The Perfect Life by Sokorra Lewis

Thanks to Hypnotized by You for archiving this for me. I appreciate it. Note to readers: This story is AU to season five from the Episode Cordelia comes back onward. Later in the series I shall have her come back as well as Lindsey but for now its just Fred, Spike and Wes and Faith really. More Angel in the second one.

She stood on the balcony, overlooking the lights of Los Angeles. They twinkled in the dark of the night, and she sighed, taking in the quietness. Who knew when she would get it again.

It had been four years since she had become head of the Science Department, but she still had a hard time believing it. She still was startled when people referred to her as "Miss Burkle." But here she was, approaching 30, head of a prestigious lab with all the resources she wants.

Granted she had everything she had ever wanted. She had a loving boyfriend, a beautiful baby girl and a job that worked her mind. Lizzie filled up any time that would have been spent dwelling on bad things.

She sometimes hated herself. She knew that she was known for kissing the entire Angel Investigations crew. Angel had no feelings for her so she didn't think that counted, she had never kissed Lorne and Gunn was already over her and onto someone else. She had hurt Wesley many times but no matter what she did, she couldn't bring herself to love him. She wished she could, would have made things a lot easier.

Hopefully Faith was healing some of the pain Wes had because of her. Faith wouldn't admit it, but it was easy to see she thought the world of him. The two looked cute together, even though they skirted around anything suggesting a committed relationship. She knew it was only time before they realized they actually belonged together despite their history.

She kissed Spike, often did. After all he was what she would consider her boyfriend. He never said anything to her either way, she simply assumed, especially after Lizzie was born.

Now Lizzie was a miracle. Vampires were not supposed to have children, especially not with mortals. Apparently the PTB decided that Angel and Spike had done enough good things to warrant the abilities to have families, if not enough to be human. Buffy and Angel had gotten together and now had a five month old son named Alec. Now Gunn wanted to have kids, but frankly none of the women he dated would be mothers, or at least Fred hoped not. She wouldn't trust her daughter with any of them.

Lizzie was only a couple of weeks old, but she was already beautiful. She had curly light brown hair, and her father's blue eyes. Wesley and Spike insisted that Lizzie looked like her mother, but at this point Fred thought she would look more like her father. Spike doted on her surprisingly. He loved staying at home with the baby. Perhaps it was the fact he finally was able to have a family, even if it was a strange one.

Strong arms wrapped themselves around her, and she could feel him kiss the top of her head. She smiled as she relaxed into Spike's embrace, taking in his unique smell. Who would have thought four years ago they would have gotten together.

"What are you thinking about, love?" He asked softly.

"Just about how my life has become, how happy I am at the moment." She smiled up at him and moved around so she faced him. Wrapping her arms around him she looked up at him again. He was taller then her, she only came up to his shoulder. "I love you." He smiled at that.

Sometimes Fred wondered what she would do if she ever met Drucilla or Cecily. Although Cecily was quite dead and not coming back, there was still the possibility of Dru and she was Fred's one insecurity in this relationship. She didn't fear Buffy, as she was too involved with Angel and Alec to pay much attention to Spike. Drucilla on the other hand could very well come back to take her "Spiky" back. If she tried, she would have a fight on her hands.

Fred was very selfish when it came to Spike. Oddly it had always been that way. When she had found out that Spike had been corporal for a time and hadn't told her she was angry. Most people thought that was what she was truly mad about. She could have killed Harmony if the girl wasn't already dead and Angel's employee. She had enjoyed (and felt guilty for it later) injecting her with the drug to knock her out for awhile. Considering that they hadn't gotten together for another year made that interesting.

"I love you too." Spike leaned down and kissed her softly before taking her hand and leading her back inside. "It's too cold out there." She just rolled her eyes. Like heat mattered to him, he was dead after all. But he was also right; it was cold since it was a November evening.

The two of them walked into the living room of the apartment, curled up on the couch together watching TV and their young daughter playing in her crib. Life was perfect as far as Fred were concerned.