Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Let's all say it together, I own nothing!
Distribution: Black Angel Fan Fiction, Land of Denial, take it if you want it...just tell me if you're going to post it!
Summary: An alternate ending to Dad
Spoilers: Obviously Dad
Author's Notes: I hated the end scene of Dad. You cannot do the whole macho, coat flapping, “Dark Protector” walk with a baby stroller in front. It doesn't work. This is my therapy. It comes after my afore written rant. Thank you and good night!

“Why don't you just fire us all, while you're at it?” Gunn retorted as Angel grabbed his coat off the coatrack.

Angel quickly shrugged on the black leather, careful not to jostle the infant in his arms too much. Angel sighed as he passed them all, no retort would appease them anyway. He silently strode out the back entrance of the hotel, ignoring Fred's plea, “Angel! Don't leave us!”

He watched from afar as the three gangs broke the force field around the hotel. The demons clambered and fought each other to be first into the hotel, not even realizing the infant was already gone. He watched as the got through the front doors and were greeted with a blast from the flame thrower Wesley was carrying.

“They're good friends” he whispered to the sleeping baby in his arms, as he got into the black vintage convertible. Angel quickly pulled out of the parking space and sped away from the Hyperion hotel.

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

She staggered into her bedroom at well past two in the morning. The scratch she had gotten on her upper arm during the fight with the last vampire was still bleeding. She hissed as she rotated her arm to make sure no other damage was done. Satisfied, she pulled a first aid kit out from under her bed and went about disinfecting the wound and wrapping it in sterile gauze. Once she was finished she took a quick shower and changed into one of his old shirts. Willow had washed them after her death but his scent still clung to it. Buffy inhaled the scent that could only be described as 'Angel.'

Buffy left her room and carefully walked down the hallway to check on Dawn, once at the door she realized Dawn was at Tara's. Now, Tara had to phoned to tell her, Dawn was okay.

Buffy checked on Willow before heading back to her room. The witch was asleep on top of the bed, still clutching a book of magic to her chest. Buffy carefully removed it and placed a blanket over the sleeping form. With a whispered 'goodnight' she left the room.

The sleep she had was fitful. Images of a perfect day with Angel, her mother's death, the fall of her Angel, and a baby, wandered through her head.

After one such montage, she woke with a start, something had made its way into her room. She calmed her ragged breath and carefully sat up in bed to look for her intruder.

There, in a shadowed corner stood the only intruder she had ever welcomed into her room, her dark Angel.

“Angel” she whispered, following the rules of their preferred greeting.

He smiled the half smile she loved, and returned, “hi.” Carefully he stepped from the shadows revealing his load, wrapped in a soft blue blanket.

She got out of bed to look at the tiny baby in his arms.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, once she stood before him.

“Cordelia was right-” he whispered as a response.

Buffy looked at him quizzically, but took the baby from his arms and gently placed it on the bed. “What was Cordy right about?” she murmured.

“I can't be everything for him, and I can't fight everything that wants to take him away from me” He replied brokenly, looking at the slumbering baby in the mass of white sheets.

“What do you mean?”

He was silent for a long while just watching the baby. “Armies of demons and humans, want him. He was prophesied in the Niazian Scrolls. He is a powerful ally to the force, which ever side he is on. They know I have him, and that I'll fight to keep him, but they'll keep coming. I don't want him to grow up in that....no father would.”

Buffy was shocked for a moment, “You want me to take care of him” it was not a question, but a statement.

He nodded sadly, “I need to know he'll be safe. Everything is set up for him, I have an account at the Bank of Sunnydale, and it's in your name, so if you ever need anything....Just promise me, he'll be okay” Angel whispered, his voice breaking at the end.

“I'll take care of him like he was my own” she told him, softly resting a soothing hand on his shoulder.

“You have no idea how badly I wish he was” Angel told her, then planted a soft kiss on her lips. “I have to get back to LA before dawn” he whispered hollowly.

She nodded and watched as he spent a moment, say good bye to his awake, but silent son.

“I'll call you soon” Angel said as he climbed back out her window.

“Wait!” she called after him, “what's his name?”

Angel looked back at his son, and smiled softly, “Connor, his name is Connor” He smiled at her then disappeared into the already lightening night.

She turned back to the bed and looked at the silent infant, she carefully examined the scratch on his face, then looked in the bag Angel had left, for a change of clothes for the baby. “Well, Connor,” she whispered, “we should probably get some sleep.”

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