Disclaimer: All characters and things from ANGEL and BUFFY belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. If they aren't on the show they belong to me.
Summary: A different turn of events after Season 1 Episode 12 "Expecting" A/C pairing
CHAPTER 20
Cordelia landed in a heap in the middle of a forest with Jessica clinging tightly to her chest. She got up slowly, taking in her surroundings. Wherever she was, it was daytime. She stood, dusting off the dirt and looking down to make sure Jessica was okay. She was relieved to see Jessica smiling up at her.
Cordelia sighed, trying to remember how she had gotten there. Wherever there was. She remembered the vision, and the library, and the MISSING poster, and the book and the portal...it hit Cordelia like a bus.
"The girl in Mommy's vision. This is how she disappeared." Cordelia told Jessica as she began to panic. "Oh God, what are we going to do, Jess..."
Cordelia never heard the footsteps coming up behind her. Probably because panic had completely stricken her body. The next thing she knew, ropes were wrapped around both her and Jessica, forcing Cordelia to hold her daughter even tighter. She turned to find herself face to face with a short, ugly demon.
"What the hell?" Cordelia asked him.
"Shut up, cow." The demon looked her over.
"Excuse me?" Cordelia snorted. "Do I remotely look like a cow to you?"
"Shut up! Cows do not talk." The demons eyes fell on Jessica. "Cow's offspring?"
Cordelia nodded. "My daughter."
The demon shrugged. "Cannot sell baby cow. Will have to kill it when we get to town."
"What!" Cordelia was frantic. "Like hell you will!"
"Shut up!" The demon hissed as he tugged on the rope, and dragged Cordelia and Jessica to town.
Angel paced the lobby as Wesley sat over the book from the library and Gunn cleaned the weapons.
"Angel." Wesley looked up. "I know you're worried, but pacing around is not going to make this go any faster."
"What faster?" Angel asked. "All we've got to do is recite the lines and then we end up wherever Cordelia and Jess are."
Gunn rolled his eyes. "We tried that, remember? It didn't work."
"Well, we must have done something wrong then.." Angel told them.
"Not us, doll face." Lorne said, entering. "It's not anything we did wrong."
"Then what is it?" Angel asked. "Why won't it work?"
"Dimensional hotspots." Lorne said. "We've got to find one to say the spell. Otherwise it won't work."
"Well, how do we locate one?" Wesley asked.
"Easy as pie." Lorne assured him. "My club is one."
"Then let's go." Angel said, grabbing his jacket.
Hundreds of demons gathered around the town center to watch the execution of Jessica. Cordelia stood behind one of the guards, begging him to let her daughter go, but he would hear nothing of it.
That's when the vision hit Cordelia. In this dimension, the vision was painful, like they used to be before Cordelia had become part-demon. Her head shot back and she screamed out in pain. The whole crowd now turned their attention to Cordelia.
When the vision was over, Cordelia held her head and began shooting off what she had seen. "On the outside of town, someone's being attacked! Go!" She opened her eyes to see no one reacting. "Go! They need help!"
Two smaller demon's reported back twenty minutes later confirming that an attack had almost occurred, but they had been there to stop it because of Cordelia's vision.
One of the guards turned to Cordelia. "You were able to see that attack before it happened."
Cordelia nodded. "I have visions. I see things. Mostly people who need help."
"The demon smiled at her. "You possess the power of sight. The high priest will want to see you immediately." He then freed Cordelia from her ropes.
"What about my daughter?" Cordelia asked, looking over at Jessica who was now crying, clearly wanting to be with her mother.
The guard nodded. "Release the cow's offspring."
Another demon picked up Jessica and placed her in Cordelia's arms. The child gripped on tightly to one of Cordelia's fingers, never wanting to let go.
The guard motioned and Cordelia began following him out of the town center.
"Alright, Wes." Angel told him as he, Gunn, Lorne, and Wesley stood in the middle of Lorne's club. "Start the spell."
Wesley nodded and began reading the words in the book. "Krybub tr kyrc-"
"No, you're saying it all wrong." Lorne said, grabbing the book from Wesley and repeating the spell correctly.
The portal opened right in front of the group.
"Everybody ready?" Angel asked, anxiously.
"As ready as I'll ever be..." Gunn said.
"Good." Angel nodded. "Let's go." He jumped into the portal and the rest of the guys followed him.
The group landed in a tall field of grass in the direct sunlight.
Angel panicked. Then he noticed something. "Hey, I'm not on fire." He stared down at his hand in amazement as the sun trickled over him. "I'm in the sun, and I'm not on fire here!" He was like a kid in a candy store. "Do you see how many flames I'm not bursting into?"
"Well, it's good to know where your priorities are." Gunn said sarcastically.
"Can't I just enjoy this for a minute? I mean, how many times does a vampire get to feel the sun on his face?" Angel asked.
"Once. Usually before he burst into flames." Gunn said simply.
Angel went to shoot something witty back, but Wesley stepped in. "He's right, Angel. We are all very happy you're not on fire, but we need to find Cordelia and Jessica."
"And fast." Lorne added.
"You mean the lady with the baby?" A thin woman asked, stepping out from behind a rock. She was pretty, but a mess. Her hair looked like it hadn't been brushed in years, and her glasses were angled on her face. Dirt was smear all over her, and she looked like she needed a good shower.
"Yeah." Angel said immediately. "Have you seen them?"
The woman nodded and laughed nervously. She talked with an accent. Angel guessed she was from Texas. "I did see them. They got taken to town by a slave driver."
"Cordelia's a slave?" Angel was shocked.
"Who?" The girl asked.
"The woman." Angel told her.
"Oh, well, she was a slave, but then something happened and she got taken to the castle. Probably to the dungeon, because that's the only reason anybody ever gets taken there." The girl said matter-of-factly.
"The what?" Angel was in shock.
"Dudgeon. You know, they lock people up and then eventually they kill them or the people just-" The girl went on.
"I know what it is." Angel told her, and then turned to the boys. "We've got to save them."
"Well, I know where the castle is. I can bring you if y'all want." The girl offered.
"Thanks." Angel smiled. "I'm Angel, and this is Gunn, Wesley, and Lorne." He said, pointing to everyone as he named them.
"I'm Fred Burkle." The woman said shyly.
"Why does that name sound familiar?" Angel asked.
Fred shrugged. "I don't know. I used to live in Texas and then I moved to LA and now...well I'm here. For a long time I thought I was lost, but now I don't know."
"Oh sweet Jesus!" Lorne exclaimed pointing to Fred. "You're the girl from Cordelia's vision! We're here to save you!"
"Yes!" Wesley agreed.
"We'll help you. We'll get you out of here." Angel told her.
"You can't get out." Fred told them.
"Sure we can." Gunn assured her.
Fred shook her head. "No." She looked down. "I've tried."
"We can get out. Trust me. I promise you." Angel told her. "Just take me to the castle."
Fred nodded and began leading the group into the woods.
"This is the castle?" Gunn asked as they made their way out of the forest and up to a huge stone building.
Fred nodded. "Yep."
"How do we get in?" Angel asked.
"Oh, you don't." Fred said with a smile. "You can't get in unless you're invited by the queen."
"Well, how do we get her to invite us?" Gunn asked.
Fred thought for a moment. "I'm not sure, she's new."
"New?" Wesley asked.
Fred nodded quickly. "Yeah, She just started. That's what I heard, anyway."
Just then Angel noticed some guards entering the castle and it clicked. "I know how we can get in."
"Well, thumbs up to that." Lorne said, sarcastically.
The guards were pilled in a heap. Angel and Gunn had taken them out by surprise.
"Think we can get in now?" Angel asked.
"Worth a shot." Gunn told him as he opened the door to the castle.
The group slowly made their way through the castle.
"So where is the dungeon?" Angel asked.
Fred shrugged. "Beats me. I've only been here once, and I don't remember where the prison was."
"Probably in the basement." Wesley said. "That's usually where those types of things are located anyway.
The group headed down the first set of stairs they could find. So far, they had no luck in finding a dungeon.
"This is pointless." Gunn said. "We should just ask somebody about a girl who came in here with a kid."
"Bad idea, Gunn. We don't want to draw anymore attention to us then we have to." Angel told him.
"Like those angry demons walking over here?" Gunn asked, pointing over Angel's shoulder to the demons they had beat up outside of the castle.
"Crap." Angel sighed.
The demons came up. One grabbed Fred by her throat and the other socked Angel in the stomach, forcing him to double over in pain. The other three quickly took Gunn, Wesley, and Lorne out.
"You think you can beat us down, cows?" The one who had Angel hissed. "We shall bring you all to the queen for your violations and you will feel her wrath."
The demons cuffed the entire group and led them down the hall to the doors of the throne room.
"Bow your heads as you enter." One of the demons told them.
The group complied and looked at the ground as they walked into the room.
"Your majesty, these are the perpetrators of the law. Your law." One demon said, thrusting the group forward.
A baby cry broke the silence of the room and Angel almost felt his heart burst out of his chest. He knew that cry. He had heard it a million times before. His eyes immediately shot up.
"Look down, cow!" A demon screamed, striking Angel across the back with the blunt end of his sword.
Angel fell to his knees, but again looked up in shock. There, in front of him sat Cordelia with a crown on her head, and gold jewelry all over, holding Jessica. "Cordelia?" He asked.
"Took you guys long enough!" Cordelia rose from her throne.
The others looked up at the sound of Cordelia's voice.
"Barbie? No damn way!" Gunn exclaimed.
"Cordy, what is going on?" Angel asked.
"Well, I had a vision, and those are evidently super important here, so they gave me a test and made me queen." Cordelia told them as Jessica squirmed in her arms. Then her attention fell on Fred. "And you're Fred!"
Fred nodded. "How do you know me?"
"I saw you." Cordelia could tell her sounded stupid and needed to explain herself. "In my head. In my vision. I saw you."
"Oh..." Fred said, not really sure how to take in the information Cordelia was giving her.
"I would have come to save you, but then his whole queen thing..." Cordelia shrugged.
"I understand. Why, when I came here they chased me down for days and made me eat mud. I didn't become queen or anything, but I'm sure you were still busy with that." Fred rambled.
"Right..." Cordelia nodded, slowly.
"You know them, your highness?" A high priest came out from behind Cordelia's throne.
"Yeah. They're my friends." Cordelia told him as Jessica began to cry. "Plus, I think Jess here wants to see her dad, so release them."
The guards did as they were told and let the group of friends go before exiting.
Angel immediately rushed forward and held Cordelia and Jessica. "I was so worried about you both."
Cordelia felt safe in his embrace. She had truly missed him, but she still was angry with him. She pushed away and handed Jessica to him. "She missed you."
Angel smiled down at his daughter, pretending he didn't hear the coldness in Cordelia's voice. "And Daddy missed you, baby girl..."
"You are the father, then?" The high priest asked Angel.
Angel nodded, proudly. "I am."
"Then you are the king?" The high priest asked again.
"I am?" Angel was shocked.
The high priest nodded. "Come. We will get you ready. Send your friends down to the baths."
"Wait, I can't..." Angel started. "I'm flattered, but we can't stay. We've got to get home so we can help people."
"You can help people here." The high priest told him. "Millions of them. They need a leader. If you cannot stay, at least stay long enough to help the people here."
Angel looked to Wesley who shrugged, making it clear it was Angel's decision if they all stayed or figured out a way back to LA.
"Ok." Angel decided. "For a little."
"Wonderful!" The high priest exclaimed. "Come, let us get you ready."
Angel followed the high priest as Wesley, Gunn, Fred, and Lorne followed a servant out, leaving Cordelia and Jessica alone.
Cordelia sat back on her throne and sighed. "So, I guess we're not going home just yet then, sweetie. Mommy likes being queen, but she misses home, and she doesn't know if she can spend all this time with daddy right now."
Jessica looked up at her mother with big brown eyes. Eyes just like Angel's.
"You made him king?" Another high priest asked the one who had given Angel the throne.
"I did." He replied. "It will make the queen want to mate with the Groosalugg faster."
"No it won't. She will have her king."
"We will turn the king against her. Then allow the Groosalugg to save the day. It will work. You shall see."
Angel entered the throne room with the crown on top of his head. Unlike Cordelia, he did not wear the noble clothing the priest had offered him. Instead, he wore his own black button up and black pants.
"Looks good on you." Cordelia said sarcastically, pointing to Angel's crown.
"Thanks." Angel looked down. "I...we...we need to talk about what happened yesterday morning-"
"I'm over it." Cordelia crossed her arms, and avoided his eyes by looking at Jessica waving her arms around in her crib.
"You are?" Angel was relieved. "Good, because I-"
"Sure. I mean, if you want to be with Buffy who am I to stop you?"
"Cordelia." Angel narrowed his eyes. "I was never with Buffy. I told you, she and I are over."
"You also told me you'd always have feelings for her."
"That's true. I will." Angel knelt down in front of Cordelia and took her hand in his. "But it's not the same as it is with you. I can be whoever I want to be around you, it was different with Buffy. You are so much more then that. Cordy, I told you once and I'll say it again, you and Jessica are my world now. Nothing else matters to me."
Cordelia felt the tears rising in her eyes. She believed him, every last word, but she wanted to be strong. She wanted to be able to stand on her own, push him away from her, because of how much he had hurt her. But she couldn't because she knew he didn't mean it and, truth be told, he was her world now too. She smiled. "Really?"
"Really." Angel leaned in and kissed her gently. "Now, about this whole king and queen thing. We've really got to get out of here."
Cordelia nodded. "I know."
"But I was talking to the high priest as he got me my crown, and I think there's a lot of good we can do in this dimension before leaving. Lorne let us know how bad it was here, and I think we can change that. I just wanted to check with you and everybody else first." Angel looked around. "Speaking of them, where is Wesley and everyone?"
Gunn, Wesley, Fred, and Lorne followed a few servants down a long hallway.
"Boy these bath things sure are far away." Gunn said.
The servants laughed at Gunn's comment and then one of them spoke. "You are not going to the baths."
"Then where exactly are we going?" Wesley asked.
The next thing the group knew, they were being forced into a dungeon.
"What the hell?" Gunn asked. "When Angel...or...the king! When the king finds out what you did to us, consider your asses dead!"
"He won't find out." A servant answered back, slyly as he locked the door behind the group. "Don't get too comfortable, you'll be gone by tomorrow." Then he left.
"Oh, if we're out by tomorrow then I'm not minding it so much." Gunn said, looking around the cell they were in.
"Yes you are minding it." Lorne told him. "When he say's you'll be gone by tomorrow, he means gone."
Fred nodded, sadly. "Public executions happen twice a week. One is scheduled for tomorrow."
"Then we better get the hell outta here." Gunn stated the obvious.
"There's only one way." Fred told him. "Last time I was sent here I escaped, but you only get once chance to do it."
"How?" Wesley asked, intrigued by the woman.
"When they bring us out of the castle tomorrow morning we've got to break for the woods and pray they can't catch us. It's our one shot."
"Is that how you became an outlaw around here?" Wesley asked.
Fred nodded. "It is."
"Well, we are getting out of there. Ain't no way in hell I'm dying in some crazy-ass dimension. If I'm gonna die it better be in LA." Gunn told them.
"We'll get back to LA." Wesley told him. "Right now, we've got to focus on getting out of here, alive."