Moment in Time

Author's Note

Hiya Guys,

Hope you like this J

I have had this in my folders for a little while and I just had an urge to get it finished. I had such positive reviews for The Escape and Warriors and Rewards so I thought I would write another Fic

I finally got rid of the virus yesterday and have been working on a story which I will post soon, maybe even tomorrow.

I will update I Need You and Surprise Alternate ending as soon as possible.

Please review and thank you to those of you who have reviewed my other stories. J It means a lot J xxx

Huggins and Love,

Little Glass Heart 3 xxx

Both of them smiled at each other and kissed each other again.

Only pulling apart when the rain began to fall, both of them hand in hand ran back to Angel's car and drove off to begin their happy future.

7 Years Later….

Opening his eyes slowly, Angel frowned slightly as he looked at the alarm clock next to the bed. It was only 4am and already he was wide awake. Closing his eyes again momentarily, he froze slightly as the images of his dead parents and sister filled his mind once again. He had always suffered from nightmares. Before he had met Buffy, he had dreamt about his family every night. The trust his little sister had always placed in him; that trust getting her killed by Angelus. He would never forget the look of happiness on her face when she thought he had returned to her as an Angel but had instead killed her parents in front of her and tortured her. Angel would never forgive himself for her death, the pain she was in when he killed her. When he had sunk his teeth into her neck, she didn't beg for mercy, she whispered 7 words which when his soul was returned, would haunt him forever.

I will always love you, my Angel.

Even after all he had done to her and had done to the people she loved, she had still cared for him, still tried to comfort him as he snapped her neck.

Angel turned his head to look at Buffy. He smiled as he took in her form next to him. Her hand was rested on his stomach as she snuggled closer to him in her sleep. It had been hard at first but they had done it, the Hellmouth had been closed and the forces of evil had been stopped for the time being. When Sunnydale had been destroyed, the whole of the Scooby Gang had moved with him and Buffy to Los Angeles. It seemed logical as Angel had friends who lived there and Buffy could continue her slayer duties there.

Slowly he pulled away from Buffy, gently kissed her forehead before moving off the bed and standing. Yawning slightly, he wandered out of the room and down the hall. Opening the door slowly so as not to disturb her, he looked down at the little brown haired girl whose eyelashes fluttered gently against her skin as she slept. Of all the amazing things he and Buffy had done together, she was by far the best.

Her eyes were the same colour as Buffy's, a deep green. She looked a lot like her mother, her smile was identical. Her hair on the other hand was the same colour as his, a dark brown. It was very long and during the day, it shone in the sunlight.

He had been so happy for the past 7 years.

A beautiful wife who he loved more than anything and a little 4 year old girl, his Arabella, both of them meant the world to him.

The day he and Buffy had married was probably one of the best days of his life. The way she had looked in her white gown had nearly taken his breath away. When they had kissed, he had remembered a dream he had long ago, of Buffy bursting into flame outside the church and for a split second panic took over him before Buffy pulled away from his lips and hugged him tightly. All his fear vanished and he breathed deeply again and smiled as he could feel her heartbeat against his chest, a sign that she was human and would not die by being in the sun.

Arabella had been named after his mother. He could still remember her as if it were yesterday. His mother had a kind, smiling face and huge brown eyes which twinkled and shone when she laughed. His happy memories where always plagued with what he had done in the past, as whenever he thought of her, the images of her terror filled eyes as her son killed her husband and then turned to her would never leave him.

But now as he looked down at his and Buffy's creation, it was hard to believe they had reached this stage. It seemed only yesterday when Keenan had showed up. Angel hated the boy with a passion and wished he had never been free to walk the earth but a part of him was glad, because without Keenan, he would still be a creature of the night, destined to be alone when Buffy died of old age. Sitting down on the edge of Arabella's bed, he gently kissed her cheek.

She seemed fine after the events of the past few days, both he and Buffy had feared she would have nightmares.

Earlier that Night….7pm…

Arabella sat in the living room, watching the same repeats of the Teletubbies over and over. It was her favourite show and Angel had taped all of them, so she could watch them over and over if she wished. Climbing to her feet she ran to the kitchen to get her bottle of juice from the fridge when a gently knocking on the back door made her turn.

The cat flap was moving, a hand lifting it.

Walking towards the door, she found herself face to face with a man.

"Hello, little one. Open the door for me"

Arabella shook her head, backing away.

"Daddy says I'm not supposed to talk to strangers"

Smiling at her, he laughed gently.

"Its ok, I know your Daddy, we're friends, I know your mother too."

Walking forwards slowly, she turned the handle and opened the door.

Turning his head behind him, he took a step back away from the door and back into the garden.

"Hey, come and look at this badger, its got babies"

Stepping out, she froze and stepped back in.

"Mommy and Daddy say I'm not allowed in the garden at night without them"

"Well its ok, you'll be with me"

Stepping out again, her eyes widened as the man's face morphed. He looked at the terrified little girl and grinned evilly.

Stepping backwards, she opened her mother to scream but before she could get back into the safety of her house, the vampire flew forwards and pulled her up into his arms, right next to his hideous face. She began to whimper as the man began to carry her towards the gate. Struggling in his arms, she kicked him and scratched his face, desperately trying to get away. She managed to scream for just a moment before he clamped his hand over her mouth. Dragging her through the gate, she kicked him again and bit into his hand. Dropping her on her knees, tears began to stream down her cheeks as pain exploded from her legs, it hurt so much. She had never felt anything like it. This was why Mommy and Daddy didn't want her going in the Garden or talking to strangers. Picking her up again, her snarled at her before carrying her down the road and into an alley.

"Ella! Time for you to go in bed"

Angel walked into the living room and froze when he found it empty. Walking into the kitchen, he looked around, expecting to see her hiding from him under the dining room table but once again she wasn't there.

Angel's eyes were immediately drawn to the back door, which stood open.

"Ella!"

Angel hadn't realised he had yelled until Buffy ran down the stairs and joined him in the cold garden.

"Angel, what's wrong?"

"Come on, she went outside, I think someone has taken her"

Buffy eyes widened in fear before she ran forwards and shot over the fence, Angel close behind.

"Angel you go that way, I'll go this way!"

Both of them split up and Angel dived down the alley next their home and froze at the sight in front of him.

The vampire turned and snarled as his little girl whimpered in his arms.

Angel had never been more afraid as the vampire held his daughter around the neck, its hideous features inches from his beautiful child's face. This was one of the aspects of his and Buffy's work that they had hoped to spare their daughter from for a very long time, when she was older they had planned on explaining.

"Let her go!"

The vampire laughed and shook his head.

"You won't risk your child; she is my key to survival"

A couple of days before, a threat had been made against their daughter, the blood of a slayer, Buffy's blood, ran in her veins and that was what this group of Vampires needed to raise the Master from Hell again. The blood of the person or family of the person who killed him was needed.

The Scooby gang were away in business with the Watchers Council in London and Buffy and Angel had stayed to watch out for Vampires and any other threats to the people of Los Angeles.

The vampire was so intent on keeping Angel at bay; he didn't even notice Buffy come up slowly behind him. Slowly raising her stake, she plunged it into the vampires back, stabbing it in the heart from behind without much effort. The vampire's eyes widened for a moment before he exploded into dust. Buffy snatched her little girl from the air before she could fall and held her close to her chest, her eyes filling with tears at how close they had come, to losing their world. Angel flew forwards and wrapped his arms around them both, kissing his daughters head and then holding them both closer once again. Pulling away after a few minutes, Angel wrapped his arm around Buffy's waist and pulled her gently back to the house.

Gently taking Arabella from Buffy's arms when they entered the living room, Angel looked into her tiny face as the tears silently fell down her cheeks.

He had once been told that a child usually cried for attention but when a child cried silently and refused to make a sound, it was because they simply couldn't stop.

Kissing her cheek, Angel gently set her on the couch and knelt beside it. He had noticed in the alley that both of her knees had been badly cut, she had probably fallen when she had tried to get away from the vampire. Buffy kissed her daughters head and then went to the kitchen to get some plasters.

"I'm sorry, Daddy. He said he was your friend"

Tears were still pouring down her cheeks and she was shaking.

"Hey, Hey, its ok, just don't ever open the back door or the front door without me or Mommy, especially at night."

Her eyes wide, she leaned forward so that her face was close to Angel's.

"What was wrong with his face? It was scary"

Angel looked for a moment into the eyes of his baby. She was so young but sometimes she seemed so mature for her age.

Leaning forwards, she wrapped her arms around her Dad's neck and clung to him, burying her face into his neck.

"I thought I was gonna to die"

Angel pulled back slightly and looks into his little girls eyes. Tears were still falling down her cheeks and the fear and pain in her eyes nearly broke his heart.

"I will never let that happen, as long as I'm around, nobody will touch you again."

Leaning forwards again, she hugged him again.

"Love you, Daddy"

"I love you too"

Buffy walked in a moment later and together they both cleaned Arabella's knees before Angel picked her up and took her to bed. She fell asleep in his arms on the way up the stairs, and didn't stir when he gently placed her in her bed, kissed her forehead before quietly walking down the stairs.

Walking into the living room, Angel walked straight over to Buffy who was sitting on the sofa. Pulling her into his arms, she sobbed into his chest for what seemed like forever. Neither of them could believe how close they had come to having their daughter, their world, taken away from them. It was a harsh reality check on how much danger they placed her in.

4.30 am….

They had always known that there was a chance that Arabella would be used to bargain, taken hostage or even killed but they did their best to protect her. This was the first time that she had ever been targeted but after this, Angel had a feeling other people would try and take her. At night, if both of them had to patrol then they would drop her off at Willow and Oz's house. Their children, Joanna who was 5 and Noel who was 3 loved Arabella and treated her like a sister.

Looking down at her now, Angel couldn't believe any man, vampire or any other horrible demon could truly want to hurt her.

Closing his eyes for a moment, Angel took a deep breath before a faint whimpering made him turn and open his eyes.

Arabella was crying, tears pouring down her face as she sobbed in her sleep. The way she was whimpering and mumbling told Angel enough. She was having a nightmare.

Pushing the blanket away for a moment, he gently began to stroke her face, attempting to calm her as best as he could. Her eyes flew open and upon seeing Angel in front of her, she hugged him tightly. Arabella had always looked on Angel as her hero. She was such a daddy's girl, it was unbelievable. For over 20 minutes he sat, hugging Arabella but she was still too scared for him to leave her.

"Hey Ella, want to come sleep with me and Mommy in our bed?"

Arabella smiled, sleeping in the double bed with her parents was a rare treat. Standing, Angel smiled at his little girl's excitement and carefully swept her up in his arms, being mindful of her sore knees. Dangling over his arm was the white fluffy rabbit that Willow had given Arabella when she was born. She never went anywhere without it and it was her most treasured possession. Carrying her down the hall, and into his and Buffy's room, he gently placed her under the covers and smiled when she immediately snuggled under Buffy's arm. Sliding into the bed behind them, he placed his arm over Arabella aswell, holding her close. Smiling as Buffy's fingers gently stroked up his arm, Angel looked at her and she smiled sleepily at him before she closed her eyes and drifted off. Looking down, Arabella's face was pressed into his chest. Her eyes were closed and her face once again peaceful in her sleep.

Closing his eyes, he drifted off to sleep, in the safe knowledge that his wife and daughter were safe in his arms.

Hope you like this

Should I write more about Arabella?

Please tell me what you think! xxx