Cordelia awoke the next morning to a sharp pan in her skull. She reached her hand up and heard a giggle.

"Connor!" Angel said. "Don't pull Cordy's hair!"

Cordelia opened her eyes and was met with the sight of a smiling Connor. She reached out and gave his hair a light tug. He giggled again. "How do you like it, buddy?"

Angel leaned over and scooped him up. "I'm so sorry. He screamed until I put him on the bed."

Cordelia yawned and stretched. "No problem. I should probably be getting up soon anyway."

"Your mom's not up yet," Angel said.

"How do you know?"

"Her heartbeat. It slows in sleep. Plus her room is right down the hall."

"Oh. And here I was thinking you were almost as cool as Superman with his X-ray vision."

Angel chuckled. "No, I'm not that good."

Cordelia yawned again before climbing out of bed. "Let me shower and change and then we can head downstairs. You must be hungry."

Angel shrugged. "I'll live."

"Or un-live," Cordelia said over her shoulder as she headed down the hall to the bathroom.

> > > > > >

An hour later Cordelia emerged from the bathroom, showered and wearing jeans and a plain white T-shirt. Angel and Connor both looked up as she entered the room.

"OK," she said. "All done." Her hair was dry and swept back in a ponytail. Her face had just a hint of makeup and she smelled like lilacs.

"Your mom's starting to stir," Angel said.

"Well, I'm going to see about getting you some blood. I should be back before she gets up."

Angel picked up Connor and followed her downstairs. "Cordy, that's really not necessary. I'm fine."

Cordelia opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted by a knock on the front door. She crossed the room and pulled the door open.

Dawn stood there holding a brown paper bag. She held it out. "It's blood. For Angel. I thought he might get hungry."

Cordelia invited the girl in. "Dawn, that's so nice."

"Yeah, well, Spike won't think so. I took it from his stash."

Angel glanced at it. "Are you sure it's alright to drink?"

"Spike may do a lot of stupid stuff, but even he wouldn't poison his own stash," Dawn said.

Angel glanced at the blood again before nodding. "Thanks, Dawn."

"Do you want to stay for awhile?" Cordelia asked. "I'm sure there's coffee I can make or something."

Angel checked the fridge, careful to avoid the sunlight coming in through the window over the sink. "There's plenty of eggs," he said. "I can make omelets."

"Ding ding ding!" Cordelia said. "We have a winner!"

Angel handed Cordelia a bottle out of the fridge. "You feed Connor and I'll make breakfast."

Cordelia noticed Dawn eyeing the little boy. "Do you have much experience with kids?"

Dawn shook her head. "Not really."

Cordelia sat down on the couch and Dawn sat beside her. "Do you want to feed him? It's not hard."

Dawn hesitated. "Uh, sure." Cordelia situated Connor in the young girl's arms before handing her the bottle.

"All you have to do is hold the bottle. Just make sure you hold it at an angle so he isn't sucking air."

Dawn fed him for several minutes before she laughed in delight. "Look! He's grabbing the bottle!"

Cordelia smiled. "That's his way of saying 'keep it coming'."

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Dawn spoke again. "You make a really great mom. Buffy never thought you would, but you do."

"You mean surrogate mom."

"No, I mean mom mom. Aren't you Connor's mom?"

"Connor's mom? Are you crazy? How could I be Connor's mom?"

Dawn shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, you and Angel came here together with a baby, and you seem like a natural with him…"

"Oh my God," Cordelia said. "Everyone thinks this? Oh my God."

"You're not Connor's mom?"

"No! Hello, the kid's blonde!"

Dawn looked horrified. "Oh! I'm so sorry!"

"It's fine, it's fine."

"OK, so if you're not Connor's mom, who is?"

"Darla. She and Angel were together when he went all evil and she got pregnant."

"Oh."

"Does everybody think this?"

"Not everybody. Just me, Buffy, and Spike."

"Oh my God. No wonder she looked like she wanted to slay me last night."

"She'll be OK when I tell her the truth."

Cordelia shook her head as her mother descended the stairs. "What is that smell? Is somebody cooking?"

"Morning, Mom. Angel's making omelets."

"Oh. I don't have time for breakfast. There are some last minute details I have to take care of."

"Do you need any help?"

"Oh, thank you, dear, but I can handle these things. I have to learn to do things myself now. I'll see you later this afternoon, dear." She grabbed her purse and left.

Dawn looked at Cordelia, who shrugged. "Maybe she's not hungry."

Dawn furrowed her brow. "Actually, I don't think she's cried yet."

Cordelia smiled softly. "It's a lovely thing, denial. It'll hit her eventually."

"And you too," Angel said, setting the omelets on the dining room table.

Cordelia sighed and took Connor from Dawn, putting him on her shoulder to burp him. "It's hit me, Angel. I'm just still numb."

Dawn took Connor's bottle to the kitchen and rinsed it out. "It's the same thing. When my mom died, I cried all the time. But I didn't really understand that she wasn't coming back until we buried her."

"That's not something I'm looking forward to."

"I know this is cliché, but it does get better," Dawn said. "Every day you hurt, but each day it hurts a little less."

Cordelia shrugged. "I'm partial to the numbness." She pulled three glasses out of the cabinet and filled them with milk while Angel pulled Connor's high chair to the table. The little boy giggled and slapped the table with his palms. Dawn sat down across the table and began making faces at him.

Cordelia came up to Angel and nudged him with her shoulder. "You know, for a little boy whose father can't ever be truly happy, he is the image of bliss."

Angel smiled. "I know. That's good, right?"

She leaned over and gave him a peck on the cheek. "That's good."

> > > > > >

Shortly after five that evening Victoria Chase came back. She was sporting a new hairdo and a fresh manicure.

She stood in the living room and clapped her hands. "Is everybody ready?"

Cordelia raised her eyebrows slightly. "Mom, we have a little bit of time."

"Oh, I know, dear. I'm just anxious to get this over with."

"We all are, Mom. We all are."

Victoria walked around the living room, picking up various things. "I do have to be there early, though. Last minute preparations and all."

Cordelia nodded. "OK, Mom. We'll go early. Is six o'clock early enough?"

Victoria nodded. "Yes, dear, six is fine."

Cordelia nodded again. "OK. I'll let Angel know."

Angel, as it turned out, had heard the entire conversation, thanks to his vampire hearing. He gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, Connor and I will be ready."

Cordelia nodded and disappeared upstairs. Angel went upstairs about ten minutes later to get Connor ready, but she wasn't in the bedroom. He found her in the bathroom, staring at her reflection in the mirror, mascara brush in her shaking hand.

Angel watched silently for several minutes as she tried to steady her hands long enough apply her makeup. Finally Angel walked up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. She stopped what she was doing and leaned into his touch.

They stayed like that forever; at least that's what it felt like. Finally Cordelia broke the silence. "I don't want to go," she whispered.

He rested his chin on top of her head. "I know."

"Why do we have to go? I don't want to go."

"You don't have to go, Cordy. Everyone will understand if you don't."

Cordelia shook her head, pulling away. "No. I told my mom that I would go with her. I have to go."

Angel tried to soothe her nerves. "It'll all be over in a few hours. The you can start healing and move on with your life."

Cordelia took a deep breath and picked up her mascara again. "A few more hours," she repeated.

Angel gave her a small smile and left her to get ready in peace.

She came downstairs a few minutes later. Angel was sitting on the couch, Connor on his lap, trying to make akward small talk with Victoria. He looked up and offered her a small smile. She laughed inwardly. Finally Angel, dressed all in black, would fit in.

She herself was wearing a modest black dress and flat black shoes. She wore a simple gold chain around her neck and very little makeup.

Victoria, ever the fashion icon, was dressed to the nines. Her black dress was tight and molded itself to her body. She wore a flashy diamond ring on her right hand. On her head was a large, stylish black hat. A thin black gauze veil came down tot he bridge of her nose.

Victoria smiled at her daughter. "Are you ready to go, dear?"

Cordelia hesitated and looked at Angel, who gave her a small smile. She took a deep breath. "I'm ready."