Chapter Four

50's Diner

The man had taken the woman home as soon as she had settled, but the diner buzzed with stories about why the woman had taken a turn. Fred and Gunn sat in silence, Fred tucking into her pancakes. Gunn picked at his, his face pensive looking at his food, he didn't feel hungry anymore and something was bugging him.

"S'up?" Fred said mouth semi full with syrupy pancakes. Gunn looked up.

"It's nothing" he said giving her a smile he reserved only for her.

"If 'it's' nothing then there must be an it in the first place for there to be nothing about that it." She said a philosophical tone in her voice.

Gunn smiled god she was smart, and he loved her for it, he sighed, she could make him tell her anything. "Cordy's vision" he said "What was it of"

"Ummm" she chewed "a medallion, with a snarling beast I think"

Gunn brightened a little "See told you it was nothing, all I remembered was the rubies for eyes"

"What made you think of that?" Fred said confused

"That woman, Maria, she had a medallion round her neck but it was of a smiling sun, decorated with rubies, it reminded me of the vision."

"Ahh, buts it's nothing to do with it right?"

"Right, just looking for a way to make the company expenses cover this" he said indicating their meal.

Fred giggled "Angel would love that!"

"I'm not sure he would notice" Gunn said thinking back to when they had thought Angel was dead, Cordelia had gone mental at him for not calling.

"Yea" Fred said "I think they'd make a good couple"

"Who? Cordy and Angel?" Gunn hadn't thought of it like that "They're just friends..aren't they?"

"They have Kye-rumption"

"Kye-whattion?"

"Kye-rumption, It's when two great heroes meet on the field of battle and recognize their mutual fate. It's also a kind of grog made out of the ox dung but that's archaic. Every time I see them all I think of is Kye- rumption and moira, Moira being the gut physical attraction between two larger than life souls"

"Oh so your saying that they have these but just aren't admitting it?"

"Ummm, I don't know if Cordy knows it, but Angel does, I told him and so has Lorne. He knows deep inside"

"How come I'm always last to know!" He said pouting slightly

"Oh, your not! Cordy doesn't know how Angel feels about her or Gru for that matter"

"Good, I hate being last to know stuff" he said tucking into his pancakes.

"Need any help?" Fred said moving her fork towards his plate, he moved it towards her so she could reach.

Cordelia's Apartment

It was a little after dusk when Cordelia finally emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a terry cloth robe, Gru was sat on the couch a glass full of what looked like muddy water with leaves in it on a tray in front of him "Princess, I did not want to disturb you so I thought to wait here until you were finished to give you your Mock-nah"

"Oh, right the mock-nah, sounds yummy" she said enthusiastically

"It is to relieve tension" he said

"Ok" she noticed the red light flashing on the answer phone, got the tension to relieve she thought taking a sip. It was horrible but she grinned and bore it. "Gru."

"Yes, Princess?"

"I want to go to Pylea with you to live" she had said it, for the wrong reasons but it would make him happy and she would get away from everything here.

"Princess?"

"I want to be where you feel comfortable, things here are strange for you I can tell"

"If that is what my princess wants, we should tell everyone tonight"

"No!" Cordy rushed towards him and touched his arm, "they would only try to stop us"

"Ok I shall prepare to leave" he sounded confused at his princesses sudden desire to leave earth, her home where all her friends where.

"I'll go pack" Cordy headed to her room "Gru." she smiled "we'll be happy there right?" "Yes Princess, though I would happily live where ever you were." She could tell by the sound of his voice that he was sincere. In her room she grabbed the suitcase from under her bed and began throwing things in it. Dennis removed stuff as she put it in.

"Dennis!" she was on the edge of crying but she held them back, she was going to be strong "Dennis, please!" she took a breath, "It isn't gong to be forever, and I'll get Gunn and Fred to come see you. you know what I mean." Dennis began placing the removed clothes carefully into the case, folding each one. "thank you" she picked up a writing pad and a pen and began to write letters to each of the gang. "see it'll all be in here, except no one can know where we are, ok"

The Hyperion

There was nothing to do in the huge hotel, business had been quiet for the last day or two. Angel was in the basement going through a kata, he tried to be calm but he didn't know where Cordy was, she hadn't returned his call and it was getting to him. Her roundhouse kicked a bowl of fake flowers from their standing on a shelf. Pissed off he picked the flowers up, a bit of brightness in the dark, but all was dull all because her smile wasn't there to brighten it up.

"Angel" Fred called from up the stairs, they had returned to the Hyperion to find a married couple sat waiting for some one to come see them.

Angel headed up the stairs "Yea, oh hi how can we help you?" he asked spotting the couple "Come into the office and we can talk there" He herded the couple into the office giving Gunn and Fred a smile finally something to do.

Cordelia's Apartment

Bags stacked at the door Cordy took one last look at the apartment and everything she would be leaving behind. She sighed picking up a small bag. Gru picked up the others and they left.

Wesley's Apartment

Inside a half empty bottle of scotch adorned the table Wesley sat near it cradling a glass in his hands. An envelope passed under the door, no one knocked. He took a sip of his drink and put the glass on the table moving towards the window he moved the curtain, below the apartment he saw a yellow 4x4, Cordelia he thought, though she had not been to see him and told him so he knew she blamed him for the loss of Connor as much as Angel did. He went and picked up the letter, placing a corner of it in the flame of a nearby candle he dropped the flaming letter into the waster paper basket.

Cordelia's Apartment

A knock sounded on the door, no one answered so they knocked again harder this time. "Hello? Is anyone home?" the red head looked at the people around her, "I guess Cordelia isn't home"

"Should we go to the hotel?" Xander asked looking at Buffy, not wanting to go there when all of a sudden the door opened.

Maria's Apartment

She had ran out of tears to cry a couple of hours ago. It had been a shock to find he was dead. She had only just spoken to him hours before, but now the initial shock was gone. She had given Sam his present not in the mood to supervise a treasure hunt, just because it had happened didn't mean that he couldn't enjoy his birthday. She pulled on a silky skirt and straightened her top grabbing her purse she called to him "Sam, do you mind if we go out tonight?"

"Sure we can go" he picked up the keys to his car "Where to Ma'lady ?"

"Cindy's, she is coming too."

When they arrived at Cindy's the penthouse apartments lights were all out "You sure she's in?"

"Yea, here" Maria said fishing in her purse for her key she gave it to him and he opened the door.

"SURPRISE!!" they yelled, music sprang on and the lights went up.

"Guys!" Sam said stunned "Maria, did you do this?"

"Not just me" she smiled "Happy Birthday Sam" she planted a kiss on his cheek.

Cordelia's Apartment

The four people stepped into the apartment, "Hi Dennis" Willow said

Buffy looked at her, "Oh right, ghost for a room mate, figures" An envelope rushed towards them.

"Whoa, there phantom Dennis" Willow said reaching for the envelope, on it were the words 'open me now' underneath were two names with a line through them. "I don't think I should open this, Gunn and Fred wouldn't be happy, it's not for me"

Xander looked at Willow and then to Buffy and Dawn. They had come to L.A. because of an anonymous letter which had arrived a few days ago, it had said Angel's son had gone missing and they were needed in L.A. Confused the scoobies had welcomed the escape from Sunnydale. A pen scribbled on a piece of paper, which then floated to Willow

"Tell Angel. Cordy has gone with Gru, to Pylea" Willow read aloud "Pylea, that's where they rescued that girl from" Willow said remembering with a sad smile the day she had arrived to tell Angel of Buffy's death.

"What girl when?" Buffy said "You were dead at the time, they had just returned from a hell dimension and had rescued this girl from a cave there."

"A hell dimension, what would Cordelia want to go there for?" Dawn said.

"I don't know but we had better tell Angel about it, and fast" Willow said, moving towards the door, "Thanks Dennis" As they left the door shut behind them.

The Hyperion

Angel emerged from the office the couple following behind him, "So you want me to find out who killed him?" he said

"Yes, the police have reached a dead end and so have we here is all the information we have on the case" he handed Angel a folder packed with papers.

"Not much then." He said under his breath "Ok, I'll call when we have got something"

"Thank you," the man put his arm around his wife "come on Michelle were going home now" the woman gave no resistance as he steered her towards the exit. Angel headed into the office and handed the file to Gunn "See what you can find in here". As the couple exited the hotel four others entered.

"I guess its gonna be a busy day." Fred said then she recognised the red head. "Hey, your Willow!"

Angel heard Fred saying someone was Willow and he headed out to see what was up. "Buffy, what are you doing here?"

Gunn stood beside Fred, "So that's the girl with the goofy name right?" she whispered

"Yea looks like it" Gunn said

"Angel, good to see your still with the dark clothes" Xander said

Angel didn't say anything he just looked at Buffy, what the hell was she doing here, it was the last thing he needed right now. Cordelia would go all 'she's the love of your un-life' on him and he would never get to tell her how he felt.

"We got a letter, don't know who from." Dawn chimed in.

"A letter?" Angel asked still looking at Buffy.

"Yup," Willow said "It said you needed help getting you son back"

Angel turned to Fred and Gunn "Did you send them a letter?"

"Nope, not with the letter writing here" Gunn said solemnly "Well if you guys didn't send a letter then that leaves either Cordelia or Wesley right?" Xander said

"Cordy wouldn't have done that without telling you Angel, you know that" Fred looked at Gunn

"He wouldn't have either" Gunn said noticing the dark look that passed across Angel's face

"Who Wesley?" Xander said oblivious

"Umm, yea" Fred said flinching at the sound of his name, the betrayal showed on her face.

Angel turned and headed into the office. When she thought he was out of earshot Fred whispered to the scoobies "We don't say that name a lot around here"

"Try to avoid at all cost more like" Gunn frowned "If you don't want Angel to snap I'd let it be if I were you."

The scoobies sat with Fred on the couch as she nervously made conversation. Then yet another unexpected visitor walked in. "Angel about?" Lilah stood at the doors briefcase in her hand.

"What do you want?" Angel said his voice low, he was going to snap soon he could feel it inside.

"Oh, I see my letter arrived safe and sound" she said extending her hand for Xander to take, Xander was charmed and he reached out to take it. Angel brushed his hand roughly out of the way.

"What do you want?" Angel repeated his tone more harsh.

"We at Wolfram and Hart, want very much to find your son, and we will do everything in our power to do that." Lilah said matter of factly "And when he returns we will cut him open and find out just what makes him tick, you know what I mean." She smiled slyly

"Get out" Angel said ready to hit her smug face into next Tuesday.

"Well, nice talking to you" Lilah said ignoring Angel she turned on her heel and left.

"Do I detect some tension" Xander smirked. Angel looked at him he had only been here 10 minutes and he was pissing him off.

Willow looked at Angel, she could tell he wasn't in a good mood. "Angel?" his face visibly calmed.

"Yes?" he said slowly

"Phantom Dennis asked us to give you a message" Willow said reaching in her pocket.

"You were at Cordy's?" Angel said "Was she there?"

"No she wasn't there, that's what Dennis wanted us to tell you." She said looking at the scribbles, "Cordelia has left with Gru"

"Where to?" Angel said grabbing the paper from Willow, he read it his face fell. He dropped the paper and shot out of the door.

"Well bye then!" Xander said. Gunn, Fred and the rest of the scoobies looked uncomfortably around the room. Gunn picked up the paper reading it he looked at Fred.

"She's gone to Pylea" Fred face dropped, with Cordy in Pylea Angel couldn't tell her how he felt, and that would lead to a broody Angel, and the only person who could deal with a broody Angel.Cordelia.