer. There she stood, wearing a simply white man's shirt that fell right above her knees, while Angel stood in only a pair of grey sweat pants, bare-chested and smiling that sexy smile of his. With one hand around her waist and the other entangled with hers, they began to dance to a music only they could hear, in the middle of the courtyard, under the sunset. Angel rested his forehead against hers as they moved slowly into a simple dance. Beautiful dance.
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
An image of a full-grown Connor carrying an equally grown-up Alessia on his back while walking through the sewers, teasing one another slowly melted into an image much more familiar. An image of Angel carrying Cordelia on his back while entering the lobby and finding Alessia and Skip standing there, covered in blood. The images were shown through the eyes of Alessia, as she had seen them.
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
Back to Cordelia and Angel dancing in the courtyard, sharing one of those secret smiles.
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
Cordelia, Wesley, Angel, Fred, Gunn, Lorne, Buffy, Willow, Xander, Giles, Tara, Connor and Alessia all gathered around a table where a birthday cake waited. They were all singing as young Connor blew out the candles.
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
Four figures sound asleep on a bed, all cuddled up to one another…Angel on his back, with an infant Alessia sleeping on his strong chest. Cordelia with her arms around him, while Connor lied by her side, his head resting on her stomach as if it was the most comfortable pillow ever invented. A perfect motionless image that disappeared too quickly.
[b]Slowly fades to…[/b]
Back to Cordelia and Angel kissing, this time in the rain, in the middle of a street somewhere, laughing between kisses.
[b]Slowly fades out…[/b]
[/I]
When Cordelia opened her eyes, she found Alessia looking at her with a soft, loving expression on her face. Cordy opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. She held her breath, feeling her heart racing in her chest and turned quickly to look at Angel. Not a word was spoken as she looked at him, awe, surprise and realization hitting her all at once.
Angel met her eyes, knowing what Alessia must have silently revealed to her and he waited for her reaction. In those eyes Cordy saw something she'd never seen before…so much more than she'd allowed herself to see before. And suddenly, voices from the past filled her head.
[I]Alessia: "You always said that I had my father's eyes. I think it was mostly the eyebrows."
Skip: "Not only were seers never supposed to bear their warrior's child…"
Angel: "There's something you need to know about Alessia…her father…"
Alessia: "Most of all you were loved… My father loved you with all his heart, and gave his life for you…never doubt that."
[/I]
Alessia smiled to herself and Cordelia, still speechless for one of the very few times in her life, turned back to look at her daughter. Small tears welled u p in Cordy's eyes. She had felt it. She hadn't just seen the images inside Alessia's mind, she had felt them. The feel of a newborn child in her trembling arms for the first time, or the touch of Angel's lips…the love that she felt for him…Alessia looked up at the rain and smiled, looking back at Cordelia.
"I told you it'd be pouring rain." She whispered, not needing to say anything else.
With her heart pounding in her chest, Cordy wrapped her arms around the precious young woman standing before her. They shared an emotional hug, one which Cordelia had trouble pulling away from. Alessia took a few steps back and they both smiled through their tears.
"It's the middle that counts." She whispered again and Cordelia's smile grew even wider.
"Alessia, it's time…" Skip said in a strained voice from behind her.
Alessia nodded and prepared to turn away but then stopped herself. She slowly turned around and locked eyes with Angel. She held her breath for a while, looking into his deep dark, reassuring eyes. Without giving it a second thought, she took a few hasty steps forward and wrapped her arms around his neck so tightly that she could have chocked him had he been human. Cordelia felt small tears roll down her cheeks when she saw Alessia burry her face into Angel's shoulder. Angel instinctively held the girl close to him.
"I was always the lucky one…and [b]I[/b] never got to tell you that…" Ally whispered against her father's shoulder as her tears mixed with the rain.
Angel took a deep, unnecessary breath.
"You just did." He whispered back with a soft smile.
Alessia closed her eyes, his words having more meaning to her than anyone could ever understand. She didn't seem able or willing to let him go, but Skip's voice pulled her back to reality.
"Ally…"
Alessia pulled away and proceeded to walk away. She then abruptly turned around and called out to them.
"Mom? Dad?" she called out. "In that new future of yours…if I ever…you know…if I ever turn out to be – God forbid – a boy…" she sighed. "Please. Not Angelo, ok?" she flashed a bright smile that made both Cordy and Angel smile back and nod.
And with that, she disappeared. They all stood still, looking at the empty space she'd left behind, until Cordelia noticed something on the ground. She saw the object and bent down to pick it up. She felt her heart beat faster and a genuinely peaceful smile came across her face as she looked at the bracelet she was holding in her hands.
"She's free." Skip said. "She's finally free now…And so are you." He added before disappearing as well.
Cordelia then felt Angel's hand on hers, touching the bracelet slowly. She looked up into his eyes and words seemed useless. Their silent conversation was enough. A part of them felt sad, but strangely enough, a bigger part of them felt good. At peace. Hopeful.
Safe.
Angel wrapped his arms around her without saying anything and they just held each other under the rain, while the others stood aside in silence.
--
Back in Cordelia's apartment, silence filled every room. In the kitchen, Dennis slowly picked up the picture that Alessia had left on the counter and he noticed the faces slowly vanishing from the print…disappearing, as history was being re-written. And all that was left were a few written words in the back of the picture by Alessia.
"Make the best of what you know."
TO BE CONTINUED…