Cordelia smiled as Groo took her hand.  He always seemed to have an air of reverence around her that both flattered and unsettled.  Cordelia watched him as he chattered on about something.  She nodded and made affirming sounds, but she wasn’t really listening.  The Hyperion loomed a couple of blocks away.  It felt wonderful to know she would be seeing her best friends in a few minutes after a few weeks’ separation.
    She hadn’t called to tell them she was coming.  She hadn’t called them very much at all during the entire vacation.  It just hadn’t felt right.  Besides, she wanted to surprise them.  Besides, it probably would’ve been more than a little awkward telling them that Groo was coming, too.  They didn’t seem to like Groo very much.  Cordelia never allowed herself to wonder why.
    As the great doors of the hotel came closer with every step, Cordy was swept up in a wave of excitement.  She couldn’t wait to hold Connor.  She wanted to giggle and grin while she told Fred all about these past weeks with Groo.  She wanted to joke and goof off with Gunn.  She wanted to help Wesley research whatever demony thing was exciting him currently.  Most of all, she just wanted to see Angel.
    Groo cheerfully opened the door for her, and her face was starting to ache from smiling so profusely.  Cordelia was about to burst from happiness at seeing the hotel lobby again that she almost laughed out loud, but something put a slight damper on her elation.  The lobby was empty and silent.  There were a few weapons lying around.  Her smile faded.
    "Hello?" she called out hopefully.  "I’m back!  Anyone care?"
    She did a quick sweep of the offices and the courtyard.  No one was in sight.  She jogged up the stairs, Groo hot on her heels, and knocked on Angel’s door.  No answer.  She peeked inside, and found nothing but an empty room and an even emptier bassinet.  Bewildered, she returned to the lobby.
    "Perhaps they are all out helping someone," offered Groo, simple smile lighting up his face.
    "Maybe," she murmured, frowning slightly.  "Oh well.  They have to be back sometime.  You don’t mind waiting, do you, Groo?"
    "I would wait for an eternity with you, Princess," he replied, grinning with absolute sincerity.
    Cordelia smiled and exhaled with a quick "heh."  She pulled Groo over behind the counter and they sat down behind her desk to wait.  Her eyes were glued to the doors, but she had no trouble sensing that Groo was staring at her.
    "Cordelia," he said, concerned.  "Are you distressed?  Are you not happy to be back?"
    "Oh, Groo, of course I’m happy to be back," she said in a voice that seemed too loud and too enthusiastic.  "I’m just confused.  Last time I checked, everyone had practically moved here, and it’s just weird that they would all be out vanquishing demons at ten o’clock in the morning.  And where’s Connor?  Someone must have taken him for a walk or something.  Kid’s got a killer smile, but I doubt he’d be much help against some of the awful things we fight sometimes.  It’s not right, Groo.  To tell you the truth, I’m a little worried."
    Groo only smiled and put an arm around her, trying to be reassuring.  She was thinking of asking him to maybe give her a little more room when the Hyperion front door opened.  She rushed into the lobby to meet whoever it was.
    "Gunn, Fred!" she said, practically squealing with happiness.  "Where’s everyone been?  Where’s Angel?"
    Fred smiled thinly and muttered something about being happy to see her.  Gunn hugged her and said roughly the same thing.  They looked tired, and there was something frightening in the way Fred trembled when she embraced Cordelia.  Groo furrowed his brows, and Cordy looked back and forth between Gunn and Fred with narrowed eyes.
    "Something’s wrong.  Where’s Angel?" she asked, and panic was beginning to creep up on her.  Suddenly, a thought came to her that chilled her to the bone.  "Where is Connor?"
    She caught Fred’s gaze and noticed the tears welling up in her wide eyes.  Fred stole a troubled glance at Gunn, begging him to be the one to say it.  Gunn steadied her with a soft hand on her shoulder, and he turned to Cordelia, swallowing hard.
    "Connor is gone.  Holtz escaped with him to some other dimension.  Wesley…" Here, Gunn paused.  "Wesley made a mistake with Connor, and now he’s in the hospital.  Justine cut his throat.  Angel…Angel is probably in the basement.  That’s where he’s been since—since he saw Wes in the hospital.  And we’ve got Wolfram & Hart breathing down our necks."
    "Oh my God." Cordelia covered her gaping mouth with a shaking, clammy hand.  "Is Wesley…?"
    "He’ll live," Gunn replied, anticipating her question.
    "Oh God, Connor…" she whispered after a few moments.  "Angel."
    As her knees threatened to give way, she made for the basement.  For once, Groo did not follow.
    Cordelia fumbled for the door handle, blinded by tears.  The basement beyond it was dark, and she could barely see the stairs in front of her.
    "Angel?" she called into the void with a broken voice.
    He didn’t answer, but she knew he was there.  As her eyes adjusted to the blackness, she made out the cowering form of Angel.  Wordlessly, she moved closer to him.  Timidly, she knelt in front of him, and her heart shattered to see him so crushed.  His knees were drawn up to his chin, and his face was completely hidden in his arms.
    "Angel," she whispered, almost inaudibly.  She opened her mouth, desperately wanting to say more, to say something, anything to make it better for him, but she could do nothing but cry.
    Angel stirred from his position just enough that his eyes met hers.  His eyes were heavy with so much unspoken emotion that it put Cordelia into near-hysterics.  Without a single thought, she wrapped her warm, trembling arms around him and held him tightly, fiercely.  Cordy whispered words into his neck that he couldn’t make out, but it didn’t matter.  She was there with him, holding him, and that’s all Angel really needed.