Title : Family

Author : Aset



A/N : so…here we are ; the last chapter before the holidays (finally) begin ! ! ! Enjoy ! ! and to all of you still at school : best of luck with the exams ! !





As the hours fled by, life slowly drained from the little baby's body. He was dying, and there was nothing to be done. Xander had gone back to where the snow was, taking some of the frozen stuff with him, but Connor's fever wouldn't fall. Willow, Wesley and Fred tried, but failed. All they could do was stand there and watch him die in his father's arms.

Angel sighed and looked at his friends, as tears slowly started to fill his eyes. 'I…Can we be…alone ?' He asked. No matter how much these people were close to him, heck they were his family, he felt this should be a private moment. His last moment with his son.

The boy's heartbeat was faint, and breathing also troubled him. It won't be long…

'sure.' Wesley said, understanding, as he left the cave, followed by the others. Outside they allowed themselves to let their tears run freely.

Inside the cave, Angel had started crying too, in silence, as he softly sung a lullaby for his son ; the child didn't respond anymore. He softly placed a kiss on the forehead.

'I'm so sorry Connor !…we should've came here sooner, but we couldn't…I love you ! And now you're back here, and I'm loosing you again ' Angel said in a voice thick with emotion. He still couldn't really believe this was happening, not again. He had accepted Connor was gone, but now he got his son back, he didn't want to loose him again. And he grieved again.



Gunn took Fred's hand and let her away from the cave.

'She shouldn't be there' he thought.

They walked away into the forest, there they stopped, sitting down against a tree. Fred went to lay down against Gunn's chest, sobbing. It was awful, loosing the boy again, seeing Angel's pain once more.

'What's that ?' Fred asked through her tears. She'd heard a noise coming from behind the bush. It was like someone was breathing heavily.

'I'll check it out' Gunn said, hearing it too, 'stay here'

Fred nodded as Gunn got up, 'Charles…be careful'

'I will'

He looked behind the bush. A form of a woman, covered in blood ; He could still see her breathing, she was still alive;  He went to sit down next to the woman, carefully turning her over, so he could see her head. He gasped as he saw het woman's face

'Cordy !' he yelled.

She opened her eyes and whispered 'Gunn' ; she had trouble breathing.

'Cordelia ? How did you get here ? What happened ?'

'A demon' she managed to say

He saw a large, and deep cut in her heft side, blood pouring out of it continuously.

'Sssht' he said, 'don't talk'. He lifted her up, carrying her in the direction of the cave.

***

The battle against death had been short. the baby was weak, no imunesystem left to fight.

They had buried the child near the cave, every body in rears ; angel had stopped crying ; he looked at the now-closed pit where the body of his son now lay ;

'Angel..' Buffy said, approaching him, 'I'm sorry'

he remained silent ; didn't even look at her.

Buffy stepped away, as did the rest, giving Angel the chance to say goodbye to his son alone.

Then they heard Fred yelling at them in the distance. As they saw Fred and Gunn approach, they also saw Gunn was carrying something… a woman.

'Cordelia !' Xander exclaimed in horror as he recognised the bleeding figure.

'I thought they stayed at home ? !' Spike said

'What happened ?'

'Where's Dawn ?' Buffy asked

'How did you get here ?'

'They followed us here !' Fred said, helping Guinn as he put Cordy down on the ground. She moaned in pain.

'Where's Dawn ?' Buffy asked again

'I don't know' Cordy whispered. Talking was getting more and more difficult ; 'Angel ?' she asked, wanting him with her, hold her, cradle her, love her. She felt dizzy, she had already lost a lot of blood, and she felt life slowly leave her as the blood kept pouring out of the wound.

'He's …he's over there' Willow said, pointing in the direction of the grave, and the grieving father.

'I'll get him' Spike said

Angel rushed to her side, cradling her in his arms; she saw he had been crying, and she knew now... Connor.

'It's okay, Cordy. I'm here…You'll be fine now' his voice was still soar from crying.

'No' she whispered as he placed gentle kisses on her hair

'Angel, I'm dying'

' no, Cordy, no! You…You can't…Not you too'

'I love you, Angel' she said, then she went limp in his arms.

Angel didn't stop cradling her, although he felt she'd stopped breathing; and he could no longer hear a heartbeat.

'She's gone' he said as tears started running down his cheeks again. He pulled her lifeless body closer to his, not wanting to let go, 'I love you too' he whispered in her hair through his tears…





A/N : ok, stop crying now everybody ! ! ! Little note from the author for those of you still in front of your screens whiping away those tears, and little spoiler for the next chapters for those of you who want to read it…

So, Devilgirl8604 , don't panick yet ! ! !

****spoiler is following ****** t*h*I*n*k *a*b*o*u*t*w*h*a*t*H*o*l*t*z*s*a*I*d**************

Now, goodbye then and cu all in about a month ! ! !

Don't forget to review ! ! ! !

And good luck to all of you with the exams ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !