Disclaimer: Joss & Co. own just about all these characters. I'm only playing in their sandbox with a few of my own toys.

******************

"Fred, would you mind terribly if I had a few words with Angel? Alone?" Wesley asked with gentle affection.

The three had been holding vigil at the Hyperion all night, even though they knew nothing could be done for Cordelia and Xander except wait for the spell to wear off. While Wesley and Fred had absently looked through texts, Angel had been pacing the hotel with an edgy broodiness that was extreme even for him. Wesley had had enough, but didn't want Fred to bear witness to what he needed to ask the vampire. Since rescuing the girl from Pylea, there had been more than professional admiration bouncing around the corridors of Angel Investigations between Fred and Angel, and between himself and Fred. And while he believed that Fred was beginning to return his affection, he didn't want to risk that what he had to say to Angel might be painful for her. Wesley would cut off a limb rather than hurt Fred. Much to his relief, she looked up at him and smiled, not even asking him for a reason.

"Sure," she drawled softly. "I'll go make some coffee. We'll all need some coffee, and probably breakfast...should I get breakfast?"

"That would be very helpful, thank you, Fred." She smiled even wider, and impulsively reached out her hand to him. He took it and gave it a reassuring squeeze, then she left them alone. Angel had been ignoring them the entire time, but now gave Wesley one of his patented dark brooding looks.

"Don't start with me, Wes."

"I have no intention of 'starting' anything, Angel. The last thing needed here is more tension. You need to calm down."

"I'm calm. I've been calm. I'm just worried about Cordy, like any friend would be," he said defensively, then off of Wesley's look added lamely, "And Xander. This is going to be a lot harder on them than if they were simply attacked. I mean, they...it was against their will."

"You're right, of course. There are going to be a lot of emotional issues for them to deal with. But that isn't what you're so upset about right now."

"I don't know what you mean, Wes," Angel growled softly.

"I mean your feelings for Cordelia have moved beyond the friendship phase. Just a touch, but they have, Angel, don't deny it. It takes one to know one, you know."

"I...I care about Cordy."

"It bothers you that she's with Xander," Wesley prodded.

"It bothers me that she's being hurt because of me. Again. It really bothers me that everyone I care about gets hurt," Angel said sincerely. "I care about Cordy, more than I probably should. But I don't love her, Wes. There's only one woman I love. And I can't help her either."

******************

Gunn stood and stretched his aching muscles shortly before dawn. It was cold, he was cramped and tired and he wanted to catch a shower and a bite and go to bed. He figured it was close enough to Wesley's schedule that approaching the door now wouldn't be a problem. If he heard anything that sounded even remotely funky in there, he could always run.

Despite his self-reassurances, he was still more than a little nervous as he got closer. At first he put the feeling down to the spell; Wesley had told him it gave a nasty vibe to anyone who saw the pair. Gunn thought maybe he had underestimated the effect. But as he got closer, the feeling became clearer and more familiar. He was being watched. Trying to act as nonchalant as possible, he pulled out a stake as he scanned the surrounding area. Nothing out of the ordinary, other than a closed sign hanging on the office door. Turnover in places like this sort of mandated the office be open twenty-four hours. He looked back nervously at Room #4 and started. The homeless girl he had seen last night was standing right in front of him. Gunn jumped, and the girl let out a little breathy scream of her own.

"Girl, you shouldn't be sneaking up on people," he said. She looked so frightened his natural sense of chivalry took over. "Hey, look, I'm meeting some friends right now, and we got some business to take care of. But I can give you the address of a really good friend of mine who can help you get off these mean streets if you want. If you don't mind my saying, you look a little lost." Lise gave him her best trembling smile.

"I'm just..." she said, so softly he leaned in closer to hear her. He staggered back as she landed two hard blows to his head, almost driving him to his knees. Within seconds she'd grabbed him, the stake clattering out behind them as she pinned his arms behind him. She had him in a chokehold, squeezing his windpipe until he gasped slightly. She lightly pierced his neck with her fangs, just enough to let him know what kind of trouble he was really in. "Hungry. And I want to stay with you, so you can protect me. A girl on her own can't be too careful. And you have no idea how much I really want to meet your friends."

******************

Xander smiled and stretched, feeling softness and warmth spooned against his back, the small arm laid across his chest possessively. He had dreamed that Anya had come to him and they had made up the way they always did, the best way they knew how. Now he was awakening to find his dream made real. Still only half-awake he rolled over, wanting to catch a glimpse of her in the early light. Watching her sleep was one of his private simple pleasures. He smiled down at her mussed brunette hair...

Not Anya.

Xander leapt from the bed, his gaze taking in the scene frantically and his brain reporting the situation in shorthand. Naked Xander. Strange Room. Strange Bed. Naked Cordy. Dead Xander.

"Oh God. Oh God. I'm dead. Ogodogodogodogod!"

The sound of Xander's hyperventilating awoke Cordelia, who smiled up at him sleepily for a second before snapping back to reality herself. Cordelia sat bolt upright and screamed. Pushed into overload, Xander did the only thing he could think of doing. He backed away, ready to run for his life. In the process of backing up, however, he tripped over Cordelia's carelessly thrown sneakers and fell backward. His body crashed against and knocked over a cheap end table, shattering it as he collapsed to the floor. The heavy porcelain lamp that had been minding its own business on the erstwhile table clipped Xander's head on its way to the floor, stunning him enough to allow him to slip into blissful unconsciousness.

Cordy screamed again then clamped her hands over her mouth. Her memory was beginning to return in flashes. She looked around the cheap motel room, whimpering a little, then reached a shaky hand for the phone. She would deal with this one step at a time. Her brain started working out the steps. Call Angel. Get dressed. Get Xander dressed. Call ambulance. She hesitated, then stood, draping the blanket over her for modesty. Cordy looked Xander over, being careful to restrict her gaze to his injured head. Maybe call ambulance should be first...

His eyes fluttered open, and their eyes met. The pain and confusion in his eyes were quickly replaced by guilty realization, and she had to look away. It was too soon to deal with what had happened. Better to just focus on the steps. Scanning the floor for her own clothes she spied Angel's pants and picked them up.

"Cordy?" Xander croaked.

"Are you okay, Xander?" she said, keeping her eyes carefully averted and holding out the pants in his direction.

"I'm...thanks..." he muttered, and she felt the pants tugged out of her hands. "You?"

"Yeah...listen, I'm gonna take a shower, and get dressed. Do you need to...?" Cordy said, still not looking at him. They had reached new heights of awkwardness.

"Yeah...I'll go..." she heard him grunt as he stood, then shuffle toward the bathroom.

"Good...and I'll call Angel and let him know what happened...the short version...and you'll be wearing your pants, which will be so very good." Resisting the urge to curl up in a ball and stay that way forever, Cordelia resolutely reached for the phone. Two things stopped her. The sudden knock on the door was one. The vision exploding in her head was the other.

*************

"He should have called by now."

It was the fifth time Angel had said the sentence, but Wesley had to acknowledge in his heart that this time it was true. Gunn should have phoned them by now. Wes didn't like this development any more than Angel did. He looked questioningly at Fred as she hung up the phone, frowning.

"He's not answering, Wesley. I'm getting that 'caller you are trying to reach is not available' lady talking to me, which is wrong. He should be available. Unless his phone battery went dead, cause that happens sometimes, right?"

"Right," Wesley said reassuringly. Angel was standing impatiently by the exit, and Wesley nodded. "Keep trying. If you get him, tell him Angel and I are on our way."

*************

Xander heard the knocking on the door become urgent pounding, and he hurried out of the bathroom. Seeing Cordelia sprawled in a tangle at the foot of the bed, he ran to her.

"Cordy? Cordy!" he asked urgently, getting only a groan as a response as he helped her sit on the bed. "Just a minute!" he yelled at the obnoxious door-pounder.

"Xander? It's Gunn. Let me in, man." Xander could only think about getting help for Cordy. Relieved to hear Gunn's voice he hurried to the door, not hearing Cordy's faint whisper.

"Xander. Don't."

*************

Angel took the sewer tunnels while Wesley took the car, but they arrived at almost the same time. Fortunately where the sewer came out was in enough shade for Angel to emerge without too much worry. Seeing that one of the doors was wide open, they approached cautiously. Looking in, Wesley breathed in sharply.

"Good Lord." He and Angel entered the hotel room, which was in total disarray. Gunn, Cordy and Xander were all sitting on the bed, holding matching icepacks to their heads. Gunn gave them a small wave.

"Hi guys," he said.

"Gunn, what happened?" Wesley asked.

"Are you alright?" Angel asked, addressing the question to all of them but clearly mainly meaning Cordelia.

"We're fine. Gunn got conked by a scrawny little girl vamp, Xander smacked his head on a lamp and I got a vision. It's Headaches R' Us in here and not an aspirin in sight," she sighed.

"Scrawny little girl vamp?" Angel echoed.

"She was tougher than she looked. I think she was one of Darla's, followed me here to get revenge or something. She knew where these two were and what was up with them. Made me knock on the door."

"I was about to answer it when Cordy grabbed me," Xander continued.

"I saw Gunn and the little Kate Moss wannabe vamp in my vision," Cordy interjected. Xander nodded.

"She starts playing charades with me, trying to tell me there's a vamp on the other side of the door."

"So we do this real 'Cops' kinda move, stand to the side of the door. Xander throws it open and Gunn comes flying. She thought she'd be throwing him into one of us, right? Then Xander grabs her and I stake her with the leg from what used to be that table before Xander destroyed it. Falling. Earlier," Cordy said. When she finished the story, she gave Gunn a quick pleading look, and he patted her shoulder reassuringly.

"Oh," Angel said. Everyone seemed to get uncomfortable at the same time. The room seemed to shrink, and Xander was the first to bolt for the door.

"So, we should get going," he said as he almost fled the room. Wesley came right behind him.

"Yes, we really should get the two of you out of here, and Gunn...do you need medical attention?" he called back. Gunn and Cordy hadn't yet moved from the bed.

"Nah, I think we'll live. Don't exactly want to have to explain this, you know?" Gunn said.

We should call the cops...when I went to the office to get ice I saw that the night manager apparently served as a vamp snack," Xander told Wesley solemnly. Angel paused in the doorway, looking back at the two people left in the room.

"You guys coming?"

"Right behind you," Cordy said. Gunn nodded, and Angel gave him a little grin.

"It's cause it was a scrawny girl vamp, right?"

"She wasn't that scrawny," Gunn grumbled. Angel left with a little laugh. Cordy touched Gunn's arm softly.

"Thanks for not telling them," she said as the two of them stood.

"Nah. It's totally our secret. No one but you, me and Xander needs to know that when you slayed that vampire you were naked as a jaybird."

"Thank you."

"No, really, thank you," Gunn said, then seeing her annoyed look, added hastily. "I mean for saving my life, Cordy. Not for...not that it wasn't worth thanking you for...I think I'm going to stop talking for a little bit here, if you don't mind."

"Not at all," Cordy said sharply, taking one last shuddering look at the room before stalking out behind him. All the steps were almost completed, except for the massive amounts of bathing and showering she would be doing. After all the steps were done, came the dealing. She didn't even know how to begin that part.

*************

After Angel's call, Giles had been unable to sleep. He had sent Anya home and remained waiting for more news. Finally there had been another call, this time from Wesley, relating a proverbial good news/bad news situation. They had found Xander and Cordelia and they were safe, but there was no way to reverse the spell; it had to run its course. Giles wanted to explain the situation to Buffy and the two witches without Anya, so he had called at shortly after daybreak and arranged a meeting. Their residual sleepiness at the unnaturally early hour had allowed him to explain the situation without much interruption. He had kept a close eye on Buffy's reactions. As he had feared, the guilty look in her eyes told him she was blaming herself for Xander's unfortunate situation. He could understand it; he felt some measure of guilt himself, as Xander's presence in Los Angeles was a result of his request.

"Okay, can I just say, Darla? If the vamps keep coming back, think we've got to rethink the whole Slayer mission statement, Giles." The bitterness in her tone made him wince, but before he could comment Willow spoke.

"God, Xander and Cordelia...that is just so very, very bad. Poor Xander. And Anya! I mean, okay, Anya, not my favorite ex-demon, but...well, she probably is my favorite ex-demon, cause I don't think I know many...anyway, she must be so upset. And well, then I'm right back to poor Xander."

"How did Anya take it, Giles? When you told her?" Tara asked, concerned. Giles immediately began polishing his glasses, pretending that removing them made him both blind and deaf.

"Pardon?" he stalled.

"You didn't tell her," Buffy said with a hint of accusation. She looked at her two friends. "That's probably best. Xander and Anya need to work this out between the two of them. I think we should stay out of it as much as possible, other than to offer them our love and support."

"Yes, quite. That's a very astute..."

"Oh, and also you're a major big coward," Buffy interrupted with a hint of a smile.

"...obser-what? I am not a coward," Giles huffed. "I simply do not feel, as Anya's friend and employer, that it is appropriate for me to involve myself in her personal life."

"I totally get that," Buffy said innocently.

"Me too," Willow offered, and Tara nodded. Giles sniffed, mollified.

"Good, as long as that's settled."

"I'd be scared of her too," Willow smirked.

"Yeah," Tara agreed.

"Not so much when I had Slayer powers, but now? I'm not sure I could take her," Buffy admitted. Giles opened his mouth to protest again, then sighed. They undeniably had a point.

"But you said she was here when Angel called. What did you tell her?" Tara asked.

"I told her that Xander was fine, but he was doing something for Angel and wasn't available to come to the phone."

"Nicely dodged," Buffy said approvingly.

"And also the truth, in a kinda ewww way," Willow added brightly.

"So now we just have to wait for another phone call telling us that he's okay, and coming home," Tara summarized.

"Oh, God. What if he doesn't come home? What if he decides to hop a slow junk to China, or, or move to Mexico or something?" Willow fretted.

"I'm sure he'll come home, sweetie," Tara soothed. Giles polished his glasses again, replacing them tiredly.

"I agree. But Xander is in for some difficult days ahead. It's going to be up to us to help him deal with this. What happened here was not his fault, and we need to make sure none of us forget that."

They all nodded solemnly. They didn't know it, but Buffy and Giles shared the same thought.

*Not Xander's fault. Mine.*

*************

"Cordy?"

Xander poked his head into the hotel room. Hair still slightly damp from the shower and dressed in his own clothes, he looked almost like he had when she had first seen him the night before. Except that doomed look on his face hadn't been there. Cordy motioned for him to come in.

"Are you ready to go?" she asked. Xander shook his head.

"Yes. No. I'm working on it. You look...clean." Cordy made a face. She had taken the longest shower in history when they had gotten back to the Hyperion, and Xander's own shower was probably cold because of it.

"I am. Xander, can I say something?"

"Please."

"I think it's really best if we talk about what happened, right now. Just this once, and then never again, okay?"

"Okay. Where do we start?"

"Can I just share how I feel?"

"Okay," Xander said, bracing himself for recriminations. Cordy wasn't looking at him, but staring at a slight crack in the wall paint as if it were a work of art.

"What happened to us. I feel incredibly violated. Used, you know? I can't imagine anything more horrible then having your will taken away like that."

"I'm so sorry, Cordy. I never-"

"I said I felt violated, but not by you, Xander. You and I were victims in this, together. You didn't violate me, you didn't rape me." She took a deep breath, let it out, and looked him in the eyes. "You were...incredible."

"I was?" Xander asked. When she nodded shyly, he gave her a small but genuine smile. "You were, too. You were...amazing. I mean it." Cordy blushed.

"That thing you did...the one where you..." she trailed off, making a gesture that made his smile broaden.

"Oh, yeah, I know what you're talking about. You liked that, huh?"

"Uh-huh. Where did you learn that?"

"Anya," he answered, the word hanging between them. Xander got up and paced the room, clearly distressed.

"She'll understand, Xander."

"How? Why? I don't even understand!" Xander moaned.

"Then get Wesley to explain it to you. In vivid detail. Make sure you have all the facts totally straight. And buy lots of presents."

"And grovel?" he asked. She smiled.

"Like no one has ever groveled before."

"There's one other thing, Cordy. I don't know how to-"

"Just say it, Xander. This is honesty time, remember?"

"Yeah...ummm, with the spell and everything, I know that we...we didn't use any..." Xander's face was beet red, and Cordy's face fell as she realized what he was asking.

"Oh. Right. I hadn't thought of that."

"Yeah. So I just wanted you to know...Anya and I, we do. And I did with Faith, too."

"Oh. Me, too. I...well, it's really been a long time since I've...with someone who's actually a normal human guy, anyway..." At his startled look, she giggled nervously. "Not what you're thinking. Really."

"Oh."

"What I'm trying to say is, nothing to worry about on my end of things."

"Good."

"I was thinking...we shouldn't really talk or anything, you know, for a while. Till we get some distance...I mean, it's not like we were talking before or anything, so it shouldn't be hard." Cordy laughed a bit forlornly.

"Right. I don't think Anya would be too happy about me keeping in touch," Xander agreed, his eyes showing sadness. "But I wish...it was really good, getting to be friends with you again, Cordy. I'm going to miss that."

"I know," she said, then straightened, determined to end this with as much dignity as possible under the circumstances. "Is there anything else, do you think? Or can we officially close this subject forever?"

"I'm thinking it's closing time." Cordy nodded, and they exchanged a long look. In it there was a sense of loss, of something that might have been under different circumstances. But there was also a kind of peace with things as they were, and a genuine desire to see the other person happy. It was the closure that neither of them had ever had for their relationship, and it left them both smiling.

"Okay. You should get going, huh?" Cordy said finally, and Xander nodded. He leaned in and kissed her forehead.

"Take care of yourself," he said. She gave him her patented princess look.

"I always do," she responded. She grabbed his hand and their fingers interlocked gently, gradually coming apart as he backed away, till only their fingertips were touching and then not even that. She gave him a small wave and he was gone. She wasn't sure how much time had passed before Fred popped her head in worriedly.

"Are you okay?" Fred kindly asked. Cordy smiled at the physicist reassuringly.

"I'm gonna be just fine."

*************

"Everything's going to be okay," Xander said to himself as he walked down the corridor to his apartment as if it was the last mile. "I'm going to make it okay. How am I going to make it okay? I have no idea, but I am. I have to. So everything's going to be okay." Putting the key in the lock, he fell back, startled, as the door opened on its own and he suddenly found himself with very arms around his neck. And very familiar lips on his lips. Reflexively he kissed back, then pulled away.

"An," he started. "Hey-"

"Xander, come on!" she said as she hauled him into the apartment, slamming the door behind them. The packages he had purchased for her went flying from his hands and scattered on the floor. She looked at him with that strangely innocent sauciness he found unbelievably sexy. "I want to get the word part of the making up quickly, so we can move on the sex part. I'm sorry, Xander. I was wrong. Okay, your turn."

"You have no idea how sorry I am, Anya. About the...Anya!" Xander stopped, distracted by fact that she was undressing. She looked at him impatiently.

"Why aren't you removing your clothing?" she asked.

"Because we need to talk," he choked out.

"We did talk."

"There's more I have to...An, do you think you could, ummm, get dressed again and sit here with me for a minute?"

"I don't understand. Did something happen?"

"You could say that."

"Are you alright?" She noticed the scratches and bruises near his hairline for the first time and gasped. "You're hurt? Where are you hurt?"

"Not so badly, but I need to tell you what happened. Everything that happened." Xander bent down and looked through the scattered gifts, finding the text that Wesley had given him. He had simply asked to borrow it, but the Englishman had felt letting him keep it was the least he could do. When he turned around he was relieved to see Anya had gotten dressed and was sitting perched on the edge of the sofa, frowning in trepidation. She said nothing as he went through the entire story, although he felt her stiffen when he described the spell. He tried to stay as detached and clinical as possible, as well as general; details of the spells effects would only make things worse. When he was done, they sat in silence for a long time. Finally he looked at her, and saw she was crying. He went to put his arm around her shoulders and she shrugged it off.

"Anya, please. Say something. I know this is bad...really bad, but I...I love you. So much. Without you in my life, there's no reason...I want to marry you as much today as ever. Please tell me we can get past this."

"Xander," she said. "I'm not mad at you for having sex with Cordelia. You had no control over what was happening. I know this kind of spell, I even used it once or twice, before. You couldn't have stopped it." Xander was floored. For the first time he realized how lucky he was to be in love with an ex-vengeance demon. He smiled at her in wonder.

"My God, you're amazing," he said, again going to touch her and again having her move out of his grasp.

"I'm mad at you for going to L.A. after our fight. You promised me you'd never leave me like that. I thought...I was so scared we..."

"I know. Me too. I'm sorry, Anya. Never again. I'm never going to leave you like that again." He reached out to her and this time she fell into his arms.

"Are those packages gifts for me?" She sniffed. Xander smiled.

"They are. Part of the whole groveling act. Will they work?" he asked, smiling even more when he felt her relax against him more, snuggling a bit.

"Depends. Expensive?" Anya teased.

"Expensive and pretty. Couldn't find anything as pretty as my girl, though." Anya smiled, completely charmed. She kissed him fervently, and Xander returned the kiss in kind. He couldn't believe his luck, but he was relieved that things could finally get back to normal. He hoped Cordy would have the same luck with getting her life back on track. It could have been worse. At least the spell had no lasting effects.

*************

Angel pounded on the bathroom door, anxious.

"Cordy! Cordy, open the door!" Gunn and Fred exchanged worried glances and Wesley came over, drawn from the back by the noise.

"Angel, what's wrong?" Wes demanded.

"I think she's having a vision in there. I can hear moaning, but she's not answering," he said, going back to pounding. Fred drew Wesley aside.

"I don't think it's a vision," she murmured softly into his ear. At that moment Cordy threw open the bathroom door, almost knocking Angel off his feet. She glared at him, paler than normal but otherwise appearing to be fine.

"Do. You. Mind?" she shrieked. "Can't a girl get privacy around here? For things, bathroom-related things that are so totally not any of your business?" Angel looked chagrined.

"I thought something was wrong," he said. Cordy's eyes suddenly filled with tears, and she pushed past him. She yelled at him without looking back as she hurried from the room.

"Just leave it alone, Angel. Leave me alone!"

"Fred, what do you know about this?" Wes said softly. Gunn and Angel both heard and turned their attention to the brunette physicist. Fred looked stricken.

"I think Cordy's been sick for the past few days," she drawled reluctantly. "Except...I don't think she's sick, exactly."

"I don't understand," Wes said. Angel turned away, his face set grimly.

"I do."

Before anyone could speak again, Cordelia had come back into the room, her mouth set in a determined line.

"I'm going," she announced. "I have an appointment."

"An appointment with?" Angel asked softly. She looked away.

"Someone who can help me with a problem," she said, stalking out the door before he could follow or say anything else.

"Okay, what is happening here?" Gunn asked.

Angel looked at the three of them guiltily.

"I think Cordy's..."

*************

"Pregnant. Congratulations, sweetheart. You are positively glowing already, or at least your aura is...and the baby's aura? Can I just say, whoa momma!" Lorne helped Cordy down from the stage, taking exaggerated care. She shook him off.

"I know I'm pregnant. That's not why I'm here," she said miserably.

"I know that, princess. If I didn't, the mangling of Crystal Gayle I'm still recovering from was a telltale sign of an unhappy heart. I don't get many calls for 'Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue' from the blissful."

"I want to know why," Cordy said quietly.

"You want...ummm, didn't your mother ever explain those-" Lorne hedged. She glared at him.

"Not how, why. I'm sitting here getting all these visions to stop disasters from happening. Why didn't the Powers let me know about that spell? How could they do this to me? I'm not ready to be a mother!" Lorne reached out and took her hand gently.

"I don't pretend to know what the Powers have in their heads. If they even have heads. But I do know that the baby you're carrying is something special. Just like his momma."

"His? It's a boy?"

"Sorry. Spoiled the surprise," he said, giving her hand a squeeze. She smiled at him, the first hint of happiness in her eyes. "So, when are you going to tell Daddy he's a daddy?"

"I'm...I don't know if I should. This thing that happened to us, it could have ruined his life. He's getting married, he's really happy, and this...he doesn't deserve this."

"You're wrong," Lorne said. "He's going to be a father. He deserves to know that."

"How do I tell him?"

"I recommend using words. And I recommend using them soon. You just open your mouth and say..."

*************

"I need to talk to you," Cordy said the moment the door opened. The two women looked at each other in surprise. "I'm sorry. I thought...Xander...I'm sorry."

"No. Come in," Anya said graciously. "Xander's in the kitchen. I'll tell him you're here." Cordy entered the apartment, mentally kicking herself. She should have called first. She should have anticipated that Anya would be there. It was totally impulsive for her to just drive over here alone when she had gotten the address from Giles. Angel had come with her to Sunnydale, and she had known the ever-supportive vampire would insist on being by her side when she broke the news to Xander. Then he had seen Buffy. She had left the two of them together, glad to see that they were beginning to heal the breech that had developed between them. And she really wanted to handle this on her own. She saw Xander come out, holding his fiancée's hand, smiling a bit nervously.

"Cordy, hi. This is a surprise. Wow. What brings you to Sunnydale? Just visiting?"

"Actually I...kinda have something to tell you. It's kinda private," she said, nervously looking at Anya. Xander's grip on his girlfriend's hand tightened, and his smile faltered slightly.

"Does this have to do with what happened?"

"Yes."

"Then Anya can hear anything you need to tell me."

"Okay, if that's what you want. Ummm...you know how Wesley said the spell wouldn't have any long-term effects on us?"

"Why do I think this is bad?" Xander asked.

"What happened, Cordy?" Anya said, giving Xander's hand a pat. Cordy swallowed.

"Okay, I'm just gonna say it. Xander, I'm pregnant."

"Oh," Xander said, eyes wide in shock. Anya dropped his hands like they were on fire. "Anya?"

"I need a minute," Anya said shakily, then ran from the room. Xander didn't move. Cordy eyed him anxiously.

"Xander, are you okay? Can I get you something?" she asked. He shook his head slowly, as if moving it was really difficult.

"No, I'm fine. You're sure? Really, really sure?"

"What do you think?" Cordy snapped, the tension of the situation finally getting to her. He seemed to snap out of his daze, and looked at her closely.

"I think...I think I'm going to be a father. Wow."

"I know," Cordy agreed. "I can't believe I'm going to have a baby. And it's not a demonic pregnancy or anything."

"Yeah...what? Never mind. You're going to be an amazing mother," Xander said.

"Thanks. Listen, Xander, I know that this really complicates your life. I don't need anything from you. I'll be fine. We both will. I just thought you had a right to know."

"But I..."

"He wants to help. We both do," Anya said. Xander smiled at her with loving gratitude, and Cordelia's mouth dropped open in amazement.

"I thought you'd want me gone," she admitted. Anya nodded.

"I told you, I needed a minute. I'm not going to pretend I'm happy. I wanted Xander's babies to be mine, you know?" she said, faltering a bit. Xander put his arm around her, and she soldiered on. "But I'd never make Xander turn his back on his child. And if it weren't for you hating him so much, I never would have found him in the first place. So I owe you a lot."

"That's...you're just as amazing as Xander said you were," Cordy said sincerely.

"Xander said that?" Anya said, blushing a bit.

"He loves you a lot," Cordy said. Xander smiled at them both. In a way he would never have been able to articulate, he felt like something was falling into place. Despite the natural worry the situation gave him, there was something inherently right about this.

*************

The christening was held at night. In deference to the baby's godfather, the event was held in a church hall rather than the church proper, and only flowers and candles were decorations. A Wiccan priestess friend of Willow and Tara's officiated over the ceremony along with Father Rick, a local priest who had befriended the Scoobies and their cause and knew enough to make these unusual arrangements without question. Anya smiled at Xander as he and Cordelia presented their son.

Xander was amazed at how quiet and alert the boy was throughout the brief ceremony. His heart was so full it overflowed in joyful tears. Looking around him, Xander could see that his eyes were not the only ones that were wet; even Spike seemed to be moved by the simple beauty of this new life. Xander looked around at these friends who had truly become his family, at his remarkable new wife, at the good friend who had performed this miracle, at Buffy and Angel, smiling shyly at each other as they pledged themselves as godparents. He looked down at his son, and whispered a pledge of his own.

"Francis Doyle Chase Harris, I promise you I'm going to keep you safe. I promise you'll always know you're loved and accepted. And I promise I'm going to give everything I have to make sure I'm the father you deserve." As if he'd understood, the baby they called Frankie looked up at his father and laughed. Xander laughed as well.

He knew that life was only going to get more complicated from here in. But sometimes, the complications were the best part.

*************