Title: Unlikely Hero
Author: Beth
Disclaimer: They don't belong to me. They belong to Joss Whedon, but he
shouldn't have Cordy and Doyle anymore..won't play nice with them. The
other folk belong to Renaissance Pictures. Quotes belong to shows that are stated to.
Feedback: Either offlist at taliesin123@earthlink.com or onlist is fine
Distribution: Anyone who wants it can have it..just lemme know where it's going.
Note: Watch out..many a spoiler below! For both Angel and Hercules...


Chuck: "Everybody makes choices. It's the American way. It's in the
constitution. Every shlub has a vote. You get up in the morning, you decide what to wear. What to eat. What to waste your money on. You go with what you know, which usually ain't much.. The point being, sometimes the choice is easy... and sometimes you don't have one at all."

-- Early Edition, The Choice


Doyle stared directly into Angel's eyes as he spoke, blue eyes unwavering as he solidified his decision. It was the right thing to do. It was the only thing to do. The vampire couldn't risk..sacrifice his life for all of them. He was needed in the world. That much was obvious. After all, why else would The Powers That Be have made him guard the other. Angel was important..he was the one who could risk his life. Lose his life.


That settled the half demon put the next step of his plan, if it could even be called that, into motion. Closing his eyes briefly to steel himself, Doyle pulled back his arm and hit the larger vampire with all of his strength. Angel fell through the banister with a loud crack, falling onto the ground with a thud.


It was now or never. He heard Crodelia gasp, knowing exactly what he was going to do. Cordelia..this was the hardest part. If he didn't..then she would die. And he would do anything to stop that. Even if it meant dying.


He walked over to where she was, still standing in the same position as a moment before. A pause to stare at her face, memorizing every detail for the last minutes he had left. Then he pulled her close and kissed her. Doyle could feel a wetness on his cheeks, it didn't matter who was crying. Not now. Not anymore.


"It's too bad.." He morphed into his demon form and grinned at her. "That we couldn't have found out if you would learn to love thi' face." A breath, then he prepared himself


"DOYLE!!" Angel screamed, clambering up the metal ladder, not being able to stop himself from watching his friend leap across the empty space to the platform. "Doyle! Doyle! NO!!"


He nearly screamed as his face came in contact with the lamp. The pain was excrutiating. His hands threatened to let go of the platform, everything in him screaming to not be doing this. But he knew it was right. If he didn't..then every single person in the room, demon or no, would die. Himself included. This way it was only him.


This way was better...


That was the last thought Doyle could manage as the pain became absolutely unbearable. He just concentrated on pulling the plug, on doing what he had set out to. He might have to die, but he had to accomplish it. He had to save everyone. Just reach the plug...just pull the plug. He repeated this o himself, feeling the light nearly pulling him apart. One more second and it would be over.


One more second...he had the plug in his hands..now all he had to do was pull it apart. A scream tore its way from his throat now, he not being able to stop it. This was it..it was over..


I love you Princess..


***********

Ares: "Are there no heros left?!"
Hercules: {he and Iolaus grinning} "Well, you've still got us!"

-- Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Full Circle



"What's wrong?" The blonde haired man the question was directed to shook his head as if to clear it. The action didn't help the blinding headache which had suddenly appeared however. "I..I dunno, but it's something big."  He turned to his larger companion, confusion etched on his now pale face.

"Big how..?"

"Big big. Like.." He trailed off, swallowing. "Dahok big."

"But D--"

"It's not him, Herc. But it's something like that..It's something to do
with..the Light." Iolaus nodded to himself, finally having figured out
where the feeling had come from. He sighed, the ache in his head easing
slightly.

"What would this have to do with the light?" Hercules asked his best
friend, now more confused than before.

"Dunno.." Iolaus repeated again. The blonde was about to say something
more, interrupted by the coming of the waitress to their table.

"Sorry, but I'm suddenly not feeling to well, just a couple of drinks,
please." He informed the waitress before she could say a word. She nodded and gave him an odd look. Brushing a few strands of red hair out of her eyes she turned to Hercules.

"And you.."

"Uhh..salad for now." He responded after a moment. "Can you come back in a bit?"

"Yeah.." She sighed. "Whatever."

"Something's gotta be wrong with you buddy..ignored a pretty girl, don't want food.." He grinned at his friend who was making a face at him.

"Gods, Hercules! I wish I knew what was happening!" The hunter slammed his fists down on the table with frustration. Not since right after Artemys had made her favorite mortal Immortal had he been this lost.

"Could it be Ares?"

"Nah.." Iolaus shook his head. "Your brother hasn't done much in the way of something major for centuries. Besides..he's busy with all those warsrecently. Or at least trying to start some."

"You're right." Hercules nodded.

"'Course I am." He responded witha grin. His New Zealand accent had become thicker as he spoke, his confusion building. Why couldn't he figure out what was wrong?? It was nearly driving him nuts, and certainly would in the matter of a few more moments.

"I could use some help with this!" The hunter said somewhat loudly, looking skyward.

No sooner had the words fallen from his lips when there was a bright flash of light. A blonde haired woman barely clothed in a mostly see -through pink outfit appeared. She was wiping at her tear filled blue eyes.

"It's so saaaad.." She wailed, wrapping her arms around the person nearest to her, which happened to be Iolaus.

"What's so sad, 'Dite?"

"Oh sweetcheeks, it's just awful!" She sniffled again, wiping fresh tears away.

"Aphrodite -- explain please." Hercules sighed exasperatedly at his sister.

"It's unrequited love! What else??"

Something hit Iolaus, a vision of sorts. He saw a woman standing high up on something. A horrified expression was present on her face, hazel eyes filled with tears. A man's voice screamed "Doyle! No!!" before ending up beside the woman. Both were crying.

"Doyle.." He mumbled aloud, and Aphrodite nodded, pulling him closer.

"That's him..sacrificed his life to save all the others. It was so brave. But now he and Cordelia...poof!..no more! They'll never have a chance. Poor little demon!!" She was crying in earnest again.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that.." Iolaus muttered, trying to untangle
himself from the disraught goddess.

"What d'you mean?" Both she and the demi-god asked in unison.

"He's not entirely gone..went to where I did when I died that last time..at Gilgamesh's hand."

"So there's a chance it might work out!" Aphrodite said brightly, grinning.


********

Doyle: "Y'never know until ya been tested. I got tha' now."

-- Angel, Heros



"Where...where am I?" Doyle murmered, looking around at his new
surroundings. for all intents and purposes, the place could have been
ancient Greece. Or at least ther rins of it. Pillars stood, some tilted to their sides, the room hauntingly empty. He smirked at the path his thoughts had taken. Of course it seemed hauntingly empty. He was dead, wasn't he?

"Is anyone 'ere..??" He spoke louder, getting a strange feeling about this. There was of course, no answer to his question. He was just surronded by silence. And the silence gave him a chance to think back on what had happened. What he had done.

Sacrificing himself to save everyone else. He couldn't have seen any other path to take. All those innocent people needed someone to save them. Angel was the true hero, not him. Angel was needed to help, and keep helping. He was just..just Dolye. Not anyone special. So he was half demon who had tried to do good. Who had done good. He had saved all those innocent people's lives. Cordelia's life.

What he had said to her before..he had ment with all his heart. It was way too bad that they had never learned if she could love him. Before last night he would have said no way. But now, now he wasn't so sure. Of course it was too late to find that out. The chance had never really come up before it passed.

"An' now I'm dead.." The irishman muttered, running a hand through his dark hair.

"Actually..it's kinda complicated. Well, very complicated." A voice broke in on his thoughts.

"Whadd'ya mean?" He questioned, looking around for the source of the voice. A man around his height was standing nearby, blue eyes upset. He shrugged, giggling slightly.

"I happen t'not find thi' the least bit funny I'll have y'know."

"I'm sure you don't. I didn't myself."

"You're dead too I take i'."

The blonde shook his head. "Not at all."

"Explain." Doyle demanded, head feeling as though it were about to explode.

"Sure thing. Firstly, name's Iolaus.."

"Pleased to meet you." Doyle shook the offered hand. "Doyle."

"I know. Welcome to the..um, Light!" Iolaus grinned, ignoring the
half-demon's pained expression.

"Wha's the Light.."

"Other than a place where a certain few who are fighting for good go when they well..die..not completely positive.." Doyle groaned, massaging his forehead as the blonde babbled on.

"More of an explination's coming." He assured him, "A long long time ago in ancient Sumeria I died."


~*~*~*~*~*~

"Nebula!!" Iolaus screamed, leaping in front of the woman he loved. He
hadn't even thought of the aftermath of this act. The dagger impaled itself in his chest and he was thrown back by the impact.

Pain spread throughout his body, faster than he had ever thought possible. He knew without a doubt that he was dying, not matter what Hercules tried to tell him. He had died enough times to realize when it was the end.

Iolaus coughed, feeling the blood entering his lungs. He didn't have much time at all now, Hercules stared down at him, saying something. But the hunter couldn't hear a word of it. He could barely feel his body being supported equally by the stone steps digging into his back and his best friend's lap.

The blonde smiled for a moment then closed his eyes, breathing his last
breath.


~*~*~*~*~*~

"So ya died.."

"Right." Iolaus nodded.

"And the Greek gods didn't bring ya back 'cos..?"

"Died in Sumeria..then there was the whole Dahok thing, which just made
things.." The hunter paused as Doyle held up a hand.

"Please..spare me. How'd ya come back then?"

"Well..I sort of snuck out of the Light..my buddy needed some help..word of warning and all.."

"So ya mean if Cordy..or Angel..needs me I could go back."

Iolaus shrugged, ran a hand through his blonde curls then sighed. "I'm not sure. Not even positive how I got out all those years ago."

"There's gotta be sumthin' I can do!"

"We'll figured it out, Doyle. I promise you."


~*~*~*~*~*~

Duncan:"You okay?"
Richie: "Yeah."
Duncan:"You want to talk about it?"
Richie: "What's there to say?"

-- Highlander:The Series, The Innocent


Angel herded an oddly quiet Cordelia back to his apartment. She was in
shock, there was no denying that. Doyle had..had died right in front of
their eyes. He was gone. God, he had really done it. That hadn't been his imagination. The half-demon had sacrificed himself for the greater good. Had seen that there could have been worse things than the ending of his own life. It should have been me.. The vampire thought once again, at the end of the long walk back. They had finally reached his apartment, the hike seeming to take forever. Each step they had taken didn't feel like they had made any progress. It felt as though his feet were stuck in quicksand, instead of moving foward they got sucked down further. Further in their tears and anguish. Into their overwhelming loss.

He had been around for many a year, and couldn't remember feeling this lost in his pain. With leaving Buffy he knew there was absolutely no other solution. They couldn't be around each other and be fine. One day something would happen and history would repeat itself. Only instead of killing the computer teacher, who would he go after? Xander? Willow? Giles? Or Buffy herself? Hadn't taken him much time at all to see what the solution to his problems were. The only hard part there was the actual leaving.

With Doyle.. with Doyle it was a totally different situation. There had to have been something else to do. They could have figured out something. He could have gone instead. The Irishman didn't have to play hero. He already was more a hero than Angel could ever be.

He didn't know how he was going to deal with the night's events. Cordelia would be even worse. She was taking it hard already, and all of the implications of what had happened hadn't even sunk completely in yet. It would be at least a few hours, more like a day or two before that happened. He doubted more and more as time went on that she would ever recover.

Cordelia had changed since leaving Sunnydale, since after high school.
Angel would be the first to admit that. She had gone from a spoiled little rich girl to someone who was slowly learning there was more to the world. Who was willing to help others. She was still concerned with money, but you did need it to live comfortably. Now though, the concern about money wasn't the only thing on her mind.

And whether she admitted it to herself or not, she had started to love
Doyle.


Cordelia was numb. She couldn't feel anything. Not the pain that should be racing through her body, the longing. The aching hurt. Just an empty
numbness in her chest where her heart should have been. It was gone now, left the instant Doyle had lept across to the other platform. Ever since he had kissed her, the action forcing her to realize how much she cared. That despite all the times she had told herself the Irishman was nothing more than a friend if that. Irritating at times, charming the next, but still a friend. That was it. Nothing more. What a lie. She had been able to tell herself that, but only for so long. And the trial period on that was long over.

Now she was just empty. The pain would come, too soon, an ache that would consume her. An ache nothing could ever end. Would she move on? Cordelia shook her head in response to something Angel had asked of her.


"Cordy? Do you know where we are?" Angel asked, receiving a shake of her head in response. Things were certainly not going well. Not at all. She was taking it harder than he had thought she would.

With a sigh, the vampire, feeling every bit his two odd hundred years,
helped Cordelia into his bed. He would take the couch, it wasn't like he was going to get any sleep though. Not tonight. Probably not ever in the near future.

"D'you remember what happened?" He asked softly, trying to gauge just how much in shock the brunette was. She didn't responde at first, just stared blankly at the wall opposite her, face emotionless. Then she responded in some form.

"Doyle.." Cordelia whimpered, finally coming out of the daze she had been in since being witness to his demise. Tears spilled from her hazel eyes  once more that night. He was gone for good. Never coming back and there  was nothing to be done about it.

"I know, Cordy. I know." Angel pulled his friend close, resting his chin atop her head. They were now curled up on his bed, the vampire leaning back against the wall, distraught woman clinging to him as though he were the only thing keeping her from drowning. He wished he could do more, hearing sob after sob wrench itself from her body.

But what could he do? He didn't have the ability to bring someone back from the dead, especially with no body. All he could do was make someone like he was..undead. Angel wasn't even able to do that much for his heroic friend. He hadn't been able to do a single thing to save Doyle. For all of his strength, the vampire was no more than a mortal man when it came to things like this. It didn't stop the feeling of loss that was growing with each second. He hadn't been able to keep his friend from sacrificing his life, despite his efforts. The demon had been so much more determined.

"I miss him soo much.."Cordelia sobbed against his chest. "I c-can't
believe he did that.."

"I know." Angel repeated, not knowing of anything else to say. What words could he say? Nothing to comfort her, really. Nothing could dull the pain they were both experiencing. What was the point in trying? All attempts would be fruitless. They would just have to deal with it. He wanted to help her, to take away the pain, but he couldn't. He wouldn't ever be able to. Only time may heal the wounds. Dull the pain.


*******

Kronos:"But you do have a choice."
Methos: "Oh, I'm all for choices."

-- Highlander, the Series, Comes a Horseman


Doyle turned from the mirror, not wanting to see anymore. "I can't stand thi'!" He shouted. " I don't wanna see Princess like tha'. I can't.."

"Then let me help you.." The words were cooed in his ear softly. "Let me lead you back.."

"Why shoul' I?" He countered, staring into the dark eyes of his tormentor.

"What had blondie done to help you?" The person asked, hands on slim hips.

"'E's workin' on it."

"Might be..but how long's that gonna take?"

"He's gettin' it done." Doyle said, more firmly this time.

"You don't want my help then? Don't think I can help you? Won't know until you try, my friend."

"I'm not your friend. I know tha'. An' I'm perfectly fine just waitin'."

"Exactly how long are you willing to wait? Iolaus was lucky..he got out
quickly. You could be stuck here for years and years. Maybe untill
Cordelia's old and gray..or dead. Why wait when I can help you now?"

"He's helpin' me jus' fine." Doyle repeated, no faith in his words this
time. He just got a look in response, one that proved the other person
believed the words even less than he himself did. With a sigh, he turned his gaze more firmly on her face. "What d'I gotta do?"

"Just listen to me.." Callisto smirked. It was so easy to find the right buttons to push on someone, make them do what you wanted. Half the time the people didn't even know they were being used untill it was too late.

Doyle sighed. He had a feeling deep inside this was a mistake. A terrible mistake. He had made a deal with someone he shouldn't have. There was nothing else for him to do though. He couldn't wait around forever to be free. He couldn't stand to see Cordelia have to handle that. It wasn't something he was strong enough to watch.

Dying had been the easy decision. It hadn't even been much of a decision at all. Him or Cordelia and everyone else. What other solution was there? Angel to die? No, that wouldn't have been able to happen. So he had done the only thing that he was able to.

Now he couldn't live with the aftermath, if this was even considered
living. He couldn't handle seeing those he loved in so much pain over what had happened to him. He couldn't handle wittnessing the tears streaming down their faces. Even Angel, who seemed to be so stoic at times, was crying over his death. He couldn't let this keep on happening. He just couldn't stand by and do nothing. Not now, not ever.

"I'll do wha'ev'r ya want." He vowed, blue eyes closed as he said the
words. It was a mistake, but at the same time the only solution.


~*~*~*~*~*~

Richie: "Man, I never thought one of the good guys'd loose."

-- Highlander: The Series, The Hunters


"If you need help then look no further."

Cordelia's face lit up at the sight of Doyle on the television screen. Her eyes were bright, tears threatening to fall once again. But she could see him...hear him. If only she could touch him. Tell him everything she hadn't been able to before, even the things she just realized. Like how much she couldn't live without him. That her life was now nothing, because he wasn't there. She smiled sadly, his thickly accented voice eating away at the hollowness inside her, bringing about a fresh round of pain.

"Angel Investigations is tha' best!"

It was the best, without a doubt. But only was he was there with them. When it was the three fighters against all wrong. Not just her and Angel. She couldn't handle being alone...without him.

"Our rats.."

She nearly laughed out loud at this. It was funny, but at the same time
heartbreaking. Or at least would be if she had a heart to break. Not
anymore was there one beating in her chest. His nervousness came through the screen easily. His body was moving constantly, Doyle just trying to get it right. All for her. To impress her. God! He tried so hard. She never even noticed it before, how much he wanted to impress her. How much he really, really cared about her.

"Rates.."

Cordelia flinched at her tone. She hadn't seen then what he was doing. How much he was trying. all she had seen was that he had gotten the word wrong. And, Cordelia remembered, she hadn't wanted to stand there another ten minutes with the camcorder if it was just going to be a waste of her time. Oh God, now she'd do it though. Now she would give anything to be back at that point in time. Anything and everything, no matter what.

"It says rats.."

She flinched again. He was so hurt by that one little correction. He just wanted to do things right for her and all she did was criticize him. That's all she ever did, no matter what Doyle said to her or how he tried to help her. All she ever thought of him was that he was..a loser. That assumption was so completely wrong. He had been incredible.

With a slight sigh, Doyle continued. "Rates are low but standards high.."

Tears started falling down her face now. Why hadn't she seen a bit of this before now? Why did it take his death to prove the truth of the situation? Now, now that there was absolutely no chance of anything ever happening between them. He was dead and she was in love with him.

She adored him more than life itself. Would do anything to see him.
Anything at all.

"You okay, Cordy?" Angel's voice broke in on her morose and nearly suicidal thoughts. Which was good? She had no idea what she might have done, had he not come in. Why was she even watching this video yet again? 'Cos it was the only tie she had to Doyle, her mind offered for her quickly.

She nodded in response. "Guess so." Not really. I'm never gonna be okay
anymore. Doyle's gone! Don't you realize any of that? How could I be fine with him dead?! Cordelia didn't voice any of these thoughts, it being too much of an effort. All she did do was glance at the dark vampire for the briefest of instants, then back at the TV screen.


"When the chips are down and you're at the end of your rope, ya need
someone tha' ya can count on."


They had found that person. Doyle had given up his life for her, and Angel and every other person on that ship. He hadn't even thought twice about it, just leapt across to the platform. After kissing her. Why had he felt that he needed to be the hero of the night? He shouldn't have died! It wasn't fair!! Why..why did someone need to give up their life last night? Why'd it have to happen that way?

Did whatever God was up there just not care in the least?

If not, then how in the world did that possibly happen. She and Doyle were finally gonna have..something..happen and he died. They didn't get to go out. She didn't get to tell him how she felt. All she got was a final kiss before he exploded. Imploded. Same difference. Either way he was gone.


"And that's what you'll find here. Someone who'll go all the way. That'll protect you, no matter what."


She sniffed, eyes still glued to the screen. If she concentrated hard
enough it was almost as though he were still around, despite the fact that she knew the truth. She just wanted to deny it so much. It was an easier solution than the truth. Anything was easier than the truth. She was ready to grasp onto the slightest of possibilities that would bring Doyle back. She just wanted to see his face one more time. Hear his voice. Have a conversation with him. None of that was allowed to her though.

For some reason she was seen unworthy of a second chance. She wasn't
allowed to see him any longer. Why? Cordelia needed him..needed know he was there for her if nothing else. All she really had in LA was the friendships with Angel and Doyle. Now it was just her and Angel. Nothing else she tried to do had panned out. The whole come to LA and be a world famous actress thing certainly had fall through instantly. But more than any of those things, she wanted Doyle back.

Doyle who had made the ultimate sacrifice to be there for them hadn't been deemed worthy of coming back. If there even was a way to bring him back. Seemed everyone else got brought back. Hell, Buffy had died how many times and she still was around. What about Doyle? What could be done for him.

What would she be willing to risk..?


"So don't lose hope."


It was too late for that. She had lost everything. Everything that mattered in her drab little existence at least. Cordelia would be better off dead now. At least that way she wouldn't have to deal with the pain.

Angel frowned at the words. It seemed to be too late for that when it came to Cordelia. The hope had died from her eyes. That and the spark of life there. The hazel depths were now just empty. He was worried about what she would do. Grief could make one sink unbelievably low. He knew that firsthand. And him dealing with grief had been, at some times, after living for many years more than Cordelia had.

He could only imagine what she was going through, this probably being one of the few deaths she had had to deal with. The vampire was thankful for this, but at the same time not. It wasn't though seeing several someones you cared about dying lessened the blow any, but it seemed that you would become slightly more able to deal with it, except for a handful who had especially touched you.

Cordelia happened to just lose someone she loved with all of her heart. Her grief, he could figure, was incredible. It wasn't hard to see it, she having seemed to age ten years overnight, at the least. And the grieving process had just began, barely at that. She was at her lowest point, and Angel just hoped he could help her stand again. For if he couldn't she would fall down so far that he would never be able to save her.


"Come on over t' our offices..And you'll see tha' there are still heroes in thi' world."

Not any longer there weren't. The only hero that mattered to her was gone. Had died right in front of her eyes and it hadn't gone away. Doyle was the greatest hero Cordelia had ever known. She loved him so much, but would never be able to say that to him. She could say it to a picture, or to the air around her. It wasn't the same. She wasn't able to see his face light up at her words. Wasn't able to be swept in his strong arms as he laughed. Wasn't able to ever see him or touch him or kiss him again.

He was gone.

Tears slipped from her eyes unnoticed. She couldn't hold back the flow any longer. There was just too much pain coursing through her body now. It hadn't been there last night, the belief of what had happened not set in yet. But now it had and there was no going back.


"Tha' it..am I done?"


She was sobbing openly into Angel's shoulder now. He was gone. It was
knowledge she had known the night before, but somehow still felt like an odd dream that she could shake off. It wasn't though. By keeping watching the tape over and over she had hoped that it would give Doyle time to walk into the office, a smile on his face and another attempt to ask her out on his lips. This time, she would have accepted without a second thought. That hadn't happened, though. He was dead and never coming back.

Doyle had been lost to her before either of them had even known how much she cared.


~*~*~*~*~*~

Zeke Stone: What the hell do you know about love?
The Devil: Love, the most delicious emotion of all. Without love you and I would be out of a job.

-- Brimstone, Lovers


Cordelia got to her feet, determination written on her face. She had been sitting there, moping around for long enough. Now it was time to actually do something. Doyle had told her that Angel was able to turn back time by going to the Oracles, whoever they were. Maybe she could talk to them about doing the same. She had to do something.

They had to listen.

If they didn’t, she had no idea what she would do then. She couldn’t even consider having to wake up tomorrow, another day without him there. It would be impossible to handle. She doubted she would even be able to get out of bed in the morning without him being there. She just couldn’t continue on without him.

And she wasn’t about to sit down and watch as life went on. She was going to do something about it, whatever she had to give up. Nothing really mattered anymore, other than Doyle. She didn’t care about being rich, or popular, or any of those things that had seemed to be so important only a few years ago. All she cared about now was getting him back.

Angel picked his head up from his lap, hearing footsteps coming down the stairs. Cordelia. She couldn’t see him like this, she needed someone to be strong, and he was the only one availible. So no matter what grief he was feeling, no matter how much he was torn up inside, he had to hide it. Had to hide it all from both the outside world as well as Cordelia.

"You okay, Cordy?" The vampire called out, slowly rising to his feet. He slipped his black t-shirt off, using it to wipe any remains of the tears from his face, waiting for an answer. Still hearing nothing, he attributed the noise to his grief. He hardly even knew what was really happening or just imagined anymore. It all seemed like such a blur, the only thing which standed out was Doyle’s death.

He had just slipped a dark blue silk shirt over his shoulders when Cordelia finally said something. He turned at the voice, staring at her a moment. Their friend’s death seemed to have hurt her more than he had imagined. Her red-rimmed eyes met his own briefly, centuries of pain seeming to be in her hazel depths.

"I can’t just sit here." Her voice was soft, the vampire struggling to hear the words spoken.

"What do you want to do then?" he asked gently, walking over to her. She didn’t move, even blink as he laid a hand on her shoulder. Just stared straight ahead, not even seeing him standing there. Doyle’s dying had been too much for her, and him as well. He just prentended to be the strong one. Truth was if Cordelia hadn’t been around, needing him, he would be a total mess. Angel doubted he would be able to get up and do everyday tasks. He would be lost, and that wouldn’t even describe his state of mind. It couldn’t possibly start to.

"I want to save him. To go talk to those..people you mentioned. The.." She frowned. "What were their names?"

"The Oracles. But--"

"Right!" Part of the old Cordelia Chase was back. She had a dangerous
glint in her eyes, like she was ready to take on the world. And, to bring the Irishman back, she would. "I want to tell them to send Doyle back. I mean, the helped you with the whole Buffy thing. They’ll help me. I know it." They have to. Oh God, they have to.

"Cordelia, you can't.." He tried to be the voice of reason. If The Powers didn’t want to really talk to him, how would they listen to Cordelia. She was just a mortal. She didn’t have much of a say in things, did she? But, the vampire reasoned, she needed this. She was desperate to find something to cling to in order to bring him back. Who was he to stop her? Who was he to say her means weren’t right?

Especially when he wanted the exact same thing.

"I don’t care! This is Doyle we’re talking about..our friend. Don’t you
dare tell me what I can or can’t do."

"It’s just.." Angel sighed, not knowing what to say anymore. Doyle’s death had been a great blow. He couldn’t say he was surprised at the great sacrifice his half demon friend had made. He couldn’t stop wishing it hadn’t happened though.

"The Powers That Be don’t let just anyone in. You have.."

"You have to be what? A vampire with a soul who’s fighting for good?!"
Cordelia asked, arms crossed.

"Something like that." Angel responded softly.

"Doyle was a fighter for good..and half demon..that’s close enough for me."

"C--"

"Let’s go. Now." Angel shook his head. They couldn’t just barge in on Them, could they? Cordy, however, was set on having her way in this matter. She didn’t wait for him to say a word, just walked out of the room a false confidence in her step. They were going to set things right. They were going to get back the one she loved.

"Either you’re coming with me or I’m attempting this on my own. And we both know that isn’t going to work. I’ve got no idea what to do. I’m willing to try, though. I’m willing to try anything." She vowed, meeting his eyes for the first time in days. Angel knew she wasn’t going to back down, not now not ever. She was determined to get their friend back and ready to do anything in order to do that.

"I’m coming." The least he could do was make sure she accomplished that
task.


----------------------------------------------------------------------