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 28

Cordelia sighed, entering the lobby with Jessica in her arms and Wesley, Fred, and Gunn close behind her carrying bags and boxes from their shopping trip. Darla had been in the hotel for almost a month and seemed ready to have the child any day, so Cordelia decided it was time to have a huge shopping trip to get everything they would need for two children in the house.

Angel came down the stairs and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw all the things Gunn, Wesley, and Fred had carried in. "What is all this crap?"

"Caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap." Jessica smiled widely, trying to copy her father.

"Angel." Cordelia lowered her eyes. "What did I tell you about cursing around her? She can understand you. And all of this…stuff, it's what we are going to need for the new baby."

"We have stuff from Jessica." Angel pointed out.

"Yeah, stuff Jess still uses." Cordelia told him. "She's still a baby."

Jessica seemed to be offended by her mother's comment as she pouted her lip and hunched her eyebrows. Even at eight months, Angel knew his daughter was a hell of a lot smarter then she led everyone to believe.

"Well, how much did it all cost?" Angel asked. "Money right now is a big issue. You know that."

"I know." Cordelia told him. "But we needed this stuff."

"We needed it, or you just thought it would be nice to have?" Angel raised an eyebrow trying to hold back a smile.

"Actually, she's right, man." Gunn told him. "We did really need all of it. I remember taking my cousin shopping a few years back when she was pregnant, and everything Cordy got is stuff we need."

"Thank you, Gunn." Cordelia smiled smugly before making her way over to Angel and planting a kiss on his lips. "How is she?"

"Darla?" Angel asked.

"Yeah." Cordelia smiled again.

"Tired, uncomfortable, confused…" Angel started.

Cordelia nodded. "Maybe I should go talk to her."

Angel shook his head. "I don't know if that's such a good idea. She still is Darla, and a vampire."

"And I'm a demon." Cordelia reminded him as she placed Jessica in his arm. "Besides, it's not like she is in the best shape to move around now anyway."

Angel nodded. "Fine." He then turned to watch Cordelia ascended the stairs, admiring the few he had of her backside. Her curves were defined in the tight black tank top she was wearing and he decided he couldn't wait to get her out of it tonight.

Cordelia knocked gently on the door of the room that used to belong to Angel, but she did not wait for Darla to invite her in. She slowly opened the door to find the blonde vampire struggling between sleep and staying awake.

"Darla?" Cordelia asked quietly.

Darla nodded and sat up as best as she could. "What do you want, Cordelia?"

"Angel said you weren't feeling great." Cordelia sat down on the edge of the bed. "I thought maybe you'd want to talk."

"To you?" Darla snorted.

"Well, I don't see anyone else barging in hear to have any kind of conversation with you."

"You think I care?"

Cordelia stood. "I guess not." The seer then went to make her way to the door but stopped when she heard Darla's voice again.

"Was it scary?" Darla asked, suddenly.

Cordelia grinned to herself. She knew she could get the vampire to talk. She then made her way back over to the edge of Darla's bed and sat. "Was what scary?"

"Having a baby. Were you scared?"

"Out of my mind." Cordelia smiled as she thought about Jessica. "But it was worth it."

Darla shook her head. "You're crazy. How could you even think that?"

"Because I love my daughter."

"Love is weakness in its strongest form." Darla hissed. "That child will grow to resent you and hate you."

Cordelia stood, taken back by the vampire's sudden change in attitude.

"And she'll hate you because of the pathetic mother you are." Darla sneered.

Cordelia said nothing as she made her way out of the room. She knew Darla had only said those things to get to her, and hurt her, and that they didn't really mean anything, but the vampire's words still hurt Cordelia in ways she couldn't even describe.

Holtz paced the cave as Sahjhan watched from his seat.

"They were able to defeat me. I had the chance to kill them, but they took it away from me." Holtz was baffled. "Darla had so much strength in her."

"Because of the kid." Sahjhan told him. "You see how much power it gave her? Imagine what it will have when it's born."

"The spawn of two vampires…it is unnatural." Holtz said.

"And dangerous." Sahjhan added quickly. "It must be destroyed."

"Angel claims it has a soul."

"Things are not always black and white. You know that. Even with a soul the child can be dangerous."

"What about the other one?" Holtz asked.

"The one Angel conceived with the seer?"

Holtz nodded.

"Both children are the spawn of Angelus. No matter what you are told or hear, do not be driven away from that simple fact." Sahjhan narrowed his eyes. "Do you understand?"

Holtz nodded as he picked up a crossbow. He was going to get his revenge on Angelus and Darla if it was the last thing he ever did.

Cordelia made her way into the room that was to be Jessica's new room. She and Angel had decided that Jessica was getting to big to stay in their room, and they needed to fix another room for the new baby anyway, so they thought they might as well clean two rooms up for both children.

Jessica's new room was cute, or so Cordelia thought anyway. It was white with a pink trim going around the top, and white baby furniture. There was a huge closet, and Cordelia could just imagine Jessica in a few years flipping through all her clothes, trying to get ready for school and have the perfect outfit on, just like her mother used to do back in Sunnydale.

Cordelia sighed, throwing the new clothes she had bought Jessica over the crib. She moved to hang them up when suddenly she felt someone's cold hand grab her neck very gently. She turned around to face Angel, who kissed her square on the lips.

"Well, it's good to see you too." Cordelia grinned.

Angel returned her smile. "What are you doing in here, all alone?"

Cordelia turned back to the clothes on the crib, knowing her teasing was only making Angel want her more. "Putting away Jessica's clothes. Where is Jess anyway?"

"Downstairs with Fred." Angel said, wrapping his arms around Cordelia's waist.

"Well, that's good." Cordelia turned back to Angel, cupping his face in her hand and kissing him.

Angel pulled Cordelia towards the door, their lips never parting, and he locked the door. He then gently leaned her against the wall and started to take off her top. She lifted her arms in the air to help him. Suddenly Angel's head jolted up, apart from Cordelia and she watched his brow furrow.

"What is it?" Cordelia asked, her voice filling with concern.

"Darla…"

Cordelia snorted. "What about her?"

"She's in pain." Angel's eyes widened as he unlocked the door next to Cordelia. "I can hear her."

Cordelia nodded and quickly followed Angel out of the room and down to Darla's. They found the blonde vampire in a ball on the bed, clutching her stomach.

"Darla?" Angel moved to her side. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know…" Darla panted. "It hurts."

"She's in labor." Cordelia told him.

"Go get Wesley." Angel told her.

Cordelia nodded and yelled down the hall. A minute later Wesley, Gunn, and Fred, who was caring Jessica, were in the room.

"What's wrong?" Wesley asked.

"She's in labor." Cordelia said, taking Jessica from Fred. "We need to get her out of here."

"Yeah." Gunn agreed. "I'll go call the hospital, let them know we coming."

"Hold on." Angel stood. "We can't bring her to a hospital."

"Oh true." Gunn realized. "I forgot Blondie was a vampire."

"Well, where the hell are we bringing her?" Cordelia asked. "She isn't having it here."

Darla moaned in pain.

"Cordelia, we might not have any other options." Wesley said.

"Oh, we better." Cordelia snapped. "I'm not cleaning up after all that blood and mess."

Darla moaned louder.

"Cordelia! Stop upsetting her." Angel said, as calmly as he could.

"Oh please. She lives off blood, how could that upset her?" Cordelia snorted as she bounced Jessica in her arm.

"Well, what about Lorne's club?" Fred suggested. "It's probably the safest place to have the baby. It's a demon sanctuary."

"Brilliant." Wesley smiled at Fred.

"Yeah. Good idea." Gunn grinned at Fred.

Fred blushed at Gunn. "Thanks."

"Well, then let's get a move on." Angel said, as he and Gunn helped Darla to her feet.

Cordelia led the group into the club, with Jessica resting her head on her mother's shoulder, sucking her thumb. It was clear that the eight month old was no longer interested in the birth of her half brother or sister. Cordelia was followed by Angel and Gunn, who were helping Darla, and Fred and Wesley who were taking up the back, weapons in hand.

"Lorne?" Cordelia called out.

"Who's there?" Lorne entered the now dark club. It was late at night, and he was sure he had put the closed sign on the door.

"It's us." Angel said as he watched Lorne flick on a light. "We need help."

Lorne took in the scene in front of him. "I'd say you do. What's up?"

"I'm having a baby you moron." Darla snapped.

"Okay there, Killer, easy." Gunn said as he and Angel helped Darla into a chair.

"I can see…" Lorne told them. "But what can I do?"

"Let her have it here." Angel looked up, desperation in his eyes.

"What?" Lorne was shocked by the suggestion. "No!"

"That's what I said about our place." Cordelia said, sitting up on the counter and trying to rock Jessica to sleep.

"We need you to let us use this place, Lorne." Wesley told the demon.

"Why here?" Lorne asked.

"Because it's a sanctuary. Bad things are after this baby, we need to keep it safe." Fred told him.

"And more bad things will come after it when it's born. The child of two vampire's is not a common thing." Lorne explained.

"So help us keep it safe." Angel narrowed his eyes. "Help me keep my child safe."

"Oh just shut up!" Darla snapped from her seat. "Either help me or don't, Green Boy."

Lorne was offended by the comment, but sighed. "Fine. Get her in the back room."

Holtz was more than angry when he arrived at the Hyperion Hotel to find it completely empty. He kicked around some of the furniture and was about to leave when a small man in an expensive suit walked in.

"Hi, I'm Gavin Park." The man stuck out his hand to shake Holtz's. "I work for Wolfram and Hart. It seems you and I have something in common-"

"We all have something in common." Lilah said, following Gavin in. "Daniel Holtz, right?"

Holtz nodded. "Yes. That is I."

"Good, means I've been doing my homework." Lilah told him.

"Homework?" Holtz raised an eyebrow.

"Or talking to Sahjhan, but it's practically the same thing." Lilah said.

"You know Sahjhan?" Holtz asked.

"We have a deal with him." Gavin butted in.

"Well, I arranged a deal with him." Lilah corrected Gavin. "Mr. Park just likes to think he runs the show."

"And who are you?" Holtz asked Lilah.

"Lilah Morgan." Lilah told him. "I work at Wolfram and Hart."

"Where?" Holtz asked.

"Never mind." Lilah said.

"And what were you talking to Sahjhan about?" Holtz was curious.

"Angel." Lilah smiled. "We want the same thing as you do."

"And what do I want?" Holtz asked, slyly.

"Angel, dead." Lilah told him. "And the kid, the girl, dead. The new baby, dead."

"No." Holtz turned to the door. "I want revenge." Holtz then exited.

"Well, that worked out just brilliantly, didn't it?" Gavin smirked at Lilah.

"Shut up." Lilah told him, still starring at the door that Holtz had exited through.

Angel and Cordelia watched Darla from the corner of the room. The blonde vampire was now sleeping. Gunn and Lorne were out in the club, drinking and talking, Wesley was over a stack of books on giving birth in the club, and Fred was in the other room with Jessica, trying to get the child to fall asleep.

Cordelia leaned into Angel. "I'm tired."

"Try to sleep." Angel ran a hand over her cheek.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because you won't." She turned to look at him. "You need to sleep too."

"I'll sleep when the baby is born."

"Which could take a few days at the rate Darla's going, and then what? The baby is born, and you know how much sleep we got when Jess first got here. You should try and rest while you can, because once that baby is born there will be no sleeping for any of us." Cordelia smiled.

Angel nodded. "I know."

Cordelia's smile faded. "Angel, we never got to talking about it, and we kind of need to, especially now."

"I know…" Angel sighed, already knowing what Cordelia was talking about.

"What are we going to do with Darla?" Cordelia asked, clearly concerned. "After she has the baby, the soul she shares with it is gone. She won't have it in her anymore. She will be dangerous again."

"I know." Angel ran a hand through Cordelia's shoulder length hair. "We will deal with Darla after that."

"You keep saying that, but what does that mean? You can't kill her, not after she has you child."

"Our child." Angel told Cordelia. "You're going to be its mother now, Darla won't be there for it."

"Angel…" Cordelia was honored, but Darla's words about her not being a good mother suddenly came into her mind. "I can't…Darla's it's mother."

"Damn right I am." Darla said weakly from the bed. "You stupid little brat, and like hell your going to- "

Gunn ran into the room, followed by Lorne, Wesley, and Fred with Jessica, cutting off the blonde vampire.

"We got a problem." Gunn said, out of breath.

"What?" Angel asked.

"Angelus!" Holtz's voice filled the club.

Darla moaned in pain.

"He can't hurt us." Cordelia told them, quickly taking Jessica out of Fred's arms. "Remember? This is a sanctuary. No violence."

"No demon violence." Lorne corrected her. "Holtz isn't a demon."

"Okay, suggestions?" Angel asked as Darla moaned in pain again.

"Outside." Gunn pointed to the back door.

"Okay…good." Angel said, moving to help Darla up.

The group quickly made their way into the alley. It was raining heavily, and they were all soaked in a second.

"Guys, go get the car." Angel told them, helping Darla sit down. "She can't make it."

"Okay." Fred said, taking Angel's keys.

Gunn, Wesley, and Lorne followed Fred down the alley.

"Cordelia, go with them." Angel told her.

Cordelia shook her head, bouncing Jessica in her arms; the rain hitting both the mother and daughter in the face. "I'm not leaving you."

"Cordy…" Angel started.

Darla moaned. "Angel…"

"She's in pain." Cordelia sat next to him. "We have to help her."

"She has to have it." Angel said.

"Angel…" Darla panted. "I can't…"

"You have to, Darla." Angel told her.

Darla shook her head. "Holtz is coming…I'll never make it."

"Sure you will." Cordelia said, trying to cheer the vampire up.

Darla shook her head. "Even if I do, I can't love this baby. It has a soul, Angel, you know it does. It can love and be loved back."

Angel nodded.

"Well, I can't." Darla told them. "I can't love it, not like a real mother can." Darla's eyes shifted to Cordelia. "Not like you can."

Cordelia was confused. "But I thought…"

"I know what I said." Darla managed out. "But it wasn't true. I've seen you with your daughter; you're a great mother. Please…take care of my baby for me like it was your own."

Cordelia nodded, her eyes brimming with tears. "Of coarse…"

"Darla…" Angel was confused. "But what-"

"Darla…Angelus…" Holtz stepped into the alley, crossbow raised. "I thought I'd find you here…"

Darla grabbed Angel's jacket, fumbling for something in the pocket. When she found what she was looking for, she looked up at Angel. "Don't let anything happen to this baby. Ever…"

Angel eyes widened as he watched Darla raise the stack and shove it into her own heart, leaving behind nothing but a crying baby boy.

"Oh God…" Cordelia reacted by handing Jessica to Angel and picking up the child in her arms.

Angel looked at his son, and his daughter, and then at Holtz, swallowing hard.

Holtz slowly lowered his crossbow, realizing something big. Something important. He knew how to get his revenge. He grinned at Angel before turning and walking back down the alley.

Angel let out an unneeded breath as he watched Fred pull up with his car.

"We need to get these two home, it's wet out here!" Cordelia told him.

Angel nodded. "Yeah, Jess is shaking, and I'm sure Connor is too."

"Connor?" Cordelia smiled down at the baby boy in her arms. She liked the name.

Angel nodded. "It's Irish. Come on." He grabbed Cordelia's hand and led her to the car.