Written for Ghostsforge's first anniversary ficathon. I was supposed to write another chapter of The Dhampir, but my muse, who is into other fandoms at this time, said, the only Spangel fic I'll write is something in the Bloodlines Series. I've learned never to argue with my muse, but the result is staring at a blank page on my computer screen for an hour and writing one lousy sentence!
I didn't have Ghostsforge beta this, because it didn't seem fair that he would have to beta a story for his own ficathon, so I went with just Elisabeth, who did a rush job for me. Thank you. Thank you.
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Hyperion Hotel, Los Angles, CA, February 2002
A month of sitting around the Hyperion had Spike bored out of his skull. Lounging in front of the television in the hotel lobby, flipping channels, he contemplated whether one could die of boredom because his head felt like it would explode if something interesting didn't happen soon.
"I'm bored." He announced to Angel and Nic, who were both relaxing, reading the LA Daily News.
"Oh yeah," Nic peered out from behind the newspaper, "tell us something we haven't heard from you at least one hundred times before."
"You have a TV, a thing to play games on, and that. . .that," Angel forgot the name of the electronic piece of equipment, "thing you can watch movies with. What more do you want?" He ended on an irritated note.
"To get the bloody hell out of this rat trap hotel, so I can have a break from looking at your two ugly mugs!"
"Hey, be my guest and go." Nic jumped into the argument with glee. He always enjoyed trading insults. "Then we would have a break from your incessant bellyaching. You complain like a woman."
"Woman, my arse." Spike was outraged as he dived for his uncle, but anticipating his move, Nic jumped up, leaving Spike to fall over an empty chair.
"Enough!" Angel spoke softly, but his tone was menacing. "Or I'll chain you up together and leave you to rot in the basement."
"Stupid pillock!" Spike gave Nic a dark look, as he untangled himself from the chair. Walking over to Angel, who was leaning over the hotel front desk, newspaper spread out in front of him, he continued his complaining. "I've got cabin fever, Sire; you've got to let me out of here."
"Alright." Angel folded the newspaper up with a sigh, as part of him understood his Spike's restlessness. His Childe always had too much energy. "I'll take you shopping. You can buy," he gestured toward Spike's entertainment setup, "more games and movies."
"I don't want more games and movies; I want to go and do something. Why don't we take a trip to Sunnydale and see how Buffy is doing with that nonce, the First?"
"William." Angel spoke slowly. "We've had this discussion before. We're waiting for word on Djoser and Damon. Until we know what's going on with them, we have to remain here in LA."
"So can't we do something useful here then? Like kill some bad demons or something? I feel a need to kick someone's butt."
"You want to do something useful?" Nic was flabbergasted. "Fuck, stock up on the winter gear, cause I think hell just froze over."
"I am so effin' bored that I'm just about willing to do volunteer work."
"Volunteer work?" Now Angel was amazed. "You?" He gave Spike a questioning look. "Just what kind of volunteer work do you think you'd be able to do?"
Spike had no chance to answer as the Hyperion's main door swung open, and Lorne stepped through. "Greetings and salutations. And how are you three doing?"
"Bored." Spike said as he jumped up to sit on the hotel counter, happy to have someone new to bitch to. "I'm in prison here, serving a life sentence because," he pointed to Angel, "he won't let me leave this bloody hotel."
"I see." Lorne tired to inject some sympathy into his voice, as he shuffled his feet uncomfortably. The last thing he needed was to be put in the middle of a dysfunctional vampire family's troubles. Turning to Angel he quickly changed the subject. "Listen Angel-cakes. I was wondering if I could ask a favor from you. I need a place to meet a client tonight, preferably away from humans, since this particular client likes to snack on them. And when I say snack, I mean chomp and chew, but he wouldn't be a threat to any of you, because vampires aren't on his, my-favorite-foods list."
"Not a problem." Angel said graciously. "And if I might ask a favor in return?"
Lorne did a mental eye roll. He had been expecting this answer from Angel. Everything that the vampire did for him, Fred, or Gunn, he required something in return.
"Sure, Big Guy." Lorne put on his agreeable face. "What is it?"
"I need you and Gunn to pay a visit to Judelin. I have not heard any news now for more than a week."
"Of course." Lorne smiled weakly as he told himself that it was a small price to pay to play a demon servant for Angel. A short time ago, Angel had solved Cordelia's mysterious disappearance after a trip into the Dinza's Lair and the 'retrieval' of the Axis of Pythia. With the axis, the vampire had found that Cordelia was now a higher power on a higher plane. She would be forever missed, but they at least had peace of mind knowing that she was where she belonged.
"I'll go and get Gunn, and we'll see if Judelin will give us an audience." Turning to leave, Lorne had one last thought. "We finished cleaning out Cordelia's apartment. I'll be bringing the rest of her stuff over tonight." At the end of January Fred had terminated Cordelia's rental agreement, and then she, Gunn, and Lorne had cleaned out the apartment and had stored their friend's stuff in an unused room at the Hyperion.
"If Cordelia is a higher being now, why are we keeping her shit?" Spike asked. "It's not like she'll be coming to get her junk any time soon."
"You wanted something to do." Angel said, trying to keep the glee out of his voice. "Well, you can go through her things, sort and pack them up, so they can be donated to a charitable organization."
"Sounds like a worthwhile volunteer job to me." Nic added his two cents with a smirk.
Mumbling curses under his breath, Spike realized Angel had just gotten the best of him.
**
He had delayed the inevitable for a long as he could, but after more than a few hours of pretending he was busy watching TV or replaying video games, Spike knew he'd have to admit defeat and go pack up Cordelia's things. Because if he didn't, even one complaint about being bored, and Angel would just look meaningfully up at the room where the now higher being's earthly possessions were. And a request for even a simple shopping trip would get the same response.
Sighing heavily, he fetched some boxes from the basement and was on his way to the second floor when Lorne returned.
"Mission completed." The Anagogic demon announced as he swept into the hotel lobby, setting down a box he had been carrying. "Judelin graciously saw us, and the word is that contact was made about a week ago."
"Contact with whom?" Angel asked.
"Well, that's the thing." Lorne smiled nervously. "He's not sure. The communication was broken off, and he hasn't heard anything since."
"Broken off?" Spike had dropped the boxes, all thoughts of sorting Cordelia's things forgotten. "It's the twenty first century, how can he not have heard anything now for a week?"
"Because the Trials are held in the country of Chad." Angel stated shortly, assuming that explained everything.
"So." Spike had never been to Africa and was ignorant of its geography.
"Outside of the cities in the south, Chad is a big area of nothingness." Nic clarified. "You even need special travel permits to go to the central and northern regions."
"But Judelin assured me that as soon as he receives any new information, he will inform you." Lorne continued. "And he also had news about Connor."
"Connor?" Angel's dark frown was replaced by intense interest. "Has Judelin finally found him?"
"Yes, but then. . . ." Lorne hesitated. He knew Angel wasn't going to like this news either. "Connor escaped and is once again roaming the streets of LA. And," he cleared his throat, "Judelin was none too pleased about the boy's attitude and behavior."
Nic snorted with laughter. "I told you," he addressed Angel, "that Connor was even a bigger brat than William. It wouldn't surprise me if Judelin ends up giving him back to you."
Despite his bad feelings for Connor, even Spike had to admire his brother's ability to escape. "Resourceful git."
"I should go look for him." Angel said softly, more to himself than anyone else.
"Sounds like a plan." Spike quickly jumped in. "That's exactly what *we* should do, go and look for the little tosse. . .err, kid." Finally, an excuse to get out and do something besides sit around the hotel.
"Judelin doesn't want our help, remember?" Nic spoke up. "If Connor sees any of us, and especially you," he looked at Angel, "he'll run even faster. We're suppose to keep out of it. That was part of the deal with Judelin."
Sighing, Angel knew Nic was right, but it was hard because it was not in his nature to just stand back and do nothing.
Fortunately at that moment the Hyperion's front doors swung open again, diverting everyone's attention. It was Fred and with her a white robed Cordelia, looking confused and bewildered.
**
"That's it? That's everything?" Cordelia's confusion had turned to disbelief, after lengthy explanations from everyone around her. "It makes perfect sense now. I was a cheerleader, a princess, and a warrior. And I have visions and super powers and I've spent the last three months living on a higher plane, fighting for the forces of good, who wage a battle against," she counted on her fingers, "demons, evilies and squishy bug babies, cause all that stuff's real and that's the world I live in. And I think I know why I don't remember any of this cause hey, who'd want to!"
"Um," Lorne offered his glass to her in sympathy, "sea breeze?"
Sitting on an arm of the couch, Spike watched Cordelia with interest. "I didn't know that higher beings were such whingers." He commented to Nic, who was sitting next to him.
"Yeah, she gives you a run for the money in that department." Nic retorted back, as he discreetly took a swig from a flash he liked to carry in his back pocket.
"I know it's a lot to take in." Fred told Cordelia consolingly. "But it's the truth. Let me take you upstairs to see your things, perhaps that will make. . .make you feel better."
"But I don't remember me!" Cordelia looked at all the people around here, desperately hoping for some flicker of recognition.
"If I may make a suggestion?" Lorne raised his hand. "Perhaps I can sort this out. Pick a song."
"What?" Cordelia stared at the green demon with distrust. "Pick a song?"
"So Lorne can read you." Fred explained. "You sing, and he sees your future, and then hopefully he'll be able to explain what's happened, and how we can get your memory back."
"Well, okay." Cordelia looked at everyone closely, checking to see if there were any smirks or smiles. The whole song routine sounded like one big hoax. "What kind of song should I sing?"
"Whatever you remember." Fred answered. "Just pick something."
"Alright," Cordelia took in a deep breath, "here goes. Because the greatest love of all is happening to me." She sang off key. "I've found the greatest love of all inside of me. The greatest love of all is easy to achieve. Learning to love yourself. . . ."
"Bloody hell!" Spike, who had just taken a swig from Nic's flash, handed it back. "She sings as bad as my Sire."
"Yeah, who would have thought that there was anyone who could sing as bad as. . . ." Nic broke off, as Lorne, looking greener than usual, interrupted Cordy's singing.
"Uh, great, enough. OK! You were great." Lorne began to inch toward the Hyperion's front door. "You were great. E-everything's great. We're all just, uh. . . I see, uh, a very, very, um . . .I better go and see if my client has arrived yet."
"Was I really that bad?" Cordelia asked, as they watched Lorne race for hotel door.
**
"So this is it? Everything?" Cordelia asked Fred as she entered the room where her possessions had been stored.
"Except for this." Spike entered behind them, carrying the box Lorne had brought over.
"This is it." Fred looked around the dusty room. "Why don't you go through and pick out the most essential. We can pack it up for you to take tonight."
"Where am I going?" Cordelia asked, as she picked up a teddy bear, glanced at it and set it down.
"To my place." Fred said with somewhat false excitement. "Well, it's really mine and Gunn's."
"Gunn?" Cordelia asked, dusting her hands off. Sorting through everything, which had been just thrown haphazardly into boxes, seemed like an impossible task at the moment.
"My boyfriend." Fred answered, but quickly added at Cordy's my-god-I'm-going-to-stay-with-you-and-a-boyfriend look. "But he's your friend too. We all worked here together."
"We all worked here together. . .for Angel? Sitting down, Cordelia spoke slowly. "Doing what?"
"Ah. . . ." Fred hesitated. Better to dissemble a bit. "Detective work. We were called Angel Investigations."
"And you?" Cordelia turned to Spike, who was nosing through an open box, checking her things out with interest. "Do you work for Angel too? And hey, these are my things, stop pawing through them."
Throwing the brassiere he had been examining thoroughly back in the box, he looked over at Cordy. "No." He enunciated clearly. "I don't and have never worked for Him."
"He's Angel's family." Fred spoke up quickly, realizing that Spike wasn't as sensitive to Cordelia's situation as she was and wasn't about to hedge the truth to spare her friend's feelings.
"Really?" Cordelia frowned suspiciously. "How are you related? Because you speak with a British accent and Angel doesn't."
"Cause my mum was English." Spike stated simply.
"O-kay." Cordela's first impressions of Spike were that of a borderline mentally challenged person. "So you're half-brothers, cousins?"
"Actually he's my. . . ."
"You know," Fred broke in quickly, "it's getting late. We should really get going."
"Now?" Cordelia looked around hopelessly. "I haven't even started sorting this stuff."
"Well, get a move on." Fred used her best bossy voice, but the result was feeble at best. "We haven't got all day. . .err, night."
"You know." An idea struck Cordy. "Since all my stuff is here, and here is an empty hotel room with a bed, why don't I just stay for the night? I can sort things out tomorrow."
"Because. . .because. . . ." Fred stammered, trying to come up with a valid excuse other than, 'because this is a vampire lair.'
"Because we're all men here," Spike jumped in helpfully, "and as you know, all men are pigs."
"Pft." Cordelia dismissed his reasoning, as she flipped through a photo album. "Angel was my boss, so I can trust him, ri-?" She broke off, as she held up a photo of her holding Connor standing next to Angel. "Oh my God!"
"That's just Connor." Fred said quickly. "Angel's son. We used to. . .help care for him, cause you know. . .Angel being a single father and all."
"Oh." Cordelia looked at the picture again. There was a sense of family to it. She and Angel appeared so happy. "So who's Connor's mom?"
Taking a deep breath, Fred started to prevaricate again. "She's dead. She died in. . . ." Thankfully, she was interrupted by the entrance of Charles Gunn.
"My God! It really is you!" Gunn greeted Cordelia with a huge grin. "You're back!" He moved to give her a hug, but Cordelia quickly backed away.
"I don't know you." She stared suspiciously at Gunn, who had just come from a job, so his clothes were splattered with pink goo and blood. "Just who are you people?" She demanded.
**
Sitting in the borrowed hotel room, Lorne was having trouble concentrating on his client, a Secrevi demon, who had issues. His reading of Cordelia had caused his hands to shake, his head to ache, and his stomach to lurch.
"Let's take five." He interrupted the demon's singing. "You're doing fine, but I need a pick-me-up before we come to any kind of conclusion. Stay here." He ordered. "Don't move. I'll be right back."
Standing up, Lorne headed for the door. He needed another drink, or he was going to lose his dinner.
**
"Since they're not going to tell me the truth," Cordelia stood, hands on hips, watching Fred pull Gunn out of the room, "why don't you give it a try?"
"Who me?" Spike looked up from the box he was rummaging through.
"Yeah, you." Cordelia ordered aggressively. "I'm tired of being lied to. So fess up, why did Mr. Gunn have blood on his clothes? And what was the pink gooey stuff?"
"The blood on his clothes was probably from a demon he was fighting." Spike said looking at Cordelia, while his hadn reached deeper into the box to pull our more of Cordy's stuff. Not seeing what he was grabbing, his hand closed around a jeweled cross. Flesh sizzled and smoked. "Goddamn, fucking hell!" Jumping backward, his eyes began to flash amber.
Slowly backing away, Cordelia took in the burn mark in the shape of a cross on Spike's hand and his now demon eyes. Shrieking, she turned and ran from the room.
**
"Don't you think we should tell her about Angel and family being vampires and that our job is fighting against demons and other supernatural baddies?" Gunn whispered, as he and Fred had an impromptu confab in the hallway. "Because we can't keep all of this a secret forever."
"I know. I know." Fred squeezed her hands together nervously. "We've told her some basics, but I just didn't want to freak her out with everything her first night back."
"Okay." Gunn agreed. "Would you like me to stay? I could ask Angel if I could shower in one of the empty hotel rooms. Or would you rather I leave, and you and Cordelia can meet me back at our. . . ."
He broke off, as Cordelia came bursting out of the room, screaming.
"Cordy!" Fred and Gunn stepped forward toward their friend.
"Stay away from me." Cordelia warned, as she faced them for a moment, while slowly backing away in the opposite direction. "Just stay away from me."
**
Sitting in the lobby in front of Spike's TV, Nic was mindlessly watching the evening news. "So," he asked Angel, who was watching the news with him," what exactly is a higher being? Is your human pet an angel, a goddess, or what?"
"I believe she has a connection to the Powers That Be." Angel answered, as he stared at the TV.
"O-kay." Nic was thoughtful for a moment. "And just what the hell are the Powers That Be?"
"Well they're. . . ." Angel struggled for an explanation but didn't have to struggle for long, as three people entered the front door. Not expecting anyone, Angel stood up quickly to greet the uninvited guests. He took a step toward them and then immediately stopped in surprise.
There before him was his eldest son, his brother, and nephew. They had returned from Africa.
**
"Cordy!" Fred called out, watching in confusion as Cordelia began to run.
Turning once more, she yelled another warning. "Just keep away from me. All of you!"
"What the hell just happened?" Gunn asked Spike, who came bursting out in the hallway after Cordelia.
Spike held up his burnt hand. "Guess you didn't tell her that some of us are vampires." He looked pointedly at Fred.
"So much for your let's-not-freak-out-Cordy plan." Gunn commented, as he too looked pointedly at Fred. "So now what?"
"Let me talk to her." Fred told them. "Both of you just stay here." She ordered as she began walking after Cordelia. Fred hadn't gone more than two steps, when a pale, bald man stepped out in front of Cordy stopping her in her tracks.
"You smell good." The strange man said.
"Who's that, dude?" Gunn asked, staring down the hallway. Noticing the pale complexion, he immediately concluded vampire. "Friend of yours?" He asked Spike, but immediately realized his mistake as the man opened his mouth, which had another mouth inside, full of teeth and drool. "Oh fuck!" He groaned as he could see the demon's intentions toward Cordelia were not friendly.
"I think I'd like to have you," the Secrevi demon advanced on a momentarily paralyzed Cordelia, "as a snack."
"Cordy, run!" Fred screamed as she, Gunn, and Spike began charging down the hallway.
The demon lunged at Cordelia but was quickly pulled back by a small, but strong figure, who had slipped on to the scene unnoticed.
"You're not safe here." Connor said to Cordy, throwing the Secrevi demon to the floor.
"You think?" Cordelia said, her head spinning, as everything seemed to be happening too fast. "Can you get me out of this house of horrors?" She asked, as she watched Connor throw a knife into the demon's stomach in one smooth move. The Secrevi fell backward, impeding Spike, Gunn, and Fred for just a split second.
"I know a quick way out of here." Connor took Cordy's hand, as they turned and ran.
**
Angel was happy to see his Djoser and Damon again, but he didn't show it as he stood, arms folded across his chest, scowl on his face. "You left without permission, and because you weren't here, William was left with only Nic to protect him."
"And where were you?" Damon asked in his usual quiet but confident manner.
"At the bottom of the ocean." Angel said through gritted teeth. "I was imprisoned there for more than. . . ."
Loud thumps and bumps and then yelling interrupted him.
"What's that?" Damon walked over to the staircase, looking up curiously.
"It's William," Nic stated matter-of-factly, "playing with a higher being and his two human friends."
The thumps, bumps, and yelling got louder, as Spike suddenly appeared in the mezzanine. "Sire, we've got a problem." Agitated, he didn't notice his brother, uncle, and cousin. "Connor just took Cordelia away. That poncey git must know some secret ways out of here because we were right on his tail and then poof, he did a houdini on us." Pausing a moment he finally took in the people below him. "Djoser!" He yelled, a wide smile on his face. "You're back! So did you pass the. . . ?"
"Angel!" An agitated Fred with Gunn at her side ran into the mezzanine, interrupting. "A drooling, two mouthed demon attacked Cordy. And for whatever reason, Connor intervened, killing the demon, but then he took her. You need. . .we need. . .you need to help us find her."
Angel contemplated a moment. Here was his excuse to go after Connor. "Alright. Fred go and get a piece of Cordelia's clothing, or better yet, some item she may have touched tonight. "
"Sure." Fred immediately turned to go back to the room where Cordelia's things were stored. Gunn went with her, but Spike made his way down the staircase, with a grin still plastered on his face.
Turning to his brothers and Djoser, Angel spoke rapidly. "I don't have time for long explanations, so here's everything in a nutshell. I gave Connor to Judelin because he, along with Snow, locked me in a coffin and threw me into the ocean. Connor also threatened to have William killed. Judelin had Connor in his custody not long ago, but the boy managed to run away."
"Hey, hey, I see the family has finally come back." Lorne entered the lobby from the kitchen, carrying a seabreeze. "What's going on?" He immediately picked up on the tension in the room.
"Connor was here in the Hyperion, and he took Cordelia." Angel gave Lorne a grim look. "And since *your* client was the catalyst for what happened, you can help with the search."
"My client?" Lorne sputtered. "Cordy? What?"
"Your client tried to snack on Cordelia." Spike added what he knew. "Connor came rushing to her rescue, and. . .oh, by the way, I hope you received payment up front from the Secrevi."
"Cordelia just returned from a higher plane, but she has no memory of anything, including her identity." Angel continued his explanation. "It's not safe for her to be out in the streets; we need to find her. So we'll split up in three groups." Taking the teddy bear, which Fred handed him, he passed it around, while giving his orders. "Gunn, you'll go with Nic and Djoser."
"I'm going with them too." Spike wanted a chance to talk to his brother and ask him about Africa.
"No, you're coming with me." Angel said abruptly. He had no time for debate or argument. "Fred, you'll come with us, and Damon." He gave his brother a questioning look. He wasn't sure if Damon would go along with helping to find Connor and Cordelia. "You take Lorne, and, and. . . ." Angel stared at his nephew, trying to recall what name he had finally been given.
"Guy." Nic supplied helpfully.
"No." Damon frowned at Nic. "He has been named now. His legal and proper name is Eamon."
"Eamon!" Nic exclaimed. "After all this time and that's what you came up with? Eamon? Let's see, my name is Damon, and what rhymes with it?" He mocked his brother.
"Alright." Angel said firmly putting an end to anymore discussion, while Spike gave his cousin a sympathetic look and mouthed, "I told you he'd give you a poofy name.'
"Any questions?" Angel asked, his tone daring anyone to say anything more. "Damon, your group can take East Los Angeles and the surrounding area. Nic, your group can take the Pasadena and Altadena area, and I'll take the costal areas. Let's go."
**
Epilogue
They had searched all night, and when the sun began to rise, they reluctantly gave up. They had caught whiffs of both Connor's and Cordelia's scent, but then the trail always would just suddenly end. Spike half wondered if his brother was part Houdini, while Fred theorized that Cordy might be using her higher powers to hide herself and Connor.
"I guess if she doesn't want to be found. . . ." Fred ended her sentence with a shrug. They had all put in their best effort. "See you guys." She waved as she and Gunn headed for the door. They were tired and needed sleep.
"Later." Spike gave a half wave, as he was busy showing Eamon how to play his newest video game. "You've got to run around, and then stop and aim quickly. Like this." He explained, but his demonstration fell short, as his character fell to the ground, blood gushing around him. "Bloody hell!"
"Never mind, mate." Eamon took the controller out of Spike's hand. "I think I know what to do."
"It's because of this." Spike held up his burnt hand, using it as an excuse. "A person needs two good hands to play this game right."
"So this is how you spend your time?" Djoser asked, watching Eamon try his luck with the video game. "You play these," he waved at the TV, "games and watch your soap operas?"
"No." Spike corrected his brother. "I also watch movies on my dvd player."
"Do you ever do anything," Djoser paused, trying to think of an appropriate word, "useful like study, or train?"
"Hey!" Spike pretended outrage at his brother's insinuation, but then grinned. "No, why should I? You're the Successor now. You can do the studying and training."
"I have not been named the Successor." Djoser stated. "You can still be considered, so could. . . ."
"Don't even say that wanker's name!" Spike broke in. "He's been disowned by our Sire and given to the Ventrues. He's no longer a Tremeren Heir Apparent."
"As long as he lives, he can always be considered." Djoser said quietly. "As can you, so you can't use that excuse to squander away your unlife."
"Ri-ight." Spike was not convinced. "Like I'm going to be chosen over you, the only vampire to have passed the Trials and that pureblood tosser."
"Djoser." Angel came down the main staircase, stopping any further conversation. "Go shower and make yourself presentable."
Spike rolled his eyes. As far as he was concerned, his Sire was making life difficult for his brother on purpose, to punish him for leaving. "Djoser just got back from Africa. He's still beat up from the Trials, and now you want him to do something else? Quit being such a. . . ."
"I'm going to see Judelin." Angel broke in quietly. "I think I better explain to him what happened last night. Lorne is hinting at another Apocalypse that's tied in with Cordelia, who has run away with Connor. I think the master vampire of Los Angeles would want to know that information."
"And why does Djoser have to go with you?"
"Because, Childe," Angel said with a small smile and a wink, "I also want to introduce my newly named Successor to the Ventrue High Master."
****
Finis