A/N Since a reviewer has insisted that Cordelia was not abused, but most likely neglected, I have changed this chapter around a bit, to suggest that Cordelia was never hit, but neglected and yelled at, and once pushed into a wall after making Jaquard angry.
::::: Forward Rewind ::::: Chapter Four ::::: Poor Princess :::::
Nearly a week after 4 year olds Cordy and Allen Doyle were found, Angel met with the rest of the fang gang to discuss their progress (or lack of) on the matter.
Sitting at the long table of his conference room, Angel interrogated each of his friends involved. "So Fred, how did you do with the science approach? Are these toddlers Cordy and Doyle."
Winnifred Burkle tapped her pen on the table repeatedly. Even after all this time as head of the lab at Wolfram and Hart, she wasn't a fan of being put on the spot. "Umm... actually, they're not toddlers." At the confused looks she got from everyone else at the table, she continued. "Well, I mean Cordy and Allen are four. So technically, they're too old to be considered toddlers. You guys probably thought that I meant they weren't human, like they were some demony beasts" She paused, realizing that she was rambling. She gave an embarrassed giggle." But, according to the readouts on their DNA samples, they are who we think they are, just molecularly shrunken."
"Which," as Gunn pointed out,"is FredSpeak for smaller." Standing up, Gunn went through his black leather briefcase for a moment, pulling out a folder of papers and handing it to Angel.
"As of three o'clock this afternoon, Allen Francis Doyle and Cordelia Lynn Chase the Second are completely, and legally, in your custody." Gunn said, almost gleefully, taking pride in his achievement.
"The second?" Wes asked, slightly lost.
Angel began to explain. "According to records, Cordy is a deceased 23 year old, not a living, breathing child. And according to new records created by Gunn, Cordy is now the daughter of her 23 year old self. But since Doyle was, is, half demon, human records have no mention of him every existing. So we've simply fabricated his entire family history."
"Sounds confusing." Spike said with a snort, "Not to mention illegal."
Gunn shook his head. "Actually, no. I, sadly, took the Wolfram and Hart approach, using the back door of legal."
While Wes began to discuss his research results, Spike lost interest and began starting out the windowed wall that separated the conference room from the Wolfram and Hart lobby. When he saw Harmony rush by, he got up and without a word left the meeting.
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"I'm winning, aren't I, Princess?" Allen yelled at the tiny girl next to him. He slapped his little paper cup on the table, signaling Lorne across the table to refill it. He had seen someone do it before. With a look at the eager little Irishmen, Lorne reached over and filled the cup back to the top with the red, sugar-filled goodness known as kool-aid. He looked at 'Princess', and noticed she wasn't doing as well in Allen's drinking game. Her half full cup (that, as Lorne noted, was at least her 6th) sat abandoned, and her heart shaped face was a pale shade of green.
"You aren't looking so good, Your Highness." The green demon stated, as Allen Doyle chugged his current cup. "Are those last 6 cups gonna make a special guest re-appearance?" he added, jokingly. Until two seconds later, when the petite brunette silently made a mad dash for the bathroom, leaving Allen and Lorne on their own.
"Poor princess. I guess I win."
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Running to catch up with Harmony, Spike stopped her in the hallway of the evil law firm.
"Harm," he said, causing the blonde secretary to turn around. "Whose Jaquard?"
"Listen Spikeykins," Harmony paused, putting her hands on her hips. "I mean, Spike. Just because we had one tiny, yet pretty amazing, little thing, doesn't mean you can tell me who I can or can't date." Knitting her brow, she thought harder about the name Spike had thrown at her. "Wait. I don't know anyone named Jaquard?"
Spike sighed, losing patience already. "No, you don't. But I think you did. When you and Cordelia were growing up, was there a bloke in her life that she would have saw hurt someone? An uncle, father, brother? Named Jaquard?"
"Ooh, ohh!" Harmony gasped, jumping in place. " I know where I've heard that name. Cordy mentioned him once when we were looking through old pictures and things. He was her 'man-nanny' till she was like eight."
"So what," Spike asked, "did this fellow beat up on his wife, or one of Cordelia's other dozen servants, in front of her."
"As if. The jerk was way neglecting her."
"Neglecting her?" Spike questioned "So he didn't hit her?"
Harmony thought. "Kinda. Cordy told me that he pushed her into a wall once after she threatened to tell her parents how mean he was. Thankfully he was usually all talk and no action."
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"Don't go mommy." Four year old Cordelia pleaded with her mother. "Cordelia Lynn. Mother has a job. You know I can't be at home. Jaquard will stay with you for a few weeks while Father and I are gone away." Lynda Chase attempted to comfort her daughter, having the opposite effect.
"NO!" Cordy wanted to say. She wanted to grab onto her mommy's leg and promise that she'd be good if they stayed. But he had told her what he'd do if she ever told Mommy and Daddy. When her mommy wasn't looking anymore, Cordelia pulled at
her sleeve, revealing a yellow and purple patterned bruise. Seeing it made her tummy feel like she had been on a bazillion roller coasters.
And she didn't want any more.