Title: Delicate Life
Author: angelncordyluv4ever
Posted: 12-14-2002
Rating: PG-13
Email:
Content:
Summary: Cordelia wakes up in a strange bed.
Spoilers:
Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt (except for Leah). No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
Distribution:
Notes: n my story, Angel can have sex, but can still turn into Angelus. This is in the 4th season, but right after Angel returns from the deep blue sea, and Cordy was there when he got out(never became higher being). But Angel and Cordy never got to met at Point Dume because Cordy was late? Don't know why they didn't meet just seems a better plot for the story.
Feedback: Please!
Part 1
Cordelia woke up with her blanket over her head. She pulled them over her head and groggily got out of the bed. She rubbed her eyes and then felt around the ground with her slippers.
She was freezing! Since when had it become so cold, she wondered.
Finally, her senses were back. Cordelia realized she was not in her own room but............
Then another head popped out from underneath the covers. "Hey Cordy, last night was great."
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Cordy screamed.
"What are we doing here!" she screamed.
"Shush, or Fred, Gunn, and Conner will hear you." The vamp said, getting up because of a need to be near Cordelia's warm body.
Cordelia just then, when Angel got up realized she was naked. Her hands and arms fly to her private parts in hopes of blocking them from view.
"Oh...." Angel said, saddened and looking towards the ground," ....you think last night was a mistake."
"Angel, I can't even remember last night," Cordelia said back, visibly uncomfortable.
"Don't play that game, Cordelia. I know you remember, but you're uncomfortable with the whole situation. I'll try to forget it, but I don't think I can. I want you to know one thing though, Cordy. Last night wasn't all about the nookie.......I love you."
"Okay, this is a little bit to much right now." She pulls on some clothes and goes to the door, but hesitates.
"I need time. To think about this. It's just......such a big step and I don't want to lose you as a friend."
Angel puts on a pair of his boxers. He approaches her. "I'm a vampire, I've got eternities to wait.
"Well...I gotta go."
But just as she is about to leave, she rushes to Angel's bathroom and pukes all over the usually clean bathroom.
Part 2
"Are you okay?" Angel asked Cordelia, concerned.
"Yeah, um, just not feeling well," she replied, weakly.
"All of a sudden you look really pale and weak. Why don't you go lay down and I'll bring you up some medicine and coffee," Angel instrusted her.
"Ok. Angel, by the way, could you maybe have Lorne or Fred do it. This is a little uncomfortable for me," she says, trying to let him down easily.
"Oh.....yeah......um.......sure. If that's what you want," Angel says, hurt.
"Ok, I'll go lay down on the couch."
"No, stay in here and rest til' you feel better."
"I can't do that! Steal your room!"
"I insist."
"Well if you insist."
"I do."
She goes over to the bed and climbs underneath the warm covers.
Angel goes over and tucks her in then gives her a kiss on the head.
"Uncomfortable, much?"
"Oh sorry. Feel better, okay?"
"Yeah."
Angel walks out the door with his head hanging in sadness of Cordy telling him to leave.
"Angel.....wait," Cordelia says after him.
"Huh?" he says turning back around and waking into the room.
"Could you make me some pancakes?"
"Sure. What do you want on them? Blueberry Syrup?" he asked. She had always blueberry syrup on her pancakes. She was, like, addicted.
"Eeeeww! Hell no! Ketchup and mustard, duh!" Cordelia says, as if it is 100 percent obvious.
"Ok." Angel says walking down the stairs rolling his eyes. Cordelia was acting weird. Throwing up. Ketchup. Mustard. Pancakes. Something was definately up.
Part 3
About a week later, Angel had still not found out what was wrong with Cordelia. She had constant mood swings and taste changes. One minute she wanted relish on her hot dog the next she wanted pb&j. She ate everything in sight and threw it up in the mornings.
Everyone seemed to know something he didnt. He did not like it one
bit.
The business had been unusually slow all week. That morning they got a call.
"Angel Investigations. We help the helpless. How may we help you?" Lorne said into the phone.
"Hello, I'm Mrs. Jenkins and there has been something making weird sounds in my attic. Can you take care of it?" asked the voice on the other line.
"Yes, mam," Lorne said. He wrote down the address to her house andhanded it to Angel who was in the living room with Fred and Gunn. Cordy was up taking a nap, but had just woken up and came down the stairs.
"Oh, we'll take care of it, won't we Gunn?" Fred said, grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the lobby and to Gunn's pick-up truck.
"I have to go take care of something at Caritas," Lorne said leaving the two alone.
"So, Cordy how do you feel?" Angel asked.
"Nauseas. Angel, I have something important to tell you," Cordy said.
"What? Is it the thing that's been kept from me all week?" he asked.
"Yeah....that thing....."
There is silence in the room for quite a while.
"Well," Angel says, breaking the silence.
"I think......um.......that I'm........uh........pregnent," she finally got out.
"Um....wow.....whose is it?" he said, looking at his hands.
"Well, that's not the question right now. The question is am I pregnent or not," she says flatly.
"Well it's dark now. Lets go get one of those test things from the store, okay?" he asks.
"Ok," she says, tears streaming down her face. "I'm to young to deal with this right now. I'm only 21. Why is this happening to me? I'm not ready to be in charge of someone else's life."
"You don't even know if your......you know.....or not. Dont count your chickens until their axed."
"That's just a cliche. We should go to the store."
They get up grab their jackets and leave to the drug store down the road.
They go into the aisle that holds the pregnancy tests.
"This one turns blue if it's positive and red if it's negative," he says, holding up one.
"This one shows a smiley face if its positive and a frowny face if its negative," he said holding up another.
"And this one shows a heart if its positive and an X if its negative. Choices, choices. Which one do you want?" He asked, turning to her, he could smell her fear.
"Just grab them all we need all the opinions we can get," she replied.
He grabs several of the test and takes them to the counter.
While the cashier rings them up, something hits Angel. "We?" he asked turning towards Cordy.
"Not just me and you. Fred, Gunn, Lorne, you, me, and Wes and Conner."
"Wes? After he took Conner away?" Angel asked, somewhat angry that she had even mentioned him.
"Wes is my friend whether he's yours or not. He thought what he did was the best for your protection," Cordy says. Just because nobody else like Wesley didn't make her trust him or hate him any. Wes was her friend and that was all that mattered.
"And you actually believe that?" Angel asked her, now more angry than he had been.
"Come on, Wes saved you when you were in the ocean that your son pushed you into. No what? Let's not get into this right now. I don't feel like it right now. Especially not right in the middle ofg a store."
Angel grabs their purchase and they head back to the Hyperion.
* * *
Lorne was sitting around the bar. Business had been slow around Caritas.
His mind wandered to Cordy. Was she going to tell Angel? Probably. He hoped. But then, it was most likely just a false attack.
He hoped. Not that having the baby wouldn't be great/ He had loved taking care of Conner. But Cordy was scared and kept telling him how she wasn't ready. He had assured her she would be a great mom. And she had told him she hoped he was right.
He hoped he was right,too.
* * *
Gunn and Fred were battling the vampire that had been in Mrs. Jenkin's attic.
The vamp lunged at Fred. She gave him a kick in the stomach. Gunn turned him around and gave him a punch in the stomach. The vamp, with renewed strength, kicked Gunn who fell to the ground and then the vamp went to Fred. He knocked her down in a heap and then leaned down to suck her blood.
Gunn got up and pulled the vamp of Fred and staked him in the heart. The vampire turns to dust.
"That was close, baby, I almost lost you," Gunn says hugging Fred. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I guess," she says, getting up.
They walk down the stairs and tell Mrs. Jenkins that everything was taken care of and leave the house.
"So, do you think we should go to the hotel or do you think we should go out and chill, homie," Fred asked Gunn.
"Fred, what have I told you about using the words, 'chill' and 'homie'?"
"Not to use them because they don't fit me. Yeah, yeah I understand. Let's go out somewhere and give Cordy and Angel the Hyperion."
"Whatever," Gunn said, walking to the truck with his arm around Fred.
* * *
Wesley was in his apartment. Lilah had just left. He had told her Angel, Cordy, and the others meant nothing to him. That was a lie. He missed Cordy and jer smartass remarks. Fre and her sweet innocence. Lorne and his bar. Angel and his place in the investigation and his friends. He even missed Gunn and his love-stealing self.
Sad, he thought. All my friends hate me and I'm sitting here missing them.
He had started a life without them. He didn't like this life. It was lonely. Like when he was a watcher. Spending lonely nights in the dark alleys. Now he was fighting demons alone.
He had Lilah, but it wasn't the same knowing that his best friends, Cordy and Angel hated him so much. Truly, he was trying to help Angel when he took Conner away. He had done it for Angel's own good. And then saved Angel from the depths of the sea. And still he was not accepted back. He knew that it was Gunn and Angel keeping him away.
He knew Cordy and Fred wanted him to be back on the team and he wasn't sure about Lorne. He just stood in the shadows and wished them the best.
It was all he could do for right now.
* * *
When Cordy and Angel got back to the Hyperion, Cordy took one of the smiley face pregnancy tests into the bathroom.
She followed the procedure and then took the test out to wait with Angel for the results.
"Angel, it's smiling," Cordelia said, as tears steamed down her face.
Part 4
Cordelia had cried herself to sleep in Angel's arms. He had laid watching her for hours, but that wasn't long enough he could have stayed there next to her warm body forever.
She looked so peaceful, and sweet, and she might be holding 'his' baby. And to top it of he loved her more then anything he had ever known. When had he gone from mourning Buffy to loving Cordy so much? It was so hard to pinpoint an actual time. It must have been the more he knew about her the more he liked her. There wasn't one thing about her that he didn't like.
Cordelia stirred and Angel begged that she wouldn't wake for fear of losing the warm body from his arms.
"Angel?" Cordelia moaned, groggily, looking into his eyes.
"Yeah?" he replied back in a soft tone.
"Was that a dream?" she asks hopefully.
"I'm afraid not, sweetie," Angel says, lifting one of his hands to her cheek.
"I'm scared," she says.
"I know. But I'm here for for you. I love you."
He leans into kiss her, but she sits up before their lips touch.
"So I have go to the grocery store. Need anything?" she asked him, trying to make casual talk.
"Nope," Angel replied. "I'll walk you out."
"You don't have to I can get out just fine on my own, thank you."
But he proceeds to follow her to the door. When they get there, Angel puts his arms around Cordelia and pulls her towards his lips.
When his lips meet hers, she hesitates but then she kisses him back. The kiss gets passioniate, but the Cordelia pulls away.
"I should go," she says, planting a quick good-bye kiss on his lips.
Then she leaves.
* * *
When Cordy gets to the store, Cordy goes straight to the chocolate and candy aisle.
She throws in Reeses, Butterfingers, Twizzlers, Rolos, 100 Grand, and one of it seemed every candy that existed.
Then she goes to the cereal aisle and throws in a few boxes. Then she turns the corner to go get milk and bumps into someone.
"Oh my God! I'm so sorry!" Cordelia said, noticing the familliar face.
"It's alright, Cordelia, how have you been?" asked the British voice.
"Wesley!" she immediately runs and hugs him as soon as it all sinks in. "Where have you been? How are you? It's so good to see you!"
"Well not much. So how is the always beautiful Miss Chase?" Wes asked her.
"If you didn't have that beautiful Brit accent, you couldn't pull off charm no matter how hard to tried," she replied back to him.
"Well than I'm just so damned lucky, aren't I?" he said. "Would you be willing to escort me to lunch?"
"I'd love to. It'll give us time to plot how to get you back."
"Sounds splendid to me."
"Okay than. Pip pip cheerio, let's go," Cordy says mimicking his British voice.
"I've never said that before!"
"Okay if you say so," Cordy says teasingly and walks to the checkout counter.
* * *
At lunch, Cordy and Wesley talk about everything. "I can talk Angel into letting you back into the group."
"Thanks, Cor, but I am just fine on my own, mind you."
"I know. But your lonely. I can tell. I'm your friend. I know you. Are you sure your ok?
"I miss you and Fred like hell. But otherwise I'm fine."
"I miss you too. And I want you to come back. Will you at least consider coming back?"
"Have I ever been one to turn down a beautiful girl?"
"No. But a lot of beautiful girls have turned you down," she says laughing.
"Ha ha. Your so cute. Now tell me all about you."
"Major things. I'm pregnant and its Angel's and its a girl."
"Wow. Angel's? How far along are you?
"About six weeks."
"Thenhow do you know the gender?"
"I had a vision. Angel and I were holding the baby and it was wearing pink and it was a girl. And Gunn and Fred were there. They were fawning over something on her finger.And you were there. With a pretty girl with brownish blackish hair. Really pretty and familiar. But I can't really place the name. You guys seemed to be pretty wrapped up in each other. And it wasn't Lilah. We were all so........happy. But now that I think about it........Lorne wasn't there and neither was Conner. I just realized that and know I wonder....... I mean it might not even be anything real, but it seemed like it......... I don't know."
"Well, I hope I find someone. Being with Lilah is just meaningless passion."
"Ok Wes. Don't want to hear it!"
"Sorry, well maybe I should get back to the apartment," Wes said.
"Ok. We'll be in touch," Cordy yelled after him.
"Alright, bye."
He walks away and she sits there wondering about the dream.
Part 5
Hyperion- The next day
"Hey, Wes, how are you?" Cordelia said talking into the phone in her office.
"Good I'm fine, too. I think I figured out the perfect plan. Yeah, love you too. Buh bye."
Angel steps out from the shadows. "So who were you taling to?" Angel questions her. "It was him wasn't it? Why in the hell are you calling him after what he did to us?
"What is this twenty question?" Cordy asked sarcastically.
"You love him? That just makes me sick! Barf!" Angel said.
"Yes, I love him and I love you too. And Fred and Gunn and Lorne. You TWO have been my best friends since I can remember. I love all of you. You should forgive him. He thought it was for the best what with all the Oedipus prophecies he read about you and Conner."
"I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive him no matter what his intentions."
"Ok, listen buddy! You've been in this brood mode ever since you got up from the deep blue sea. Listen good. I don'tknow how to explain this. Um......I'll use and example. Think of filing cabinet."
"What in the lord's name does a filing cabinet have to do with this?" Angel asked enraged.
"Did I says you could talk?"
"N-"
"Www.shut-ur-mouth.com! Did I say you could talk?! No. Therefore zip the hole and keep it zipped. Ok your life is like a filing cabinet."
She points to one. "And there are four drawers."
She says pointing to each one. "And eack one is labeled. One is labeled moody-broody Angel, another is fun Angel, the next is labeled evil Angel and then we have Angel miscellaneous. The drawer you have been in lately falls into the moody-broody drawer."
"In the drawer, there are files," she says, opening the top drawer and pulling out a folder.
"There are several different files in each drawer. See this is what yours are labeled. Friends, lovers, lusters, enemies, allies, clients and innocents. Since they are in the moodd-brood file that means these are all the people and other things that you pull into your little broody nutshell. Once your in it's really hard to get out."
"There are papers in each folder. Let's stick to the friends file. Okay well here's all of us. Me, Gunn, Lorne and Fred. You pulled us in. Wes broke out of the shell, but scarily wants back in. I can't leave because I love you so much. Don't you understand? I need somebody who is out of the shell and I understand that you won't like that. I need to break out of the shell, Angel. I'm not sure how much longer I can live in it. Sometimes I just want to party in the shell and if I want to party with Wes, I damn well will. and there's nothing ANYONE can do to stop me. And if you try to then I'll stay out of the shell................for good! And that's all I have to say!" Cordy yelled, suddenly going from a soft tone to a very loud tone.
She stormed out of the room royally pissed.
Angel was completely lost. He didn't understand where the analogy about the filing cabinet ended and the nut began. But he had understood the final part.
He sat there. Contemplating. He didn't want Cordy near Wesley, but it was the only was to keep her......
* * *
Cordelia walks into her apartment, fuming. She is red in the face from being so mad.
Phantom Dennis flew over with a glass of water and threw it on her. Then wrote the message,'Chill out!'
"Sorry Dennis. It's just that Angel hates Wesley. But I want him to come back. And Angel and I just got into a big fight. That I started."
'Maybe you shouldn't ask for him to be best friends with Wes in ten seconds. Get his side. Ask him to consider it. He seems to respect yor judge of character in people and will probably start to trust Wes if you just give him some time. He trusts you and will most likely trust someone if he thinks that you trust chances are he will trust them too.' Dennis scribbled down.
"Did you really need to throw water on me though?" she asked.
'You needed to cool down. I'll draw you a bath and then cook dinner.' he wrote.
"You're the best ghost a girl could have."
'I know.' Dennis wrote.
Then he flew to go draw her bath.
* * *
After she had bathed, gotten dressed for bed, and eaten supper, Cordelia was about to go to bed. There was a knock on the door.
Angel is standing there.
"I can't afford to lose you. Wesley can come. I can trust him if you can. He's back in my good graces as long as I'm back in yours." He says looking into her eyes.
"Always. Do you want to spend the night?"
"Um.....yeah."
They went to Cordy's room and climbed into the bed. They fell asleep cuddled next to each other. Beautiful and peaceful.
Part 6
Hyperion- Seven months later
Cordelia had just woken up. She felt queasy.
Angel was laying down next to her, watching her. She blushed. She always blushed when he watched her. It was what made the relationship last for Cordelia. That he took pleasure in watching her sleep and that she was never bored with him.
She kissed him a good morning. "Hey, Angel."
"How are you?" he asked softly.
"Two words. Morning sickness. Excuse me while I go bid the bathroom good morning," she said sarcastically and then went to the bathroom to throw up.
He gets up and pulls on a pair of boxers. He opens the door to the bathroom when he hears the toilet flush. "Come back to bed," he ordered.
"You know I want to, but we have to go help downstairs."
"No we don't," Angel whimpered. "Please just 10 more minutes."
"Fine you crybaby. Hop in," she replied.
Angel did as he was instructed. And she climbed in after him.
They laid there in each others arms for about ten minutes and then Cordelia felt a soft kicking in her stomach.
Angel was close to her smelling her shoulder-length brunette hair (which she had grown out. Thats for you all you long-haired Cordy fans! Lol.)
"Angel," she whispered. "The baby. It's kicking."
Within seconds his head is on her tummy feeling the baby kick. "I was hoping the baby would have a bit more powert than that," he said, disappointed.
* * *
Inside Cordy's stomach-Same time
'That's harsh! Of course I can kick harder than that Daddy! Want to see? I'll show you! You'll be so proud of me!' thought the baby.
The baby slows down for a second to catch her breath.
Then she starts kicking as hard her half-demonic powers would allow.
* * *
Hyperion- Same time
The baby had stopped kicking. "Probably got tired," was Angel's explanation.
But then it was back to kicking, except ten times harder.
Cordelia started to cry, as she was hurting so bad. The kicking was incessant.
"What?!" Angel asked, concerned.
"The----baby----is----kicking----real-----hard. Call-----the-----hospital-- OOWW!---------hurry." She said struggling to talk.
"CALL AN AMBULANCE! IT'S CORDY!" Angel yelled to anyone who was listening and hopicking up a very much hurting Cordelia to wait for the ambulance.
"I just called. It's on the way,"Fred informed them.
"I'll go with her. In the ambulance," Angel said setting Cordy on the couch to wait for the ambulance.
"No---Wes----come----Angel. Baby's-----protector----just-----------trust-----------me," Cordelia said losing more and more breath.
"Oh......Wes....ok." Angel says lookning down sadly at his hands.
"Where's-----Wes-----I-------------------need-------------him."
"I'm right here, Cordelia. I will escort you to the hospital."
The EMT's rush in and take Cordelia into the ambulance and drive off to the hospital closely followed by a Plymouth GTX and a pickup truck.
* * *
Hospital-Several hours later
The operation had been a success for Miss Chase, but the baby was in the ICU.
The baby had been taken out. Cordelia was weak, but would live. The baby was waht the doctors worried about. She seemed very weak and extremely exhausted. Like she had been given a great work out at one of those high tech gyms.
Angel went to the ICU to check on the baby. It had been born tiny. No more than three pounds. The little baby was in one of those oxygen things and looked helpless, well because she was. He wanted to see Cordy so much, but he didn't want to leave the baby or share the bad news with Cordy.
The baby was sick. It was obvious. She was born premature. About two months two early. It was all skin and bones, but all the same it was the most beautiful thing he had yet to have seen.
Angel finally got up the nerve to tell Cordelia what had happened and headed down to her room.
* * *
Wesley was standing watching the baby. Why had Cordelia wanted him to go rather than Angel? It had hurt Angel, no doubt, but it was Cordelia had wanted and he wasn't about to argue with a pregnant women in pain.
He knew something about the baby they didn't. He had been sworn to secrcy about it though and if he let it slip, 'they' would send him on a one way ticket to the land down underand that didn't mean Australia.
He was trying to avoid them. He knew this was probably a bad place to avoid them, but he needed to watch over the baby, if no one else was up to the job. Not that the baby needed protection........................
Part 7
Hospital-Cordys Room
Angel sat in Cordelia's room not wanting to wake her, so he just sat. What had Cordelia meant about Wesley being the baby's protecter. He knew what one was. It was basically a person who guards a young children from evils. But why has Wesley HIS baby's? Ok. He admitted it. He didn't forgive Wesley 'entirely', but he trusted Wes enough, but still Wes didn't have the powers fit to to protect 'his' baby. Did he?
Cordelia stirred in the bed, but then quieted down.
"Angel," she moaned, sleep talking. "Don't hurt the baby! Wesley, run! I'll hold him off, just take my baby to safety! Run!"
She tossed and turned in the small bed in his sleep.
Angel is quite surprised at her dream. What is she dreaming of? he wondered.
Cordelia's dream~
"No! Angelus dont take Leah, please take me!"
"Oh. How sweet! Your trying to save the baby's life. I almost have sympathy for you. Keyword: Almost."
Angelus runs at Wesley, who is holding the sacred child close to himself.
"You know if you do this the all the creatures of the world will be on you like vultures on roadkill."
"Boo hoo! I'm so scared. Now hand over the baby, Price."
"You know you're going to have to kill me before you get this baby!"
"Good then. That makes for more fresh blood on the table."
"No you don't!" Cordelia said getting into fighting stance.
"You think you could honestly hurt me don't you," Angelus said, letting out a loud low cackle.
"Bloody hell, how dare you try to kill the 'wished-for-child'. We'll take care of him cheerleader, but you and the human, run," said Spike as he and the other demons surrounded Angelus and started to battle him, hundreds to one.
He could barely fend for himself. Cordelia ran, Wesley ran. Back to the Hyperion. Back to it's safety. But Cordelia stopped half way thereCordy remembered that Angelus was also Angel. The father of her child. The one she loved. The only creature on earth that could harm the baby.
She ran back to the alley instructing Wesley to bring the baby back to the house and watch her good. When she got to the alley, she found what she had been dreading.
Her Angel's dust blowing through the dark, lonesome alley of the City of Angels.
She dropped to her knees and sobbed uncontrollably next to the pile of dust that had once been the person she had loved.
~Back
He had heard her side of the dialouge. Her yelling. It had broken his heart. He heard her loud interminable sobs and gently kneeled down next to the hospital cot.
"Cordelia, wake up. You're only having a dream."
"Huh? Angel? But your? Where am I?" she said between sobs.
"Hush. I'm fine. I'm here." he said holding her close to him.
"Sorry, I'm such a crybaby," she said, wiping tears from her eyes.
"What were you having a nightmare about? It sounded pretty bad. And it had something to do with me."
"Nothing. It was nothing."
"I would call sleep-shouting at the top of your lungs something. Tell me please."
"Go talk to Wes, he knows more about his stuff than me."
"So Wes knows about your dream?"
"No."
"Well I asked you.
"How is the baby?"
"In the ICU," he says concerned.
"No need to be concerned, Angel, she'll be fine."
"And how do you know? She's just so small."
"I know because of what she is. Angel, we should name the baby."
"I already thought of some names....." Angel said.
He was interrupted by Cordelia though.
"But I already did," Cordelia said back. "The Powers named her, but said that we could call her whatever we like."
"What did they name her?"
"Maureen Kazuko Chase. Weird name right?"
"Yeah you could say that."
"Okay, well th names have to do with what the baby is. So here's the explanation. Maureen means wished for child. The demons of the world wished for peace within all the creatures, higher beings., vampires, and the othhr demons. Kazuko means 'child of peace'. So our child is the wished for child of peace that unites all the demons in peace. That doesn't mean there isn't a little bit of fighting, but you know, mutual peace."
"Okay, still not understanding where this has anything to do with my infamous other side."
"Okay, I was just getting to that. The baby is sacred to all the demons and no one would ever dear hurt her, except you."
"What? Why?"
"Well not you per se. Angelus."
"But why?"
"I don't know! Wesley told me. He read it on one of his transcipty things but when the explanation showed he couldn't translate it clearly. He thinks that roughly tranlated it means that basically if you turn into Angelus and kill the baby the world will slowly turn back into hell like it was in the early demon days."
"And what are we supposed to do? Is there something we can do?"
"Well the first thing we need to do is get me Wesley and the baby to safety. We were thinking, maybe Buffy's but honestly would she take ME into her house with WES and YOUR baby? And would she believe us?"
"Does anyone else know about the baby, besides me, you and Wes?"
"Giles. Wesley said he was are only hope in pursueding Buffy to lend us this huge favor."
"And then?"
"You try as as hard as possible to get a permanent soul from the PTB."
"So it that all?"
"Yeah. What did you want to name the baby?"
"You can have the honor. It is your baby, in fact."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, well I was thinking since she was born so small, Leah Zoe.
"And that means?"
"Delicate life."
Part 8
He had heard that the child had been born. He was walking through the alleys and backroads of LA to the hospital where his sister was being born in the hospital. He knew his father his father loathed him as did everyone else, but he felty that he at least owed it to the child to at least go and see her and save her from the evil vampiric nature of his 'father'.
He knew that the baby was special. He was not alone. He was being followed to the hospital by every creature humanly (or otherwise) possible. Witches, wizards, vampires, humans, trolls, wengeance demon and othe weird creatures he had never seen before, all carrying packages and othere things, it looked as if they were all going to a birthday party(which they were, but were left uninvited). There was a particularly weird looking one. It must have been a little over six feet and black. It looked evil, but seemed quite harmless. Talking and laughing with demons of other species.
The young man went up to a nice enough looking women and asked where they were all going and why they were each carrying something as if a gift to someone.
"It is the birthing of 'the child of peace'. Where have you been son?" the woman asked, moving on quicker as if eager to see something before the rest.
"Ah, you must be Angel's son, Conner," said the tall black demon. "Skip, pleasure to meet you."
The demon stuck out his hand so that Conner could shake it.
"Why are they all moving so quickly?" he implored the demon.
"They want to go see your sister. She is the peace bringer. Don't you even have a gift for her? If you don't then the peace will not be with you. You must bring her a gift," he hands him his own. "Take this and give it to her, you can repay me later, if ever I need a favor, deal?"
"Whatever." Conner replied, sticking out his hand to shake the demon's hand on the deal.
"Ok, then. I need to go conjure up another present then don't I? Well see you later. Let the peace be with you," and with that Skip disappeared into thin air.
"That has got to be the weirdest thing I ever did." he said. He wondered what the demon had meant by 'favor' and was now having regrets about making the deal. What if the demon was evil? This could be bad. And how did he know that he was in fact Angel's son?
* * *
The doctor walked into Cordelia's hospital room and told tehm that the baby was still weak, but would be absolutely fine. He brought in the baby to let them have some alone time with it.
Leah was an extreme cutie pie. She was tiny and very pale--paler than Angel, Cordy thought, if that was possible. She had Cordelia's nose, but Angel's angelic smile. She had big round cheeks that were the only round part about her(which would later turn into Cordy's cheekbones). Other from those features she did not resemble her parents at all. She had the most beautiful blue eyes either one had ever seen. Curious and and the blue was that of the sky's blue on a clear summer's day. She had a few little wisps of fair hair on her little head. She had little itsy-bitsy hands and feet.
Cordelia loved this child more than anything in the world. She held it close to her and kissed it to many countless times.
When it came Angel's turn to hold the baby, the baby gave him the wide bright toothless grin- that only baby's can have and made a weird screeching sound(of happiness)- that hurt Angel's hearing immensely- and drooled happily all over him.
She had definately taken an instant liking to her Angel, Cordelia thought. One hundred percent daddy's girl.
She knew that the girl would have Angel wrapped around her pinky when she grew older and if that didn't work she'd have nine other fingers and ten toes to wrap her around. Cordelia smiled at the thought, but then frowned. What if one of her dreams came true? That they'd run into Angelus? Maybe one of them would'nt be living to see that day.
She pushed that thought for the mind immediately and smiled at Angel and her daughter, Leah again.
The baby yawned, in Angel's arms, and then snuggled into the warmth of his sweater and fell asleep. Angel sat down in a chair he had pulled up to Cordy's cot so they could watch her sleep. Angel wondered how he(or him as Angelus would ever want to harm this beautiful, helpless creature.
Did he just say helpless? Baby meat, he thought. Bad Angelu-er Angel.
Oh god, gotta goget Wesley or someone to help me, he thought, while I still have my soul.
"Cordy, listen. I have to go," he says handin her the sleeping child. "I won't be coming back either, I think I'm losing my soul. Hurry go to Buffy and say that I keep fantisising about eating baby meat, she'll understand that."
He ran out of the room. There was a huge line of every species of life in line at the register at the hospital waiting to see the child. But Angel was hesitant to notice as he ran through the hospital as quickly as possible. He needed to get as far away as possible. Before he killed the two most important things in his life.
Part 9
The hospital was overflowing with guests for the new baby. Hundreds! Half weren't even human which totally freaked out the doctors.
The first visitor to Cordelia's room was a small bright blue demon. One of the weirdest she had ever seen! She jumped nearly ten feet when the first came in, almost dropping Leah.
"Be careful with that there baby," croaked the little monster approached the bed. "Can I touch this child?"
"Um...sure," Cordelia said, uncertain of what the heck this thing was.
The blue demon went up and laid one of her hands gently on the child's head. The baby giggled, sweetly and the demon said, "Bless her heart."
The blue fuzzball then handed Cordelia a box, took a final look at the baby, and then left.
Cordelia opened the package. It was a glittering pair of socks. Wow, thanks for the magical pair of socks, she thought. She rolled her eyes.
A couple people and presents later, a crimson demon- who looked especially evil- walked in. He introduced himself as the Ruler of Hell. Ok, be friendly and quiet to this one, she thought to herself.
He walked in with a golden retriver rather than a present. Oh no! Not a dog! she thought.
"Not just any dog," said the crimson demon, politely enough, but slightly annoyed. "It is a dog that can transforn. Kitty, transform."
And the dog turned into a big, brown evil mutant dog with teeth the size of her hand. "Kitty?" She asked slightly laughingly.
"Evil demons have feelings too, you know."
"I know, I'm sorry."
"I understand that you are in distress, Miss Chase. What with your lover wanting to eat this beautiful child. If the evil side of him lays a hand on this child, I will see to it myself that he will burn in hell."
He then handed Cordelia instructions on how to care for 'Kitty' and then bid her farewell.
That was weird, she thought.
* * *
Many presents and hours later, the last two filed in. They looked familiar. One was Conenr and the other she recognized as Skip, whom was with the PTB, she knew as she had run into him once before.
"How are we today Miss Chase?" he asked, walking over to her cot.
"I've had better days. You?"
"Quite devine," he said, as he reahed for the baby and without even askin her snatch the baby out of her arms.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?"
"Why holding this child of course."
The child smiled at the tall, black demon and giggled. "Very delightful child," he said, impressed.
Then he handed her to Conner, who held her very awkwardly, as far away as he could. Staring at the baby.
"God, Conner! If you're going to hold the baby, at least hold it right," Cordelis said, angry that Skip hadn't given the baby back to her.
"I have a present that will delight you. It's a permanent soul for Angel. It's from all the PTB's. We thought it was the least we could do for all of you for helping us. Angelus has to be in the room with you though for the soul to work and you'll only get one chance to use it. So use it wisely."
And with that and a goodbye, Skip vanished. Conner walked over to Cordelia's cot and handed the baby over to her.
"Is ther anything I can do to help?" he asked, handing the present he had brought to her.
"Go find Wes, please."
"Sure," he said and left to go seek out the former watcher.
A nurse walked in with a hospital basinet and said that the baby could sleep in her room if she like.
And Cordelia said she would like.
And so the baby slept safely, next to her mother with 'Kitty' at her feet. And her mother looked down at her and silently promised her that things would all turn out okay.
Part 10
Wesley walked into the hospital room. Conner had found him. Wait, Conner? What the hell was he doing back? Not important, he thought, got to go see what Cordelia wants.
"Finally. Did it take you long enough?" she whispered. He takes notice of the baby. Then all the packages.
"What happened here?"
"All these things showed up and gave Leah presents."
The baby wakes up and starts to cry. Wesley looks at Cordelia, Cordelia looks at him. "Well."
"Well," he says back to her.
"Can you get the baby?" she asked him.
"Well I could, but then I'm not real good with kids," he replies back.
"You'll be fine! Just pick her up."
"Ok, fine." He picks up the baby and Kitty gets up and sniffs him in a not so very nice place.
"Eew, Cordelia. Where'd you get the bloody perv dog?"
The baby laughs at Wesley. "So you think thats funny, ey." The baby smiles and blows bubbles. "Ok so it is rather funny," he says smiling back at the baby.
"Ok, hello, I'm still here. You know Skip? The PTB sent him with a permanent soul for Angel. It's in this box," she says, pointing to the box. "And I got a bunch of magical baby stuff from the lot of my visitors. And Angel has to be in the room to get the soul."
"Any idea how to do that?" he asked.
"I thought you would. You're the brains of this operation," she said back.
"Well let's still go to Sunnydale and stay with Buffy. Giles might have an idea on what to do," Wesley said.
"When can I leave this place?"
"The nurse said the baby's fine. Whenever you're ready we'll leave, Fred and Lorne packed us bags so, let's get going, if you want.
"Let's get this trip to Sunnyhell over with," she said getting up to retrieve the baby from Wes.
"And since Buffy's letting us stay with her, Corddelia, please try to be nice," implored Wesley.
"Fine," Cordelia said, rolling her eyes.
"Why don't you get dressed and I'll load the van, it's a loan." Wes said.
"Oh boy," Cordelia replied, as she started to change her clothes and Wesley loaded the rented van with their luggage and the baby's presents.
* * *
Wesley had just parked in the driveway of the Summer's home. "Well here we are."
"Yep, hell away from home," Cordelia muttered. She took Leah out of the carseat, that had once been been Conner's and staggered up to the house.
* * *
"And once again tell me why Cordelia and Wesley are coming to stay with us?" Buffy asked Giles.
"Because her baby is very important and needs protection."
"Why can't Angel protect her?" Buffy whined.
"Because Angel at the moment is not Angel, but Angelus and is basically after the baby."
"Oh, well, than still, why can't she stay at your house?" Buffy asked.
"Because I'm not the slayer, and please try to be nice to Cordelia this weekend. I talked to her the other night and she has changed into a very kind person without forgetting who she is. Just remember, she is Cordelia now not Queen C, as Xander would say, I suppose."
"Fine."
There's a knock on the door.
* * *
Knock! Knock! Cordelia pounded on the door. Don't you know that it's polite to open the door for people, she thought.
Buffy answered the door, "Hi."
Sad, she must be 21 or 22 now and she still can't match her clothes, Cordy thought. No, Cordelia be nice.
"Hello," Cordelia said, adorning a fake smile.
Buffy, hesitantly ushered the two misfits of the Fang Gang into her house.
"So, how are you both?" Buffy asked also wearing a fake smile.
"Fine, except Angelus trying to eat my baby, otherwise fine," Cordelia said sarcastically.
She was doing so well too, thought Wesley.
"Yeah, I heard. Can I see the baby?" Buffy asked.
"Um......sure," Cordelia said, handing Leah over to Buffy, reluctantly.
"What's your name, precious?" Buffy asked, looking at the cutepudgy-cheeked baby, pouting in her arms.
"Oh, Leah is her name," Cordelia said.
"So who is her dad?" Buffy asked looking straight into her eyes.
"I don't know, we think........*cough* Angel*cough* *cough*"
"Deadboy?" Xander asked, stunned. "How?"
"It's not a matter of 'how' it's a matter of 'why'. Basically because the Powers- the people who are basically like gods that watch over people- wanted us to have her," Cordelia explained.
Just then they heard a scraping at the door.
"Oh god. We left Kitty outside."
Cordelia got up and let Kitty in.
"That is no kitty I've ever seen," Xander said, nervously as Kitty eye him devilishly.
Part 11
The Scoobies, Wesley, Cordelia, and Leah were in the Summers' living room.
No one had thought up a plan to get Angelus back to Angel. They all were stumped.
"I've got an idea, but Buffy's not gonna like it," Cordelia said, out loud.
"Well we're not trying to save Buffy, so please do tell," Giles said.
"Um...ok here goes. Willow could enchant some ropes and manacles and stuff. I could lure Angelus into bed, keeping a stake in my back pocket. I could ask to tie him up, little does he know the handcuffs are enchanted. Then I could climb on him and stake him in the side, but not near his heart. Then he does the whole pain thing. We tie him up with more enchanted ropes. Then we can let the soul out and hope the ropes hold him and then lock the door till the soul works."
"You're right. I don't like it, because basically it....um.....might be that I still want Angel and he still wants me and needs me and loves me," Buffy said matter-of-factly."And your clothes don't match so.......shut your hole!" Cordelia retorted.
"That's quite enough ladies. Buffy, Cordelia's plan is the only one we've got and that's probably the plan we're going to have to use," Giles replied. "You must have listened more in your classes than you thought Cordelia."
"Or it could just be the natural genius," Cordelia said, raising an eyebrow at him.
"Well, where--d-do-w-we g-g-get s-s-started," Xander stuttered nervously. "That d-dog is s-s-staring at me r-really w-weird."
And in turn the dog grins evilly at him.
"The least of our worries. The dog is NOT staring at you Xander. You WISH my dog would stare at you," Cordelia said, also smiling evilly, simular to the dog's.
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean? I have a girlfriend, her name is Anya, she's just not here right now," Xander replied back.
"Ok, that's enough of that. Willow, can you please enchant some ropes and handcuffs and stuff?" Cordelia asked, seriously.
"Sure. I'll get on it right now." She left the room and went to start.
"Ok, Buffy, while we have this going on you and Dawn run over to Gile's house with the baby and protect it just in case Angelus escapes," Cordelia instructed.
"Okay, I wish I could ONE DAY be in on the action," Dawn complained.
"Don't expect that day to come soon," said Buffy, parenting Dawn.
"Then after I stake him, I'll scream and the rest of you come in with ropes and the box and Kitty. Kitty will hold him off if he decides he's strong enough to get up. We'll tie him up some more and then when he's secured down we'll let the soul loose and just hope it works. Any questions?"
All hands raised into the air.
Oh, god, Cordelia thought. Today is going to be *really* long.
Part 12
Angelus wandered the dark streets of Sunnydale. Silent on foot he snuck to the Summers' house, where he knew lay the meal he desired.
It would most likely get him staked. But fresh meat would be a good final meal. And who said he would necessarily die? Maybe he, Angelus, would rule the world in discord. He thought it would be very amused by seeing other people fight.
* * *
They all sat, ready and waiting for any sign of Angelus.
Nervous as she was, Cordelia was very excited. She was also proud of her ingenious plan. Let's just hope I live to get to brag about it, Cordy thought. No! Must think positive!
Suddenly the door burst open, interrupting Cordelia's thoughts. It was Angelus!
Buffy heard him from her room and with Dawn and Leahsnuck through her window towards Gile's house.
"Where's the baby?" Angelus asked, getting straight to the point.
"We don't want any trouble, so we'll give you the baby. Follow me," Cordelia instructed.
"And you expect me to believe you?" Angelus growled with laughter.
"That's the one thing we didn't work out, isn't it?" Cordelia asked the others, nervously, backing up as Angelus approached her.
"Show me where the baby is and no one will get hurt, I pinky swear," Angelus replied.
"The chances of us believing *you* is none to nothing," Wesley replied, stalling for more time.
"The baby isn't even her, is it?!" he asked, infuriated.
"Nope, but we are," said Gunn, who had just come through the doorway with Fred and Gunn.
"What are you doing here?" Cordy asked, surprised but happy they were here.
"I did," Willow said.
Angelus ran toward a window to escape, trying to escape, while everyone was distracted.
"No you don't!" Cordelia yelled at him, stepping into his way. But he effortlessly knocked her over as he ran.
Fred grabbed one of the ropes and prepared it prepared it into a lasso. The loop landed around the vampire's body.
Everyone looked back at tiny Fred stunned. "What I learned that in Texas. You can't live in Texas for your basically whole life and not learn to throw a lasso,' she said to the shocked faces.
Cordelia got up weakly and took the stake from her back pocket and shoved it into his leg, looking slightly hurt as he roared out in pain.
The others rushed over with ropes and manacles and Angelus was restrained.
Wesley grabbed the box containing the soul and opened it. The soul bounced off one wall, then another and flew towards Angelus. He cried out in pain as the soul entered his body and he lay on the floor unconscious on the floor, with fis friends over him, worried.
* * *
Angel stirred in the bed. His eyes slowly opened and he tried to sit up, but his leg throbbed with unbearable pain.Cordelia sat next to him, holding his hand and looking slightly guilty.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" sh asked quietly and concerned.
"Weak, but okay. Are you okay and the baby?" he asked suddenly concerned.
"I have a few cuts and bruises nothing major and the baby's fine. She doesn't have a singel scratch on her cute little self," Cordelia said.
"Can I see her?" Angel asked.
"Yeah, I'll go get her," she said, giving him a gentle kiss on the head and leaving to go get Leah.
When Cordy returned to the room, she handed the baby to Angel.The beautiful girls he loved more than anything in the world were right in front of him and he realized how lucky *he* was after all the horrible things he had done.
The baby smiled her baby smile at him and reached her hands up to his face. He took one of her little hands in his and pulled her onto the bed he was laying on with him.
"She's beautiful," Angel said, "just like you."
He looked up at Cordelia and pulled her onto the bed he was laying on with him.
They both lay down, snuggled up, looking down at the cute, pudgy, baby that they had created. Leah gave them a sleepy yawn and then snuggled into Angel's arms.
The door opened and Wesley walked in. "Sorry if I was interrupting a 'Kodak moment' but we really should be getting back to LA."
"Okay, Wes, just a minute," Cordy replied. Wesley left the room and Cordelia starts to get up but Angel gently tugged her back, gently. "I love you," he told her.
"I love you, too," she said, givnig him a warm gentle kiss.
Then she got up to go gather her things, leaving Angel alone with the baby.
"Sorry I tried to eat you," he said looking at Leah. "Can you forgive me?"
The little sleeping baby snuggled further into his arms.
"I take that as a yes," he whispered, giving Leah a kiss on the head.
Epilogue
Several months later
Christmas Eve....
The Hyperion had been decorated beautifully by Cordelia. Pine boughs, tinsel, and mistletoe hung in the loby and a huge eight-foot tree was in the middle of the room.Angel had just walked in just as Cordy was finishing. "Wow, this place looks....festive.""What you don't like it?" Cordelia asked.
"No, it's beautiful, but it's just a little bright," Angel replied, trying not to insult her decorations.
"Well, live with it because it's staying. I want it to be beautiful for the party."
"It is," he told her. "I have to go do some last minute Christmas shopping.""For?" Cordelia asked.
"Um.....Fred," he answered. "I'm going to take Leah with me, ok?" he asked.
"Fine, but hurry back! The gang's coming tonight and I want everything to be perfect." And with that she continued her route through the hotel, cleaning everything in sight.
"OK," he said rolling his eyes and chuckling. She was becoming a skitzo with the Fang Gang coming over that night nd then on Christmas it would just be the three of them and Kitty.
He took the baby out of her crib and left to find the store.
* * *
When the two reached the store, he went to search with the help of his daughter."This one?" he asked the baby, holding up a gold necklace that is *really* flashy. The baby's nose crinkled.
"Yeah too cheesy. This one?" he held up a white gold bracelet with no diamonds or anything.
"Right, not flashy enough," he replied as the baby cringed even more.
This continued throughout the whole store until they came across a pretty gold ring with a medium white princess cut diamond. The baby smiled, knowing her mommy would love it.
Angel sized it up. It was elegant and timeless. It reminded him of her. It was almost perfect, except......
"Isn't that kind of like popping the question, Leelee?" he asked her.
The baby just looked at him as if to say,"Exactly".
"Ok. This is what I'll get then." He payed for it and they left the store.
Next Angel went to the mall and into a department store. He went to the women's clothes department. "Ok, so what size is Cordy?" he asked the baby.
She stared at him blankly.
"I'll just get her a medium. What color?" he looked to the baby yet again.
The baby looked from the blue cashmere sweater to the cranberry and then reached for the cranberry.
"Ok, final choice?" Angel asked. The baby gurgled."Okay let's go then." He picked up the baby and went to a perfume counter. "Okay last thing, perfume. I suck at shopping don't I?"
The baby giggled at him.
"Hello, may I help you?" A very pretty young lady said from behind the counter.
"Yeah, I'm looking for something for my girlfriend. Think elegant but charming."
"How about this new perfume? It's called 'Glo'." The lady, Jen, hands him the bottle of perfume.
Angel sniffs it. "Not bad." He held the bottle down for the baby to smell but she made a 'yuck' face.
"No," Angel said, handing back the bottle.
"Then how about you go to the store right in this mall down the hall called 'Bath and Body Works'. There are some very nice smelling perfumes there," Jen replied.
"Ok, thanks for your help."
"No, prob. Cute baby." And then the girl walked away to help another customer.
As Angel walked through the mall, he saw all different kinds of people. He looked around and saw two young men with mohawks, one was blue he other was purple. Angel stared at them and they flicked him off.
Angel felt himself burn with anger, but then calms down as he comes near the store. It's better to just forget it, Angel thought.
He went into the store and set to work smelling each of the perfumes. The vamp and Leah finally found two different kinds of perfume they agreed on, bought them, and then left for home.
I *never* want to go back there again, Angel thought as he shuddered at *blue* hair.
* * *
When everyone had gotten to the Hyperion the party started. Corelia cooked mashed potatoes and ham(with lots of help from Angel and Lorne who had been living had arived early) and other goods things to eat.Fred and Gunn were engaged. Lorne had reopened Caritas, which wasnt open because of Christmas, and Wes was dating Faith, which they had met up with a few months earlier(but that's another story and by the way Cordy's visions never fail.)
They all still worked for AI, but had been given the week off unless called on emergency, with the help of Faith. Faith had actually proven to be a good friend, unknown to popular belief.
After dinner, they talked for a while and then exchanged gifts.
* * *
Christmas Day-Night
The day had been good. They had opened presents and Leah had gotten a lot of toys from Santa.Cordy had gotten Angel a very nice watch and a sweater. Hey, what can I say? Cordy thought. What do you get a manpire with a permanent soul? Pigsblood?
He didn't seem to mind though. He seemed to like them. Cordy loved her perfume and sweater and said Angel was very brave to go to the mall all by himself. Angel agreed and the baby gave him a look that said, "You didn't go alone. I went too."
Then he handed Cordy another present. It was a framed drawing of the AI team and Leah that he had drawn."Oh my god, thank you." She kissed him on the lips and then looked at it again.
Leah, who had been sitting on the ground near Cordelia was now crawling towards Angel. "Of all times to become mobile she picks now," Angel chuckles at the baby who was sitting on his lap and kissed her on the head. The baby gurgled, happily.* * *
That night the whole family was sitting looking at the Christmas tree, curled up on the couch.Leah was asleep in Angel's lap and Cordy was curled up next to him. She yawned and looked over at Angel. "What's on your mind?" she asked him.
"I have another present for you," he whispered to her.
"Haven't you already spoiled me enough?" she whispered, jokingly at him.
"Well if you like it, it will be good for me too."
"What?"
He takes the small box out of his pocket, trying not to disturb the baby.
Then he opens it and holds it. "Cor, you've been the best friend I've ever had. You never judged me on what I had been in the past, you believed in me when I didn't. You were the first person that ever made me laugh or allowed me to laugh. I've loved you for a long time now and I'm ready. The question is are you? Will you marry me?"
There is a silence. Cordelia sits there for a long time looking stunned. Her eyes wander around the room for a minute and then she looks back at him and then to her baby and then back into Angel's eyes.
"I love you, too. I'm glad that I make you laugh. I love your laugh. You are my best friend. You mean so much to me. I love you and I will marry you."
She kisses him and then he slips the ring on her finger and then they both fall asleep in one another's arms.
End.