I'll love you today. I'll like you for always. As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be -- Summer 2010

I was finally able to travel after a year. I had been sending owls to my children and Bill.  We were hopefully going to be able to discuss custody issues while I was here.  I approached the home my twins grew up in without their mother.  I sighed and knocked on the door.  Bill and Dora knew that I was coming over... but I hoped that they would just let me have time with Seth and Ros.  I did not need to have another argument with Bill.

I heard the knock adn went to the front door.  I saw Annette standing there and there were all sorts of stirrings inside of me.  I smiled politely at her, but the memory of what she wrote in the letters kept me from embracing her like I had initially wanted.  "Come in," I said cordially, not wanting to argue right away.

I sighed, walking in behind him, closing the door.  "Can we at least discuss everything?" I questioned, knowing how ubll headed Bill could be.  I had lived with him and loved him for years.

What was there to discuss?  She was wanting to take the kids to Egypt.  I understood wanting to get to know them; they were wonderful kids.  But to take them away from me and Dora?  We raised them... Dora has been with the twins since they were two or three.  "Of course we can discuss this," I said politely,d espite my thoughts.  "Have a seat."

I sighed.  "Your tone tells me otherwise, Bill," I said, though I sat down anyways.  "I'm not trying to take them away completely... I just want some custody.  I don't see where there is an issue here.  I am their mother."

"You're still trying to take them away from their home," I said back to her, exasperated.  "Dora and I have raised them since they were three -- me the years beforehand.  I'm not saying you cant' see them... but you're not taking them away from me."  I would fight that with all my power.

It took exaggerated patience not to yell at him.  "Bill, I am their mother.  I have every right to see if they want to come stay with me in Egypt.  If you recall, that was their home for the first couple of years of their life -- even with just you before you moved back to England," I said to him.  "And I'm saying nothing about Dora - I am glad that she is there for you and for them.  But I'm awake now... it's time for me to have a real relationship with them.  Seth and Ros are my children, not hers.  Not that I'm not grateful to her, so don't take me wrong on that," I added quickly.

I glared at Annette.  "I do recall that, Ann.  And I also recall having to live there for two years while you were in a coma," I said to her.  "Do you realize how hard that was for me?  I had to come back home.  I needed the support.  I was a single dad with twins... that was hard enough to do while trying to work to support them.  And Dora... by God, if you insult her again by saying that they are not her kids, Annie, I don't know what I'll do," I added warningly.  I was not going to handle that well again, whether she meant it that way or not.

"It wasn't meant as an insult, Bill," I said to him, trying to keep my own anger under control, unlike what he was doing.  Bill always was hotheaded when it came to things that he believed in.  I was glad to see how much he was doing to protect his kids... my kids.  But he did not need to protect them from me.  "Bill, just give them the choice.  That's all I ask.  Let them choose; they're plenty old enough."

I looked at her; she had a point.  But not one I cared to deal with at the moment.  "Annie, why can't they just stay here?  You can have a relationship with them still," I said, not wanting my children to be so far away from me.  Now I understood what my own mother went through when Charlie and I had left.

I laughed, rolling my eyes.  "Oh yes, I'll have a relationship with them here with all of you constantly attacking em and judging me.  Tainting the awy my own children view me," I spat at him, shaking my head.  "If I knew that none of you would interfere, I would.  But I know better, Bill. I used to be a part of this family."

I was kind of surprised by that, to a point anyways.  I ran a hand through my hair.  Why did this have to be happening?  I sighed.  "Annie... we're only all interfering because your'e taking them away from me," I said to her.

"I'm not taking them away from you," I said to him simply, crossing my arms and glaring at him.  "I'm giving them a choice.  What's so wron gwith that?  I have the right to be able to get ot know my children now that they're grown."

I hated her for this.  I could not believe that I was even thinking that about Annie.  But she was hardly ever Annie anymore.  I sighed and looked at her.  "There's nothing wrong with that.  But they aren't old enough to be going out on their own like this," I said to her, knowing my comment would end up backfiring on me.

I glared at him.  "It's not like they would be alone, Bill," I snapped at him.  Why was he being so difficult?  I was their mother.  I deserved to be able tos ee them.  If I was incompetent, I could see his argument.  But I was in a coma, there was a big difference.  It was not my fault for not being a part of their lives.  In fact, I saved Bill by staying and nearly losing all ability in my lower half of my body.  I thought I had died... until I awoke and was filled in.  It was a long time in therapy to be able to walk the way I was, and even now I had to use a cane at times when it  became too much.  

I took a deep breath, needing to be the calm one in the situation since Bill clearly was not going to be the one to do so.  "Just give them the choice," I requested.  "I will respect if they want to stay here.  But, please, just respect their choice if they want to spend the summer with me.  I'm not trying to take them away from you and Tonks.  I just want to get to know my children as the adults they nearly are."  Yes, I used the word 'adults' for a reason.