Hope

Title: Hope (4/?)



Author: QueenC



Rating: NC-17



Pairings: Angel(us)/Cordelia; Dawn/Connor; Spike/Willow



Disclaimer: Do I *look* like Joss Whedon to you?



Distribution: Anyone I send it to. If anyone else wants it, just let me know!



Spoilers: Anything and everything.



Summary: AU. Cordelia returns to Sunnydale to face her past, bringing with her a surprise no one expects.



Authors Notes: Ok. This story is completely AU after Season Two. The premise to it is that Cordelia and Angelus had a relationship. Once he was re-cursed, she left town, never telling anyone where she was going. Hence, she is *not* in LA working with Angel. She never even graduated high school. Also, as in all my fics, Angelus is Spike's sire. I don't care what kinds of drugs Joss is on. Words in *'s are emphasized. Words in 's are thoughts. Words in ~'s are flashbacks.





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Spike growled softly as he finished shoving the last of his belongings into the trunk of his car. His eyes flashed yellow and a cruel smirk filled his face as his demon pulled up long-buried images of the Slayer's bloody and broken body lying at his feet. Cursing under his breath, he slammed the trunk closed, turning around to glance at the place that he had called home for the past few years. However, rather than evoking feelings of happiness and pleasure, the scenery was merely a sad reminder of all that he'd lost.



"I got my *soul* back for that chit!" he roared into the darkness. "But does she care? Of course not! All she can think about is what her precious Scoobies would think!" Breathing unnecessarily, the former Big Bad forced himself to calm down. Taking one last drag off his cigarette, he threw it to the ground then spun on his heel, stalking to the driver's door. As he wrenched it open, a small voice caught his attention.



"Spike?"



The blonde vampire sighed deeply, not even bothering to turn around. He knew who it was. Hell, he had committed her scent to memory. "Red," he responded evenly.



Willow stared at the rigid back of her one-time enemy, concern in her green eyes. "Y-You're leaving?" she asked softly, cursing herself for the emotion in her voice. It wasn't as if she really *cared* if he left or not. After all, this was *Spike*, not one of her closest friends. However, ever since her breakdown a few months earlier following Tara's death, the redhead hated seeing anyone that she knew go away.



Spike laughed hollowly, finally turning to look at her. "So what if I am?" he replied sharply. "Not like the lot of you are going to be missing me. ''Cept maybe when you need a good laugh or something to beat on."



The young woman bit her lip, refusing to allow the tears that clouded her vision to fall. Exhaling slowly, she preyed that her voice was steady when she spoke. "That's not true," she finally managed.



"Is that so? Name one person who's going to miss me, pet," he replied.



Shaking her head, she softly responded, "Dawn."



The souled vampire growled, resisting the urge to punch out his window. Sighing, he hung his head, knowing she was right.



He stared at the woman standing right in front of him, trying to decide his next course of action. Part of him wanted to ask her to tell Dawn good-bye for him. He certainly didn't want to wait around until the youngest Summers got back from her vacation. However, before he could get the words out, he noticed the bag setting at her feet. Raising his eyebrow, he smirked at her, crossing his arms over his chest.



"Going somewhere, luv?" he asked smugly, prepared to rub the exact same argument she had just used on him back in her pretty face.



Willow blushed, looking down at the small suitcase she had been carrying through Sunnydale. "Yeah," she whispered. Raising her head, she locked eyes with him, finding her backbone once more. "Not that it's any of your business, but I was on my way to the bus station," she said calmly.



Spike nodded, his instincts screaming at him to just leave it alone. However, he was never one to listen to the voice of reason. "Is that a fact? So, care to tell me where you're running off to, and why Little Bit's not going to miss you like she's supposedly going to miss me?" he questioned.



The redhead stared at him a moment, trying to decide if she should just tell him to mind his own damn business and continue on her way, or if maybe, out of all of the people in Sunnydale that she knew, he would actually be the one to understand.



"I'm going to LA, to see Angel. I..." she trailed off, tears filling her eyes. "I can't handle the guilt anymore. Being here, constantly reminded of what I did...I just have to go. A-And, Dawn's in LA right now. So, I just figured I'd see her once I got there."



The blonde blinked, all-too aware of what she was feeling. Although outwardly he wasn't much different than he had been before his soul, inwardly he was a guilt-ridden, terrified mess. He couldn't eat without seeing some nameless victims' face, frozen in terror. He couldn't sleep without reliving the horrors he'd done.



Shivering, he quickly lit a cigarette to hide his shaking hands. When he spoke, he forced himself to sound bored. "Yeah, well, seeing as how I'm going to be heading to LA myself to say bye to the Bit, care to bum a ride? ''Course, you're paying for half the gas."



Willow's eyes widened, a small smile passing across her lips. "Really? Wow! Thanks, Spike, I'd love a ride," she replied.



He nodded, pointedly ignoring the urge he felt to sigh in relief. Opening his door, he climbed into his car, starting the engine. After a few seconds, he noticed that the witch still hadn't moved. Rolling his eyes, he rolled down the window and stuck his head out. "You planning on coming, Red? I don't have all night, you know," he snapped.



"Huh? Oh, right!" Laughing nervously, the young woman picked up her bag and walked around to the passenger side, quickly getting in and buckling her seatbelt. "Ok! Let's go!" she exclaimed with false brightness.



Growling softly, Spike peeled away, whipping through the quiet streets. Glancing sideways at the redhead seated beside him he sighed, mentally berating himself.



******



Dawn sighed, glancing at her watch for the hundredth time in the past five minutes. She knew that she should never have agreed to meet her father for a movie and dinner. Hank Summers was *infamous* for standing people up. Especially when those people happened to be his children. However, when he had asked her this morning if she wanted to do some father/daughter bonding, she had hoped, just this once, that he had been serious.



Growing angry, she glanced behind her at the movie theatre. When she had arrived half an hour ago, the line had practically wrapped around the building. Now, though, it had dwindled to a mere handful of people.



"The stupid movie's probably sold out by now," she muttered, a scowl filling her face. "And I'm sure that the restaurants are all booked up, too." Finally, she sighed in frustration. Clutching the stake in her jacket pocket, she began walking down the street, looking for the nearest fast-food place.



"I''ll just get something to eat then call him...again," she said, briskly making her way down the sidewalk. As she went, she allowed her mind to wander. < I wonder if Connor tried to call tonight. Oh! I bet he did! And, I bet that my stupid dad answered the phone and told him that he had the wrong number. That *so* sounds like something he would do. It's not as if he remembers me half the time anyway. > Groaning, she forced her mind away from the painful thoughts of her father and back onto the intriguing young man that had been the center of her attention ever since she had met him.







Sighing, the teenager silently acknowledged that, no matter what she did, she was going to be feeling sorry for herself for the rest of the night.



The former Key was so busy cursing her father that she failed to notice the dark van as it followed patiently behind her. Moreover, when she decided to cut through the park, she didn't hear the doors to the vehicle open and close as six hooded figures began trailing her on foot.
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Angel turned his gaze from his child to his Seer. She was crossing the lobby of the hotel, her eyes locked on him. The vampire noticed that she was still wearing the outfit that she normally worked out in, and wondered idly why he hadn't heard her exit the basement. Glancing once more at his daughter, he knew *exactly* why he hadn't noticed. Suddenly, he realized what Ariana had said and stood up, turning to face her.



"What is it, Ana? What did you see?" he questioned. He saw Cordelia and Connor walk up beside him, concern etched on both of their faces. Cordelia kneeled down to her daughter's level, pulling her into a tight embrace. Connor merely took a stance next to them, uncertain what to do.



Ariana sighed, worry lines forming at the corners of her eyes. "I saw a young woman. About Connor's age. She was powerful. *Very* powerful. And so angry." Taking a deep breath, she continued, her gaze lowering to look at Hope, who was finally pulling away from Cordelia. "There was death and destruction. All of us, the people we care about," she looked back at Angel as she finished, "The entire world suffered her wrath."



Angel nodded, acceptance of what he was going to have to do written on his face. "Where is she? I need to find her and stop her before it's too late. Connor, go get," he stopped mid-sentence when he saw Ariana shake her head slightly. "What aren't you telling me?" he demanded, fear beginning to take hold. He'd never seen her so frightened before. It was a little unnerving.



The woman looked down at Hope, the two of them seeming to discuss what to say without speaking. Finally, the child nodded, picking up a piece of paper at her feet. She handed it Cordelia, a solemn look on her little face.



Cordelia peered at the drawing her child had made earlier and gasped, tears filling her eyes. "Baby, a-are you sure?" she whispered. Hope nodded and the former cheerleader shook her head, the tears spilling over. "No! I won't let it happen, honey. I promise. This time the vision will be wrong."



Angel growled, frustration filling him. "What in the *hell* is going on?" he demanded. He looked at his son, who merely shook his head, indicating that he was just as lost.



Slowly, Cordelia stood, looking the vampire in the eye. "Hope's had visions for as long as I can remember. But, since she's too young to really express what it is she sees I started having her draw them. This is what she saw, Angel. *This* is the girl that you're going to be up against." She handed him the paper, holding her breath as she waited for his reaction.



The former Scourge of Europe stared at the drawing, blinking in shock. It was a picture of a young woman, with long brown hair and an evil look that gave *him* chills. Surrounding her were piles of bodies, as well as fire and debris. And, at the very bottom, written in childish scrawl, was one word.



Me.



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