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.

AN2: Hey look, I've posted again in the space of like a week! It must be all those reviews! I'd just like to thank EVERYONE who has sent feedback! Whether you've been here from the start, or if you've just stumbled across it, each review counts, and I just wanted to say THANK YOU! Read and Enjoy!
Chapter 12

They had spent the remainder of the evening dancing in the garden, illuminated by a thousand twinkling lights. Gradually the guests began to return to their rooms and the press packed up for the night, promising a spot in the local newspaper. That only left the management who would be running the place, the orchestra, who had all but loaded up their equipment and Angel and his friends.

'I gotta hand it to you man, this place looks great.' Lindsey said passing both Angel and Cordelia a glass.

'I couldn't have done it alone.' he said as he looked at Lindsey, Anne and Cordelia.

'Well, this calls for a toast. To Angel and his new hotel. Also to our new friend Cordelia, lets hope that there are many more moments like this yet to come. To friendship.' Lindsey said raising his glass.

'To friendship.' They all said toasting and taking a sip.

'Well thank you for a wonderful evening, but we've got to get the twins home.' Anne replied as she hugged Angel goodbye. 'And call me and we can sort out a shopping day, just us girls.' she said as she hugged Cordelia goodbye.

'Definitely.' Cordelia said, as Anne stepped back and Lindsey said his goodbyes.

'You take care of him.' Lindsey said stepping out of the embrace. 'He can get into all sorts of trouble.' he joked.

'You showed me how.' Angel said following up the banter.

'Take care of yourself man.'

'You too.' And with that Lindsey, Anne and the twins left the hotel.

'So, you made it through the day. Was it as bad as you thought it would be?' Cordelia asked, turning to him.

'Oddly enough, no.'

'No?'

'Well, when I had been sucked into the wrath of the country club it was touch and go there for a while, but you saved me, so all's good.'

'So, I guess we'd better start clearing this place up.'

He paused, and then whispered. 'I've paid for cleaners.'

'Cheat.'

'So what do you wanna do now?'

'Well I'm sure I've tired you out with all that dancing.'

'I dunno, I think there maybe one more dance left in me if you're interested.'

'Take it away lord of the dance.' she said as he led her back outside, the lights were still on, a small radio played and they were soon gliding around the dance floor.

Sunday had been somewhat of a lazy day, recovering from the hotel opening the day before. Thanks to new management, Angel had time off work, time which he planned to spend with Cordelia and Lily. He had organised Monday's activities, as well as Tuesday's, however this he was keeping a secret from Cordelia, he wanted to surprise her, as she did him.

When Cordelia awoke on Monday morning she could hear Angel in the kitchen. Pots and pans were being moved around, and she smiled to herself as she thought of waking up every morning to this feeling. She longed for a time when she could wake up next to the man she loved, who she could hear making breakfast downstairs. Someone she could lie in bed with on Sunday mornings, and have deep and meaningful conversations with. Someone who could be a good dad for Lily.

Stirring from her thoughts, she got out of bed and went to check on Lily. Once she arrived at her crib, she noticed that Lily wasn't in it. Slightly panicked as to the whereabouts of her daughter, she made her way downstairs and was just about to burst into the kitchen, when she heard Angel singing.

'Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are.' she peered around the doorframe, and saw Angel cradling Lily in his arms as he walked around the kitchen.

'Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky.'

Cordelia's heart melted as she saw the love in his eyes as he sang to the baby in his arms. A single tear ran down her cheek.

'Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are.' he finished, smiling down at Lily making baby noises.

Angel turned around, still looking down at the baby in his arms. Suddenly feeling a presence in the room, he looked up at Cordelia.

'Hey.' she said.

'Hey, I thought you were gonna have a lie in.'

'I'm fine. Has she been awake long?'

'Not that long. I brought her out so she wouldn't wake you.'

Smiling she spoke up. 'What smells so good?'

'Well, while mommy was away in the land of nod, we made breakfast, didn't we Lily.'

'You did.' Cordelia said, taking Lily as Angel passed her over.

Angel returned to the cooker and flipped the pancakes.

'Why don't you two, take a seat and I'll bring them over when they're ready.'

Cordelia took a seat at the table in the kitchen and started fussing over Lily. Meanwhile Angel was getting juice out of the fridge, dishing up the pancakes, and taking the toast out of the toaster. Once again Cordelia returned to her reverie she had experienced only minutes before. She was walking down the stairs and into the kitchen, where a man had his back to her. She walked up to him and encircled her arms around him.

'Morning.' She smiled.

'Cordelia, are you okay?' Angel asked. Cordelia had a soft smile on her face and appeared to have her head in the clouds, he had no idea why, he had only asked if she wanted tea or coffee.

'Huh.what?' she asked, brought out of her daydream, he was just about to turn around, and she would have seen the face of the man she loved.

'Are you okay?' he asked again.

'I'm fine, really.'

'You want tea or coffee?'

'Tea please.' She said as Angel placed the pancakes on the table in front of her, he returned a minute later with her tea and took a seat.

'So, do you have any plans for today?' he asked her.

'Ah, no nothing yet, you?'

'Yeah, places to go.'

'So where are you off to today?' she asked a little upset that he had made plans, although she tried hard not to show it.

It was his time off of work, he could do what he wanted, she just thought it might be nice to do something together, just the three of them. But Angel had his own life; he didn't need her tying him down. Cordelia was just staying with him until she found a more permanent place to stay, she shouldn't get so attached. The time would come when she and Lily had to leave his home, and carry on life without him, and although they hadn't know each other for very long, Cordelia felt that in a way, she knew him far much more than either of them knew.

'Well, Lily and me made a picnic and thought about taking it with us to the Zoo. And we thought that you could come with us.'

She looked up from her pancakes she had been shifting around her plate with her fork; Lily had occupied the other hand.

'What do you say, picnic at the zoo with me and Lily?' he asked, hoping she would say yes. The day at the zoo he had planned had been more for Cordelia, he could spend time to get to know her better, and that was something that he definitely wanted to do.

Smiling she looked up at him.

'I say give me half an hour and we can go.'

'Great, now eat up your pancakes before they get cold.' They smiled at each other and finished breakfast.

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AN: Okay guys, did you like? Let me know, feedback please!