TITLE: Where there’s life, there’s hope AUTHOR: Lady Raven DISTRIBUTION: The Powers that be, Oblivious much? Whoever else wants it, please ask. DISCLAIMER: Doyle, Cordelia, Angel and Whistler belong to Joss. Although if he doesn’t bring back Doyle, I am gonna be soooo pissed… SPOILERS: Rumors and spoilers up to Angel episode A10, ‘Parting Gifts’. Written 23 October 1999. RATING/CONTENT: PG. Minor sexual reference. Lots of angst. SUMMARY: A possible reason for Doyle leaving, and a way for him to come back. AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is in response to the announcement of Doyle leaving ‘angel’ for storyline reasons. This is a way to bring him back for more storyline reasons, since I can’t believe that Joss, of all people, would put so much effort into a character and just throw him away… Cordelia curled up on Angel’s couch, leaning on her side against the high arm. Angel handed her a mug of tea-they’d both picked up the habit from Giles-and sat next to her, cradling his own cup. “I can’t believe it,” Cordelia said. “I just can’t. I can’t believe he’s gone.” “Neither can I,” Angel admitted. Cordelia looked at him, a sudden hope lighting up her face. “Could he have survived? There wasn’t any body.” Angel’s face fell even further as he shook his head. “I don’t know of how even someone like Doyle could have survived a magickal explosion like that.” “Someone like Doyle?” Cordelia asked, frowning. Angel sighed. This was going to be harder than he thought. “Cordelia, Doyle was only partly human. He was also half-demon.” “What?” Cordelia asked incredulously. “He asked me not to tell you. He thought that maybe you wouldn’t… care for him if you knew.” “That’s ridiculous!” Cordelia snapped, sitting up straight. “He didn’t have horns or anything!” Angel shrugged. “When he sneezed, he sprouted blue thorns over his face like that Pinhead guy.” “That’s it?” demanded Cordelia. “Was it just when he sneezed, or was it during all explosive bodily functions?” Angel choked on the sip of tea he’d just taken, and after Cordelia thumped him on the back he put his cup on the floor and replied, “Just when he sneezed.” “I wouldn’t have cared about something like that,” Cordelia murmured, slumping back. “As long as he didn’t exude slime and ruin my outfits or anything, I would never have minded.” She looked up at Angel, and said despairingly, “I miss him already, Angel. Just to think that he’ll never call me Princess, or flirt with me again…” Cordelia sniffed once, and promptly burst into tears. “I could have loved him! I was right on the edge of falling for him, and I never told him! He never knew!” Angel opened his arms, and Cordelia fell into them, sobbing. Angel rested his head on top of hers, and let his own tears start to fall. “I’ll miss him too, Cordelia,” he murmured as he stroked the crying girl’s hair. * The demon known to some – including Angel and Buffy – as Whistler sighed and shook his head, as he regarded the downcast figure stretched out on the bed, hands folded behind his head. “Well, you’re clear for now. The Xenothopians are convinced you’re dead. You’ll have to keep underground until they’re finally taken out, or they move to another craze.” The figure on the bed spoke in a dispirited voice, Irish accent thick with sadness. “I just hate doin’ this t’ Angel and Cordy.” Whistler regarded his scapegrace nephew, then added, “If it makes you feel any better, Doyle, you don’t have a choice. The Xenothopians are religious fanatics, one and all. We both know that they would have happily carved up my ex-student and your girl to get to you, and ‘cleanse the world of a unnatural half-breed’ like yourself. If you had tried to go one-on-one with them, they would have chewed you up and spit you out.” “But to not even let them know that I’m okay-“ Doyle started, sitting up. “You know that the Xenothopians have some Veritas demons as top members!” snapped Whistler. “Lies *cannot * be told near those guys. One of them is bound to come sniffing around eventually, and if Angel and Cordelia have even the faintest hope that you’re alive, they’ll have to say so… and probably be tortured to tell more.” Doyle hung his head with a resigned sigh. His voice was low as he asked, “Did th’ Powers That Be get my request?” Whistler nodded. “They’ve agreed. Cordelia will get your visions, until such a time as you can return to your old position. Angel’s gonna keep a line to the people he needs to help.” A tiny smile crept over the good demon’s face as he remarked, “Y’know, I’m a little surprised that you’re this concerned.” Doyle’s head snapped up, and his sage green eyes were sparkling with anger and grief. “Of course I’m concerned! You would be too, if you had to leave a woman like Cordy and a friend like Angel!” Whistler sat beside Doyle on the bed, and said consolingly, “You will be able to go back eventually. The Powers aren’t any happier with the Xenothopian bunch than you are. That lot of religious nuts will get taken out sooner or later.” “Yeah, but when?” Doyle asked. Whistler just shook his head. He didn’t have an answer.