Darla pulled back the strands of hair from her face and watched the grand clock tick. The sound rung in her ears back and forth. Angelus was still lying prone next to her with his top open and his pants loosely at his waist. Across the way Druscilla and Spike were strewn out under a rug with their clothes tossed to the wayside.

Quickly she sat up and fixed the edges of her hair pulling it all into a massive bun. The way her delicate curled strands framed her face made her smile. Quickly she pulled the corsets around her waist tighter letting them stop all the air in her chest. She could feel it all grow tighter and tighter. It was as if she was crawling back from the dead.

Gasp. One gasp of air and Darla found herself awake on the street. She could recognize all the modern elements and wondered if the previous was just a dream. She could feel the thin strands of her bleached hair and pulled at them.

"Are you okay miss" a young man asked while looking down at her with a worried face. It made Darla hungry. She was intrigued and disgusted by him. She knew she couldn't feed in this crowded place. It was LA at night and currently it wasn't safe to disclose her identity.

Darla stood up, she did it weakly too. "I'm okay" she said feigning a smile. Deep down, she was just hungry. She wanted to eat someone and soon.

Walking in the dark night she realized how much of her memory she could recall. The last thing she knew she was laying next to Angelus. No, the last thing was when her emotions were messed up. That was it; she had been pregnant, with Angel's demon spawn. She suddenly wondered why she was alive, or why she had killed herself for the life of one child. It sickened her to think of her human side.

She pulled her cardigan closer and then stopped in her tracks. Should she visit Angel? Should she try to see the kid? Or should she take off? It ate her up a bit inside and played with her. She hated it.

"I really don't know what to do now" Angel said in a sorrowful voice. It was the sound of desperation. After Illyria's news it was clear they were empty. Sure, they had fought off the beasts but at the cost of Lindsey, Wesley, and Lorne. Angel felt cold as he sat over a cup of warm coffee thinking of what he should do next.

If it wasn't for Gunn he would just try to live a normal life with Connor. All that chosen one stuff was over now and Angel was glad for it. Spike and Illyria had left in search of better things which gave Angel a clue that they wanted it. Angel still wanted to be human but it seemed un-attainable.; especially if he couldn't even be a human for his son.

Gunn was healing up from his wounds but he could read Angel's thoughts. "I think you and Connor should go ahead. I'm ready to start a new path." He gave his best look of determination and it hurt Angel a bit.

"Thanks Gunn. But how do I begin to heal all the things that happened between us. I've been a lousy father. Without Cordy I don't know how to be a dad."

"Of course you do" Darla said from the doorway of the little shack of a home. She looked gorgeous in her red dress and small black cardigan.

Gunn was frozen in place and Angel was shocked. How could she be alive, she died a long time ago. Angel had seen it happen.

"I know what you are thinking and I don't know" Darla said in a hoarse voice. "All I know is I'm back. How much did I miss?"

Angel looked at her closely, "How can this be? I saw you die? I...are you human, ghost?"

Darla smiled, "I think I'm normal. A vampire as I hoped to be. I shouldn't have come here. I should have just left."

Angel stood up. "You should go. If Connor sees you it will mess with him. He can't know more of who we are. We're messed up Darla..."

Angelus grabbed Darla's hand and bit into her wrist. It was the sweet taste of blood that pulled him closer. Oh, she tasted sweet. Darla pulled free. "I think you are getting a little to hasty" she said.

Angelus crawled to her, "But the night is young my love." His kiss smothered her in loving warm heat. It was the drop of blood on her lips that made it worth while.

"Take me to Heaven" Darla Said in a whisper...