**Disclaimer in full effect**
Angel glanced in the rearview mirror and saw that his sons were wrapped up in playing and turned to his oldest friend. “Listen Will, I know I don’t know the details of yours and Buffy’s relationship, but…” he trailed off not knowing what to say.
William snorted. “That’s because Buffy didn’t feel the need to tell you about me,” he replied bitterly.
Angel winced at the pain in William’s voice. “You know how Buffy can be sometimes. Remember how long it took her to even tell me that you guys were dating,” he defended his sister.
“Yeah, I still have the scar from you kicking my ass,” William joked pointing to his scared brow.
“Well you didn’t think I was just gonna sit back and say nothing about you dating my little sister now did you?” Angel chuckled recalling his fight with William in his mother’s front yard.
“Yeah well this time it’s different,” William scowled all lightness gone from his mood.
Angel sighed. “Will, you and Buffy have been together a long time and I know it hasn’t always been easy, but you two were meant to be together.”
“Hasn’t always been easy?” William scoffed. “Your sister up and left me!”
“I know and she was wrong,” Angel stated matter of factly.
“Angel I just don’t know if I can do this again,” William groaned completely aggravated.
“You and Buffy need to just sit down and work this out. Who knows, maybe you two can even work out your marriage.”
William turned to Angel with surprised eyes. Buffy hadn’t even told him that they were divorced. “Oh Angel I think you and your sister have quite a bit to talk about.”
“What do you mean?” Angel asked confused.
“Oh no, I’m not gonna be the one to tell you,” William said shaking his head adamantly.
“Will,” Angel said in a warning tone.
“Nope, since Buffy wants to keep secrets, I’ll let her tell you,” William said crossing his arms over his chest.
Angel pulled up in front of William’s hotel. William was about to get out of the SUV when Angel grabbed his arm to stop him. “Will you should come by the hospital and see Cordy. I know she would love to see you.”
William turned back and looked at Angel. “Isn’t Buffy going to be there?”
“She didn’t say,” Angel lied.
“Well maybe after I settle in I’ll come by.”
“Alright, and I want you to come back by the house again before you leave to spend some more time with the boys if you can, I know they would like to get to know their uncle better,” Angel said honestly.
With a quick nod, William got out of the car and went to the back of the SUV to get his bags.
Connor turned in his car seat and smiled. “Bye Will, come back over to play with me again.”
William felt his heart warm. “I will,” he agreed and then turned to look at Stephen. “I’ll see you later, yeah.”
Stephen grinned and nodded his head. “Okay. You know, I like you a whole lot better than Aunt Buffy’s last boyfriend, he was such a loser.”
William chuckled softly and then whispered in a conspirator’s tone, “I know.”
Angel looked at William in the rearview mirror and grinned, “See you Will.”
“Later Angel,” and then he shut the trunk and walked into the hotel to check in.
Angel pulled off and headed towards the hospital. Stephen leaned forward in his seat and asked curiously, “Daddy is he really our uncle?”
“Yes son he is,” Angel replied honestly.
Angel drove the rest of the way to the hospital wondering what exactly William had meant when he had said Buffy had a lot to tell him. Well whatever it was it was something Buffy must really not want him to know, and before she left he was going to find out exactly what it was.
************************************************************************
Buffy pulled into the hospital parking garage and parked Angel’s car. As soon as her brother left she had let her tears fall. She didn’t even know how to start to fix things with William. He was obviously more than hurt by her need to keep their relationship quiet.
Glancing at herself in the vanity mirror she groaned. Her eyes were red rimmed and slightly puffy from crying. She looked a mess. Closing the mirror in frustration, she turned off the engine and made her way up to meet her new niece.
Buffy walked in the room, arms laden with flowers and gifts and managed a smile even though she was still upset. “Hey you,” she said in a falsely chipper tone.
Cordy smiled tiredly at her sister-n-law. “Hey, you made it. Angel said you had some things to take care of at the house,” she said giving Buffy a knowing look.
“Of course, I wouldn’t miss the chance to see my new niece.” Buffy looked over at her brother and silently asked him if he had explained everything. When Angel nodded, Buffy went over to the bed and set down her things.
“I brought you some flowers and there is a little something for Abigail in there too.”
Cordelia gingerly sat up and grabbed the gift bag. Pulling out the tissue paper, she pulled out the small pink chenille sleeper and receiving blanket. “Buffy these are gorgeous,” she gushed over the tiny outfit.
Buffy walked over to her brother who was holding the tiny baby and took her from his arms. “Well to match the gorgeous little girl who will be wearing it,” Buffy cooed as she rocked the precious bundle in her arms. “Well hello there, I’m your Aunt Buffy, yes I am.”
“Careful no to rock her too much, she just ate,” Angel warned playfully.
Buffy ignored her brother and sat in the chair next to Cordelia’s bed. “She’s beautiful Cordy,” Buffy said in an awe-filled voice. No matter how many babies she saw it still amazed her how something so precious could be created by two people.
“Well I didn’t do it by myself,” Cordy sighed as she looked over at her husband with love shining in her eyes.
Buffy felt fresh tears prick her eyes. She had always dreamed that one day she and William would have babies together and now that dream seemed like it was the farthest thing from reality.
Cordy saw the tears in Buffy’s eyes and reached out a hand to rub her arm. “One day Buffy,” she said softly.
Buffy used her free hand to wipe the tears from her eyes and looked over at her sister-n-law. “After this afternoon, I’m not so sure,” she replied sadly.
“Daddy, I’m tired,” Connor whined as he rubbed his eyes.
Angel picked up his son and laid his head on his shoulder. “I know buddy, you’ve had a long day,” he soothed gently.
“Sweetie why don’t you take the boys home, you can come back first thing in the morning,” Cordelia asked her husband.
“Yeah, I better get these two off to bed,” he agreed and then turned to Buffy. “You gonna stay and visit for a bit?” he asked hoping she said yes since William had said he was coming to visit.
“Yeah if you don’t mind.”
“Take your time, I’m probably gonna head to bed after I get these two down anyways. You have your key right?” Angel asked.
“Yeah,” Buffy said quietly as the small bundle in her arms started to squirm.
Angel walked over to his wife’s bed and gave her a quick kiss. “I’ll be here first thing in the morning after I get the boys ready,” then he turned to his sister and gave her a pointed look. “And I’ll talk to you later.”
Buffy furrowed her brow and just nodded her head. What did Angel want now?
“Take your time, we’re not going anywhere,” Cordelia chuckled and kissed a now sleeping Connor on the cheek.
Angel handed his older son his jacket and pushed him towards his mother’s bed. “Stephen go tell your mom and Buffy bye.”
Stephen shuffled on over to his mom. “See you tomorrow,” he said and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
“Good night sweetie,” Cordelia said and smiled. She really was lucky to have such a wonderful family.
“Hey what about me?” Buffy asked with a pout.
Stephen walked over to his aunt and carefully leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Night,” then ever so gently placed a sweet kiss to his new baby sister’s head. “Night Abigail.”
Buffy and Cordelia made twin awe’s at the sweet gesture. Stephen blushed and hurried over to his father. With a final goodbye, the Summers men left the women to talk.
Once the door was shut, Cordelia turned to her sister-n-law and raised a brow. “So William showed up huh.”
Buffy gently placed the sleeping baby in the crib and sat back and sighed. “Yeah.”
“I told you something like this would happen,” Cordelia said knowingly with a shake of her head.
“You never said William would show up this week,” Buffy groused.
“So what did Angel say when you told him you two were divorced?”
Buffy grimaced. “I didn’t tell him.”
“Buffy Anne Summers,” Cordelia scolded her as if she was talking to one of her children. “That’s probably what he wants to talk to you about.”
“How would he know?”
“Uh duh, he drove Will to his hotel,” Cordelia pointed out like Buffy was the dumbest person alive.
Buffy paled. “Oh God.”
“Buffy I told you you should have told Angel sooner, now not only are you going to have to deal with Will, you’re gonna have Angel to deal with too.” Cordelia sighed felling sorry for the younger girl.
“Crap,” Buffy grumped. This was all she needed.
“Buffy the sooner you come clean with all this the better off you’ll be. I know you still love Will and he obviously loves you if he came all the way to Boston to come and see you,” Cordelia pointed out gently.
“I know, I was just so confused and I didn’t want to get everyone involved if it was just going to fall apart, you know.”
Cordelia sighed, “I understand Buffy but how do you think Will felt when he found out you had been keeping him a secret.”
Buffy felt guilt flood her. She had never really thought about it like that. “Oh Cordy what am I going to do?” she pleaded burying her face in her hands.
Cordelia was fixing to comfort Buffy when the phone rang. Answering it, she kept her answers short. “Uh huh, that’s fine…. yes of course…no… alright then, thank you.”
Buffy looked up from her hands. “Who was that?”
“Oh, just one of the nurses,” Cordy lied. It had been the front desk asking if it was okay for a mister William Giles to come up to her room.
“Oh,” Buffy replied.
“Hey Buffy, do you think you could go and get me a snack from the cafeteria before it closes,” Cordelia asked trying to get her to leave before William came up.
Buffy shrugged. “Sure, anything in particular you want?”
“Oh no, just some chips or something,” she said quickly with a smile.
Buffy grabbed her purse and headed for the door. “Anything to drink?” she asked before walking out the door.
“No I have water, thanks.”
“I’ll be right back.”
Cordelia nodded her head watching the door shut. She just prayed that they didn’t meet in the hallway.
************************************************************************
William knocked softly on the door and waited to be invited in. At the sound of Cordelia’s soft voice, he walked in the door and smiled. “Hey there luv,” he greeted and held out the balloons and flowers he had picked up in the gift shop.
Cordelia brought the flowers to her nose and inhaled deeply. Pink roses her favorite. “You remembered,” she sighed and set them on the table next to the bed.
“How could I forget,” he chuckled softly.
The day of Angel and Cordy’s wedding he and Buffy had had to drive all the way to LA at the last minute to get new flowers because the flower shop they had ordered from in Sunnydale had lost power the night before, killing all the flowers. Cordelia had cried and gone on and on about how pink roses were her favorite and she couldn’t have her wedding without them.
“That day was a disaster,” Cordelia groaned remembering the flower fiasco.
“But it turned out fine in the end now didn’t it.” William said as he leaned over and kissed his ex sister-n-law on the cheek.
“Yes it did,” Cordelia sighed contentedly. She wouldn’t change her life for anything.
William peeked into the crib and grinned. “She’s gorgeous, just like her mum.”
Cordelia blushed at William’s comment. “Well thanks Will, but I have to admit I don’t fell very gorgeous right now,” she said running a hand through her hair.
“Nonsense luv, you look amazing,” he assured her with a grin.
“So what brings you to Boston,” Cordelia asked changing subject.
William let out a full laugh. “Never were one to beat around the bush luv.”
Cordelia shrugged her shoulders. “Nope, just saving both of us the time of small talk.”
“You know why I’m here,” he drawled knowing that Angel had told her what was going on.
“No, I know why Angel told me you were here, now I want to hear you tell me why you’re here.”
William sighed. “I came to spend the week with Buffy,” he stated simply.
“Do you still love her?”
“Yes,” he replied without hesitation.
“Then why the hell are you two divorced?”
William was taken aback by that one. “Huh?”
“Why are you two divorced?” Cordelia reiterated slowly as if talking to a small child.
“It’s complicated,” he explained.
“Then explain it to me.” Cordy insisted
Knowing his ex sister-n-law was not going to let this go, he pressed forward. “Fine. When Buffy came to Los Angeles for the hearing, we tried to settle out of court. We got in this big fight over the house and when things got a bit heated between us we almost kissed,” he paused for a moment and looked to see how Cordelia was reacting, when she just gave him an expectant look, he continued.
“Well I couldn’t take it anymore and I caved and told my lawyer to give Buffy whatever she wanted. Well apparently this made Buffy second guess herself and she came by my apartment that evening asking me if this is what I really wanted. One thing led to another and we uh…” he noticed the grin on Cordelia’s face and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “ Well anyways, we talked it over and decided that if we wanted to work things out we had to start over, clean slate and all that rot, and here we are today,” he finished with a sigh.
Cordy let out a laugh. “You two have got to be the most retarded people I have ever met.”
William scowled at her. “Well thanks luv,” he said dryly.
“No, I’m serious. Which one of you came up with that dumb idea?” She asked through her fits of laughter.
“Hey!” Spike said indignantly.
“Oh it was you was it,” Cordelia laughed harder and then winced as pain from her lower body pricked at her.
“That’s what you get for laughin’ at me,” William gloated.
Cordelia managed to compose herself and shifted herself in to a more comfortable position. Just as she was about to make fun of him some more, the door opened and Buffy walked in, eyes wide with surprise.
William saw the look on Cordelia’s face and turned around to see Buffy standing there looking like she had just seen a ghost and narrowed his eyes. Angel had set him up.
Buffy looked down at her feet. “Will I didn’t realize you were coming.”
Not quite ready to face Buffy just yet, he got up from his seat. “Yeah, well I was just leaving,” he said coolly.
“William Randall Giles sit your ass down right now,” Cordelia demanded. William was surprised by the tone she had used and quickly sat back down.
Abigail quickly made her presence known from all the commotion in the room. “Now look what you made me do,” Cordelia groused scowling at William.
Buffy quickly picked up the crying baby and handed her to her mother. Cordelia cuddled the baby to her and cooed gently in her ear to calm her down. Once she had calmed, she looked up and glanced between Buffy and Will.
“Now I want you two to sit down and be quiet. I have something to say and I don’t want either of you to say one word until I’m done, understood?” Buffy and William both nodded in agreement in fear of her yelling at them again. “Now, I know that you’re mad at Buffy for keeping you a secret,” she said looking at William. “And you have every right to be.” Buffy went to interrupt and Cordelia sent her a look, shutting her up immediately. “But, I can see why she did it.” This time it was William who went to protest. “I am not finished,” she warned. When she was satisfied they were both listening she continued. “Buffy was nervous about the relationship and wanted to make sure things were gonna work out before she went and got Angel involved, which by the way, probably was a good thing.”
Buffy smiled victoriously but sobered instantly when Cordy shot her a look. “Buffy don’t look so smug, you should have at least told Will that you hadn’t mentioned you guys were dating to your family.” Cordy said giving Buffy a disapproving look.
When neither William nor Buffy put up an argument she nodded her head approvingly. “Well now that we have decided that you were both in the wrong here, I want you two to talk this out and for Gods sake just kiss and make up already,” Cordy finished with a groan.
Buffy looked over at William and asked hesitantly, “Will do you think we can talk?”
When Cordy gave him an expectant look, he sighed. “Fine, let’s talk then.”
Cordy let a self-satisfied smile curl at her lips. “Good, now get out of here so I can feed my daughter and get some rest.”
Buffy gave Cordelia a quick hug and placed a kiss to Abigail’s head. “I’ll see you later.”
Cordelia turned to William and pointed to her cheek expectantly. William rolled his eyes and placed a kiss to her cheek. Cordelia grinned and whispered, “You’re welcome.” William kissed the small infant in her arms and sighed. “Yeah, yeah.”
Crossing the room, Buffy opened the door and stood in the doorway watching the exchange between her ex husband and sister-n-law. She knew the conversation between her and Will was not going to be pleasant, but it was going to happen none the less.
William crossed the room and waved goodbye to Cordelia once more before shutting the door behind him. Turning to Buffy, he let a mask of indifference cross his face.
“Alright then, start explaining.”
Huge thanks to Laura, Nicki, spufette, Debbie, MidnightGirl, DaniD, cordykitten, spikeshunny, Suzee, kim, Renee', Meekly, Mac ( Hey kid! I miss you!), Briana, frederique, Kimber, willowmouse, Raspy_Luv, jenny, and last but not least my phantom reviewer ..., LOL! Y'all have been great with the reviews and I can't tell you enough how much they mean to me. Kuddos and much luv!
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Sorry for not posting this weekend but I had to finish writing the last few chaps of this fic before I leave to go out of town next weekend. Oh! I was nominated at the Spuffy awards for Best Fantasy Long Fiction and for Fantasy Excellent Author!!!!! Thank you to whom ever nominated me, I am seriously blown away!