Only HopeBy Gidgetgirl
Chapter One
If there was one thing Cordelia Chase loved more than wrapping men around her little finger, it was shopping with money that someone else had given her as a result of aforementioned finger wrapping. Shopping for Hopie was no exception. The girl had hardly said a word in the three days since they had found her, except to ask polite questions. She seemed bright for a child of her age, and Cordelia had to admit that everyone, including (and maybe especially Connor and Angel) were falling in love with the silent child.
They still knew nothing about her parents, except that they were way no longer living, and that Hopie was an only child. Since the demons had clearly been after the child, they hesitated to contact child services, and so Angel had called in a favor with a certain ex-evil-lawyer they all knew and did not love, and Hopie had been declared to be Cordelia’s niece and therefore her charge.
As it was, Aunt Cordy was rather enjoying watching the little girl’s eyes go wide as she tried on clothes. She was patient, and never said a word to contradict anything Cordelia suggested. As much as she had a soft spot for the kid, Cordy was beginning to wonder if she had a personality at all.
“Hopie,” she said, squatting to Hopie’s level. “You pick something out. Anything. Angel gave us his credit card.” Cordelia smiled wickedly. Experience with the Powers that Be aside, she was still at least partially the same Cordelia clothes lover she had always been.
Hopie walked straight to a white dress, simple with a whooshing skirt and no other frills. “This,” she said softly. “This is mine.” Cordelia, somewhat impressed with the little girl’s decisiveness looked at the dress. The kid had taste. After the purchases were made, the two girls walked through the mall towards the food court.
Cordelia, eying a dress that Angel would have wanted her to have, didn’t notice when Hopie stopped. When she looked down, the little girl was gone. Great, she thought. I’ve had the kid two hours without Angel or Connor fawning over her and I lost her. Darn their male insistence on staying away from malls and daylight. “Hopie,” Cordelia called, never shy about letting her voice ring out. “Hopie? Hopie, sweetie, come to Aunt Cordy!” In her mind’s eye, she saw the girl standing in front of a window, two stories down. With a silent thanks to the PTB for giving her a practical vision, she went to find Hopie, wondering how in the world the child had managed to get to the first floor so quickly.
When she found her, she was standing in front of a window, gazing longingly inside. Cordelia followed the child’s gaze and groaned. Why couldn’t she have just asked for a puppy? She knelt down next to the child.
“You don’t run off like that, Hopie,” she said in what she hoped passed for a stern voice.
Hopie nodded solemnly. “Can I have it?” she asked. Cordelia hated to say no, but luckily she was pseudo-impervious to precious little girl face.
“We’ll think about it, sweetie, but it looks a little dangerous. I think you need something more for someone your age.” Hopie said nothing, and Cordelia wished that she would throw a temper tantrum, anything to suggest that the traumatic events of the past few days hadn’t destroyed her will to live.
Later that afternoon, Cordy passed a toy store, and, taking the orphan by the hand, led her to a display. “How about this” she asked.
“Oh yes, pleases!” The child practically bounced with joy. Cordelia breathed a sigh of relief. The plastic sword and crossbow set was much less intimidating than what Hopie had originally had in mind, plastic instead of sharp metal, and little girl sized instead of massive. Cordelia wondered if Hopie’s parents knew what a little fighter their girl was.
Later that night, at the hotel, Cordelia wondered how she could have ever thought Hopie was a calm, or for that matter sane, child. She ran through the halls, brandishing her sword in one hand in her crossbow in the other. “I got you!” she cried joyously to Connor. He smiled back at her.
“I got you,” he said back slyly, picking the little girl up. Her giggles filled the air, and the rest of the gang couldn’t help but laugh. Hopie wasn’t the only one learning how to be a child. The Destroyer was coming in touch with his inner child. Connor shrieked. He was also coming in touch with Hopie’s small, tickling fingers.
Cordelia looked at Angel watching his son with a content expression on his face. Content, she told herself, not happy. Content was safe, and Cordelia allowed her mind to float to a place where Connor played with little brothers and sisters who looked like their mother, beautiful of course.
She felt tickling fingers reaching into her side. She tried to fight back, but Angel pinned her to the ground. “Help,” she squealed as the supposedly souled vampire tickle-tortured her viciously. In an instant, Hopie was by her side, the crossbow firmly pointed toward Angel’s heart.
“Uncle Angel,” she said, very seriously, “I don’t think Aunt Cordy likes that very much.” Angel kissed Cordelia on impulse. Actually, thought Cordelia, Aunt Cordelia likes this very much.