Chapter 5: Meeting Your Maker

"Hayden, Rory." Buffy said as she walked into the playroom. "Will you come downstairs with me please?" Buffy said as she took the twin's hands and led them to the living room. "Guys stop for one second please," Buffy said outside of the room, "Okay now you're both about to meet a man that you should have met 3 years ago."

"Is it our daddy?" Hayden asked.

"Well sweetie…he is. How'd you know?"

"Molly. She said that Unca Xander and Aunt Anya said our daddy lives here." Rory said.

"Oh. Well okay listen to me guys. It's your choice whether or not you meet your dad. You don't have to right now. I'm sure he'll understand."

Rory looked at Hayden and Hayden looked back at her. After a couple of silent unspoken seconds they looked at their mom and said yes that they did want to meet their dad.

"Okay." Buffy said as she got up and took their hands once again to lead them into the room.

William couldn't believe what was happening. After he thanked Buffy for giving him an all clear to meet his kids she changed her mind and dragged him here. His life was about to change forever. No longer was he a future lawyer and husband, but he was also a father. Instantly he thought of what Cordelia and her words to him earlier before he'd gone to find Buffy. She'd said that she couldn't picture him as a father. Would he be a good father? Would he actually be able to do this? William began to walk towards the door to tell Buffy he wasn't ready, but stopped when he saw Buffy walk in with two beautiful blonde haired children at her sides.

"William Giles, I would like you to meet Hayden Alexander and Lorelia Madison. Rory, Hayd, I would like you to meet your father." Buffy said as she let go of them and walked to the couch and sat down to watch.

William looked at Rory first. She had light honey blonde hair that came to her shoulder blades and curled at the bottoms. Her eyes were green with a flicker of blue in them. She wasn't his child in his eyes. Yes, he knew that she was his, but she looked exactly like Buffy. William then looked at his son. All he saw was a mirror image of himself. Only instead of the quick glimpse at the store, he was now able to truly look at the boy. He had his curly hair and shocking blue eyes. William began to cry as he knelt down and pulled the two towards him.

Rory hugged her daddy and whispered, 'Hi daddy.'

Hayden hugged his father and whispered, 'We missed you.'

William squeezed them to him as he cried and told them he was so sorry. Buffy couldn't hold back the tears as the guilt struck her.

Buffy shut the door to the room as she walked out. "Buffy. What are you doing?" Xander said as he looked at his sister. Buffy walked over to her brother and pulled him into a hug. "Buffy…sis are you okay?" Xander said as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm such a bad mother." Buffy said.

Xander pulled his sister off of him and glared at her. "No, you're not."

"Yes, I am," Buffy said as she began to cry, " I didn't let him see them. I took them away and never even told him. How could I be so cruel."

Xander felt sorry for his sister, but she was right. "Buffy. I know you feel bad, but you thought he was happy. And instead of ending that for him you left. Sis, you protected no only him, but yourself. You kept yourself and your kids protected and that matters. But when Will found out you know what needed to be done and you did it. And that, my dear sister, is what makes you so great, because he'll never know." Xander said as Buffy's face softened.

Xander wrapped his arms around Buffy and kissed the top of her head. "I love you Xander."

"I love you too Buffy."

"Daddy." Rory said as she sat next to him.

"Yeah baby." William said looking away from the TV.

"Where have you been?"

William tried to think of an answer that would suit him and the little girl. "Well I went to college here and your mommy wanted to go to New York. So we broke up and mommy left. But shortly after she left she found out she was having you guys. So your mommy came to tell me, but she didn't find me. So I went and finished school. I know you don't understand this, but some day you when you're older you will. I will promise you this though; Daddy is never going to leave you. I'm in your life forever."

Rory reached over and hugged William. "I love you Daddy."

William teared up as he hugged his little girl. "I love you too baby. Love you both so much." After a while William feel asleep with two little 3 year olds on each side of him.

"Hey Buffy want some coffee?" Willow asked as Buffy walked into the kitchen.

"Yeah sure," She said as she sat down, "They're asleep."

Willow brought the cup over and sat next to Buffy. "All three of them?"

Yep. William's in the middle with the twins cuddled to him. It's really cute."

Willow knew Buffy was feeling guilty and rightly so, but she'd done the right thing tonight. She'd let William meet his kids. "Sweetie don't worry. I have a feeling that William understands."

"He should hate me. I was so horrible to him. I just…I wish I'd of told him sooner. Maybe they would…Maybe we'd…God I just…You know what I need to be grown up about this. Will is engaged. I have my whole life ahead of me."

"Only now your lives mesh."

"Yeah." Buffy said as she looked down.

"Hey Willow." Willow looked up at William as he walked in. "Can you and Xander put the twins in bed or something?"

Willow stood up and walked to William. "Sure," She said then whispered, "Go easy on her. This is hard on her too." Willow smiled then left the room.

Buffy kept her head down as Will walked over and took a seat next to her.

"They're beautiful Buffy."

Buffy looked up at Will. "You're there too."

"I know, but they're…I never met two kids that are as kind and polite as they are. And they're so young. Buffy they're beautiful."

Buffy smiled. "They both learned to talk at 6 months. They learned how to walk shortly after 11 months. They are both so smart, and they have this like silent language. We'll never understand it, but it's there."

"I want to see them more."

"Like visits?"

"Like holidays and birthdays and summers."

"Oh."

"I've already missed so much."

"Okay Will."

"You're sure?"

'Yes, I'm sure." Will leaned over and kissed Buffy's
cheek.

"Thanks."

"Cordelia! Baby, are you home?" William said as he walked inside.

"William Rupert Giles, where have you been?" Cordelia said as she walked downstairs.

"I went with Buffy to Xander's."

"Oh…how is he?"

Will looked at her then remembered. "I forgot you two went steady your junior year."

"Yeah, till Willow kissed him. Poor Oz, he was so broken. I was crushed, but do you remember his face?"

"I wasn't there Cordy."

"Oh yeah you and Buffy were at the cabin for your end of the year fun."

"Oh yeah."

"Wait why were you are Xander's?"

"I meet my kids. And Cordy they're so beautiful. They're kind, loving and incredibly good."

Cordy smiled and walked into the kitchen. "So how much does she need?"

"What?"

"Well if she was adamant about you not knowing in the first place…what's to say that she isn't thinking big check now."

"No Cordy she wanted me to be a part of their lives.
She welcomed me because they need me. Not her…my kids need me."

"That's how it starts, but soon she'll…"

"NO!"

"William!"

"You're wrong Cordy. She wants me there for them. And you're going to have to accept that or we can't be together." William said as he left the room.

I'll have the next chapters up by this weekend or sooner. Thanks! As always please review!!!!!!!!!!!!