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Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Angel but I do have in my hands the first season DVDs that I just rented, it's helping me through the difficult times. LOL.

Author's notes: Thank you for the sweet reviews, it turned out to be really great to start writing this, and I've had so very much fun, I'm sorry that it took me quite a while to decide where this was going but I finally made up my mind. Hope you bear with me! Sorry in advance for any mistakes... Please read the foot notes, they are important!!

Warnings: Language and some angst (Oh and an author that doesn't know anything about spiritual sessions, but you'll find out about that for yourselves).

Summary: Connor is out of his body, he doesn't know what to do to get back. Will he be able to figure out what he has to do to return before the seven days are up…?

Let's hit it!

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Chapter Five

The Plan

Connor had spent the whole night thinking about what to do, but hadn't actually come up with anything. He was beginning to worry since he heard Fred say that he had seven days to figure this out, or he better be getting used to the idea of being a ghost. The team was at the lobby, still doing research, even though they looked like they should sleep. Angel was in the kitchen drinking blood, still noticeably worried. Connor just stood on the front door steps and brood.

"Hey…" A voice said.

Connor didn't even turn around, he thought it may be client and given his current situation he didn't even want to bother to see someone else that would not be able to see him. It was awful, just like feeling ignored.

"Hey you…" The voice said again. But this time Connor noticed that nobody of the gang had answered what appeared to be a female voice, so he turned around. He saw this beautiful dark haired girl who was wearing a white gown and looked a little pale.

"Well it was about time you listened to me" She said, trying to act annoyed when she really wasn't.

"Are you talking to me? Can you see me?" Connor wondered

"Of course I can see you, how else would I be able to guide you?" She said it like it was obvious.

"Who are you then? I know nobody can see me" Connor asked, not quite believing this was real.

"I'm your guide, and I'm here to help you" The girl answered.

"Oh really? How come you've never helped me before?" Connor asked the smartest question he could come up with.

"It wasn't time, but now the time is right and you have to face this challenge in order to fulfill your destiny" The girl said.

"What challenge?" Connor spoke softly.

"This, the whole monster attack and your current spirit form are all a part of this, it was a plan" She answered.

"Whose plan?" Connor was annoyed, he felt like he had been played with.

"The Powers That Be" His guide said confidently.

"You mean this whole charade was just a stupid plan from those bastards! They think they can just play with my life and have fun out of it!" Connor finally lost it, although nobody in the lobby but her seemed to hear him.

"That's not the reason, it is a plan that is going to help you clear things and then, and only then you'll be able to become a champion someday, just like you are meant to be" She didn't seem to mind that Connor was upset.

"I have heard that crap before; actually I heard it from my father just before he threw me out… the whole champion thing is all bullshit! I make my own destiny and apparently I don't want to be a champion, so thanks but no thanks!" Connor half looked at her and half looked at the ceiling while speaking, trying to talk to both her and The Powers That Be at the same time.

"This is not your choice, the tests must be taken otherwise you'll be a ghost forever" She said trying to calm the young boy.

"So that's it? I have to take some stupid tests, in order to get my life back?"

"You must approve those tests, and reach your goal" The girl answered.

"What's my goal?" Connor was confused.

"You'll have to figure out that on your own"

"But you are my guide… aren't you supposed to help me?" Con said with a sneer, god that boy was stubborn.

"I will help you, but the 'figuring out things' is all yours" She answered smartly.

"Great, just when I thought this couldn't suck more, it does!" Connor yelled to himself.

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"So, what do you think we should do?" Fred asked, noticeably sleepy.

"Well, I'm not coming up with anything since I'm so sleepy…" Gunn answered him.

"But we can't just stop looking, Angel is counting on us, and I do want to help Connor" Fred answered.

Gunn and Fred had obviously forgot that Angel had enhanced hearing, and he could overhear the entire conversation.

"Hey guys, it's ok, I think you should go and get some sleep, I could use you more tomorrow, and I rather have you on top, that all tired" Angel said, making them feel better about wanting to rest.

"No Angel, we are fine" Fred said, not even buying it herself.

"It's alright Fred, you've done a lot, I want you to rest, that way you'll help me more tomorrow, it's OK go on…" Angel reassured her. "Oh and Wesley you should hit it too, you know… I'll stay here and do some research by myself" he continued, while Fred and Gunn went upstairs, almost falling to sleep.

"No Angel, I want to help you, and I'm not sleepy at all, part of being a Watcher teaches you not to depend on sleeping, in case there is an emergency" Wes said.

"Thank you Wes, I appreciate it" Angel said sincerely.

After several hours of unfruitful research and looking through books that didn't help them at all. Wes came up with something.

"You know Angel I was thinking that maybe that spiritual theory isn't all that crazy, I mean crazier things have happened, vampires having offspring, alternative dimensions where time travels faster and your son coming back a teenager after being stolen a baby, in fact, I guess it wouldn't even be included in our top ten" Wes acknowledged.

"I guess you are right, all lives aren't exactly normal, so things like this are actually pretty average, but what exactly are you suggesting?" Angel admitted.

"Well I think we should at least try to find out if it is in fact Connor's situation, and if it is, than we can work it from there and finally come up with something that is actually useful, instead of just looking around knowing we probably won't find anything"

"But how would we know if his spirit is actually here with us?" Angel wondered.

"I was actually thinking that we could have a spiritual session with one of my books, and then try to contact Connor's soul, if we manage to do that, then it would mean that he is out of his body, and that way we'll be able to help him further" Wes explained.

"But what if he is not? Or if he doesn't respond?" Angel knew his son was stubborn; it couldn't ever be simple when it came to him.

"Well then, we would have to go with the purple algae potion, or maybe find another way" Wes was ready for Angel's question, because he even asked it to himself before.

"OK, I guess we could do it, I mean we have nothing to loose and then if we can contact him, I'll be able to talk to him finally"

"Yes, but Angel, it would be for a short amount of time, and we need to ask key questions if we want to have him back, that way later, you can have your little 'father-son' talk that you've long awaited for"

"I guess you're right, I'll have time to 'talk' to him later, I just wish everything turns out alright" Angel finished and sighed.

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"Ok so let me get this straight, you are supposed to help me, but you can't really help me?" Connor spoke.

"I believe you could put it that way" The girl said "All I'm saying is that this is your challenge and guiding you doesn't mean that I will do things for you, or will tell you what to do, I'll just lead you to the right direction when you need it"

"So in other words you are useless" the teen said with a cocky tone.

"I don't think so, but then again when you face the tests, you could tell me what you think of me and my usefulness" She didn't want to argue, she knew Connor was difficult, and she wasn't about to get into his games. "By the way, my name is Joyce, because I don't think you gave me the chance to introduce myself properly".

"Whatever, what do I have to do?" Connor was obviously frustrated by the entire situation just wanted everything to be over.

"Are you ready for the first test?" Joyce asked.

"Yep, I'm ready, what now?"

"Ok let's do it!" The girl took his hand and they vanished from the lobby.

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"So you want to have a spiritual session to try to contact Connor's soul?" Fred asked she seemed more relaxed; obviously sleeping had been good for her.

"Well yeah, that's basically it, but we also want to know if the 'soul out of the body' theory is true, so I think we should give it a shot" Wes answered her, he on the other hand, seemed like he needed some sleep.

"Ok so let's hit it! What do we need for this 'session'?" Gunn asked.

"Just a couple of my books, some species that I have in my apartment and some incense to create the atmosphere"

"Sound simple" Angel observed.

"It quite is, in fact the hard thing is to get the energy and vibrations to actually flow in the proper way to be able to contact the soul that you are looking for" Wesley responded.

"Anyway… Fred and I will go get the incense from the store, we'll be right back" Gunn said trying to avoid further comments on the mystical, since he wasn't very fond of any kind of spell.

"Ok guys, I'll go to my apartment and find the rest of the things, I'll be back in about an hour" Wes told Angel.

Angel nodded "Yeah, and thanks for everything Wes, I really appreciate it"

"Is the least I can do, the very least… trust me" Wes said as he walked out of the Hyperion.

Angel stayed in the house with his son, just the two of them alone in the huge hotel. He went where his son was lying, and sat there just contemplating him. He put his hand in his son's hair, and ruffled it a little. He missed him, more than he could ever tell; he needed him, more than he ever thought. He would do anything to have him back, anything; he just loved him so much, his attitude, the trouble he caused, everything about him. So he laid down himself, next to his son, and just held him so tight, no one was going to take him away. Ever again. He just enjoyed the fact that he could hug his son, that he could touch him. And thinking about that he closed his eyes, just to rest next to his child, the only thing in the world that mattered to him. He just wished this would end soon, to be able to hear his son again, to be able to have this same moment with a responding Connor, he just wanted him back.

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"It's cute isn't it?" Joyce said "Your father being so worried about you"

They were watching everything that happened at the hotel in a television screen, like a surveillance video. Connor didn't know where they were, it was a weird place, out of the ordinary. The walls were light blue, and they were in some sort of waiting room with couches and plants, and then there were several doors, with one in different size than the other.

"Whatever" Connor didn't want to admit it but he really did feel good that his dad was all worried, that he cared. It felt nice, being loved and all.

"So what's the first test?" Connor said.

"Open the first door to find out" Was all Joyce said.

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TBC!!!

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I know it was short but I really wanted to update, next one will be better I promise... thanks for waiting!
Suggestions regarding what you want the first test to consist of, will be enormously appreciated, since this is as far as I have gone in my mind. XD

Thank you for reading, hope you all have awesome vacations, and please if you don't mind and have a little free time REVIEW, it really does make me want to write to see that you like it. Also I'm not really sure about the direction, so if you think it totally sucked I have an alternative version, that might replace this one, so please tell me if this sucks or not…I need to know!!!!!

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On a very important matter, I'm currently looking for a beta, since I'm not a native English speaker, and I need help correcting mistakes from the previous chapters (including this one of course), and the ones to come. So please, if anyone is interested in being a beta for me, I would really appreciate it with all my heart. If interested, please e-mail me, send a private message or leave a comment here. THANKS!

lullaby.28 :)

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