Wil stretched lazily, still a bit groggy from the day's sleep. He rolled over, searching for his bedmate even though he knew Angel wasn't there. The elder vampire had left over an hour ago, determined to get some sort of paperwork done before Wesley arrived. Wil had declined to join him. After all, it wasn't his fault Angel had slacked off.

Ignoring early-evening hunger pangs, Wil completed his ablutions and dressed, preparing for yet another day of crime-fighting and innocent-saving. He grumbled about it some, but over all it wasn't a bad job. He could certainly see why Angel stuck to it. The rare moment when he succeeded more than balanced out all those times when he failed, or when the saved person accused him of some sort of nefarious act-something that had, luckily, decreased in frequency of late.

Stepping outside the room, he saw the other employees of Angel Investigations milling around the lobby. Taking a moment to study them, Wil leaned against the railing and watched. Xander, Cordelia and Oz were taking up one corner, while Gunn, Wesley and Fred occupied the front desk. The current arrangements had been in place for the last few weeks, ever since Oz, at their behest, had changed Cordelia.

The events that had occurred at the vampire-infested nursing home had haunted the group for some time. Actually, they were still pretty shook up about it. First, there was Cordelia getting changed, and Xander getting the visions. Everyone was ecstatic that Cordelia was still alive, if a bit.doggy, as Xander put it. Cordelia had snapped back that at least now she really was a bitch.

For a few days afterwards, they had worried a bit about the visions. After all, she'd given them to Xander. Could he handle them? Could he give them back? Did he even have them, since she didn't die? They didn't have to wait long for an answer. One evening, Xander collapsed right into his mu shu pork, screaming and clutching his head. A pack of some sort of scaly demons was going after indigents. Cordelia had spent the evening consoling Xander and offering tips and advice. She couldn't really bring herself to feel guilty, however. She was damned grateful it wasn't her.

At least, until she got her next vision. It had been only a few days later that Cordelia complained of a slight twinge-and a rather graphic hallucination of some vampires at a department store. They'd gone after the vamps, and then went home to work out what was going on. Did they now have two vision-people?

Apparently, that was the case. Cordelia was none too happy, and neither was Xander. They didn't see the need for two of them. While Cordelia's new werewolf status lent her some immunity against the visions, they were still unpleasant. Xander, however, was in a bad way. He was much more sensitive to them than Cordelia was, and each one brought on muscle spasms, nosebleeds, and terrible headaches. They were genuinely concerned for him.

Angel finally decided to go visit the Oracles. As usual, the oblique immortals were less-than-helpful. They gave him only one piece of direct, to-the-point information: Xander was now Wil's seer. Cordelia had apparently been kept on as Angel's seer. Angel asked if this meant that Wil was leaving. The Oracles had just smiled. He then asked what they should do about Xander's headaches. The response he got was the standard, 'work with what you've got.'

The group was, needless to say, unimpressed with the answers he brought back. Wil himself was frightened that this was some sort of omen regarding his leaving. Xander wanted the visions to go away, and Cordelia was still a bit shaken from being changed.

Wil shook himself out of his reverie and joined the group downstairs. Oz was busy guiding Xander and Cordelia in some meditations he'd picked up in Tibet. For Cordelia, they helped her get in touch with the wolf-something that seemed to come easier to her than to Oz. For Xander, the meditations helped him focus on the visions instead of the pain. He called them vision-lamaze.

He decided to join the Wesley-Fred-Gunn group, who were actively discussing, read-arguing, about some sort of purchase Gunn wanted the agency to make. Knowing Gunn, it was a weapon of some sort. Wesley argued ferociously, while Fred tried to mediate. The couple was a bit aggravated at Gunn anyway. He'd been hanging around them all the time since Cordelia's changing; the turn of events had deeply troubled him, and while he worked out his issues he tried to stay away from the werewolf-seer. His avoidance hurt Cordelia, but she said nothing about it.

"We have one already," Wil said, chipping in his two cents' worth.

"We do not!" Gunn replied, pointing at a picture in a weapons catalogue. Wil grinned and walked over to a chest next to the weapons locker. Opening it, he pulled out the bronze and zinc bladed axe, good for beheading Wargouithim demons and a few other minor beasties. Gunn gaped and Wesley crowed, victorious for the moment.

"Where'd we get that?" Gunn asked, ogling the weapon.

"Rummage sale me an' Angel went to last month. Got it for fifteen dollars, along with the toaster we used to replace the one Fred killed," Wil replied, smirking.

"Fifteen." Gunn whispered reverently. The axe normally sold for around two thousand dollars.

"Wargouithim demons?" Angel asked as he walked into the lobby. "Did somebody have a vision?"

"Thank gods, no," Xander said firmly. "Gunn wanted to buy the big axe, but you and Wil already scored one at some yard sale last month."

"Rummage sale," Angel corrected idly. "And a toaster, too."

"Mustn't forget the toaster," Wesley chimed in, grinning as Fred scowled at him.

"Oh, so there's nothing to chop up?" Angel asked, looking fondly at the massive axe.

Wil shook his head. "Sorry, luv. No visions, no big bads." Looking around at the group, who were either weary, wary, or just plain bored, he made a decision. "Of course, we could go to Caritas. Friday nights are two-for-one drinks."

"Caritas?" Xander asked curiously. Oz grinned. He'd stopped by there once a long time ago.

Cordelia almost said something, but Wil cut her off. "Night club. Fun place, great host."

"Cool! We should go. Nobody's been getting out much around here," Xander proclaimed, bouncing up and down. He'd been pinned in for most of the last month while learning about his new responsibilities.

���...�...�...�...���

Xander was still groaning about having to sing in public when they got back to the hotel. Finally Cordelia walloped him on the head and told him that if he didn't shut up, she'd lock him in a room with Fred and Wesley-after paying them to sing all of Patsy Cline's hits. The young man fell silent at once.

Unfortunately, the loss of Xander's prattling allowed the uneasiness that had followed the investigators home settle into the lobby with a resounding thump. At Angel's insistence, everyone had sung for Lorne, and almost no one received good news. Only Oz was content; Xander's reading hadn't been bad, but he was so traumatized from the overall experience that he hadn't quite grasped that his life was about to take a turn for the better.

Wil broke the silence. "Look, why don't we all just get some rest? The world's not going to end tonight."

Cordelia just nodded her agreement and gathered her purse. Gunn looked like he was about to follow her, but instead hung back for a moment, pretending to ask Wesley a question. As soon as Cordelia had gone, he left as well, to wherever it was Gunn went to when he sulked about Cordelia.

Soon thereafter, Wesley left, with Fred in tow. Wil gave Xander a not-so-subtle look and the young man bounded up the stairs for his room, with Oz not far behind him. Xander heard the werewolf padding down the hallway, and was glad for the company. He was hyper and wired from the evening and needed company, and it looked as though the resident vampires wouldn't be providing that.

"Proud of yourself?" Angel asked. "You managed to clear out the lobby, without the use of a weapon or a threat, in less than two minutes. I wanted to talk to Wesley."

Wil jumped off the counter he'd perched on and leapt onto Angel, knocking him to the ground. "No," He spat, bringing his face to within inches of Angel's. The younger vampire straddled the elder, using his legs to pin him to the floor. Wil reached up and held Angel's arms above his head, immobilizing him.

"In the last month, we have fucked exactly three times," Wil said harshly, anger burning in his eyes. "I've woken up alone twenty seven evenings, and gone to bed alone twenty eight mornings. I see more of Xander than I do of you, and I would rather bed a warthog than baggy-britches." Wil stopped talking for a moment, so he could focus solely on glaring at Angel.

"You've been obsessed with Cordelia, Xander and the vision situation the whole time. Do you know how many times I've walked right up to you, said something, only to have you walk away? Thirteen times! The only thing that keeps me from thinking you're bedding someone else is that I can't smell anyone else on you," Wil added, clenching his hands cruelly on Angel's arms for emphasis.

"Oh," Angel said. Had it been that bad? Sure not. Still, when was the last time they'd spent any time together, even for a meal? He remembered the library, but not much after that. "I'm sorry, Wil. I didn't realize we'd."

"Yeah," Wil said, relaxing his grip on Angel and sliding onto the floor beside him. "It's like you're not even here. "

Angel rolled onto his side and gathered Wil into his arms, turning the blonde until they were facing each other. After a moment, Wil tucked his head under Angel's chin, relaxing into the embrace. "I'm not avoiding you, Wil. Things just got so.hectic and threatening, and for the first time in a while, the threats weren't directed at me or you. They're so fragile, Wil. And now, I've got what Lorne saw to deal with."

Wil snorted. "I'm with you on that one. The only consolation I've got is that he didn't actually say I'd die."

Angel laughed weakly. Lorne had warned him that what he saw was bad, but not clearand that it surrounded not just Angel, but the rest of the group as well. That had to cast a pall on the others as well. "I do love you, Wil, but I am most certainly not loving the floor right now," Angel said, picking Wil up as he stood. Wil struggled to stand for a moment, but Angel refused to release him, choosing to carry him up the stairs instead. The blonde just rolled his eyes and snorted. If Angel wanted to play the dashing Romeo, so be it.

When they got to their room, Angel let Wil go, sliding him down his body until Wil gained his feet. Angel then proceeded to unbutton, unsnap and pull off Wil's clothing, batting his lover's hands away when Wil tried to return the favor. Once Wil was undressed, Angel picked him up again and laid him on the bed. Only then did he strip off his own clothes. By the time he was done, Wil was fidgeting anxiously, obviously aroused.

"Stop teasing, Angel," Wil whined. He'd been without his lover for far too long.

Angel smiled and joined Wil on the bed. When Wil reached for him, however, he evaded those grasping hands, pulling them up to pin them above Wil's head as he straddled him, in a mirror image of the position Wil had used on him in the lobby. This time, however, the grip was gentle and Angel's face reflected love, not anger.

Angel's smile widened as Wil realized what position he was in. Wil squirmed a bit, testing Angel's grip to see if he could escape. Angel made sure that while Wil wasn't uncomfortable, he couldn't get away. After letting Wil play around for a few minutes, he bent down, until his mouth was nearly touching Wil's.

"You have to know I will never forget about you, Wil. You're too much a part of my soul now," Angel whispered just before giving Wil a soft kiss. Wil moaned under his mouth, arching his body in response. Angel bore down, pressing him back onto the bed. When the kiss ended, Wil was panting breathlessly.

Angel bent his head back to Wil, ghosting his lips over Wil's face, pressing his lips here and there in no identifiable pattern. Wil continued to struggle for a while, turning his head to capture Angel's mouth. It was no use, though. Angel easily avoided him.

"Angel, please," Wil said softly. At first it had just been teasing, but now Angel's ministrations had definitely become torture.

Angel relented and released Wil's hands. The blonde immediately reached up and clasped Angel's shoulders, rolling them over until they were on their sides. Angel was surprised that Wil didn't try to return the favor and play around with him, but he didn't. Instead Wil drew Angel close and caught his lips in a deep, searching kiss. Angel returned it, sliding his tongue over Wil's descending fangs even as his hands roamed over Wil's ivory limbs.

Wil tasted every inch of Angel's mouth, as though searching for signs of himself there, some trace of his place in Angel's life. Angel reveled in the soft moans and growls Wil gave as they kissed and caressed, particularly when Angel pinched a nipple or pressed his fingers into the small of Wil's back.

Wil broke the kiss, ducking his head down to run his tongue across the skin on Angel's collarbone, letting his fangs scrape and catch there. Angel arched, pulling Wil closer as the sensation raced across his skin. Wil repeated it, almost but not quite breaking the skin.

At the same time, Wil's hands swept up and down Angel's spine, flickering here and there. Eventually Wil reached lower, pressing into the crevice at the base of Angel's spine to tease the opening there. Angel hissed and pressed back, simultaneously trying to get Wil to either bite harder to quit.

Wil grinned at Angel's motions and did not relent on either front. Angel rolled them over again, until he had Wil pressed back into the mattress once more. Wil quit teasing Angel's throat, but continued to flutter his fingers across his hole. Angel pressed back again and Wil complied, pushing the tip of one finger just inside.

Angel growled and bent down to kiss Wil once more. Wil got the idea and continued stretching Angel, using his free hand to locate the lube in the nightstand. After applying it the task became significantly easier, and soon he had two fingers deep inside Angel, probing against his prostate and eliciting low moans.

Angel focused on devouring Wil's mouth instead of his other ministrations. Wil was preparing him very carefully and slowly, and it was driving him insane. He jerked as Wil caught his prostate once again, rubbing his fingers just over the spot repeatedly. "Wil," Angel growled deeply.

Wil quirked an eyebrow. "What?"

All he got was a hiss and a glare. Not wanting to test his luck, Wil withdrew his fingers and positioned his aching erection. Before he could move Angel into position, the older vampire moved back and sank down on him. They both howled softly as Angel's body slowly encased Wil's. Wil kept his hand on Angel's opening, massaging the flesh as his body was consumed.

Once he had taken in all of Wil, Angel began a slow, stead pace, rocking up slightly, and then easing back down. Wil let his hips thrust up a little with each motion, increasing the sensation without speed up the motion. For all their hurry, neither wanted this to end. The feeling of being one was overwhelming.

Before very long, though, the sensations began to pool at the base of Angel's spine, urging him on faster. Wil responded by grasping his hips tightly, keeping him from moving faster. Angel tried to fight him, struggling to move. Using his legs for leverage, Wil flipped them over, pressing Angel deep into the mattress. Now on top, Wil could more easily control Angel's movements.

"Wil." Angel warned, slipping into game face. Wil ceased moving and stared evenly at Angel until the brunette calmed slightly. Only then did he begin to move again, in almost imperceptible thrusts. Soon, however, they were back to their original, lazy pace.

Angel caught on and stopped trying to fight Wil. If his lover wanted to drag this out, he had no objections. He tried once to reach down and touch his weeping cock, but Wil batted his hands away, holding them above his head as he had earlier. Wil then distracted Angel by kissing him. Angel returned the kiss, drawing Wil's tongue inside, caressing it with his own.

Wil continued the slow thrusting, kissing Angel all the while, until his lover was writhing under him in ecstasy. Angel resumed his struggle to increase the pace, trying to thrust harder. He must not have minded too much, because he could have easily pulled the maneuver Wil had and reversed their position.

Angel clenched himself around Wil, trying to get that last bit of pressure that would send him over the edge. Wil gave in and thrust hard. Angel screamed into Wil's mouth as the movement proved sufficient to allow him to climax. Creamy liquid poured out between them as he convulsed around Wil, howling into the kiss they still shared. Wil thrust a few more times, and then joined Angel in oblivion.

Wil collapsed on top of Angel, who rolled them to their sides once more, sighing as Wil slipped out of his body. He snagged a tissue and cleaned them up, smiling as Wil snuggled closer to him, not quite conscious yet.

By the time Angel had finished with the more mechanical aspects of post-sex cleanup, Wil was awake again. He nipped a couple of times at Angel's neck, until Angel bent his head back slightly and allowed Wil to drink. Wil slipped into gameface and sank his fangs in very gently, letting the rich liquid glide over his tongue. After a few moments, he pulled back, lapping at the wounds. Angel bent down then and Wil returned the gesture, crying out softly as Angel drew deeply of his blood.

They curled around each other as Angel pulled the covers over them, seeking comfort in the close embrace. The last thing Angel heard before drifting off to sleep was a whispered, "Sire."

*****
Part 20:

The irresistible pull of the body next to him woke Angel well before sundown. The blonde was curled around him, one arm wrapped around his chest, a leg woven between his. There was no way Angel could have extracted himself without waking Wil, even if he wanted towhich he didn't. Actually, he'd much rather Wil woke up. Now that he'd been told, quite forcefully, that he'd been ignoring his childe and lover, he had every intention of making it up to him.

"Well?"

Angel jumped at the word. Somehow, Wil had woken up without him noticing. "Well what?"

Wil pushed himself up and on top of Angel, a sleepy grin plastered on his face. "You've been awake for five minutes, and you haven't done anything. Well?"

Strong hands wrapped around Wil's hips, urging him down. The blonde settled a bit lower, straddling Angel's thighs. Angel then shifted his hands back up, to stroke the sleek muscles on Wil's back. "I don't know.There's so much to do around here."

Wil growled. "That's not funny, Angel."

A knock on the door interrupted their play. "What?" Angel growled.

"I think you'd better get down here, Angel, Wil," Wesley said through the door. The vampires were surprised at the seriousness in Wesley's voice, so they complied immediately.

"What is it, Wes?" Angel asked as they followed him down the stairs. The Watcher didn't get a chance to answer, because Wil saw what was causing the commotion.

Darla.

"You dusted her, didn't you?" Wil whispered.

Angel stared. Darla turned, sensing him. A truly evil grin stretched across her face. Rubbing her hands over a strangely swollen belly, she spoke.

"Hello, Daddy."

Then all hell broke loose, again. "What the hell is she doing here?" Xander screamed from the landing. He'd heard the noise coming from the hallway and went out to investigate. Oz wasn't far behind him.

Angel went downstairs, determined to figure out what was going on. "What's your game, Darla?"

The blonde vampiress batted her eyelashes. "I think that's obvious. I'm pregnant."

"You're a vampire," Angel stated flatly.

"So's the father, loverboy," Darla replied snidely.

Wil stared at the pair. He knew exactly what Darla was insinuating, and he didn't like it. Angel, the guy with a soul, wouldn't touch Darla with a ten-foot pole, would he?

"It's been more than a year, Darla," Angel said, trying to work through this.

She snorted. "I'm a vampire, pregnant by a vampire. Who fucking cares how long I've been pregnant? I can't even get rid of the thing."

Angel's words sunk into Wil's head. Darla and Angel had slept together. Granted it had been before he'd arrived, but still.how could Angel touch that foul creature? Wil looked around blindly, searching for escape. It was still light outside, but there was always sewer access. Wil darted toward that, leaving unnoticed.

Will ran to Caritas, ignoring the denizens of the sewers he'd normally pay attention to. When he got there, Lorne was just getting ready for the evening.

"Wil! What's wrong?" Lorne asked. He was perceptive, but it didn't take much to see that Wil was distraught.

"Angel, Darla." Wil gasped breathlessly. Lorne led him to a seat and handed him a glass of water.

"Care to explain?" Lorne prompted a moment later.

Wil slumped down on the table. "Darla's pregnant by Angel."

"But Darla's a vampire," Lorne said, confused.

"Show him what he's won, Monty," Wil said sarcastically. Duh, Darla was a vampire. She was supposed to be dead.

"I see. What does Angel have to say about it?" Lorne asked carefully.

Wil snorted. "It's been more than a year, Darla. Like he's not the only fish in that cesspool-and he's not, can't be. She pants after everything. That's not the point. He touched that foul piece of garbage!"

"Before or after you showed up?" Lorne asked carefully.

"Before, but that's not the point. He's got a soul. He shouldn't have been so careless with it, or with who he chose to bed. She turned him!" Wil said, ranting.

"But she was brought back to bring him down-and she nearly succeeded," Lorne said, remembering the entire debacle.

"Right, so that makes it ok?" Wil said. "It doesn't."

Lorne's cell phone interrupted their conversation. "That was Wesley," Lorne said a few minutes later. "They're worried about you."

"They meaning Wesley and the other normal, don't fuck the evil-bitch-from-hell people?" Wil spat.

Lorne sighed. "No, Angel and every one. Look, he's going to need your help on this one. I don't know about you, but it practically screams bad situation to me."

Wil finally drug himself back to the hotel. Darla was nowhere in sight, although he could still smell her everywhere. Only Xander remained in the lobby, but he looked happy that Wil had returned.

"You're back!" Xander squeaked. "No fair running off when we can't, Wil. You left me and Oz here with the Wicked Bitch of the Beast."

Wil smirked at the nickname for Darla. It certainly fit. "Had to talk to Lorne."

Xander nodded sagely. "I'm thinking we could all do with a long conversation with Mr. Green right about now. I mean, ugh. Darla.pregnant?"

Wesley chose that moment to exit the library. "Oh, good, you're back. I need your help."

"With what?" Wil asked the Watcher.

"Whatever is going on. There has to be something somewhere," Wesley replied. Wil considered the situation. There probably was something going on, and he had nothing better to do than look for whatever it was. Nodding, he returned with Wesley to the library.

Once inside he found Oz reading through some old books. The werewolf spared him a smile before returning to his reading. Wesley handed him a stack of books and indicated that he should sit.

The books he'd been given were on demonic pregnancies. Wil started at the beginning of the first one, knowing that there would be little in the texts on pregnant vampires. Still, he read, if only to keep his mind off the issue at hand-Angel sleeping with Darla.

It was well into morning when Wesley told Wil point-blank to go to bed. Yawning, Wil did so, dragging his tired body up the stairs. He paused in front of Angel's door before going to his own, of late unused room. He stripped down and crawled into bed, acutely aware that no one would be joining him.

Angel hovered just inside his room, waiting for Wil to enter. He was crushed when the blonde moved on and went into his own quarters, shunning the elder vampire's company. Angel hung his head. He should have told Wil about Darla a long time ago, but it hadn't seemed very important. After all, she'd disappeared. What more was there to do? What good would it have done to dredge up the past? Yet now it seemed as though talking about it would have been a very good idea.

He vacillated between wanting to break something and wanting to storm over to Wil's room and drag the blonde back to his own, where he belonged. Angel hadn't even been given a chance to explain himself. Hadn't Wil made mistakes in the past? Where was the blonde's vaunted understanding and acceptance?

Anger outpacing grief, Angel stomped out of his room and down the hall to Wil's. He threw open the door and stalked over to the bed, prepared to give his lover what-for. He was drawn up short by the soft sounds of tears falling. Wil was crying?

"Wil?" Angel whispered.

Wil didn't respond. Angel pulled the covers back, exposing an unconscious but still weeping vampire. His anger dissolved and Angel reached down to gather Wil up in his arms. He settled back down on the bed, pulling the covers over both of them. Whatever needed to be said could be said later.

���...�...�...�...���

When Wil woke, he was surprised to find Angel curled up next to him. The older vampire looked forlorn and sad, even in his sleep. Wil's resolve to be angry at Angel weakened just a little.

Angel woke shortly after Wil, sensing that the other vampire was awake. "Wil, we need to"

"I'm angry with you," Wil said, cutting him off. "And I will be for a long time."

Angel scowled. "It was a long time ago, before"

"That's not the point, Angel. You had a soul, one you could lose, and you slept with Darla!" Wil grated out.

"But I didn't. Lose my soul, that is. That should tell you something," Angel replied.

"Yeah, that The Powers That Be are looking out for your stupid arse. There's no excuse for it, Angel. She's evil," Wil stated angrily.

Angel sighed. He had expected Wil to be angry. Still, it hurt. "I'm sorry, Wil. I wish I could say I never make mistakes, but I can't."

Wil rolled over to face the wall. "It's not that, Angel. It's that it was Darla. She's tried to kill you, she tried to off Buffy-the love of your life, remember? Hells, she's." Wil's voice faded.

"She's tried to kill you," Angel finished for him. It was true; Darla was prone to destroying anything that Angel or Angelus held dear. She was, for all her power, a very insecure person. It had always irked Angelus that Darla had done such things. As Angel, it infuriated him.

Wil's anger left him. "I'm worried, Angel. She's nothing but trouble. What if she goes after one of the others? They can't stop her."

Angel nodded his agreement. "I know. We'll have to be careful. Did Wesley find anything?"

"He might have. It's too soon to tell," Wil replied.

When Angel and Wil descended the stairs, they found the investigators squared off against Darla. She was snarling, in gameface, and obviously on the prowl.

"Stop. Now," Angel roared at the vampiress.

"Aw, scared for your little toys?" Darla sneered at Angel. "You've got so many now, what's one or two for the mommy-to-be?"

"There's blood in the fridge. Drink that," Angel stated harshly. Wil stepped up beside him for support.

Darla rolled her eyes at Wil, smirking. "I see the lapdog found his way home. Let me guess, Dru dumped you because you lost your balls?"

Wil ignored her jibes. He'd stopped caring what she thought a long time ago. "Did you find anything else, Wesley?"

The Watcher nodded. "We'll talk about it later, Wil."

���...�...�...�...���

"Ok, one more time, Angel. Who the hell is Holtz?" Gunn asked while dodging flying debris.

Angel watched in horror as Caritas burned to the ground. "Vampire hunter. I killed his family. That was a long time ago."

"Um...I think we should be getting out of here, don't you?" Cordelia said nervously. The alley they were standing in looked really dangerous, especially with the demons standing everywhere.

Darla chose that moment to scream at the top of her lungs. Wil held her even tighter, hoping to provide some sort of comfort, mostly so she'd stop making noise. He'd been the unlucky soul chosen to carry her around the night club and was stuck with her out in the street as well.

"Let me go, Spike!" Darla hissed, trying to get up. Wil shook his head.

"No can do, Darla. Stay put," He replied.

Angel knelt down to examine her. It was obvious the baby was trying to be born, and it was killing both of them. "Darla."

The vampiress shook her head and pressed a stake to her heart. Before anyone could stop her, she plunged it in, exploding in Wil's arms. When the dust settled, a newborn baby was laying on top of the ashes. Wil moved first, scooping up the infant and cradling it close to him. He looked around for some sort of cover. It was then that they noticed Holtz watching them.

"Let's get out of here," Gunn said quietly.

���...�...�...�...���

Angel watched Connor and Wil, the infant curled up asleep on Wil's chest. The blonde vampire was also sleeping soundly-having spent the last hour making sure Connor got enough to eat. The rest of the gang was having a difficult time getting anywhere near the baby; Wil was almost insanely possessive of him.

Not that his behavior was the least bit surprising. Once the shock of Darla's appearance wore off, Wil turned out to be the most excited of all of them. He even managed to outdo Angel in his enthusiasm. Once, Xander caught the vampire picking out paint for the baby's room. Wil would never live that down.

It was Oz who had figured out why Wil was acting the way he was. One of the things Wil had wanted most when he was human was a family; a wife and children to dote on. Vampirism had taken that dream from him. Now, thanks to a last-minute wish, Wil had a soul and a soulmate in Angel. The appearance of Connor simply fulfilled the rest of that dream. It didn't matter one whit that Connor wasn't his, not exactly. The child was Angel's, and Angel was Wil's.

Angel understood what Wil was feeling. The very idea of producing a child boggled his mind, even after the weeks of putting up with Darla. The infant was delicate, fragile and overwhelmingly human.

Smiling at the image that Wil and Connor made, Angel gently picked up the infant and put him to bed. Wil stirred immediately, missing the warmth that the human baby provided. "Angel?"

"Quiet. He's actually asleep for once," Angel whispered.

"Always sleeps for me. You're too rough," Wil groused, picking himself up out of the chair. "Bed?"

Angel nodded. "You need to sleep."

���...�...�...�...���

"How's the babysitter doing?" Xander asked Angel as he descended the stairs.

"He's sleeping still. I think Connor wears him out," Angel replied, grinning. He decided not to comment on how comfortable Xander seemed to be leaning against Oz like that. He just supposed the werewolf had been working on Xander while Angel was preoccupied with his own personal life. He was happy for both of them; it seemed that being in love made him want everyone to be happy.

"Do you ever get to see your kid?" Xander questioned jokingly. Cordelia emerged from the kitchen then, carrying a steaming mug.

"Breakfast, milord?" She said, handing the mug to Angel.

Angel sniffed appreciatively. "Um.any reason why you're bringing me blood, Cordelia?"

Cordelia grinned nervously. "Fred cooked this afternoon," She replied. Seeing Angel's nervous expression, she tried to smooth things over. "Don't worry; the fire alarm didn't go off."

"Because Wesley took the batteries out," Xander added evilly.

Angel sighed. Fred was doing so well, but now and then."Is there any permanent damage?"

Cordelia shook her head. "No, just some mess to clean up."

"Besides, Fred did promise to paint that wall," Xander chimed in.

"Shut up, Xander!" Cordelia growled. Oz reacted automatically, stepping in front of Xander in a protective manner. Cordelia stiffened, and then stepped back. "Sorry."

"No problem," Oz murmured, relaxing a little. Angel just stared. He still hadn't gotten used to the idea of Oz as alpha wolf.or to Cordelia as beta. She was always so dominant.

"How is Wes doing with the prophecy?" Angel inquired of Cordelia.

She frowned. "He's not happy, if that's what you're asking. This thing about the kid keeps popping up, just like before."

"What thing?" Angel pressed.

Cordelia paused. Should she say this? "Something about the father killing the son."

Angel stood silently. Wesley had been working to disprove that part of the prophecy ever since he first translated it. "I'll go help him. Send Wil in as well, when he wakes up."

*****