DISCLAIMER: Buffy and Angel and the gang don't belong to me; neither does Jerry Springer. I think I can claim the kid, but he's too young to be fun anyway.
TIMELINE: In the 'Scoobies Do Springer' trilogy; after my fic 'I Slay Vampires ... Then Go Home To One!', which was after 'I Slay Vampires ... But I Also Slept With One!'.
SPOILERS: Those stories, most of the B/A canon.
SYNOPSIS: Buffy and Angel watch their final Springer follow-up.
CONTENT: Sometimes, there just has to be pure, unmitigated FLUFF. You know what I mean.
DISTRIBUTION: Just ask!
AUTHOR'S NOTES: This probably qualifies as AU by now ... the other stories are at http://bite.to/holdmysoul, but basically Angel and Buffy got back together after Riley took her on Springer between seasons 4 and 5, to discuss her relationship with Angel. She and Angel worked everything out, and he told her about the IWRY day and his shanshu. As the last fic finished, they were going to move in together in LA and had plans to marry post-shanshu. Oh, and in the first show they said Angel hadn't been able to have sex with Buffy because he was a priest.
FEEDBACK: Well, what do you think? :)
RATING: PG-12.

'Angel!' Buffy Summers shouted loudly up the stairs, 'It's about to start!'

'Coming!' he yelled back. A moment later, he appeared at the top of the stairs. Buffy caught her breath as he stepped into a patch of sunlight, watching his easy grin illuminated in the soft afternoon light, once again thanking the Powers That Be for his shanshu.

And their joint reward. Angel hurried down the stairs to meet her where she waited impatiently at the bottom, and she greeted him with a kiss that abruptly became passionate as the arm that wasn't gripping their son wrapped around her, holding Liam securely between their bodies.

'You're squashing your offspring,' Anya commented matter-of-factly, looking around the door. 'Don't you want to watch your latest television encounter?'

'I hardly think the amount of times we've been on rates a "latest",' Angel said, passing Liam to Buffy and going into the kitchen to grab himself a drink.

'Whatever,' Anya said disinterestedly, disappearing back into the family room.

'Where were we?' Buffy asked Angel, grabbing him as he went to pass her in the hall.

A lazy smirk crept over his face. 'Right about ... here,' he murmured, leaning into her and gently nibbling on her lips, flicking his tongue out to ease the tiny hurts. She giggled and engaged him in a tender kiss over Liam's head, interrupted only when they heard the strains of the Springer theme music.

They entered the family room, looking in dismay at the lack of space. Anya and Xander had their eyes fixed on the TV from their spot on the beanbag, Willow was sitting on the couch next to Joyce and Giles, Cordelia had commandeered the easy chair and Wesley was sitting uncomfortably on a chair from the kitchen.

'You're going to make us sit on the floor in our own house?' Buffy said plaintively.

'Oh ... no,' Willow said, leaping up and gesturing uselessly to Xander.

Buffy laughed, 'It's okay, Will.'

Angel returned with another chair and placed it close to the door, sitting down and reaching for Buffy. She handed the baby over to Joyce, who was pleased to take over holding duties, and she and Angel snuggled together in the well-cushioned chair, turning their attention to the television.

'Welcome to this special "Where Are They Now?" edition of the Jerry Springer show,' Jerry said pleasantly on-screen. 'We'll be revisiting Tanya and Gary; she slept with his brother but he forgave her right here on this stage. Then we're going to meet Graham and Ted again, who were trying to adopt last time we saw them.'

'I liked them,' Anya remarked.

'They asked me to have their baby,' Willow said, receiving odd looks from Giles and Wesley.

'But first,' Jerry continued, 'We're going to see a very popular couple from a few years back; they reunited on the show, came back six months later, and now they're here again after six years to tell us how they're getting on. Please welcome - Buffy and Angel!'

The audience onscreen clapped enthusiastically as Buffy and Angel made their entrance, clasping each other's hands.

Buffy groaned and turned to face Angel, 'How could you have let me wear that?' she demanded caustically, 'I looked like a whale.'

'You did not look like a whale!' he defended. His eyes went soft and he caressed her cheek, 'You looked like you'd just had our baby.'

'Aaw,' Buffy said, pressing her forehead and then her lips to Angel's.

'Guys, please?' Xander said.

They ignored him. Angel squeezed Buffy's waist and whispered in her ear, 'Anyway, you *know* how I like you dressed ...'. His fingers slid underneath the waistband of her skirt to touch her bare skin, emphasising his point.

'I can't exactly go out like that,' she said, stopping his hand before he caused a problem.

'So stay in!' he said throatily, moving to sucking on her earlobe. Buffy's eyes slid closed and she gasped softly. Angel desisted when he noticed his mother-in-law giving him a suspicious look, but grinned to himself and hoisted Buffy onto his lap. She wrapped an arm around his neck and wriggled to get comfortable, smirking at his soft groan.

'Pay attention, honey,' she said, turning her own attention to the TV.

'I don't need to pay attention,' he grumbled playfully, 'I was there.'

Buffy gave him a look, and he pecked her on the tip of her nose before focusing his attention on the show.

'I hear you're doing well, then?' Jerry was asking to TV- Buffy and Angel.

'Really well,' Buffy answered him, 'We got married last year, and our son was born three months ago.'

'No major problems?' Jerry probed, eager to make good TV.

'Not at all,' Angel said, shooting an intimate glance at his mate.

'It's been pretty perfect,' the tiny Buffy confided, the cameras showing that her loving gaze was only for Angel.

'Yeah, except that time you went rushing over to Willow's in tears because you saw Angel with that blonde cop lady,' Anya said idly, playing with Xander's hair.

Angel shot the tactless ex-demon a reproving look, 'And then came rushing back to apologize when Cordy told her it was because Kate'd just been downgraded to Siberia.'

'Anyway, that was years ago,' Buffy said defensively, leaning closely into Angel for reassurance. He gave it to her instantly, running a soothing hand over her own blonde strands and resting a large hand on the nape of her neck. Buffy arched back into the familiar touch, relishing his immediate comfort.

'Yeah, and it was soon fixed by all the screwing,' Xander pointed out, tearing his gaze from the television.

'Xander, child in the room!' Willow said, aghast.

'He's six months old!' Xander protested.

'Such a bad choice for godfather,' Angel said to Buffy.

'I know. Sorry,' she said to him, then turned to Xander, 'Angel and I don't screw. We make love.'

Xander opened his mouth, but had no answer other than a "too-much-information!" grimace.

'Possibly not the answer I was expecting,' Angel said to Buffy, dropping a kiss on the tanned skin of her back.

'You think we screw?' she said to him, a dangerous glint in her eye.

'I didn't mean it like that,' he said. Then his smile turned mischevious and he qualified, 'But ... sometimes ...'

'Oh, listen,' Joyce said pointedly, 'Jerry's asking you why he didn't get an invite to your wedding.'

Buffy made a face, which her mother thankfully missed. 'We had a blessing for you guys to come to.'

'Well, I didn't exactly come,' Willow pointed out.

'Or perform,' Angel offered.

'I don't know why you couldn't have just waited to have the actual ceremony,' Joyce griped again.

'We were in the moment,' Buffy said softly, twisting to stare adoringly into her husband's eyes. He smiled back and lifted her hand to his lips without breaking their locked gaze, kissing her claddagh wedding band. She brought her other hand up to run it through his hair, bringing their faces close. Angel closed the remaining distance and their lips met softly, then with more passion, their tongues meeting and duelling urgently. Buffy pulled back to catch her breath, and Angel rained gentle kisses along her cheekbones, until they were stopped by a pointed cough from Xander.

'I'm sure it's not natural to be so icky after so long,' Anya said thoughtfully.

'You have your hand in Xander's pocket,' Buffy said, craning her neck to check.

'Well, we haven't procreated,' Anya said.

'It didn't make a difference to them,' Xander remarked.

Buffy rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically, 'Oh, it really did.'

'We don't want to hear about that, Buffy,' Giles said quickly, reaching slightly agitatedly for his glasses and a cloth.

'Anyway, we're making up for lost time,' Angel said, nuzzling into Buffy's neck, an act which still made her gasp.

'I think you've more than done that,' Cordelia said acidly.

'I hope you're videoing this,' Joyce said wearily, 'Since you seem so intent on talking all through it.'

'Yeah, we are,' Buffy said vaguely. 'I think. Maybe we should watch it.'

'Did anything your relationship change once you were married?' Jerry affably asked the striking couple onscreen.

The then- Buffy and Angel shared a look. 'Yeah, things changed,' Angel said.

'But not really because of the marriage,' Buffy added.

'It was like we'd really put the ... church ... behind us,' Angel told him.

'Not that the church wasn't hard to get rid of,' Buffy said.

'But things were much more peaceful once the church was gone,' Angel finished cheerily.

Jerry looked from one to the other, confused.

'I feel quite sorry for that man,' Wesley said. 'That's a very odd statement without the background.'

'Why? Just substitute the vamp thing for church and you're there,' Buffy said, running her fingers up and down Angel's arm.

'Well, the whole demon thing, really,' Xander said.

'Does anybody else feel it trivialises the End of Days to refer to it as "the whole demon thing"?' Giles asked.

'Somewhat,' Wesley agreed.

'That's got to be a Watcher attitude,' Buffy said, 'Shame they had to disband or you could have been like celebrities. Right there on the front line.'

'Not always my preferred place,' Wesley admitted.

'And there wasn't much else for them to do, once the Slayer line was cut off,' Giles said, a little sadly.

'We've been over this,' Angel said patiently. 'Without demons or vampires on this plane anymore, there's not a lot of point to having a girl's life disrupted to fight them.'

'Oh, I know,' Giles concurred, 'I'm not arguing the decision, Angel. And I feel Buffy ... and Faith, of course ... were quite a high point to go out on.'

'Yeah,' Angel said, suddenly subdued. 'They were.'

Buffy felt the change in her lover and burrowed her head into his neck reassuringly, feeling his face in her hair as his arms came up to cling to her.

'You couldn't have done anything more,' she whispered earnestly when she brought his head up to meet her eyes.

'I know,' he said, 'I just, I think sometimes she should be here. Like now, you know? She would have got a kick out of this Springer thing ... and us - and Liam.'

Buffy kissed him gently, well over her jealousy and anger with the other Slayer.

'She is, somewhere,' she muttered, brushing his lips with hers again, 'She was happy we were all good.'

'Mm,' Angel said, holding her tightly. Their quiet communion was broken by Liam's sudden squalling.

'Do you want me to ...' Joyce said, beginning to rise.

'No, Mom,' Buffy forstalling her with a quick hand, getting up herself, 'I'm sure I'll manage.'

'I'll come with you,' Angel offered, taking Liam from his grandmother's arms and following his wife from the room.

'Okay, but just remember, we're all down here and the TV isn't that loud!' Xander's shout followed them.

'Then turn it up!' Angel answered smartly, turning and grinning at the other man.

'Come on,' Buffy said, pulling Angel into Liam's room. He quickly laid Liam on the changer table and skillfully shuffled him into a clean nappy, picking his now-gurgling son up and smiling back at him.

'I never thought you'd be so good with kids,' Buffy commented quietly, watching them with pleasure.

Angel placed Liam carefully into his cot and stared down at him for a second before turning to her.

'I don't think I did, either,' he said, becoming sombre. 'I mean, it's not something I really thought about.'

'Hey,' she said softly, coming to him with concern, taking his face in her hands and pulling him down to press his forehead to hers. He smiled sheepishly and they rubbed noses, before Angel pulled away, kissing the tip of her nose. She watched him affectionately.

'Even when I found out about the prophecy,' he said slowly, 'I ... didn't think about it. I didn't consider what it could mean. It's another immortality,' he said suddenly, looking at his brown-haired, green-eyed son. 'Ours.'

'We talked about children before I got pregnant,' she said, a little worriedly.

'You know when I first thought about it, really?' he said, ignoring her comment.

'When?' she said.

'That first Springer show,' he admitted, not looking at her, 'We were kissing, on TV, in front of all our friends and a live audience ... and before I wondered was it really happening and would you feel the same way tomorrow, I thought that now, we could have it all. I was hopeful, for the first time in years.'

Her eyes grew wet and she took his hand, caressing his palm.

'And the doubts came back soon,' he said with a rueful laugh, encouraged by her response, 'Real soon, actually. And they were there right up until - the birth. I didn't believe it was real until then, you know? Until I saw him.'

'Not even when we got married?' she said playfully.

'Our wedding,' he said, gripping her hand tightly, 'Everything about that day is emblazoned on my mind. Well, in a kind of blurry way. I really believed in us, then. But I wasn't sure about,' he hesitated, choosing his words carefully, 'The future of us. For so long, I didn't think I could inflict myself on a child as a father, what with all I've done ... to you, and all the others, and then I wasn't sure we'd even make it to a point we'd have to decide, and then the fighting was done and I was ... human.' He smiled at her with devotion and a thousand memories in his eyes. 'I didn't have time to process before I had you in the church and the ring on your finger.'

'And now here we are with our child,' she said. 'To whom you are a wonderful father. You know that, right?'

'I think I'm doing better than mine,' he said, 'From what I can remember.' He stared off into the distance for a moment, his gaze far-away, and Buffy carefully considered her next words, moving close to him and planting a delicate kiss on his chest.

'Do you ever wish ...' she said, before her voice broke and she had to swallow the lump away.

'What?' he said, his attention caught, one hand stroking her back soothingly.

'If you had it to do over,' she said, focusing all her attention on the undone top button of his shirt.

She felt his hand underneath her chin and slowly, fearfully, she raised her eyes to his.

'How can I regret anything, when it all ended up bringing me to you?' he said in honest wonder. 'You're the reason, Buffy. My other half.' His voice changed to the barest whisper as he moved even closer, caressing her cheek and resting his other hand on the curve of her hips, pulling her body in, so she automatically cleaved herself to him.

'My one and only ... my love,' he ended, angling his head down so that she had barely to move so that their lips contacted. They gasped, feeling the sudden soul-deep connection stronger than since just after Liam had been born, instinctively drawing into each other. She wrapped her arms around his neck as his came around her waist, lifting her slightly to put them on the same level even as he leaned her back.

Light and dark joined mouth to mouth and soul to soul, each half of a long-forgotten whole finally snapping into place, Buffy and Angel's kiss growing more intense as they felt the link awaken and tighten, sprung back into life with the new harmony and understanding between them. Fate had placed them in each others' grasp, and destiny in each others' arms.

'I love you,' Buffy breathed, caught up in their indescribable bond.

'I love you,' he answered, catching her lips again in another heady kiss.

They were rudely interrupted by a loud demand from their hungry son. Buffy grinned at Angel, who gently unfastened her blouse for her, letting his hands linger for the pleasure of her indrawn breath and sudden fire in her eyes, then wrapping his arms around her waist from behind so she could lean on him, her head tucked comfortably under his chin, as Liam fed.

A few minutes later, they walked downstairs, hand-in-hand, Liam content on Buffy's hip. A family.

'You missed it,' Xander informed them disappointedly when they re-entered the room.

Buffy looked up and back at her husband and love.

'No,' she said quietly as they shared blinding smiles, 'We didn't.'

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