Disclaimer: So, you should all know, I own nothing. This all belongs to Joss and as much as I love him, I wanted to make a few changes. So thanks be to the Joss for letting me play!

Spoilers: A few, anything past season 3 and the episode Waiting in the Wings

Pairings: A few, but do you want me to spoil it?

Feedback: Thanks to my one reviewer so far, glad someone is interested! More feedback would be awesome!

Distribution: Not so sure just yet, so ask first please!

Chapter Three

She shook her head in anger. "He has left! Turned his back on our gift, on his own people. Yet again!"

Her brother looked up and seemed less inclined to becoming emotional. "We knew that was a risk. Lessons learned are often pushed aside, forgotten. It is why he is no closer to mortality then he was before. He has not learned."

He looked back down at the water. "They have not learned."

With a tilt of his head his fingers brushed the water as the scene changed. "This one, he knows. He will work on keeping them together, if he succeeds, he will have his own reward."

Reluctantly she leaned over to look at the scene in the Hyperion. Staring at the man in glasses and nodded. "Should he find a way to remind them, to keep the group together, than yes."

She looked up at her brother, "They are stronger together, Angel must learn this before it is too late. We can not sacrifice the light, the Healer, not even for the champion."

He smiled, "Agreed."

A

Three weeks. It had been a glorious but exhausting three weeks for Cordelia Chase. Basking in the sun, four in the morning calls, and anxiously waiting to hear more from Wes about Angel and Connor, time had passed quickly. Then again, it had felt like ages since she'd been home. As the taxi pulled up outside of the Hyperion she smiled up at it. She had come straight from the airport, not even stopping at her apartment to see, well check in with, Dennis. Hyperion had become home. The same as Wes, Gunn, Fred and especially Angel and Connor, had become family. She was so glad to be home.

It was early yet, only nine in the morning, which for a group that does their best work after dark, was really early. She'd been so excited to see them all, that she'd taken the red eye back and not called in order to surprise them. That and she wasn't entirely sure they would all be up. Typically no one came in until ten, but things were different. What with her vision and the prophecy that Groo had brought. They were all worried about Connor and Angel.

Grabbing her bags she headed up the steps and walked into the lobby quietly. Her lips twitched, Gunn was cleaning weapons by the cabinet, Fred rocked a sleepy Connor and Wes at the desk reading. Ah yes, family. Before she could announce herself, Lorne came out from the kitchen and took one look at her. Her smile widened as he looked at her wide eyed then rushed over.

"What are you doing? You shouldn't be carrying all those! Gunn come help the Princess with her baggage. You, need to take a seat, put your feet up. How are you feeling? Powers you really are glowing!"

Lorne bustled her from the entrance to the couch to sit her down. Cordy just laughed, it was not at all what she expected but she wasn't one to complain! His yelling orders was completely new and she wondered what all she missed. Not that it mattered, Gunn and Wes gave him confused looks but then complied and went to get her luggage. Fred came over with Connor and squealed giving her a one armed hug.

"Cordy! We all missed ya so much! Did ya have fun? What stars did ya see? Ooooh, did ya bring us souvenirs?"

Gunn laughed and brought over the luggage. "Let the girl breath! She just got back."

Wes gave a small smile and tried for reassuring, he knew questions would be coming. "Why didn't you call? We would have come to pick you up."

Cordy shrugged after hugging Fred back and reaching for Connor. "How's my little man? Huh? Oh I wanted to surprise you guys, and yes I got souvenirs!"

She sat up and shifting Connor to one arm reached for a bag. Only to stop when Lorne grabbed her arm and laughed weakly. He looked around at them all.

"Um, think you should be taking it easy Princess. Isn't there, something you want to tell us all?"

Cordy shook her head, "Only that you better love what I got you! Here, take the baby, I'll get his out last. Any word on Angel?"

Her voice was nonchalant as she opened the smallest of her bags, but everyone exchanged looks and landed them on Wes. Wes cleared his throat, knowing this was coming.

"He, er, checks in, but so far, no. I have looked over the scroll and even gotten other opinions, nothing seems to suggest there is a way out of the prophecy. But, I am still looking." He assured her.

Cordelia nodded then pulled out some wrapped presents. She tossed a large bulky one to Gunn, then a smaller one to Lorne, a couple that looked alike and handed one to Fred and one to Wes. Lastly was a thick package for Connor and what appeared to be a bag aside with Angel written on it. She grinned at them all.

"Okay well open them!"

Everyone looked at each other and smiled teased at even the most stoic looking one before paper started tearing. Cordelia sat back, hands in her lap, happier to watch their reactions then she'd ever been getting her own presents. She took Connor back from Lorne as he looked over his gift and bounced him in her lap. Lorne was the first to actually be able to voice anything.

"Don Ho? He's a legend! Oh punkin', this is great!"

"Hell yeah!"

Everyone looked over to Gunn putting on a jacket. Cordelia shrugged as she explained.

"I only met him once, we weren't in any scenes together. But that is permanent ink there on the lining! So don't sell it!"

"Girl, that's Denzel's signature calling me a warrior! I'm gonna be buried in this thing!"

Fred and Wesley were comparing their prizes. Old books, of course, they were hard to shop for so the best she could do was finding a small antiques shop and spending way too much on something about mythology from the area that was filled with what she was sure were demons, and something on the discovery of the math used to build the underwater structures they believed to be from Atlantis. Cordelia nodded, sure everyone was happy with them and grabbed Connor's and stood up to head upstairs.

"Okay well I am taking Connor up to change him into his new outfit! Little man got an outfit and a present! Yes he did!"

Gunn smirked, "So why we only get one present?"

Cordelia stuck out her tongue. "Because he's cuter!"

With that she disappeared upstairs and Lorne cleared his throat. "Is it just me, or did anyone else notice the Princess glowing? Not, vision glowing but, maybe. . . "

He was interrupted by the phone and shook his head. He saw it but even Cordelia didn't seem to know yet. Still, this was more then he thought she was bargaining for, and for some reason it worried him. He perked up at the phone call and like the others walked over to hear Wes.

"Angel Investigations, we - Angel! Yes, Cordelia just got back, nothing more on the vision or the prophecy I'm afraid, but we - Well that's a good sign isn't it? Fred did some research and. . . yes one moment."

He handed the phone off to Fred and took a step aside. Fred was bubbly and had to stop and start a few times but finally hung up and grinned.

"He's comin' back. He's not been cravin' you know, people, an' I checked the supply we had, it had been delivered, not picked up, an' it had traces of human blood in it. Connor's blood. So,"

"So, we believe Wolfram and Hart might have something to do with it."

Wes finished. Everyone looked slightly relieved that Angel was coming back. They heard Cordelia coming back down and looked at each other. Wes was the one stepping forward with a smile.

"Look at my little dancer! Isn't that the cutest grass skirt ever?"

"Cordelia. Angel called. We believe someone has tampered with his, food stores. Thankfully he has not had any more cravings and is on his way back now."

Everyone turned as they heard the front door, only to see Holtz with a crossbow in hand and several other armed men and women behind him. Holtz looked to Connor and kept his eyes there.

"Well that is good news."

There was very little time spent gawking at Holtz as Wes and Gunn went for weapons. Fred held her book to her chest and backed away from the entrance. Lorne held a hand out for Cordy, and shuffled her behind him. Wes was the first to say anything, his face gone hard.

"We don't want to hurt you, Angel is not here."

"Yeah, so why don' ya'll just back it up out of here."

Holtz stepped forward, the others staying just behind him. "Brave words from traitors to their own race. Helping a vampire? Ah ah ah. Not so fast, Ms. Chase. Why don't you bring the young one here and no one will get hurt.?"

Looks were exchanged, Wes and Gunn both rushed forward with a yell back for the women and Lorne to get out. It was now just a flurry of motion, arrows flew, cries and grunts of fight. Wesley was shot in the shoulder, Gunn the leg, still the two went on fighting. Until both were knocked unconscious, hit several times just to be sure they were not getting up again.

Lorne held onto Cordelia's arm and tried to head out the back, but were attacked immediately. Holtz had been smart and had the place surrounded. Lorne, was not a fighter and went down quickly. Cordelia, on the other hand, fought like a mama cat, slashing and kicking. She even got a weapon away from one of them and did some damage until she felt electricity arch through her body. She screamed and fought to hold onto Connor before she fell. All in all, the fight had been intense, but short.

Holtz had the note prepared and shot it into the back of the couch before making sure all their prisoners were loaded and bound from trying to escape should they wake. He took Connor from Justine and smiled down at the child.

"She wouldn't let go, even after we tazed her."

"She fought like a mother protecting her young. She believes him to be hers. Is that because of the child, or the father?"

He smiled at Justine then nodded and headed out. They would get the place ready for Angel and once he was sure he would leave the vampire in pain, he'd let him die, and take his new family somewhere far away from this world. Away from Angel and his friends, and out of the reach of Wolfram and Hart. He wasn't stupid, and knew full well that both were the enemy.

A

Angel had wanted to go straight for Lilah. He was sure she was behind this, and she had cost him time with his son, could have cost him Connor's life, and that was unforgiveable. He knew though, that Wes and Gunn at least would be angry at not being able to go with him, so he headed to the Hyperion instead. It was full dark by the time he got there. He had been several hours away just in case. He took the front steps two at a time and paused, before he grabbed for the door he knew something was wrong.

Stepping into the lobby, couches were cut, stuffing spilling. Blood on the floor, human by the smell. The phone was off the hook and beeping loudly, chairs overturned and a couple of arrow bolts stuck into various pieces of furniture. He shook his head, his chest tightening. If he had a heart beat, it would have stopped. The sound of a groan and he ran over, helping Lorne up.

"What happened?"

Lorne looked up and jerked away before realizing it was Angel. He sighed and reached for his head.

"Holtz. He came for Connor. Wes and Gunn tried to block them and Cordy tried to run but, they were everywhere."

He looked around with a frown. Laying on the couch was the bag that Cordy had gotten Angel, his name scrawled on the small tag now stained with Wesley's blood. An arrow in the back of the couch with a note attached. Angel followed his eyes and helped Lorne up to a chair before going to get the arrow, a glance to the bag. The note was simple, a trade. His life, or unlife, for theirs. Angel knew better, it was a trap, but they had his son. He crumpled the note in his hand.

"Lorne, get this place cleaned up, I don't want them to see the mess when they get back."

"You know that's just a trap, you can't walk in there now! Besides, there's something you need to know champ - "

"I know, but Holtz wants me, not them. Just, tell Cordelia if I don't make it back, to take care of my son."

Angel grabbed a couple of weapons and then took off out the front door. Lorne sighed and rubbed at his head, no way to stop Angel now. What demon in their right mind would get between the champ and his kid? He started righting furniture and looked at the door as he quietly promised.

"We'll take care of them."

A

A/N: Sorry this one took so long! I had the fight scene in there with more detail, but it started to look like really bad dance directions. I think you guys get the idea though!