Part 13


"You think they're okay?" Fred was looking up at the stairs as she helped Lorne clean up the mess they left, worried about her two friends who were both locked up in their rooms, "Maybe we should check up on them."


"I'm sure they're fine Sweetums," Lorne assured the girl, "Right now, they need to be with themselves. When they need us, they'll come down."


Fred, Lorne, Gunn, and even Wesley were sitting around the Angel Investigations lobby, taking in the after effects of the events that happened just hours before.


"I can't imagine what they went through," Wesley commented.


"Must've been something," Gunn stated, "Did you see how scared Cordy looked, and Buffy... That was like some weird soap opera shit the way Angel ran after her."


"I wonder what happened," Fred said, "She looked so sad."


"That was a great spell Lorne," Gunn sarcastically said to the green demon, "No side effects my ass."


"Hey, it got Cordelia's memory back didn't it? I just hope she shares what scared her so much."


"Angelus," Cordelia's voice rang from the bottom of the stairs. They all looked at her surprised, because they didn't notice her enter.


"Cordelia, how are-" Fred began, but was cut off.


"I saw everything Angelus has ever done. All the pain, the torture... the death he inflicted on people... It's horrible," she paused for a moment and then continued, "I'm just... I need to go for a drive; get some air. I hope you don't mind."


"Not at all," Wesley smiled softly, "Take your time."


Cordelia shot them a sad smile and went to turn to walk out when Fred's small voice stopped her.


"Wh- when will you be back?"


Just looking over her shoulder, she answered after a moment.


"Don't wait up," she replied and exited the hotel.


*~*~


"Look Buffy," Doyle turned around to face the upset blonde who got up out of her seat and moved to put her mug the sink, "I'm not the one to discuss the Cordelia/Angel thing with you, I think it's better if you talk to Angel about that," he leaned back on the counter, "I'm talking about Spike."


She wrapped her arms around her stomach and leaned against the sink. She brought a hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose. She exhaled loudly and shook her head, dropping her hand to her side.


"Besides that singing spell, I only kissed the guy once. Doesn't mean I'm gonna have sex with... Spike," she grimaced when she said his name. One side thought about the grossness of the idea, but the other half was intrigued.


If she continued her affair with Spike, she would at least be able to feel something other than misery and the bad kind of numbness. When she kissed Spike, she felt the lust wash over her and made her forget the hell she was dragged back into.


"Well, if you choose this path you will," Doyle informed her, "Which means doom and gloom, Princess."


"And how's that?"


"It's like this... You and Angel are the destined warriors. You two are the best fighters we had so far. But do you remember 'Together you're strong, alone you're dead?'" Buffy just answered with a look of her sad eyes and a little nod, "Well because of these turn of events, you two are slowly dying in the inside. And if you keep going down this road then you'll both be more messed up then you already are and so will the prophecies," Doyle tried to lighten up the mood with a little joke, "Do ya know how much paper work I would have to do if that happens?"


When he didn't even get a hint of a smile from the blonde he sighed and walked over to where she stood, leaning one hand on the kitchen island.


"Buffy, would you rather live a life of misery and lust, or have happiness, unconditional love and bliss?" he gently reasoned with her.


"I'd love to have the bliss, but we both know Angel and I can't have that. Unfortunately the lovely happiness clause stands in the way."


Doyle smiled and gave a chuckle. "That's where you would be wrong, Lass."


Buffy looked at the man in confusion, "What?"


Doyle then began to tell Buffy the Shanshu process like Lynn did with Angel.


"You mean... Human? For more than a day?" Doyle nodded, "Oh... wow," Buffy supported all her weight against the counter behind her so she wouldn't collapse.


After a few beats of silence, Doyle suddenly had an uncomfortable look on his face.


"Umm... Buffy... I'm not sure how you're gonna react to this, so just... ya know... brace yourself for the news I'm gonna give ya next."


*~*~


After a long drive, Cordelia finally stopped in front of a building. She sat in her jeep for a while before walking to the doors and entered.


She slowly stepped up the stairs, and was met in the middle with the person she came to see.


"Um... hi," she greeted meekly.


"Hi," the young man greeted back, "What are you doing here?"


"You're-you're the only person I feel like I need right now," Cordy looked into his eyes, tears beginning to pool in hers, "Please?"


During all the time he had known this woman, the brunette male had never seen Cordelia Chase be so weak and scared. Xander quickly pushed aside his plans, and led Cordelia back to his home, gently taking her hand.


*~*~


Angel wildly paced about his living room area after what Lynn just sprung on him.


His young guide just watched him go back and forth, leaning against the kitchen entry-way casually, her hands buried in her overall pockets.


"This can't be... How could it? Lynn, it's impossible."


Lynn giggled and shook her head, "Buddy, in your line of profession... you should've learned that NOTHING's impossible."


Angel stopped his pacing and faced Lynn, "But, but..." he stuttered.


"But, but nothing Angel. I explained the whole thing to you... THOROUGHLY. Did you actually think that Darla was capable of going through the cycle? Please, she's dead and had no soul. So stop denying it and accept that Connor, is yours and Buffy's son.


*~*~


"My what?!" Buffy exclaimed.


"Your son. That boy that attacked Angel in the kitchen, he's you and Angel's son."


Buffy moved back to the stool and sunk into sitting position.


"Oh my God... So, this is what an aneurysm feels like," she muttered, then said to Doyle, "Explain how this is possible."


"Well, we... After you..." Doyle rubbed he neck in embarrassment, stumbling on his words, "After you had your... your um... monthly visitor, the Powers took your egg after you um ovulated, and put it into Darla. And with Angel, well, we did some magic and made his little soldiers able to... march?"


Buffy remembered when Angel told her about the whole Darla incident when they met in the middle of L.A. and Sunnydale. She heard about the whole Connor saga from Willow. She surprisingly kept in touch with Wesley, who had failed to mention that he got his throat slit or the whole Cordelia ordeal.


Buffy was sad to hear that Angel had a child that wasn't hers. It was actually the first real emotion she felt ever since she was brought back.


But now to find out that Connor was actually her's and Angel's, she didn't know what to feel.


Happy that her dream came true, mad that she wasn't the one to give birth to Connor, or sad that she couldn't be there for her son when he needed her the most. It was all too much.


"Just talk to him, Buff," Doyle requested, "You both need to sort things out."


Buffy just stared ahead.


"Well, I gotta get going," he stood in front of Buffy and put his hand on her slumped shoulder, lining his eyes up with hers, "Remember, it's your choice to do whatever you want. But which do you think is better... Pain and misery or everything you ever wanted?"


He smiled at her and slowly backed away.


"It was nice talking to ya Buff. If you need anything, I'm just a holler away." With a grin on his face and his arms crossed over his chest, Doyle gave one last wink at Buffy before fazing out and disappearing.


*~*~


"A child with Buffy and perfect happiness, I don't get why I'm receiving all of this." Angel slumped into a chair, placing his hands over his face.


"Angel," Lynn sat on the arm of the chair the brooding vampire occupied, "I'm just one of the many beings that strongly believe that you deserve this more than anything, but if you keep this thing up with Cordy and Buffy with Spike, you wouldn't be so perfectly happy, and you know this."


Angel's head shot up with shock, looking at the girl with wide eyes.


"Buffy's what with Spike?!" He ignored the rest of Lynn's speech when she mentioned Buffy with Spike.


The guide winced and sucked in a breath as if she just got stung, realizing her slip, "Oops... I wasn't supposed to tell you that."


"What's Buffy doing with Spike?" Jealousy and fury was tied into his deep voice.


"Umm... Can't tell you," she said in a small voice.


"Why not?!"


"'Cause that's something BUFFY has to tell you, not me."


Angel clenched his jaw and leaned back into the chair angrily.


"Whoa," Doyle appeared into the room, noticing the distressed Angel, and said to Lynn, "Shouldn't he be happy that he can be... happy now?"


Lynn stood up and walked over to her partner, "Oh don't worry, he was happy. I just ACCIDENTLY let the thing about Buffy and Spike slip."


"Aw Lynn. You know you were s'posed to let Buffy tell him."


"It SLIPPED!," Lynn defended herself, "And I didn't tell him everything. I only told him that Buffy and Spike had a thing."


She walked back to the frustrated Angel, relaxing him with just eye contact.


"I'm telling you Angel, whatever path you choose to take... that's your decision... Ya know... whatever floats your boat. We're just here to tell you which one's better." Lynn patted him on his broad back and said, "I just think talking to each other would do both of you good. I hope you do whatever feels right for you."


Lynn smiled at him for the millionth time and walked back to Doyle, "We'll be there when you need us, Angel. I'll see ya when I see ya."


"Wait," Angel spoke up, "Where're you going?"


"To talk to that good lookin' son of yours," she responded, "He may be cute but Boy's got some issues."


"See ya Angel," Doyle said. Both of them waved and did their little disappearing trick, leaving Angel alone in his dimly lit room.


Moments after they left, Angel finally came to a decision. Now all he had to do was wait for the sun to set and he can make a little trip to Sunnydale.


TBC....