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 21
Cordelia and Angel sat at a long table, eating breakfast. Things between them had gotten better, and there was a comfortable silence in the room. That is, until a servant entered with a hysterical Jessica.
"I'm sorry, your highness." The servant bowed to Cordelia. "But she will not stop crying."
"It's fine." Cordelia said, taking Jessica with a smile, and then motioning for the servant to leave.
Jessica immediately stopped crying once she was in Cordelia's arms.
"Well, somebody missed their mommy." Angel smiled at Cordelia.
"She just doesn't like sleeping in new places, do you sweetie?" She cooed at Jessica.
Just then a high priest walked in. "Your majesties. May I present you with your agenda for today?"
Angel looked at Cordelia who smiled and then he nodded. "You may."
"Very well. You shall both meet with the Groosalugg today." The high priest informed them.
"The who?" Corelia asked, rocking Jessica.
"The Groosalugg. He is the undefeated champion of the land. He has business with the queen, which she will attend to while the king goes to a public gathering with the people of the town." The high priest explained.
Angel nodded. "Sounds good." He thought for a moment. "And what exactly happened to our friends from yesterday? You sent them to the baths, and they never came back."
"Oh, they will be at the gathering today as well." The priest said.
Angel nodded. "Okay."
The high priest gathered in their room. The one who had spoken to Cordelia and Angel entered. "It is set." He told them. "The Groosalugg is coming and the queen shall stay with him while the king is out."
"And then what?" Another asked.
"The king will never return. We will tell the queen the blonde woman came and he left with her." He explained.
"Why would we do that?" Yet another asked.
"Because, as I read the queen to make sure she did indeed have the power of sight, I saw her worst fears. Whoever this blonde woman is, the queen is extremely worried that the king shall leave her and the child for this girl." the first one explained. "It will work, and the queen will mate with the Groosalugg. Then the Groosalugg will get the visions and we can kill both the queen and her offspring."
All of the high priest nodded in agreement.
Cordelia, with Jessica in her arms and Angel at her side, entered the throne room to await the Groosalugg.
"What do you think a Groosalugg is, anyway?" Cordelia asked as she placed Jessica down in her royal crib.
Angel shrugged. "Probably a demon. If you're not comfortable staying here with it alone, then I'm sure I don't have to leave."
Cordelia nodded. "I look that worried, huh?"
"A little." Angel smiled at her.
"Well, don't count on leaving me alone here with that thing."
Angel laughed and pulled Cordelia in for a hug.
"Up and out, you cows!" The demon said as he entered the dungeon and pulled Wesley, Gunn, Lorne, and Fred out of it.
"What's going on?" Gunn asked.
"Shut up!" The demon spat and kicked Gunn in the stomach before cuffing the four friends together and leading them outside.
"See those woods?" Fred whispered to Wesley as she motioned to a thick forest.
"Yes." Wesley whispered back. "Is that the only way out of this?"
Fred nodded. "We'll have to make a break for it." She looked to see Gunn, Wesley, and Lorne looking at her, and waiting for the signal. "Now!" She screamed.
Gunn and Wesley quickly kicked two demons as Lorne hit a high note to force the demons to cover their ears. Fred led the group, who was still cuffed together, towards the woods. They were almost clear when suddenly a group of demons on horses circled the group until they were close enough to throw a large net on the four runaways.
"Crap." Gunn said as the demons began dragging the net of friends back toward the town.
Angel and Cordelia both lay on the floor of the throne room, propped up on their elbows, watching as Jessica was trying to get up on her knees. Both parents beamed with pride as they watched their daughter struggle to achieve her goal.
"She's so smart." Cordelia watched in awe.
Angel nodded. "And really strong." He went to run a hand through Jessica's head of dark curls when she suddenly jolted forward, and tried to bit him. "What's with her and the biting all of the sudden?"
Cordelia shrugged. "Teeth, I guess."
"Let me see." Angel gathered Jessica up and took a look in her mouth as she tried to chomp down on his fingers. Her top K-9 teeth were both coming in, quickly. "Wow, those are some big teeth for such a little girl." He smiled as he tickled Jessica.
Just then the door swung open and two high priests entered.
"The Groosalugg has arrived." One said.
Angel stood as Cordelia scooped up Jessica and joined him.
"Then send him...err...it...send it in." Angel said, still not sure of what a Groosalugg was.
"Very well." The second priest nodded and moved aside to allow a man to enter.
Cordelia was taken back by the man. He was tall, with long dark hair, and his biceps were huge. Sure, Angel had a great body, she wouldn't deny that, but damn!
Angel looked and could see how Cordelia's eyes were lighting up at the man and he felt a little jealous. "Can I help you?" He asked stepping forward.
The man looked up at Angel with large pupils that let Angel know the man in front of him was indeed at least half demon. "I am the Groosalugg." The man said, shaking Angel's hand.
"You are?" Cordelia was taken back.
The Groosalugg nodded and knelt in front of Cordelia, taking her hand and giving it a kiss. "Please to meet you, princess."
Cordelia blushed and Angel really felt uncomfortable with the Groosalugg being so charming to Cordelia. His Cordelia, he reminded himself. He quickly moved to her side and wrapped an arm around her. "Not to be rude, but the priest's didn't exactly tell us why you are here."
"Oh." The Groosalugg stood. "I am here to be with the queen."
"And you must leave now, sir." One of the high priests butted in as he spoke to Angel. "The public gathering is very soon."
Angel looked at Cordelia. "Well, if the queen wants me to stay-"
Cordelia looked at Angel and then smiled. "I'll be fine." She gently gave him a kiss on his cheek and whispered in his ear. "Don't worry, he's cute, but he's not you."
Angel, clearly relieved smiled at Cordelia and followed the high priest out.
"So, what kind of gathering am I going to anyway?" Angel asked the priest as they rode in the horse drawn cart to town.
"An execution." The high priest told him.
"A what?" Angel was shocked.
"Don't worry, sir, the ones being killed have done horrible things."
The cart stopped and a demon came to lead Angel and the high priest to their seats overlooking the execution.
Angel watched as the executioner took his spot on the platform and began to read from a document in his hand. "These four brought before us have perpetrated the law of our king and queen and therefore shall be punished for their actions."
Angel stood in horror as he watched Gunn, Wesley, Lorne and Fred being dragged across the platform. He turned to the high priest, full of rage. "What the hell?"
The high priest only chuckled. "Time to pick. You can save your friends, and possibly get a few miles away before we drag you all back here to die, or you can save the queen."
"What does Cordelia have to do with this?" Angel asked angrily.
"Right now the Groosalugg is preparing to mate with her. Once he does so the visions will pass to him and we will kill the queen and your child."
"You son of a-"
"No time for that, your majesty." The high priest sneered and pointed to the executioner who was preparing to finish off the four friends.
Angel quickly jumped down from his seat and raced forward, knocking the executioner down, and taking his axe. He swung the axe high and broke the shackles that held Wesley, Gunn, Fred, and Lorne together. "Let's go!" He jumped off the platform, taking two more demons with him.
Gunn picked up a rock and threw it, knocking out another demon, before the group ran to the horses. Wesley helped Fred up on a horse and then got himself up on one as Gunn and Angel defended off the oncoming demons. Lorne grabbed his own horse and again hit his high note, causing the demons to stop dead in their tracks and giving Angel and Gunn enough time to get on their own horses. The group quickly rode off, away from the town.
Cordelia and the Groosalugg said in awkward silence in the throne room as Cordelia bounced Jessica in her lap. The baby was just learning to sit up, so Cordelia was very conscience of the child.
"She is very cute." The Groosalugg smiled.
"Sorry?" Cordelia asked, clearly not paying attention.
"Your child. She is very cute." The Groosalugg said.
"Oh, thanks." Cordelia smiled at him.
"She looks very much like you." He told her. "She is pretty like you."
Cordelia smiled again. "Thanks, Groo."
"Groo?" He looked confused.
"No one ever calls you that?"
"No."
"Well, its better then the Groosalugg, don't you think? I mean, if you don't-"
"I do." He told her.
She nodded. "So, why exactly are you here again?"
"To be with you." Groo said. "To mate with you for your visions."
Cordelia was taken back. Had she heard him right? "Excuse me?"
"Your visions. I need them to help people. When we mate, my demon blood will absorb them and take them from you." He explained.
"You can't have my visions." Cordelia told him. "They're mine."
"You are not strong enough for them."
"Wasn't strong enough. Totally am now." Cordelia stood. "I'm part demon. I can handle them." Just then a vision hit her and she doubled over in pain.
Groo was quickly at her side, grabbing Jessica, before Cordelia dropped her and helping Cordelia sit down. "See? You cannot handle them."
"Not here, I can't." Cordelia looked up at him. "At home I can. And that's not important right now." Her eyes widened as she spoke.
"What is it?" He asked, handing Jessica back to her.
"My vision was of you." She told him. "You were being attacked by someone, or something..."
"I am the champion of Pylea." He placed a hand on her shaking shoulder. "Do not be afraid for me, princess."
Just then the doors swung open. "Your highness?" A high priest called out as he entered. "It is about the king."
Cordelia perked up at the mention of her king, and then saw the look of sadness on the priest's face. "What is it? What happened to Angel?"
"He left." The priest told her.
"He what!" She exclaimed.
"He left. A blonde woman came and took him from here. He went with her willingly. He said he had no place in his life for you." The high priest looked down. "I am sorry."
Cordelia was in shock as she slowly sat down, unaware that she was rocking Jessica smoothly in her arms. Groo was immediately at her side. "If he left you, then he is clearly a blind man. No one in this world would leave a beautiful girl like you."
Cordelia looked down at Groo as tears formed in her eyes, and the high priest smiled to himself as he watched the scene unfold in front of him. His plan was working.
Angel, Fred, Wesley, Gunn, and Lorne rode up the countryside on their horses.
"There!" Fred pointed to a cave. "It's my home."
The group dismounted their horses and made their way inside the cave. It was small, but had a rock formation that resembled a bed, and a stream running through it.
"Nice..." Gunn said looking around, then quickly turning back to Angel. "Anyone want to explain what the hell is going on?"
Angel sat down, not looking at anyone. "I don't know. One minute I was ruling, and the next I see you guys about to die and find out Cordelia is going to mate with the Groosalugg..."
"The what?" Gunn asked.
"The Groosalugg..." Angel shrugged. "Some big warrior around here."
"The biggest." Fred butted in. "He is undefeated."
Angel nodded. "Her visions will pass to him and then they will kill her and Jess."
"Well then we've got to stop them, big guy." Lorne said.
"I can't..." Angel stared blankly. "How can we? We go back there and they kill us, and we don't even know how to get out of here if we can save them."
"Actually, I've been researching that." Wesley told him. "It seems, the reason Fred has not been able to get out is because she hasn't found a dimensional hotspot.
"When did you have time to research?" Gunn asked.
"While we were locked in the dungeon." Wesley told him. "There was a hotspot in the center of town."
"How do you know?" Angel asked.
"Because I watched it open and close as I recited the words while we were on the platform." Wesley told him.
"Good." Angel nodded. "Then we've got to-" He was cut off by an arrow flying through his arm. He turned around to see two demons entering the cave. He quickly pulled the arrow out and lunged at them, preparing to vamp out, but instead of growing fangs, he felt his whole body change. He ripped the demons apart and when he turned back to the group he was different. He stood on his hind legs and looked into the stream running through the cave. His reflection was not of a vampire, nor of his human face, rather a huge green demon. He un-vamped and looked around at his friends.
"What the hell?" Gunn asked.
"That's his demon." Lorne told him. "In Pylea, that's what he looks like."
"It's stronger here." Angel shivered at his own words. "I had a hard time controlling it. A few more seconds like that and I don't know..."
"Well, you'll have to know." Wesley told him.
Angel nodded. He had to go save Cordelia and Jessica. He led the group out of the cave.
"Princess?" Groo held her as she cried into his shoulder.
"He left me...he left his daughter...oh God..." Cordelia sobbed.
"He is stupid." Groo looked at Cordelia with caring eyes. "You are too good for him."
"But I'm connected to him..." Her eyes fell on Jessica in her crib.
"He does not deserve a daughter." Groo said, angrily. "He does not deserve you. You deserve better. I can be there for you. I will take care of you and your child. I would never let you go."
"The visions..." Cordelia looked down. "They connect me to him too..."
"I can take them." Groo told her. "But only if you want to give them to me. They are yours."
Cordelia thought for a moment. Here was a handsome man offering to devote himself to her, and take her visions from her. Why shouldn't she give them up? Angel didn't seem to care anymore, as he had left with Buffy, so Cordelia didn't care anymore either. She slowly caught Groo's lips in hers, fighting back tears that formed because she wasn't kissing Angel. Her Angel.
The kiss was short, and broken by shouts from outside. Groo quickly made his way over to the window to see Angel standing outside, the sun setting on his skin, making him look devilish.
"I challenge you!" Angel shouted.
Groo was furious. He wanted to protect Cordelia from all the hurt he saw in her. "I will you for the pain you have caused." He quickly turned back to Cordelia. "I must go."
"Where?" She was worried.
"A challenge. You stay here."
"You can't!" Cordelia grabbed his arm. "My vision!"
He smiled down at her. "I will be fine." He kissed her gently and made his way out as a high priest made his way in.
"What is going on?" Cordelia asked the priest.
"The Groosalugg has been challenged." The high priest told her. "He will return soon."
"Who has challenged him?"
"Have you mated with him?"
Suddenly Cordelia realized the high priest had arranged her meeting with the Groosalugg. Why? Did they want her visions? They seemed to care very much about them. "Yes." She lied.
The priest smiled. "Then you shall join your king."
"What do you mean?"
"He challenged the Groosalugg. He will be dead soon, and so will you."
The wave of guilt washed over Cordelia like a tidal wave. She had believed that Angel had left her and she had almost cheated on him. Technically she had, she kissed Groo. The anger in the young seer rose and as the high priest walked over to her, prepared to take her out of this world, she began to glow.
The priest took a step back. "How..."
Cordelia smiled, assuming this must be one of her new demon powers. "You should know not to mess with demons in love with vampires!"
The Groosalugg entered the town square hastily, and walked up to Angel. "How dare you come back here."
"I wouldn't leave my queen alone." Angel smiled slyly.
"She does not want you. You do not deserve her." The Groosalugg punched Angel, knocking him backwards.
Angel straighten up. "I know I don't." He punched Groo twice. "But it doesn't mean I don't care about her." He lunged but Groo knocked him into a rock.
Before Angel knew it he had become the green demon. He lunged at Groo pinning him down, taking hard swings with his long nails.
Cordelia rushed into the center Jessica in hand, but was grabbed by Wesley.
"Cordelia, you're safe." Wesley said.
"Where's Angel?" She asked.
"Don't go near him, Barbie." Gunn pointed to the demon Angel on top of the Groosalugg. "That's him. That's what he becomes here."
"He can't control it." Fred informed her. "You go near him and-"
"I don't care." Cordelia went to move forward, but was stopped by Wesley.
"Don't." Wesley told her.
"Wes..." Her eyes pleaded with his. "I have to."
Before he could say no she was halfway across the center. "Angel?" She called out calmly.
The Angel demon raised his head slowly and lunged at Cordelia, knocking her to the ground. He went to slash her face when suddenly, Jessica, still in Cordelia's arms, bit the demon Angel's hand. The demon grabbed his hand and looked down at the child for a moment, before changing back to Angel.
Angel staggered away from Cordelia. "Oh God...Cordy...I-" He was cut off as the Groosalugg ran a sword through him.
"Groo! No!" Cordelia called out frantically, moving to Cordelia's side.
"He hurt you!" Groo said, defending his actions.
"No he didn't." Cordelia cupped Angel's face in her hands. "You're going to be okay."
"Cordy...whatever they told you..." Angel stammered.
"Shh...I know. I know it wasn't true." She handed Jessica to Wesley, who was now at her side, and helped Angel sit up. "It's going to be okay."
Angel clenched his jaw in pain as he pulled the sword out of him. He then quickly got up and pointed it at Groo. "You're going to die for that one!" He went to lung at Groo but was cut off as Cordelia stepped in between the two men.
"Stop!" Cordelia told them. "I love him!"
"You do?" Angel asked, shocked that Cordelia had feelings for the Groosalugg.
"You do?" Groo asked, surprised.
"Yes!" Cordelia told him. "I care about you both, but I love him. That's why you can't kill each other."
Angel looked down and slowly turned to walk away.
"Where are you going, broody?" Cordelia asked him.
Angel turned to face her, his eyes on the ground. "You deserve him. He'll treat you good."
"I know he will." Cordelia said, picking up Angel's face and kissing him. "You always have."
Angel smiled at her. "But you said you loved-"
"Him." She finished his sentence. "Meaning you."
He pulled her in closer. "I love you." He kissed her again.
The group slowly made their way back into the Hyperion Hotel. It had been a long night few days, and they looked it. Angel led the group in flicking on the lights.
"It's nice." Fred smiled, taking in her new surroundings.
"It works." Cordelia smiled at Angel, but her smile faded as she followed his eyes to a red head sitting on the couch. "Willow?"
Willow stood and turned to the group. Her eyes sad, and never leaving Angel's. She didn't have to say it. She didn't have to say anything. He already knew.
"Buffy..." Angel managed out as he watched Willow's eyes fall to the floor.