Worth the Wait

by Curlz

disclaimer: I dont own them, if i did they'd all be happy bunnies, except Riley who would be in great pain every episode *I promise*

spoilers: none at all, in my story Angel is human and thats really all you need to know.

The pained howling started up again in the early hours of the morning. Angel tried to shut it out but failed, it was so high pitched, the kind of howling that you couldn't ignore. His eyes fluttered open, and his fatigue washed over him like a wave, he didn't remember the last time he'd had a good nights sleep. The screeching was now accompanied by a gentle thumping sound as someone hit Angels chest continually, the thumping got louder as the pain increased.

"Angel!"

As his eyes gradually grew accustomed to the darkness he turned to face a familiar face, equally as tired and frowning, a lot.

"Buffy?" he whispered.

"It's your turn." She said and finally stopped hitting.

"What?" he asked, clearly confused.

"Its your turn!" she said, louder this time before rolling over and drifting back to sleep. Angel stumbled out of the room towards the source of the wailing, it seemed to fill the darkness. He staggered down the short corridor and walked straight into a doorframe, it was times like this that he missed his vampyre night vision. Dismissing the pain, he walked into the room, now fully (or almost anyway) alert and peered in between the wooden bars to see a small, bright red bundle with flailing arms bawling to the best of its ability. He scooped up the tiny child and resting her on his shoulder made his way downstairs to the kitchen. Angel gently rocked his daughter as he prepared a bottle, the actions were almost automatic by now, take out of fridge, heat, test, feed. As she sucked gently on the bottle he talked to her soothingly, telling her a story about a two giants named Finn and McConigle, it was a story his mother used to tell him and his sisters when they were young, an old Irish tale. When he had finished, she was fast asleep, he thought his heart might melt to see her so peaceful. Oona was a beautiful child, her downy hair was thick and dark like Angel's but she has Buffy's bright green eyes and dazzling smile. A sound behind, disturbed his thoughts as he turned to see Buffy standing smiling warmly up at him, she wore an old shirt of Angels and her long golden hair was tied up in a pony, she looked very motherly. Angel never ceased to be amazed by her beauty, especially now that she had matured into a stunning young woman, and lately she'd really been her old self again and that made her all the more attractive. When he first returned, after becoming human she'd seemed cold, and cut off, Willow had told him she'd retreated into her shell since he'd left and just disconnected her emotions (well we all know she's been really bitchy!). But gradually Buffy started to show more of her old self again, the woman he loved and since Oona had been born she'd become even more.well, Buffyish. He pulled her in towards him and planted a warm kiss on her lips, being careful not to set off Oona again. She smiled at him.

"What ya thinking?"

He paused for a minute before answering, "That redemption was well worth the wait."

She chuckled and pulled him back upstairs.

The couple lay happily in each others arms, drifting off to sleep perfectly content. A loud, high-pitched howling filled the air, they moaned in chorus but neither moved.

"Its your turn." Angel groaned.

"It is." Buffy agreed but lay still.

"It definitely is." Angel confirmed.

"She's gotta stop crying some time right?" Buffy asked him.

"She'll get bored eventually." Angel replied.

They closed their eyes and tried to cut out the crying coming from the room next door, the wailing continued getting louder and more aggrieved each minute.

"Aargh!" Buffy cried, "She would have to have your appetite wouldn't she!" and dragged herself out of bed towards the direction of Oona.

Angel chuckled and turned over as the howling died down,

END.