2018
Sunnydale, California
1630 Revello Drive: O'Connor Residence
On the fireplace mantle, Angel cleaned off the glass smudges of the new picture frames. He carefully repositioned the corner of the grinning photograph of Katie at the park having the greatest time in a sandbox. The photo had been taken months before the accident.
Angel placed another photograph beside Katie in a matching frame. It was of a five-year-old boy with short light brown hair and bright hazel-green eyes.
The boy ran towards the camera on a golden sunny day. His silly toothy smile can warm even the coldest heart.
Since the couple's therapy two years ago, Buffy and Angel have been stronger than ever. Just as quickly as they fell in love the first time, Buffy and Angel fell head over heels in love a second time. They were much darker and damaged, but the love for one another was there and it was vibrant.
Two years later in two thousand and thirteen, Buffy gave birth to a little boy they named Liam.
Liam was a spirited young boy, always excited for an adventure or playing outside. Unlike his older sister, who in comparison had taken more after Angel as a sensitive future intellectual, Liam was starving for life and a good time.
The energetic boy was exhausting but the parents loved him to smithereens.
Entering the living room of the suburban house, Buffy carried a bag on her shoulder. "Angel, c'mon, we gotta go." She urged him.
Angel nodded and kissed his hand, silently saying goodbye to his daughter's photograph before following Buffy out of the house.
Sitting outside on the grass, Liam tilted his head back at Angel heading towards him.
Angel placed the baseball cap on the boy's head and lifted him off of the ground. He sat the five-year-old on his shoulders and the small family headed towards the baseball field only a few blocks away.
"Mommy! Look how high I am!" Liam squeaked joyfully. "I can see everything!"
"You're very tall, sweetheart." Buffy touched his little leg.
Angel reached for her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of it.
Leaning into him, Buffy felt completely at home under his arm that was around her shoulders.
T-Ball Field
To the right of the miniature baseball field, Angel and Buffy sat on small bleachers with the other parents watching the children play.
Buffy clapped her hands and laughed as Liam walked up to the batting tee. He held a short metal baseball bat in his hands and covering his head, Liam wore an oversized helmet. The five-year-old looked utterly adorable dressed in his baseball attire.
"Whoo! Go Liam!" Buffy cheered.
"Keep your eye on the ball." Angel encouraged, holding a hand against Buffy's back. He rubbed his chin anxious for his son to hit the ball.
The little boy whacked the stagnant ball straight down center field. He stood still for a minute as Buffy, Angel, Liam's coach, and everyone around him shouted to run around the bases.
Running to first base, Liam bent down and started to clean off the dirt when Angel yelled at him to go to second base.
Laughing at the child, Buffy's heart soared. This was quite possibly the cutest thing she's seen since Liam's last game.
As Liam ran to home base, he held out his arms pretending to be an airplane and jumped on the base with both feet.
Throwing his head back, Angel laughed hysterically. His arm wrapped around Buffy's shoulders.
Buffy turned her head, looking up at him.
Their laughter simmered and they wordlessly expressed their love for each other with small flirtatious smiles.
The gaping hole left after Katie's death had been mostly filled with the love, happiness, and silly five-year-old boy.
Lowering his head, Angel lovingly kissed his wife.
Turning their attention back to the game, Angel caught sight of a familiar woman sitting far across the park at a seperate field watching her son play t-ball.
Angel narrowed his eyes on the woman finding her vaguely familiar. He soon recognised her as Cordelia Chase, the therapist that had tremendously helped save his marriage. She had seen him as well.
Her dark chestnut coloured hair was now much longer, Cordelia looked much the same. She sat in a camping chair beside a dark haired man, Angel assumed was her husband.
Grateful for the help she had given him and Buffy, Angel nodded his head towards her as a greeting.
Cordelia returned the nod and smiled happily to see the couple still going strong.
From the moment she had met the O'Connors, Cordelia had the inkling feeling that they were going to be just fine. They had a solid foundation after all, that just needed a bit of tender love and care and a healthy dose of hope.
Noticing her husband's distraction, Buffy frowned. Angel returned her attention to his wife and gently smiled. He kissed the side of her head and whispered something into her ear.
Buffy smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. Their attention back on the game.
END.