The Hyperion Hotel | Los Angeles, CA | Monday Evening Fandom Time

[wesleynotponcy]

Taking Darla to Caritas was a process that involved multiple escape attempts, a minor attack on Gunn, and, worst of all, the creeping suspicion that Angel would have to sing when they got there. Fortunately, that was not the case, and all that happened once they arrived was that Darla was laid down in Lorne's room to rest while Cordelia stood guard.

This ended in Cordelia getting herself bitten while Darla escaped, leaving only the convenient vision Cordelia got at the moment of the bite as a clue to where she went.

And so it was that two hours later, Angel returned to the hotel, bruised and with a distraught-looking Darla in tow.


Ignoring all interjections from Wesley, Gunn and Cordelia, Angel set her down in one of the vacant bedrooms, then came back downstairs to speak to the others. "Gunn," Angel said. "She goes near Cordy or Fred..."

"I'll take care of it," Gunn promised, patting his crossbow.

"Don't underestimate her," Angel warned. "That woman is stronger than all of us right now."

"Angel," Fred said softly. "What happened?"

If anyone else had asked, Angel most likely would have deflected, but given that it was Fred... "Her -- the baby," Angel said, collapsing down on the couch in the middle of the room. "It has a heartbeat. And a soul."

There was a moment of silence after that.

Then Cordelia -- with a strip of gauze taped to her neck to commemorate that bite Darla had awarded her -- stepped forward and gingerly sat down beside Angel. "So," she said, in a tone much softer than the one that had been her default in speaking to him all day, "Guess you're going to be a father."

Angel was clearly unsure of whether he should be wary, but he sighed and said, "Guess I am."

"I felt it in my vision," she said softly. "The same thing you found out. It has a soul."

"Well," Wesley interjected, wanting to be helpful, "Angel has a soul. It makes sense. As much as any of this does." So... very little. Seriously, vampires could not reproduce. He felt compelled to add, however-- "Angel, even with a soul, she could give birth to what's spoken of in the prophecies."

"The thing that's coming to kill and burn us all?" Angel clarified. "I know that." He paused, then added, "I also know the child is mine."

More silence at that.

"I'm gonna say we can skip the toasts this time," Gunn said at last. "No offense, man."


[[tweaked from 3x07 "offspring." nfb/open for phone calls! last post of the day yaaaay.]]