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 29

Gunn entered the lobby, where he found Wesley and Fred over a bunch of books and Cordelia and Angel sitting on the couch. Angel had Jessica wiggling around in his arms, and Cordelia was holding Connor who was drifting in and out of sleep. Unlike Jessica, this child was a sleeper; anyone could see that already.

"So, you decided to name him Connor?" Gunn asked, leaning against the back of the couch Cordelia was sitting on.

Angel nodded. "It's Irish. It's a good, strong name."

Cordelia smiled up at him. "Yeah it is." Cordelia looked back down at the baby in her arms. He was only a few hours old, and he wasn't even really her son, not by blood anyway, but already she felt a connection to him.

Just then, Lorne came busting in the front door. "We've got problems, kiddies."

"What do you mean?" Angel rose quickly, placing Jessica on the floor so she could crawl over to Cordelia and inspect the new blue bundle in her mother's arms.

"Demons, vampires, gangs, lawyers…you name it, they're after your kids. Both of them." Lorne told Angel.

"What?" Angel shook his head.

"I've been reading it off my clients for awhile, they all want a piece of the vampire spawn. Want to see how it works, what makes the kids tick. They were interested in Jessica, but now they are really interested in Connor. The spawn of two vampires…" Lorne said.

"He's not a spawn!" Angel said quickly. "He's a baby. My baby. My human baby."

"Right." Lorne nodded in agreement, not wanting to make the vampire any angrier. "Of course, but they are all still after them."

"Well, then we need to protect them." Cordelia said, lowering Connor so that Jessica could see him from her spot on the floor.

"What about a spell?" Wesley asked from his seat next to Fred. "Like one on your club, Lorne?"

Lorne nodded. "I could call in for one."

"Well, maybe not like the one at your club, seeing as how Holtz could come after us anyway." Fred reminded them.

"That's true. Good thinking, Sugar." Lorne said. "I know I could get one to protect the hotel. Not let anything in or out of this place."

"Sounds good." Angel said.

Cordelia shook her head. "Not right now." She looked up at Angel. "We should get Connor to a doctor."

"Why?" Angel panicked. "Is he hurt? Sick? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. He's healthy." Cordelia told him. "But he needs his shots and things. Remember? Dr. Everets gave them to Jessica when she was born."

Angel nodded, recalling Jessica's arrival to the world. "I forgot."

"Well, then I suggest you get him to the doctor and back here as fast as you can." Lorne said. "While you guys are out I'll call some people."

Cordelia nodded, standing with Connor. "We should probably go to Dr. Everets, since we don't really know what Connor is yet."

Angel nodded in agreement. "I can carry him, if you want."

Cordelia smiled. "Sure." She handed Connor over to Angel and went to pick up Jessica, but instead heard Connor's screams fill the lobby. She looked over to see Angel with a panicked look on his face trying to sooth his son. She smiled at the scene infront of her, and looked down to see Jessica giggling at her father, and reaching her arms up for Cordelia to pick her up. Cordelia did so.

"Why's he crying?" Angel asked, his eyes growing large. "Jess never cried like this. Never. Why won't he stop?"

Cordelia laughed, taking Connor from Angel and handing Jessica to him. Once Connor was in Cordelia's arms he stopped crying, settling his head against her breast.

"I guess he's a Momma's boy." Gunn said about Connor. "And she is a Daddy's girl." He pointed to Jessica who had slumped her head over Angel's shoulder, sucking her thumb.

"I guess so." Angel smiled at his family, but couldn't help but feel a little hurt that his son didn't want to be close to his father. "We should get going, Cordelia."

"Yeah." Cordelia said, grabbing the diaper bag and heading to the basement stairs.

"Gunn, keep an eye on this place. Wesley and Fred, start looking up every demon, vampire, human, and lawyer. Anything after my kids that Lorne tells you about. And Lorne, once you finish talking to Wesley and Fred get on that spell." Angel ordered.

Everyone nodded and immediately went to work.

Holtz entered Sahjhan's cave and instantly felt his body hit the wall. He focused his eyes and found himself starring up at Lilah Morgan.

"So you decided to not kill Angelus and Darla…" Sahjhan's voice came from the table area, where Gavin Park was sitting.

"Darla is dead." Holtz informed him.

"But the child is alive." Sahjhan spat. "Miss Morgan tells me you turned her down."

"I do not wish to work with others on my mission." Holtz told the demon.

"Mission?" Sahjhan's voice filled with fury. "Your mission was simple, you come back, and you kill Angelus and Darla."

"I came back for revenge." Holtz told him.

"What better kind of revenge then death?" Lilah asked, with an evil smirk on her face.

"I have my own way of getting revenge." Holtz told them.

"Well, whatever way you decide, we can help you. We have the resources-" Gavin started.

"Shut up, Gavin." Lilah ordered. "We do things our way or no way."

"We do things my way." Sahjhan told her.

"Right…of course. Your way or no way…" Lilah immediately corrected herself.

"No." Holtz said. "I will do things my own way."

"You don't have much time then." Sahjhan told him. "I will not give you much time to do this your own way, but I will give you some. If you fail, we do things the way I planned."

Holtz nodded. "Fine."

Cordelia with Connor in her arms and Angel with Jessica in his entered the doctor's room the nurse had brought them down to. Within a few moments Dr. Everets entered the room.

"Well, Cordelia, you seem to be popping these babies out quite frequently…" Dr. Everets smiled at Cordelia as his eyes fell on Connor.

"Oh no…he's not mine…well not by blood…" Cordelia tried to explain.

"He's mine." Angel told the doctor. "Cordelia's not his blood mother, but she is his mother."

Cordelia smiled up at Angel and placed Connor down on the exam table.

Dr. Everets took a step closer to Connor and then got a startled look on his face, taking twice as many steps backwards.

"What is it?" Cordelia asked, concerned.

"This cannot be true…" Dr. Everets eyes widened. "This prophecy was not supposed to come to pass…"

"What prophecy?" Angel asked.

"He is the child of two vampires, is he not?" The doctor asked.

Angel nodded. "He is."

Dr. Everets shook his head. "I do not understand. When Jessica was born I was sure the Powers said she would stop the existence of this child."

"Stop his existence?" Angel looked at his son and then back at his daughter, who was banging her fist against his shoulder blade. "I don't understand."

"Neither do I." Dr. Everets shook his head. "I could have misunderstood them, you know the Powers work in mysterious ways, but last time I went to talk to them, when Jessica was born, the way they talked I assumed her existence would not allow his to begin."

"What does it matter?" Angel asked.

"They are both pivotal players in the apocalypse. With them both existing on this plan together, the balance is off." Dr. Everets told them.

"It's not true…" Cordelia looked down at Connor, at her son. "The Powers That Be would not let Connor be born if he was not supposed to be."

Dr. Everets nodded. "They usually catch things like this. I'd assume they brought him here for a reason…he can either save mankind of ruin it. We will have to wait and see which it is, I suppose..." Dr. Everets than began to check Connor over and give him his shots.

The lobby of the Hyperion Hotel was a busy place when Angel and Cordelia arrived back. Fred was over a huge white board with lists of names on it, Wesley was over a massive stack of books on his desk, Lorne was getting together different ingredients for the spell he was about to cast, and Gunn was standing by the door, crossbow in hand, looking outside.

Angel set Jessica down on the floor. "What's going on?"

Gunn jumped from his spot at the door at the sudden sound of Angel's voice. "Damn, don't sneak up on a brother like that…"

"Sorry…" Angel said, looking around the room.

Fred sighed, pushing a piece of hair behind her ear. "Y'all are back."

Cordelia nodded, shifting Connor in her arms as she moved to pick up his bottle on the counter. "Yeah."

"What did the doctor say?" Fred asked.

"Connor's very healthy." Cordelia said, shooting a look in Angel's direction.

"Well that's some good news then…" Lorne smiled up.

"And that Jessica was supposed to end Connor's existence." Angel looked down at his daughter who was grasping at his leg.

"That's…not so good news…" Lorne's smile faded.

"She isn't supposed to end it, she was supposed to stop it." Cordelia correct Angel. "And she didn't, because he is right here with us now."

"Well, if we don't get that damn spell working soon he might not be anymore." Gunn sighed, moving away from the door.

"What do you mean?" Angel asked.

"Demons…vampires…gangs…lawyers…everything and anything evil in and out of this world is coming after your children." Wesley told them. "Fred listed just a few."

Angel and Cordelia's eyes both fell on the whiteboard Fred was next to. On it was a list of at least seventy-five names.

"All these…they're…they're coming after Jessica and Connor?" Cordelia asked, fear rising in her voice at the thought of the potential danger to her children's lives.

"Some are here." Gunn nodded to outside. "Most have been out there for a few hours now."

Angel moved to the window to see cars, trucks, and buses loaded with different people and creature. "Why don't they attack now?"

"In the sunlight?" Gunn asked. "Not a chance…the creepies and crawlies will wait until dark."

Suddenly a burst of light cast over the hotel. "Not anymore, kiddies." Lorne smiled.

"Was that the spell?" Cordelia asked hopefully, feeding a hungry Connor his bottle.

Lorne nodded. "Yep. Now nothing can get in or out of here."

Angel let out a sigh of relief as he picked up Jessica. "So we are safe?"

"For now…" Lorne said.

Holtz stood in his spot right outside of the Hyperion Hotel window. He could see into the lobby perfectly, practically hear everything the AI gang was saying. He had to laugh at the irony of the situation. At first, Angelus had been the one after his family, killing his children, and now Holtz had been given the chance to do the same to Angel.

"He deserves it…" Holtz whispered to reassure himself. In some way it felt wrong to want to harm Angel, because he was no longer the same vampire Holtz had come to kill. He could see it in his eyes, Angelus was long dead, but Holtz needed revenge. Holtz needed justice. He took a deep breath as he made his way to another window of the hotel.

Cordelia placed Connor down in his new crib. It had been a long day, and she felt sorry for the new baby. He had only been in the world not even twenty-four hours, and already people were trying to kill him.

She smiled down at her son. "You are exactly like your father, everyone's trying to kill him too."

"So far, unsuccessfully. Except that one time with Buffy anyway…" Angel entered the room with a very awake Jessica in her arms.

Cordelia kissed him and then leaned back into him with a sigh, resting her head on his shoulder opposite the one Jessica was on. "How's it going downstairs?"

Angel shrugged. "Not any better then it was before."

"Well, at least we are safe, right?" She smiled hopefully up at him.

Suddenly a crash and screams filled the lobby downstairs. Cordelia looked at Angel, and then quickly turned, grabbing Connor, and following Angel out of the room. The couple entered the lobby, with their children in their arms, just in time to see a group of large demons standing on the stairs.

"I thought they couldn't get in!" Cordelia yelled at Lorne.

"Well…they were stronger then my spell I guess…broke the force field?" Lorne said from his spot next to Fred, and behind an armed Gunn and Wesley.

The group of demons then turned to Angel and Cordelia. One grinned up, devilishly, at the family. "We want the children."

"As do we." A grouped of vampires came in, behind the demons, causing a brawl right in the middle of the lobby.

Angel looked at Cordelia and then to the rest of the group. "Run."

The group nodded and followed Angel down the stairs and out through the sewer as all the groups of demons after Jessica and Connor socked it out in the lobby. The fang gang made it out of the sewers a few blocks away from the hotel.

"Well, now what?" Cordelia asked, trying to sooth an upset Connor in her arms.

"We wait it out." Angel told them as Jessica grabbed at her father's ear. "They will kill each other back there."

"Were do you suggest we wait?" Fred asked. "We don't really got anyplace else to go."

Angel thought for a moment, and then turned to Lorne. "The club?"

Lorne shook his head. "Holtz did a number on it. There's nothing left."

Angel clenched his jaw, turning away from the group. He didn't want to let them know he had no plan, no idea. He didn't want to let them know he didn't know how to save his family.

"Da…" Jessica's voice was so low it was almost a whisper, but Angel's vampire hearing allowed him to hear her loud and clear. He turned to see his daughter's big brown eyes starring up at him, with a look of reassurance. "Da." She said quietly again.

It clicked for Angel in his head that moment. "We can go over to Cordy's old apartment. We still have the lease on the place."

Cordelia smiled slightly at Angel. "Good idea."

Cordelia's apartment was empty and dusty when the group arrived. Angel flicked on the one light on the wall.

"Sorry." Cordelia said, taking in what had once been her home. "It's a little dusty. I haven't been here since that time with Harmony."

"It's cool." Gunn said, laying down his crossbow. "Where are the sleeping bags?"

"Hall closet." Angel said, placing Jessica down on the floor so she could crawl around and inspect the room.

Gunn nodded. "I'll grab them."

"I'll come." Fred offered, following Gunn down the hallway.

Cordelia watched Wesley's facial reaction to this as she sat down on the floor with Connor in her arms. "Wes, why don't you talk to her?"

"What?" Wesley was startled by the question.

"Talk to Fred. I can tell you like her." Cordelia told him.

Angel cleared his throat to let Cordelia know he was still there, and uncomfortable with talking about Wesley's love life. "Cordelia, is this really the time for that?"

"Oh please." Cordelia snorted as Jessica climbed up on her knee to look at Connor. "You of all people should not be telling anyone when and when not to talk to people they have feelings for."

"Me?" Angel was a little offended. "Well, you're with me."

Cordelia nodded with a smiled. "But how long did it take you to get me? If it hadn't been for Jess over here we probably would still be beating around the bush."

"What did you want me to do? Jump on you?" Angel grinned the devilish grin that he had clearly passed on to Jessica as he bent over to kiss Cordelia.

This time Lorne cleared his throat. "Again, not the time, kiddies."

Angel looked over at Lorne and nodded. "Sorry. I know."

Gunn and Fred then entered with four sleeping bags.

"You don't got enough sleeping bags, Cordy." Gunn said, throwing the bags on the ground.

"Well, we will just have to share." Angel said, taking a seat next to Cordelia and pulling Jessica into his lap.

"How do you expect that one?" Gunn asked.

"Well, someone should stay up and keep an eye on the place so we only need five." Angel told him.

"We only have four." Fred informed.

"So then two people share." Angel concluded.

Both Gunn and Wesley's eyes fell on Fred at the same time, when Angel mentioned having to share sleeping bags.

"Oh, I'll share." Fred offered. "I don't mind."

"Good. Then you and Cordelia can share one." Angel told her.

Both Gunn and Wesley looked down in defeat at the final verdict of the sleeping bag case.

It was almost morning when Connor began to whimper. Cordelia sighed, getting out of her sleeping bag and making her way over to the pillows that they had used as a bed for Connor and Jessica. Jessica was sound asleep, thumb in her mouth, baring her huge k-9 teeth. It had never crossed Cordelia's mind before, but as she stood there, looking down at her daughter, she realized just how inhuman Jessica's two k-9 teeth looked.

Connor whimpered again, breaking Cordelia from her trance and she quickly picked up the baby boy before he could wake the rest of the room. She made her way out into the living room where she found Angel starring out the window.

"Is he okay?" Angel asked, not turning to face Cordelia.

"Yeah. He is just hungry." Cordelia told Angel as she picked up Connor's bottle and took a seat next to Angel. "You should get some rest."

Angel shook his head. "When they are safe, I will."

Cordelia sighed. "Angel, these kids are never going to be safe. Look at the life we live. Safety…not usually an option."

"It's not fair to them. They didn't pick this." Angel looked down at his hands as he talked about his children.

"No, but did any of us?" Cordelia asked, rocking Connor.

"It's not fair to any of you. This is my burden."

"Wrong." Cordelia said, grabbing his hand with her free one, forcing him to look up at her. "This is our burden. You can't get rid of me if you wanted to, anyway. I'm vision girl. And Jessica is our daughter. Remember? The Powers have great plans for her. You were so excited to hear that a few months ago."

"Because I wasn't thinking. She shouldn't have to obey the Powers. She should be able to just be a kid. Grow up normal."

"There is no normal." Cordelia told him. "And Connor…whatever is in store for him…" She looked down at the blue-eyed baby in her arms. "He is going to be great."

"He's not supposed to be here." Angel looked down at his son and could feel the baby tense up, looking at his father. "He knows it."

"Why? Because Dr. Everets said he isn't supposed to be here?" Cordelia asked. "The Powers That Be wouldn't let Connor be born unless they needed him to fight the good fight."

"Or maybe those Powers you talk to greatly about are nothing more than insignificant beings who control nothing." Holtz's voice filled Cordelia's apartment.

Angel immediately stood in front of Cordelia and Connor, facing Holtz. "Holtz…"

"Well, I must say, Angelus, you used to be much smarter. It wasn't hard to follow you at all." Holtz grinned.

Angel looked behind Holtz, worried other demons or vampire had come along.

"Oh, don't worry, it is just me. The rest ended up killing each other at your hotel, stupid demons. I on the other hand followed you here." Holtz raised his cross bow but jerked to the side, suddenly, as an arrow hit him in the stomac

"And now we gonna follow your ass right outta here." Gunn said, holding his own crossbow in the air.

Wesley and Lorne quickly filed in behind Gunn each sporting a sword, and Fred took up the rear of the foursome with Jessica in her arms.

Holtz staggered up, lunging at Angel the best he could. Angel quickly dodged the injured man and then spun around, grabbing Holtz by his collar.

"You stay the hell away from my family." Angel vamped out. "Or Angelus can make a reappreance." Angel then launched the vampire hunter out the window and watched him fall two stories to the ground.

"Well, that was good." Cordelia said, sarcastically.

"We should get back to the hotel." Angel told them. "It's not safe here."

The pain from the fall cut through Holtz's body like a knife. He opened his eyes and the bright, white light filled them. It was too bright, he had to shut them. Thoughts ran through his head. Was this it? Was he dead? Had Angelus beaten him after all? He waited in silence for another moment, still feeling the pain rippling through his body. Was he in heaven? There was supposed to be no pain here, and yet he was definitely in pain. He opened his eyes again, the bright white light causing him to shut them again.

"This cannot be heaven…" He muttered to himself.

"Damn right. It's actually probably one of the furthest places from it." Lilah Morgan's voice filled the room as she knocked away the exam light over Holtz's head.

Holtz opened his eyes to find himself on an operating table. "Where am I?"

"Wolfram and Hart." Lilah told him. "That was quite a fall you took from Angel."

Holtz tried to sit up, but was unable to move his arm.

"Sit down." Sahjhan's stood next to Lilah. "Your plan failed you. I gave you a chance and you failed, so now we do things my way. Understood?"

Holtz nodded, to weak to argue.

Lilah smiled, slyly, sticking out her hand to shake Holtz's. "Welcome to Wolfram and Hart."