Chapter Three:

Sunnydale:

Seeing that the champions had reached an understanding the group were relieved, Buffy had even had a brief conversation with Connor (about weapons), whilst watching Spike and Angel spar. The two vampires fought with an unnatural speed and grace, they're familiarity with each others style turned their sparring almost into a dance. Slowly all the potentials began to watch as well, sensing their audience Angel and Spike turned their sparring into a lesson, showing with expertise how to watch their opponent's movements and counter appropriately.

During the impromptu lesson, Wesley was one the phone to one of his many contacts in LA, he was ordering materials that he had left in LA and passing on orders for research to be undertaken. He demeanour had changed, his somewhat relaxed posture stiffened and his tone became hard and unyielding. Both Faith and Willow noticed the change almost immediately the former had witnessed the 'darker' Wesley in LA during their Angelus hunt, but she felt powerless in stopping his descent. To observe her former watcher darken in front of her eyes hurt, she would never admit it but Wesley's strength during her torture gave the slayer something to aim for. He had unwittingly helped her change as much as Angel had, she wanted to… no she needed to help him in return. She just didn't know how, she didn't even know how to approach him. The witch could also see similarities in the ex-watcher, she recognised the guilt and recriminations, she had lost her naiveté and innocence too, she privately wondered how anyone could hold onto such luxuries in their line of business, Xander was probably the closest, he helped her to remember what she was living for and fight for. But observing Wesley she couldn't help but wonder who in this time of darkness could show him the light he was fighting for. Where was his best friend?

Fred felt like crap, actually feeling like crap would probably be an improvement on what she felt, the only thing that made the morning bearable was the fact that Wesley was closer to the family, she was so proud when Gunn made overtures of forgiveness and Angel reinforced them. But no making up in the world would make up for her hangover, the little gremlins in mind her hadn't stopped picking at her brain since she woke, she now remembered why she stopped drinking Lorne's mixtures, his dosage had increased as the 'year from hell' (as she privately called it) went on. But she had to help, to research, so bravely tried to decrypt the book in front of her. She didn't notice that the sounds of sparring from behind her had stopped for a while now. The movement of the two vampires made her feel even more nauseous so she turned her back to them. All of a sudden glass of brown murky liquid was placed in front of the book with blurry text.

"Here you are luv'" the blonde vampire announced grandiosely. He had noticed the poor chit's state since she stumbled downstairs earlier. Once he had finished sparring with his grandsire and Angel had conscripted Connor and Buffy to help him, Spike had decided to take pity on girl who had called him family 12 hours earlier. So went in to the poof's kitchen and whipped up his secret hangover remedy and placed it in front of the tiny Texan.

"Huh, what…Spike?" Fred questioned miserably.

"Drink it, it'll make you feel better…don't ask what's in it, trust me pet you don't want to know." Spike offered with an uncharacteristic kindness (to anyone but Dawn).

Giles watched out of the corner of his eye as the willowy Texan took a long, deep glance at the vampire and seeing something in him she took the glance and drank the ambiguous concoction in one go, finishing with an unlady like screech of disgust. She looked at Spike with tears in her eyes, who to Giles surprise gave her a mint to take the aftertaste away. She accepted quickly and then much to the surprise of himself and the vampire she quickly embraced him, kissed him chastely on the cheek and muttered thanks. She then returned to her book, researching now with a much clearer head. Giles saw the bleached vampire still standing behind Fred looking dumbfounded until he noticed the elder watcher's eyes on him, he then went back to working with the potentials. As Giles' gaze followed him, his attention went straight to his slayer who was now sparring with Connor, he blinked the boy was fast, too fast in fact. Even Buffy was working hard almost at full slayer capacity but both warriors were still aware that they were practising. Giles had been beyond amazed when he heard about Connor's parentage. A human child born of two vampires, a child of good created from two of the most evil vampires in the council's history. But he had grown more practical since his assignment on the hellmouth seven years ago. Giles was amazed and the watcher inside him would have jumped at the chance to research Connor, but at present Giles was just grateful that Connor was on their side and available to fight.

The weight on his shoulders had thankfully lightened since the group from LA had arrived yesterday. He hadn't realised how much stress he had taken on until Wesley had taken half the burden. Giles was incredibly competent but all his American contacts were at least a year old, and Wesley already has a network of informants and suppliers that ranged up and down California. The loss of the council affected him more than he let on, the council had been a permanent presence in his life, the sheer fact that it was destroyed scared him more than he liked. Added to the loss of potentials which was heartbreaking, he was almost at breaking point with the extra responsibility of 20 potentials, Faith and the Scoobies. The introduction of the LA gang gave the Scoobies the respite they desperately needed, especially Buffy, Faith, Willow and himself. He realised his mind had wondered off the topic at hand and went back to his list of supplies to have picked up from his shop by Anya. It was still a mess from the structural damaged incurred from Willow's anger but they were still plenty of supplies there.

Outskirts of Sunnydale:

Cordy's jeep was parked at the top of the embankment overlooking Sunnydale, she was sitting on the front of the jeep watching the town as the sun steadily set to her west. It was a breathtaking sight part of her didn't want to leave, after all the arguing and pleading with the Powers That Be, she was so close but she was terrified. It had been so long, and god knows a lot had happened. The closer she had got to Sunnydale the more nervous she got, in the end she had to pull over at the embankment. The irony was not lost on her she had spent a lot of time here in her sophomore year on various dates (it was a prime make out spot), before she started hanging out with the Scoobies. Now here she was almost 7 years later, too scared to face her family. Sure they had hurt her, but hadn't she done the same? Fate had played them all, but she couldn't forget the role her decision on her birthday had played. Or her decision to go on vacation with Groo, in her absence so much had happened, or was it because of her absence, she didn't know. So many mistakes and she didn't know how to fix them, but she had too! They were fighting against the First Evil, who wouldn't hesitate to exploit a weakness. They seem to have too many. So here she sat watching a beautiful sunset, fall on a town that was famous for its high mortality rates. The irony of something so beautiful could be a signal for death wasn't lost on her. No that seemed to be a theme in her life, beauty and pain, visions and death.

"Pretty Sunset…so what are you waiting for? An invite?"

Cordelia's poetical and rather morbid musings were brought short by the appearance of her demon guide. She didn't even spare him a glance but carried on her scrutiny of the sunset.

"So is this gonna be one of stoic moments, didn't think you were one for stoic, bitch…yes, stoic…no."

"Skip"

"Cordelia"

"How's the family?"

"Good, how's yours?" Skip bantered back easily. After they're work together in training and in the Jianxing dimension, they had a comfortable if unique relationship. "Of course you'd had to have seen them to be able to tell me."

She shot Skip a guilty look; she swallowed "It's hard."

"Why?" He simply asked.

"What if they hate me? What if they don't want me?" She asked with an unsure tone.

"What if they need you," Skip replied. He wasn't used to an insecure Cordelia Chase, he was so used to her dealing with everything she had thrown at her, he forgot how truly young she was. It was at times like these that reminded him that she was only 22. Higher being or human she was heartbreakingly young. Unfortunately she had been born into what seemed to be an age of prophecies; her generation seemed to have the misfortune of existing in apocalyptic era. But they had overcome many obstacles, and so had she he just hoped that this task did not break his partner.

Skip's blunt reply shocked Cordy out of her melodrama, he was right. Cordelia Chase did not wallow, and she did NOT sit on a hill, watch a sunset because she was afraid of family. She would face her family, confront their problems and defeat the First Evil. With that she got off her jeep, kissed Skip and thanked him. Grateful that her guide came when she was lost and feeling less alone she drove to her family, she had some apologies to make and to hear. A shiver ran through her and all of sudden she had a premonition; it wasn't going to be that easy.

At the mansion:

It was half an hour to sunset when Buffy, Angel, Faith and Spike took patrols out, they each took 4 potentials and patrolled the town, Buffy's group took the town centre, Angel's the docks, Faith took the residential area and Spike's group were patrolling the cemeteries. Connor and Gunn were training the remaining girls and guarding the mansion.

Fred was working on her current project, which were mini catapults and something else deadly whilst Xander was busy pouring holy water into various perfume bottles and sprays. Dawn, Anya and Andrew were in the kitchen cooking for when the patrolling groups got back in with Lorne serenading them as they cooked. Giles had just finished reading Wes' notes on the Nyazian Scrolls and was quizzing Wes on parts, they were trying to decode whether or not this current apocalypse was one of the ones mentioned in the scrolls. Willow was researching to see if any spells could be of use, but was disheartened as all of the spells required her to tap into greater magics than what she felt comfortable handling so when the doorbell rang she was happy to answer. It took three steps for her to wonder 'who on earth would ring the doorbell? I didn't even know there was a doorbell." Even as the witch was wondering her feet took her to the front door.

"Hi can I help you?…GODDESS…CORDY?"


A/N Sorry it took me so long to update, I was slightly disheartened to the lack of response and needed a break from writing everyday. So I took a step back, I was also at a pivotal stage in the story and I didn't know how to reintroduce Cordy and keep everyone happy. I know this chapter was mostly filler, but god was it hard to write, I just wanted to give a sense of the day to day in fighting against an apocalypse. The following chapters should be about Cordy's return to the group, and her relationship with them on a one on one basis. Keep on reviewing I like to know if this is worth writing. I've also left some comments on the review page for the questions raised in reviews…that means you MysticWolf and you J. Hope you enjoy the chapter…let me know.

Thanks, Inara