'Mmmmhmmm….'

Precisely three hours after she landed from Washington, Angela found herself lying in a delightfully boneless heap underneath her husband. A lazy smile curved her lips as she absently lifted a hand to caress his brown locks, half-damp with sweat and from the shower they'd recently shared.

'God, Shawn…we just had a shower…' she giggled ruefully, as she stroked his scalp.

Her breath hitched as Shawn burrowed his head further into her neck, murmuring in contentment. 'What's your point?' he questioned curtly, earning himself as strong a smack as Angela could manage on his back. He pressed his lips against her collarbone in retaliation and forced himself to lift his head long enough to smirk roguishly at her when she groaned at the feel of his tongue on her skin.

Propping himself on his elbows, he peered down at her. 'Well? I'm asking you again, what's your point? I didn't exactly hear you complain.'

Angela rolled her eyes and brought her hands up to cup his face, 'I'm certainly not complaining. Just that our shower seems rather pointless now…we could've come to bed straightaway, you know.' She gave him a naughty giggle and Shawn leaned down to kiss the corners of her mouth lovingly.

'It's your fault, after all' he pointed out reasonably, settling himself atop his wife more comfortably and allowing her to wrap her arms around his shoulders. As she stared at him questioningly, he continued, 'If you hadn't insisted on wanting to wash up, then we could've been here that much sooner.'

Angela tapped the side of his nose smartly, 'I'll have you know that I just jumped into the plane straight from the interview. Blech!' she shuddered. 'I couldn't just get into bed and do this…' she waved a hand between them, '…without feeling at least halfway civilized!'

'There's nothing civilized about you, baby' said Shawn grinning and he watched in satisfaction as Angela blushed a deep red and unsuccessfully attempted an outraged response. He interrupted her stammer by claiming her lips in a deep and hungry kiss that left her seeing stars.

Angela gasped as her head fell back on their pillows, 'Honey, you've got to stop doing that…'

Her husband laughed but as he framed her face between his hands, his expression became serious. 'I've missed you, love. It's great to have you back…the bed's been awfully cold without you.'

Angela's eyes filled with tears and she gave him a half-hearted shove. 'Why do you always say things that make me cry like this?'

Shawn chuckled. 'And you thought I was the sappy type.' He brought his lips to her cheeks and sipped gently at the trails of tears slowly coursing down. He groaned as his wife's hands softly moved over his neck, his back. 'Oh, I've missed that so much…'

Angela reached up to place a few kisses against his shoulder and gently ran her fingers over his forearms. 'I've missed you, too. So very much…'

Shawn hugged her to him tightly and made to roll off her but she prevented him from doing so. The pads of his thumbs moved over her cheek. 'Honey, I must be getting heavy for you.'

Angela smiled warmly at his concern and shook her head. 'Its ok, I love it when I can hold you like this – I feel like nothing can ever touch me and that I'm the most beautiful woman in the world.'

'You are the most beautiful woman in the world to me, ok?' Shawn's tone was serious and his voice choked. 'And you make me feel mighty special, too.'

They lay there, foreheads touching, holding one another for a few more minutes. After a while when Shawn felt that he could be sufficiently coordinated enough, he rolled off, pulling Angela with him so that she rested her head on his chest, snuggled closely at his side.

She placed a hand on his heart and leaned up to look at him, 'I've wanted to talk to you about something.'

Shawn moved to sit up a little against the headboard and Angela accordingly adjusted herself. Wrapping the blankets a little more snugly, he encouraged, 'What about?'

Angela sat up and Shawn felt his fingers twitch as she gracefully leaned over and took her robe off the bedpost. Putting it on, she got out of bed and went over to their bathroom. Shawn waited while she freshened up. She sat down next to him and took his hand in hers. 'Can we talk over a cup of coffee?'

Shawn's curiosity was heavily piqued. He restrained himself from pelting his wife with questions; her thumbs were twiddling against one another and she bounced her leg restlessly. Best to let her get this out her own way.

'Sure, baby.' Giving her a sweet kiss, he too grabbed his robe. While he was in the bathroom, Angela went into their kitchen and stood by the coffee-maker as she wrestled with how to approach the one issue that had dominated her mind for a while now. Placing the cups on their dining table, she willed herself to be calm and took a few deep breaths.

'So?' Shawn was now sitting in front of her, his own cup between his hands. His expression was warm and soothing, and his eyes twinkled lovingly. 'Alright, what's going on?'

Angela clasped her hands, noting in some amusement despite the situation that her knuckles were actually turning white. She brought her eyes up to meet those of her husband and spoke quietly, 'We've been married now for nearly four years, Shawn. And I just…well, I was thinking…I mean, I know it might be too soon, but I wanted to think…it seems to be the right time…'

'Hey!' interrupted Shawn, a smile on his face. He caught her hands in his and ran his thumbs over her knuckles. 'Honey, you're rambling' he reproached softly. 'Which means you're nervous. You know you can tell me anything, right? Come on then, out with it.'

Angela sighed as Shawn nodded at her encouragingly again and closed her eyes. 'I was wondering what you thought about having a family.'

The only sounds to be heard in their kitchen were the bubble and hiss of the coffee percolator and an erratic tap of water hitting the sink. Angela chanced a look at Shawn and found him gazing blankly at the tabletop. Quelling her feelings of despair, she pulled her hands away and went to place her cup in the sink. 'It's ok, Shawn. We don't have to right away…it was just a thought.'

Shawn found his voice after a few more minutes. 'How…how long have you been thinking about this?'

Angela leaned against the kitchen counter, keeping her gaze on the floor, 'I…I don't know! I mean, I can't pinpoint the exact moment but this time on my trip, Shawn, I just…I just felt so tired, so frustrated with all the traveling and just not being home for a proper life! And then…' she continued with a faraway look in her eyes, 'the most amazing thing happened this time. I watched over a baby for a mother when she had to use the washroom on the plane and oh…' she trailed off, unaware of the two tears that had leaked out, '…it was just such an incredible feeling Shawn. I felt complete, like I had found what was missing. I held her for nearly 10 minutes, and…and, I just didn't feel like giving her back' her voice trailed off in a tearful whisper.

Shawn said nothing for a while, even as his mind was going over everything his wife had just uttered. He drew his chair back and held out his arms. Angela hesitated, then walked over and perched herself on his lap, looking at him uncertainly.

'You're not mad, I hope?' Her voice was vulnerable and timid, and Shawn hated the fact that he may have done anything to make it that way. And another uncomfortable thought pricked at his mind – 'Honey, were you actually scared of my reaction?'

Angela sighed but decided to be honest. In a heavy voice, she replied, 'Honestly, yes. Very much.'

Shawn stared at her, stunned, a little hurt and angry. 'During all our time together before and after marriage, have I actually scared you? Made you feel afraid of me?'

Angela looked up at him and stroked his cheek. She leaned down to place a loving kiss on it and then thoughtfully said, 'It wasn't that I was scared that you'd physically hurt me, Shawn. But your actions at some points did make me wonder about how well you'd react to things…'

Shawn blew out a resigned breath even as he hugged her tighter and gave her hip an affectionate squeeze. 'Like the drinking, you mean.'

Angela nodded in agreement, carefully keeping her voice neutral and non-accusatory. 'You have spun out of control whenever you've dealt with issues before, honey.'

Shawn sighed. 'Angela, I promised you remember? Not just after that incident with that letter and the adoption and what not, didn't I promise you even on our wedding day as well as our wedding night that I'd always be there, I'd never run away?' His tone was of gentle reproach but mingled with a level of resignation that tore at Angela heart – it was deemed certain that every time something went wrong in Shawn Hunter's life, the people who loved him were bound to suffer due to his inability to think of the consequences of his actions.

She hastened to reassure him of her faith in him. 'I remember your promise very well, dear and I have complete trust in you, ok? I was just a bit scared and apprehensive, that's all…but I've never doubted us or your faith in us, ok?'

Shawn tilted his face up for a kiss and Angela smilingly obliged. He pulled her closer and she registered the shaking of his hands as they clutched at her. 'Oh Shawn…' she pulled away sorrowfully and saw him squeezing his eyes tightly shut. 'Honey, please don't cry…I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that…'

Her husband shook his head in protest. He opened his mouth to speak, had to stop and clear his throat and try again. 'No, you're…you're right, Angela. I haven't been all that rational before every time to make you believe that I'd approach this topic the right way, but you do know that I've stopped doing that, right? Please say that you believe me, I…I've never wanted to be the one causing you any pain, ever.' He choked on a suppressed sob and Angela's heart went out to him.

Kissing his forehead lightly, she made him focus on her. 'I believe you 100, Shawn Hunter. Alright? Don't for a minute think that I think any the less of you for being human. Yes, there are always better ways to deal with issues that have and will come in our lives but we know what to do now, don't we?' She gave him a teary wink and was pleased to see a watery grin in return.

Shawn arranged her more comfortably in his lap and brought up a hand to play with her hair. 'I can't say that I haven't wondered what it would be like to have a child.'

Angela stared in astonishment as Shawn playfully chucked her chin. 'Oh come on, I honestly have!' As Angela sighed and ran a hand through her hair, Shawn thoughtfully mused, 'I suppose we are in a position to have one now, so that's not a problem as well…'

'Exactly!' Angela triumphantly exclaimed and got up to walk around the kitchen excitedly while her husband looked on in mingled affection and amusement. 'That's just it, we've had good jobs that have paid well for a while now, Shawn. I'd like to be home for a bit, you know maybe take up something that won't require traveling at least!'

'Honey' Shawn pointed out gently, 'you love your job – we both do. If you quit writing, have your thought about what you want to do instead?'

Angela fiddled with the belt on her robe and then straightened her back. 'I wouldn't mind trying my hand at teaching English or teaching creative writing…and besides, I did do a double major in psychology so maybe something in counseling might be right up my alley too.'

Shawn chewed on his lower lip slowly. It would seem that his wife's mind had certainly been quite active on the trip home. His breath escaped him in a rush as he suddenly realized that if they went ahead with this now, within a year there would be the patter of little feet around the house…his heart grew full with emotion envisioning a little bundle that was him and Angela put together, a morsel of humanity that would be utterly dependent on them to raise it, love it and lavish it with all the unconditional affection that its parents had been denied.

He didn't even realize that tears were streaming down his face until he felt Angela's hands slowly wiping his cheeks. Seeing her gaze laden with worry and concern, he smiled dismissively. 'Just thinking, that's all – you know, darling, this baby is going to get everything that we missed out on.'

Angela's voice broke as she tried to talk. 'Most of all, a…a mother'

Shawn held her as she cried. It wasn't often that either of them shed tears for missing parents – it had been so long ago and had happened at a young age to both of them. Their hearts had hardened with time and while Shawn wondered occasionally about his father and mother and Angela mused on where her mother could be, both were supremely content with each other and drew on the other for strength, support and companionship.

But occasions like this would always be hard. The couple knew in the back of their minds that parents would never be a prominent force in their lives. Angela's heart yearned for what was denied to her: her mother fussing over her wedding, giving her marital advice, being there for baby queries, helping her through labor and babysitting her grandkids.

Shawn murmured soothing words of comfort in her ear and Angela slowly eased away, eyes still red rimmed.

'We don't have any mommies' she said, her words exactly the same as those uttered by Shawn's over his desperation at not being able to find his birth mother. 'Oh God, Shawn…what if I am a bad mother?'

Shawn pulled her to him and shook her slightly. His eyes bored into hers. 'Never say that, Angela. You are not our mothers ok? We got married in spite of whatever skeletons were always hanging in our closets and we've made it work. And we will continue to make this work, ok?'

Angela kissed him fervently, and Shawn grinned. 'What was that for?'

'For being you' she whispered. Rubbing her thumb along his lower lip, she let her eyes roam his face. 'I love you so much…don't ever change, ok?'

Shawn wrapped his arms around her waist and moved to kiss the delightful curve where her neck and shoulder met. 'And I love you too, honey. You mean everything in the world to me.' Meeting her eyes, he said seriously, 'I'm never going to leave. You understand that?'

Angela simply nodded her head. Shawn blew out a breath and then suddenly smirked, waggling his eyebrows. 'So should we get started on our newest project?'

She blushed and looked away but Shawn's heart soared. Leaning down, he wrapped an arm around her knees and swept her up into his arms. Holding her closely, he made his way back upstairs, feeling the comforting touch of Angela's arms around his neck and her lips nudging at his cheek.