Title: A Twist of Fate

Author: cookie_dough

Email: angeliccordy@yahoo.co.uk

Spoilers: None, AU

Rating: PG-13

Distribution: Just ask, I'll probably say yes

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, or the show, they belong to Joss, David, and anyone else I've forgotten to mention, I'm just borrowing them.

Summary: I suck at summaries, so here goes, completely AU, what if Angel and Cordy were to meet under different circumstances than how they met in Sunnydale?

AN: Okay, this is totally AU, 100%, so any characters that I've used in this chapter or any chapter, that are on the show, have a completely different history in my story, just so there's no confusion. As ever, feedback is loved.

Thanks to Imzadi, for the idea on this chapter, it's not totally the same but thanks for your input! (To see the suggestions, see the review section)



Thanks to everyone who sent feedback! Hopefully this next chapter will clear up why Angel is so eager to help Cordelia.



Chapter 5

The phone in his living room rang, and after a couple of rings he lifted it off the receiver.

'Hello?'

'Hey man, you busy?'

'Angel, hey, not at the moment, but it depends what you want.'

'Come on Lindsey, you know you wanna help out your bud.'

'Do I?' he replied sarcastically.

'Come on, it's really important.'

'Okay, spill.'

'You remember that pregnant woman I told you about, Cordelia?'

'What have you gotten yourself into now?' sarcasm evident in his tone.

'Nothing, she broke up with her boyfriend, and I said she and the baby could stay with me, until we sort something out more permanent.'

'And you want me to help.'

'Get the place ready, you already have kids, you know what stuff to get, what needs to be done.'

'When is she moving in?'

'As soon as the hospital says that it's okay for her to leave, which should be tomorrow.'

'Tomorrow, Angel, you can't get a house kid proofed and be completely prepared for a child in a day. I mean look at Anne and me, we were trying for kids for years and now we have twins.'

'Lindsey, she's all alone, she has no family, she thought her boyfriend was gonna propose but instead he dumped her to marry a woman who is also, expecting his kid in a month. He said all of this to her in front of a restaurant full of people, and then she went into labour.'

He paused. 'You know how hard it is to raise a kid, you're a lawyer, you've dealt with cases like this, parents abandoning their kids. I remember what you and Anne went through, you were trying for kids for so long and I remember not being able to do anything, my friends were hurting and there was nothing I could do, but with Cordelia I just.. I just thought that I might be able to help her.' Both ends of the phone line were quiet.

'What time do you want me to come over?'

'As soon as you can, I'm gonna have to do some shopping.'

'Well I guess I'd better bring Anne and the kids.'

'Thanks man.'

'I'm on my way.' And with that he hung up the phone.



The decorators had finished painting Angel's house a week ago and in the last few days had been adding the finishing touches and moving his stuff in. He had stayed there the night before and now he had to find a room just right for Cordelia and Lily. It was a three-bedroom house, so he had two to choose from. He found the biggest and most comfortable room, besides his own of course, which happened to be opposite his. It was plenty big enough, with room for a crib and anything else they would need. He was running around the house, making a list of what he needed when the doorbell rang. He made his way down the marble staircase that led to the open lounge and front door, and opened it.

'Hey, glad you could make it.' He said to Lindsey shaking his hand, as he and his family entered the house.

'Good to see you Anne.' He said giving her a hug.

'Angel, ever the gentleman.'

'I try.' He replied. ' How are the twins?' he asked looking at the two in their car seats.

'Sleeping.' Anne replied.

'Here you can put them both over here.' He said leading them to the lounge.

'Okay, where do you want to start?' Lindsey asked.

'Well I've picked out the room, so do you want to check it out?' he asked them both.

'Sure.' Anne replied and they made their way upstairs.

Looking around they all agreed that this was the right room. Next Anne suggested that they compile a list of all the things they would need so that they could go shopping. After speaking to Cordelia about it, Angel found she had a lot of the stuff at home. But that would mean she would have to see Derrick, so Angel took her key, saying he would get everything she needed so that she didn't have to go back. That, was another favour that he would have to ask Lindsey for, he wouldn't be able to move all the stuff himself.

Anne had decided to drop the twins off at her sister's so she could go shopping; meanwhile Angel and Lindsey made their way to Cordelia's house. Derrick worked the usual nine to five. That was of course if he wasn't cheating on his new fiancée, with some other woman that he would by no means end up impregnating, and start the vicious cycle all over again. He was involved with stocks and shares and usually found it easy to come up with some excuse to be staying late.

'So how much stuff is there to get?' Lindsey asked.

'She just said, pack everything from her chest of draws and grab what you can from the wardrobe. And the baby things are in the nursery.' He replied as he started emptying draw after draw into the large boxes that they had brought with them. Lucky they had brought Anne's car, which had plenty of room. They dropped her home so she could go shopping in Lindsey's.

'Okay, wardrobe's empty.' Lindsey replied.

'Good, so are these draws.' Angel said shutting the last one.

'I'll start taking these things out to the car.'

'Okay, I'll pack up the nursery, and check the bathroom.'

Lindsey made his way out to the car loaded up with boxes, meanwhile Angel grabbed some shampoo, a toothbrush and some make up bits and pieces laying around then made his way into the nursery, boxing up as much as he could.

'Hey Angel, this is the last of the boxes.' Lindsey replied.

'Yeah, just let me fill this last one and we can go.'

'Okay, I'll be back, I'll just take these out to the car.'

'Okay man.' Angel was grabbing what was left in the room. The cot had already been taken apart and put in the car and now it was just a few stuffed animals and the last of the clothes.

'Hey man that was quick.' Angel said, his back to the door.

'What the hell are you doing in my house?' Angel paused, and turned slowly. ~ I'm guessing this is Derrick ~ he thought sarcastically to himself.

'I'm a friend of Cordelia's.' He replied standing, he had a good few inches on Derrick, and the smaller man seemed a little taken aback.

'What do you mean you're a friend of Cordelia's, she doesn't leave the house, how could you know her?'

'From what I hear, you don't let her leave the house. That is apart from now, but she doesn't live here anymore does she? You left her here by herself for days at a time while you were off with your new fiancée behind her back!' Angel could feel the anger burning inside of him as he let Derrick know what he really thought of him.

'She left me.'

'The way I hear it, you pretty much left her, pregnant remember?'

'That still doesn't explain why you are in my house, going through my personal things.'

'Well you see, Derrick!' He practically spat the name from his mouth. 'Cordelia has no need for you now, so I'm just collecting her things, then I'm gone.'

'I'll call the police.' He replied, running out of any good comebacks.

'I wouldn't do that if I we're you.' Lindsey said from the doorway.

'Who are you?' he jumped, slightly startled.

'Lindsey McDonald, Miss Chase's attorney.'

'A.a.attorney?' he stuttered.

'That's right, is there a problem?'

'No..no problem.'

'Well then, we shall be leaving.' Lindsey replied, as he and Angel made their way out of the room, Angel managed to give Derrick a good stare. Grinning as they made their way downstairs, Angel was sure that the guy was gonna faint, he was so afraid.

'Thanks for that.' Angel said as they got in the car.

'Don't mention it.' Lindsey replied as they made their way back to Angel's house.

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AN: Okay what did everyone think? Feedback, please, thanks