Chapter 20: Lets pull it together
Title: A new beginning.
Author: Nikka
Author notes: Hey everyone, If you need to know about summary, rate and all the rest it's all in chapter 1 I'll just remind you that **English is not my native tongue** I want to thank Kelly for all the great works she's done, and to welcome aboard Nisus who from now on will be reproofing my fic. As it is you may still find some spelling & grammar mistakes. You're more than welcome to let me know about them but remember you may find them while you read the story. Have fun.
A special thank you to Nisus for reproofing my story. As of that the upload of the chapters may take longer. And to Kelly get well soon.
Feedback: I love love love reviews and I'll be sure to mention it at the end of every chapter.
***
Faces flashed before her face. If it wasn't for the origin of the pain she could have sworn it felt like a vision. People hovering over her, some speaking to her, others just throwing instructions to each other, it seemed chaotically organized.
One of the nurses held her hand whispering to her softly that everything is going to be alright. Cordy thought they must be feeling sorry for her, a young woman pregnant, all alone with no spouse, friends, or family. She wanted to push the nurse away, to tell her she's Cordelia Chase; she needs no one's pity. But right now she needed her. She needed someone beside her. As strong as she thought she was, this proved her wrong. Right now she needed all the help she could muster. "Let's put her on the monitor, I want to check for her dilatation."
"Check my what?" Cordy raised her head slightly and asked in panic.
"Don't worry, she just want to see if your dilation is 10 fingers wide, that means the baby is ready to come out." The nurse who was holding her hand explained.
"Well is it?" asked Cordy as the doctor stuck her fingers inside her.
"Almost there." The doctor smiled, her hand still inside her. "I'm going to check for the baby's position till we get the monitor on, so stay calm it might be a bit uncomfortable. Cordy flinched. It was more than a bit uncomfortable. The doctor became quiet and had a strange expression on her face.
"What is it?" Cordy panicked.
"It's alright." The nurse smiled nervously. Cordy saw the doctor whispering something to one of the nurses who rushed out of the room. "What's happening?" The monitor started beeping.
"Miss Chase." The doctor said in a serious tune.
"I think after you stick your fingers into someone vagina you are entitled to call him by his first name." Cordy said cynically. "Call me Cordy, everyone else does."
"Cordy. I have to ask you to calm down. Your heart rate is raising and it's affecting your blood pressure, which is not good for either you or the baby.
"I'll calm down after you tell me why the nurse rushed out of here like the fire alarm went off."
The doctor couldn't help but smile. "She went to call the anesthetist, in case we have to do a caesarian."
"What? Why?" The monitor went off again.
"Relax." The doctor said calmly. "It's just a precaution." The doctor paused as she walked to Cordy's bedside and sat on the chair standing beside the bed. "Right now the baby is upside down." Before Cordy had a chance to respond the doctor kept on. "But it's still early. You're not fully dilated yet, that means there's still plenty of time for the baby to turn around." The doctor smiled.
"Can't you just move him, like they do in the movies?" Cordy asked.
"Don't worry, your baby is alright, and so are you. And if you want to keep it like that you'll have to remain calm. Okay?" Cordy nodded. "Now I want you to turn to your side." Cordy turned with the help of the nurse. "I have to go now, but I'm just a page away and I'll check on you in a little while. Till then nurse Thompson is here with you." The doctor got up. "Are you sure there's no one we can call?"
Cordy hesitated for a moment thinking whether she should inform Fred and the others, but knew they'd tell Angel. And right now he was the last person she wanted to see. "I'm sure. There's no one."
***
After his little talk with Giles his first instinct was to reach for his pocket and take out a cigarette. It wasn't till a nurse who walked by gave him a firm stare that he remembered he was in the hospital. He was just about to head back when suddenly he realized with all the commotion going on, he didn't get a chance to tell Angel what the powers told him. He put the cigarette back and walked towards the waiting area. "Willow, where's Angel?" He asked after noticing he wasn't there.
"He's with Buffy." She replied.
Spike started walking the corridor when he saw Angel followed by Fred running towards him. "Angel." Spike steeped forward to intercept him.
"Not now Spike." Angel brushed him off. Angel and Fred rushed to the group in the waiting area. Angel's expression alarmed Dawn.
"Is it Buffy?" She jumped from her seat.
"No, he's looking for Cordy." Fred explained and Dawn sat back down.
"She's not here." He said to Fred. "Did you see her?" Angel asked the group. They all nodded in denial.
"Speaking of Cordelia I really need to tell you what...."
"Not now Spike." Angel cut him off.
"And normally that would be enough to get rid of me, but this time I can't." Spike pressed on. "I need to tell you what the powers told me." Angel didn't seem to hear him or care. Right now he was more occupied in finding Cordy.
"If she left the hospital, she must have used a different exit. I would have seen her, has she went through here," said Wesley.
"Great." Angel frowned. "She could be anywhere by now. We need to split up and look for her."
"Why did she run off to begin with?" Giles asked what the others feared to.
"That's not important right now." Angel, who had no intention discussing the issue with Giles and the others, said. "What's important is for us to find her before she'll be in..."
"Danger." Spike stepped in. "I'm afraid you're too late champion." Spike said in a sarcastic tone. "She's already in danger, and not the one you think."
***
She breathed heavily. The last contraction felt like she was thorn from the inside out. She was alone. Nurse Thompson was paged again. It seemed like every woman in L.A. was giving birth tonight, even nurse Thompson said this was a very busy night, not typical at all.
"That last one was rough?" Nurse Thompson was standing in the doorway.
"Yeah." Cordy smiled appreciating her kindness, knowing she must have other things she needed to do.
"Here, I brought you these." The nurse handed her a paper cup with ice cubes.
"Thanks." Cordy took the cup and placed it beside her.
"Don't worry, you're nearing the end. It won't be long now." Cordy chewed her ice cube and remained quite. "Hey you stood it for nine months, what's another couple of hours?" The nurse chuckled.
"Hours?!" Cordy said in panic. This could take hours?!"
"Oh no, I just meant metaphorically. It won't be hours, I'm sure it won't." The nurse calmed her down. "Listen, we're going to bring in another woman, as you can see we're packed tonight and although this is a small room we have to put another woman in here."
"Cordy nodded as they wheeled in a pregnant woman followed by her husband and what seemed to be her mother. Cordy looked at the door as she saw nurse Thompson trying to prevent other family members from entering.
**Great** she thought to herself, just what she needed. This couldn't get any worse. And as she thought that another contraction came.
***
"Are you sure?" Wesley asked Spike with a skeptic stare.
"I know what I heard." Spike said angrily. "They talked about the lost prophecies of Shaty."
"Well are they really lost?" Gunn asked confused. "Or is just a fancy name?"
"They are, as of about 3 centuries ago." Wesley replied. "Their last owners were the monks from the monastery of Takiya."
"If what you say is true." Giles looked at Spike. "Then we are lost, there is no way we can find those prophecies."
"It's not like you can really trust those things anyway." Dawn commented.
"Oh no. These prophecies are quite accurate." said Giles. "There's a theory that Shaty was a powerful warlock who had the ability to travel through time."
"As informative as it all is, we really need to figure out a way to get them or a copy of them." Angel said impatiently.
"Sure Angel what do you suggest?" Spike said in a mockery tune. "Maybe Willow can do a locater spell and find you the prophecies that have been sitting in the lost & found for the last 3 centauries." Spike chuckled, but as it turned out his idea wasn't as farfetched as he thought.
***
Willow sat on the floor holding a burning candle, while Fred watched the door. "Okay I'm ready." Willow said and Fred nodded as she leaned against the door. Willow started mumbling a few words in what Fred recognized as Latin. A few moments later Fred saw sparks of light come out of the candle. They hovered above the candle in a circle form. Willow kept chanting when suddenly the sparks of light flow at high speed directly at Willow sending her to the floor. Fred wanted to run to her but she remembered Willow's warning, not to interfere no matter what. It was a few minutes later when Willow finally came to.
"Well?" Fred asked anxiously.
"I got the location, but something tells me you won't like it."
***
"You have got to be kidding me!" Gunn's reaction summed up the entire A.I.'s reaction.
"Are you sure?" Angel asked again hoping Willow's answer might change. But the nod of her head crashed his hopes. "If that's the case we to go and get it."
"You say it like it's a walk in the park." Wesley said.
"Well, it's not like we've never been there before." Fred commented.
"And we do have special connections to the place?" Angel said while staring at Wesley, who knew what he meant.
"I can't, Angel." Wesley said in a serious tone.
"You have to." Angel said firmly.
'What are you two talking about?" Fred asked confused.
Wesley looked at Angel and every inch of his body begged him not to say anything to her. Angel saw that and a feeling of companion he haven't felt in a long while towards Wesley filled him. "Nothing." He replied. "All I meant is, we know our way around and we know the right people..."
"Who will do anything, but help us." Gunn cut him off.
"They've helped in the past." Fred said.
"When we had something they wanted and could provide." Gunn replied. "That doesn't apply in our little scenario."
Till now the Scoobies stayed out of it. They knew the A.I had to make this decision on their own. "Angel." Spike spoke up. "Not to rush you or anything... but we really don't have a lot of time."
"What do you mean?" Angel asked confused.
"If I got the message right the baby is due in any minute now."
"You mean tonight?" Giles asked surprised.
"I don't know the exact moment, but I know it's soon." Spike replied.
"How? What did they say? Tell me the exact thing they said." Angel regretted letting Spike move on.
"They said the answer we seek would be found in the prophecies. Only there, may we find our fate."
"And..." Angel pressed on.
"And than they said to hurry up, cause the child that would change everything, the child that would change the balance is coming to our world, his wait is almost done." Spike finished off.
"And that's it, that's all they said?" Fred asked to be sure.
"Well... no. They did mention one little thing, but I really think we..."
"I didn't ask you to think I asked you to recite." Angel snapped.
"They said the arrival of the child will bear a cost, a price must be paid in order for him to come forth."
A silence filled the waiting area. "Then I guess we're going to W&H." Angel said as he looked at the group.
***
She opened her eyes. Everything was a blur. She tilted her head to the side noticing all the tubes and machines. She knew this surrounding all to well. She blinked a few times, knowing from experience that the light will stop hurting her eyes in a little while. She looked to her bedside and saw an empty chair. She reached down looking for that familiar button. She pressed it gently. Her eyes were starting to get use to the light, just has she predicted. It didn't take long for the room to be filled with nurses and doctors, all pointing little flashlights at her eyes, asking her all kind of question. She knew it wouldn't be long for all her friends to come running in, happy to see she survived yet another fight.
"Buffy." She heard a familiar sweet voice.
She turned her head and saw her sister smiling at her; she could see she's been crying. "Hi Dawnie." She said with a soft voice.
"Are you...?" Dawn's voice cracked. She thought she'd be use to it by now. But after last year she wasn't, she never ever wanted to see her sister in a hospital bed again. And yet only a few months has past since she lay on a different bed, in a different hospital with a bullet wound fighting for her life. Back then magic saved her. Now they put their trust in medicine.
"I'm okay." She smiled. "Didn't you hear the doctor? I'm going to be fine. Besides I heal fast."
"Yes." Giles smiled in relief. "We assume that's what saved you."
"That and Connor of course." Willow said in pride.
"Thank you." Buffy said to the teenager standing on the side leaned against the wall. He just nodded, not wanting the attention.
"So what did I miss?" Buffy asked, eager to know what transpired while she was out. You could tell there was something different about her. She didn't look like every other stab wound victim. Her cheeks were red. She wasn't pail. She could talk, move, and laugh. Yeah the stitches hurt a bit, but all and all, she felt pretty good.
"Welcome back." Angel took her hand. She pulled his arm towards her face and placed her cheek on his hand. "Listen Buffy we need to go for awhile but Dawn and Lorne are staying here with you and Xander, they can fill you in on everything that's..."
"Xander?" Buffy cut him off. "Has something happened to Xander?" She panicked.
"Dawn will tell you everything, but right now we really need to go." Angel kept looking at the clock on the wall.
"Where are you going?" Buffy didn't like all this sneaking and concealing.
"Like I said Dawn..."
"We're going to W&H to steal an ancient prophecy that would tell us how to save Cordelia, who apparently ran off, and is out there somewhere about to deliver any moment now. And as for Xander, well his..."
"Spike!" Giles cut him off. "I think that's enough."
"No I want to know what's going on. I'm not a child, and I'm feeling better already. I can help you."
"No you can't." Said Giles, Willow, Dawn and Angel unanimously.
"But I..." Buffy tried again.
"Buffy please." Angel said. "If you really want to help you'll stay here. Cause that's where I need you to be." He sighed. "I wish I had time to argue and explain the situation to you but I can't. I'm sorry."
"I guess I picked a lousy time to wake up." She smiled.
"I guess you did." Angel teased her back.
"But you know." She whispered to Angel as he came closer. "I'm just going to get up and leave the first chance I get, so you may as well take me along, cause either way I won't stay in bed." She smiled and surprisingly enough so did Angel. He pulled away but kept his eyes fixed on her. He smiled and turned to the others.
"Change of plans guys." Angel announced. "Buffy's coming with."
"What?!" Spike was outraged. "She's not well." He kept yelling. "Did you even listen to the doctor or was your head so far up your..."
"Spike!" Buffy stepped in before he'll say something he won't regret. "I'm coming." She sat up. "So deal."
"Buffy maybe Spike is... and I cannot believe I'm saying this... but maybe Spike is right?" Giles said with concern.
"Come on Giles, you know how she's like." Spike said with a smirk. "Has she ever done what she was told?"
"Hey." Buffy resented that.
"Well its true Luv. You never listen." Spike replied.
"Buffy I'm sorry to interrupt... Well actually I'm not." Angel grinned. "But if you're coming...?"
"I know." she said and got out of bed. "Give me five minutes." She said as she walked to the bathroom.
"Bloody hell." Spike headed for the door. "I'll be outside, waiting by the van."
Two minutes later Buffy popped out of the bathroom fully dressed. "Lets go," she said. As they walked out Willow noticed Buffy was holding to her side, where she was stabbed. She looked at Buffy who realized Willow noticed her. "I'm good Will really I am." She smiled as she walked out following the others.
"I wish I could believe that." Willow said quietly.
***
"So. Everyone knows they're part?" Angel asked.
"I still don't understand why I can't come with you." Gunn grumbled.
"I told you, the less the better." Angel said a bit annoyed by Gunn's behavior. "Spike, Buffy, Giles, Willow & Fred go in and retrieve the prophecy. While me and Wes pay Lilah a visit." Angel looked at Wesley.
"I can go with you instead of Wes." Gunn offered.
"Gunn!" Angel snapped at him. "We stick to the original plan. You and Connor search the city for Cordy. Check her old place, any friends she might have, hospitals and so on. Okay?" Angel looked at Gunn who nodded his head, obviously not so pleased. "Okay people lets move."
Just than Angel cellular phone rang. "What now?" He grumbled as he answered the phone. "Yes." He was quiet for a few seconds. "He did that's great." Angel sounded pleased.
"What is it?" Buffy asked.
"Hmm." Angel was preoccupied to answer Fred. "I see." He kept nodding his head. His expression changed. Now he didn't look all that pleased. "So she knows where...?" Everyone just stared at him trying to understand what happened. "Okay Lorne. Keep me informed." Angel hung up.
"Well?" Willow asked curiously.
"That was Lorne." Angel began to explain. "Xander is awake..."
"He is?" Willow asked with a spark in her eyes.
"Yes." Angel smiled. "And according to the doctor, except for his injuries, he should heal completely. He's going to be alright."
"No head trauma?" Buffy asked in concern afraid to be happy till she had all the facts.
"Except for a nasty headache, nothing." Angel smiled as he saw Buffy, Willow and Giles smile in relief.
"Lets move." Angel stepped out of the van followed by Wes, Spike, Fred, Giles and Willow.
"See you in a little while." Gunn said as he closed the door and drove away.
***
"This is crazy." Cordy said as she started at the clock. 3 women came and left and I'm still here." She complained to the nurse.
"I told you it's different for every woman." The nurse paused and then kept on. "Maybe if you had someone here with you, maybe a friend or..."
"I told you, there's no one." Cordy cut her off.
"If you say so." Nurse Thompson replied as she headed for the door.
"Leaving again?" Cordy asked in disappointment.
"I'm sorry." Nurse Thompson smiled. "It's a busy..."
"I know." Cordy nodded. "Just my luck." She sighed when the nurse left and again she was alone.
***
"As soon as we enter the building the alarm will take off." Angel explained to Buffy as they reached the entrance Angel usually used. "Since it's not the front door it will take them time to track me down and also it will keep the hit off Spike and the others."
"Okay." Buffy nodded.
"Angel and I will go to Lilah's office which is down the corridor, while you go to the control room. Two floors below us." Buffy smiled as Angel opened the door and as expected the alarm went off. Two guards jumped at them But Buffy and Angel took them out.
"Hurry." Angel said to Buffy who rushed towards the security room. "Let's go." He said to Wes and the two headed for Lilah's room.
"I wish I could say I'm surprised." Lilah sat behind her desk her legs crossed and her elbows leaning on the armchair, a big smile spread all over her face. More guards showed up at her office with stakes and guns. "It's okay guys." Lilah smiled as she stood up.
"Very well Miss. Morgan." One of the guards said, as they all left.
"Now that we're alone what can I do for you boys." She walked towards them.
"We're here to talk business." Wesley replied with a serious tone.
"So now its business." She smiled. "Since when did you join the home team?"
"Since when do you care?" Wesley replied with a sarcastic remark.
"Touchy touchy." Lilah smiled her deviant smile.
"Look what ever that was between you two..."
"Sex." Lilah replied.
"It's not why we came here." Angel continued only to realize how bad it came out. "Well you know what I mean."
"You came for your friend... Cordelia is it?" Lilah played the game well. And so did Angel and Wes. They needed to stall and right now they were exactly on schedule.
***
Buffy was now in the Control room. The powder Willow gave her worked like a charm. The guards were out and she was free to go inside. She looked for the monitor that showed the file room. She looked at all of monitor until finally one caught her attention. It said files and records. She looked at the monitor. She saw a woman sitting behind a desk and bookshelves to her right. She pressed one of the buttons and changed the angle. Now she could see the room was packed with files, rows of them. She pushed another button and saw the gang outside the room, about to enter. She quickly looked for the disable button for the alarm. She pressed it just as the gang entered the room.
***
"Clearance code?" The woman said with a smile.
"Sure thing Luv." Spike said as he leaped forward and knocked the woman down. "Lets roll." But before he could roll the woman stood up still smiling.
"That was the wrong clearance code. You are not permitted to enter this section please see your local security officer for appropriate clearance.
"What the hell?" Spike said as the woman advanced towards them.
"She's not human." Giles said.
"I think we got that part." Spike moved backwards, the others stood behind him. He reached out his arm to punch her again but the woman grabbed his fist as she throw him against the wall.
"This is not good." Fred said with fear.
"Please leave this area at once." The woman said as she advanced towards them.
"If you can able to disable her, I think I can shut her off."
"Shut her off." Spike who was now back on his feet asked.
"She's a robot." Fred said what she thought was obvious.
"Uh right. Can't have too many of those." Spike said recalling his last encounter with a robot.
"Elferio manantra." Willow said and the woman stood still unable to move.
"Please be advised, security is on their wa..."
"Not a problem." Spike smiled as Fred went behind the woman and quickly found the deactivation button. The woman's eyes shut closed as her head tilted downwards.
Okay where should we start?" Spike headed for the files.
"Look for a filing system something that might helps us locate the..."
"How about Prophecies." Fred smiled as she raised a big heavy book and placed it on the desk.
"But that's impossible." Giles looked confused. "It cannot hold every prophecy there ever was, it just cannot."
"Well open it." Willow rushed him. Giles opened the book to find empty pages.
"What's going on here?" Fred asked confused.
"Maybe it's broken." Spike offered his input.
"It's not broken." Willow said. "We just have to figure how to operate it, there has to be a trigger.
Maybe it's an index..." Fred assumed, "that can show us where we can find the lost prophecies of Shaty...." Suddenly the book was filled with words, it wasn't in English.
"Oh my god." Willow was amazed.
"That's the trigger, you just ask for the prophecy and it appears." Fred smiled. "That's so great."
"Lets take the bloody book and leave." Spike was nervous; he knew time was running out.
"Can we?" Fred asked. "Will it work outside W&H?"
"We don't have a choice, we need to read it carefully we cannot rush this." Giles replied. "We'll take the chance." He looked up at the security camera. "Buffy if you can hear us, it's time to go. Tell Angel and Wesley. We'll meet you at the rendezvous point."
Buffy who tuned in quickly took off and headed back to the exit point.
***
"So what is our offer?" Lilah asked.
"Offer?" Wesley asked.
"I assume you have a different offer or have you decided to do the wise thing and take my generous offer?" Lilah smiled.
"There's no offer." Angel said angrily. "You stay away from Cordelia and tell us what you know."
"You never learn." She turned and sat down back in her chair. "Your idle threats never worked in the past, what makes you think they would work this time?"
"Because you're scared." Wesley said. "Something or someone is breathing down your neck, literally, and you need us more than we need you." Lilah wasn't smiling now.
"I think you got it wrong. I'm not the one carrying the child everyone wants dead." She smirked.
"Except for the people you work for... can you refer to them as people?" Wesley wondered off.
"I don't think so." Angel played along. "From what I saw they're really not..."
"Okay!" Lilah was losing her patience. "If there's nothing else, I'm really busy..."
"Actually..." Angel needed more time.
"Miss. Morgan." The sound came from the speaker on her desk.
"Yes." Lilah replied.
"There's something going on in File and Records." The secretary replied.
"Define something." Lilah sighed.
"They're not sure, and since no one is here except you..."
"I'll be right there." Lilah cut her off. "That's what you get for staying late to catch up on your work." She got up and headed for the door, but she reached the door she stopped.
"I guess you want us to leave." Angel smiled realizing it was time to go.
"Yes, of course." She looked nervous. She tried opening the door without taking her eyes off Angel. She reached into her pocket for something. It was her cellular phone.
"Lilah don't." Angel said as he advanced towards her. He knew she was on to him and as much as he had faith in his ability to fight off W&H guards, he really didn't have the time to play. By now he was sure the job was done and he and Wes were suppose to meet the others.
Lilah opened the door and walked out into the corridor. It was empty; After all it was well past midnight.
"Sorry." She smiled as she took her cellular phone and opened it.
"I'll reach you before you get a chance to dial." Angel replied.
"I don't need to dial. All I do is press one little button and this whole building is going into lock down, sewers exists included." She raised her hand about to press when suddenly she fell to the ground. Angel and Wes looked stunned as Buffy punched Lilah down.
"I never did like her." Buffy said with a smirk. "Now lets go before someone will come looking for her.
"Something tells me it won't be for awhile." Angel smiled as he and Buffy headed for the exit, while Wesley lingered staring at Lilah lying on the floor. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
"Wesley let's go." He gave her one last look as he ran off.
***
"So you got it?" Angel asked anxiously.
"I think so." Giles replied. "But we still need to decipher it."
"Good. All we need now is Cordy." Angel looked at his watch. "We don't have a lot of time till sunrise."
"Has Gunn checked in yet?" as Fred finished her question Angel's cellular phone rang.
"Yes." Angel answered. It was Gunn.
"Angel?" Gunn said. I think we found her, but there's not a lot of time left." Gunn paused.
"Gunn?" Angel said thinking he was cut off.
"I'm here." Gunn replied. "But you better hurry and get here. Time is running out."
***
TBC
Hi ppl,
How are you all? Miss me? I sure did.
I read your reviews and I am so grateful to you all for your support and kind words. I wish I had a chance update sooner, but due to lack of time, I had to take a short break from writing this fic. But as always I couldn't help myself and in the few spare hours I could muster, I wrote and wrote and re-wrote... till finally I finished ch 20.
So how did you like it? Let me know? Tell me what you wish would happen next? I have an idea but I really want to hear your opinion.
So thank you for being so patience and understanding, and I hope you're still reading my fic, despite the little break. Enjoy.
Nikka.
Title: A new beginning.
Author: Nikka
Author notes: Hey everyone, If you need to know about summary, rate and all the rest it's all in chapter 1 I'll just remind you that **English is not my native tongue** I want to thank Kelly for all the great works she's done, and to welcome aboard Nisus who from now on will be reproofing my fic. As it is you may still find some spelling & grammar mistakes. You're more than welcome to let me know about them but remember you may find them while you read the story. Have fun.
A special thank you to Nisus for reproofing my story. As of that the upload of the chapters may take longer. And to Kelly get well soon.
Feedback: I love love love reviews and I'll be sure to mention it at the end of every chapter.
***
Faces flashed before her face. If it wasn't for the origin of the pain she could have sworn it felt like a vision. People hovering over her, some speaking to her, others just throwing instructions to each other, it seemed chaotically organized.
One of the nurses held her hand whispering to her softly that everything is going to be alright. Cordy thought they must be feeling sorry for her, a young woman pregnant, all alone with no spouse, friends, or family. She wanted to push the nurse away, to tell her she's Cordelia Chase; she needs no one's pity. But right now she needed her. She needed someone beside her. As strong as she thought she was, this proved her wrong. Right now she needed all the help she could muster. "Let's put her on the monitor, I want to check for her dilatation."
"Check my what?" Cordy raised her head slightly and asked in panic.
"Don't worry, she just want to see if your dilation is 10 fingers wide, that means the baby is ready to come out." The nurse who was holding her hand explained.
"Well is it?" asked Cordy as the doctor stuck her fingers inside her.
"Almost there." The doctor smiled, her hand still inside her. "I'm going to check for the baby's position till we get the monitor on, so stay calm it might be a bit uncomfortable. Cordy flinched. It was more than a bit uncomfortable. The doctor became quiet and had a strange expression on her face.
"What is it?" Cordy panicked.
"It's alright." The nurse smiled nervously. Cordy saw the doctor whispering something to one of the nurses who rushed out of the room. "What's happening?" The monitor started beeping.
"Miss Chase." The doctor said in a serious tune.
"I think after you stick your fingers into someone vagina you are entitled to call him by his first name." Cordy said cynically. "Call me Cordy, everyone else does."
"Cordy. I have to ask you to calm down. Your heart rate is raising and it's affecting your blood pressure, which is not good for either you or the baby.
"I'll calm down after you tell me why the nurse rushed out of here like the fire alarm went off."
The doctor couldn't help but smile. "She went to call the anesthetist, in case we have to do a caesarian."
"What? Why?" The monitor went off again.
"Relax." The doctor said calmly. "It's just a precaution." The doctor paused as she walked to Cordy's bedside and sat on the chair standing beside the bed. "Right now the baby is upside down." Before Cordy had a chance to respond the doctor kept on. "But it's still early. You're not fully dilated yet, that means there's still plenty of time for the baby to turn around." The doctor smiled.
"Can't you just move him, like they do in the movies?" Cordy asked.
"Don't worry, your baby is alright, and so are you. And if you want to keep it like that you'll have to remain calm. Okay?" Cordy nodded. "Now I want you to turn to your side." Cordy turned with the help of the nurse. "I have to go now, but I'm just a page away and I'll check on you in a little while. Till then nurse Thompson is here with you." The doctor got up. "Are you sure there's no one we can call?"
Cordy hesitated for a moment thinking whether she should inform Fred and the others, but knew they'd tell Angel. And right now he was the last person she wanted to see. "I'm sure. There's no one."
***
After his little talk with Giles his first instinct was to reach for his pocket and take out a cigarette. It wasn't till a nurse who walked by gave him a firm stare that he remembered he was in the hospital. He was just about to head back when suddenly he realized with all the commotion going on, he didn't get a chance to tell Angel what the powers told him. He put the cigarette back and walked towards the waiting area. "Willow, where's Angel?" He asked after noticing he wasn't there.
"He's with Buffy." She replied.
Spike started walking the corridor when he saw Angel followed by Fred running towards him. "Angel." Spike steeped forward to intercept him.
"Not now Spike." Angel brushed him off. Angel and Fred rushed to the group in the waiting area. Angel's expression alarmed Dawn.
"Is it Buffy?" She jumped from her seat.
"No, he's looking for Cordy." Fred explained and Dawn sat back down.
"She's not here." He said to Fred. "Did you see her?" Angel asked the group. They all nodded in denial.
"Speaking of Cordelia I really need to tell you what...."
"Not now Spike." Angel cut him off.
"And normally that would be enough to get rid of me, but this time I can't." Spike pressed on. "I need to tell you what the powers told me." Angel didn't seem to hear him or care. Right now he was more occupied in finding Cordy.
"If she left the hospital, she must have used a different exit. I would have seen her, has she went through here," said Wesley.
"Great." Angel frowned. "She could be anywhere by now. We need to split up and look for her."
"Why did she run off to begin with?" Giles asked what the others feared to.
"That's not important right now." Angel, who had no intention discussing the issue with Giles and the others, said. "What's important is for us to find her before she'll be in..."
"Danger." Spike stepped in. "I'm afraid you're too late champion." Spike said in a sarcastic tone. "She's already in danger, and not the one you think."
***
She breathed heavily. The last contraction felt like she was thorn from the inside out. She was alone. Nurse Thompson was paged again. It seemed like every woman in L.A. was giving birth tonight, even nurse Thompson said this was a very busy night, not typical at all.
"That last one was rough?" Nurse Thompson was standing in the doorway.
"Yeah." Cordy smiled appreciating her kindness, knowing she must have other things she needed to do.
"Here, I brought you these." The nurse handed her a paper cup with ice cubes.
"Thanks." Cordy took the cup and placed it beside her.
"Don't worry, you're nearing the end. It won't be long now." Cordy chewed her ice cube and remained quite. "Hey you stood it for nine months, what's another couple of hours?" The nurse chuckled.
"Hours?!" Cordy said in panic. This could take hours?!"
"Oh no, I just meant metaphorically. It won't be hours, I'm sure it won't." The nurse calmed her down. "Listen, we're going to bring in another woman, as you can see we're packed tonight and although this is a small room we have to put another woman in here."
"Cordy nodded as they wheeled in a pregnant woman followed by her husband and what seemed to be her mother. Cordy looked at the door as she saw nurse Thompson trying to prevent other family members from entering.
**Great** she thought to herself, just what she needed. This couldn't get any worse. And as she thought that another contraction came.
***
"Are you sure?" Wesley asked Spike with a skeptic stare.
"I know what I heard." Spike said angrily. "They talked about the lost prophecies of Shaty."
"Well are they really lost?" Gunn asked confused. "Or is just a fancy name?"
"They are, as of about 3 centuries ago." Wesley replied. "Their last owners were the monks from the monastery of Takiya."
"If what you say is true." Giles looked at Spike. "Then we are lost, there is no way we can find those prophecies."
"It's not like you can really trust those things anyway." Dawn commented.
"Oh no. These prophecies are quite accurate." said Giles. "There's a theory that Shaty was a powerful warlock who had the ability to travel through time."
"As informative as it all is, we really need to figure out a way to get them or a copy of them." Angel said impatiently.
"Sure Angel what do you suggest?" Spike said in a mockery tune. "Maybe Willow can do a locater spell and find you the prophecies that have been sitting in the lost & found for the last 3 centauries." Spike chuckled, but as it turned out his idea wasn't as farfetched as he thought.
***
Willow sat on the floor holding a burning candle, while Fred watched the door. "Okay I'm ready." Willow said and Fred nodded as she leaned against the door. Willow started mumbling a few words in what Fred recognized as Latin. A few moments later Fred saw sparks of light come out of the candle. They hovered above the candle in a circle form. Willow kept chanting when suddenly the sparks of light flow at high speed directly at Willow sending her to the floor. Fred wanted to run to her but she remembered Willow's warning, not to interfere no matter what. It was a few minutes later when Willow finally came to.
"Well?" Fred asked anxiously.
"I got the location, but something tells me you won't like it."
***
"You have got to be kidding me!" Gunn's reaction summed up the entire A.I.'s reaction.
"Are you sure?" Angel asked again hoping Willow's answer might change. But the nod of her head crashed his hopes. "If that's the case we to go and get it."
"You say it like it's a walk in the park." Wesley said.
"Well, it's not like we've never been there before." Fred commented.
"And we do have special connections to the place?" Angel said while staring at Wesley, who knew what he meant.
"I can't, Angel." Wesley said in a serious tone.
"You have to." Angel said firmly.
'What are you two talking about?" Fred asked confused.
Wesley looked at Angel and every inch of his body begged him not to say anything to her. Angel saw that and a feeling of companion he haven't felt in a long while towards Wesley filled him. "Nothing." He replied. "All I meant is, we know our way around and we know the right people..."
"Who will do anything, but help us." Gunn cut him off.
"They've helped in the past." Fred said.
"When we had something they wanted and could provide." Gunn replied. "That doesn't apply in our little scenario."
Till now the Scoobies stayed out of it. They knew the A.I had to make this decision on their own. "Angel." Spike spoke up. "Not to rush you or anything... but we really don't have a lot of time."
"What do you mean?" Angel asked confused.
"If I got the message right the baby is due in any minute now."
"You mean tonight?" Giles asked surprised.
"I don't know the exact moment, but I know it's soon." Spike replied.
"How? What did they say? Tell me the exact thing they said." Angel regretted letting Spike move on.
"They said the answer we seek would be found in the prophecies. Only there, may we find our fate."
"And..." Angel pressed on.
"And than they said to hurry up, cause the child that would change everything, the child that would change the balance is coming to our world, his wait is almost done." Spike finished off.
"And that's it, that's all they said?" Fred asked to be sure.
"Well... no. They did mention one little thing, but I really think we..."
"I didn't ask you to think I asked you to recite." Angel snapped.
"They said the arrival of the child will bear a cost, a price must be paid in order for him to come forth."
A silence filled the waiting area. "Then I guess we're going to W&H." Angel said as he looked at the group.
***
She opened her eyes. Everything was a blur. She tilted her head to the side noticing all the tubes and machines. She knew this surrounding all to well. She blinked a few times, knowing from experience that the light will stop hurting her eyes in a little while. She looked to her bedside and saw an empty chair. She reached down looking for that familiar button. She pressed it gently. Her eyes were starting to get use to the light, just has she predicted. It didn't take long for the room to be filled with nurses and doctors, all pointing little flashlights at her eyes, asking her all kind of question. She knew it wouldn't be long for all her friends to come running in, happy to see she survived yet another fight.
"Buffy." She heard a familiar sweet voice.
She turned her head and saw her sister smiling at her; she could see she's been crying. "Hi Dawnie." She said with a soft voice.
"Are you...?" Dawn's voice cracked. She thought she'd be use to it by now. But after last year she wasn't, she never ever wanted to see her sister in a hospital bed again. And yet only a few months has past since she lay on a different bed, in a different hospital with a bullet wound fighting for her life. Back then magic saved her. Now they put their trust in medicine.
"I'm okay." She smiled. "Didn't you hear the doctor? I'm going to be fine. Besides I heal fast."
"Yes." Giles smiled in relief. "We assume that's what saved you."
"That and Connor of course." Willow said in pride.
"Thank you." Buffy said to the teenager standing on the side leaned against the wall. He just nodded, not wanting the attention.
"So what did I miss?" Buffy asked, eager to know what transpired while she was out. You could tell there was something different about her. She didn't look like every other stab wound victim. Her cheeks were red. She wasn't pail. She could talk, move, and laugh. Yeah the stitches hurt a bit, but all and all, she felt pretty good.
"Welcome back." Angel took her hand. She pulled his arm towards her face and placed her cheek on his hand. "Listen Buffy we need to go for awhile but Dawn and Lorne are staying here with you and Xander, they can fill you in on everything that's..."
"Xander?" Buffy cut him off. "Has something happened to Xander?" She panicked.
"Dawn will tell you everything, but right now we really need to go." Angel kept looking at the clock on the wall.
"Where are you going?" Buffy didn't like all this sneaking and concealing.
"Like I said Dawn..."
"We're going to W&H to steal an ancient prophecy that would tell us how to save Cordelia, who apparently ran off, and is out there somewhere about to deliver any moment now. And as for Xander, well his..."
"Spike!" Giles cut him off. "I think that's enough."
"No I want to know what's going on. I'm not a child, and I'm feeling better already. I can help you."
"No you can't." Said Giles, Willow, Dawn and Angel unanimously.
"But I..." Buffy tried again.
"Buffy please." Angel said. "If you really want to help you'll stay here. Cause that's where I need you to be." He sighed. "I wish I had time to argue and explain the situation to you but I can't. I'm sorry."
"I guess I picked a lousy time to wake up." She smiled.
"I guess you did." Angel teased her back.
"But you know." She whispered to Angel as he came closer. "I'm just going to get up and leave the first chance I get, so you may as well take me along, cause either way I won't stay in bed." She smiled and surprisingly enough so did Angel. He pulled away but kept his eyes fixed on her. He smiled and turned to the others.
"Change of plans guys." Angel announced. "Buffy's coming with."
"What?!" Spike was outraged. "She's not well." He kept yelling. "Did you even listen to the doctor or was your head so far up your..."
"Spike!" Buffy stepped in before he'll say something he won't regret. "I'm coming." She sat up. "So deal."
"Buffy maybe Spike is... and I cannot believe I'm saying this... but maybe Spike is right?" Giles said with concern.
"Come on Giles, you know how she's like." Spike said with a smirk. "Has she ever done what she was told?"
"Hey." Buffy resented that.
"Well its true Luv. You never listen." Spike replied.
"Buffy I'm sorry to interrupt... Well actually I'm not." Angel grinned. "But if you're coming...?"
"I know." she said and got out of bed. "Give me five minutes." She said as she walked to the bathroom.
"Bloody hell." Spike headed for the door. "I'll be outside, waiting by the van."
Two minutes later Buffy popped out of the bathroom fully dressed. "Lets go," she said. As they walked out Willow noticed Buffy was holding to her side, where she was stabbed. She looked at Buffy who realized Willow noticed her. "I'm good Will really I am." She smiled as she walked out following the others.
"I wish I could believe that." Willow said quietly.
***
"So. Everyone knows they're part?" Angel asked.
"I still don't understand why I can't come with you." Gunn grumbled.
"I told you, the less the better." Angel said a bit annoyed by Gunn's behavior. "Spike, Buffy, Giles, Willow & Fred go in and retrieve the prophecy. While me and Wes pay Lilah a visit." Angel looked at Wesley.
"I can go with you instead of Wes." Gunn offered.
"Gunn!" Angel snapped at him. "We stick to the original plan. You and Connor search the city for Cordy. Check her old place, any friends she might have, hospitals and so on. Okay?" Angel looked at Gunn who nodded his head, obviously not so pleased. "Okay people lets move."
Just than Angel cellular phone rang. "What now?" He grumbled as he answered the phone. "Yes." He was quiet for a few seconds. "He did that's great." Angel sounded pleased.
"What is it?" Buffy asked.
"Hmm." Angel was preoccupied to answer Fred. "I see." He kept nodding his head. His expression changed. Now he didn't look all that pleased. "So she knows where...?" Everyone just stared at him trying to understand what happened. "Okay Lorne. Keep me informed." Angel hung up.
"Well?" Willow asked curiously.
"That was Lorne." Angel began to explain. "Xander is awake..."
"He is?" Willow asked with a spark in her eyes.
"Yes." Angel smiled. "And according to the doctor, except for his injuries, he should heal completely. He's going to be alright."
"No head trauma?" Buffy asked in concern afraid to be happy till she had all the facts.
"Except for a nasty headache, nothing." Angel smiled as he saw Buffy, Willow and Giles smile in relief.
"Lets move." Angel stepped out of the van followed by Wes, Spike, Fred, Giles and Willow.
"See you in a little while." Gunn said as he closed the door and drove away.
***
"This is crazy." Cordy said as she started at the clock. 3 women came and left and I'm still here." She complained to the nurse.
"I told you it's different for every woman." The nurse paused and then kept on. "Maybe if you had someone here with you, maybe a friend or..."
"I told you, there's no one." Cordy cut her off.
"If you say so." Nurse Thompson replied as she headed for the door.
"Leaving again?" Cordy asked in disappointment.
"I'm sorry." Nurse Thompson smiled. "It's a busy..."
"I know." Cordy nodded. "Just my luck." She sighed when the nurse left and again she was alone.
***
"As soon as we enter the building the alarm will take off." Angel explained to Buffy as they reached the entrance Angel usually used. "Since it's not the front door it will take them time to track me down and also it will keep the hit off Spike and the others."
"Okay." Buffy nodded.
"Angel and I will go to Lilah's office which is down the corridor, while you go to the control room. Two floors below us." Buffy smiled as Angel opened the door and as expected the alarm went off. Two guards jumped at them But Buffy and Angel took them out.
"Hurry." Angel said to Buffy who rushed towards the security room. "Let's go." He said to Wes and the two headed for Lilah's room.
"I wish I could say I'm surprised." Lilah sat behind her desk her legs crossed and her elbows leaning on the armchair, a big smile spread all over her face. More guards showed up at her office with stakes and guns. "It's okay guys." Lilah smiled as she stood up.
"Very well Miss. Morgan." One of the guards said, as they all left.
"Now that we're alone what can I do for you boys." She walked towards them.
"We're here to talk business." Wesley replied with a serious tone.
"So now its business." She smiled. "Since when did you join the home team?"
"Since when do you care?" Wesley replied with a sarcastic remark.
"Touchy touchy." Lilah smiled her deviant smile.
"Look what ever that was between you two..."
"Sex." Lilah replied.
"It's not why we came here." Angel continued only to realize how bad it came out. "Well you know what I mean."
"You came for your friend... Cordelia is it?" Lilah played the game well. And so did Angel and Wes. They needed to stall and right now they were exactly on schedule.
***
Buffy was now in the Control room. The powder Willow gave her worked like a charm. The guards were out and she was free to go inside. She looked for the monitor that showed the file room. She looked at all of monitor until finally one caught her attention. It said files and records. She looked at the monitor. She saw a woman sitting behind a desk and bookshelves to her right. She pressed one of the buttons and changed the angle. Now she could see the room was packed with files, rows of them. She pushed another button and saw the gang outside the room, about to enter. She quickly looked for the disable button for the alarm. She pressed it just as the gang entered the room.
***
"Clearance code?" The woman said with a smile.
"Sure thing Luv." Spike said as he leaped forward and knocked the woman down. "Lets roll." But before he could roll the woman stood up still smiling.
"That was the wrong clearance code. You are not permitted to enter this section please see your local security officer for appropriate clearance.
"What the hell?" Spike said as the woman advanced towards them.
"She's not human." Giles said.
"I think we got that part." Spike moved backwards, the others stood behind him. He reached out his arm to punch her again but the woman grabbed his fist as she throw him against the wall.
"This is not good." Fred said with fear.
"Please leave this area at once." The woman said as she advanced towards them.
"If you can able to disable her, I think I can shut her off."
"Shut her off." Spike who was now back on his feet asked.
"She's a robot." Fred said what she thought was obvious.
"Uh right. Can't have too many of those." Spike said recalling his last encounter with a robot.
"Elferio manantra." Willow said and the woman stood still unable to move.
"Please be advised, security is on their wa..."
"Not a problem." Spike smiled as Fred went behind the woman and quickly found the deactivation button. The woman's eyes shut closed as her head tilted downwards.
Okay where should we start?" Spike headed for the files.
"Look for a filing system something that might helps us locate the..."
"How about Prophecies." Fred smiled as she raised a big heavy book and placed it on the desk.
"But that's impossible." Giles looked confused. "It cannot hold every prophecy there ever was, it just cannot."
"Well open it." Willow rushed him. Giles opened the book to find empty pages.
"What's going on here?" Fred asked confused.
"Maybe it's broken." Spike offered his input.
"It's not broken." Willow said. "We just have to figure how to operate it, there has to be a trigger.
Maybe it's an index..." Fred assumed, "that can show us where we can find the lost prophecies of Shaty...." Suddenly the book was filled with words, it wasn't in English.
"Oh my god." Willow was amazed.
"That's the trigger, you just ask for the prophecy and it appears." Fred smiled. "That's so great."
"Lets take the bloody book and leave." Spike was nervous; he knew time was running out.
"Can we?" Fred asked. "Will it work outside W&H?"
"We don't have a choice, we need to read it carefully we cannot rush this." Giles replied. "We'll take the chance." He looked up at the security camera. "Buffy if you can hear us, it's time to go. Tell Angel and Wesley. We'll meet you at the rendezvous point."
Buffy who tuned in quickly took off and headed back to the exit point.
***
"So what is our offer?" Lilah asked.
"Offer?" Wesley asked.
"I assume you have a different offer or have you decided to do the wise thing and take my generous offer?" Lilah smiled.
"There's no offer." Angel said angrily. "You stay away from Cordelia and tell us what you know."
"You never learn." She turned and sat down back in her chair. "Your idle threats never worked in the past, what makes you think they would work this time?"
"Because you're scared." Wesley said. "Something or someone is breathing down your neck, literally, and you need us more than we need you." Lilah wasn't smiling now.
"I think you got it wrong. I'm not the one carrying the child everyone wants dead." She smirked.
"Except for the people you work for... can you refer to them as people?" Wesley wondered off.
"I don't think so." Angel played along. "From what I saw they're really not..."
"Okay!" Lilah was losing her patience. "If there's nothing else, I'm really busy..."
"Actually..." Angel needed more time.
"Miss. Morgan." The sound came from the speaker on her desk.
"Yes." Lilah replied.
"There's something going on in File and Records." The secretary replied.
"Define something." Lilah sighed.
"They're not sure, and since no one is here except you..."
"I'll be right there." Lilah cut her off. "That's what you get for staying late to catch up on your work." She got up and headed for the door, but she reached the door she stopped.
"I guess you want us to leave." Angel smiled realizing it was time to go.
"Yes, of course." She looked nervous. She tried opening the door without taking her eyes off Angel. She reached into her pocket for something. It was her cellular phone.
"Lilah don't." Angel said as he advanced towards her. He knew she was on to him and as much as he had faith in his ability to fight off W&H guards, he really didn't have the time to play. By now he was sure the job was done and he and Wes were suppose to meet the others.
Lilah opened the door and walked out into the corridor. It was empty; After all it was well past midnight.
"Sorry." She smiled as she took her cellular phone and opened it.
"I'll reach you before you get a chance to dial." Angel replied.
"I don't need to dial. All I do is press one little button and this whole building is going into lock down, sewers exists included." She raised her hand about to press when suddenly she fell to the ground. Angel and Wes looked stunned as Buffy punched Lilah down.
"I never did like her." Buffy said with a smirk. "Now lets go before someone will come looking for her.
"Something tells me it won't be for awhile." Angel smiled as he and Buffy headed for the exit, while Wesley lingered staring at Lilah lying on the floor. "I'm sorry," he whispered.
"Wesley let's go." He gave her one last look as he ran off.
***
"So you got it?" Angel asked anxiously.
"I think so." Giles replied. "But we still need to decipher it."
"Good. All we need now is Cordy." Angel looked at his watch. "We don't have a lot of time till sunrise."
"Has Gunn checked in yet?" as Fred finished her question Angel's cellular phone rang.
"Yes." Angel answered. It was Gunn.
"Angel?" Gunn said. I think we found her, but there's not a lot of time left." Gunn paused.
"Gunn?" Angel said thinking he was cut off.
"I'm here." Gunn replied. "But you better hurry and get here. Time is running out."
***
TBC
Hi ppl,
How are you all? Miss me? I sure did.
I read your reviews and I am so grateful to you all for your support and kind words. I wish I had a chance update sooner, but due to lack of time, I had to take a short break from writing this fic. But as always I couldn't help myself and in the few spare hours I could muster, I wrote and wrote and re-wrote... till finally I finished ch 20.
So how did you like it? Let me know? Tell me what you wish would happen next? I have an idea but I really want to hear your opinion.
So thank you for being so patience and understanding, and I hope you're still reading my fic, despite the little break. Enjoy.
Nikka.