Disclaimer: All characters and things from ANGEL and BUFFY belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. If they aren't on the show they belong to me.

Summary: A different turn of events after Season 1 Episode 12 "Expecting" A/C pairing

CHAPTER 26

Angel sighed, stripping down to his boxers and climbing into bed next to an already sleeping Cordelia. He wrapped an arm around her and felt chills climb up her skin as the cold of his body pressed against the warmth of hers. His fingers traced down to her now flat stomach. He smiled, remembering how much she had complained about the weight she had gained when she was pregnant with Jessica. You couldn't even tell she had had a baby now, as her shape had basically transformed back to the way Angel had remembered it when she first moved to L.A. Sure, there was a pound here or there that he hadn't remembered, but she was still beautiful to him.

Jessica giggly softly from her crib and Angel knew she took after him in more then the big eyes, and brooding attitude department. She was a night owl, just like him, and she liked to bite things. Not that he bit much anymore but still.

He couldn't lose them. Cordelia or Jessica. He wouldn't. He and the gang had been searching out this Tro-clan thing for almost a month now, and still hadn't found much on it. Nothing seriously bad had happened in L.A. either, and Fred's words of the Tro-clan maybe not being so bad were now the main thoughts running in everyone's head.

Angel's eyes focused back on Cordelia as she stirred in his arms.

"Angel?" She asked, sleepily.

"Yeah?"

Cordelia glanced over at the clock. "It's three in the morning."

"Yeah."

"Did you just get in here now?"

"Yeah."

She rolled to face him, a smile creeping onto her face. "Is that all you say? Yeah?"

"Yeah." He grinned, pulling her in for a long kiss.

When they broke apart she swatted at him playfully. "Go to sleep, dork."

Holtz sat at the table in the cave Sahjhan called home, eating a potato greedily. Sahjhan entered and Holtz immediately looked up at the demon.

"When are you going to tell me where Angelus is?" Holtz asked, angrily. He was getting tired of waiting.

"When you're strong enough to take him." Sahjhan told him, taking a seat next to the vampire hunter.

"I am strong enough." Holtz told him.

"No you're not. You haven't used your muscles or brain in a few centuries. Let everything soak in first. Besides, Angelus is not exactly how you remember him."

"Did he sprout wings and become a saint?" Holtz asked sarcastically.

"Not exactly…but close."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't worry about it. You're here for revenge are you not?"

"I am."

"Then in time you will get what you came for." Sahjhan assured him.

Cordelia entered the lobby with Jessica in one arm and a bag of groceries in the other. "Anyone here?" She called out.

Immediately Fred and Wesley stuck their heads out of the office.

"What do you need, Cordelia?" Wesley asked.

"Some help here." She motioned to the bag in one hand and Jessica in the other. "There are more bags in the car."

"I'll get them." Fred offered as she made her way out of the hotel.

"Didn't you just go food shopping a few days ago?" Wesley asked.

"Yeah, but you people eat like food was going out of style." Cordelia told him as she put the bag on the counter. "Where's Angel?"

"Downstairs with Gunn. Training, I assume."

"Thanks." Cordelia looked down at Jessica and then back up at Wesley. "Uh…Wes?"

"Yes?"

"How…how are the scrolls going? The prophecy?" She asked, nervously.

Wesley shrugged. "Same as it has been. I can't find anything new on it."

"And we haven't got any calls, right? Nothing out of the ordinary?"

"Cordelia, if something comes up I will let everyone know." Wesley rested a hand on her shoulder. "Try not to worry about it so much, okay?"

Cordelia nodded, still looking at Jessica in her arms. "I'm going to go talk to Angel." She then made her way to the basement and down the stairs where she watched Angel and Gunn box it out.

Angel kept circling Gunn, mumbling something about balance and Gunn was shooting back something about him knowing how to fight.

"Boys…" Cordelia made her presence known, watching both men jump at her voice.

"Damn girl!" Gunn said, holding his chest. "You're lover boy here might now have to worry about having a heart attack, but I sure the hell do. Don't do that."

"Sorry Gunn…" Cordelia smiled as he made his way past her, up the stairs.

"Done shopping already?" Angel asked, leaning into Cordelia for a kiss.

Cordelia nodded. "Yeah."

Angel grabbed one of Jessica's fists and shook it. "And how did you like food shopping, baby girl?"

Jessica got stern look on her face, as her eyebrow hunched over her eyes. She looked exactly like her father.

"I take it she didn't like it much?" Angel asked Cordelia.

She shook her head. "Not at all. She screamed and cried and…"

"You could have left her here." Angel reminded her.

"She is hardly out in the day, it was good for her." Cordelia smiled and kissed Angel again. "Wesley hasn't found anything on the scrolls or the Tro-clan yet."

"Cordy…I told you to stop worrying about it. When it comes…if it comes, we'll just fight it and kick its ass like we always do."

"Angel! Watch your mouth!" Cordelia covered Jessica's ears. "She can understand you."

Angel smiled and made a face at his daughter. "Can you understand your Daddy, Jess? Can you?"

Jessica reached for her father and Angel scooped her up.

"What a Daddy's girl." Cordelia rolled her eyes with a smile. "Typical, right? Because I carried her for half a month and gave birth to her and feed her and wash her and change her and take her out, so of course she is more attached to you."

"Is that jealously in you're voice, mommy?" Angel grinned.

"Nope. Not a bit." Cordelia gave Angel another kiss.

Jessica squirmed in Angel's arms so he set her down on the floor.

"Angel! Not on the cold floor!" Cordelia stood.

"She's fine." Angel motioned to Jessica who was struggling on her hands and knees. "See?" He turned back to Cordelia to see a look of shock on her face. "What is it, Cordy? What's wrong?"

"Look…" Cordelia nodded toward Jessica who was now busy crawling along the floor slowly. "She's crawling."

Angel grinned and scooped up his daughter, tickling her. "Look at you!"

Cordelia smiled as she watched Angel interact with their child. She prayed every night that she would get to see plenty of more days like this.

Holtz paced the cave angrily. He did not want to play this game anymore. He wanted to go out and find Angelus and Darla and stake them both. He gathered a crossbow from a pile of weapons in the corner and made his way to the door of the cave.

"Where are you going?" Sahjhan asked as he stepped out of the shadows.

"After Angelus and Darla." Holtz told him. "I'm sick of waiting around here."

"You won't find them together."

Holtz turned to face the demon. "Of course I will. They are always together."

Sahjhan shook his head. "Not anymore. Not yet anyway." Clearly Sahjhan knew more then he was leading Holtz to believe.

"Well then I will find each one separately and kill them both. It is no difference to me."

"You're not going to want to do that."

"I'm going." Holtz said, making his way out.

Sahjhan sighed, knowing Holtz would more than likely do minimal if no damage on his first time out into the new world he had been brought into, but if he did cause any it would be lovely just the same.

Angel entered the lobby to find Cordelia lying on the floor smiling one of her famous smiles as she watched Jessica crawl her way across the floor.

"Am I interrupting?" Angel asked, taking a seat next to Cordelia.

"Nope." Cordelia smiled, leaning her head in his lap. "Just watching Jess."

"She's getting good, isn't she?"

Cordelia nodded. "She is…Jess, sweetie, come here by mommy and daddy."

Jessica turned at her mother's voice, with a devilish grin on her face and quickly took off in the opposite direction.

"She's going to be a rebel." Angel smiled as he stood and picked Jessica up. He looked around to find the office empty. "Where is everyone?"

"Out." Cordelia stood. "They went for dinner."

"So we're alone?" Angel grinned.

"Yeah." Cordelia said, taking Jessica from him. "So let me put her to bed and…" Their lips met.

"Yeah…" Angel grinned again as he watched Cordelia hurry up the stairs.

Cordelia returned a few minutes later and immediately made her way over to Angel, kissing him square on the lips. He held her close and kissed her passionately, bring her over to the couch where he set her down and fumbled for her bra.

Both Cordelia and Angel were so wrapped up in each other that they never heard the door open, or the arrow fall into place in the bow. All Angel remembered was the sting of the arrow point as it skimmed his bare back.

Angel shot up in pain, searching the room. "What the…" His voice faded as he saw what stood at the door. He couldn't believe his eyes. Was this a dream?

"Angelus." Holtz grinned from his spot at the door. "And I was told I wouldn't find Darla…" Holtz's voice trailed off as Cordelia lifted her head from the couch, and Holtz realized she was, in fact, not Darla.

"How…what…" Angel's brain wasn't processing.

"Another vampire?" Holtz pointed his crossbow at Cordelia.

"No!" Cordelia said quickly, holding up her hands. "Not a vampire. Human…for the most part."

Holtz pointed his arrow back at Angel. "Back away from the woman, Angelus." He then began to speak to Cordelia. "Ma'am if you'll get behind me I can assure you, you'll be safe from this monster."

Cordelia quickly stepped in front of Angel. "Okay, Robin Hood, put the arrow down."

Holtz seemed to strain his eyes at the sight before him. "A human protecting the feared Angelus?"

"Not exactly." Angel stepped around. He focused on Holtz. "You're human."

Holtz nodded.

"How…" Angel was in shock.

"I told you I'd get my revenge, Angelus." Holtz grinned, but his eyes shifted quickly as Jessica's cries filled the lobby. "You have a child in here?" Rage entered the vampire hunter's voice. "You son of a…"

Angel lunged at Holtz. "Cordelia! Get Jessica and get out! Call Wesley."

Cordelia nodded as she watched Angel struggle to keep Holtz on the ground. She quickly made her way up the stairs and into her room, scooping Jessica from her crib and grabbing her diaper bag before running out of the lobby.

Angel and Holtz fumbled around a little more before Angel was able to force Holtz to release the crossbow and managed to slam him against the wall by his neck.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Angel asked.

"Getting my revenge." Holtz barely got out.

Suddenly images of what Angelus and Darla had done to Holtz and his family flashed in Angel's mind. Family. It was something that had meant little to Angel in the past, but now it was what he lived for. He released Holtz. "Sorry…" His glance fell to the floor.

"Sorry?" Holtz was furious. He quickly picked up his crossbow and held it to Angel's throat. "Sorry for what you demon?"

Angel's eyes met Holtz's. "I'm not the same man you knew. I've changed."

"You were never a man." Holtz jerked the crossbow into Angel's throat.

"I took your family from you. I'm sorry. I made mistakes. Horrible mistakes. But I'm paying for them. I'm trying to make up for them." Angel apologized as he felt the arrow come even closer to his throat. "I'm asking you to be the bigger person here. I took your family away from you, but please, don't take me from mine."

Holtz's laughed. "Family? Angelus with a family! That should be the day."

"Well, the day's come, buddy." Cordelia grinned from her spot at the entrance of the lobby. Jessica was in her right arm, and she held out a crossbow in the other. At both her sides were Wesley, Gunn, Fred, and Lorne, all with their own weapons.

"Now I suggest you back away from Angel and get the hell out." Wesley said.

"Or we will kill your ass faster then you can blink." Gunn added with a smirk.

"What is this? Do you know what he is?" Holtz asked them.

"Damn right we do." Fred smiled.

"A vampire." Lorne said.

"And the father of my child." Cordelia added.

"And he has a soul." Wesley went on.

"Something I'm not thinking you do have." Gunn finished.

Holtz staggered back from Angel. Had he heard right? The Angelus he had been waiting to kill had gotten a soul and fathered a child? Holtz looked around again. Where was he? This clearly was some dimension of hell. He quickly retreated out of the hotel.

Angel looked up, straightening out his neck. "Well, nice of you guys to show up." He smiled slightly.

Cordelia rushed over to Angel and threw her arm around him, almost squishing Jessica between them. "God, Angel…what was that about?"

Angel released her so that their daughter could breath. "I knew him. Along time ago."

"When?" Gunn asked. "Like in the fifties. He looks old enough to be from the fifties."

"More like the eighteenth century." Angel corrected him.

"What?" Wesley was shocked.

Angel sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Me and Darla…back when I was evil. He hunted us. He wanted revenge. We kind of killed his family and tortured him. He tracked us for years, almost got me a few times. His name is Holtz."

"And he's alive now because…" Cordelia raised any eyebrow.

Angel shrugged. "He's human."

Wesley shook his head. "It makes sense now."

"What does?" Angel asked.

"The Tro-clan." Wesley stated.

"You think he's it?" Fred asked.

Wesley shook his head. "I read more into it. The Tro-clan isn't one person; it's a group of horrific events. A birth is stated in there as well."

Angel nodded, understanding. "He's the beginning of it."

Wesley nodded. "I believe so. We should really start to look into this more."

Holtz staggered back into the cave, searching for Sahjhan. He found the demon in the corner reading a book. He quickly made his way over to him, throwing his crossbow down.

"So, you found Angelus?" Sahjhan asked casually.

"He has a soul! Why didn't you tell me?" Holtz was furious.

Sahjhan shrugged. "You didn't ask."

"And the child?"

"The girl?"

Holtz nodded. "How did she come to be?"

Sahjhan shrugged. "Couldn't tell you. All I know is she has to be destroyed…as well as another."

Holtz nodded in agreement. "Do not tell me when I go out to search for Darla she has changed as much as Angelus has."

Sahjhan shook his head. "She's the same…for the most part." He stood. "But this soul thing with Angel. It's not going to change your mind about killing him, is it?"

Holtz shook his head. "Not at all. I will take more joy in it. Maybe kill his beloved family before I kill him."

Angel sat on the couch holding Cordelia as she leaned onto him, tiredly, with Jessica in her arms. The group had been sitting around the lobby for hours after Holtz had come, trying to figure out what was going to happen, and how Holtz was there. Books were sprawled out all over the place and everyone was about ready to fall asleep.

"This is getting beyond pointless, sugars." Lorne stood, stretching.

"Agreed." Cordelia whispered as she closed her eyes.

Angel looked back and forth between a sleeping Jessica and an almost sleeping Cordelia. They had many of the same features. They shared gorgeous lips and beautiful, glowing skin. Not to mention the beautiful dark curls that sat on their heads. Except Cordelia's were now gone, replaced with shoulder length, straight, dark locks. He ran a hand over Cordelia's face causing her to open her eyes and smile at him.

"Do you think we should continue in the morning?" Wesley asked, yawning.

Gunn nodded. "Why not? Will it make a difference?"

Angel shook his head. "No. I don't think this night could get any worse anyway." He kissed Cordelia lightly on the head.

"Uh…guys?" Fred's voice came out as a squeak.

The group followed her gaze to the front door of the Hyperion Hotel.

"You want to bet things can't get any worse, Angel?" a very pregnant Darla huffed from her spot on the stairs.