"Come on, Baby." Angel murmered before he dipped down to nibble at Buffy's earlobe.

"Mmmm..." Was her response. But still she said, "We can't. We have to get up. We promised to take Jena to the lake today." Angel recognized the way her body immediately tensed up at the thought of their plans for today. She was upset. He settled his weight on his elbows and caressed her cheeks with both of his hands as he looked down at her. "We have to tell her. Today, Angel." She looked up, blinking away the tears of pain for her little girl. She had never wanted this for her daughter. It was almost like getting punched in the gut repeatedly when she had learned that her baby girl was to become a slayer herself.

"I know. Buffy, you and I both know that this is right for her. Not her destiny, but her training early. That way we can be sure that she is better protected. What will happen if someone tried to get at her when we couldn't be there." Buffy closed her eyes at the thought. Angel kissed her forehead and slipped his arms around her, holding her tightly to him, and rolled them both. Settling her to lay on top on him and rest her head on his shoulder, he stroked her back and hair with his hands.

"I hate it." Her breath hitched as she buried her face into the curve of his throat. Her body began to shake from her forcefull attempts to keep herself from crying.

Angel couldn't bear to witness her doing this to herself. She needed to get this out, but she wasn't letting herself. If she wasn't focused on Jena, and Jena only, today, she was going to frighten her. If Buffy broke down in front of their six year old little girl, they would have an even trickier time trying to convince Jena that it was the right thing to do. She would be confused.

He wrapped his arms tightly around her and kissed her shoulder. "Let it go, Baby," he whispered in her ear and kissed her hair, then her neck. Waiting for her break.

When she finally did, when she finally let herself go, sobs so stong wracked her body. Angel was there to absorb most of them, and for that she was thankful. She understood, even just by that, that he was there for her and that she wasn't alone in what she was feeling. Their baby, their miracle, was going to be in even more danger than she already was. Once she made a name for herself, possibly with her first real fight, she was going to be a bright fire engine red target for all that was evil. A prize winner for those who seeked bounties. A trophy for gladiators and sorts. But to them, she was their life. The thought was heartwrenching, but still he held on to Buffy and waded out the cries and pleas.

"Jena, don't forget your sunglasses," Angel called up the stairway.

"Okay, Daddy!" Jena returned, her voice filled with frustration.

Angel only smiled to himself, that had been his fifth time reminding her to bring her sunglasses for the lake that morning. He knew it would irritate her, it was a constant game in the house, to irritate one another. The goal was to get in the last irritation out of someone for the day before everyone went to bed.

"Okay, you two. Don't irritate each other too much. I don't like being peacemaker when we're in public." Buffy put three water bottles in a backpack and some chips. "It's not pretty." She got a cock of the head, an arched brow and a glare from her husband with that remark. They all knew that by peacemaker her way of making it was by tickling them both. Playing dumb, Buffy shrugged, saying, "What?"

"You know what." Angel rushed at her and threw her over his shoulder, aquiring a yelp and thump on his back from his wife.

"Put me down, you beast," Buffy said, giggling.

"Hey, you're only suppose to do that to me!" Jena complained from the bottom of the srairs.

"Aw," Angel gave a pained look for drama. "But you're just too big for me now." He could feel the identical glare that Jena was giving him from Buffy who still hung upside down.

"What?" Although he knew very well, Angel just set Buffy on her feel, and, after recieving a jab in the ribs by Buffy's elbow, grabbed Jena and slung her over just as he had with her mother.

She yelped as well, then went into a fit of laughter as he went about gathering the small cooler of sandwiches and drinks and Jena's small beach chair and header out to the car.

After setting the items in the back of the deep red cherokee he waited for Buffy to load the backpack and towels. When she had finished, they shared a purposefully lingering and highly intimate kiss.

Groaning from behind Angel's back had them both chuckling as they brushed their lips a last time. Buffy patter her daughter's clothed, yet exposed, bottom, saying, "You'll learn, my girl."

Angel made his way to the back door, the seat behind his own, and eased her down, her legs wrapping around his waist, her hands gripping his neck. He took in the innocense that she possessed. In his heart he knew that she wouldn't change in being his lttle girl, but she wouldn't be protected from everything he had tried to protect her from since even before she was born. Today, he thought, everything changes.

To Be Continued

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