"I thought Willow would be the first to arrive," Buffy said grabbing a doughnut from Xander.

"You know how Willow is with Magic Shops," Xander said. "She'd move in there if she could."

Buffy nodded, "She once stood me up because they got this knew wicca manual, and she had to run over there and buy it."

"I'm not really seeing the attraction to a store with a bunch of stinky herbs and out of date texts but whatever," Cordelia said re-entering the living room.

"How's Cordy?" Gus asked.

"Pissed," Cordelia said. She didn't add that Cordy was also terrified.

Cordelia turned and noted the way Angel rigidly stood at the window watching Cordy sit alone in the Courtyard. Cordelia locked eyes with Gus who was standing beside Angel at the window. She knew that she and Gus were thinking the same thing. Angel shouldn't be there when Cordy was ready to return to the living room.

"We should train," Gus said hoping to get Angel down to the basement.

Angel just stood there like a stone.

Cordelia placed a hand on Angel's shoulder and said, "You need to blow off some steam before you talk to Cordy again. This has been hard on her. She needs a break."

Angel wavered and looked at Cordelia. Not saying a word he followed Gus down to the basement. Cordelia sighed in relief.

Cordy was prepared for a fight when she walked back into the mansion, but Angel wasn't in sight.

"He and Gus decided to train," Wesley explained.

"Good," Cordy said even though she felt a little disappointed. She'd been so ready to fight it out with Angel. Fighting with him was easier than focusing on the danger she was in.

"I need to talk to you," Wesley said, taking her aside.

Cordy tensed, "I don't want to fight."

"I won't fight you," Wesley agreed. "I realize this is what you have to do."

"Could you make him understand that?" Cordy pleaded.

"I'll try," Wesley promised. Then he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "But first I'm going to make you breakfast. I don't think you've eaten anything all day."

"Breakfast?" Cordy repeated amused. "Have we forgotten the burnt toast incident of 2001?"

"Don't exaggerate, Cordy," Wesley ordered.

"Wes, we had to call the fire department," Cordy replied. "You couldn't go back to your apartment for two weeks because of all the smoke damage."

"It wasn't my fault the toaster was faulty," Wes said, guiding her towards the kitchen. "And you're one to talk. How many times have you nearly burned down Angel's home in your cooking attempts?"

"Nobody ever had to call the fire department when I cooked. Let's just hope there aren't any faulty toasters in Gus' kitchen," Cordy replied feeling good about just teasing and relaxing for a while.

Angel left the punching bag in pieces as Gus watched. He knew it wasn't a time for words. Gus didn't doubt that Angel was going to fight for Cordy regardless of the risk.

"You need to trust her, Angel," Wesley said as he walked down the stairs.

Angel's eyes flashed at him, "This is her life Wes. Not some petty argument."

"Her life. Her decision. I'm no happier about it than you are," Wesley said.

Gus stealthily walked up the stairs and out of the basement leaving Wesley and Angel alone.

"You expect me to just accept it," Angel asked.

"I expect you to take Cordy's frame of mind into consideration. She's got a big battle ahead of her. Her focus can't be divided worrying over you and Jacob Smith," Wesley said. "Do you want to be the reason she loses this battle?"

In frustration, Angel punched the wall. He hated admitting that Wesley was right.

"I'll stop fighting her on this," Angel said. "But I won't sit on the sidelines."

"I know," Wesley replied.

"How do we protect her without putting ourselves in danger?" Angel asked resigned.

"Giles and I are working on it," he replied. "Right now you should maybe focus on saving Cordy's peace of mind."

Angel nodded and they headed upstairs but Angel paused and said, "If I have to die saving her I will."

"And if she has to die saving you she will," Wesley said, noting the way Angel flinched at that. "Let's do what we can so it doesn't come to that."

"We have to save her," Angel said.

"We will," Wesley said. "You could start by rescuing Cordy from the omelette I just made for her."

"You cooked," Angel said shaking his head. "Poor Cordy. Remember the burnt toast incident..."

"Why does everyone have to keep exaggerating that," Wes complained.

"We had to call the fire department," Angel pointed out.

Wesley shook his head and lead Angel to the kitchen door. Angel walked into the kitchen and saw Cordy just sitting there moving her food around her plate with her fork. She looked up when she saw Angel enter the kitchen.

"I'm trying to figure out how he managed to make this both watery and dry at the same time," Cordy said content to pretend there was no conflict between them.

She'd already made up her mind to go around Angel if she had to. Cordy didn't see the point in arguing over it.

"I can make you something better than that," Angel said his thought's mirroring Cordy's. He would go around her if he had to.

Cordy smiled at him. She got up from the table and hugged him just because she had to. She didn't know why. Angel gripped her in his arms hoping he wouldn't have to let her go.

--

2002

"What is that?" Spike asked incredulously. He stared at the baby Buffy held in her arms as she stood in the kitchen.

"It's a baby," Buffy replied and then added. "You shouldn't be here."

She hated that she was relieved to see him. He'd been staying away lately and her pride kept her from going after him this time.

"I'm not here for you," Spike said smiling when she looked at him in disbelief. "The little Nibblet invited me over."

"She shouldn't have," Buffy said.

"You're glad she did," Spike said confidently walking towards her.

"I'll be glad when I don't have to deal with you all the time," Buffy said.

Spike just smiled and walked so that he stood directly in front her and the baby. Buffy stood her ground and was determined not to let him get to her. He leaned towards her and Buffy braced herself for the inevitable kiss. But it didn't happen. He just reached behind her and grabbed a rag from the kitchen counter.

"You've got some drool on your shoulder," Spike said innocently even though he knew Buffy was disappointed with him for not kissing her and that she was disappointed with herself because she wanted him too.

He began to rub the rag against her shoulder. Buffy got angry and snatched the rag away from him. Without saying another word she stormed out of the kitchen. Spike just smiled to himself. He prided himself on always being able to at least get a reaction out of her even if it isn't exactly the response he wanted. He affected her whether or not she wanted him to. That's what counted as far as he was concerned.

"Hey Spike," Dawn said when he entered the living room. "Did you see Angel's baby?"

Spike was dumbfounded, "Peaches adopted a kid."

"No, he's Angel's son," Dawn explained. "There's some prophecy I think. I heard Angel's friend Lorne fill Willow in on some of the details. I wonder if you could have a baby."

Spike had thoughts of Buffy pregnant with his child. He didn't know what to make of it or how he felt about it. It was overwhelming. And then he had another thought.

"So where is my grandsire?" Spike said itching for a fight. "It wouldn't be polite if I stopped by and didn't say hello to the bastard."

"He's not here," Dawn said. "He should be back in a few days. We're just baby sitting."

"So it's temporary?" Spike wondered. "He's not moving back to the hellmouth."

"I don't know," Dawn said. "The baby might change things between Angel and Buffy."

Spike had been so confident that he nearly had Buffy where he wanted her. It wasn't enough that she was occasionally in his bed. He was after her heart. It was within this grasp, but Angel could ruin it all.

"It doesn't have to change things though," Dawn said looking at Spike intently. "You could fight for her."

"Who says I want her?" Spike said.

"Despite what everyone thinks I'm not an idiot. It's obvious that there's something going on between you and my sister," Dawn said.

"Big sister better not here you say anything like that," Spike said.

"She won't," Dawn said.

"You didn't invite me here to hang out with you did you?" Spike realized.

"Go talk to Buffy," Dawn said.

Spike took an unneeded breath, "There's nothing to talk about. Buffy knows everything she needs to about my side of things. She's the one who has to do the talking this time around. I'll be seeing you."

Spike walked out the front door living Dawn alone in the living room.

--

1999

Buffy frowned at the kitchen door trying to give herself the courage to walk in. Her Angel was in there with Wesley, Cordelia, Cordy, and the other Angel. Apparently they were having a good time too. Buffy had heard some laughter. She couldn't walk through the doors. She was so lost in thought that when Cordelia walked through the doors she walked right into Buffy.

"Sounds like you guys were having fun," Buffy said.

"Everybody's trying to relax Cordy," Cordelia said. "You might want to take a cue from that."

"The last few days have been intense," Buffy said, suddenly at a loss for words.

She looked at Cordelia and thought about their futures. Cordelia was going to be in LA with Angel, and Buffy was going to be left behind in Sunnydale. Buffy wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't seen the evidence of it. Not just the pictures in Angel wallet but in the way he was with Cordy. She mattered to him more than she should. Buffy wondered if Gus was longing for that future or dreading it like she was. Buffy turned with Cordelia and reentered the living room to sit with Giles and Xander. Giles checked his watch and again and frowned at Buffy.

"I'm starting to worry about Willow," Giles said. "She's over an hour late."

"I thought you said she was in a magic shop haze," Cordelia said. "I get the same way when I shop."

"Cordy, likes to shop! Yeah that's a real shocker," Xander couldn't resist saying. "But this is Willow, and she's not going to ditch an emergency Scooby meeting."

"Exactly, she might be late but never this late," Buffy said looking at Giles.

"Do you think it's possible Jacob got to her?" Giles asked the question they were all thinking but not saying.

Then the door opened and they all felt relieved until they saw Faith instead of Willow enter the room. Faith noticed the looks of disappointment on their faces.

"It's just great seeing you guys too," Faith replied sarcastically.

"We were just hoping to see Willow," Giles explained.

Normally Faith didn't come join the group until the big battle. She wasn't usually invited to the regular Scooby meetings.

"Angel invited me over." Faith said. "What have we got so far?"

Giles began to explain while Buffy and Xander exchanged lookes. Where was Willow?