Angel fanfic by Missy Brougher. All characters are the property of 20th Century Fox, the
WB, Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy Productions, and fleets of lawyers out in California.

The Power Within

         by: Lissa


   Cordelia's hand pressed to her mouth, choking back a sob, as she and Angel finished
watching Doyle's commercial.
   Angel sat staring at the blank screen not knowing what to say.
   "He shouldn't have died." she whispered. "Life's not supposed to be like this."
   Angel leaned up and flicked off the tv. "He died heroically, Cordelia. He saved everyone's
lives."
   "So why couldn't we save his?" she asked quietly.
Her eyes welled with unshed tears.
   Angel pulled her into a hug. He held her small body to his, letting her cry. "There's
nothing we could have done." he said shakily.
   She pulled away from him frantically, wiping at her eyes. "The Oracles!" she cried. "I'll
go to the Oracles. They took the day back for you. I'll beg for Doyle back."
   "Cordelia..." Angel began. 
   She pulled on his arm. "C'mon. Where are they?!"
   Angel grabbed her arms and pulled her to the couch.
"Cordelia, stop. You can't go to the Oracles."
   Her eyes widened. "Why? Why can't I go? They can help me. Just like they helped you."
   Angel took her hands in his. "they wouldn't listen to me until they found out I was a
warrior. You're just a mortal...besides I saved Buffy's life with my own. I know you're
scared but this isn't the way to go about fixing things."
   Cordelia pulled away from him. "YOU'RE scared.
You're afraid that I'll succeed."
   "I'm afraid you'll get killed. They don't like visitors. You go there, they'll kill you."
   "I don't care!" she cried. "I have to try! Angel, please. I have to, please."
   Angel sighed in defeat. "I just don't want to see you hurt."
   She looked up at him sadly. "I'm already hurting."
   "I'll get you access but after that you're on your own." he said, caving in.
   "That's all I ask."

* * *

   Cordelia looked around the cavern Angel had led her to. "Underneath the post office?
Fitting. That's where you would send a message."
   Angel shook his head in disbelief. "that's what Doyle said."
   She half smiled trying to hide her fear. "See? We belong together...or at least we
deserve a chance to see if we do." She picked up her gift, a gold cup trimmed with rubies.
"It's now or never."
   Angel began an incantation and a portal opened.
   Cordelia stepped through it and came face to face with the Oracles.
   "A mortal." the female breathed. "How did you get here?"
   Cordelia stepped forward. "I have my ways...I am here to beg for the life of Allan
Francis Doyle. He was a messenger-"
   "A mortal begging for the pardon of a messenger's death. How absurd. Messengers and
mortals die every day. This is no concern of ours."
   They turned to leave but Cordelia stepped forward,
arm outstreatched. "Wait!"
   They slowly turned to look at her.
   She stumbled forward. "Without Doyle 'Angel Investigations' falls apart. Your warrior
may fall apart...I'll fall apart."
   The male glared at her. "You are not our concern.
As for Angel another messenger will come. They always do for they never live long."
   Cordelia's mouth fell open in shock. "What? These are human beings we're talking about.
They're not like animals or pets. One dies 'Oh, well let's get a new one'. We want Doyle.
Take back his death...please?"
   "It shall not be done." the male said. "Give us your gift and leave."
   The goblet was ripped from Cordelia's hands and floated to the female.
   "Nice." she said said dryly.
   Cordelia Chase was not one to be told no. "I want to speak to the powers. I know they'll
agree with me." she begged desperately.
   The female looked at Cordelia in disbelief. "No one speaks to the powers."
   Cordelia looked up at the sky. "I know you can hear me!" she cried. "Please! Please bring
him back. I need him."
   "Enough!" the male yelled.
   Cordelia fought tears. "I can't live without him." she whispered.
   The female flicked her wrist sending Cordelia back to her reality. "So shall it be." she
said. "Make sure she does not live. Send out the assassins."
   The male nodded. "So shall it be."
 
* * *

   Angel caught Cordelia as she fell out of the portal. "Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.
   She sunk to the ground. "No." she sobbed into her hands. "No."
   Angel dropped to his knees. "What happened? Did they do something to you?"
   Cordelia shook her head, tears running down her face. "They won't help. I tried to talk to
the powers but they kicked me out."
   Angel looked at her in amazement. "You're lucky to be alive."
   She laughed scornfully. "Am I? I'm a mortal working for a warrior. We don't live long
anyway but don't worry, a new one will replace me soon."
   Angel placed a hand on her knee. "They may think that but you know I don't."
   She nodded. "I'm sorry. I know you don't. I was just upset." She trembled. "He's really
gone. I'm never getting him back." She hugged her knees to her chest and sobbed into them.
"He's not coming back."

* * *

   Angel opened the office door for Cordelia. "I'm going downstairs for a moment. Will you
be okay?"
   She nodded. "I'll be fine." She sat down at her desk. She idly shuffled through some
bills. "We are so in debt." She looked at the picture at the corner of her desk. It was of
her and Doyle. Kate had taken it when she was 'sensitive cop'. She had said she wanted to
take their wedding picture. She refused to be quiet until they posed for it.Cordelia had
wrapped her arms around Doyle and smiled.
   Doyle had hugged her back elated but trying to hide it.
   Cordelia had so eagerly hugged him because of the comment Kate had made. Doyle liked
her. She could feel it in his hug that he did and she slowly began to fall for him.
   Shortly after he had saved her from that demon Kate had brought the picture and its
double to the office confused.
   Cordelia and Doyle had eagerly snatched one up.
They had both laughed acting like it didn't mean anything. They had both framed their copy
and left it on their desks claiming it was so they could get a good laugh remembering Angel
and Kate under the "whammy". 
   Cordelia had caught him looking at his wistfully.
She had to admit it made her feel good about herself.
Now they could never be. She burst into tears and slammed the picture face down on her
desk. The thought of never seeing him again pained her. She picked up the picture and
traced his features, a tear running
down her cheek. She sat the picture down carefully.   
  
    She looked up as someone walked into the office.
She quickly wiped her eyes. "Angel Investigations. Can I help you?" she asked professionally.
    He walked up to her desk menacingly.
   She looked up at his glowing eyes mesmerized.
   He slowly unbuttoned his coat, his eyes fixated on hers.
   Cordelia tried to look away, tried to move but she couldn't.
   He brought a sand substance from his coat. He uncorked it and his face transformed. He
became the most hideous thing she had ever seen. His face looked as if it werew melting.
His skin dripped like candle wax, bone showing through. He screamed inhumanly at her.
   She jumped up knocking her chair to the floor.
"Angel!" she screamed her voice hysterical. "Angel!!!"

   The demon flung the sand into the air. The air began to swirl like a tornado. The pictures
on the wall rattling then slammed to the floor. The window beside her shattered spraying
glass all over her.
   "You have messed with the powers!" the demon shrieked. "And now you must die!"
   Cordelia backed away from him. "Angel!" she screamed again.
   Angel bound up the stairs and into the office.
"Cordelia, what's-" He was cut off when a stake slammed through his back. His eyes
widened in shock.
"Cordy." he choked out then exploded into a pile of dust.
   A crazed demon stood behind him.
   "Nooo!!!!" Cordelia screamed. The wind swarmed around her. Visions began to appear.
Willow being burned at the stake. Giles' neck being snapped. Xander being vamped. Buffy's
throat being sliced. Cordelia stood frozen in fear. "No! No,no,no,no."
   The demon cackled evilly at her. "Look what you've done. This is all your fault for messing
with the
powers."
   Cordelia then saw Doyle's death recreated in slow motion. "Doyle." she sobbed not wanting
to watch him in pain.
   "You've caused all of this. You don't deserve to live."
   "Stop." she begged. "Please, stop."
   "The powers have sent us to kill you. We must complete our job."
   She sunk to her knees sobbing.
   "Cordelia! Don't listen to them!" cried a familiar voice.
   Her head shot up. "Doyle!"
   He rushed through the demons and wind to her side.
He grabbed her arms and stood her up. "Delia, listen to me."
   She grasped onto him weeping hysterically.
"Doyle...Doyle..." she said between tears.
   He turned her face up to look at him. "It's not real, Princess. None of it. Don't let them
win. If you believe they can kill you. Don't believe! Find the power within. Find your center."
   She tried sinking to the floor. "I can't."
   He refused to let her give up. He pulled her back to her feet. "Find it, Cordy. Find it in
me. Believe in me. I'm real. None of this is."
   "Are you sure?"
   He paused. He couldn't lie to her. "No. I'm not sure of anything. Anything but you. I
don't even know why I'm here. I was dead but here I am. We have a connection, Cordelia. I
had to protect you. Even in death. Believe in that."
   She looked up at him then threw herself into his arms. She hugged him, squeazing her
eyes shut. "I believe you, I believe." she whispered, her face buried into his shoulder.
   He held her closed to him trying to ignore the howling of the demons and the agonized
screams of her friends. He heard her whimper and her nails clutched his shoulder blades.
Her nails dug gently into his skin, her whole body quivering.
   He brought his lips to her ear. "It's okay, baby.
It'll be okay. they can't hurt you."
   They hugged each other as tightly as possible.
"They can't hurt us." she said back.
   The screaming stopped. The demons gasped. The wind picked up whipping her hair around
her face. 
   She buried her face into his shoulder. "they're not real."
   The demons began to howl. Their shrieks were deafening.
   The wind knocked the filing cabinet over. It crashed loudly to the ground. Its drawers
slid open.
All of Cordelia's files scattered around the room. The door to Angel's office groaned and
flew off its hinges.
   Cordelia squeazed her eyes shut clinging to Doyle.
"You can't hurt me!" she cried.
   The demons let out a last agonizing scream and exploded. The wind died down then
stopped.
   Cordelia pulled away gasping for breath. She looked at Doyle wide eyed. "I'm alive.
Oh,god. I'm alive and you're alive. And you're here. Oh,Doyle, you're here." she sobbed
unable to control herself.
   "Oh,Cordy." he said sadly running a finger across her jaw line. "I'm dead. I can't stay
with you."
   "No." she whispered. "You're here. You came back to me." she cried desperately.
   He cupped her face in his hands. "We had a connection. It was enough to get me back
here to save you. I can't stay. They're going to reclaim me."
   "They who?"
   He sighed. "I don't know. The keepers of the dead?
The powers? I don't know but I can feel it. I don't have long."
   "Oh,Doyle." she sobbed throwing herself into his arms. "We deserve a chance. How will
we know...?"
   "We won't." he replied. "We'll just have to believe, " his own grief evident in his voice.
   "I believe." she whispered.
   Doyle grabbed her and kissed her.
   She pressed close to him kissing him back.
   The kiss continued until he faded and disappeared.
   Cordelia opened her eyes and he was gone. She wrapped her arms around herself. He was
gone. Really gone. She looked at the mess around her. The office was in shambles. Her eyes
landed on her desk.
Everything had been smashed except for one thing. The picture of her and Doyle stood firm
like the center of the chaos. She turned hearing her name.
   "Cordelia!" Angel bound up the steps. "What happened? Are you alright?"
   She nodded slowly and let him pull her into a hug.
"I'm alright. I think I really am." She almost smiled.
"Things are going to be okay."

* * *

   Cordelia walked into the Oracles' realm. "Hello, again."
   They gasped. "You!"
   She smiled. "Yep...I just wanted to tell...well, have you tell the 'Powers That Be' that
the assassins didn't work but no hard feelings. I know what it's like to have a bad day.
Then have someone break the rules of, like, life." she said rolling her eyes for emphasis.
   The Oracles stared at her in shock. "You lived."
   She shrugged. "I guess...oh! And no grudge between us, kay?! I know it must be horrible.
Day in, day out of lowly servitude to higher powers for all eternity.
That could make a person a little grumbly."
   The Oracles were speechless. This girl survived and had come back. The female got her
voice first. "Is
that your gift?"
   Cordelia nodded. "Mmm, yeah." She handed the platter to the female. "Be careful.
They're still hot."
   The female's eyes widened. "Cookies?"
   Cordelia nodded. "Chocolate chip."
   The female looked at her in distaste. "The powers do not want cookies. Cookies hold no
value. These are worth nothing. Your gift is useless. Therefore the powers refuse it."
   A loud clap of thunder sounded and the ground shook.
   The female yelped. "Alright, okay. Maybe they'll try a few."
   Cordelia smiled. "Hope they like...oh, you don't have to show me the way out. I know it.
Ta-ta!" She fluttered her fingers farewell.

* * *

   Doyle stood before the Oracles nervously. "Yes?"
   The male glanced at the female then started. "Your friend visited us." 
   Doyle hung his head. "I know I shouldn't have interfered-"
   "Wait!" the female cried.
   The male continued. "She begged for your life and it shall be granted."
   "I'm sorry." Doyle stuttered. "It was wrong but...what?!"
   "She fended off the assassins. In case you haven't noticed you two have a connection. One
stronger than death. The Powers have taken a liking to this girl after she gave them a
heartfelt gift of...cookies." the male said with distaste.
   The female grudgingly continued. "The Powers want her to have a long, happy life serving
their cause and that involves you. You are to go back and keep her protected and happy. The
longer she lives the less we see of her which is a blessing to us. She had two choices.
Becoming a goddess or living a mortal life with you. The Powers say they know her heart. So
shall it be."
   "So shall it be." the male grumbled.
   Doyle grinned. "So I'm off the hook?"
   The female glared. "Leave us before we strike you dead."
   Doyle held his hands up. "Alright! Alright, simmer down. I'm goin'"
   "Keep her alive!" the female cried.
   "And away from us." the male added.
   Doyle rolled his eyes. "So shall it be."

* * *

   Cordelia stood in the middle of the office. She wore a tank top and sweats. Her hair was
pulled back in a ponytail and she held a furry featherduster in her hand. "This is no good.
This place is a mess."
She turned around and gasped seeing Doyle leaning against the door frame. "What are you
doing here?" she gasped.
   Doyle raised one eyebrow. "Not the 'Oh,Doyle. I love you' greetin' I was expectin'
but...I'm alive."
He waited for her to bound into his arms. When she didn't he pushed off the wall his whole
cool factor gone. "What? Did I do it wrong?" He patted his face.
"Is my father's side showing? What?"
   She sighed as if it were obvious. "You come back and expect a relationship. I was moving
on, getting my life back-"
   "It's been two days."
   She shrugged. "I don't even know why you're here."
   He took a step toward her. "It was the kiss.
Everytime we kiss somethin' happens... plus those cookies..."
   She smiled. "They liked the cookies?...that's besides the matter. I was okay. I was
cleaning and not crying then you burst in and... and... and..." She dropped the
featherduster and wrapped her arms around his neck kissing him roughly. He turned and
pressed her small body against the door frame.
   Cordelia pulled her lips away from his. "So what happened that time?"
   He moaned deep in his throat then opened his eyes to look into hers. "I didn't know it was
humanly possible but I just fell more in love with you."
   Cordelia brushed her lips to his. "Good thing you're not completely human."
   He looked at her shocked. "You think it's a GOOD thing?"
   She pulled him to her. "So very much."

                 ~ The End~