Night
1630 Revello Drive: Master Bedroom
Turning off the shower's water faucet, Angelus opened the curtain and stepped out, grabbing a towel hanging on a hook on the wall. He rubbed his wet hair with the towel until it was damp then proceeded to dry the rest of his body.
He wiped the fog from the mirror and examined the healing but sore cut above his eyebrow. His gaze dropped to the rest of his body that felt dreadfully sore from the game. He didn't have a clue why he would ever play ice hockey in the first place.
Opening the bathroom door, Angelus wrapped the towel around his waist and stepped into the bedroom to find Buffy sitting on the bed holding a carton of ice cream in her hand. She paused mid-bite, the spoon still in her mouth. Her eyes were wide and full of guilt, caught red handed.
"Hey, is that the cookie-dough-fudge-mint-chip from the freezer?" Angelus asked, holding his hands on his hips.
Swallowing the ice cream, Buffy glanced at the ice cream then back to her husband. "You mean this cookie-dough-fudge-mint-chip?" She held up the carton, showing him the label. "Yes. Yes it is."
"That was mine." He gestured towards himself with his thumb. "I put a post-it on the lid."
Buffy picked up the lid on the nightstand and held it up to show him the post-it attached to the lid. "You mean this post-it?"
"Buffy, I was saving that."
"It's really good…" she said, taunting him with another bite.
"Gimme that ice cream." He reached out to snatch the carton from her hands.
Buffy jumped off of the bed, putting space between herself and Angelus. She mocked him with another bite of the ice cream. "No way."
"I'm injured." He whined, as if that would garner him some sympathy.
"You look fine to me." She smiled, taking another bite.
Angelus ran across the bed, reaching Buffy across the room. He grabbed the ice cream carton from her hands and looked inside, it was all gone. Shocked, he looked at her. "You ate it all. How can someone so tiny eat all of that?"
"It's a talent." She dropped the spoon into the empty carton.
Angelus dropped the carton to the floor, eyeing her with a predatory gaze.
"Hey, let's just think about this. I mean, it's not like you really love cookie-dough-fudge-mint-chip. I mean, it's your favourite but, um…" Buffy tried to make a run for it but his arms captured her.
He held tightly around the waist and tossed her onto the bed. He kissed the crook of her neck, knowing exactly where to tickle her.
Buffy laughed hysterically, wiggling underneath him. "Angel! Angel! Stop! Stop!" She shouted, forgetting that the children were sleeping outside the closed bedroom door.
"Teaches you to take my ice cream." Angelus tickled her sides, laughing at her wiggling. He held himself up with his hands at either side of her head. He lowered his head, kissing her passionately.
The ice cream long forgotten, they sunk deeper into the kiss. Buffy unraveled the towel from around his waist then circled her arms around his back, pulling him closer on top of her. Angelus smiled, thrilled by the friction their bodies were beginning to make.
2:30 A.M.
Exhaling a heavy breath, Angelus laid flat on his back, staring up at the ceiling feeling restless. For the last few hours he tried to will himself back to sleep but it was useless, his mind raced.
He turned his head, looking at Buffy's sleeping face. She laid on her back, covering the bed sheet over her naked body.
Tempted to comb his fingers through her long hair, Angelus refrained. Instead, he softly brushed his lips against the side of her head.
Without disturbing her, he sat up, pushing the sheet away. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He bent to the ground, picking up a pair of black sweatpants. Standing up tall he tightened the drawstrings and grabbed a hoodie sweatshirt draped over the back of a sitting chair in the corner of the room.
He quietly walked around the bed and opened the bedroom door. He closed the door behind him and headed down the stairs.
Downstairs: Living Room
With a coffee cup of whiskey in hand, Angelus looked around the comfortable living room. He eyed the twinkling Christmas tree for a moment then turned to the photographs aligned on the fireplace mantel.
Taking a sip of the drink, Angelus focused on his own expression in the photos then shifted his gaze to Buffy. Her smile was genuine, brightening the entire photograph with happiness.
He stepped over to a tall bookshelf. Angelus read the titles of books and the titles of DVD's towards the bottom of the shelf.
Curiously, Angelus thumbed through the DVD's with titles like 'Katie's 1st Birthday' and 'Day at the Park '08, but it was the title 'Paris Honeymoon, '03' which caught his keen interest.
Pulling the DVD out, Angelus navigated through the DVD player mounted on the wall behind the flat screen television.
He grabbed the remote placed on the coffee table and sat down on the couch.
Honeymoon DVD:
Paris, France
Outside: Honeymoon Suite: Balcony
The picture was fuzzy, but gradually went into focus on a close up shot of the Eiffel Tower. The shot quickly zoomed out to the parisian monuments full view.
The camera pointed down at Angelus' bare feet standing on a balcony, four-stories from the ground. He turned the camera on himself.
He ran a hand through his dark spiky bed hair. For a minute, the image adjusted to Angelus' face. "It's… seven-thirty A.M…" he whispered, glancing down at the watch wrapped around his wrist. "It's day three in Paris with my gorgeous wife. I still can't believe I'm saying it." He slowly zoomed in on his smiling face. "Not sure what the day has in store but it's time to wake sleeping beauty."
Pointing the camera in the other direction, Angelus quietly stepped into the bedroom.
The floor to-ceiling windows were opulent but not garish. The decor was stereotypical Parisian with gold moldings and chic plush furniture.
Reality: Living Room
A slow smile tugged upwards watching himself enter the bedroom. The yellowish morning light streamed through the open curtain window, bathing the woman in the bed in sunlight.
Honeymoon DVD:
Paris, France
Honeymoon Suite
Walking further into the bedroom, Angelus pointed the camera at Buffy laying on her stomach, naked in bed with only a bed sheet covering up to her waist. Her golden shoulder-length hair pooled over the pillow. She looked so peaceful and serene in her slumber.
Angelus sat on the edge of the bed and ran his fingers through her hair.
"Mmm," she moaned in her slumber, stirring lightly. "What are you doing?" Buffy asked, her voice groggy and filled with sleep.
"Nothing." Angelus answered, running the tip of his index finger down the line of her back.
Rolling on her back, Buffy frowned, holding her hand over the lens of her husband's camera. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and sat up a bit, only to lean against a stack of pillows behind her. "Stop it. It's too early for that."
"I need video evidence of how beautiful you are," said Angelus, panning the camera down her slender body.
Rolling her eyes, Buffy let the bed sheet drop from covering her breasts as she combed her fingers through her hair. "Am I gonna be old and wrinkly in the future?"
"You never know." He shrugged, playfully teasing her.
"You're an idiot."
"I have other ideas for this video." Angelus propped the camera on the nightstand and used a few of the objects to stabilize the camera in its tilted position. He leaned over Buffy, his mouth hovering over hers. He closed the small space between their mouths, fervently kissing her.
Reality: Living Room
Angelus winced in his own embarrassment, but he couldn't tear his eyes off of the screen, transfixed by the obvious love for one another.
Drinking the whiskey back, Angelus tilted his head to one side, amused by the sex tape he apparently made on their honeymoon. He wondered if Buffy had seen this.
Honeymoon DVD:
Paris, France
Outside: Streets
The sun shone brightly in the blue sky. Buffy stared up at the wispy white clouds. She breathed in deep, closing her eyes, listening closely to the chatter from the café's and the honks of cars driving down the street.
She loved Paris. It was beautiful, artistic, chic, and the food… Buffy couldn't wait until dinner.
"Buffy," Angelus' voice tore Buffy from basking.
She lowered her eyes, peeking over her oversized black sunglasses at him..
"Smile for the camera." He snapped a picture of her.
"Will you stop that?" Buffy held out her hand, covering the camera lens with embarrassment.
"C'mon." Angelus rolled his dark eyes. "My wife is a knockout. A certified heartbreaker. I mean look at all the jealous Frenchmen." He took her hand from her side and twirled her around, running his gaze over her body.
She was dressed in a chic floral maxi dress and oversized tan round hat. Angelus whistled with appreciation.
Angelus caught a group of Frenchmen sitting at a café sharing a bottle of wine looking at Buffy. "She's mine, mon ami." He smiled, circling his arm around Buffy's shoulders.
Rolling her eyes, Buffy shook her head, leaning into her new husband. She tilted back her head, accepting his kiss as he closed the small space between their mouths.
"I love you forever." He whispered, brushing the tip of his nose against hers.
"That's the whole point." Buffy smiled, kissing his mouth.
Reality: Living Room
Angelus pressed the remote button, pausing on the image of his younger-newlywed self kissing his perfect and beautiful wife.
He hardly recognised the man on the DVD, so vibrant with life, passion, and happiness.
The longer he stared at the image of them kissing, the more Angelus longed for a redo. He should've come back to Sunnydale, married Buffy just as they planned, and started their ridiculously happy life together.
Perhaps the life he once knew was only a strange and vivid dream and this was always his reality.
Turning off the television, Angelus exhaled a heavy breath. He placed the remote on the coffee table and stood from the couch. He ran a hand through his tousled spiky hair and turned out of the living room, heading back up the stairs, and returned to his wife sleeping in their bed.
Morning
Upstairs: Master bedroom
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Startled from his dead sleep, Angelus reached out his hand and slapped the buttons on the alarm clock. He exhaled a breath, burying his face deeper into the pillow, not yet ready to wake up and face the day.
Becoming more aware, Angelus realised there was a small mass laying across his back. He peeked open one eye and saw strands of Buffy's long blonde hair hanging off of his shoulder.
Without moving her much as he twisted around to lay on his back, Angelus petted her hair with his fingers. Groggy, Buffy tilted her face up to him, her eyes partially open.
Angelus smiled when she grumbled, hiding her face in his chest.
"Time to get up." He said, combing his fingers through her hair.
Buffy mumbled something inaudible. She shifted off of her husband and buried her head under the pillow.
Angelus chuckled, sitting up on the bed. He pushed away the covers and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He reached to the floor for a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt. Rubbing a hand over his tired face, Angelus scratched his head walking out of the bedroom.
Before waking up the children, Angelus quietly walked down the stairs to make coffee and move Hans to a new savvy location.
Liam's Bedroom
Opening the door of the toddlers room, Angelus poked his head inside to see that Liam was already up and standing in his crib. He looked like a prisoner behind bars, which amused Angelus.
"Hey there, kiddo." He said, picking Liam up and gathered him into his arms.
Tiredly, Liam laid his head on Angelus' shoulder for only a few seconds before his head popped back up and he started honking Angelus' nose.
"Honk. Honk." Angelus said, making the boy laugh hysterically.
Angelus stepped over to the changing table and effortlessly changed the diaper. He was determined to get Liam potty trained by the new year. He wasn't sure how many more dippers he could change.
When finished with the diaper change, Angelus carried the toddler over his shoulder, which only made Liam laugh harder. They walked out of the bedroom and headed down the hallway to Katie's bedroom.
Master Bedroom
Freshly showered and shaved, Angelus tousled his hair with a hand. He adjusted the towel around his waist and stepped behind Buffy standing at the bed wrapping a few of the children's presents.
Pushing aside her long hair, Angelus leaned downward, kissing the column of his wife's neck. Buffy paused what she was doing and leaned back against him. She turned her face to look at him and accepted his kiss.
As the kiss deepened, Buffy turned in his arms, pressing her front against his. Her arms circled around his neck, holding him closer. Their tongues softly duelled and explored their mouths.
Angelus' lips veered away from her mouth and began to kiss across her jaw, down her neck, to her collarbone. Buffy exhaled a sharp breath, her body felt hot and riddled with desire. "We're going to my mother for Christmas Eve dinner tonight." She told him as he continued to kiss her. "We have to remember to put out the presents for the kids tonight."
Alarmed, Angelus stopped kissing her collarbone and lifted his head to look at her. "Right, presents." He said with a bit of guilt. In all of the chaos this last month, Angelus had completely forgotten that Christmas was soon upon them, in the next 24/hours.
"I think you're gonna like what I got you this year." She said, playing with short hairs at the back of his neck.
"You really are incredible." Angelus said, touching the hem of her shirt.
Rolling her eyes, Buffy shook her head. "I haven't even given you your present yet."
"I already know I'm gonna love it." He told her, capturing her mouth in another searing kiss. "Hey, I'm, uh, gonna head out for a few hours." Angelus backed away from her and reached into the dresser drawer for a pair of boxer briefs. He needed to get to the mall early, before the last minute shoppers were to arrive.
Suspicious, Buffy racked her eyes over him. "It's seven-thirty in the morning. Where do you have to go at seven-thirty in the morning?"
"I've gotta get a few things." He pulled a black sweater over his head and buttoned the front of his pants. "No big deal."
Folding her arms across her chest, Buffy could read him like a book. "You never got me a present did you?"
Stunned, Angelus stared at Buffy. How could she even know that, Angelus wondered. "Christmas isn't until tomorrow." He said, as if it was not a 'big deal'.
A flash of hurt on her face pierced into Angelus' heart. "Oh, yeah, nothing says 'I love you' like knowing your husband needed to rush out the door to buy you a Christmas gift the day before Christmas." She said, putting on her knitted cardigan.
Guilt-stricken, Angelus clenched his jaw. "It's not like that, Buf."
"You know what?" She tied the cardigan belt around her waist. "Don't even bother. It's fine. Really." Buffy headed towards the closed bedroom door.
"Buffy," he quickly caught up to her, wrapping a hand around her wrist, pulling her back towards him. "Please don't be like that."
Removing her hand from his, Buffy pushed back her hair. "I gotta… make the kids breakfast…" She walked out of the bedroom, leaving Angelus staring after her, feeling like a total louse.
Frustrated with his own thoughtlessness, Angelus rubbed a hand over his face, wishing that he had the sense to pull his own head out of his ass. "Shit." He cursed, under his breath.
Downtown: Sunnydale Mall: Jewelry Store
Adding to the rather lengthy list of all the reasons Angelus loathed the mall, it was way too crowded with other guilty husbands in a scramble to find something for their wives.
Standing at the counter at a jewelry store, Angelus felt one of the employees breathing down his neck, as he stared at the necklaces and bracelets.
None of these jewels seemed to represent his wife. They were too gaudy.
Buffy was not a showy woman. She was simple and elegant. These diamonds would do nothing but swallow her natural beauty.
Frustrated, Angelus stood up straight and looked out of the store and across the way to a celtic store. Raising the arch of his brow, Angelus thanked the employee for his time and walked out, ignoring anything else the employee tried to say to keep Angelus in the store.
He weaved around the mall rats and walked into the celtic store.
Celtic Store
Immediately, Angelus found the glass jewelry case and just as fast, he found the perfect gift for his stunning wife.
"Do you have that in a size six?" He asked the employee standing behind the counter.