Title: Along The Way
Author: Daisy
Posted:
Email: e.large@talk21.com
Rating: NC17
Category: Light, smut
Content: C/A
Summary:
Spoilers: nope ridiculously AU now.
Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
Distribution: You want it, you got it. But be a peach and let me know.
Notes: Tis the sequel to 'Stumble and Fall'. Angel narrating this time.
Feedback: Is hungered for in an unhealthy way."OK, I have a question Angel."
"What's on your mind Gunn?"
"Why is Emily wearing a pair of pants on her head?"
"Because she couldn't get the shoe to stay put."
"And the Spiderman pyjamas and fairy wings?"
"I like to think she has a creative spirit Wes."
"Your daughter is one strange little person dude."
Much like her mother.
You tell Cordelia I said that and I'll hunt you down.
"Don't you two have girlfriends to be irritating? "
"What? We can't want to spend time with our favourite vampire and his first born?"
"Gunn...."
"They've abandoned us in favour of shopping with Cordelia. Which is actually your fault Angel."
"How's that?"
"She only kidnaps Katherine and Fred when you've done something to piss her off. What did you do this time?"
"What makes you think...."
"Angel, we've known you and Cordy for a long time. We had front row seats at the love story of the century, we own the 'I survived Angel and Cordelia falling in love' T-shirts and key chains. Give us a little credit."
"What did she tell you Wes?"
"She may have screamed something about an overprotective arrogant pig weasel on her way out of the hotel. It doesn't take a genius to figure out you're said pig weasel."
What the hell is a pig weasel? It's not a good thing is it? Damn.
"Everything is fine. Gunn, how are you and Fred getting on in Cordy's old apartment?"
"The ghost still hates me and don't change the subject. We don't get our girlfriends back until you beg for forgiveness for whatever you did or said to make Barbie mad."
Why does everyone automatically assume I'm the one in the wrong?
That was a rhetorical question, you didn't actually have to answer me.
Jeez, do you people keep lists of all the dumb things I've done in the past or something? You do?
Oh.
"Being Joe Stoic isn't gonna get you very far man. You can't brood us out of the hotel anymore."
"I wasn't being stoic. I was thinking. Thinking is entirely different to brooding."
"Sure Angel, whatever you say."
You know I used to command respect and instil fear into all those that crossed my path back in the day. How did I get from being the scourge of Europe to having Wesley Wyndam Pryce roll his eyes at me like I'm a child?
I fell head over heels for Cordelia Chase and nothing has ever been the same since. Thank god. I never thought my life could be this good. I'm not meant to have any of this, I'm a vampire, undead. I should probably be stalking around a graveyard somewhere not having a beer with friends. Brothers. I have a woman that loves me and my demon completely, a daughter that's currently running around the lounge on unsteady little legs and another child on the way.
Which brings us rather nicely to where Cordy left off last time she spoke to you doesn't it?
"So we're brothers huh?"
"Shut up Wes."
***
Here we go again.
Angel swore under his breath and cursed the people of Fisherprice for making their building blocks with such deadly pointed corners. The painful stomach wound he'd received only hours before paled in comparison to the agony that was trampling blindly over his daughters toys in the middle of the night. The vampire rubbed his hand over his face and limped carefully across the lobby of the Hyperion Hotel. He was having the most wonderful dream of a deliciously naked and flexible Cordelia Chase when he was abruptly pulled out of his much needed slumber by said flexible diva shouting at him from the kitchen. Pulling on a pair of sweats he'd panicked for a moment that something was wrong but the tone Cordelia had used wasn't the kind that foretold of danger to all. Only possibly to him. So he was in no real rush to meet his firing squad right.
Angel tried to figure out any possible reason Cordelia had for shouting at him in the middle of the night but his sleep addled brain could only come up with the fact that she was obviously insane. Who on earth wakes a sleeping vampire?
Cordelia Chase, that's who.
She was currently pacing a groove into the kitchen floor and having a one sided argument with Lorne. Angel ignored the smiling empath demon's cheery greeting and dropped heavily down into a kitchen chair, letting his head fall onto the table top with a thud. He was too tired to sit up and make with the nice talk right now.
"If this has anything to do with the end of the world I vote we deal with it in the morning." Angel mumbled into the wooden table.
"You!" Cordelia pointed an accusatory finger at him, her voice was loud and unnaturally shrill making the vampire wince.
"I'm sorry Cor." The vampire muttered sleepily. He'd found in his time with Cordelia that it was just best to apologise even if you weren't sure what it was you were apologising for. Granted it very rarely worked but Angel was barely conscious enough to think it through.
"You're meant to be a vampire! VAMPIRE!" Cordelia flailed her arms around madly trying to make sense of what little Lorne had told her moments ago.
"You woke me up to tell me I'm a vampire?" Angel propped his chin up on his hand. This was a whole new level of confusion for him.
"Yes! No! Undead!" The Seer was equally befuddled.
"Ooook. Cordy, sweetheart, have you hit your head recently?" Angel asked her carefully. He shot Lorne a nervous glance when he heard the green demon chuckle.
"Are you or are you not a vampire Angel?" Cordelia ignored his last comment. She tapped her foot on the floor, her hands defiantly on her hips, waiting for an answer.
"Cordy if you've only just figured that out then we're in trouble here...."
"Are you?!" Cordelia's eyebrows shot so far up her forehead Angel wasn't sure if they would ever come down again.
"Yes, I'm a vampire." He nodded slowly, things weren't getting any clearer in his head even though he was starting to wake up fully.
"SEE!" Cordelia turned to Lorne, Angel was grateful the heat was off him.
"And yet sugar plum you're....."
"VAMPIRE!" Her voice echoed around the hotel, Angel dearly hoped she hadn't woken Emily up. There was only room for one insane Chase woman in the kitchen right now.
"OK, you need to calm down sweetheart...." Angel stood up and grasped her shoulders gently. He cradled her face in his hand, rubbing his thumb softly across the smooth skin of her jaw. ".....now take a deep breath and tell me what's going on."
"You..." Cordelia poked a perfect fingernail into his chest with every word she said. "....and your lore defying sperm have got me pregnant again."
It took a few moments for that piece of news to sink in.
"But...but we haven't been anywhere near Pylea....." Angel blinked dumbly. "So you can't.....I'm a vampire!"
"That's what I was trying to get Lorne to understand!"
"How can you be pregnant?"
"Well my little cinnamon danish when a boy and a girl fall in love they do this thing called sex, that's when...."
"Lorne you're really not helping." Cordelia silenced the amused demon with a glare, spoiling his fun.
"How is this possible? Emily was an alternative dimension phenomenon, I can't....Hey! Who have you sle..."
"You even think about finishing that sentence buster and I'll be wearing those testicles of yours as earrings!"
"OK." Lorne rolled his eyes and stood up, these people made him crazy. "The rate you two figure things out we're going to be here all week and in case you two crazy kids have forgotten there's a wedding here tomorrow night." Lorne looked at the clock on the wall. "Make that tonight. " The host of Caritas pushed the soon to be married couple down into seats. "Now, Cordelia, you are indeed pregnant again, your aura is screaming it at me and of course you're the father Angel, and quite frankly I'm tempted to smack you upside the head for even considering you're not. Actually I think I'll do that anyway." Lorne's hand hit the back of Angel's sleep muzzled head with a satisfying thwack. "Idiot." He muttered mostly to himself. "This isn't really so hard to believe is it? I mean, the bundle of cuteness upstairs rather proves that this is indeed possible."
"But...." Angel brow nit together in deep thought, not registering the fact that his friend had just smacked him.
"Angel you've gone paler than usual...you're not gonna throw up are you?" Cordelia's initial shock was slowly fading, gradually being replaced by the feeling of contentment she had when she was pregnant with Emily. But before she could bathe in a warm glow of happiness Cordelia needed to find out how Angel felt about it all and 'but' just wasn't going to cut it. His lack of response was starting to worry her. "Angel?"
"How far along is she?" Was all the vampires brain could get his mouth to say.
"I'm an empathic demon, not an OBGYN Angel." Lorne tutted at him.
"Oh...right.......We're gonna have another baby....Em's gonna have little brother or sister.... Wow....my sperm rules!!" Angel suddenly grinned stupidly, his normally dark eyes lighting up with joy.
Cordelia let out a surprised eep when her fiancé plucked her effortlessly out of her seat and settled her in his lap, she opened her mouth to tell him exactly what she thought about his sperm but was abruptly silenced by his lips pressing softly against hers. The seer let out a soft sigh and snaked her hands over his broad shoulders, her fingers playing idly with the short hair at the nape of his neck. Cordelia felt a contented purr rumble through Angels chest and shifted her bottom slightly to see if his usual reaction to having her siting on his lap had reared its head. Yep, there it was. Angel growled at her movement, his hand moving up her thigh of its own accord. An annoyed cough brought the pair back to earth, forcing them to end the kiss that was becoming increasingly passionate.
"Not that I don't enjoy the Cordelia and Angel grope fest but spare a thought for the single guy here OK? All the sexual tension you two work up is enough to make a demon feel very alone and unloved." Lorne scowled at them.
"Sorry Lorne." Cordelia felt an uncharacteristic blush spreading across her cheeks. She remembered Angels very delayed response and thumped his shoulder.
"Do you think we could go five minutes without someone beating me?" Angel groused good-naturedly, his arms wrapping around Cordelia.
"You had me worried dumbass, when a girl tells you she's pregnant a stony silence is one of the last things she wants to hear." She laid her head happily on his chest, threading her hand through his where it was resting protectively over her belly.
"Sorry baby, it was just a bit of a surprise. I never thought we'd be able to have more children....it's so...wow." Angel kissed the top of her head, he closed his ears off to all sounds trying to seek out the tell tale sign of the babies heart beating inside its mother. Finally he heard it, the sweet tub thud was small and faint but it was there. He had to concentrate to hear it but it was there.
"Can you...?" Cordelia automatically knew what he was doing.
"I can." Angel murmured and trailed a path of cool kisses across the bare flesh of shoulder.
"OK, I've had enough schmaltz for one night." Lorne sighed and stood up. "I'm going to my very empty bed before these public displays of affection force me to throw up every seabreeze I've ever had." He smiled letting them know he wasn't really serious. Well maybe a little serious. "Congrats kids." With a wink and a swirl of tangerine silk Lorne left the couple to themselves.
"Are you OK?" Angel realised he hadn't asked Cordelia how she felt about it.
"I'm....I'm actually kinda wonderful right now." She smiled at him, a pure one hundred watt Cordelia Chase smile that had lit up even the darkest periods of Angel's life. "We're having another baby Angel...."
***
"OK, enough of the warm fuzzies, when do we get to the crazy vampire sex?"
"Gunn, your interest in my sex life is disturbing."
"Is there something you want to tell us Gunn...."
"Ha ha. You're a funny man Wes. It must be a riot when you ex-Watchers get together."
"It's like Mardi Gras with tweed."
"Thank you for that frightening mental image."
"Is it OK with you women if I get on with the story?"
"We'd much rather know why Cordy's mad at you. C'mon Angel, what did you do this time?"
"Nothing."
"Bullshi..."
"Language Wes. Small ears are listening."
"Sorry Angel, don't listen to your uncle Wes Em....Emily sweetheart my glasses are not a chew toy."
Thank you for the distraction Em, I owe you one. So, where were we? Right, I'm gonna be a father again. As my wife would say....
Go team!
My wife. Cordelia's my wife. I'm the luckiest man...pire in the world.
"Oh god, you're going to tell them the wedding story aren't you? When did you turn into such a sickening romantic?"
"Gunn do you want to wait outside?"
"No."
"Then be quiet."
***
The wedding of the century.
The gentle glow of candles and twinkling fairy-lights softened the edges of the courtyard of the Hyperion, a light evening breeze rustled leaves and dispersed the sweet aroma of honeysuckle. The night was warm and welcoming, filled with the laughter of friends and an excited buzz of anticipation.
Lorne smiled as he watched Angel shift nervously from foot to foot, occasionally fiddling with the collar of his shirt.
"You OK there Angelcakes?" The Host shooed away the vampires fumbling hands and straightened his collar for him.
"Do you think I should do another patrol around the area, just to make sure...." Angel's said distractedly, his eyes searching what little he could see of the lobby for any sign of Cordelia.
"In that suit? Angel, brown eyes will kill me if you get dirt anywhere near that fine piece of tailoring. By the way it's nice to see you haven't strayed from the whole black on black theme you like so much. It's in no way inappropriate for a wedding." Lorne fussed with the yellow rose on his friends lapel until Angel batted him away with irritation.
"But..."
"There's no way Wolfram and Hart are going to make an appearance tonight sugarplum, the hotel is protected with so many spells even I had trouble getting in, and those big guys you've got guarding out front, not much with the conversation are they?" That was a brisk frisk down Lorne would have trouble repressing. Even with his assurances Angel still looked tense. It occurred to the brightly dressed demon that it wasn't the troublesome lawyers that the vampire was fretting about.
"She'll be down any minute now, you know how she likes to make a grand entrance. And it's traditional for the groom to wait." Lorne patted him companionably on the back.
"Lorne, exactly what part of this wedding is traditional?" Angel relaxed slightly, a lopsided smile creeping over his face. "Would it be the handful of guests, the priest that isn't entirely human, or maybe it's the vampire groom that has no last name?"
"Well if you say it like that of course it's going to sound weird." Lorne grinned back at him.
"Hey man, you don't think Barbie's changed her mind do you?" Gunn sauntered over to them, like Angel he looked uncomfortable in such a formal suit, which was a shame, Lorne thought, 'cos it sure looks comfortable on him.
Emily was wriggling in the black mans arms, happily singing a tuneless song and clapping her hands with glee. Angel scowled at his unhelpful comment and reached out for Emily but Gunn shook his head quickly.
"Nuh uh, I've been threatened with a fate worse then death by your wife to be if you even get a speck of drool on that suit, dude I know what Cordelia can do with just a tranq gun, I ain't risking it." Gunn blew a raspberry on the little girls hand eliciting a squeal of laughter that made Angels still heart soar with love.
"Suddenly I need to be on the other side of the courtyard." Gunn said looking over Angel's shoulder and walking away at a quick pace to where Wesley was chatting to the priest. Angel frowned at his hasty departure, confused by his friends actions, but his reasons became dreadfully apparent when a familiar voice babbled in his ear.
"Oh don't you look handsome Angel, I'm not sure about all the black though, it would have been nice to inject a little colour into this happy occasion, but I guess Lorne brings enough colour for everyone huh? Cordelia's taking her time isn't she? Do you think I should go upstairs and see if she needs some help? No, I'm sure Fred has a handle on it. Is this all the guests that are coming? What about those people that Cordy went to school with, Bunty was it? Oh doesn't Gunn look the sweetest with Emily! Such a pretty little girl, you might not want to let her dress herself quite yet though Angel, sweet little girls like Em should be in pink bows and silk ribbons. Not Batman pyjamas." Wesley's girlfriend finally took a breath.
"Hello Katherine." Angel sighed wearily, he felt his eye starting to tic. He was happy that Wesley was happy....he just couldn't understand why it was Katherine that made him happy. Angel had the vague feeling that he'd just had a whole conversation without uttering a word, which would be OK if she didn't insist on firing questions at him constantly. Katherine made Fred look positively laconic in comparison.
"Are you OK, you look pale. Well, paler. Are you nervous? When my brother got married, of course Tom married in a church and not in his back garden but that's besides the point, what I'm saying is that he was so nervous before hand he fainted just before he was meant to say 'I do'. Are you going to faint? Oh, Wes told me about the good news, about Cordy being pregnant again, congratulations! Although I have a few questions, I know I'm not up on all the 'vampire' rules and regulations stuff but I'm pretty sure undead people can't have children....but then that doesn't explain Emily does it....yeah, we should probably have a chat about all that. And unless you guys are planning on having a herd you might want to think about using protection. Hey, your eye's doing that weird twitch thing again. What's up with that?" Katherine squinted at him. Angel shot a pleading look at the uncharacteristically quiet Pylean next to him, with an amused smile Lorne wrapped an arm around the petite woman's shoulders, giving her a friendly squeeze.
"Hey kitty kat, did I ever tell you about the time I met Donnie AND Marie, let me tell ya, that one's a doozie...." Lorne winked at the relieved vampire and steered Katherine across the small garden.
Angel let out an unneeded breath then promptly sucked it back in again when he noticed his goddess in ivory silk standing only a few metres away. The rest of the world disappeared as Cordelia smiled and walked slowly towards him. Her dress was simple, classic and sexy as hell. Just like the woman that wore it. She carried yellow roses in her hand, her hair falling in soft chocolate brown waves over her shoulders.
"Having fun with Katherine?" Cordelia's asked him quietly, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
"Are you sure I can't kill her?" Angel's whispered back, his lips brushing across the delicate shell of her ear making Cordelia shiver deliciously.
"I'm pretty sure." Cordelia murmured huskily.
"Do you have any idea how beautiful you look tonight?" Angel said with such longing it made her blush.
"You're such a smooth talker...." She ran her hands over his suit jacket and took a moment to look him up and down. Hooo boy, she thought to herself. "....What do you say we blow this gig and have a party for two upstairs?" Angel growled when her tongue snaked out and caressed her glistening bottom lip.
"And disappoint these good people by not giving them a wedding? We'd be lynched. I've been lynched before, it's not fun." Angel grasped her smaller hand in his, it took all his control not to tug this vision into his arms and run his hands over each and every part of her.
"Well then, we'd better give the people what they demand." Cordelia beamed at him and pulled on his hand, gesturing over to where the 'priest' was standing on the other side of the courtyard, waiting patiently for the ceremony to begin.
Cordelia realised he wasn't the only one waiting, their friends were standing together, smiling fondly at them. Winifred Burkle, a willowy whirlwind in burgundy, still slightly crazy but with a heart so pure you couldn't help but want to take care of it. Charles Gunn and Wesley Wyndam Pryce, her brothers, both handsome and haunted by their pasts, their heroes without superpowers. Krevlorneswath of the Deathwok clan, resplendent in purple and green, lived his life like he sang, straight from the heart and full colour. A group of outsiders that had never really belonged until they stumbled into each others lives and subsequently found themselves a family whether they wanted it or not.
"So, you feel like getting married?" Angel asked Cordelia once they were standing in front of the priest, their friends gathered around them, all was quiet apart from the sound of Emily talking merrily to her 'Wes' bear in Gunn's strong arms.
"Sure, why not, I don't have anything else to do right now." Cordelia shrugged and beamed at him, her eyes sparkling. She nodded to the priest, letting him know they were ready.
"Ladies and Gentlemen." He began. "We're here this evening to celebrate the love shared between Angel and Cordelia...."
***
"You didn't call her fat again did you Angel? Is that why she stormed out of here earlier?"
That's going to haunt me forever isn't it?
"OK, for the last time Wesley, I didn't call Cordelia fat."
"That's not what Barbie said."
You guys were there, I didn't call her fat did I? I just mentioned she'd...well...gotten larger in the breast area. That's not calling her fat!
"It was over a year ago, please tell me she's not still mad at me over it."
"You know how Cordy has a tendency to not let go of things, look how she stills rips the pis...I mean takes the mickey out of you over your insane jealousy about her and..."
"You say his name and you'll be eating through a straw for the next six months Wes."
"Ooook, obviously Cordy's not the only one that can't let go of the past."
"You wanna talk about the past, why don't we discuss a certain brunette slayer you've been visiting recently. Have you told Katherine about your weekly trips to sing sing?"
"I...it's not....we're just....Faith and I aren't....You know what, I think I'll just be quiet and let you get on with the story."
"You're a wise man Wes."
It was a beautiful ceremony....
"(cough) Pussy (cough)"
"Last warning Gunn."
"Sorry."
It was a beautiful ceremony, we exchanged promises and rings in front of our friends, not God. Well, we couldn't really could we? What with me being a vampire and one of our best friends being of a green inclination. In my experience the church frowns upon that sort of thing, so it was a simple, quiet celebration with the people we love. Cordelia looked radiant, she positively glowed all evening.
"Barbie did look really hot in that dress, it showed off her....assets kinda nicely if you know what I mean."
"You are aware that's the mother of my children you're talking about right?"
"Angel....dude....if you hurt me you'll have Fred to answer to....hey....c'mon man....quit growling......."
Here's something to keep you occupied while I talk to Gunn about the correct way to talk about a lady.
***
A moment of insight.
Champagne flowed, good music hummed around the hotel and the company was the best a person could ask for yet Wesley Wyndam-Pryce was a man with a lot on his mind. His dearest friend was once again pregnant by a two hundred and forty something vampire, a demon they had no idea how to kill was due to rise sometime next week and his girlfriend wasn't the woman he dreamt about night after night for the last two months. After Cordelia's flirtation with the dark side and the subsequent stabbing of Lilah Morgan Wesley felt a suffocating guilt build in his chest over his abandonment of the young slayer that was once his responsibility. He wasn't sure who was more shocked when he turned up at the women's prison on visiting day, himself or Faith. It was awkward and tense, painful memories and scars rising to the surface as they stared at each other through the thick murky glass. There was nothing but silence and uncomfortable small talk that first time they sat opposite each other. He'd been back every week since and the realisation of why he had whispered wickedly at the back of his mind.
He mentally shook away any thoughts of a sultry brunette with red lips, he was insane to be even thinking about her like that after what they'd done to each other in the past. Pondering when exactly it was he'd lost his mind the Englishman noticed the annoyed look he was receiving from the eighteen month year old baby girl in his arms. Lost in his thoughts he'd momentarily stopped swaying to the music, something Emily wasn't happy about.
"Sorry Em, just being an idiot again." Wesley kissed her button nose and resumed their slow dance around the lobby. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about demons and slayers and a sweet blonde heart he feared he was going to hurt.
With a smile Wesley watched as Gunn spun Cordelia around as they danced together, the bottom of her silk dress billowing out as her feet left the ground. Her cheeks were flushed with laughter, the ex-watcher could tell just by looking at her that the young woman had never felt more fulfilled in her life. Wesley wished with all his heart that nothing would ever shatter that happiness.
His gaze shifted to the vampire that had brought them all together, Angel was dancing slowly with Fred, his large frame dwarfing her petite one completely. Like his wife Angel's face seemed to be etched in a constant smile, Wesley thanked his enormous brain for finding the super glue for Angel's soul, even though their recent visit from Angelus hadn't been the blood bath they had all imagined it would be they had no desire to see him again.
A surprisingly deep laugh bubbled through the lobby, melting into the music. Lorne was the culprit, laughing heartily at a story Katherine was animatedly telling him. Wesley swallowed the guilt that rose up his throat, pushing it aside for now.
***
"OK, I thought you were telling your story not mine."
"Wesley you're going to have to tell us what's going on sooner or later."
"Angel when did you turn into Mr touchy feely lets talk about our problems guy?"
"Probably around the same time you started sounding like Cordelia."
"Touché."
"Seriously though Wes....."
"Angel just tell them about you and Cordy OK? I'll deal with my stuff when I want."
Well at least I tried, Cordelia and Fred can stop harping on at me about it now.
"We better get to the sex soon cos I'm getting bored."
"You just don't learn do you Gunn?"
***
Tony Bennett for two.
Knowing hands smoothed over his chest, manicured nails leaving behind trails of fire across his skin, the cotton of his shirt and the silk of her gown were annoying barriers that kept the vampire from what he wanted. What they both wanted. But clothing was a necessary evil when dancing amongst friends with the woman you'd just married. Cordelia's hands snaked up around Angel's neck, he heard and felt her sigh deeply, a murmur of contentment hungrily swallowed by his still heart. Angel pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, his arms circling her waist and pulling her even closer to his body, his fingers rubbing maddening circles on the small of her back, making her arch into him unconsciously. The music had faded but the pair continued to dance in each others arms, the world contained in the gaze shared between vampire and seer, husband and wife.
It pained Fred to interrupt the newly weds whilst they were so consumed with each other, they had so little time to themselves from day to day, the agency, the mission and an adorable but exhausting daughter monopolised their everyday lives leaving little time for romance. The pretty Texans decision was made for her by her boyfriend.
"Hey, Mr and Mrs Last name still not agreed on, if you could tear yourselves away from each other for five minutes it would be nice." Gunn grinned at the couple, Fred smacked his shoulder lightly, careful not to disturb the little girl she was carrying.
"Where did everyone go?" Cordelia turned in Angel's embrace, unwilling to move away from him completely.
"Wes, Blondie and Lorne just left, they said goodbye but you guys tend to go deaf dumb and blind to anything but each other after a while." Charles Gunn teased them good-naturedly.
"We don't....OK, maybe we do. They weren't mad were they? Did Wesley do that tutting thing he does when he's annoyed?" Cordelia tried to concentrate while her vampire ran a trail of kisses along her left shoulder.
"There was a surprising lack of tuttage, I think English has something on his mind." Gunn shrugged.
"He hasn't started researching for baby related prophecies already is he? We only just found out I'm pregnant this morning, even he can't read that fast." Cordelia frowned, she knew research would have to be done but this was her wedding day for goodness sake.
"Umm, I think it's more woman related actually." Angel paused his exploration of Cordy's shoulder for a moment to surprise them with this particular piece of insight.
"And you know this how?" Cordelia craned her neck around to look at him, a perfect eyebrow quirking upwards at his statement.
"I happen to be very perceptive about that sort of thing."
"Yeah, you're really not sweetheart." The Seer patted him affectionately on his hand. Angel stuck out his tongue at her making both Gunn and Fred roll their eyes at the pair.
"I'll ring him in the morning and find out what's going on." Fred said with an authority garnered from relying on no one but herself while living in a cave for five years. "But right now we'll leave you two to yourselves, I'm sure there are other things you'd much rather be doing then discussing Wesley's love life." She winked at them, maybe I'm spending too much time with Lorne Fred wondered to herself.
"Are you sure you guys don't mind having Em for a couple days?" Cordelia ran her hand through her daughters soft hair, careful not to wake the sleeping child in Fred's arms.
"Of course not. We have an abundance of Disney movies and colouring books to keep us occupied, that is if Uncle Charlie doesn't mind sharing them." Fred shot a glance at her boyfriend who was pouting theatrically at her. "And I promised Dennis that his favourite girl was going to be staying with us. If we disappoint him he'll just take it out on Charles. Again"
"That ghost of yours is a pain in the ass." Gunn frowned and shouldered Emily's bag.
"He's your ghost now, an added extra of moving into the apartment." Cordelia kissed Emily's cheek, smiling when her daughters hands reached out in her sleep searching for her mothers presence. This wasn't the first time Emily had spent the night away from home but it was still difficult for Cordelia to let her go. Especially after the Lilah debacle.
"I think he watches me when I pee." Gunn muttered.
"That's only because you threatened to exorcise him Charles, I can't see why the pair of you can't just play nice. Angel, you never had any problems with Dennis did you?" Fred asked the vampire as he took his turn to say goodbye to his little girl.
"Not really." Angel shrugged, he decided to not tell everyone about the time he's threatened much worse than exorcism to the ghost if he ever watched Cordelia in the bath again. Of course soon after that she had moved into the Hotel with him and it wasn't a problem.
"That's cos the pair of you are dead, everyone knows the dead stick together."
"Sure honey, whatever you say. OK, we're really going now." Winifred Burkle carefully shifted Emily in her arms and half embraced Cordelia, pressing a kiss to the taller woman's cheek and whispering sincerely in her ear. "I'm so happy for you Cordy." Fred grasped her Gunn's hand, ignoring the fact that he was still muttering about the lack of privacy in their new apartment and tugged him to the door. "Have fun guys." She waved at them cheekily then pulled her boyfriend out into the night.
"Did they take the baby seat?" Angel said after a while still staring at the door.
"Gunn put it in the truck earlier."
"And her Wes bear?"
"In the over night bag." Cordelia nodded.
"What about...."
"She'll be fine Angel, Gunn and Fred are wonderful with her." She turned back to face Angel, her arms resuming there natural place around his waist.
"I guess it's just you and me then huh?" Angel cradled her beaming face in his hands.
"Mmm...whatever will we do to pass the time?" Cordelia murmured wickedly, pressing her body to his like a cat.
"Oh I can think of a one or two things." The vampire purred and swooped her up into his arms, Cordelia laughed loudly as Angel bounded across the lobby and up the stairs two at a time.
***
One or two things.
Cordelia gasped when Angel carried her through the doorway and into their bedroom, a thousand candles glittered around them, casting a warm glow to every corner.
"Wow...when do you have time to do all this..." Cordelia wriggle out of his arms, Angel grudgingly let her go.
"Time is of no consequence to a creature of the night...well, that and Wes and Gunn gave me a hand." The vampire followed her across the room.
"You boys are so sweet." She chuckled and fingered one of the many yellow roses that adorned the room. "So, you wanna watch a movie, play some cards...?" Cordelia asked him playfully, she wasn't surprised when strong hands grasped her shoulders and turned her on her heels, she knew her vampire well. Her hands fisted into his shirt to steady herself at the sudden movement, a wonderfully familiar shiver racing up and down her spin at the pure desire held within his gaze. "Or we could dig out the Monopoly board if ya like...." Was all Cordelia managed to say before Angel's cool lips descended on to hers.
A sigh escaped her lips as Angel kissed her softly, his maddeningly gentle caress was a contradiction to the raw power of his demon, she knew the things Angelus whispered into his ear yet he still managed to kiss her as though she were the most delicate flower. Cordelia rasped her nails over the skin on the back of his neck, something she knew drove him crazy. With a deep growl the vampire begged entry to her mouth to which she couldn't deny him. Would never want to deny him.
Cordelia felt the fine hair on the her arms rise as Angel smoothed his hands down her sides and over her behind, the shift of her gown under the direction of his palms caused her skin to itch with want. With a single kiss he managed to stir up a desire inside of her that left her head spinning and her breath quickening to a hurried frenzy. One kiss and she was his. That was the way it had always been, the way Angel hoped it would always be. Instinctively Angel released her lips from his so she could breathe, his ego doing a merry dance at the sight of her flushed cheeks and the rapid rise and fall of her breasts. Breasts that he had found joy and comfort in, that he had worshipped and left his mark on, breasts that had eased his sorrow and soothed his soul. Breasts he had to see this second.
"I take it Barney videos aren't on the agenda tonight then?" Cordelia hummed with anticipation.
With a carnal smile, an echo of the demon inside, Angel slipped his fingers beneath the thin straps of her ivory dress. He watched entranced as they slid carelessly from her shoulders, revealing the woman he loved, the woman he married, like Venus stepping out of her half shell. His Aphrodite unveiled.
"This will be a purple dinosaur free zone for the next couple of days Cordy. No singing cha-cha'ing bears, no scary dancing tubby aliens and definitely no talking frogs." Angel brushed the back of his knuckles over the tops of Cordelia's breasts, his fingertips skirting across the satin of her strapless bra.
"Sounds good to me." Cordelia rested her hands on the waist of his trousers and nipped at his lips with her teeth, unbuckling his belt without him knowing it. Another searing kiss, his lips bruising hers, claiming once again what was already his. Would always be his. A trail of cool kisses trailed down her neck, his blunt teeth grazing the pale scar where her neck met her shoulder, Cordelia couldn't withhold the moan that bubbled from her throat as Angels tongue snaked out and licked the reminder of her possesion. She felt his strong hands trace over her back, lingering a moment over the tattoo he knew was there, the sun he had worshipped so many nights in this very room. Nimble fingers unbuttoned his shirt, walking the landscape of his chest not caring that the heart held within didn't beat, Cordelia could feel it anyway.
"You're so beautiful." Angel whispered into the silent room as he unhooked her bra and watched as it fell to the floor. Every time he saw her like this the words tumbled from his lips and every time he said it Cordelia felt like it was the first time she'd heard it. His pants were unzipped and pooled at his feet, his wife the connoisseur of ridding him of his clothes. Cordelia's lips peppered his chest with kisses that threatened to burn him, her hands slipping beneath the cotton of his boxers, squeezing the toned muscles of his butt. Angel cupped her full breasts, battle roughened thumbs rasped across Cordelia's already eager nipples, he knew how to play her body until it screamed for him, begged for him. The Seer sucked a very sensitive earlobe into her warm mouth, her teeth worrying the delicate flesh there.
With a moan that was half way between a squeak and a growl Angel, with vampiric speed that time and time again left her head spinning, lifted her up and threaded her legs around his waist. His hard flesh met her yielding warmth, kept apart only by the thin barrier of underwear. A mutual groan echoed around the hotel. Trying to kick off his shoes and socks Angel began to move them both to the bed, his concentration at the task wavering with the press of Cordelia's breasts to his chest, her mouth demanding his with a passion that had borne one child that surprised him everyday and another growing peacefully inside the woman he loved. A passion that thumbed its nose at the natural order of things. A passion that nearly tumbled them to the floor as Cordelia's hand delved between them and slid into the front of his boxers. Angels eyes crossed in pleasure as she squeezed her small hand around him.
"Having trouble sweetheart?" Cordelia whispered wickedly into his ear as Angel stumbled slightly, her tongue tasting the skin behind his ear.
"You keep doing that and I'll show you trouble woman." A groan rumbled from deep within his chest. Cordelia let out a peel of laughter as he threw her down on to the bed then yanked away his troublesome socks, he pushed down his boxers for good measure. Angel's eyes travelled over the still chuckling woman, completely at ease with the fact that all she wore was a scrap of lace.
"Bring it on." Cordelia stretched out deliciously, his cat in the afternoon sun. The supple dips and curves of her body were bathed in an amber glow, her laughter easing to a purr when she noticed the wolfish gleam in his eyes, a predator surveying its catch. She bit the plump flesh of her bottom lip with anticipation, desire flushing pink across her chest and up her throat at the blatant display of his need for her. Angel sat at the end of the bed, his gaze never leaving hers as he cradled her left foot in his hands, his thumbs rubbing away the ache of a day spent on too high heels.
"Mmmm....you're too good to me baby." Cordelia's eyes fluttered shut with a smile as her vampire massaged the ball of her foot then pressed a kiss to the regal arch. Once its twin had been given due attention Angel showered loving kisses up her calves, stopping only to revere the ticklish skin behind her knees. His tongue savouring the deep scent he found there. Cordelia's fingers impatiently tugged on his hair, urging him on, her need to feel his body inside hers had flared the moment she had stepped into the courtyard hours earlier and his feather light touches only flamed the ever present fire she felt for him. When he pressed a kiss to the lace covered heat between her thighs Cordelia's hips arched upwards of their own volition, with a sly grin Angel ignored his seer's cry of annoyance and continued on his way.
"Hello little one." Angel greeted his child growing inside Cordelia with a wet kiss on her belly that made the young woman forget her eagerness, a deep crimson love spread through her body from the tips of her toes to the ends on her hair, suffusing her with such a blissful contentment Cordelia was sure she would never stop smiling. So lost in her own joyous thoughts Cordelia didn't realise that Angel had continued his journey mapping her body with kisses until blunt teeth glanced across her breast, his tongue teasing her nipples into aching peaks. Her breath came out in a hurried gasp at the sensations Angel was able to whip up inside her with nothing but the caress of his mouth and the brush of skilled fingers.
"Hey there." Angel grinned at her once he his face was finally level with hers.
"You're a tease." Cordelia sucked his bottom lip into her mouth then released it with a pop. She shifted her legs apart a little more until he settled fully against the cradle of her thighs. Cordelia wrapped one long cheerleader leg around his waist, grinding herself against his fervent desire, delighting as his eyes flashed momentarily gold then brown once again.
"And you're impatient." Angel moulded her breasts with his palms, his hips rocking against hers slowly.
Continue on...