Morning
Christmas Tree Farm
The sun was high up in the cloudless blue sky as Angelus led the way through the large Christmas tree farm holding a saw in hand.
They passed a tree merchant spraying fake snow onto a tree, which grabbed Buffy's attention. "Do you wanna get one with snow on it? Very Christmassy."
"No." Angelus stared at her deadpan, not at all envisioning a spray painted tree in his house. "We're better than that, Buffy." He continued to walk on still in search of a tree. Katie and Liam half jogged just to keep up with their long-legged father.
"Fine. Fine." Buffy mumbled, smirking following the threesome from behind.
A few minutes passed when Angelus suddenly stopped, standing at a full, green, and healthy tree, which met all of his specifications. "This is the one." He announced. "What do you think?" He asked, glancing down at Katie, standing beside him, mimicking observation stance.
"Tall." She answered.
"I agree," said Buffy, finally catching up from behind. "It might not fit."
"Nonsense." Angelus waved his hand and kneeled down into the grass with the saw in hand. He pushed the long branches of the tree up to give himself access to the trunk.
Trying hard to suppress her smirk, Buffy folded her arms across her chest, amused by the sight of Angelus struggling with the tree. "I can just get someone."
"No." Angelus pulled back his head, glaring at her. "I can cut down a tree and you just stand there." He told her and returned his attention back to the task at hand.
"Fine." Buffy held up her hands in defense.
1630 Revello Drive: Living Room
Christmas music played throughout the house as Buffy and the children trimmed the tree with oritmates, handcrafted ornaments made in school, beads, and tinsel.
Angelus stood back watching Buffy and the children decorate. The tree was rather chaotic and DIY looking compared to the tree's he had professionally decorated. There was something incredibly charming about the tree that just could not compare to the expensive and professional decorations he was so used to.
He turned his head to the dwindling flames in the fireplace. Angelus crouched in front of the fireplace and added another log to the flames. He stood tall, using the fire poker to prod the flames.
"Nothing like a roaring fire to keep away the blistering heat." Buffy stood beside him, watching the fire grow.
Angelus tossed her a look of surprise. "Since when did you become such a Grinch?"
Buffy chuckled, leaning slightly into his arm and handed him a gold star topper. "Can you put the star on top?"
Taking the tree topper from her, Angelus' long fingers touched her hand, sending a cold chill straight down his spine. Since the night they had almost had sex but was interrupted by Katie waking up from a bad dream, they hadn't had another chance at trying again. Most of the time, they were just too exhausted and wanted nothing more than to sleep. Angelus did enjoy holding her tightly in his arms. Just like always, she was a perfect fit to his body, as if she was made for him. He didn't realise how much he missed holding her, watching her sleep.
Angelus put the star on top of the tree. "Looks good." He walked over to Liam sitting in his comfy Thomas the Train chair with a juicebox in his hands. "What do you think, Liam?"
"Good!" The toddler squeaked.
Angelus crouched down beside the toddler, running his fingers through his dirty blonde hair. He looked up and at Buffy, to find her smiling adoringly at him.
Weeks Later: Morning
Kitchen
Hopping down the stairs while Buffy fixed the back of her hooped earring, she stepped into the kitchen to find Angelus standing at the stove flipping funny-shaped pancakes for the children seated at the counter island.
She walked up behind him, circling her arms around his waist and laying her cheek against the center of his back.
Angelus smiled, enjoying Buffy's affections towards him. In such a short time, he had gotten used to it.
Much to Angelus' surprise, he was disappointed when she relinquished her hold of him. He turned his gaze, watching her walk to the children, kissing the top of their heads.
"We gotta go to the mall and get something to wear for the Christmas party tonight," said Buffy as she combed her fingers through Liam's hair.
Angelus frowned and turned from the stove. "The Christmas party… right… I can't go to a party." He said, removing the pan from the stove and scooped the burnt pancakes onto the children's plates.
"These are burnt." Katie lifted her gaze to Angelus' face.
Angelus smothered the burnt pancakes with maple syrup. "There. Eat up." He turned to the sink, cleaning up a bit.
"What are you talking about?" Buffy asked, stepping around the counter island to stand beside Angelus at the sink. "You look forward to this party every year."
"Trust me, Buf, I don't think going is the best idea."
Buffy stood silently for what felt like hours. "Fine. Do whatever you want." Pursing her lips with a shrug, then turned away from Angelus, reaching for the cellphone on the counter.
"Whoa," Angelus turned off the water faucet, facing her, "who are you calling?"
"Cordy. Since you're not going to the party—"
"Cordy?" Angelus recognised the name. Thinking back into his memory of college, the image of a bombshell woman with dark piercing eyes, chestnut coloured hair, and an hourglass figure popped into his mind. Back in college she'd flirt with him relentlessly, many of the times in front of Buffy. "Cordelia? Cordelia Chase?"
Buffy narrowed her gaze over him, sensing the sudden excitement in his voice, somewhat suspicious. "Well, it's Cordelia Chase-Doyle now. She's married to Doyle."
"Doyle? Uh-huh." He remembered the exchange student from Ireland well. He always tried to tagalog with him, Wesley, and the rest of their friends. Angelus found the Irishman irritating at best—although Doyle was an adequate hustler that once won them six hundred dollars at a foosball game. It shocked him that Cordelia ended up marrying Doyle of all people. "Well, I can't wear whatever's in the closet."
Raising the arch of her brow, Buffy found his behavior increasingly peculiar each passing day. "Okay. Then let's go shopping."
Afternoon
Downtown: Sunnydale Mall: Macy's Department Store
Bored out of his mind and desperate for a quick exit, Angelus followed behind Buffy, Katie, and Liam. He carried the shopping bags and counted the seconds until they left this hellhole of a place.
He had never liked going to the malls—not even when he and Buffy were together. They were crowded, smelled funny, and a cesspool of germs.
Strolling through the men's department, on their way to the little girls' clothes, Angelus spotted a tailor made suit on the mannequin. He stepped off the pathway towards the children's department to examine the suit closer.
Feeling Angelus' absence, Buffy stopped walking and turned around, still holding the children by their hands.
He stood at the suits, wearing a thoughtful look on his face.
"Oh, honey, the discount section is this way." Buffy pointed, while still holding Liam's hand.
"Mom," Katie tugged on Buffy's jacket. "You said I can get a dress for the party."
"I know, sweetie." She lovingly touched her daughter's cheek. "Angel…"
Angelus stepped away from the suits, walked back over to Buffy. "Why don't you take Katie to get that dress and I'll find a suit."
"But the discount section—"
"I know, Buffy." He said, touching her shoulder. "But, me finding a suit will be boring for them." Angelus glanced down at the children then back at Buffy. "I'll find a suit and you go with the kids."
Exhaling a slow breath, Buffy had no other choice but to agree. "Okay. We won't be long." She adjusted her grasp of the children's hands and walked with them towards the children's department leaving Angelus alone.
A slanted smile slid across Angelus' face as he muttered under his breath, "Take your time." He stepped further into the men's department in search of a decent suit that could possibly meet most of his specifications.
Standing at the rows of suits, Angelus pulled out a dark grey plaid suit jacket. He carefully examined the stitching and the lines of the cut.
A Macy's Men's Department salesman approached Angelus, holding his hands behind his back. "That is perfect for your frame, sir."
Angelus glanced back at the well-dressed salesman standing behind him then looked back at the suit jacket. "I agree."
"Would you like to try it on?" Politely, the salesman took the suit jacket on the hanger from Angelus.
"Don't mind if I do." Angelus allowed the salesman to help him into the coat.
He smoothed out the invisible wrinkle and adjusted the cuffs as he stood in front of the mirror, examining himself. The suit jacket was a perfect fit for his broad shoulders. Inspecting himself with a critical eye, Angelus smirked standing taller and prouder, like his old self.
Looking at himself in the mirror, he noticed Buffy appearing in the reflection with the children waiting behind her.
Her eyes were wide, staring at him with astonishment. "Wow, you look amazing."
Checking himself out in the mirror, Angelus appeared confident and self-assured. "It's unbelievable how a good suit instantly makes you feel better about yourself." He adjusted the cuff of his sleeve under the jacket. "I'm buying it."
Buffy looked at the price tag hanging from the jacket's pocket. "Honey, it's two thousand dollars. Are you insane?" She said, half-smiling, not at all believing that he was very serious.
In the mirror, Angelus looked past Buffy to Katie holding a Macy's bag in her hand. "Kate, got that dress."
Rolling her eyes, Buffy folded her arms across her chest. "That dress was twenty-five dollars. Sorry, but you're not buying a two thousand dollar suit."
As if the ruins of what was left of his world crumbled at his feet, Angelus glared daggers at his wife. "No."
"No? Whaddya mean no?"
The knot in Angelus' chest tightened, his sense of displacement, rage and confusion of the situation began to boil. "Do you have any idea what my life is like? I wake up in the morning being pounced on by tiny pooping humans… I-I drive a carpool. I work at a dead-end job that doesn't pay nearly a fraction of what I'm worth."
Buffy stared at him aghast.
In the back of his mind, Angelus knew that he was out of line, but in anger, all of his frustrations and discontent for this mediocre life just rolled off of him in a slur of words. Buffy did nothing but stand there and take it. "I pick the kids up, go to hockey practice—where it's borderline child abuse, by the way. I take out the garbage, make dinner, get five hours of sleep if I'm lucky, and then it starts all over again. And when I'm not doing any of that crap, I spend most of my day driving everyone everywhere in a goddamn 2008 Jeep Cherokee! I'm sick of it!"
Swallowing her hurt, Buffy pursed her lips. "Really?"
"Yes! I just want my life back, Buffy! I want a semblance of my life back!" He shouted at her, causing the paterons, including their children, to stop playing and look at their parents.
Buffy's eyes welled with tears. She wasn't sure if she was heartbroken or just plain livid. "Well, that's sad to hear. I'm sorry our life is such a disappointment to you."
"A disappointment?" Angelus took a few steps closer to her, the voice in his brain screaming at him to back off went ignored. "A disappointment? Just think of what kind of life I could've had if I didn't come back! I would be a thousand times this! So just let me buy the fucking suit!" He screamed in her face.
Wordlessly, Buffy stood very still, staring at him in disbelief. "Who are you?"
"I'm sorry, I'm not the same angelic man you married before—"
"No, you're right." Biting anger laced into her words as she spoke. "I don't even recognise this man. 'Cause the man I married never needed a two thousand dollar suit to make him feel like 'somebody'." She stormed away, ushering the children to follow her, leaving Angelus behind.
Still fired up from the argument, Angelus tore off the suit jacket and handed it back to the salesman. "I'll take it." He said, spitefully glaring at Buffy's back.
The drive back to the house was a silent one. Buffy spent most of it staring pensively out the window.
Once his anger calmed down a bit, Angelus knew that he messed up. He also knew that his anger and restatement had nothing to do with Buffy. She was an easy target to take them out on, which he felt guilt for.
In these past weeks, Buffy had been nothing but perfect. She had been so patient with him and his outbursts. Angelus felt like a louse and regretted buying the suit out of defiance.
Pulling into the driveway, as soon as the Jeep was put into park, Buffy was out the door.
Angelus watched her walk around the Jeep to open the door for Liam, helping him out of the car seat. She grabbed a few of the shopping bags and followed the children towards the house.
Exhaling a heavy breath, Angelus turned off the Jeep and got out of the car himself.
1630 Revello Drive
Excited, Katie ran upstairs holding the plastic bag containing her new dress. Liam lagged behind, wanting to be a part of the excitement.
Buffy unbuttoned the front of her coat as Angelus entered inside the house.
He lifted his dark eyes to her and felt like the biggest asshole to walk the earth.
Turning her back to him, Buffy started to walk up the stairs to get ready for the Christmas party when Angelus reached out, taking her hand to pull her back. "Buf, I'm sorry. I should've never said those things."
Buffy remained silent.
"But you gotta wonder what our lives would've been like if we made different decisions back then. Don't you ever wonder about that?"
Buffy looked at him thoughtful and sighed a soft breath. "No. I've never wondered. Everything that's happened to us—the surprises included happened for a reason."
Angelus caressed the back of her hand with his thumb, not wanting to let it go. "Like Katie?" He looked at her wearing an impish smile on his face. "That was probably a big surprise."
Nodding her head, Buffy sat down on the step of the stairs. Angelus took a seat beside her, never letting go of her hand. "Oh, yeah." She began to smile at the memory of looking down at the pregnancy test. "She was a huge surprise. But I think it worked out. I think we're doing a pretty good job, don't you?"
"Yeah. I like her."
Buffy exhaled a laugh. "That's good. Maybe we'll keep her."
He studied their touching hands, memorizing the feel of her thin feminine fingers wrapped around his hand. "I love her. It's not hard when she's a part of you." He looked at her meaningfully.
"You're being sweet. Stop it." She nudged his shoulder with her shoulder. "I'm still mad at you." Buffy failed to suppress the smile threatening to form across her face.
"Of course." He chuckled. "So, I left Wolfram & Hart and came back to Sunnydale, we got married, and a year later we had a baby. Our life in a nutshell."
Frowning slightly, Buffy disagreed. "That's a depressing way of looking at it."
"How would you look at it?" He asked.
Relinquishing her hand from his, Buffy tenderly caressed his cheek with the backs of her fingers. "Our great success story."
Angelus smiled, although he was not quite convinced by it just yet. Not wanting to think too much more about it, Angelus leaned forward, placing a kiss upon her lips.
A thrilling chill shot straight down his spine as he kissed Buffy, never wanting it to end.
The torpid kiss came to its natural end. Slowly breaking apart, Angelus pressed his forehead to Buffy's, slowly opening his eyes to meet her gaze. They shared a smile.
Night
Mansion Row: Doyle Residence
The Doyle residence wasn't quite a mansion but it was much larger than his house and Harris' house put together.
Professionally installed Christmas decorations adorned the front yard and across the front of the tall and inside the household immediately caught Angelus' interest. The Doyle's weren't in the slightest as wealthy as him, but the home exceeded his expectations.
The Christmas party was in full swing. The jolly holiday music played throughout the house, the guests were getting more intoxicated by the hour, and the children played together, running through the winding hallways.
Dressed in his new suit, much to Buffy's irritation, Angelus felt like himself again. He knew he looked good as every woman gawked at him as he passed, much like they did in his old life. But there was only one woman that had his undivided attention.
Buffy stood across the room dressed in a dark red, almost maroon coloured asymmetrical pleated metallic fil coupé georgette dress and black strappy stiletto shoes, that somehow made her petite legs look as if they went on for days. Her long blonde hair fell over one shoulder in soft ringlet curls.
She held a half empty glass of white wine in her hand, smiling as she talked to her best friends, Xander and Willow Rosenberg.
He smiled as she easily held the conversation with her friends.
Feeling his unwavering gaze on her from across the room, Buffy turned her gaze to Angelus' face. The small dancing smile on her face widened. Angelus returned her smile and softly puckered his lips, sending her a kiss from where he stood.
"What do ye 'ink, boyo?" Doyle appeared beside Angelus holding out a packet of Dutch Master cigars from his pocket towards him.
Breaking his gaze from Buffy, Angelus looked down at the cigars. "Don't mind if I do." He took a cigar from the packet. He squeezed the foot of the cigar through the open end of the cello and held it under his nose.
Standing at the bar, Angelus asked for a glass of white wine and a whiskey. Pulling out his wallet, Angelus took out a wad of bills and threw it on the bar counter when he was approached by a woman of his past.
"Angelus O'Connor."
Angelus turned to the gorgeous woman standing closely beside him. She flirtatiously touched his shoulder, partially pressing her front against his arm.
Facing her, Angelus steepled his fingers together as he looked down at her breasts, nearly popping from her suggestive red and green dress. "Cordelia Chase." His voice purred, not having thought of Cordelia in nearly a decade. "It's been a while."
"Do you like my dress?" She slowly turned around, letting Angelus take a good view of her short dress.
"It's lovely." Angelus lifted his eyes from admiring her hourglass figure to her face.
Cordelia touched the lapels of his suit jacket. "I was at Nordstrom and thought… Hmm, I think Angelus would love it."
"It's a very nice dress." He wolfishly smiled.
Taking another step closer, Cordelia pressed her front against his. Her mouth was so close to his as she spoke. "Are we finally going to be honest with ourselves?"
"Honesty would be helpful." Angelus dropped his gaze down her cleavage.
"For years we've been dancing around each other. Stealing looks from across the room. So if you're finally ready for the big leagues…" she touched the buttons of his dress shirt, "... call me."
Cordelia seductively walked away, swaying her hips. Angelus smirked, looking down at her backside when he looked past her to Buffy.
The smirk on his face widened, admiring how easy she seemed to carry the room's attention.
Taking the drinks from the bartender, Angelus muttered 'thanks' and crossed the room, heading straight towards Buffy.
"… So, I had zero idea what this kid was talking about. But, like, I have to pretend that I do. This kid has a 2.0 GPA and he's begging for Harvard. I so badly want to say, 'honey, you're lucky you're graduating at all'." The guests laughed at the end of Buffy's story.
Holding out the wine for her to take, Angelus chuckled. He lowered his head, kissing her cheek. The tips of his fingers tingle with desire to touch her soft sun-kissed skin.
He took his place behind her, circling his arm around her waist, pressing her back against him. Angelus lowered his head, whispering into her ear that made her blush. Turning her head, Buffy brushed the tip of her nose against his, leaning in close to him.
Late Night
1630 Revello Drive
Opening the front door, Buffy carried Liam in her arms. His head on her shoulder and his face buried into the crook of her neck. Angelus followed Buffy inside holding Katie in his arms. Just like Liam, the six-year-old was fast asleep, laying her head on Angelus' shoulder.
"I'll handle this." Angelus said, taking Liam from Buffy's arms.
Surprised by his generosity, Buffy looked at him. "Okay, thanks." She said, taking off her coat.
Wearing a half-smile on her face, Buffy watched Angelus carry the sleeping young children up the stairs to put them to bed.
Katie's Bedroom
After putting Liam to bed, Angelus entered Katie's room. Without waking her up, he laid her on the bed, removed her jacket and the black Mary Jane shoes on her feet. He covered her little body with a blanket and put her favourite stuffed animal in her arms.
Standing over his daughter, Angelus fell deeper in love with the child. Of course, she resembled Buffy; if one put Buffy's childhood photo beside Katie, it would be nearly impossible to tell them apart. Their defining feature that set the mother and daughter apart was their hair colour.
Katie's personality was a lot like his. She was on the quieter side, wise beyond her years, and very analytical for such a small child. Liam's personality was still developing. He only spoke a few words a sentence at a time, but Angelus could already tell he was going to be like Buffy—at least, that was his hope.
It was impossible not to love these tiny humans.
"Goodnight," whispered Angelus, caressing Katie's plump cheek.
"G'night, Daddy." Katie sleepily mumbled, turning onto her side, hugging Mr Gordo in her arms.
Time stood still as Angelus reeled back with surprise. She had called him 'daddy'. Whereas before it would've made him uncomfortable and his immediate instinct was to deny any sort of title like that, Angelus felt warmed by the affection. He felt like her 'daddy', despite his earlier behaviour.
A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
Master Bedroom
Closing the bedroom door, Angelus unbuttoned the front of the expensive suit jacket just as Buffy stepped into the bedroom from the bathroom.
He faced her, shrugging off the suit jacket. His eyes rolled over her. She was dressed for bed in her typical oversized t-shirt except this time it was Sunnydale High, since her beloved UC Sunnydale t-shirt which she had stolen from Angelus' drawer was in the wash.
His eyes dropped her smooth golden legs then back up to her face. Her structured ringlet hairstyle had been shaken out. She appeared more relaxed, homely, but still gorgeous.
"What?" Buffy's brows pinched slightly together, feeling his eyes on her. "You're wearing a funny look on your face. What's up?"
"It's nothing." He smiled, turning around to hang up the suit jacket in the closet. "Just something Katie said."
Buffy stepped over to the dresser for a bottle of lotion to put on her arms. "What'd she say?"
"She, um…" he smiled at the memory, "she called me 'daddy'." Angelus looked back at his wife from over his shoulder.
Buffy did not appear as impressed or shocked by this in the slightest. In fact, the look in her eyes was one of puzzlement.
Feeling a bit foolish for thinking that she'd be at all in shock and awe by this, Angelus quickly changed the subject as he pulled his dress shirt from his trousers. "You even look beautiful when you go to sleep."
Rolling her eyes, Buffy said, "Well, when I wake up it's an entirely different story."
"You're beautiful then, too."
Biting the inside of her cheek, Buffy stepped over to Angelus. She laid her hands flat on his chest then slowly slid them down to toy with the buttons of his dress shirt.
Cordelia had done something similar earlier in the evening, but there was something about Buffy touching him and looking up at him under her long lashes that woke his entire body and fuelled his desire.
"Y'know, as much as I hate that you bought this insanely expensive suit today, it did look really good on you." Buffy flirted, unbuttoning the front of his shirt at a sluggish pace.
"How good?" Angelus leaned closer, burying his nose into her blonde hair, breathing in her citrus scent.
Pulling back her head, Buffy opened the front of his shirt, exposing his muscular chest. "So good I want to take it off." She pushed the dress shirt off of Angelus' broad shoulders and appreciatively ran her hands over Angelus' well-muscled arms.
Angelus lowered his head and soon the two were kissing and touching each other all over. Pulling back, he rested his forehead against hers. His fingers went to the hem of her t-shirt and pulled it up her slender body and over her head.
Kissing, Buffy removed her panties and unbuckled the front of Angelus' pants and assisted him to take them off. Soon they were both nude, their arms wrapped around each other, standing in the middle of their room.
Buffy melted into the kiss, her fingers finding their way into his short hair as she arched her back. His arm circled around her back, lifting her slightly off of the floor, as if she only weighed a feather and laid her down on the bed. Their limbs entangled as their mouths mated desperately, the desire to take their time quickly being overruled by their need to be intimately joined.
Angelus slid inside her with painful slowness before pulling back and thrusting inside her, again unhurried. Neither of them worked towards finding release, they just moved, their bodies sliding against each other in an almost primal way. As they set a decidedly leisure pace, their mouths melded together, tongues imitating the actions of their lower bodies. Angelus rested his forehead against Buffy's, occasionally kissing her mouth. Neither said a word, just expressed all their feelings with looks and kisses.
Eventually, nature took its course and Angelus' thrusts sped up as his climax approached. Close to reaching his climax, Angelus slid a hand between their bodies and lightly stroked her distended nubbin. Less than a moment later, Buffy was crying out and arching her back as orgasm slammed through her.
Angelus allowed the enhanced pleasure of her muscles squeezing him to bring him over the edge as well, moaning her name he spilled his seed deep inside her womb. He collapsed on top of his wife, who gently stroked her fingernails in invisible patterns over his back while Angelus calmed down.
Catching his breath, Angelus lifted his head from her shoulder and looked at her. Buffy lovingly caressed his cheek and touched his lips with the pads of her fingers. Angelus lowered his head, capturing her mouth into a kiss.
His desire for her was indescribable. He desperately wanted her, loving how perfectly well they fit together. He felt addicted to her kisses. More than anything he wanted to hear her breathlessly moan his name again. Angelus missed this. He missed Buffy so much.