Work Text:
Title: Deck the Halls
Author: Wereleopard
Rating: PG
Summary: Cordy has a vision that this will be her last Christmas, what will she do.
Pairing: C/A
Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Angel and I am not making any money this is just for fun
Feedback: Yes please, I can beg
N/B I know this is short but I just wanted to get one in.
Cordy stared out of the window, watching the rain hit the glass and run down just like the tears on her cheeks, the throbbing in her head was starting to fade but the images were burnt into her memory. She couldn't believe that it was going to end within a year, this was going to be her last Christmas with her family, she had a vision, a vision that she would not reach Christmas next year.
Her heart ached with the loss of what was too come, anger burned through her at the thought of everything she had been through and yet they were still going to take more, to take it all. But there was a spark deep within her that held no regret, she lived her life how many people wish they could by helping others, by helping the vampire she had fallen in love with, something she would never tell him, couldn't tell him not now, not knowing what was going to happen. Cordy knew that she would stand by Angel's side until the day that she died but the seer never thought it would be so soon.
Taking a deep breath the brunette wiped away the tears and stood, if this was going to be her last one, then she was going to make sure that it was the best one ever. Cordy grabbed a pad and pencil and started to make notes it was only a few weeks to Christmas and she had a lot to do.
Wes, Gunn, Fred and Angel sat watching in confusion as Cordy carried in the last box.
"Uh Cordy what are you doing?" Angel asked he young seer.
"Well if you hadn't noticed it's Christmas Angel, and would you know it's Christmas here?" Cordy waved her hand around the bare lobby of the hotel. "No. So I am going to do something about it, ohh and by the way a Christmas tree will be arriving later." She said as she walked off humming to herself.
"Cordy can I help?" Fred's eyes lit up as she saw what Cordy was planning, she had been a little upset that the lobby had not been decorated, but she didn't feel right in mentioning it.
"Of course you can Fred, but first we have to put on the CD." Cordy said with a blinding smile.
Angel, Gunn and Wes looked nervously at each other.
"And what CD would that be?" Wes asked not sure if he really wanted to know.
Cordy turned and gave him the 'duh' look. "Well since I am putting up Christmas decorations I would say at a guess, Christmas carols."
"Well I have some books to pick up." Wes said as he escaped.
"I have to go and patrol." Angel muttered as he grabbed his black coat.
"What up Angel man you can't go patrolling on your own; I'll have your back." Gunn rushed after the vampire.
Cordy felt the tears inside but she forced them back, they didn't know that she was going to die and she wasn't going to tell them and at least she had Fred at her side with her.
Angel walked down the stairs and groaned Christmas carols were still being played and it had looked like that Cordy had brought every single decoration known to man and they were all in the lobby, he groaned and hoped somehow he could stop Cordy for killing them with all this Christmas cheer, ok maybe he was a little too late for to stop it as it was Christmas evening so it should all soon stop. As he walked into the lobby, if he had a heart it would have either stopped or burst with joy as he stared at his friends, no his family all laughing together, his gaze landed on the beautiful young woman who he had the honour of calling his best friend but he felt so much more for her but those were words he could never say, he couldn't let her know how he truly felt. A smile appeared on his face and love shone in his eyes and he saw her face glow with happiness and in that instant if he had to he would have all this Christmas cheer and more everyday just to keep that look there.
But before he could do anything a growl echoed in his ears and as he turned a group of vampires charged through the door Angel ran down the stairs and punched the first one in the face.
Cordy turned around at the sound the gang all got to their feet and headed towards the weapons cabinet, she grabbed a sword and a stake when she heard a scream turning Cordy saw a struggling Fred being carried away by one of the vamps without a second thought she took off up the stairs after them and once she managed to catch up with them Cordy dusted him and Fred fell to the floor with a bang. The brunette wrapped her arms around the petite Texan and rocked her gently trying to calm her down.
"Come on Fred let's get you to you room, they won't be able to get you in there." Cordy grinned at the red-eyed woman. "Just don't invite them in." She whispered and watched as a ghost of a smile appeared.
Cordy stood and waited until she heard the click of the lock from inside the room before she carefully made her way back down to the lobby. Her heart broke into a million pieces as she stared at the carnage that was once her Christmas, her last Christmas and just then some vampires ran out followed by Angel, Gunn and Wes, just as they passed Angel called out to her.
"We're going to finish them off and the nest if they get back to one." He yelled not waiting for her to answer.
Cordy let the tears fall this time as she ran up the stairs and out onto the balcony, she slid down the wall and wrapped her arms around her legs and wept all the pain and anger finally released she raised her head up and stared into the sky and screamed at the PTB at the unfairness of it all and then her head fell to her knees again.
The guys had been out for a few hours they were dirty and tired, all they wanted to do was collapse into a heap, they opened the door of The Hyperion and walked in and sadness overcame them as they saw Fred sitting on a clean bit of floor and picking up the broken Christmas ornaments gently, lovingly. Angel looked around and frowned Cordy was no where to be seen.
"Fred where's Cordy?" The vampire asked.
"I don't, I haven't seen her since she saved me, and I didn't want her to see this mess." Fred whispered.
"Well we saw her come back down the stairs, so she must have seen all this." Angel said softly.
"All her hard work." Wes whispered his heart breaking for someone he considered a friend.
Angel stopped and looked around and his hearing focused on a familiar beat, he sniffed the air and her perfume enveloped him. "She's still here." He mumbled as he walked forward in a daze, his every sense focused on one person.
The tears wouldn't stop, everything had gone wrong.
"Cordy." Angel asked his face full of worry. "What's wrong?" The vampire hated to see her like this.
"It's ruined, all gone." Cordy's muffled voice floated up to him.
"What's ruined?" Angel asked as he knelt beside her and gently laid a hand on her shoulder.
Her tear streaked face looked up at him and his soul ached for her, he wanted to destroy anything bad that went near her but he couldn't because most of it happened because of him and she saw things in her own mind that he couldn't imagine that he couldn't protect her from.
"Christmas." She whispered softly as she clambered to her feet and walked to the wall and stared out over the city.
"I'm sorry about that Cordy, all your hard work ruined. But don't worry we'll all help you next year." Angel walked slowly towards her taking his time not to spook her, he had never seen Cordy like this, well the only other time that was close was when Doyle had found her the haunted apartment and she was giving up, the vampire frowned what was she giving up on, that thought worried him.
"There won't be a next year Angel that is why I wanted this one to be perfect." Cordy leant forward and stared down to the ground.
Angel was now very worried and was immediately at her side; he took hold of her shoulders and moved her so she was looking at him. "What do you mean that there won't be a next year unless you are planning to leave me?" Angel tried to make a joke but the small smile faded as soon as he saw her look away from him. "Cordy why are you leaving me? Aren't you happy? Is it something I have done?" The questions flew from his mouth without him even thinking about them first.
"I don't want to leave you Angel, I don't have a choice." Cordy told him as her heart broke from seeing the sadness on his face, this Christmas was slowing getting worse.
"Then what?" Angel was going from sadness to anger, why wouldn't she tell him. "Don't you trust me? I thought we were best friends." The fear was getting to him he was saying things that he wouldn't normally.
Cordy's eyes whipped up to his flashing with anger. "I'm going to die." She screamed at him and the turned as she heard the gasps at the door and there was Fred, Gunn and Wes.
"How, I mean." Angel stuttered his mind going into shock.
"I had a vision a couple of weeks ago it said that this would be my last Christmas." The brunette said softly.
"So how do we stop it?" Gunn asked the question that they were all thinking about.
"You can't, I don't know how or when it is going to happen whether it is a natural death, a demon attack or being hit by a bus." She wiped away the tears. "This is my last Christmas. I just wanted it to be perfect."
Cordy couldn't stand to watch their faces, she felt as if she were being suffocated and needed to escape.
"Angel I'm exhausted can I lay in your room for a little while, and then I will come down and join you." She whispered her voice sounding more like a little girl.
"Of course Cordy." Angel whispered, the tears falling as he watched the light of his dark life walk away and one day in the next year when she walked away it would be the last time.
"She can't die?" Fred whispered her arms wrapped around herself.
"I don't think we have a choice, we don't know when or how it is going to happen." Wes said.
"Well we have to make her happy how about giving her the Christmas she wanted." Fred said suddenly.
Cordy stretched as she slowly came awake, turning she glanced at the clock she had been asleep for 3 hours. Slowly she stood and made her way down to the lobby her eyes overflowed with tears once again, but this time it was because of happiness down in the lobby was the Christmas she had always wanted carols were being played as her family placed food on a large table.
Angel turned and walked over to her and pulled Cordy into his arms and held her tightly.
"I love you." He whispered against her ear.
Cordy pulled back and stared into his face, seeing the truth in his eyes. "I love you too"
Angel leant forward and placed his mouth on hers, it was a soft sweet kiss, and it was a kiss that made your heart ache but also filled it so full of love that it could burst.
Gunn, Wes and Fred stood and watched the two of them kiss; this was how it was supposed to be.
Angel pulled back from her and went down on one knee.
"Cordelia Chase marry me, my darling beautiful friend." Angel pulled a box from his pocket and opened it and sitting there was a simple and elegant diamond ring.
"But Angel.." Cordy started to say.
"Cordy we have a lot to work through but we can do it together and we are not going to give up on keeping you alive but just in case we have to live life to the full." Angel told her as he stood.
"Your right so yes I will marry you." Suddenly she was in her vampire's arms once again and her friends joined the hug, this had been the best Christmas ever.
The End