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That was a fast update right? Well for me it was, does it get me extra reviews? lol Just Kidding! Enjoy reading!
Chapter 15

“Yours?”

“If you’d allow me to, yes.”

What did that even mean Buffy wanted to know, she stared up at him and he just stood there holding the rose out to her. She hesitated but took the flower from him nonetheless, smelling the fragrance and held it against her chest. “I-“

Before she could even start her reply, Giles came in and whispered something to William; they talked hushed for about a minute or two. Then he turned back to her and she knew what was coming.

“Pet, I’m sorry but I need to go…”

Buffy tilted her head in question, anger already building up in her eyes.

“I promise to make it up to you…” he held out a hand to touch her, trying to make her understand that he didn’t want to leave just yet but she flinched away wrapping her arms around herself. William nodded his head, accepting what he got, “Giles will take you home…” with that he retreated.

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤

“You know, that really wasn’t the best time to call for me!” William threw the door to Angel’s office open. “This better be good.”

“You tell me…” Angel rose from his desk, picking up a package envelope on his way.

William had a dubious look on his face as he grabbed the envelope and opened it, “Bloody Hell! Where did you get this?” He looked at the sheet of paper closely as if inspecting if it were real.

“In the mail, from our dear friends the prosecutor,” Angel swung his leg up on his desk as William sunk into one of the chair, the paper still in his hand. “From your reaction, I’ll go out of the limb here and say that it’s true?” Angel asked but he didn’t get an answer. “Why’d you do it, Will?”

“It was a long time ago,” William ran a hand through his hair; this was definitely not of the good. “I didn’t actually file the damn thing… how did they even get it?” he wondered as he laid the piece of paper on the desk.

“I can’t believe you can even think of doing that, William!” he shook his head, “That’s your daughter, your own flesh and blood… How can you even think for even one second-“

“I made a mistake okay! Can you bloody shut up about it!” William bellowed. He already had enough guilt screaming in him, he didn’t need Angel stating to him the obvious. He knew what he had done before wasn’t the smartest or even the most decent thing a father could do. It was something he did when he was grieving, though that’s not an excuse, it was never meant to be found out by anyone, no one was suppose to get hurt. He had been troubled by guilt since then. He had a hard time trying to forget it, though he never truly did, you don’t just forget about these things, and now it’s coming back to haunt him. “I know what I did was… bad…”

“Bad? It’s more than just bad, Will! We’re talking about abandoning your daughter! Prudence!”

“I know,” he said through gritted teeth, “I couldn’t even see myself even thinking of doing it now… never!” he whispered. “So stop lecturing me on it!”

Angel held up his hands backing off. “I’m just here to tell you what’s what… and as I see it now… we’re in major trouble.” That got William’s attention. “This is perfect for them! Say that you never wanted Prue in the first place… that’s what happened if through the course of time you would think that she was just a hassle… like you did before…”

“But I don’t! She means the world to me… You know that.”

“Yes… but now you have to make the jury believe that too…”

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤

Buffy woke up from bed; she came home from the farm successfully holding on to her emotions. There were all in a jumble, she didn’t know if she should feel anger, disappointment, hope, should she even feel happy? One thing was for sure though, what William did, didn’t make her decision any harder.

Pulling out a piece of paper from the desk beside her bed, Buffy sat down, she needed to do this while her mind was still set, no reason in delaying the inevitable.

Satisfied with what she’d written, she folded the piece of paper and tucked it in her pocket, she needed to check on Prue. Willow had been kind enough looking out for her charge while she caught up with some much needed sleep.

She walked into the kitchen, finding it empty and bare. Joyce and Giles probably retired to bed early. Looking at the kitchen clock, it was definitely not early… well it depended on how you looked at it.

There was a note on the kitchen island addressed to her, it was from Willow. ‘Buffy, get some much needed rest. I’ll stay in with Prue for the night.’ Then there was a little smiley face beside her signed name. Buffy smiled inwardly, she really was lucky to have a cousin like Willow.

She opened the refrigerator, deciding to make herself a sandwich. Just as she was placing the cheese on her snack she heard a bang but dismissed it, there was always something lurking around the garden, something must have fallen. Then she grabbed herself a bottle of water and began to eat in the dark.

CRASH!

She definitely heard that, it seemed like breaking of glass. She jumped from her seat and stealthily made her way out the kitchen. But she heard nothing… just silence. She must have just imagined it, with her being drained and tired.

BANG!

She definitely heard that, she crossed the stairs over to the east wing of the house and down the hall. She saw light seeping from under William’s study. She pressed her ear to the door and listened intently. There was an evident sound of clicking glasses. She opened the door ajar and saw William on the lounge, the night lamp beside him the only thing illuminating the room.

He didn’t seem to feel her presence as he continued to down the shot he had just poured. She walked over to him slowly as not to surprise him. As she neared she could see the shreds of glass on the floor by the burning fire, it looked as if he had threw the bottle of liquor at the wall.

“William…” she closed in on him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He flinched and turned his head her way, his features softening once he saw that it was Buffy. He offered her a half-smile before turning back and continued drowning himself in alcohol.

Something came over Buffy, it felt peculiar, yet strangely it wasn’t an unfamiliar thing for her to feel for William. She found herself caring for him, wanting to know what was happening to make him act this way. She went and sat beside him as he offered her a drink which she declined.

“What happened here? This place is a mess, William.”

He waved at it dismissively, “Why? Do you care…”

“William please…!” She was trying to help him and he wasn’t making it easy.

“Wanna make me feel better, luv?” He asked groggily and poured himself another shot downing the contents in an instant. “It’s not emendable… don’t make it your business.”

“So that’s how it’s gonna be? You’re gonna shut me out? Think that will help you? Think again.” Buffy grabbed the bottle of scotch away from him before he could pour himself another. “This,” she wiggled the bottle in front of him, “Ain’t gonna solve your problems.”

“Tell me what will then!” William snatched the bottle back, drinking it straight from the container. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, “’Coz nothing helps! Not a single damn thing… nothing…” he bent his head down, hand clutched on the bottle tightly. He drank another gulp down, “So tell me, luv… what will help. I’m dying to know.” He said each word, slowly looming over her, Buffy could practically feel his breath on her, the smell of alcohol in her face.

Buffy didn’t know what to say, she had no idea how to make his pain stop. She just knew she can’t keep seeing him like this… she can’t leave him like this.

But she needn’t worry about her answer for William continued on, “Because the whole world just thought that it would be a great time to fuck up my life, God knows I have enough problems! Everything I say… everything I do… it’s never good enough…it’s never right.”

Buffy couldn’t stand seeing him like this, he had the urge to wrap him in her arms, she opted to slipping her fingers through his, lifting the bottle from his hand and placing it on the coffee table as she intertwined his fingers with hers and giving his hand a squeeze.

William looked down at their intertwined hands, then looked up at her with question in his eyes, “It’ll be okay…” she whispered holding on to him tighter. “Whatever it is... that you did, it’ll work out.” Green met blue as she looked deep into him, but he shunned away shaking his head.

He untangled her hands from his and visibly moved away from her. “I don’t think so… what I did… it’s unforgivable.” Buffy placed a hand on his shoulder. “You don’t understand, Buffy. I thought of giving her up… I wanted to give her up. I wanted to abandon my own daughter. Let another family take care of her because I thought she didn’t deserve me… but that’s not true. It’s me who doesn’t deserve her… yet I’m being selfish. I don’t want to lose her…”

She placed her hands on his cheek, for the first time she saw vulnerability in his eyes, he was frightened, scared. Scared, that his little girl was going to be taken away from him. “You’re not being selfish. You love her… that’s enough.”

“Is it?” he tilted his head towards her warm hands, closing his eyes enjoying the comforting feeling he was receiving from her. “I didn’t before…”

“Of course you did,” she answered softly yet firmly. “No parent doesn’t love his own child.”

Resting his head on her shoulder, William moved closer to her, seeking comfort. “I didn’t want her…”

“Do you really believe that?”

“Why else would I have-“

“Shh…” she ran her hands through his hair, tousling his curls. “It doesn’t matter what you did or thought of doing before… it was the past. What matters is now.”

“But they-” he insisted.

“When did you ever care what they thought, huh?” She squeezed his shoulders, as if assuring him that she was there for him.

William gave out a raspy laugh, “Never. But it’s different now…” he argued, his eyes were starting to feel heavy. The alcohol was getting to him, his sight were getting blurry as he blinked fast trying to clear them.

“You’ll get through it… I know you will.” She scooted over to ease him to her lap, he was starting to fall asleep she could tell it from his voice, he was fighting to keep awake, fighting the pain inside of him.

“Why are you so good to me?” He ground his head on her lap, “After what I said...”

“Shh…” she settled her hand on the top of his head, playing with his hair, “none of that… not now…” He raised his hand to hold hers and she accepted it giving it a squeeze and kissing his palm before wrapping it around his sleeping body.

He weakly nodded his head from her lap, letting his eyes fall shut. “Don’t leave…” he mumbled through closed lids, snuggling deeper into her lap.

Buffy kissed his forehead, his hold on her hand tightening but she didn’t answer.

Time have passed as Buffy sat with William sleeping in her lap, she had allowed herself some shut eye in the process. The fire from the mantel had burned out; the sun was peeking on the horizon. She allowed herself to look down on William, tossing some of his curls away from his face. He was still fast asleep, breathing softly hand still clasped tightly on hers.

Slowly she eased him off her lap, he mumbled in his sleep. As if complaining from the lost of contact, he burrowed deeper into the couch. Buffy grabbed a duvet from one of the lounge chair and draped it over him. She gave him one last kiss on the forehead before walking around the couch.

She suddenly stopped over William’s desk, fumbling with the piece of paper in her pocket. She stood there for a good minute or two pondering her move. Finally coming to her decision she slipped her hand out of her pocket and placed the paper on the desk. With that she shut the night lamp off.

to be continued...





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