DISCLAIMER: The normal ones... Angel show and all characters not mine... Cordy's "true" character is from Laurell K. Hamilton's book plus a few more... only own my new character, Cordy's cousin.

Author's Notes: Thanks to Imzadi and Paige Woodland for reviewing. To Imzadi, I don't recall who Gavin was. Could you remind me? Unless you meant Galen.

A Taste of Moonlight

Part Three- A Look Within

Alex knew she was dreaming, but she didn't care. She just wanted to die. She had lost her hope, the lives of the two people she loved the most.

As Alex floated through the blackness of her mind, she remembered.

Alex's best friend took his final breath in her arms.

His fire red hair, butchered short and covered with blood. His still warm, muscular body would never move again.

Silent tears fell down her face and into his hair. Her blood covered hands shook uncontrollably.

Stuck in his stomach was a knife. . . her knife. "I'm sorry," she whispered into his ear.

Alex couldn't stop a tear from falling down her face, "Brandon. . ." She shut her eyes and smiled sadly.

"Your death wasn't for nothing. . . I was able to save them." Another memory surfaced.

Alex was on the phone with Cordy. "Why do I have to be careful? Was it one of your visions?"

Cordy was silent on the other end of the phone.

"Cordy?"

There was a deep sigh, "Just be careful, Alex."

Alex was getting worried, "Cordy. . . has anything happened?"

"Everything is fine, for now. I want you to promise to visit in two months," Cordy sounded desperate.

"Alright, but you need to give me something about your vision."

"There will come a time when Angel will need you. You will be the only survivor of a horrible event in order to help him. I mean it, Alex. . . be careful and trust noone."

That was the night that Cordy disappeared. Two days later, she was attacked.

She was the only one who lived and that was when Cordy's vision made sense to her.

Alex just floated as the cold, darkness of death engulfed her. Crossing her ankles and hugging her knees to her chest, Alex let the tears fall down her face.

With those memories, came the pain. She could deal with any kind of pain, except this one.

"If only I had killed her when I had the chance. Then you all would be alive." She shut her eyes.

"Kill who?"

Alex's head shot up, eyes wide in surprise. There, floating infront of her, was a boy about her age.

He was tall, thin and slightly muscular. With medium length, brown hair, he wore baggy jeans with a black and green striped shirt, but it was mostly green.

His intense, blue eyes bore through her as if they could read her very soul. It was the one they called Connor.

He studied Alex's face and repeated himself, "Kill who?"

"What. . . what are you doing? You can't be here, it's impossible." Alex tried to make sense of him being in her head.

"Answer me." Connor stepped towards her.

Alex followed this with uncurling herself and moving back. "You're not real. You're just an allusion."

Before Alex could react, Connor surged forwards and grabbed her upper arms, pinning them to his chest. This action caused Alex's body to slam into Connor's, with only her hands on his chest separating them.

She let out a small gasp of pain. Alex looked up into his face in shock. He wasn't supposed to be able to hurt her. "You're real!"

Connor frowned, "Of course I'm real."

"You don't get it, do you?"

"Get what?"

"You're in my mind. None of this is real. . . except us."

Connor's gaze moved from Alex's eyes tp rest on her neck, "That's why there's no mark here."

Alex frowned, "What mark?"

"A black hand print."

The realization hit Alex and hit her hard. The hand around her throat, slowly taking her life using magic.

Alex knew who it was. The one sidhe who was pure evil, Siobhan.

A sharp pain surged through Alex's body and she collapsed in Connor's arms. The hand print was back and glowing pure black.

"Oh god," Alex cringed in pain.

Connor fell to his knees, cradling Alex in his arms, "What's happening?"

"What do you think. . . I'm dying."

He couldn't comprehend this. She had been fine a second ago. "How?"

Alex gave a pain filled laugh, "Well, let's see. If I remember correctly. . . you punched me and sent me flying; I had a crazed sidhe use magic to choke the life out of me; and, oh, I know! The slow stopping of my heart. Yep, I believe that about does it."

Connor gave her a strange look, "Awfully, sarcastic, aren't you."

"Wouldn't want it any other way. Now, how about you let me die in peace. Okay?" Another wave of pain took her and she inhaled sharply through clenched teeth.

"No, I won't let you die."

"Why. . . not?" Alex's breathing was slowing and each breath was harder to take.

Connor frowned, "I don't know. I just can't. Besides, Angel still needs you."

Alex saw the determination in Connor and couldn't help but smile. She concentrated with all her might and her breathing became more controlled and the mark slowly disappeared. "You're more like your father then you'll ever know."

"Grear. Just what I want. . ." Suddenly, Connor was gone and Alex was alone again.

"Connor?" Her voice seemed to echo.

"Great. You talk me into fighting for my life and then you just go poof."

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