Long A/N: I was going to write one chapter for each episode. I began. Then I realized that nearly newborn babies do very few things that are interesting to read about in chapter after chapter. And since it was when Angel slept most of the time, they had about the same rhythm to their days. (Toss in a bit of fighting for Angel, and no diapers.) So scratch that.

Chapters should get into that order when she gets older, and more interesting to read about. (Grabs the wrong thing of the table, etc.) *grin* As for now, they'll be more sporadically placed around important days, or happenings. And the things with Darla do happen/has happened, because I write the story, and because even if a baby means a major change in a life so does the fact that Darla was brought back to life. And the baby has other caretakers than Angel.

And if anybody's freaking out because I'm writing a Christmas chapter in October, beware. I've had a Christmas feeling since September, and began my Christmas shopping in July.

Oh, and I just realized the limitations of my English education. I have no clue to what some the essential baby things are called, because they don't teach us that in school, and the dictionary seem to find those words unimportant.

Chapter 3: Selv en liten stjerne lyser i market.

December 24 , 2000. A visitor's booth.

It was Fiona's first Christmas. Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn, who had been fired by Angel just five days before had taken the infant and her belongings with them when they left.

Little Fiona Aingael Potter was currently living in Cordelia Chase's bedroom.

Cordelia had dressed her in a festive elf-costume for this visit. She mightn't like Faith, and Wesley feared her more than anything, but the two of them were able to put it aside long enough to visit her in jail. Even if Angel was going psycho, Faith deserved to get to know her daughter.

"Wow," Faith laughed wistfully into the telephone as Wesley held her daughter up to the glass. "She's gotten so big."

"Yeah," Cordelia grinned, also looking at Wesley and Fiona. "I had to buy her a new outfit to visit her mom in. She'd grown out of nearly all her old ones."

"And we all know how much Cordelia Chase hates to shop," the sarcastic Faith seemed to return, but she quickly amended her statement with a soft smile.

"It's only on the "top ten things I hate to do" – list," Wesley had dragged out a bottle from the "baby-sack" he carried everywhere. "We moved her out of the hotel, Faith."

"Why?" Faith pulled her head back a little from the glass with a questioning look.

"Because Angel hasn't been himself lately. Darla has returned and is wrecking havoc, and he let her and Dru eat a bunch of lawyers. Granted they were evil…" Cordelia trailed off as she noticed the look in Faith's eyes.

"Faith, you're not going evil just because Angel is. You're going to behave, and get out of prison in time for your daughter's first day of school," Cordelia stated it in such a matter of fact tone that Faith only could nod.

"Yeah, because otherwise you'd come in here and kick my ass. Right?"

"Betcha I would."

They smiled.

Cordelia pulled out a Kleenex and wiped the glass.

"What are you doing?" Faith asked.

"You never know what has been in contact with that glass, so I'm cleaning it. Wesley?"

He moved Fiona closer, took one of her hands and put it on the glass. Cordelia wiped off the telephone. "Say hello to mommy dearest, Fiona."

She put the phone to the infant's ear, and it seemed to be a good thing that she'd wiped it off, because Fiona immediately began to suck on the closest part.

Faith laughed before putting her own hand to the glass, so that her hand covered her daughter's tiny. "Hey, Fiona. I'm your mommy. I can't hold you right now, because I did a bad thing. In fact I did several bad things, but I'm paying for that. Uncle Wes and auntie Cordy seems to be taking good care of you. I bet uncle Wesley's even reading you stories before bed, like Dickens and other big stuff."

Wesley grabbed the phone.

"It looks like we must go now, Faith. Are you all right?"

"Wes, I'm sorry."

He grinned wryly.

"I know. You've told me, several times. I meant are you all right? You won't get to see Fiona at her first Christmas."

"You got the thing, right?"

"Yes, we made sure that it was exactly like you told us. And Faith," he added just when she was about to hang up. "We'll be taking lots of pictures. I know it can't possibly be the same, but…"

"Yeah, thanks. I'm sure you'll have a great time."

*@*

December 25. Dennis and Cordelia's apartment.

It was an odd gathering of people who had joined to celebrate the Christmas of 2000 at Cordelia's. Of course Cordelia, and phantom-Dennis were present, as were Fiona whose eyes had turned gray after the blue wore off .

Gunn, who had let the battle axe lie in a corner, because "I never know when I may need it," and Wesley had both dressed in suits. A stranger sight on Gunn than Wesley, and Cordelia strongly suspected that he'd borrowed it somewhere.

David Nabbit, who had fallen in love with Fiona on their first meeting, had brought a busload of presents. The same had Virginia Bryce, Wesley's girlfriend, reluctantly invited by Cordelia.

The two last guests couldn't be more different from each other on the outside if they tried. Bethany Chalk, the girl with telekinesis talents, and Lorne the mind-reading green demon.

All of the guests had joined effort to make it a festive holiday, despite the fact that the one who had brought them all together weren't there.

Cordelia provided the room, Lorne took care of the music, Wesley and Gunn brought the eggnog, Virginia and Bethany had decorated, and David's staff had cooked them dinner.

Now it was time to open the presents. Unnecessarily to say it was Fiona who received the bulk of the presents. Sitting on David's lap she took in the show the 7 other adults and one ghost performed for her. Clothes danced through the air as Dennis and Bethany put on their own pantomime.

The main person, however, seemed more interested in the silver paper with bright blue stars that had been the wrapping of a big baby doll from her mother.