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 50

"Dad!" Jess looked down at the now shattered amulet, and then up at her father, her eyes wide. "What the hell did you do?"

"I…" Angel looked back down at the pieces of amulet at his feet. "I didn't think it would actually work. I didn't think…"

"Spike's gone." Jess stated. "You sent him to…I don't know. Hell?"

"He kissed you." Angel tried to justify his actions.

"Oh, and I kicked and screamed for him to get off of me!" Jess said sarcastically, the bitterness rising in her voice. "News flash Dad, your daughter is a big girl now. She makes her own decisions."

Before Angel could get another word in, Jess blew past him, but was stopped by her mother.

"Jess, knock it off." Cordelia held her daughter back.

"Are you kidding me?" Jess spat at her mother. "You just saw what he did! Spike is gone and no one knows where he is!"

Suddenly a loud rumble erupted from under their feet. Jess turned back to her father to see the pieces of amulet at his feet throw themselves back together.

"Angel?" Cordelia questioned.

Angel shrugged, looking down nervously at the amulet. "I don't know…"

Then a huge burst of light filled the room, forcing Angel, Cordelia, and Jess to shield their eyes.

"Bloody hell!" Spike's voice bellowed as the light in the room dimmed out.

Angel, Cordelia, and Jess all looked up at once to see the blonde vampire standing right over the amulet.

"Spike?" Jess asked.

"Spike." Angel said, anger still lingering in his voice at the plain sight of the other dead man in the room.

Spike looked down at the amulet and then back up at Angel. "You bloody tried to kill me!"

"Key word, tried." Angel sighed. "I should have known it wouldn't be that easy to get rid of you."

"Yeah? Well screw you!" Spike stood on the tips of his toes, pointing at Angel.

"Calm down there, ghostie…" Angel smirked.

"That's it!" Spike charged at Angel.

Angel had a smirk on his face, but it was wiped off clean as Spike's body connected with his, throwing the dark haired vampire over Jessica's desk.

"Wow." Jess stated simply.

Cordelia nodded in agreement. "For a ghost, he can hit pretty good."

Angel jumped to his feet, game face on. "I'm gonna kick your ass!"

"Try me!" Spike dared. "I'm a bloody ghost, you can't hit me!"

But Spike was very wrong, as Angel lunged at Spike, knocking the blonde vampire to the floor, and giving him two right hooks across the face.

The blood poured out of Spike's nose, surprising both him and Angel.

"You're not a ghost." Angel staggered to his feet.

Spike wiped his nose. "Apparently not anymore."

"What the hell is going on in here?" Gunn entered, followed by Wesley, Fred and Lorne. "We just got Nina comfortable and we hear World War III going on up here."

"Spike?" Lorne pointed at the blonde vampire.

"He's back!" Fred stated.

"And bleeding." Gunn added.

"He's solid again." Wesley concluded.

Spike nodded. "Bloody am."

"How?" Fred asked.

"Angel over here broke my amulet thingy." Spike pointed to the amulet on the floor. "It sucked me in and spit me back out, and now I'm a real boy."

"So Angel saved the day!" Fred chirped.

"If I had saved the day Spike would be gone for good…" Angel mumbled as he made his way out of Jessica's office.

"I'll go talk to him." Cordelia said, waddling out the door after her husband, one hand on her huge stomach, and the other on the small of her back.

"So…" Jess turned to Spike. "You're solid."

"And not connected to this bloody hell hole of a building." Spike grinned. "I'm a free man now, well vampire. Anyway, I'm bloody free."

Jess nodded. "Yes you are."

"So what does a free man like yourself plan on doing now, sugarplum?" Lorne asked the blonde vampire.

Spike thought for a moment, and then a small smile broke across his face. "I'm going to bloody Italy."

Jessica's mouth fell open when Spike said these words, but she quickly looked at her feet so he wouldn't see the hurt in her eyes. For some reason she felt a surge of jealousy and anger rise within her. For some reason she didn't want Spike to leave.

"Italy?" Fred was confused. "Why there?"

"Buffy." Jess said, looking up. "She's there."

"Oh." Fred said. "I see."

"Well, it's probably for the best." Gunn said. "I'm not sure our boy Angel would do good with you here anyway."

"He wouldn't." Spike agreed. "But he's got nothing to do with my decision. I'd love driving him insane for all eternity, but I've got my own agenda."

"Well, good luck, Spike." Wesley told the vampire. "We should all get back to work though."

"I'll drop you a postcard." Spike waved sarcastically as Wesley, Fred, Gunn, and Lorne exited.

"Well, like Wes said, good luck." Jess said, shuffling some papers on her desk, before making her way to the door.

"Wait, where are you going?" Spike grabbed Jessica's arm and felt her tense up in his grasp immediately.

"I'm going to check with Harmony to see what time my next meeting is." Jess said coldly. "You know where the front door is, I'm sure you'll manage. Good luck in Italy."

"Jess…" Spike started, but it was too late, she was already out the door.

Cordelia was out of breath by the time she got up to the penthouse. She realized now why pregnant woman didn't run often. She had followed Angel all the way, but he was clearly angry and did not turn around once when she called his name, if anything he had sped up his pace.

She opened the door and walked around the penthouse until she found Angel in Jessica's workout room, knocking around the punching bag. He had taken off his black sweater and was now in a black tank top, and Cordelia watched in awe for a moment. He looked unbelievably attractive sweaty and angry, and his muscles bulged out with every punch he threw.

She snapped out of her trance when Angel stopped hitting the bag and turned to her, sweat pouring down his face.

"I was wrong. I know." Angel told her quickly. "I don't need a lecture from you on it."

"Well too bad, buddy." Cordelia said, waddling after Angel into the kitchen. "Because that's exactly what you are going to get."

"Look." Angel turned around quickly to face Cordelia. "Spike was kissing Jessica. He had his mouth all over my daughters! You're going to tell me I overreacted?"

"Trying to kill him?" Cordelia snorted. "Um…yeah, you overreacted."

Angel folded his arms, shaking his head.

Cordelia sat down, the weight of the child inside of her making her legs too tired to stand. "I mean, as much as I don't want to admit it, Jess is right. She is a young woman now; she isn't our little baby anymore. She can make her own decisions."

"Well, she should still be our little baby." Angel looked away.

"Angel…" Cordelia reached for his arm, already knowing where the conversation was headed.

"If I hadn't let Holtz take her, if I hadn't given her away she would be what? Four years old now?"

"Angel…"

"Then Spike wouldn't be kissing her, hell then we probably wouldn't even be in this damn mess known as Wolfram and Hart." Angel sat down next to Cordelia, burying his head in his hands. "This is all my fault."

"Angel, this isn't your fault." Cordelia felt a tear slip from her eye. She wrapped her arm around Angel the best she could, she hated seeing him in pain. "Trust me, this isn't your fault at all."

"This is all your fault!" Jessica entered the kitchen, angry, and pointing at Angel.

"What?" Angel's head shot up to see his daughter.

"Spike left. No in fact, he went to go get Buffy back. So thanks to you, he won't be around here anymore, oh and he'll be boning your ex too!" Jess spat.

"Jess, I'm sorry…" Angel stood.

"No you're not." Jess pushed her finger into Angel's chest. "You're just a big self-centered, blockhead!"

"Hey!" Cordelia stood, trying to defend Angel.

Jess whipped around to face her Cordelia. "Mom, shut up! I've had it up to here with you and your little moods so just shut it okay?"

"Don't talk to her like that!" Angel growled.

"Don't growl at me, jerk!" Jess snapped back.

"I'm sorry!" Angel was angry now. "I didn't know you had feelings for Spike!"

"I don't!" Jessica shot back, and then shook her head, realizing she didn't really know if she had feelings for Spike. She might have, but that didn't matter anymore, he wanted Buffy. "I mean…I don't know what was happening between us, but that's not the point! The point is you made Spike leave!"

"What does is matter if you don't care for him?" Angel asked, now totally confused.

"Hello? Earth to Moron-Of-a-Dad! He was another champion! A good guy with super strength! We could have used him around here, but nooo! You and your little jealousies got in the way!" Jessica told him.

"Jess…" Angel reached out for his daughter.

"Just don't." Jess pushed his hand away with a sigh, her temper calming a little. "I have a meeting I need to get to."

Before Angel or Cordelia could say another word to their daughter, she was out the door.

"Damn…" Angel sighed, running a hand through his now short, spiky hair. He had cut it at some point the last week. "I messed up."

Cordelia stood, nuzzling close to Angel so he could hold both her and their unborn child. "Jess just has a temper. Let her calm down. She knows you didn't do this on purpose."

Angel kissed the top of Cordelia's head. "I hope you're right."

Jess made her way to the front desk where she found Harmony sitting, painting her nails. She sighed, watching her secretary who seemed to care about everything else in the world except her job.

"Harmony?" Jess asked the blonde vampire behind the desk, but Harmony didn't even flinch. "Harmony? Harmony?"

Harmony's eyes shot up the third time Jessica called her name. "Yes boss?"

"I need the file on my two o'clock meeting."

"Oh, right." Harmony rummaged around her desk until she found a big file. She then handed it to Jess. "Here you go."

"Thanks." Jess turned to go into her office, and ran right into Spike. She looked up to see the vampire and sighed, moving around him and trying to avoid conversation at all cost.

"Jess?" Spike called out after her.

Jess rolled her eyes. So much for avoiding conversation. "Yes?"

"Well, I just…I wanted to thank you for everything you've done for me." Spike said, shifting his weight. "It meant a lot."

"I'm glad." Jess tried her best to smile. "Now don't you have a plane to catch?"

Spike nodded, awkwardly taking Jessica into his embrace for a hug. "Really, thank you."

"Good luck." Jess gave a weak smile. "I mean it."

Spike nodded, watching Jessica turn away from him and make her way into her office for a meeting.

"So you're leaving, Spike?" Harmony spoke up to the other vampire.

Spike turned to his ex and gave her a sarcastic smile. "Yes, Harmony, I am. Thanks for asking, been good seeing you." He made his way to the elevator as quickly as possible.

"What? No good-bye?" Harmony called after him, but Spike was already out of the lobby.

Spike had been gone three days, and Jessica hadn't spoken to Angel since then. It wasn't that she had really cared for Spike; at least she didn't think she had. Maybe the two of them had something, but Spike wanted Buffy, and Jess knew that. That wasn't the reason Jessica was mad with Angel. She didn't blame him for taking Spike from her; she blamed Angel for pushing away someone who could have been an important asset to the team.

Angel sighed as he leaned against the doorframe of Jessica's gym, watching her take her aggression out on the punching bag. It wasn't long before he felt Cordelia's head rest on his shoulder.

"You doing okay?" Cordelia asked.

Angel shook his head, moving to the couch. "Jess is still really angry with me."

Cordelia nodded, slowly making her way over to Angel, and taking a seat next to him. "I know. But she'll get over it."

"She really liked Spike I think."

"I don't know if that was it." Cordelia said, rubbing small circles on her still growing stomach. She had two and a half more months to go, although she already felt like she was about to pop. "I think she was just lonely. This place seems to be able to do that to you."

"And yet being lonely doesn't mean neglecting your work." Eve's voice filled the room.

Angel and Cordelia both looked up to see the young woman leaning against a chair in the corner.

"Eve, what a surprise." Angel stood. "Get out."

"I'd love you." Eve grinned back. "But it's a little thing about the boss of this company not doing her job ever since the blonde ghost left."

"What are you talking about?" Cordelia asked.

"Just your daughter. She's been blowing off meetings. Let that woman of a werewolf leave…the Senior Partners aren't very happy with her, and personally, I wouldn't want to be on their bad side." Eve smiled. "So, if I were you I'd talk to her before they get to her. Oh, and by the way Cordelia, you have your doctor's appointment at noon today." And with that Eve was gone.

"Did I mention how much I don't like her?" Cordelia asked.

Angel nodded. "You're not alone there." He then stood.

"Where are you going?"

"To talk to Jess."

"You think this is a good time?"

"As good a time as any." Angel said.

"I'll come with you." Cordelia told him, struggling to get up.

Angel smiled, helping his wife to her feet.

"Wipe that grin off your face, buddy, it's not funny to laugh at big, fat, pregnant, beached whale." Cordelia told him.

"You look beautiful." Angel told her, and he meant it. He then took her hand and led her into the gym where they found Jessica swinging a sword around.

"Jess?" Angel called out, cautiously.

Jess rolled her eyes, turning to find both her parents in the doorway. "What?"

"We need to talk." Angel told her.

Jess wiped the sweat from her forehead with a towel, before making her way past her parents. "No we don't."

"Look." Angel turned and followed his daughter, and Cordelia followed him. "I know you're angry with me about Spike."

"I'm not angry." Jess stated. "I'm over it."

"So what's with not talking to us then?" Cordelia folded her arms over her hump of a stomach.

"Just…I've got things going on." Jess told them.

"You let Nina leave?" Angel asked.

Jess nodded. "The full moon's over. She's safe until next month. She said she'll be back then."

Angel nodded, a little confused. "Oh, Eve said…"

"Eve's a dumbass." Jess stated the obvious. "So don't take anything she says to heart."

Angel nodded in agreement. "So, then you and I are okay?"

Jess shrugged. "I guess. I still think you were a big, dumb, stupid, ass about the Spike thing, but what am I going to do about it." Jess then made her way into her bedroom.

Cordelia turned to Angel. "She's still hurt."

"Who? Jess?" Angel asked.

"Duh." Cordelia snorted.

"She said she wasn't."

"I'm a girl. I know these things." Cordelia kissed Angel. "I'll talk to her after the doctor's appointment today."

"You want me to come with you?" Angel asked.

Cordelia smiled. "You are the daddy, right?" She then took his hand and placed it on her enormous stomach.

"I am." Angel smiled back.

Fred sat at her desk in her lab, with a puzzled look on her face. What had happened to Spike earlier that week made no sense, and the physicist was determined to find out why it had actually happened. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't hear the door to her office open.

"Well, took me long enough to find you." Wesley smiled, taking a seat on the corner of Fred's desk.

"Wes?" Fred smiled up. "What are you doing here?"

"Haven't seen you in a day or so, thought something might have happened. What have you been up to?"

"Thinking."

"About?"

"Spike."

"Spike?"

"What happened to him..." Fred sighed. "It just doesn't make sense."

Wesley nodded. "It certainly took us all by surprise."

"I mean all Angel did was break the amulet. Right? And then suddenly Spike's true vampire essence gets released?"

"I don't know." Wesley shrugged.

"It's like it was meant to happen though." Fred said. "Like Spike…"

"Like his job isn't finished." Wesley finished her thought.

"He saved the world." Fred said. "Maybe…maybe he is the champion now."

"You mean the Shanshu Prophecy is about him?"

Fred shrugged. "I don't know. He did take Angel's spot in the Sunnydale apocalypse."

"That is true." Wesley realized. "Maybe we should keep an eye on it. Do some research."

Fred nodded. "Let's keep it between us for now though."

Wesley nodded, a smile creeping across his face as he watched Fred look back down at her books. She was beautiful.

Cordelia sighed, as Angel helped her make her way down to the hospital wing of Wolfram and Hart. She hated hospitals, always had since the rebar accident in Sunnydale. She stopped short, right outside the room that had been set up especially for her.

"It's going to be okay." Angel reassured her. "I'm going to be right here with you."

Cordelia nodded weakly before opening the door to find what looked like a normal hospital room. A doctor stood in the corner. A young man with blonde hair hanging over his eyes. He smiled when he saw Cordelia and Angel enter.

"Mrs. Angel." The doctor took Cordelia's hand. "I'm Doctor Scott. It's nice to meet you."

"You too." Cordelia said nervously.

Dr. Scott then moved to shake Angel's hand. "Mr. Angel."

"It's just Angel, actually." Angel said, taking the doctor's hand.

"Right, whatever you prefer. Now, Cordelia, why don't we get you up on the table?" The doctor asked.

Cordelia nodded, as Angel helped her sit up on the exam table.

"How are you feeling?" Dr. Scott asked, reading over Cordelia's chart.

"Tired, fat, swollen…" Cordelia laughed nervously. "The basics."

The doctor nodded. "It says your six and a half months along."

"That's right." Cordelia said.

"Well, then a few more months of being uncomfortable." Dr. Scott smiled. "Then you'll have a beautiful baby."

Cordelia nodded. "I can't wait. This pregnancy was so much different then my last."

"Well, your older, your body is different now." Dr. Scott told her.

"I'm fatter now then I was then, and I was carrying seven babies the first time around and eight and a half months pregnant, not six and a half." Cordelia laughed at the irony of that.

"Yes, so I heard." Dr. Scott said. "But each pregnancy is different. So, why don't you lay back and we'll get a picture of your little one."

Cordelia nodded, as Angel helped her lean back. Dr. Scott then did an ultrasound and smiled. "Baby looks healthy. See? There is its head, and its little hands." He pointed to something on the screen. "Would you like to hear its heartbeat?"

Cordelia looked up at Angel who had a big smile on his face. "Yes." She said.

The doctor nodded, and a minute later the baby's heartbeat filled the room. Angel looked down to see Cordelia with tears rolling down her cheeks, and a huge smile across her face.

"That's our baby." Cordelia whispered to Angel.

Angel smiled back. "That it is."

"Well." Dr. Scott smiled. "Everything looks good. Why don't you guys come back in a few weeks for another check up?"

Cordelia nodded, sitting up with Angel's help. "Sounds good."

"Good." Dr. Scott smiled again before leaving the couple alone.

"So, the baby is healthy." Cordelia smiled, hugging Angel.

Angel smiled back, planting a kiss on Cordelia's lips.

Cordelia and Angel entered their penthouse, both happy about how the doctor's appointment had gone. Both were so wrapped up in the new baby that they almost forgot that Cordelia was supposed to talk to Jess. That's until they heard the TV on full blast and entered the living room to find Gunn, Jessica, and Lorne sprawled out on the floor playing video games.

"Hey." Angel said to them. "What's going on in here?"

"Slow day at work." Gunn said, not taking his eyes off of the TV. "We decided to come up here and hang out for a little."

"And feel free to take my place." Lorne said, throwing the controller at Angel's feet. "These two have been kicking my green butt."

"Actually, he can take Jessica's place." Cordelia said.

"What?" Jess was confused. "No way, I'm kicking Gunn's butt."

"I want to talk to you." Cordelia said to her daughter.

Jess sighed, getting to her feet. "Fine."

Cordelia nodded, leading Jessica into the kitchen.

Once inside the kitchen Cordelia sat down, motioning for Jessica to take the seat next to her, but Jess shook her head, sitting on the counter instead.

"So, what's up?" Jess asked.

"It's about your father, and Spike." Cordelia started.

Jess rolled her eyes. "Mom, I told you, I'm over it."

"You liked Spike."

"No I didn't. Why does everyone keep saying that?"

"Because I we can tell." Cordelia told her daughter. "And honey, it's fine if you liked him. I mean, I personally think he's an ass but you're a big girl now, you can make your own decisions about boys."

"Great." Jess hoped off the counter. "Except I didn't like him."

"You kissed him."

"Big deal! It was one kiss! Okay two but still!" Jess made her way out into the living room, still looking back at Cordelia. "It's not like we were dating or anything. It didn't mean anything." Suddenly Jessica ran into someone's muscular chest.

"Well, then I guess I'm not the kisser I once was." Spike's voice filled the room.

Jessica looked up to see Spike standing right in front of her. "Spike? What are you doing here?"

Spike sighed. "I tried. I tried to go back to Buffy, but I couldn't."

"What? Why?" Jess was confused.

"Because Buffy's got brains." Angel shot a grin from his seat on the couch.

"Angel." Cordelia said sternly.

"Well, Buf does have brains." Spike wasn't going to argue. "But that's not why I couldn't go back to her. She's moved on, made a new life without me. I wouldn't want to go and burden and confuse her with me suddenly showing up."

"Oh…" Jess looked down.

"Plus." Spike lifted Jessica's chin. "I think I might have my own new life going on here."

"Maybe." Jessica said back to the blonde vampire, before turning to make her way out of the penthouse. "Maybe not."

Spike stood there for a moment, unsure of what had just happened. Did Jessica not want him, or was she just playing hard to get? He was as confused as anyone else who was in the room.