Part 2: Unexpected Surprises

Buffy, Dawn, and Willow stood in front of the door to the Hyperion waiting for Xander, who they had assigned to bring all the bags in from the car.

"Does anyone else feel a little weird about this," Willow wondered. "I mean, I know that they invited us but-"

"No, actually they didn't," Dawn interrupted while Buffy pretended to suddenly be very interested in looking at her feet. "Buffy invited herself and dragged us along. Oh wait, that would insinuate that she actually called Angel and said 'Hey I'm coming for a visit, hope it's cool.' Which she didn't." Dawn hated to be a tattletale, but this was ridiculous.

Willow stared at her best friend in shock. "Buffy, is she serious? They don't even know we are coming?"

Buffy hated that Willow looked so appalled. It made her doubt the decision too. "Look, Will, Angel and I...I mean, he forgave me for sending him to hell, I'm pretty sure he won't be angry about appearing on his doorstep. Hello, I'm the only woman he's loved in 250 years, I'm pretty sure that gives me the right to pop in when I need to."

"Wait, I thought we all came cause Deadboy needed you in LA for something?" Xander huffed, having finally managed to drag himself and the bags to the door. "What are we doing here then?

Buffy stared at the other three then lowered her head to avoid their confused glances. Quietly, and without looking up, she said, "I just need to know that some things don't change."

Suddenly, everyone looked up as they heard screams coming from inside the Hyperion.

"Well there you go. See, hellmouth or not, things don't ever change," Xander smirked.

Suddenly they heard a woman yell, "No, Angel, no, you're killing me." With a crossbow that seemingly materialized out of nowhere in hand, Buffy kicked open the door and ran inside. For a minute the other three just stood there.

Willow wrinkled her nose and said, "Does anyone else ever wonder where she keeps the crossbow?" Dawn and Xander just shrugged and they all headed inside. They found Buffy literally frozen in place, staring at the scene before her.

"Okay, I admit, clearly, some things DO change," Xander mumbled.

***********

Angel had sprinted out of the kitchen with Cordy and the menacing loaf of bread on his heels. With an uncharacteristically Xena-like yell, Cordelia jumped onto Angel's back. He continued to run while she tried to get in a few good hits with the bread (pulling his hair for good measure). Suddenly Angel's foot caught on the leg of Connor's bassinet and they both crashed to the ground. The fall would have stunned two lesser individuals, perhaps finally ending the battle. But not two champions.

By this point, Lorne and Gunn were standing on the stairs cracking up while Wes had emerged from his office shaking his head. Fred pointed at them, telling Connor how silly his Daddy was and then headed back to the kitchen to see just how much damage had been done

Knowing he had to act fast, Angel immediately flipped over so that Cordelia lay on the ground. Angel used one hand to hold both of her hands down over her head and with the free hand, began the worst torture known to man or beast. He started to tickle her. And she went nuts.

"No, Angel, no, you're killing me," Cordy screamed, kicking her legs and then raising her hips to try and thrust him off of her.

The feel of her warm center pressing against him sent Angel into shock. The racing heartbeat, the heavy breathing, they were all too familiar…as was the slight scent of…arousal? Wait, it couldn't be, I mean, we're not possessed. His confusion made his tickling hand still and Cordy could feel the pressure holding her down lessen. She took advantage of his distraction by using one of the moves he taught her and flipping him over so she straddled him. She grabbed for the fallen loaf of French bread and raised it overhead, planning to whack him with it.

Right then the door flew open. Cordelia couldn't believe who it was. What the hell is Buffy doing here? In ran the slayer with her crossbow raised. Angel and Cordy openly gaped at her, the bread still frozen in Cordelia's hands and Angel staring from his position on the floor. For someone who had just burst through the door looking to do battle, Cordelia noted that Buffy looked a little "shocked" too. What the hell is going on here? As usual, Cordelia said the first thing that came to mind.

"Wow, Buffy, do you ever NOT make a dramatic entrance?"

***********

Buffy had come barreling through the door, instinct sending her in to slay the demons and save the innocent. But the only demon in front of her clearly had a soul and Cordy and her bread didn't seem all that innocent. At first glance she looked like she was bleeding and Buffy kept the crossbow raised until she noted the noodles in Angel's hair and the fact that a good part of Cordy was covered in…blue. She had busted in to save Angel and Cordelia from a food fight.

"Wow, Buffy, do you ever NOT make a dramatic entrance," Cordelia said, as Xander, Willow, and Dawn walked in the door. Buffy heard Xander mumble something about things changing and tried to get her bearings. If people would just stop staring at her and be quiet than she was sure she could get a handle on her emotions. Of course, what were the chances of that happening? Slim to none when I'm dealing with Cordelia.

"Wow, it's all the scoobies. And Buffy junior. Hey Willow, no bad dying news this time right?" Cordy said, speaking like she wasn't covered in food atop Buffy's ex-boyfriend.

"Nope. And you're not dressed like Princess Leia this time," Willow commented, trying desperately for the air of nonchalance that Cordelia exhibited so flawlessly.

"Yeah, I gave up my crown when the slaves revolted. Oh my gosh, Buffy, you cut your hair. I LOVE it. Have you thought about adding some lowlights? That should give you some added depth-volume is so important when your hair is shorter," Cordy said.

"Actually, a stylist did recommend that but I wasn't sure," Buffy answered. Wait, how did this turn into a discussion on my hair? Hair that Cordelia actually said looked nice. And why is she still lying on top of Angel. And why does he still have that silly nervous grin on his face.

Wesley walked forward, looking a lot more scruffy and, well, sexy. What was it Willow said he was calling himself these days? A rogue demon hunter? Well it worked on him. "Cordy, you might want to let Angel get up and greet his guests," Wesley said evenly. He turned to the group from Sunnydale, saying "Well, don't just stand there. Shut the door and come in."

Cordelia leaned down and whispered in Angel's ear, "I will get you for the pie thing later. Know that, and fear me." Then she slid off him and stood, walking over to Xander. "So, I hear someone's marrying an ex-vengeance demon and forgot to invite me, the woman who brought you two kids together."

Xander laughed nervously. For all the blue and purple stains and the messy hair and the disturbing smell of...Parmesan cheese, Cordy still looked regal and confident and somehow, still, intimidatingly beautiful. "Uh, must have gotten lost in the mail," he offered.

Cordy laughed. "I'm just kidding you jackass. Seriously, congratulations." Angel walked over to Cordy and Xander.

"Well, since he didn't invite us, that means we don't have to send presents, right Cordy," Angel said. He brushed more of the cheese out of her hair and used his thumb to wipe a smudge of blueberry off of her cheek. I'm just doing this to mess with Xander's head, he thought. Not cause I'm really trying to stake a claim or anything. And not cause I just wanted to keep touching her. Nope, not cause of that.

Buffy stared around the room. There was a black man and a green man coming down the stairs. Neither of them seemed at all perturbed by the unnatural amount of touching between Angel and Cordelia. And now they were talking about the wedding. She still needed answers and she was going to get them. "Would someone please tell me what happened here?" Gunn, Lorne, and Fred all raised their eyebrows. It was very odd to hear that tone of voice from anyone besides Cordelia.

Angel tried to focus on Buffy and the unexpected appearance of the Scooby Gang. Helping Cordy clean up could wait for later. That has potential to be very fun. Okay, images of licking blueberry pie off of Cordy is so not something I need to be thinking about right now.

"Hey Buffy," Angel said, shuffling over to the slayer (and telling himself not to look back at Cordy). "This is a surprise, uh, a nice surprise."

"Angel," Buffy said, going to hug him and wondering why it felt so very awkward. Maybe that's because he's covered in noodles. And he smells like salad dressing. "Care to explain?"

Angel abruptly turned and pointed at the bassinet. "Uh, I tripped," he said sheepishly.

Willow, Dawn, and Buffy all had those confused, O-o-o-o-kay looks on their faces.

"But how did Cordy end up on top of you?" Willow asked.

Angel hurriedly said, "Oh, she was on top of me before I trip-uh, that's not important."

Cordy looked over from where she was trying to calculate how much weight Xander had gained. Angel had a painful expression on his face. He glanced quickly over to her with pleading eyes. It really was amazing how many times she had to rescue her champion. Cordelia motioned for the gang from AI to come closer. "So I guess introductions are in order. You four remember Wesley I'm sur-".

"Wait," Dawn interrupted. She turned back to Angel. "You tripped over that?" she asked, pointing to the bassinet. "But, um, that's for a baby. Right?" As if on cue, sounds of a baby crying appeared out of nowhere. Angel gulped.

"Yeah, like Cordy said, introductions are definitely in order," he said.

***********

There was a brief moment of silence before Xander's mouth took over. "That was a baby." He pointed towards a kitchen. "Did you guys know that you had a baby back there?" Gunn snorted, Cordelia rolled her eyes, and everyone else frowned at his obtuseness. Fred came out of the kitchen and walked over to everybody else, said baby in her arms. "See," Xander said, still pointing, "that is definitely a baby."

"Good to know you still have an appalling talent for stating the obvious Xander," Cordy said, trying once again to get the rest of the cheese out of her hair. Fred walked up to where Angel and Cordy stood, saw Cordy's hands were occupied and handed the baby to Angel.

"I think someone's a little out of sorts," she noted. Angel bounced in place, trying to sooth the fussy baby while Buffy and her friends stood staring, mouths agape. After a minute, Fred noticed the uncomfortable silence and realized there were several strangers in the room, all staring at her with their mouths agape. "Hey, I didn't know we had visitors. Hi y' all, I'm Fred."

The baby was screaming now and started reaching out his hands toward Cordy. Without saying a word, Angel and Cordy turned to each other and passed the baby off, in that way that parents do. This did not go unnoticed by the newcomers.

Their shock didn't go unnoticed by Cordy either, but she had a cranky baby and shoes full of pie to take care of first. "Angel, you handle the introductions, I'm going to go upstairs, get Connor settled, and see if I can do anything about the fact that I seem to be wearing most of dinner." With that, Queen C excused herself and ascended the stairs, with a bearing that could only be described as royal, despite the noodle clinging to her butt and the baby gnawing on her hair.

*******************

Cordelia promises me she'll stick with me until I shansu and then she goes and leaves me to the wolves. She and I need to sit down sometime soon and discuss her understanding of the word loyalty. Angel openly acknowledged he had never dreaded a conversation this much in his life. Better just get it over with.

"So, introductions, lets do that. You guys know Wesley and then there's Gunn and Fred and Lorne, who, you may have guessed, is a demon, but, um, the good kind, you know, like me. You guys, this is Buffy, her sister Dawn, and her friends Willow and Xander."

"Nice to see you all again," Wesley said politely. "I've been looking forward to meeting Dawn for quite some time now. From what Giles told me, your role as the key sounds fascinating. I'd love to discuss-"

"Hate to interrupt you there, but I have to ask, what's the deal with the baby? I mean, you think a girl who got around as much as Cordelia did in high school would have become like a birth control super genius," Xander said in shock.

Gunn stepped forward and probably would have taken Xander out if Fred hadn't laid a hand on his harm to stop him. Wesley heard Angel growl and hurried to smooth things over. He got out, "Well actually," before he was interrupted again, this time by Dawn.

"Geez Xander, it's 2002, unwed mothers are a staple of society. I wrote a paper about them for sociology last month. Did you know that the increase of unwed mothers is merely a logical consequence of premarital sex? And that the true effect of raising children without strong paternal influences is not yet determined?" Dawn stopped when she noticed everyone in the room staring at her. "Okay, so by wrote the paper I mean I copied a bunch of stuff I found on the Internet."

Fred couldn't keep silent any longer. There were some serious misconceptions floating around the room and she would do her best to clear them up. "Well, Cordy's not an unwed mother. I mean, she is unwed. Not that she won't get married one day. I mean, who's to say really. She's still young. What I meant is that Cordy's not a mother-not in the true sense of the word, although I suppose that it does take a village and she is the closest thing Connor's got and now everyone's staring at me so I'll stop talking now."

While everyone stared at Fred and tried to make sense of her bizarre monologue, Angel wondered why what she said made him…angry. Every time we have to clear up what Cordy's role is, it annoys me. He didn't like hearing Cordy say stuff like "Oh, he's not mine. I wish!" And she'd been having to say it more and more lately. To people who thought she was Connor 's mother, people that thought she and Angel were together.

"Look," Buffy said loudly. "Is Cordelia that baby's mother or not, I just want a straight answer."

"Actually, lambkin," Lorne said, finally stepping into the spotlight, "that' s not really the question you should be asking. I think what you really want to know is-"

"Where's Daddy?" a freshly changed Cordy said as she came down the stairs with a freshly changed Connor in her arms. "Where's daddy," she cooed again. When she came to the bottom step Connor caught sight of his dada and raised his arm, gurgling incoherently. "There he is! Good boy. Your so smart!" Cordy looked up proudly and realized that she was getting more than one odd look. "What's everyone looking at? You all look like…Angel, didn't you explain-no of course you didn't. Well clearly, if I want anything done right I have to do it myself.

***********

Twenty minutes later, Buffy found herself slightly calmer. Cordelia had made good on her promise to clear everything up. She still had that up front, no holds barred way about her. That was still the same. Her hair and clothes however, were not. The haircut was still trendy but it seemed like it was short merely to keep it out of her way. And while Cordelia's jeans were those fun potassium blasted boot-cut kind that looked great with her black high heeled boots and her v-neck white tee-shirt set off her fabulous tan, it was still Cordelia Chase in JEANS AND A TEE-SHIRT.

Weirder though, was that it worked on her. She looked strong and comfortable…and capable. She had just simultaneously explained the past year and a half in the life of Angel Investigations, ordered pizza for the entire group, gotten everyone a drink, answered the phone three times, and shouted out wedding menu and location ideas to Xander-all while bouncing a baby on her hip. It was all a little much to take in.

So much for coming to LA to see how LITTLE things had changed. There was Angel of course. He had quietly sat down like the rest of them while Cordelia took over. He looked as he always had. Those dark good looks and those wide shoulders still sent small shivers through her. His dark brown eyes still seemed to see so much. At the same time, he didn't look THE SAME. There were small differences. The half-smile on his face didn't seem as tense or awkward as it once had. He sat differently, more at ease, and she noticed him make the occasional comment under his breath to the man who sat next to him…Gunn she thought his name was. And there was a warmth in his eyes as he watched the whirlwind that was Cordelia. Why was that? Oh duh, cause she's holding Connor. His son. God, Angel has a son.

As Cordy finished the story and people starting arguing about the best pizza toppings, Angel wondered to himself why he hadn't told Buffy about Darla and Connor before. Why it was that his first urge upon seeing life he helped create hadn't been to call Buffy and tell her about it? And why wasn't this nicer, having her pop in like this? Seeing her, that should be a good thing, right? She's still beautiful, still an uncommon mix of strength and fragility. But that feeling that used to come whenever he looked at her, that wasn't there now. Years ago, in Sunnydale, Buffy had been the embodiment of everything he wasn't supposed to have. He always had felt that overpowering sense of WANT when he saw her, like he was constantly reaching for something that dangled just inches away from his grasp. He would see her and always want to be closer; it never seemed as if he could get close enough. It wasn't like that now.

He looked at Cordy as she let Connor grab on to her index finger while she kidded to Willow about her sexier new look. It wasn't like that with Cordy either. He never got that yearning to be closer. He HAD yearnings for Cordy, lots and lots of yearnings, but not like that. He never felt like Cordy was just out of his grasp. I mean, certain things with Cordy are out of my grasp RIGHT NOW, but that could change and even if it doesn't, she 's still there, reachable. But Cordelia never left him wanting more. She would roll those eyes of hers at him and he felt like he couldn't possibly be any closer to a human being. Over the years, Cordy's walls, when it came to him at least, had come down. Her openness, her willingness to expose that vulnerability to him, was the greatest act of trust, of faith, he had ever witnessed.

Cordelia, despite the fact that she looked totally into a mock fight with Wes and Xander about prom, was very aware of the subtle tension that floated around the room. You don't need to be a Seer to figure out the tension is coming from Broody and Blondie. Arhhh. Already, Angel seemed quieter…the descent into a full-on Buffy Brood-fest had begun. Cordelia nodded at some comment Wes made about how she had thrown herself at him while she actively decided that Buffy and Angel weren't going to be something she could ignore, something she could hope would just go away. It would never go away. Angel would always love her. Anyone else-even amusing, loyal and incredibly stylish seers-anyone else would just be a substitute. Okay, so I can accept that clearly I don't play a part in the Angel and Buffy Story. I just need to put away these icky lovey feelings I've been having. Did I just say lovey? I mean lusty, it's purely a physical thing. It's not like I love Angel. I don't. My epiphany, that was just about WANTING him… He just makes me horny, it's not like he makes me feel safe...or important...or...happy. Cordelia figured everyone had had just about enough of those looks the star-crossed lovers kept shooting each other, and even though it killed some small part of her to do it, she was clearly going to have to give the two a hand. Oh, yeah, just call me Cupid.

"So, the pizza won't be here for a little while. Fred, why don't you show Xander and Willow and Dawn to some rooms so they can get their stuff put away. Gunn and Wesley, I know how much you want to come help me clean up the kitchen. And Angel," Cordy said, turning toward him and handing him the baby, "I bet Buffy would love to see the gardens." And she walked into the kitchen; not waiting for any particular response, confident as always that her wishes would be obeyed.

***********

The night air was cool and comforting. At Cordy's suggestion (if it could be called that) Buffy and Angel and Connor had come outside to the garden. Fred had spent a great deal of time out there and the hard work had paid off. Even in the moonlight, it was fragrant and beautiful. For a minute, neither of them made any effort to talk.

"I guess you have lots of questions," Angel ventured. He didn't turn to look at her, instead keeping his eyes on his son, who was sucking greedily on a pacifier.

Buffy didn't look at him either. For the second time today she was finding her shoes very intriguing. "Not really. Cordelia, she pretty much covered everything. I guess, it's just that-"

"You're shocked. You have every right to be."

"Well, yes, cause Darla not staying dead and you having this big hotel and a real company and enemies that I haven't helped you fight and then you and Darla with the sex and you having this big epiphany and then some vampire hunter comes with his Van Helsing action and you're doing the single dad thing and well, yeah, it is slightly shocking. Especially-".

"Especially finding out all that stuff all at once," Angel said, nodding his head.

"I was going to say, especially the part where Cordelia's hair is short…and BLOND."

Connor seemed to think Cordelia's name was license to start babbling and some of the tension was relieved as he mumbled in his own little language and grabbed at Angel's nose.

"He's cute," Buffy offered. Angel smiled at that. Buffy didn't really know how she felt about the baby. She wasn't overwhelmed with the need to hold him and she wasn't telling herself that the baby should have been hers. It' s not like she resented the baby, she was just disconcerted by it. Cause it was disconcerting when your ex-boyfriend who couldn't go out in the sun and liked to drink blood was brushing kisses on a baby dressed in a onesie with a giant yellow duck on it. "He kinda looks like you." Angel smiled even more at that. "He doesn't, however, seem to have inherited your sense of style. Where's the black outfit with the matching black booties?"

Angel was glad Buffy seemed okay enough to joke about the baby. "Cordelia says no leather until he turns one-although between you and me, I've already had a jacket ordered from Baby Gap." Buffy laughed and finally felt comfortable enough to reach out her hand and brush her fingertips over Connor's forehead. "And as for the ducks, I'll have you know that Cordy says he's supposed to wear bright colors, because he's a summer." Angel noted that Buffy's smile seemed to shrink and she pulled her hand back from the baby. "I'm an autumn," he said, trying to bring back the lighthearted mood. "At least that's what Cordy says."

"Cordy sure seems to say a lot of stuff."

Buffy looked like she wanted to say more and the look made Angel think he probably didn't want to hear it. He knew the two girls had never been the best of friends, but he really didn't want to hear Buffy talk about Cordelia. He tried to change the subject. "Not that you need a reason or anything, but I've been wondering why you're here. Why now?"

Buffy seemed to tense up but her voice was even when she responded. "There WAS no particular reason. I wanted to see a familiar face. I wanted to see your face. I missed you, you know. I might even have missed Cordelia-who, by the way, is so not a familiar face right now."

Angel cringed inside. So the whole subject change thing was clearly not going to happen. Isn't it just a little odd that she's not bothered by the fact that I am holding a child who by all rights shouldn't exist and yet she clearly has problems with just the idea of Cordelia.

"I mean, her whole Soccer-mom act, that's new."

Angel clenched his teeth and tried to sound as if the comment hadn't bothered him. "It's not an act Buffy. She's taken on a lot of responsibility. She's made a lot of sacrifices that she shouldn't have had to make. Cordy, she's-"

"And when exactly, did she become Cordy?"

Angel knew he wasn't imagining the bite in Buffy's tone but he didn't know how to respond to it. "Well, it's been three years."

"Sorry, it's just a little hard to imagine her all nurturing. I mean, I can totally picture her wigging out over getting baby drool on her clothes."

"Oh she's fine with the baby drool. Now demon slime, she still has issues with that."

"So she whines a lot, does she?" Buffy was really looking for something bad about Cordelia. Actually, she was looking for Angel to say something bad about her.

"Oh no, she just quietly puts her dry cleaning bills on the company credit card." Angel didn't know where this conversation was going but he didn't like it. If Buffy thought he was going to join her in this weird need to criticize his best friend, she was wrong.

Luckily, before Buffy could say anything else, Willow popped her head out the door and announced that the pizza was there.

TBC….

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