I lay there besides her listening to her breath, feeling at home, and feeling for once in my lonesome existence, loved

I lay there besides her listening to her breath, feeling at home, and feeling for once in my lonesome existence, loved. What have I done to deserve her, I have killed, tortured, I slaughtered my own flesh and blood without a second thought, and yet somehow I am lying here, with my soul mate, my one true love, blissfully happy. I feel her turn slightly towards me, waking up slowly from yet another night of slaying and yet another day of trailing around our three beautiful children. She subconsciously traces her fingers up my chest sighing deeply, content. I kiss her on the forehead and slip out of our bed, and carefully through the door into the hallway.

"Mommy sleeping?" I turn to see Hannah standing behind me, teddy bear trailing behind her, thumb in her mouth. Her blond curls drop halfway down her back, tangled from tossing and turning during her sleep. I smile and crouch down picking her up in my arms, kissing her good morning.

"Yeah, Mommy's really tired." Hannah nod's.

"Can I have pancakes please?" I laugh and head down into the kitchen where Cordelia is sitting. Hannah jumps out of my arms and runs to her, wrapping her up in as bigger bear hug as her young arms could manage.

"Morning Auntie Cordy!"

"Morning Sweetie, how's my favourite four year old today?" Hannah grins and reply's that she's 'Supercalifragilisticexpelidosis' Mary Poppins currently being her favourite movie.

"I take it you are on breakfast duty?" Cordelia smiles through perfect white teeth as I take out the flour.

"Yeah," I say. "You have any ideas how to make pancakes?"

As it turned out, and very fortunate for Hannah too, Cordelia did know how to make pancakes and after I convinced her that her freshly manicured fingernails would not be damaged by whipping up a batch, she set to work. Soon the tantalising smell brought Hannah's big brothers, Nicholas and Scott, from their rooms, bringing with them a stream on constant questions.

"Morning Dad, Morning Cordy"

"Where's Mom"

In bed

"Where's Doyle?"

At the office

"Do we have to watch Mary Poppins AGAIN?"

Yes

"Can I watch Pokemon?"

No

"Are we going to the beach today?"

No

"Why not?"

Because I have to work

"Why"

Because I need to make money

"Why"

So I can buy you that ridiculous Pokemon toy for your birthday. Smiles on the faces of two happy twin boys. Beach vs. Pokemon toy, no contest. Cordelia laughs at me. I roll my eyes.

"Bribery Cordy, take notes." I smile nodding at her slightly raised stomach.

We start talking while she makes breakfast; cases from work, Oz and Willow's shift from Sunnydale to LA, baby names, Xander and Anya's upcoming wedding plans. In the years I had know Cordelia she had transformed from a snooty rich brat into a sophisticated businesswoman, although her love for shopping hadn't subsided. She had turned Angel Investigations into a successful business, now not only dealing with the slightly abnormal (my forte) but with basic investigations like finding out whether your husband was cheating on you with his secretary (her side). How she managed to make a decent profit out of it I still didn't know, but when it came down to the crunch, it was Cordy's little hobby and as Buffy says 'Beats scrubbing toilets.'

"Morning Cordy." I felt Buffy's hands slip onto my bare shoulders as she greeted our friend. "Hannah want pancakes?" She asked indicating the pile stacked in the warming shelf of the oven. Cordelia laughed. I smiled. Hannah was the breakfast queen. We hadn't had porridge or waffles since she was six moths old; and pancakes, French toast and hash browns were a regular favourite.

"Mommy!"

"Mom!"

"Mom!"

The chorus of voices got closer as the twins and Hannah appeared in from the lounge.

"Can we go to the beach?"

"Can I watch Pokemon?"

"Do we HAVE to watch Mary Poppins AGAIN?"

"No, No, Yes." Scott and Nick sat down defeated and Hannah crawled up onto my lap wrapping her tiny arms around me and snuggling into my chest.

Then Cordelia said the fated words.

"I'll take them to the beach if you want." Six eyes are upon her and at once a chorus of 'Oh pretty please with a cherry on top Auntie Cordy. And chocolate sauce (Hannah) and nuts (Scott) and those cool little marshmallows that you get on top of hot chocolate from McDonalds? (Nick).' Buffy laughs, the sound echoing gracefully around the room.

"What do you think Angel?" She asks me.

"Well I don't know. They'd have to be very good."

"We'll be good, We'll be good."

"I think that we might be able to arrange something." Buffy pauses. "But of course your rooms are very messy at the moment." Scott and Nicholas run off down the hall and echoes of 'last one there's a rotten vampire' come back to us.

"That's blackmail, Buffy Connaught, and you know it." Cordelia accuses.

"Take notes, Cordy hon, take notes.