Title : Family
Author : Aset
A/N : Thank you for the reviews ! ! !
And a special thank you to Horus (BC) ! ! I appreciate it very much, and my thoughts will be with you on Saturday, when I'm at home (hihi ! ! Greece and Rome :oS ). Good luck with Art History ! !
And to all the others good luck too of course, and enjoy ! ! !
Aset, desperately needing a holiday !
Chapter 28 : Now And For Eternity
'No, it can't be !'
'Cordelia ? !'
'Yes ?' Cordy looked at her friends. - What's up with them ? - She thought. - Am I so dirty ? - Then she looked down to her clothes. They were a bit raffled and yes, dirty too, of course !
'Are you… ?' Gunn stepped up to her.
'Yeah, we're fine…Although I think Connor really needs a new diaper !'
Fred started laughing and got up to hug Cordy and Connor. Gunn and Wesley quickly followed, the latter close to tears. Connor was fine !
'I'm fine, Buffy !' Dawn said as she broke free out of her sister's embrace. Spike was now by her side too. All still seemed a bit worried.
The hugging continued, and Dawn and Cordy told them what had happened to them. And how they got there in the first place. Buffy was a bit angry, but in a way she understood.
'If you and the child are here…then who's that out there ?' Willow said after a while, looking outside.
'Who ? What ?' Cordy asked, stepping out of the cave and into the open air. It had stopped raining, 'Where's Angel ?'
'There…Cordy…'Xander had stepped up behind her. He sighed. They hadn't explained their story completely. They left out the we-found-Connor-and- then-he-died-and-so-did-you-part out. They had been too happy to think about that, 'We…uhm…Angel…he's still out there!'
The others kept quiet.
'Why ? What's going on ?'
'We found you dead', Fred explained.
'You what ?'
'We found you, and then you died.'
Cordy swallowed. Slowly the words got to her… - So that's why they all looked at me like that ! - She thought, a little smile appearing on her lips.
'And Angel…'
'Is out there mourning over you and Connor.'
'Oh my…'
***
It had stopped raining, although the water still fell from his wet hair, making it's way down his face, mingling with the tears. The water dripped from his soaked clothes. He didn't mind. He didn't look up to the sky to see the sun reappear for the last time today. Soon she would disappear behind the mountains. He didn't care. His eyes rested on Cordelia's lifeless body in his arms. She was cold, like him. But her mouth, her skin,… it all seemed so alive, so fresh. He sighed. 'I'm so sorry, Cordy. I…I never wanted this to happen…First Connor, and now you…' He placed his hand on her abdomen '…and the child…our child Cordy…I'm so sorry!'
***
She saw him, squat down, a woman in his arms. He was crying, she saw his body shake with every sob.
'Angel', she whispered, a tear escaping her eye. It was her own corpse he was holding, cradling. He didn't see her, he only had eye for her dead body in his arms. As she got closer, she could hear him talk…
'A large house, you would've liked it…and a large garden filled with flowers. Oh Cordy, I would've built us a castle if you wanted me to do that! I've dreamt about that, you know. Me and you, sitting underneath a weeping willow, looking out over the lawn, and the pond with beautiful swans…And the children out there playing in the sun, singing…' Angel sighed again, ' Guess I can stop dreaming now…I love you, Cordelia. I know you've always doubted it a little and I know if you were here now alive, you would start to deny that, but deep down, you know it's true. You've always had your doubts. You thought I still loved her. And I do. I still love Buffy, but I love you too. Buffy is my past, and she has captured a special place in my heart. And until I started to know you better, I thought I could never love anybody else. You've opened my eyes, and my heart. And I loved you, Cordy, more than I've ever loved anybody before. You were…are…my true love. And I will never forget you…' Angel stopped and wiped away a tear with the palm of his hand, before placing a kiss upon the body's forehead., 'I love you, Cordelia Chase, here, now and for eternity!' Then he broke down, letting the tears run freely once more.
Cordelia didn't know what to do. She was crying. His words had been truthful and honest, and had really moved her. And she couldn't stand the sight of Angel in so much pain any longer. She stepped up to him, but he didn't move. Probably he didn't even hear her. She touched his shoulder and whispered his name…
***
'Angel' He heard a voice calling out for him. It sounded familiar, and it hurt deeply. A dazed look behind him, hoping for the impossible, although he knew it couldn't be. She was dead, he was holding her lifeless body in his arms…but there she was, right next to him, crying and smiling at once.
'Co…Cordy ?' he said through his tears…- No this can't be…it's her ghost…it's not true… - He thought
'Yes, it's me Angel!' She said as she knelt down next to him, wiping away his tears with her hands… 'It's really me!'
'But…'
'I'm alive ! Connor and Dawn are fine too !'
'Connor ?'
'Angel…' She sighed, then kissed him.
And as their lips met the body in Angel's arms faded away…
Both hands free now, he hugged her, held her very tight, and deepened the kiss. She was real, alive and his. The mourning tears were replaced by tears of joy. He broke free and smiled at her, caressing her cheek with his hand.
'I thought I'd lost you…'
'I'm here, right ?' She looked into his beautiful eyes, only to see the love in there, love and joy, 'I love you, Angel !'
'I love you too !'
***
Inside the castle Holtz was cursing. In his rage of anger he crushed the vase on the boudoir, the china on the table and everything breakable in reach. Now he was furious.
'This can't be !' He yelled. The spell had been broken, Angel had his son back, and the girls…
'I'm sorry, Master ! …The Arklen…', a man in a corner of the room said. He was all dressed in black, holding a crystal ball in his hands.
'The Arklen can't do anything ! They should've killed them !'
'They will, Master.'
'Klyon, why was the spell broken ?'
'They kissed, Master.'
Another vase cluttered to the ground.
'Master…'
'Klyon, make sure they don't leave ! …And don't let the Arklen fail on their murderous task ! Cause if they do, I'll make sure you won't be able to use that ball anymore…No, you wouldn't have hands to hold it, eyes to see…No, you wouldn't even have a head left !'
The warlock swallowed. 'I won't fail, Master !' He said before leaving
'You'd better not', Holtz said, breaking another cup. Then he sighed and sat down on his throne. 'So, Angel, you're smarter than I thought.'
***********************************
Author : Aset
A/N : Thank you for the reviews ! ! !
And a special thank you to Horus (BC) ! ! I appreciate it very much, and my thoughts will be with you on Saturday, when I'm at home (hihi ! ! Greece and Rome :oS ). Good luck with Art History ! !
And to all the others good luck too of course, and enjoy ! ! !
Aset, desperately needing a holiday !
Chapter 28 : Now And For Eternity
'No, it can't be !'
'Cordelia ? !'
'Yes ?' Cordy looked at her friends. - What's up with them ? - She thought. - Am I so dirty ? - Then she looked down to her clothes. They were a bit raffled and yes, dirty too, of course !
'Are you… ?' Gunn stepped up to her.
'Yeah, we're fine…Although I think Connor really needs a new diaper !'
Fred started laughing and got up to hug Cordy and Connor. Gunn and Wesley quickly followed, the latter close to tears. Connor was fine !
'I'm fine, Buffy !' Dawn said as she broke free out of her sister's embrace. Spike was now by her side too. All still seemed a bit worried.
The hugging continued, and Dawn and Cordy told them what had happened to them. And how they got there in the first place. Buffy was a bit angry, but in a way she understood.
'If you and the child are here…then who's that out there ?' Willow said after a while, looking outside.
'Who ? What ?' Cordy asked, stepping out of the cave and into the open air. It had stopped raining, 'Where's Angel ?'
'There…Cordy…'Xander had stepped up behind her. He sighed. They hadn't explained their story completely. They left out the we-found-Connor-and- then-he-died-and-so-did-you-part out. They had been too happy to think about that, 'We…uhm…Angel…he's still out there!'
The others kept quiet.
'Why ? What's going on ?'
'We found you dead', Fred explained.
'You what ?'
'We found you, and then you died.'
Cordy swallowed. Slowly the words got to her… - So that's why they all looked at me like that ! - She thought, a little smile appearing on her lips.
'And Angel…'
'Is out there mourning over you and Connor.'
'Oh my…'
***
It had stopped raining, although the water still fell from his wet hair, making it's way down his face, mingling with the tears. The water dripped from his soaked clothes. He didn't mind. He didn't look up to the sky to see the sun reappear for the last time today. Soon she would disappear behind the mountains. He didn't care. His eyes rested on Cordelia's lifeless body in his arms. She was cold, like him. But her mouth, her skin,… it all seemed so alive, so fresh. He sighed. 'I'm so sorry, Cordy. I…I never wanted this to happen…First Connor, and now you…' He placed his hand on her abdomen '…and the child…our child Cordy…I'm so sorry!'
***
She saw him, squat down, a woman in his arms. He was crying, she saw his body shake with every sob.
'Angel', she whispered, a tear escaping her eye. It was her own corpse he was holding, cradling. He didn't see her, he only had eye for her dead body in his arms. As she got closer, she could hear him talk…
'A large house, you would've liked it…and a large garden filled with flowers. Oh Cordy, I would've built us a castle if you wanted me to do that! I've dreamt about that, you know. Me and you, sitting underneath a weeping willow, looking out over the lawn, and the pond with beautiful swans…And the children out there playing in the sun, singing…' Angel sighed again, ' Guess I can stop dreaming now…I love you, Cordelia. I know you've always doubted it a little and I know if you were here now alive, you would start to deny that, but deep down, you know it's true. You've always had your doubts. You thought I still loved her. And I do. I still love Buffy, but I love you too. Buffy is my past, and she has captured a special place in my heart. And until I started to know you better, I thought I could never love anybody else. You've opened my eyes, and my heart. And I loved you, Cordy, more than I've ever loved anybody before. You were…are…my true love. And I will never forget you…' Angel stopped and wiped away a tear with the palm of his hand, before placing a kiss upon the body's forehead., 'I love you, Cordelia Chase, here, now and for eternity!' Then he broke down, letting the tears run freely once more.
Cordelia didn't know what to do. She was crying. His words had been truthful and honest, and had really moved her. And she couldn't stand the sight of Angel in so much pain any longer. She stepped up to him, but he didn't move. Probably he didn't even hear her. She touched his shoulder and whispered his name…
***
'Angel' He heard a voice calling out for him. It sounded familiar, and it hurt deeply. A dazed look behind him, hoping for the impossible, although he knew it couldn't be. She was dead, he was holding her lifeless body in his arms…but there she was, right next to him, crying and smiling at once.
'Co…Cordy ?' he said through his tears…- No this can't be…it's her ghost…it's not true… - He thought
'Yes, it's me Angel!' She said as she knelt down next to him, wiping away his tears with her hands… 'It's really me!'
'But…'
'I'm alive ! Connor and Dawn are fine too !'
'Connor ?'
'Angel…' She sighed, then kissed him.
And as their lips met the body in Angel's arms faded away…
Both hands free now, he hugged her, held her very tight, and deepened the kiss. She was real, alive and his. The mourning tears were replaced by tears of joy. He broke free and smiled at her, caressing her cheek with his hand.
'I thought I'd lost you…'
'I'm here, right ?' She looked into his beautiful eyes, only to see the love in there, love and joy, 'I love you, Angel !'
'I love you too !'
***
Inside the castle Holtz was cursing. In his rage of anger he crushed the vase on the boudoir, the china on the table and everything breakable in reach. Now he was furious.
'This can't be !' He yelled. The spell had been broken, Angel had his son back, and the girls…
'I'm sorry, Master ! …The Arklen…', a man in a corner of the room said. He was all dressed in black, holding a crystal ball in his hands.
'The Arklen can't do anything ! They should've killed them !'
'They will, Master.'
'Klyon, why was the spell broken ?'
'They kissed, Master.'
Another vase cluttered to the ground.
'Master…'
'Klyon, make sure they don't leave ! …And don't let the Arklen fail on their murderous task ! Cause if they do, I'll make sure you won't be able to use that ball anymore…No, you wouldn't have hands to hold it, eyes to see…No, you wouldn't even have a head left !'
The warlock swallowed. 'I won't fail, Master !' He said before leaving
'You'd better not', Holtz said, breaking another cup. Then he sighed and sat down on his throne. 'So, Angel, you're smarter than I thought.'
***********************************
