Angel paced about the hotel lobby with is hands clasped behind his back. His face was shrouded in shadow as he avoided the single glimmering light of the candle burning away in the centre of the space. He did not want to be here, it had been the others' idea. They said that they had never had the chance to say goodbye to Cordelia like he had. So they had come back here to the hotel where they had all fought together for so long.
Spike had excused himself as he felt Cordelia's spirit would not appreciate his presence and he was now exploring the derelict hotel. Wes was setting a collection of Cordy's positions around the candle and Gunn was hefting the furniture around to make sure there was plenty of space. Fred was kneeling beside Wes and helping him with the arranging.
Angel leaned against the reception and cleared his throat. Fred looked up when she heard this but Angel would not let his eyes meet her gaze. Fred whispered something in Wesley's ear and then stood up and moved towards Angel.
"How are you doing?" she asked as she moved beside Angel.
Angel turned away and grunted noncommittally. Fred stretched out her hand and touched his arm but was surprised that he did not pull away.
"Angel, you understand why we had to come here don't you," she asked.
Angel turned to look at Fred, his face still in shadow. He nodded slowly and turned away again.
"You need to say goodbye," he said.
"You had a final moment with Cordy and it was right that you did but the rest of us loved her too and we need her to know that."
Angel kept silent.
"When she died she was alone but her spirit is still out there somewhere and we need her to feel that we are still here and that we miss and love her"
Angel seemed to fold over as he leant forward on to the desk. Fred moved her hand around to his back and began to stroke him. Angel shrugged her off.
"I'm not a cat," he snapped.
Fred stepped back. Angel looked at her and immediately wanted to take back his cruel jibe.
"Fred, I'm sorry but I do not want to be here. That thing Jasmine polluted this place forever and she killed Cordelia. I can never forgive that of her or this place"
Fred moved closer to him.
"Angel, you know better than anyone that it's the soul that's important. Whatever Jasmine did to Cordy's body, however she violated it she could never touch her soul. That final day when Cordy came back, her spirit was a bright and glorious as it ever was"
Angel turned towards Fred and put his hands on her shoulders.
"Thank you" he said.
Fred smiled and Angel could not help returning the gesture with a tentative smile of his own.
"It's ready" Wesley called from the centre of the room.
Angel and Fred turned to join Wesley and Gunn.
"Angel, always remember one thing. While there's soul there's hope. Never forget that," said Fred as she moved towards the light.
The End
Spike had excused himself as he felt Cordelia's spirit would not appreciate his presence and he was now exploring the derelict hotel. Wes was setting a collection of Cordy's positions around the candle and Gunn was hefting the furniture around to make sure there was plenty of space. Fred was kneeling beside Wes and helping him with the arranging.
Angel leaned against the reception and cleared his throat. Fred looked up when she heard this but Angel would not let his eyes meet her gaze. Fred whispered something in Wesley's ear and then stood up and moved towards Angel.
"How are you doing?" she asked as she moved beside Angel.
Angel turned away and grunted noncommittally. Fred stretched out her hand and touched his arm but was surprised that he did not pull away.
"Angel, you understand why we had to come here don't you," she asked.
Angel turned to look at Fred, his face still in shadow. He nodded slowly and turned away again.
"You need to say goodbye," he said.
"You had a final moment with Cordy and it was right that you did but the rest of us loved her too and we need her to know that."
Angel kept silent.
"When she died she was alone but her spirit is still out there somewhere and we need her to feel that we are still here and that we miss and love her"
Angel seemed to fold over as he leant forward on to the desk. Fred moved her hand around to his back and began to stroke him. Angel shrugged her off.
"I'm not a cat," he snapped.
Fred stepped back. Angel looked at her and immediately wanted to take back his cruel jibe.
"Fred, I'm sorry but I do not want to be here. That thing Jasmine polluted this place forever and she killed Cordelia. I can never forgive that of her or this place"
Fred moved closer to him.
"Angel, you know better than anyone that it's the soul that's important. Whatever Jasmine did to Cordy's body, however she violated it she could never touch her soul. That final day when Cordy came back, her spirit was a bright and glorious as it ever was"
Angel turned towards Fred and put his hands on her shoulders.
"Thank you" he said.
Fred smiled and Angel could not help returning the gesture with a tentative smile of his own.
"It's ready" Wesley called from the centre of the room.
Angel and Fred turned to join Wesley and Gunn.
"Angel, always remember one thing. While there's soul there's hope. Never forget that," said Fred as she moved towards the light.
The End