Title: 30 Days of Dante Rating: PG-13 Genre: Oh, so dark and angsty. Thought I'd give it a whirl. Timeline: This takes place in Season Four.a possibility that will never actually happen. I've heard some *SPOILERS* about Cordy "doing a thing that leads to a thing, and she ends up back with the gang. But there's a hitch in her giddy-up, she doesn't come back quite all together Cordy". So, there ya have it. The beginning takes place when Cordelia first becomes a higher being, and then the second part is three months later *sometime after episode three season four, because I hear that's when the group goes to Vegas* Reviews: I'm all for that. Disclaimer: I own nothing, absolutely nothing, in Angel-verse.

*CHAPTER ONE* No Dust

Part I Cordelia sat with her eyes closed in the middle of a large circle drawn with chalk. Candles and darkness surrounded her and she began to chant. The Latin words flowed as if she had said them to herself everyday in order to memorize them. The final line was repeated in English three times: "Bring me to Angel". With a quick flash of light, Cordelia's body fell to the wooden floor unconscious. Suddenly, Cordelia found herself in a dark, cramped space. She let out a long breath and repeated an incantation. "Morani illuminata." The small space was then enlightened slightly, "Thanks Willow" she said quietly as she thought back to the days of the Scoobies. She had picked up a few things. As she looked to see where she was, she noticed that she was atop of Angel. "Angel!" She let out loudly. "Angel! Angel, wake up! Oh, God!" Angel's eyes were closed and then Cordy tried to lift her head but hit it on a hard material that was enclosing her. "Oh, God! You're dead! No! You're dead!" She was so emotional, the tears were brimming when she had a revelation. "Wait. No dust." She stated blatantly. "No dust! You aren't dead. Angel! Angel can you hear me? *pause* Of course you can't. *pause* Because you can't see me either. I'm just an image, aren't I?" Asking no one in particular. "Angel, Angel I missed you so much. I can't-I can't tell you how much I miss you. I-I, Angel, I love you. And I know you can't hear me, but I guess there isn't anything I can do about that right now, eh?" She rested her head on his chest. Where was he? Why was he in a coffin, or-what was it? "What is this place? Where the hell are you?" She closed her eyes, but then she stirred as a sharp pain shot through her body. "Ah! Ok, ok. Angel, I don't have much time. Just please, wake up! Wake up!" She looked at his face and smiled with tears in her eyes. "Come back to me." She cried desperately. Another sharp pain overtook her body. "Ah! Ah, ok. Angel, I have to go. But-but, I love you." With that, Cordelia's image flickered and she disappeared. Angel suddenly awoke from a deep sleep and jolted in his small space. "Cordy?"

~*~*~*~ "Cordelia." The monotone voice belonged to Skip. He was hovering above Cordy's fallen body. She stirred and looked up to him. "Cordelia." He annunciated again. "I heard you Skip. Skip? What are you doing-here." She looked around her. "You didn't think you could summon dark magics without paying a price, did you? I thought you knew that." "Dark magics? What are you talking about? Those weren't dark magics!" "Of course they were. When you're up here, they're dark." "When I'm up here? Where is 'here'? Skip-I needed to see him." "Do you think I care?" Skip boomed with force. "Skip?" "Cordelia Chase, you are sentenced to thirty days of hell." "Ha, righto, Skip my boy! What hell would that be? Wal-Mart with only 30% off coupons? Come on." "Cordelia!" He yelled yet again. Cordelia started to look worried. She stood up to look at him directly. "Skip? You're not serious, are you? I mean-you can't be serious!" She looked at him concerned. "Goodbye, Cordelia." With that Cordelia was gone, which left Skip standing over dripping candles. He looked down and started to weep. ~*~*~*~ Part II *THREE MONTHS LATER* "I've gotta thank you kiddies again for picking good ole Lorne here up, I mean-I liked Vegas, sure, what fun-loving demon wouldn't? But that's just to visit. I wouldn't want to live there." Lorne was explaining his situation as he, Fred, Gunn, and Angel walked through the Hyperion's courtyard. "Lorne, I'm glad you're back. But we need your help now. We have to find Cordy." Ever since Angel had returned from the ocean's depths, he was determined to find Cordelia. He had yet to find his son, but somehow he knew that Cordelia could help him through that challenge when it came to him. He told the green demon what he wanted, and the look in his eyes prompted Lorne to retort with a quick nod. "We'll try, Angelcakes." "We-we can't just try, we *have* to find her." The group of four walked into the hotel. The lights were off and Angel looked to Fred and Gunn. "I guess we didn't get enough business to pay for the electricity?" "We sent in some cash, dipped into some funds. They should be back on soon." Gunn assured Angel as they walked into the dark lobby. Angel nodded, and then looked to the group. "I'm, uh-I'm going to go upstairs and-" He stopped suddenly and looked around. He heard four hearts beating. Three of which were steady, but one was very faint. He moved in between his friends, looking around the room. "Hello? Who's there?" He asked the open air. "Angel, what are you-" "Shh." Angel cut Fred's question off abruptly, knowing that someone else was in their presence. "May as well show your face now, we will find you." Angel said, edging closer to the receptionist desk. And that's when he saw her. She was curled up by her old desk, hands clutched around her knees. Her hair was dark, cut short again as he remembered it from the ballet. She looked untamed, unkempt, and in pain. Her voice shot shivers up his spine. Nearly a faint whisper, almost audible to just Angel, she said it. She said his name. "Angel?" She didn't look up to him, she kept her head down, not taking notice of the other four people edging closer to what Angel had found. "Angel?" She said it again, tears evident in the back of her throat. She sounded as if she was in so much pain. "Cordy? Oh, Cordy, I'm here. I'm here." He reached for her, but she flinched, and he sensed her heartbeat speed up. "No, no!" She screamed, "It hurts too much. Angel, make it stop! Make it stop!" She pleaded with him, and in doing so looked up to him with tears brimming in her eyes, and dark circles under them. Angel stood speechless when he saw her face. He moved closer to her despite her protest. He went to touch her, and she simply shook her head back and forth, saying "No". "Cordy, it's ok. Cordy, I'm here. It's me." She looked up to him, and moved towards him burying herself in his chest. He grabbed her softly and held her as Fred, Gunn and Lorne watched from afar as their dear friend crumbled right in front of them. "Cordy." Angel said, tearfully, "Where've you been?" He asked quietly, not expecting a reply. She ripped away from him suddenly. And with a low, rough voice which will haunt Angel to this day, she answered his ponderous question: "Hell."

*END CHAPTER ONE*