Disclaimer: I don't own anything and you know it! I will make claims to Lexia, she's mine. Don't take her from me, or I'll cyber-kick your ass! Thank you come again!
Title: A True End
Summary: Sequel to Friendly Reflection. Lexia and Connor fight to stay together against the apocalypse. As if Connor had never hooked up with Cordy in Rain of Fire.
Rating: I'ma make it R for fun!
Chapter 11:
Connor ran up the stairs after Angelus sauntered out of the hotel. Connor didn't know how long Angelus had been there, but it could have been long enough for him to make a surprise visit to Cordelia. If he had...
"Cordy. Cordy!" Connor called entering her room. Looking around he saw it was empty. He heard a flushing sound from the bathroom. Cordelia walked out, wiping her mouth with a towel.
"What?"
"Are you OK?" he asked.
"Sure," Cordelia said sourly. "Except for the morning sickness that can't tell time."
"Good," Connor said relief washing over him. "I mean, that you're OK."
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"Angelus. He was here again."
"Excuse me?" Cordelia said sounding angry. "He was?"
"Downstairs. He caught Fred alone. Used a fake charm," Connor told her sitting on the edge of the bed. "Fooled her long enough to take everything we had on whoever the Beast was working for."
"That son of a bi..."
"He nearly killed Wesley outside the hotel, but Gunn and Faith chased him off."
"Yay for our side," Cordelia said sarcastically.
"Lilah's book, that stuff from Lorne's head--," Connor thought out loud. "Why does he want all that?"
"I don't know, but whatever Angelus is up to, I'm thinking it can't be good," Cordelia said.
"Just lucky no one got hurt this time," Connor said and thought about Lexia. She was supposed to be outside checking the perimeter. Why didn't she catch Angelus?
"So, the sanctuary spell held up," Cordelia said breaking through his thoughts. "No demon violence in the hotel?"
Connor swallowed. "Yeah, it worked." On me, he thought.
Lexia looked over to Lorne's sleeping body on the couch. Poor guy, she thought. He get's knocked out more that I do. Faith and Wesley were plaining there next move, and Fred and Gunn were talking about Angelus breaking in.
"All I'm saying is, he tries dancing in here and pulling a Dark Shadows again, he's gonna get a dart up his evil ass," Gunn said reloading a tranq gun.
"Well, his ass moves pretty quick," Fred told him. "He got the book and the Wolfram and Hart papers."
"Not your fault," Gunn told her.
"It was my fault," Lexia said. "I should have been watching more carefully. The only thing I can think is he got in before I went outside."
"They think it was my fault," Fred motioned to Wesley and Faith.
"Like they were any help," Gunn spoke of how Faith let Angelus go to save Wesley.
"Super girl wouldn't have fallen for a cheap hunk of crap like this," Fred held up the charm Angelus used. Lexia took it from her and walked toward the office.
"I'm just glad it was," she heard Gunn say with a softer tone in he voice. "If anything happened to you..."
"Charles, can we maybe--," Fred started but was cut off but Wesley cocking a shot gin.
"What're you doing with that?" Faith asked.
"Changing the game," Wesley explained.
"I thought we weren't going for the kill."
"We're not, but if we get another chance, I want slow him down long enough to tranq him."
Fred and Gunn walked over to Wesley and Faith and Lexia followed. Fred seemed disturbed by the shot gun just as Faith was.
"By blowing his legs off?" Fred asked.
"I would be ok with that," Lexia added. Fred shot her a look.
"You want some help with that?" Gunn offered.
"No. I need someone I trust to watch the hotel. Someone who can actually hurt Angelus," Wesley said. Lexia saw the hurt look on Fred's face and felt for her.
"Oh, I'm all over that," Gunn said ready to kick some ass.
"Be careful," Wesley said to Fred. "Next time he shows up, he might be packing the real thing."
With that Faith and Wesley left. Fred looked down and walked to the counter. Lexia felt for her. But also she wondered what it would be like to be her. To be able to blame your faults on the fact that you were human. To not have to worry about fighting because you weren't strong enough, or didn't know how to fight. Lexia unfortunately didn't have that problem, so she knew it was her fault, and not Fred's, that Angelus had gotten away with everything they had on the Beast's master.
A few hour later Connor heard his name being called. He walked out of Cordelia's room, who was sleeping, and to the balcony.
"What's going on?" he asked looking down. He saw Gunn with carrying a passed out Angelus, Lexia helping him.
"Get down here now," Gunn said to him. "Leg irons too," he said to Fred who handed them to Lexia.
"She found him," Connor said hustling down the stairs.
"Wesley and Faith. Where are they?" Lorne wondered out loud.
"Get him downstairs," Wesley ordered coming in the door carrying Faith, bloody and battered, in his arms.
"Jesus..." Lexia muttered gazing at the older woman.
"What happened to Faith?" Connor asked.
Wesley gestured to Angelus with his head. "She captured him."
"God, what did he do to her?" Fred wondered out loud.
"Gunn?" Wesley asked whom had been watching Gunn and the two teens.
Connor was gazing worriedly at Faith while Lexia brought the shackles for Angelus. Gunn had Angelus on the floor ready to carry to the basement. "We got it," he assured Wesley.
"She looks not well," Lorn said coming over to Wesley
"She gonna be--," Connor started to ask but Gunn shook his arm to get his attention.
"Wake up, kid. I need you here."
Connor nodded and picked up Angelus's legs. The two carried him to the basement door, Lexia opening it for them. They hurry down the stairs, or as fast at two men can go carrying someone Angelus size. Lexia opened the cage door for them and the two set him inside. Gunn began untiing his arms and legs and Lexia handed Connor the leg irons.
They knelt, each securing the shackles tightly. Lexia flipped her hair out of her face as she stood and Connor got a whiff of the coconut shampoo she liked. He felt his heart do a little flop at the memory of her shiny black hair beneath his cheek. She looked over at him when she realized he was staring. Connor looked away, angry at Lexia still for letting Angelus get into the hotel earlier but angry more at himself for still wanting her.
Lexia moved past him out the cage door. Connor followed and Gunn closed and locked the door behind him. Connor looked back at Angelus hating his father almost as much as he hated himself.
"He fed from her," Connor informed them. "There's blood on his breath."
They all watched him in the cage as he twitched suddenly. The three jump back, Lexia and Connor involuntarily taking battle stances, Gunn aiming the tranq gun at Angelus.
"Kill you....kill....you..."he muttered.
They all relaxed, but only slightly. Lexia turned and for a split second Connor thought she was turning to him. They both stopped and shared a look. Lexia looked like she was going to say something to him but decided against it with a shake of her head. Connor decided not to let her brush past him once more tonight. He turned and headed up the stairs to talk to Cordelia.
Lexia headed up the stairs, head down. Everyone except Gunn and Connor were with Faith and Lexia wanted to know what was going on. All the new developments kept her pretty much out of the loop. Which sucked 'cause it was all the more confusing. Her life was confusing enough.
She went past Cordelia's door and heard her and Connor's mumbled voices. She smirked and started to go past when suddenly something -or rather somebody- was thrown against the door. Lexia paused.
"What the hell is it with you and Faith!," she heard Cordelia yell. "As if I didn't see the way you looked at her. She cracked her whip, and you liked it. You were practically in her leather-clad lap!"
Lexia raised an eyebrow. Connor was getting a straying eye already? Boy he moves fast, Lexia thought. At least it wasn't just me.
Lexia went to Angel's room where they had put Faith. Fred and Lorne were near the bed talking and Wesley sat in the corner holding an ice pack to his bruised head.
"How is she?" Lexia asked starting to close the door only to have Connor's foot stop it from meeting the jam. Lexia frowned and released the door, moving away to let him close it.
"What's going to happen to her?" he asked gazing at Faith.
"Actually, I'd like to start with exactly what was it, Wesley?" Fred demanded, crossing her arms.
"Orpheus," Lorne filled in before Wesley could speak.
Lexia felt her mouth drop open. Of all the stupid ass ideas... she thought.
"Orpheus?" Connor repeated.
"Some kind of opiate?" Fred guessed.
Lorne nodded. "Mystical variety. Humans inject it. Vampires feed off the humans. Folks tried to deal it at Caritas--only folks I ever banned from my club."
On the bed Faith twitched. "The 'vention," she mumbeled.
"I've seen what this stuff can do to ordinary people," Lexia said. "Slayers are all super so this will pack quite the punch, huh?"
"That's what makes it so dangerous," Lorne agreed. "Orpheus isn't entirely physical. It's an enchanted drug."
"Magic," Connor spat disdainfully. "This is what it gets you."
"That, plus the biting, makes for some serious psychic psychedelia," Lorne went on ignoring Connor. "And the more you take, the deeper you sink."
"It leads you down to hell," Wesley said from the corner.
Everyone was silent as they gazed at Faith. Bruised and bleeding and in a comatose state she looked pretty hopeless. Lexia shivered and looked away.
"Fun," she said sarcastically and headed for the door. She marched out and turned the corner to her room. It was only when she opened the door did she realize Connor had followed her. She tried to slam the door in his face but he stuck his foot between the door and the jamb like before.
"What?" she demanded.
"I want to talk to you," Connor said determinedly.
"Go talk to your mama, oh wait- I mean your girlfriend."
Glaring at her Connor forced open the door and slammed it closed behind him. They glared at each other hatefully a moment as Connor took a step forward. Lexia wasn't going to let herself back down and set her jaw determinedly.
"For whatever reason you have this attitude with me, get over it," Connor told her.
"Ha! 'For whatever reason'?" Lexia mimicked. "Don't you think its a pretty good one?"
"I don't care. If Cordelia and I bother you so much, maybe you should just leave. Don't you think its a little pathetic that your my ex and your staying at my house?"
"Uh- remember psycho in the box?" Lexia demanded meaning Angelus. "With super girl out of the game you guys might want some help incase he -I don't know- wakes up and wants to go on a murderous rampage again?"
"Oh so you can what, maybe let him go this time instead of letting him in the hotel to steal everything we have on the Beast master?" Connor spit back at her.
"That's what this is about," Lexia suddenly realized. "You want to blame me for Angelus getting in here and stealing the info."
"You were the one on watch," he pointed out.
Lexia smirked and turned away from him. She wanted more than anything to give him a fat lip as she clenched her fist at her sides and strode to the opposite side of the room. "Fine. I take the blame. Now that you've made me feel like shit get out of my room."
"It really kills you doesn't it?" Connor demanded striding toward her.
"Huh?" Lexia asked confused.
"That I'm happy with somebody else."
Lexia swung her hand open palmed to smack him in the face. Connor caught her wrist, gripped it firmly and swung his own arm only to have Lexia catch him. They struggled for a moment, each trying to overpower the other. Lexia glared up at him breathing hard, and was sure she was giving Connor the same look he was giving her. She was about to kick him in the shin so he would let go when suddenly he pulled her forward, wrapped his arms around her, and crushed her lips with his own.
Lexia's first thought was to push him away but her arms betrayed her and circled his neck. She kissed back just as hard, her hands sliding in his hair. They had never shared a kiss like this before; hard, brutal, and furious. Lexia involuntarily bit down on his bottom lip and Connor groaned holding her tighter. This action seemed to shock him at the same time and he suddenly let her go.
Her body shouted at her in protest. Her lips felt swollen, her skin was shivering, and she breathed heavily. Connor's demeanor was the same as her own but he suddenly turned and headed for the door.
"Now who's pathetic?" Lexia spit at him as he reached the door. He paused but only shook his head lightly and escaped out into the hallway.
Her breath came out as if she had been holding it and Lexia sunk to her knees on the floor. A sob escaped her lips and she covered her face with her hands. As she sat crying on the floor she realized Connor was right. Lexia pretty much was staying there because of him. She couldn't stand it any longer. As soon as they got Angel back, she was out of there.
" There's only one thing we can do for Faith, now--" Wesley was saying as Connor headed down the stairs, away from Lexia's room. And temptation. "Finish what she started."
"You mean, re-ensoul Angel?" Fred said.
"Impossible," Connor declared reaching Wesley's side in the lobby. "We've been over this: no jar, no soul. No soul, no Angel."
"It's not that simple, Connor," Fred assured him. "I've been doing some research--."
"It is simple. Angelus is all that's left. First he slaughtered Lilah, now he's killed Faith."
"She's not dead yet," Wesley argued.
"You're lying to yourselves," Connor felt anger well up inside him. How could everybody be so blind? "You all think that I'm taking this personally so that you don't have to, but inside you know I'm right. We need to put Angelus down."
"I don't think so," he heard and they all turned to the far lobby door. A young red haired woman Connor did not know stood at the door. "I think you need a witch."
Connor looked at Wesley who looked just as surprised as him. Fred had a secretive smile on her face as the woman approached.
"Did I come at a bad time?"she asked.
"Willow," Wesley greeted.
"She's a witch?" Connor asked raising an eyebrow.
"Yes," Willow said smiling "Hi. You must be Angel's handsome, yet androgynous, son."
"It's Connor," he snapped angry at being also dubbed "Angel's son".
"And the sneer's genetic. Who knew?"
"God Connor, she's a guest,"Lexia said entering the lobby. "Must you be so rude?"
"This is Lexia," Wesley introduced. "She's Connor's... er, friend?"
"Hardly," she scoffed glancing at Connor. She nodded at Willow. "Hey."
Connor crossed his arms and looked away. Why couldn't she just stay up in her room? It was bad enough what had just happened, but now he had to deal with her snide comments, and the puffy look in her face that let him know she had been crying. God, why did I have to make her cry?
"We should probably start the debriefing," Willow was saying. "Where's Cordy?"
"Unfortunately," Connor jumped in before Wesley could. "The guy you're all trying to magically re-ensoul shot her with a crossbow. She's not up for visitors."
"I think she'll want to see Willow," Wesley said taking her elbow to lead her to upstairs. "After all, she's traveled a long way, and they have a history together."
"You're right," Connor said stepping in front of them. "I'll show her the way."
Wesley frowns but moves aside. Connor motions for Willow to follow him as he leads her upstairs. He felt angry at everyone for not listening to him. They all assume because I'm Angel's son that I don't know what I'm doing. Even Lexia, he thought remembering how she second guessed his ability to fight the Beast. Connor knew that he would get the chance to prove them wrong. When he was a father he'd show them just what a man he was.
Later after Connor had taken Willow up to see Cordelia she had come back down all excited about an arrow thing. Lexia sat on the counter watching as she and Wesley prepared a spell in a bubbling jar.
"Look, it's working," Willow said pointing to the concoction.
Lexia leaned over and her nose wrinkled up in disgust at the smell. "It's like matches."
"That would be the brimstone."
Yay. One more hellish thing we need, Lexia thought.
"I thought Delothrian's Arrow was used to protect good magic," Wesley said.
"It is," Willow affirmed.
"So, how can you use it to break the jar?" Lexia asked. "The Muo-Ping is a sacred object. It's holy or whatever."
"It's glass, therefore crunchable. The sacred's what's inside. 'All life a container...'"
"'...For the heart of all life.'" Wesley finished sounding pleased. "You've studied the Daharim."
"It had to be something specific," Willow told them nodding. "There's lots of jars in the world--can't shatter them all. I mean, you could, but good things come in jars. Peanut butter, jelly, those two-headed fetal pigs at the natural history museum."
Lexia and Wesley looked at Willow then at each other.
"Come on, everybody loves fetal pigs," Willow said holding out her arms.
Lexia shrugged and hopped off the counter. "You're one freaky chick," she informed Willow and sauntered off. She could hear them talking quietly but she didn't feel much like joining in. She flopped on the round couch to think. The only thing that came to mind was Connor.
Why did he kiss her. Lexia had begun to think Connor was a flighty guy who just jumped from girl to girl. But he was sticking with Cordelia pretty steadily, almost as if he owed her something. What would that be...? Lexia wondered. Was Cordelia holding something over Connor's head?
"Lexia," Wesley said interrupting her thoughts. "We need to begin. Would you go get Gunn?"
"Sure..." Lexia said standing distractedly. She walked over to the basement door and opened it. "Yo, Gunn! We're starting!"
"Cool!" Gunn called back and headed up the stairs.
In the lobby Willow was beginning her spell. Fred walked around in a circle while Wesley and Lexia held burning herbs. Connor wrinkled his nose at the smell, but continued to watch. Just in case.
"OK," Willow said. "Now all I gotta do is contact the spirit world, harness the Delothrian ebb, and focus it through my little marble of doom here. And we'll restore the Muo-Ping's entropic equilibrium."
Gunn looked at the little metal marble doubtfully. "The jar goes smash?"
"Smash-o-crash," Willow confirmed.
"All I need to know. I'll be downstairs in case the Prince of Darkness wakes up."
"Give a yell if you need any help," Lexia told him waving her bundle of burning herbs.
Like you'd be any help, Connor thought sourly. If she knew I thought that she'd kick my ass...
"You ready?" Wesley asked Willow.
She nodded. "Should be a snap."
Suddenly bolt of energy hit Willow and sent her sliding across the floor. Everyone tensed but no one moved. This is new, Connor thought. Willow weakly climbed to her feat covering her ears with her hands.
"Invadoria disparu!" Willow mumbled. She seemed to pause as if she heard something and looked at Wesley. "There's somebody in my head... Vetsche invadoria disparu!"
"He's enormously powerful," Wesley explained to her. "It's the dead Beast's master. He contacted Angelus the same way."
"He wants to stop us from getting the soul," Fred worried.
"And be a pain in the head," Lexia pointed out.
Willow stood straighter and held out her hand. The marble in it floated up and began to glow. Connor looked at her face and saw that her eyes had gone and empty black.
"Open the window," Willow ordered. "Fill this stone. Inside, outside. Two made one."
Another bolt of energy cracked through the lobby and knocked Willow head over heels again. Connor glanced around nervously and saw Lexia bit her lip and tug on the golden streak of her hair. He knew that she only did that when she was really worried.
"Are you sure she can handle it?" Connor asked Wesley.
Before he could answer Willow was up again, black eyed, speaking with suppressed rage. "Alesh ashtoreth!" Then the ground began shaking under neath them.
"I think she can hold her own," Wesley said simply.
"Do you feel that?" Lexia asked.
"There's something evil rising in the hotel," Connor warned.
Just as he suspected a huge demonic head appeared over the group. Connor clenched his fists angrily. He knew this would happen! Why couldn't anyone ever listen to him!? The demon growled and shrieked crazily.
"What the hell is that?" Lexia demanded.
"Ignore it," Willow told her. Then she directed her attention to the glowing marble. "Find your target. Leave my side."
The glowing marble took off like a shot as did Connor. If the demon was in the lobby it could be in Cordy's room too.
"Break the glass," Willow demanded to no one in particular.
"Where's Connor?" Fred asked Lexia.
"With his mama," Lexia told her sarcastically. She noticed him take off when Willow's marble had.
"Let loose the soul!" Willow yelled.
Connor tried to burst into Cordelia's room to check on her but the door wouldn't open. He began pushing and banging on the door. "Cordy! Are you ok?"
"Ah!" he heard her scream and then heard a crash. "Oh shit!"
Worried now, Connor pushed and shoved the door with all his might. "Cordy! I'm coming in." Just as he got the door open he felt something hard crash into his head and shatter. He stumbled to the floor grasping his head in his hands.
"Oh, Connor, I'm so sorry. I thought it came back," Cordelia told him tears coming to her eyes. "That horrible floaty head!"
"Did it hurt you? Is the baby...?" Connor asked jumping to his feet.
"We nearly got killed," Cordelia moaned holding onto his hands.
Connor clenched his teeth in anger. "Willow's spell must've opened a gateway to something."
"Evil," Cordelia agreed with a sniffle. "If she keeps at it, there's no telling what will happen. She's already let hell itself into this hotel."
"I know," Connor said remembering the minor earthquake downstairs. "I've seen it. It's not safe for you here. I'm gonna make her stop."
"Connor, you can't!" Cordelia declared preventing him from going out the door. "She's too powerful. But you can stop it. The reason for all of this."
Connor stared at her knowing what she meant before she even said it. Something he'd been planing and dreading all at once.
"You have to kill Angelus," she whispered.
In the lobby Lexia helped Wesley and Fred to light candles. There's was something bothering her though, and she kept looking to the stairway. There was almost a whispering in her head but she couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from.
"So..." Fred commented looking around. "Now Angel's soul is just floating around out there?"
"Yeah, until I can channel it into the Orb of Thessulah," Willow told her lighting another candle.
"Connor shouldn't have run off like that," Fred said glancing at Lexia out of the corner of her eye.
"I'm sure he's just worried about Cordelia," Wesley assured them.
"Do you ever think their relationship is maybe a little bit...icky?" Fred asked them
"Icky?" Lexia said incredulously. "How 'bout gross?"
Fred picked up a book and gave Lexia an attempted half smile. Lexia smirked and took yet more sticky herbs. They looked to Willow.
"Ready when you are,"she told Fred.
Fred nodded and began reading. "Quod perditum est invenietur..."
"Nisi mort," Willow read. "Nisi al finitei. Te invoc, spirit al trecerii..."
Lexia looked one last time up at the stairs. The nagging feeling had not left her yet but there was really nothing she could do. She was herb girl.
Connor strode steadily out of Cordelia's room. A stake was held tightly in his right hand, his other balled at his side. He paused briefly at Angel's door hearing Lorne singing lightly to Faith. Connor thought of the condition she was in and knew it was all Angel's fault. That just made what he had to do easier.
Cordelia's words came back to him as he continued on down the hall way. "You have to kill your father. You have to. Now, before anything else goes wrong."
Connor came out to the top of the stairway and looked down on the group who was preforming the spell. Fools. Even Lexia, who he had loved so much and thought so brave and smart, was letting some stranger lead her blindly to hell.
"You know I have fought harder than anyone to save Angel's life," Connor continued down the stairs sneakingly. "But there comes a time when you have to weigh risk versus reward. And as much as I love Angel...as a friend... killing Angelus now is the only way to guarantee our family's safety. I know it in my heart now. You're not just protecting me. You're protecting the world."
Connor reached the bottom step and began sneaking past the group. He looked at Lexia as more of Cordelia's words cam to him.
"Sometimes one death can spare infinite pain."
"What will I tell the others?" he had asked her.
"They can't stop you if they don't know?" Cordelia had pointed out.
"What about the sanctuary spell?"
"I can fix it. We're special, Connor."
As Connor reached the basement door he looked over to be sure no one had noticed him. They didn't seem to so Connor opened the door and closed it behind him as quietly as he could.
Lexia shivered and looked up suddenly. Willow was chanting still, Wesley and Fred absorbed in her words. Someone had just been behind them she was sure of it. Then she'd heard a click. Had someone gone into the basement?
"Te implor doamne," Willow was chanting. "Nu ignora accasta rugaminte lasa orbita sa fie vasul care-i va transporta sufletul la el."
Lexia desperately wanted to go and check but she was afraid of messing up the spell. Hurry up, she silently willed. Angel, wake up.
"Este scris aceasta putere este dreptul poporuil meu de a conduce."
Lexia looked back up the stairway and was surprised to see Faith pounding down the stairs. Or Faith, she thought. That works too.
"What the...?" Fred muttered next to her noticing Faith and now Lorne trying to follow her.
"Asa sa fie, acum," Willow intoned and suddenly the orb glowed then dissipated completely.
Faith was rushing to the Basement door. Lexia tossed aside her herbs and followed her.
"Hey, Gunn," Connor said as he reached the bottom step of the basement stairs. "You should know..." Gunn turned and Connor punched him, knocking him out. "They haven't finished the spell yet."
Connor hurriedly opened the cage. Angelus was still out cold, chained to the floor. Connor knelt down over him.
"I need you to fight," Angelus mumbled.
"I'm pretty clear about what you need," Connor told him rearing back his right hand to plunge down the stake. Just as he was about to sweep it down someone grabbed his hand. Connor swivelled his head and was surprised to find Faith looking quite pissed off.
"Break me off a switch, son," she said and pulled on his arm then pushed him up against the cage wall. "There's about to be a whoppin'."
Connor punched her across the face. Faith whipped her head around and punched him back. Then she grabbed his neck and pushed him out side of the cage.
Connor jumped back to his feet but Faith was already on him, kicking him in the chest and knocking him head over heels.
Lexia was on the bottom step watching wordlessly as the rest of the gang followed.
"She's alive," Lorne declared in disbelief. "It's a miracle!"
Faith reached down and grabbed Connor. She punched him once across the face and Connor kicked her away from him. He rolled onto his shoulders and flung his weight forward landing on his feet. He lunged at Faith but she grabbed his arm, shifted his weight, and threw him over her hip. Connor skidded to a stop against the cage and he stood to leap at her again when hands grabbed his neck and pulled him against the cage.
"Connor, it's over," Angel told him. "It's me. Really."
"All right," Connor was saying to the gang. "I get it. I messed up."
"Hey, cheer up, punk," Faith told him nonchalantly. "That just makes you one of us."
Lexia chuckled as she leaned against the counter. Connor glared at her.
"Are you happy now?"
"I'd be happier if I had it on tape," she told him.
"Hey, you're just as smug as I am."
"Yeah but I can admit when I was wrong. You have to get it beaten out of you."
Connor looked as if he wanted to say something else but decided against it. He stomped off to sit on the steps. Lexia shrugged and leaned her head back. She hadn't down much but all the stress of the day was getting to her. I could use a nap, she thought. Or a coma.
Willow and Faith finally departed after Angel gave Willow his thanks. Then he turned back to the crew and gave them all a sheepish look.
"So, we're back," he stated.
"It would seem," Wesley agreed.
"Look, I know things have been--"
"Sorry, Angel," Cordelia interrupted him as she walked down the stairs. The gang turned to look and Lexia felt bile rise up in her throat. A look at everyone else said they shared her feeling. "But if this is the speech about how the worst is behind us, you may want to save it for later."
Cordelia stopped on the landing wearing a black flouncy skirt and top that showed of her round pregnant belly.
AN: finally updated!! Sorry so many transcripts but this should be about the last that is mostly transcripted I swear.