TITLE: Mommy's Friend

AUTHOR: Salem

EMAIL: Salem_Angelus@hotmail.com

FEEDBACK: I crave it.like blood *licks lips*

ARCHIVE/DISTRIBUTION: This site or ask (

SUMMARY: Can't be bothered to say. This is a great way to get you to read isn't it :P I will tell you its set in the future, 4 years after season 4 of Buffy and season 1 of Angel. No more. *dances*

CONTENT/WARNINGS: If you don't wanna know

SPOILERS: IWRU - Angel season 1

RATING: 15 (PG-14 for the American readers) it's what you would see on the show.

Disclaimer: Joss own Buffy. Joss own Angel. Me push them together. *bangs chest* **************************************************************************** ******************** "Maxwell Benjamin Summers" Buffy exclaimed. "You give me that pen right now mister" Taking the pen of the toddler she replaced the cap and took his hand, dragging him to the bathroom. Helping him stand on the toddler's platform so he could reach the sink, she turned on the tap and let the water run warm. Placing the plug into the bottom of the sink, she filled it up.

"Hands clean" the toddler whined.

"No they are not Max" Buffy stopped the taps and rubbed soap onto his hands. The boy began to cry. "Oh stop it. I have to get the pen off" Max stopped and watched her fascinated.

"Bubbles" he proclaimed turning to her and smiling.

"Yes Max, Bubbles" Buffy pulled the plug and lifted him off of his platform. Grabbing a small fluffy blue towel she wrapped it around his hands and rubbed lightly. Letting the towel fall to the ground, she inspected his hands. "Hands clean" the toddler repeated, smiling a toothy grin. Buffy chuckled at the face he pulled.

"Yes Max, hands clean" the boy ran out of the bathroom and down the hall stopping at the top of the stairs. Buffy pushed herself to her feet, replaced the towel over the rack and followed him there.

"Mommy help" He bounced on his toes waiting for the ride down. Of course Buffy knew that when Max said, "help" he meant "carry me down". Buffy swooped Max up and made her way downstairs with Max under her arm while he made airplane noises. When they reached the bottom Buffy placed him on the floor and he immediately ran into the lounge. Picking up his little plastic train, he ran it along the edge of the coffee table and made train noises. Buffy leant against the frame and watched, smiling to herself. Interrupted, she turned and picked the phone off the wall. "Hello?" She almost sang down the phone as Max ran past her, his train airborne, into the kitchen.

"Buffy. Hey. It's Willow"

"Oh hey Will" Buffy engaged in the chat. Talking to Willow gave her a great sense of comfort. Xander had drifted from the group after he and Anya got married and were now living in a cosy cottage in Canada. He'd argued Vegas but Anya wasn't best pleased. Willow had stayed in town and got back with Oz after a failed second attempt with Tara. After learning that his wolf buddy only came out to play every other full moon, Oz felt he could settle with Willow again. In fact, they had been married now for 2 years and were expecting a fabulous baby boy.

"You called me to ask about Baby names?" Buffy asked surprised.

"Yah, what do you think?" Willow almost squealed down the phone.

"Does Oz know? I mean, are you sure he wants a "Daniel Jr" running around the place?" Buffy used the long cord to her advantage, bending to pick up some scattered toys about the lounge. "After all, he doesn't use Daniel Much does he?" Buffy placed some gathered toys into a box in the corner of the room.

"Well, I was thinking of shortening it to DJ" Willow nodded, although Buffy couldn't see her.

"Oh well then that's ok" Buffy laughed. "Not now sweetie, mommy's busy"

"Is that Max?" Willow questioned.

"Uh huh" Buffy unhinged the toddlers fingers gripping her pants.

"Mommy's friend" Max tugged at her pants.

"Yes, its Aunty Willow" Buffy told him, getting a look of frustration back.

"Mommy's friend" Max repeated, looking up at her.

"Here Will. You talk to him" Buffy handed Max the phone smiling. She perched herself on the edge of the coffee table and watched his face glow.

"Hello Will" the toddler mimicked his mother, which made Buffy laugh a little.

"Heya Max, what's a matter? Are you pestering your mommy?" Will played along in a silly baby style voice. Ever since Max was born Willow had made up all sorts of weird voices that made him laugh. Sure enough, Max laughed. "Mommy's friend" Max clapped down the phone to Willow.

"I Know I am" Willow tried to change the conversation. The kid was very persistent.

"Mommy's friend" Max finally repeated, smiling over Buffy's shoulder. Smiling herself, Buffy took the phone off of him and ruffled her hand through his soft brown hair. Max ran past her towards the kitchen.

"Where'd he go?" Willow giggled.

"To get his train I think. It's in the kitchen" Buffy picked up a few more toys spread around the fireplace. "Listen, I'll call you later when he's gone to bed. Then I know he's not drawing on my walls again" Buffy tittered to herself. Willow said her goodbyes and hung up.

"Mommy's friend" Max chanted from the kitchen. "Mommy's friend"

"Max, what are you doing in there?" Buffy dropped the toys into their box and closed the lid. "You'd better not of." She froze in her tracks as she entered the kitchen. Crouched with the toddler resting against one knee, the stranger examined the toddler's train. Sensing her presence and handing the toddler back his train; he stood up, making instant eye contact.

"Hey" He said softly, almost a whisper.

"Well hey there." Buffy paused as the rushing toddler cuddled her leg "Angel"

Angel sat on the edge of the couch watching Buffy as she watched Max. The toddler was running around the lounge with his train, running it along all sorts of edges he could find.

"Wow" Buffy turned to Angel after a long silence. Angel gave a short laugh.

"Yeah, it feels pretty amazing" he smiled at her. She could look into his melting chocolate eyes all day. Just him and her all day. Especially now that he was.

"Human? Like forever?" She smiled back, resting her chin on her hand.

"Yeah.I thought you deserved to know" Max ran up to Angel and gave him his train. "Hey, is this for me?" Angel smiled at him.

"You keep train" Max nodded. Angel fiddled with the train and smiled at Buffy.

"Little Scamp" Angel ruffled Max's hair which instantly caused the toddler to flatten his hands on top of Angel's to stop them. Angel stopped and Max pulled his hair forward, grinning at Angel. "Say." Angel looked around and Max followed his gaze. "Where is everybody?"

"Willow Married Oz, Xander married Anya, I live here" She paused. "Still" she laughed.

"Couldn't get off the Hellmouth, huh?" Angel joked, raising and eyebrow to her and placing the train on the table.

"You know me." Buffy started but was cut off.

"To well" Angel finished seriously. Buffy, embarrassed, avoided eye contact with him. "So.do you live with anyone?" Angel tried to make it casual but hated himself for asking. Of course she did, and they were obviously married. Big car, family dog, Max.

"No actually" Buffy brushed her fringe from her eyes, straightening her back, making herself look stronger and taller.

"Riley left me and Max 3 years ago" She sounded like she didn't care. Maybe she didn't.

"I'm sorry" Angel comforted.

"Don't be. I'm over him. He was convinced Max was.well, that Max wasn't his son" Buffy finished.

"How old is he?" Angel threw in, watching the boy play.

"Four" Buffy answered. The number echoed in Angel's head. Four years ago was.then. The Forgotten day. Angel studied the child; his dark browns eyes glinted in the false lounge lighting and his short brown was thick and full. Watching the child play, smile, brood in the corner, he knew. "Max isn't Riley's son is he" Buffy lowered her head. Angel snapped his gaze towards Buffy.

"Buffy, is Max mine?"

Their gazes locked and Angel searched Buffy's soul for an answer. A tear began forming in Buffy's eye.

"I knew" she began crying "The first time I held him, smelt him, touched him. I knew then and have known ever since that he was yours. What I didn't know was how" She looked at Angel for an answer. "I didn't think vampires could have children"

"They can't" Angel lowered his head.

"Then you was." she covered her mouth in shock, standing above him.

"It was only for a day Buffy.it didn't mean."

"Only a day?" Angel rose and towered above her and shouted.

"Yes, one day. One perfect day that I was human and you and me were together in L.A.several times."

"Perfect day? Perfect day?! If it was so perfect then why didn't it mean anything to you!?" Buffy shouted, waving her arms frantically, her face, streaked with tears. Angel looked away from her. "Com'on Angel, tell me!" She pushed. "Why didn't it mean anything to you!?" Angel grabbed her arms and held them by her sides.

"Because if I pretended it never happened, pretended it meant nothing" a tear rolled down his cheek "then I could pretend that I never lost you again" Buffy was speechless and as he let go of her arms she threw them around his neck, burying her face into the soft crevice of his neck. Angel wrapped his arms around her tiny body and held her close.

"I'll never forget" Buffy said out of nowhere. Angel just hugged her closer and they cried together. "I remember"

"Shh." Angel stroked her back. "Don't say it"

"Daddy" Both Buffy and Angel looked towards the toy box. Max stood there, train in hand smiling. "Daddy" he repeated.