We All Have Our Little Demons

It had been a long and difficult task, but Buffy had done it. No one had been killed in the process either, to her surprise. She hadnt even had to resort to physical blows with anyone. Though she had come close to punching out this little old lady who was taking absolutely forever to choose a window
I got them! she declared, proudly holding up her reward for the long wait.

She was instantly surrounded. First at her side was her second born child and only son, who reached up eagerly for his ticket. Buffy gave it to him with a smile and a pat on the shoulder, then gave a second to Mira, the oldest at seven, who was trying to pretend that she wasnt just as eager as her brother. It took her a second to spot her youngest, who typical to form had wandered off in the commotion to look at the colorful advertisements for all of the amusement parks.

Her little legs didnt carry her far, and Angel scooped her up quickly while Buffy kept control of the other two eager children. What are you doing, pumpkin? he asked once he had Kathy settled on one hip.

I want to go on dat, she said, pointing to a poster showing a bunch of screaming people on a roller coaster.

I dont know. That looks pretty scary to me, Angel said with a smile.

Dat! Kathy insisted again.

How about, Angel said as he carried her to join the rest of the family, we go find Mickey Mouse. And then well go find a ride youll really like.

I want to go on Peter Pan! Liam yelled, hearing the end of his fathers suggestion.

The haunted mansion, Mira insisted, looking to her mother for support. And the tea cups.

Buffy smiled and herded them all into line. How about Its a Small World for this one, she said, ruffling Kathys hair. And maybe well see Cinderellas castle?

The Castle! Kathy agreed eagerly.

Buffy and Angel smiled at each other. Buffy was amazed at her and Angels three children what a wonderful family the group of them made. Keeping a tight grip on her older two children, she led them through the gates into Disney Worlds Magic Kingdom. Welcome, she said with a grin, to the land of the mouse.

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"Hotdog!"
"Hamburger!"

"Kicken!"

"I think it's time we hit the food court," Buffy laughed as she shepherded her brood off the teacups.

"Sure," Angel nodded, following her. "But only if we can go on a ride that doesn't spin, twirl, flip, or fly next."

Buffy looked at her husband, who appeared a little green, and smiled. "Don't tell me you get motion sickness!"

Angel smiled back as best he could, though it was half hearted. In the seven years since he'd become human again, he'd discovered all sorts of wonderful, new things. Motion sickness, however, was not one of them. "Please, Buffy?" he whispered pathetically.

Buffy chuckled at the expression on his face. "The benches near the food court don't move," she pointed out.

"But I still feel like I'm spinning," Angel muttered.

"How about 'It's a Small World' next?" Buffy suggested loud enough for the children to hear.

"Yes!" came the chorus from the two youngest. Mira smiled, but didn't look horribly enthused.

Buffy smiled at her eldest. "We'll let you pick the next ride after that."

Mira's face brightened, and she happily joined her brother in trying to tickle Angel, who was trying not to laugh...or lose what was left of his breakfast...while still amusing his kids.

While Angel was keeping the kids "occupied," Buffy got in the food line to get everyone's orders. That was the only thing she didn't like about this vacation thus far - you had to wait in line for everything. The advantages far out weighed the dreaded waits, and Buffy was smiling easily as she kept an eye on Angel and her three children.

Angel was quickly loosing the tickle match with Mira and Liam, while Kathy was for once sitting in one place and watching what was going on. Then Angel broke free of his children's loose grip to start tickling back. By the time Buffy got back to the table with food, Liam was laughing hysterically as he got tickled by both Angel and Kathy, who'd decided to join in the fun.

"All right, settle down. Food's here," Buffy announced as she sat down at the table her family had claimed. "Here's Mira's hotdog, Liam's burger, and Kathy's chicken nuggets."

"No mustard?" Liam warned as he took it.

"No mustard," Buffy replied. "Here, honey," she handed Angel his hamburger. "Rare, just the way you like it." Somehow, even after years of being human, Angel still liked his meat bloody.

He smiled. "Thanks, love."

The children wolfed down their meals and were ready to go again in minutes. Buffy and Angel ate much slower, partially on account of Angel's stomach. The kids were fidgeting like crazy, bouncing on the benches, and staring at their parents with wide eyes waiting to get going again.

Finally Buffy finished her own meal with a chuckle at the antics going on around her. Angel gathered up the trash and Buffy smiled. "It's a Small World?" she asked brightly?

Angel barely managed to get the garbage into a trash can before he was dragged out to the rides again.

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After "It's a Small World," the Jungle boat ride, yet another turn on the teacups, every other ride they passed, and taking pictures with several dozen cute furry cartoon characters, Angel and Buffy were happy to drag their swarm back to their hotel on the Boardwalk. Kathy was asleep in her daddy's arms, and Mira was dropping, though trying not to show it. Liam on the other hand was just as bouncy as he had been that morning, and his mouth was going a mile-a-minute as he went on and on about everything they had done and how he wanted to do it again tomorrow.
Buffy tucked the two girls into the second bed while Angel gave his son a much needed bath. It was amazing how much food a five year old could manage to get on his face! The chocolate ice cream cone had done the most damage. Finally the boy was asleep on the couch.

"They're amazing," Angel purred quietly as he put his arm around her from behind.

"Yeah, you'd never guess what little demons they are when they're awake."

"Buffy!"

She just smiled and leaned back against him. "I'm not quite ready to sleep yet. You want to call and get someone to watch them while we go for a walk?"

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The night was absolutely beautiful, the air just the right temperature, and Buffy and Angel walked along contentedly hand in hand. The lights from the rides and fireworks from one of the other parks reflected on the water of the lake. A boat was going back and forth filled with people. The two of them were happy to just be alone for the brief moment.
After several minutes of silence, Angel started chuckling under his breath.

"What?" Buffy asked with a small smile.

"I have 'It's a Small World' stuck in my head."

"You would," she laughed quietly. "What was your favorite part of today?"

"I think it was when my head stopped spinning," Angel replied. "But then, I don't think it has," he whispered, pulling her close in an impassioned kiss. Standing there in the dark, under the moon, it felt as if they were the only living things in the universe.

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"Mommy. Daddy."
Buffy rolled over sleepily, cuddling into Angel's shoulder and trying to ignore whatever was going on.

"MOMMY!"

Buffy sat up in surprise. "What!" she yelped before she was fully aware of her surroundings. Kathy was kneeling on the bottom of the bed, looking at her intently. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Kathy just grinned at her. "You're awake!" she said happily, then went running back into the adjoining room she shared with her siblings. "Mommy's awake!" she yelled.

Buffy flopped back down on the bed and looked at the clock. 6 am. Next to her, Angel stirred, barely awake. "What was that?" he mumbled.

"Your daughter just discovered her lungs," Buffy mumbled back.

"She must get it from you," he growled back. "What did she want?"

"I didn't ask," the tired mother replied, rolling over on top of her naked husband. "But it's a good thing we were under the sheets."

Angel smiled and nibbled her ear. "I'd say so. You should get back under here, you'll get cold," he said quietly.

Buffy chuckled. "I'd love to, but the kids will wonder if we lock the door."

"Rats," her husband sighed. "Well then, can we just go back to sleep?"

"Only if you want the damages bill to be ungodly high," she responded. "Sounds like they're all awake."

"So what do we do?"

"Order room service," Buffy muttered.

"It costs a ridiculous amount," Angel pointed out.

"So does everything else on this vacation," Buffy replied with a grin. "Besides, it'll keep the kids happy long enough for us to shower."

"One of us should check on them first," Angel pointed out.

"I don't want to move."

Angel laughed. "If you don't move, I can't move."

"Sounds good to me," Buffy replied with a grin.

Angel shoved upward, tossing her off of him and nearly onto the floor. "Just let me call room service."

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Fortunately for Angel, Epcot had fewer stomach-wrenching rides than the Magic Kingdom. Unfortunately, his children seemed to have inherited their mother's sense of adventure, and insisted on going on all of them. After nearly losing Kathy in the sensory playground after the Body Wars ride, Angel was very happy when they reached the World Showcase. What made him happiest was the look of wonder on Buffy's face as they walked from country to country in minutes. To Angel it seemed a little bit of home. What he loved best about Europe. To her, it was entirely new.
Angel happily led his family into each of the European countries' areas. He hadn't expected this to make him feel nostalgic, but it did. Especially when they wandered into the section for England and Angel found faint reminders of his own long lost childhood.

Then Buffy insisted on buying him a hat that said "Ireland" on it. As his own children laughed at the image of their dad actually wearing a baseball hat, Angel knew that he had the best of everything right here.

"Daddy, I'm hungry."

Angel looked down at his son. "Already? We just had lunch," he glanced down at his watch. *Five hours ago.* He grinned. "Okay. Where do we want to go for dinner?"

"Mexico!"

"Japan!"

"Italy!"

"Well, you asked," Buffy chuckled as Angel shook his head. The children had never agreed on the same meal once in their fairly short lives. "Since I'm the mother I am going to pick dinner tonight."

"Uh oh," Mira groaned.

"Mira," her father's tone was warning. He turned to his wife and grinned. "So where are we eating, beloved?"

"Germany."

The kids didn't look too excited at the idea, but they knew better than to argue with their mother where the food was concerned. Angel looked a bit baffled by her choice, though.

"What?" she said finally. "It's got music and dancing...plus it's a buffet so the kids can eat immediately and not whine that they're hungry."

"Excellent idea," Angel replied quickly, knowing that if the kids thought their parents were divided on the issue they'd never stop trying to manipulate them. "Let's go. It's just a couple of countries ahead."

It only took them a few minutes to reach Germany's Oktoberfest buffet and to be seated. Angel had to admit he was impressed. The room was decorated as an outdoor feast hall in the center of a small traditional German town. A projected moon glowed off the black ceiling, and a realistic looking fake tree drooped with fiery leaves. There was a stage, empty for the moment, and the smell of good German cooking and beer filled the room. He smiled at Buffy. "Good choice, love. I could use a drink."

Buffy laughed. "You looked a little stressed."

"And you don't?" he teased.

"I'm a mother. Stress goes without saying."

The waitress approached their table. "What can I get you to drink?"

"Lemonade!"

"Coke!"

"Sprite, please."

Buffy smiled. "Coke, please."

"And you sir?"

Angel looked down at the drink list, then over at Buffy. He smiled. "I'll have the Guiness." He chuckled at Buffy's startled look. "It's been over a century since I was in Germany. Call it nostalgia."

Buffy laughed lightly in response. They each led the kids through the buffet line and got them situated. Then, each of their own meals, until finally everyone had both food and drink and was starting to relax from the long day.

Angel was just about done with his first serving when the curtain on the small stage opened and revealed a four person German style band. The leader of the band quickly had everyone yelling along enthusiastically to the song. That song quickly led into a second with a boisterous polka beat. Though the leader of the band tried his hardest to get people onto the dance floor, no one was moving from their tables.

With a silly grin, Angel suddenly pulled Buffy out onto the dance floor. She laughed, partially in surprise. "What are you doing?" she managed as he spun her around in circles.

"I haven't a clue," Angel replied with a smile. "But I'm having far too much fun."

"Angel Summers, are you drunk?" Buffy asked in a mock scolding tone.

The handsome man shook his head and continued to grin. "Haven't had quite enough for that. Only three, love."

"Okay, then. Just checking," she replied. "You know, I didn't know you could Polka," Buffy laughed, doing her best to keep up with her husband's unusually spritely footwork.

"I can't!" Angel replied. "I'm just making it up from what I saw the last time I was in Germany."

Maybe Angel and Buffy didn't know how to polka, but the audience seemed to be enjoying it. Liam and Kathy were clapping and cheering. Mira looked a little embarrassed.

The song came to its inevitable conclusion, and laughing and out of breath Buffy and Angel finished their spin around the dance floor. The kids were grinning and cheering still as they made their way back to the table. Grinning from ear to ear, Angel made a slight bow before taking his seat next to Liam.

The next song was enough time for everyone to get a drink and relax for a moment. Then the leader of the band called for all the children - "It's time for the chicken dance!"

Liam pulled his willing father back out onto the dance floor, Kathy close behind them. Mira looked a bit uncertain.

"Why don't you go join your father?" Buffy suggested.

Mira made a great show of looking like she was above it and undecided, but Buffy knew she wanted to dance too. She stood up with a grin as the music started, and joined in just as they began the reel.

Buffy couldn't help but laugh as she took a sip of her drink and watched her family. Angel had both Liam and Mira attached to one arm, spinning in circles. With the other arm he as trying to keep track of Kathy, who seemed to be making up her own steps.

It wasn't really dancing, but it was amusing, and she felt a warm tingle of happiness watching Angel's broad grin as he and their children moved around the floor. He was such a natural father, she could see why he had always wanted to give her a normal life. Buffy chuckled as Kathy finally latched on to her father....around the leg, and stood on his foot as he danced. Weighted down by all three children, his movement was reduced to more of a shuffle than a dance. Quacking wasn't exactly a dignified sound to be making either...and a big man like Angel was especially amusing to hear it from.

Then that dance was over, but Angel didn't stop there. When people began forming a conga line to the next song, he joined in with the three kids - Kathy on his shoulders this time, the other two trailing behind. He grinned at Buffy and gestured enthusiastically for her to join them. She smiled and did so readily. It wasn't often they got to let completely loose, and she wasn't one to let a change for some fun go by.

As the Conga line ended the now exhausted Summers family went back to their table, hearts pounding with excitement. The kids slurped down what was left of their drinks and talked amongst themselves while Buffy leaned against Angel's shoulder. "That was fun," she smiled. "It's nice to do something exciting that doesn't involve demons."

"Only little ones," Angel replied with a grin, echoing Buffy's comment from the night before.

"Dad!" Mira whined, overhearing just enough.

"Sorry sweetie. You know I don't mean it." He pat her shoulder then stood again. "Anyone want dessert?"

There was an enthusiastic chorus of "I do!" following his question. He took orders and went up to get the sweets himself, knowing things were less chaotic if he left the kids at the table with Buffy. He returned with two cheesecakes, a few chocolate chip cookies, and a large slice of something Buffy didn't recognize, but looked extremely chocolaty.

"What's that?" she asked as he placed it between them.

Angel grinned. "German Chocolate Rum cake."

Buffy put her fork in it as soon as he put it down and took a nice sized bite. She closed her eyes to savor it. "Good," she said once she'd swallowed.

The kids took that as their cue to dig in.

Five minutes, and a whole lot of messy, chocolaty faces later, the dessert was completely gone.

Angel and Buffy wiped dirty faces and paid for the delicious meal. "Time to go back to the hotel," Buffy announced. A chorus of groans and pleading followed.

"It's the last night!" Mira complained.

"Fireworks!" Kathy pleaded.

"Kids," Angel warned. "Listen to your mother. We need to-" He stopped as they found themselves in an unmoving crowd. Music began to play all around the Showcase. The sun was setting and the place was ringed by a purple and pink band of sky. "What's going on?"

"The Parade!" Liam yelled.

"I guess we're not going anywhere," Buffy grinned at her husband.

They found themselves right at the gate where the parade was entering the road. The beat of large drums filled the air, and heat radiated off the large torches circling the lake. Buffy lifted Kathy up onto her shoulders and Angel picked up Liam. Mira climbed on top of the fence surrounding the palm trees. They watched the goings on with pleased smiles. This wasn't such a bad thing stopping them from getting back to the hotel.

They were all enthralled by the colorful costumes and graceful movements of the dancers, and the puppets that most of them wore. They were huge, artistic things that moved like fairies from another world. The flickering of the torches made the costumes seem to shimmer, and the beat of the drums and the music made everyone want to dance.

"Where's Mira?"

Angel looked around at his wife's words. Their eldest child was no longer on the fence. He glanced frantically around the huge crowd. "There she is," he sighed in relief. There was their daughter, shaking hands with one of the giant puppets in the front row of the crowd. Angel waded over to her. "Did you have fun?"

"Yes," the girl nodded happily.

"Well don't go scaring your mother like that anymore. You know better than to run off on your own in a strange place," he admonished gently.

"Yes, Dad," Mira replied somewhat guiltily, then ran back to her perch on the fence. "Look!" she cried suddenly.

"What is it?"

Mira pointed part way around the lake. More puppets cold be seen here and there. "They go all the way around!" she said excitedly.

Just as she said that the torch nearest them went out, making the area suddenly darker. The speaker system resounded with a man's voice, but none of the family paid much attention to what was being said. At that moment the disco balls on top of each of the huge rolling drums came to life, casting sparkling lights on the crowd. Lights on the tops of the buildings began to twinkle as well, casting a hint of light all around the lake.

"So pretty!" Kathy cooed. "Want in my room!"

Buffy smiled at her baby girl, perched on her daddy's shoulders. "No, pumpkin. I don't think we're allowed to take them home."

The head of the parade came to their part of the circle, then moved out the door the first section had come through. The music continued as the end of the line continued around the showcase, and the torches came back on. As the crowd began to filter out, the Summers family followed them. Just as they reached the walkway that led back to the park entrance, a rocket's scream was heard, and a huge explosion of sparkling light appeared in the sky over the water.

For a moment they stopped in appreciation. The children 'ooh'ed and 'ahh'ed along with much of the crowd. Buffy smiled at them, then turned her gaze on Angel.

"I'm glad we came here," she whispered.

"So am I, love."

"Me too! Me too!" Liam joined in enthusiastically, running close to give his parents a hug.

The small hug turned into a group hug in the middle of the departing crowd. Buffy smiled in delight. "We have to do this again some time."

"Definitely," Angel pulled her close and kissed her, ignoring the "ewww"s coming from their children. "But next time, maybe we should leave these guys home. Better on my stomach that way."

The children gave hearty protests to that idea even though they knew their father was teasing. Buffy chuckled. "Oh I don't know. I thought we might find a babysitter next week, head out to some lonely spot on the coast," she was whispering in his ear now, in a low, throaty voice, "and work on number four."