Disclaimer: Don't own a thing.

Feedback: I'll love you forever! I'll be your best friend!

Spoilers: takes place after season 3

Rating: R

Written By: Amber

Pairings: Faith/Wes, Cordelia/Angelus

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(Hyperion Hotel)

"Where's Cordelia?" Angel asked, realizing he had never gotten an answer the first time he had asked. He sat in the lobby still gathering his strength. His hunger had still not subsided, and he was guzzling down blood at an astronomical rate. There were plastic bags surrounding his feet and blood smeared on his mouth. His skin was so much paler than usual and he had lost a lot of weight.

"We haven't seen her since the day you disappeared. We were kinda hoping that you would have a clue as to what happened to her." Fred said, looking afraid for his response.

"I never got to meet her." He answered throwing a glance at Connor who shrunk away again. "We're just going to have to find her. I need her."

"We know Angel." Fred said patting Angel on the shoulder. "We'll start our search tomorrow. You really need to rest though and regain your strength."

"I've been resting for the last 3 months. What I need is Cordy. Now." Angel almost growled at the surprised girl. He pushed himself off the couch. I need to get this salt water off me and get some fresh clothes on. "Call Lorne. We may need him. I don't care what you have to do, just get him back here." He looked intently at Fred and then turned to climb the steps.

He returned just a short time later. Almost jogging down the steps with a little smile on his face. Fred almost forgot for a minute that he had even been gone. It was as though nothing had changed. He had already looked half healed although still much slimmer than when he left. He looked really good she thought, then cast a quick glance at Charles to make sure he wasn't watching her. She blushed a little as she looked back up at Angel walking across the lobby. He was wearing tight leather pants, and a silk shirt. His hair was still wet from the shower. His eyes were dark and smoldering. She looked him up and down once more before he caught her looking at him. He smirked at her and she blushed just a little more.

"Feel better?" she asked, then cleared her throat.

"I feel like my old self." he said in a jovial tone and then laughed quietly. She didn't quite get the joke though. Fred felt uncomfortable all of a sudden. "What did you get from Lorne?"

"He's coming back tomorrow. He said you're paying for the flight though, Angelcakes. HA!" Fred laughed really loudly and her hand flew to her mouth as she often did when she realized that people were looking at her.

"Good." Angel said slowly. He was rubbing his hands together and still grinning at her. "Where's the boy at?"

"Connor?" She asked.

"Yeah, do I have any other boys?" He asked cockily.

"Um, no, I guess not." Fred stammered then lowered her voice. "I don't think he's taking all this very well."

"Of course. He just needs time." Angel said sounding sympathetic, and like himself again. "Maybe I should try to talk to him. Let him know it's going to be okay."

"That would be nice." Fred smiled.

"I'd kinda like to have some time with just Connor and I, so we can um, sort things out. Would you and Gunn mind?" Angel asked.

"Oh! Of course not. We're going." Fred said. "C'mon Charles, we can look over the files somewhere else."

Fred grabbed Gunn's arm and lead him out of the lobby while he clutched tightly to the file that had every last piece of information about Cordy that they had discovered.

"Did he seem off to you?" Fred asked Gunn who was looking over the file that they had kept on Cordy. He had been very quiet until now.

"Yeah, he seemed like he just spent a real long time in a box. What you expect girl?" Gunn replied.

"I suppose your right Charles. I'm probably just being silly." She said pushing open the door to the Hyperion. "I hope Angel and Connor get some stuff worked up while were gone."

An easy smile spread across Angel's face. He looked towards the room he knew Connor was in. He could hear his anxious heart beating. Angel stalked towards the door, and pushed it open. Connor looked up with fear in his eyes and Angel sat next to him.

"You okay?" Angel said, and after a pause, "You know I love you Connor."

"What I did to you doesn't deserve forgiveness." Connor said.

"Would you feel better if I punished you?" Angel asked and Connor just looked away, without an answer. "Cuz I was planning on that anyway. Tough love, Connor." and with that, Angel grabbed Connor by the back of the neck and smashed his head off the wall several times, until the look of shock left his eyes and they slowly slid closed.

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Angelus tightened the bonds around his sons wrists and ankles, deep in the basement of the Hyperion, whistling while he worked. He shoved a dirty rag into the boys mouth who was still showing no signs of coming to. He grabbed some nearby duct tape and put it across the rag to hold it in place. Angelus looked at him for a minute, the anticipation eating away at him. Connor's heart beat and breathing steady though, it didn't seem that he would be waking anytime soon. Angelus figured it was just as well though since he had so many things he wanted to get done anyway.

He returned to the lobby and made a phone call to Gunn and Fred at their apartment. There was no answer but he left a message that they were to take the week off and enjoy it because of all the hard work they had done all summer. He then turned to the weapons cabinet and opened it, rummaging through the old items that he had used on past cases, and found the item that he had used to open the portal to see Skip. I think it's time to visit an old friend. He said tossing the object into the air and catching it.

Angelus didn't know about the meeting between Skip and Cordelia the night Angel was sunk to the bottom of the ocean, but he knew that Skip had been assigned as Cordelia's guardian by the powers and was probably his best bet in getting her back. He threw the object to the ground and watched it spin about opening the portal and stepped inside, coming face to face with Skip. It brought him to Skip, but not to the place he had been to before. This time they were in a metal room. One with no ceiling and no windows. It went up for as far as he could see. There was only one door which is what Skip was now guarding.

"Angelus, you're here. Thought you might be here sooner, but maybe you aren't as quick as I thought." Skip said grabbing a spear leaning against the wall near him. Angelus growled at him.

"So you know why I am here. Good. Then can we just get down to business." Angelus said.

"Not so quick big guy. I'm here to make sure Cordelia stays right where she is, why would I wanna play share time with you?" Skip asked.

"Because I can hurt you in ways you can't even imagine. You know that much I'm sure since you called me Angelus." He answered.

"Ooh. Big scary Angelus. Pfft. I've fought worse." Skip said remaining stubborn.

"Have your wife and children fought worse?" He said with a sly grin remembering the conversation they had the first time he had visited about Skip's commute and his family.

"I'll kill you before you get the chance." Skip answered and the fight ensued.

They battled for nearly a half an hour before Angelus finally got the upper hand. He had Skip on his knees with a chain wrapped tightly around his neck. Skip knew he was in trouble.

"So now are you going to tell me where she is?" Angelus asked. Skip still didn't answer and Angelus ground the tip of Skip's spear into is skin and twisted it. "Do you know what I will do you your wife and children when I'm done killing you? I'll start with the youngest, making the rest watch. Slow death, listening to the screams will work just fine, don't you think? I like giving the others something to look forward to. Then I'll probably defile your wife over and over while the older ones watch. Heck you got any cute daughters? I could probably,"

"Stop!" Skip choked. "Just stop!"

"That's probably what they'll say too." He smirked. "Ready to cooperate? I knew you'd see it my way."

"If I told you where she was it wouldn't help you anyway. She's somewhere that you wouldn't be able to go. She's protected." Skip explained.

"Then you'll just have to bring her here." He proclaimed, tightening his grasp on the chains.

"All right, all right" Skip gasped and with a wave of his hand Cordelia appeared before his very eyes.

"Hmm, that was easier than I thought. Thanks." Angelus said snapping Skips neck. His eyes slowly moved up settling onto the beautiful Cordelia standing open mouthed before him. She looked exhausted and battered. Her body looked as though it could barely stand to bear it's own weight. Bruises and cuts marred her perfect body.

"What took you so long?" Cordy asked practically falling into his arms. Turning her eyes up to Angelus she said, "Let's get outta here!" As the words left her lips they were pulled into a swirling light.