Buffy stood outside Angel's hotel. 'Nice place.' She thought with a smile. Angel always did have good taste. Except in clothes. But then, the whole black on black thing worked for him. She was jerked from her thoughts by the sound of a throat clearing behind her.
"You okay Buffster?" Xander asked, his arms around Anya's waist.
"Yeah Blondie. You looked lost in thought there. Nervous about seeing my old granddad again?" Spike asked, the unlit cigarette in his mouth moving up and down as he talked, Dawn asleep in his arms. Willow smacked his arm lightly.
"Be nice."
"Shut up Red." Spike said with a grin, shifting a sleeping Dawn into a more comfortable position. She mumbled a little and Spike smiled down at her.
"I can't take you two anywhere, can I?" Giles asked, the last to get out of the car. Everyone stared at him.
"I think Giles made a funny." Anya said. Everyone laughed, and even Giles smiled a little. Buffy cleared her throat, then opened the doors of the hotel and walked in. She surveyed the large, comfortable looking lobby. Wesley was sitting behind the counter, flipping through a book. A black guy was sitting on the counter, playing a gameboy while a young pretty girl with long brown hair rested her chin on his shoulder, her arms around his waist, which seemed to be affecting his concentration. The girl looked up.
"Hello." She said. Her voice was light and breezy, with a southern drawl and the hint of a giggle. "Welcome to Angel Investigations." The black guy looked up and studied them. When he saw Buffy his dark bronze brown eyes widened.
"Uhh, Wesley?"
"Hmmm? What Gunn?" Wesley asked, looking up distractedly from his book, his glasses crooked. Buffy had to smile. Same old Wesley. Gunn nodded towards Buffy and her friends. Wesley looked up and his mouth dropped.
"Buffy?! What are you doing here?" Wesley asked, rather angrily. The girl frowned and tightened her arms around Gunn's waist. Gunn smilied at her and wrapped his arms around her protectively. Buffy smiled in the way she knew others found charming.
"Hey Wesley. Aren't you going to introduce us?"
"Ohh, umm yes." Wesley cleared his throat and straightened his glasses. "Umm, this is Gunn and Fred. Guys, this is Buffy, Willow, Xander, Anya, Rupert, Dawn and Spike."
"Buffy?" Gunn asked, his eyebrows shooting up. Buffy decided she didn't like him. She could hear the attitude in his voice. "Buffy as in slayer Buffy? As in Angel's ex Buffy? As in Angel ran off to Tibet to get over her death Buffy? As in back from the dead Buffy? As in Cordelia refuses to mention the name because she doesn't want to send Angel into brood mode Buffy?"
Buffy frowned and narrowed her eyes. "Yes. To all of those."
"Buffy." Buffy looked at Wesley. "You never answered my question. What are you doing here?"
Buffy had just opened her mouth to answer when she heard Angel's voice.
"Cordelia, remind me again, why I'm carrying you *into* the hotel?" Angel asked, Cordelia still in his arms, her arms wrapped around his neck.
"Because you love me, your my friend, it's your fault this happened, you love me, your my best friend, and did I mention, you love me?"
"You mentioned it." Angel grumbled. He opened the door with his elbow and carried Cordelia in. He was about to just drop her on the couch when he saw Buffy and the rest of the Scoobies.
"Buffy?" He asked, confused. "What are you doing here?"
Buffy was just as surprised as Angel. Angel, and Cordelia? Getting along? Even, flirting? She shook it off. Angel and Cordelia flirting? Yeah right! Yet, she still felt a little uneasy when she saw how gently Angel set Cordelia on the couch. Then she noticed the cast around Cordelia's ankle.
"Cordelia, what happened? Try walking in to high high heels?" Buffy asked. Angel shoot her a glare, while Cordelia rolled her eyes.
"As if I could afford them on what Angel pays me. No, Angel and I got into a battle with some demons and vampires and I broke my ankle. That's all."
"Glad to here that you only broke you ankle Cordy." Gunn said from behind the counter. "We were worried about you. Angel just said that you two were at the emergency room, he didn't say what was wrong with you."
"Thanks Gunn." Cordelia said with a smile. She sat up and motioned for Gunn and Wesley to come over and give her a hug. They both obliged, hugging her tightly. Fred came over and smiled at Cordelia. Then she giggled as Gunn laughed and wrapped his arms around her from behind, nuzzling her neck.
Buffy walked past Cordy and went right to Angel. "Angel! I'm so happy to see you!" She squealed, throwing her arms around him.
"Umm. . . hi Buffy." Angel said, deftly slipping from her embrace. He sat down next to Cordelia. "Cordy? Anything I can get you? Are you in any pain?"
"Angel!" Cordelia said with a laugh. She wrapped her arms around his waist in a tight hug. "I know you feel guilty about this." Angel opened his mouth to protest, but was cut off by Cordelia's laugh and a squeeze around his waist. "Don't deny it. I'm your best friend, I know you to well, you can't lie to me. But it's not your fault. I'm not in any pain. So just relax, all right?"
"Okay." Angel said, wrapping his arms around her.
They sat there for a minute, their arms around each other, as Buffy stared with her mouth hanging open, and Willow shushing Spike, who was laughing hysterically.
"Actually, there is something you can get me." Cordelia said after a minute.
"What's that?"
"Bring me Connor." Cordelia said with a grin. Angel laughed and stood up.
"You got it."
"Who's Connor?" Buffy asked. Angel didn't answer her, just brushed past her. A tall green demon with red eyes and horns dressed in a dark orange suit came out of the back office. Buffy yelped and jumped into a fighting stance.
"Angel! Watch out!" She called. But Angel wasn't listening. He clasped hands with the demon, and they hugged, slapping each other on the back.
"Hey Lorne. How's Connor?"
"Fine Angelcakes. He went right to sleep."
"Good." Angel said with a smile, moving into the back room. He emerged again carrying a dark blue and light yellow bundle. He moved back over to Cordelia and set the bundle in her arms. Cordelia grinned hugely and tickled the bundle.
Buffy moved closer as Cordelia pulled back the blanket to reveal a brown-haired, hazel-eyed little boy.
"Hi Connor." Cordelia whispered. "How's my big boy huh? Did you miss Mommy while she was out fighting and getting her ankle broken?" The little boy yawned and blinked. Then his eyes focused on Cordelia, and he laughed, waving his hands in the air and he squealed happily.
Buffy's eyes were about ready to pop out of her head. 'MOMMY?' She thought. Cordelia had a KID? Angel was just standing there, smiling down at Cordelia and the little boy, whom Buffy assumed now was Connor. She had never seen him smile like that. It was one of happiness, love, and contentment. There was no guilt in those eyes, no brooding, no pain.
Angel sat down on the couch, watching Cordelia and his son together. She swayed in place and sang him a lullaby. . . totally off-key. But neither Cordelia nor Connor cared. They were too busy laughing at each other. Angel smiled at the scene. Darla may have been Connor's birth mom, but there was no doubt that Cordelia was Connor's mom now.
Connor saw his dad and laughed some more, giggling and reaching for his father. Cordelia saw him reaching and held him out to Angel.
"Go on Connor. Go to Daddy."
"DADDY?!?" Spike, Willow, Xander, Anya, Giles and the now-awake Dawn all said at the same time, their eyes bugging and their jaws dropping. There was a thump as Buffy fainted dead away.
"You okay Buffster?" Xander asked, his arms around Anya's waist.
"Yeah Blondie. You looked lost in thought there. Nervous about seeing my old granddad again?" Spike asked, the unlit cigarette in his mouth moving up and down as he talked, Dawn asleep in his arms. Willow smacked his arm lightly.
"Be nice."
"Shut up Red." Spike said with a grin, shifting a sleeping Dawn into a more comfortable position. She mumbled a little and Spike smiled down at her.
"I can't take you two anywhere, can I?" Giles asked, the last to get out of the car. Everyone stared at him.
"I think Giles made a funny." Anya said. Everyone laughed, and even Giles smiled a little. Buffy cleared her throat, then opened the doors of the hotel and walked in. She surveyed the large, comfortable looking lobby. Wesley was sitting behind the counter, flipping through a book. A black guy was sitting on the counter, playing a gameboy while a young pretty girl with long brown hair rested her chin on his shoulder, her arms around his waist, which seemed to be affecting his concentration. The girl looked up.
"Hello." She said. Her voice was light and breezy, with a southern drawl and the hint of a giggle. "Welcome to Angel Investigations." The black guy looked up and studied them. When he saw Buffy his dark bronze brown eyes widened.
"Uhh, Wesley?"
"Hmmm? What Gunn?" Wesley asked, looking up distractedly from his book, his glasses crooked. Buffy had to smile. Same old Wesley. Gunn nodded towards Buffy and her friends. Wesley looked up and his mouth dropped.
"Buffy?! What are you doing here?" Wesley asked, rather angrily. The girl frowned and tightened her arms around Gunn's waist. Gunn smilied at her and wrapped his arms around her protectively. Buffy smiled in the way she knew others found charming.
"Hey Wesley. Aren't you going to introduce us?"
"Ohh, umm yes." Wesley cleared his throat and straightened his glasses. "Umm, this is Gunn and Fred. Guys, this is Buffy, Willow, Xander, Anya, Rupert, Dawn and Spike."
"Buffy?" Gunn asked, his eyebrows shooting up. Buffy decided she didn't like him. She could hear the attitude in his voice. "Buffy as in slayer Buffy? As in Angel's ex Buffy? As in Angel ran off to Tibet to get over her death Buffy? As in back from the dead Buffy? As in Cordelia refuses to mention the name because she doesn't want to send Angel into brood mode Buffy?"
Buffy frowned and narrowed her eyes. "Yes. To all of those."
"Buffy." Buffy looked at Wesley. "You never answered my question. What are you doing here?"
Buffy had just opened her mouth to answer when she heard Angel's voice.
"Cordelia, remind me again, why I'm carrying you *into* the hotel?" Angel asked, Cordelia still in his arms, her arms wrapped around his neck.
"Because you love me, your my friend, it's your fault this happened, you love me, your my best friend, and did I mention, you love me?"
"You mentioned it." Angel grumbled. He opened the door with his elbow and carried Cordelia in. He was about to just drop her on the couch when he saw Buffy and the rest of the Scoobies.
"Buffy?" He asked, confused. "What are you doing here?"
Buffy was just as surprised as Angel. Angel, and Cordelia? Getting along? Even, flirting? She shook it off. Angel and Cordelia flirting? Yeah right! Yet, she still felt a little uneasy when she saw how gently Angel set Cordelia on the couch. Then she noticed the cast around Cordelia's ankle.
"Cordelia, what happened? Try walking in to high high heels?" Buffy asked. Angel shoot her a glare, while Cordelia rolled her eyes.
"As if I could afford them on what Angel pays me. No, Angel and I got into a battle with some demons and vampires and I broke my ankle. That's all."
"Glad to here that you only broke you ankle Cordy." Gunn said from behind the counter. "We were worried about you. Angel just said that you two were at the emergency room, he didn't say what was wrong with you."
"Thanks Gunn." Cordelia said with a smile. She sat up and motioned for Gunn and Wesley to come over and give her a hug. They both obliged, hugging her tightly. Fred came over and smiled at Cordelia. Then she giggled as Gunn laughed and wrapped his arms around her from behind, nuzzling her neck.
Buffy walked past Cordy and went right to Angel. "Angel! I'm so happy to see you!" She squealed, throwing her arms around him.
"Umm. . . hi Buffy." Angel said, deftly slipping from her embrace. He sat down next to Cordelia. "Cordy? Anything I can get you? Are you in any pain?"
"Angel!" Cordelia said with a laugh. She wrapped her arms around his waist in a tight hug. "I know you feel guilty about this." Angel opened his mouth to protest, but was cut off by Cordelia's laugh and a squeeze around his waist. "Don't deny it. I'm your best friend, I know you to well, you can't lie to me. But it's not your fault. I'm not in any pain. So just relax, all right?"
"Okay." Angel said, wrapping his arms around her.
They sat there for a minute, their arms around each other, as Buffy stared with her mouth hanging open, and Willow shushing Spike, who was laughing hysterically.
"Actually, there is something you can get me." Cordelia said after a minute.
"What's that?"
"Bring me Connor." Cordelia said with a grin. Angel laughed and stood up.
"You got it."
"Who's Connor?" Buffy asked. Angel didn't answer her, just brushed past her. A tall green demon with red eyes and horns dressed in a dark orange suit came out of the back office. Buffy yelped and jumped into a fighting stance.
"Angel! Watch out!" She called. But Angel wasn't listening. He clasped hands with the demon, and they hugged, slapping each other on the back.
"Hey Lorne. How's Connor?"
"Fine Angelcakes. He went right to sleep."
"Good." Angel said with a smile, moving into the back room. He emerged again carrying a dark blue and light yellow bundle. He moved back over to Cordelia and set the bundle in her arms. Cordelia grinned hugely and tickled the bundle.
Buffy moved closer as Cordelia pulled back the blanket to reveal a brown-haired, hazel-eyed little boy.
"Hi Connor." Cordelia whispered. "How's my big boy huh? Did you miss Mommy while she was out fighting and getting her ankle broken?" The little boy yawned and blinked. Then his eyes focused on Cordelia, and he laughed, waving his hands in the air and he squealed happily.
Buffy's eyes were about ready to pop out of her head. 'MOMMY?' She thought. Cordelia had a KID? Angel was just standing there, smiling down at Cordelia and the little boy, whom Buffy assumed now was Connor. She had never seen him smile like that. It was one of happiness, love, and contentment. There was no guilt in those eyes, no brooding, no pain.
Angel sat down on the couch, watching Cordelia and his son together. She swayed in place and sang him a lullaby. . . totally off-key. But neither Cordelia nor Connor cared. They were too busy laughing at each other. Angel smiled at the scene. Darla may have been Connor's birth mom, but there was no doubt that Cordelia was Connor's mom now.
Connor saw his dad and laughed some more, giggling and reaching for his father. Cordelia saw him reaching and held him out to Angel.
"Go on Connor. Go to Daddy."
"DADDY?!?" Spike, Willow, Xander, Anya, Giles and the now-awake Dawn all said at the same time, their eyes bugging and their jaws dropping. There was a thump as Buffy fainted dead away.