Chapter Twenty-Four: Anniversary

January 18th, 2011- L.A- penthouse

The morning was still dark when April was suddenly awoken by a soft humming and someone's fingers stroking her arm. She hoped she was dreaming; no one would dare wake her this early. She would kill whoever had woken her up.

"Go away," she growled, putting her pillow on her head. She heard a muffled chuckle before warm hands started rubbing her stomach. Her eyes peeked out from under the pillow and looked into the startling green eyes of her husband. "What do you want at 6:30 AM?"

In her daze, she had forgotten what day it was.

"Bon Anniversaire to you too, Angel," he whispered cheekily.

"And that means?" April asked, looking at him. He winked.

"Happy anniversary in French."

April felt the colour drain from her cheeks. How had she forgotten their anniversary when she had been practically buzzing about it the day before? God, she must have been so stupid as to forget the most important day of their life.

"Did you forget?" Xander asked, amused. He stood up from the bed and pulled her to her feet. She looked at him with a guilty look. "You were practically saying it to everyone you saw yesterday."

"I was not," April replied, putting on her purple dressing gown.

"Okay," Xander sighed in mock defeat before grinning, "you were screaming it to everyone you saw."

He grinned evilly as April slapped him on the arm and left the room, her close-to-perfect husband following behind her.

~X~

April stepped into the kitchen and her nose was filled with the aroma of banana pancakes, her favourite, and freshly squeezed orange juice. Lara, Hailie, Jodi and Piper were sitting at the bench, smiling behind bunches of bright red roses.

"HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!" They called in unison.

In Piper's hand was a single red rose and she was wriggling in Hailie's arms, trying to get to her mother. She reached out her tiny arm and smiled as April took the rose from her.

"This isn't even the half of it," Xander added from behind her as he wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her soft, black hair.

~X~

April groaned as she hit her head on the roof of the long, white limousine. Xander held back his chuckle as not to provoke her Calaway anger; he wouldn't survive if he did because Calaway's hated being laughed at and were notorious for their rage-filled tantrums.

"Holy…"

April's eyes grew wide as she looked at the Star de Lune; on a huge billboard above it was a picture of her, smiling while holding a rose. Beside her it said 'My Angel, Fallen from heaven, I love you with all my heart and soul. Love, Xander.'

"I love you, April," Xander said behind her. She spun on her heel. He smiled reassuringly at her as she looked up at him, hoping he wasn't lying. He'd promised her the day they wed that he would always love her and that he would never purposefully try hurt her; he had kept all of those promises so far. But saying he would do anything in anyway to upset her? That was a little insane, even for Xander, because pain was a prerequisite of love, no matter how unconditional.

"Have you always loved me?" April asked as he took her hand. He nodded.

"Of course. For the longest time, you've meant everything to me and if I ever hurt you… again… you know I don't mean it. You're my one and only-"

"Baby…"

"Let me finish. You're my one and only love and not Chyna, Allie and not even Rayne come close. It has always, always, ALWAYS been you-"

Xander's sentence was cut off as April's lips crushed against his in a searing kiss. He cupped her cheeks and returned her passion, just as he had every time he kissed her. He truly loved her and never wanted anything to happen to her.

Even Psycho Xander couldn't stop that.