•••

“I’m gonna miss you around here. Are you sure there’s nothing I can do to convince you to stay?” Vince asked as Angel got ready to leave. It was his last day on the job; the gang was moving the following evening.

“I wish I could,” Angel said honestly. “But Todd and I have to move.” He actually liked working for the guy; it certainly took his mind off Wolfram & Hart… and Cordelia.

The store owner sighed regretfully and pulled a large, gaily wrapped package out from under the counter. “Then I guess this is goodbye. I got you a little something.”

“You shouldn’t have,” Angel murmured. Really, the man shouldn’t have gotten him anything… considering who he was, the contents of that box might very well be illegal in most states.

“Now, don’t open it here; take it home to that lovely little English boy you’ve got hidden away,” Vince chided him. “You’ll just love it, I promise.”

Angel nodded and clasped his boss’s hand, shaking firmly. Then he was out the door and on his way to pick up Fred. The young werewolf was using her last opportunity at her employee discount to stock up for the long drive to New York.

“Great! You’re here,” Fred murmured as Angel pulled into the loading zone. “We had a midnight sale on rhubarb.” Angel smiled weakly and stuffed nearly twenty pounds of the vegetable into the trunk. Bread, canned soup and cake mix followed.

“We are going to have room for everything else, right?” Angel muttered as they drove away.

“Now that we’ve got the trailers, yeah,” Fred replied. “Even with all of Cordelia’s baby furniture, we’ve got lots of room.”

Angel scowled at the mention of baby furniture. He’d been unable to convince Cordelia to wait until they got to Syracuse to purchase a cradle, bassinet, rocking chair…changing table, window shades, rattle, mobile, diapers, clothes, bottle sterilizer…swing, play mat, miniature tub, baby monitor, DVDs… “They did get the stuff loaded, right?”

“Yes, Angel, they did,” Fred said tiredly. “Everything but what we need for one more day. Even the computers, all but one phone, the pillows, and your favorite towels.”

“Just checking,” Angel murmured. “The wind chimes?” He’d fallen in love with a set of wind chimes he’d seen at a craft fair, insisting that they get them for the house.

“The wind chimes *and* the pink plastic yard flamingoes… and the Santa Claus, and the tractor tire painted to look like a Christmas wreath,” Fred continued. “And the old plow Gunn found in the barn.”

“Ok,” Angel said sheepishly. Unlike Indianapolis, Knoxville had really felt like a home for them, all quirky native annoyances aside, and they were loathe to let go of all the neat things they’d amassed—hence the trailers.

“I just hope Wesley managed to convince Xander not to take that dinner bell along,” Fred commented.

•••

“What’s in the box?” Xander asked as Angel helped shuffle around the contents of the trunk.

“A gift,” Angel replied shortly.

“Can I open it?”

“It’s not for you,” Angel told him. “And I, whom the gift *is* for, will open it when we get to Syracuse.”

“Ok,” Xander said placatingly, holding his hands up. “So where are you and Wil gonna boink for old time’s sake?” The Raphe asked. “The barn? The roof?”

Angel growled. “Wherever the hell we feel like it. How about you and Oz? Need the jar of peanut butter Fred just bought?”

Xander retreated into the house. Angel was in no mood to chitchat or joke around; he had only twelve hours before he found himself stuck in a car with a very pregnant Cordelia. It did not bode well for his sanity.

“Angel?” Cordelia yelled from the porch. “Did you make Xander unhappy?”

“No!” Angel replied. “He asked me where I wanted to—“

“Never mind,” Cordelia said quickly. She’d been going through a weird stage where even thinking about sex made her nauseas, and she just knew that Xander had made a sex-related comment to Angel. “I’ll just be inside, being all normal and tired and pregnant.” She waddled back into the house, holding one hand to her lower back.

“You should be resting,” Wesley admonished the seer as he escorted her to the sofa. “Otherwise you’ll just exhaust yourself.”

Cordelia grimaced. “I know, I know. It’s what I get for getting pregnant.”

“With twins,” Oz reminded her. “They wear you down.”

“Do you have to keep reminding me there’s more than one in there?” Cordelia spat.

“You’ll give birth sooner,” Oz reasoned. He’d been the one to realize that there was more than one heartbeat in the vicinity of Cordelia’s womb, meaning that she was probably pregnant with twins. He didn’t have the balls to tell her, though, that he couldn’t tell exactly how many heartbeats he heard. It could be twins—and probably was, for that matter—but there was a small chance it was triplets…

“Wonderful. I mean, I’m *so* looking forward to pain and suffering,” Cordelia muttered. Gunn sank down on the couch next to her, reaching for her hand.

“But the cubs will be here, and you want to meet them,” Gunn murmured, stroking his lover’s hand soothingly. He lingered over the ring on her ringer, liking the way the ruby glowed in the dim light. He’d managed to find the perfect stone and have it set without Cordelia finding out, which meant Xander didn’t know until after it was done. He’d nearly killed Wil and Angel, who were *very* enthusiastic about his planned proposal. Now, though, he couldn’t muster any anger. He had Cordelia forever, even if they hadn’t said the words yet.

“And feed them, and change their diapers, and burp them and…” Tears welled in the corners of her eyes. “And watch them go to college and leave me alone!”

Angel walked into the house just in time to see Cordelia start into another crying jag. In that moment he was incredibly happy he was a vampire, who just got horny when there were lots of pheromones about, and couldn’t be affected by chemicals the way pregnant werewolves were. She had been in hell for a year, always either crying, screaming or laughing. The entire house had been on edge the whole time, always afraid of setting her off.

“I’ll go help Wil,” Angel said desperately as he ran for the attic. When he got upstairs he found Wil standing in front of the window, obviously in deep thought. “Wil?”

“We should have a Christmas tree,” Wil murmured.

Angel frowned. “Here?” It wasn’t quite Thanksgiving, and they were leaving in the morning.

“No, in Syracuse,” Wil replied. “For the cubs.”

“Ah,” Angel said. “We can arrange that when we get there.”

“I don’t want us to forget that, with all the moving and all,” Wil said quickly. “And we need a fireplace, for yule.”

Angel gathered Wil into his arms, holding him close. “We will. All of it, and more, I promise.”

Wil turned in Angel’s arms, until he could bury his face in the dark vampire’s neck. “They’ll be here before the solstice, and all their Christmases have to be perfect,” He said frantically. “Warm and loving and light and…” His voice became choked as he began to cry, cold tears kissing Angel’s skin.

“They will always be loved,” Angel swore. “Ever and always.”

•••

“Stop here.”

Angel slumped down in his seat and slowed the car. “Where?”

“Krispy Kreme,” Cordelia said firmly. “The ‘hot doughnuts now’ sign just came on.”

“It’s five a.m.,” Angel whined. “We’ve got to make it to Syracuse before sunrise.”

“Doughnuts,” Cordelia repeated. “And Xander’s with me on this one, right?” She glanced into the back seat.

“Yup,” Xander murmured. Oh, he’d love a doughnut or ninety right now. Even if he didn’t, he wouldn’t say a word.

“Make it fast,” Angel said, thrusting a twenty at the Raphe. “Get a lot; we can’t keep stopping.”

Xander trotted inside and quickly procured as many doughnuts as twenty dollars would buy. He returned with a towering stack of hot, aromatic boxes and a mountain of napkins, which he split with the other car. “Your doughnuts, milady,” He said, handing a box to Cordelia. She ripped it open and dug in as Angel drove away.

“Mmmm…” Cordelia hummed happily. “Thanks, Angel.”

“Yeah, man, thanks,” Gunn said as he ripped into his own doughnut. He hadn’t been starving, but a snack was welcome. “We’re only an hour or so from Syracuse; we’ll be fine.”

“It’s supposed to snow,” Angel said worriedly.

“Not tonight,” Xander replied. “At the end of the week, yeah.”

“But that’s Thanksgiving,” Cordelia stated. “We’re having a big, wonderful Thanksgiving.” Her voice brooked no argument.

“Yes, we are,” Angel agreed.

“In a house, with furniture,” She continued. “And a fireplace.”

/She’s been talking with Wil again,/ Angel thought. “And a fireplace,” He promised.

“But you’re not gonna go pick out the place,” Gunn said quickly. He knew she was going to argue, so he pressed on. “They’ll jack us for rent.”

Cordelia growled but didn’t argue. She knew that if anyone saw her, hugely pregnant and ready to pop, they’d gouge them big time. But she was the one having the kids and she didn’t want to live in some dump… “If you guys get a rat hole like Indianapolis…”

“We solemnly swear to rent a house constructed after 1960, with central heat and air, recently updated wiring, a dishwasher, laundry facilities, plenty of ground-floor bedrooms, at least one fireplace, weatherproof windows and doors, deadbolts, and a garbage disposal,” Xander said in a very serious voice.

“And a big kitchen with a pantry,” Cordelia insisted. “But Fred knows all of that, and she is definitely going along.” Fred would also make sure there was at least one tub in whatever house they rented.

Angel sped down the highway, not really paying a lot of attention to the conversation spinning around him. He wanted to be in Syracuse proper before dawn, and they didn’t have very much time. And no one had offered him a hot, sugary doughnut.

•••

“You know, letting them find a place to live is a good thing,” Wil murmured as he and Angel crawled into bed.

“Yeah, as long as you don’t dwell on the fact that Xander is driving,” Cordelia said. She was in the other bed, pillows supporting her swollen belly.

“Fred and Wesley will be there also,” Angel reminded her. “And we get to sleep. They do not.”

“But I’m so picking out the furniture,” Cordelia swore as she turned out the light. “None of them have *any* taste.”

Angel just twined himself with Wil and went to sleep. Cordelia could rant and rave all she wanted when the others got back. Until then, Angel was getting some sleep… unless she needed something, of course.

“Angel?”

The dark vampire poked his head out of the covers. “What?”

Cordelia looked sheepish. “Could I have some celery? With mustard?”

•••

“No,” Gunn said flatly. There was no way he was letting Cordelia live in that…house. If it could be called that.

“What’s wrong with this one?” The realtor asked sharply.

Xander took the lead, giving Gunn a reprieve. “The front porch is rotting away, stairs and all, and the sidewalk is a wreck. Somebody will get killed when there’s ice everywhere. And, we told you *three times* that we needed ground floor bedrooms. The last three places haven’t had bedrooms on the ground floor.”

The real estate agent looked apoplectic. “I’ve shown you eleven houses, and not one of them has passed muster. What the hell do you want?”

Wesley shrugged. “Five or more bedrooms, at least two of them on the ground floor.”

“Three or more bathrooms,” Fred added.

“Lots of appliances and central heat and air,” Xander said.

“And a fireplace,” Oz reminded the realtor.

“I give up. Find another realtor, if you can. There isn’t a single house in Syracuse, or within a hundred miles of Syracuse, that fits your needs.” The foul little man stomped off in a flash of papers and cheap linen.

The gang looked at each other, wondering what they’d said wrong to make the man so very angry. “Wanna grab some lunch?” Xander offered. “There are usually some of those rental guides at fast food restaurants.”

“Taco Bell?” Fred pleaded.

“Sure,” Gunn said. “Taco Bell is fine.”

Wesley smiled beatifically. “Cinnamon twists.”

•••

Cordelia, Wil and Angel were pacing the hotel room, waiting for the others to return. Xander had called to say they’d found a place and were on their way back to collect their absent friends, but wouldn’t say a word about the new house. Cordelia had yelled and begged, but the Raphe had held fast. “I’m gonna kill him,” Cordelia swore. “I want to know!”

“We’ll know soon enough,” Wil murmured. “They’ll be back shortly.”

“I want to know now,” Cordelia whined. “Did I just whine?”

“No,” Angel assured her. She glanced at him disbelievingly. “It was more of a petulant… whimper.”

Cordelia did not look amused.

“Xander’s back,” Wil murmured. Just then, the Raphe burst into the hotel room.

“Hey!” Xander said brightly. “You are so gonna love this place!”

“Does it have—“ Cordelia began fretfully.

“Everything, and then some,” Xander promised. Come on! Nighttime’s wasting.”