This story takes place five years after Baby Time. Please R&R it means a lot!

"Mommy's home!" Five-year-old Sophia jumps off of the couch and races toward the front door.
Sonia follows closely after her sister just in time to hug her mother as her twin sister moves away.
"Hi sweetie how was work?" Anya asks kissing Xander after greeting both of her daughters.
"Good, it was good." Xander nods, "you're home early."
Anya's eyes narrow, "you've been giving them ice cream."
Xander smiles sheepishly, "a little."
Anya smiles and nods, she knew that when it came to Xander a little was a third of half of a gallon of sherbet ice cream. The three divided up the ice cream exactly, so that none of the flavors touched each other, lime going to Xander, orange going to Sonia and raspberry was Sophia's favorite.
"Daddy said we could have it." Sophia grins skipping back toward the living room to where she had left her ice cream.
Xander shrugs, "they don't have school tomorrow, I figured it would be OK as a special treat."
Anya sighs as she watches the twins from a distance, "they are going to be bouncing off the walls all night."
Xander holds up a finger, "no, no, no, our darling daughters are going to be on their best behavior tonight and are going to go to bed when we tell them."
Anya scoffs, "good luck Daddy."
Xander shakes his head, "I have tomorrow off, and Will's running the Magic Box for you tomorrow."
"Willow is?" Anya questions, "Why and who's going to watch Aubrianna and Tristan?"
"Believe it or not Spike is baby-sitting, and Willow is running the shop because I thought we could go to the beach for the day."
Anya's smile broadens, "I like that idea. Did you tell the girls?"
Xander shakes his head, "I wanted to wait until you got home."

"Mommy! Daddy! Wake up!"
Anya groans and opens her eyes a crack bombarded by Sonia sitting on her stomach, "sweetie could you get off my stomach? What time is it?"
"10 til 7." Xander yawns next to Anya sitting up in bed. "You sleep some more, I'll get them ready to go."
"You'll get them ready?" Anya asks warily.
"Yup," Xander plants a kiss on his wife, of 3 years, forehead. "We can't stop at McDonalds or something so you don't have to worry about making breakfast."
Anya smiles, content, glad not to have to get up and allows herself to fall back to sleep for a couple more minutes. That is, until screeches of laughter float from down the hall, Anya pushes the blankets off and moves out of bed.
Inching slowly toward the twins bedrooms Anya stops at the doorway of Sophia's room. The two bedroom's were separated by a sliding door that opened the two bedroom's up into a larger room. The sight that greeted Anya brought a smile to her face, both girls had their bathing suites on both suites were single pieces with crisscrossing straps in the back; the only differences in the suites was the fact that Sophia's suite was pink an Sonia's was red.
"Daddy we both want our hair braided in pigtails." Sophia states holding rubber bands out to her father.
"OK Sophie, honey Daddy can only do one thing at once." Xander states attempting to brush out Sonia's shoulder length dark brown hair.
"Psst," Anya whispers catching Sophia's attention, "come here."
"Morning Mama." Sophia greets kissing Anya as she scoops her into a hug.
Anya sits on the floor pulling Sophia into her lap, "let me braid your hair quick."
"Hurry Mama, I want to go to the beach." Sophia states unable to sit still in Anya's lap.
Anya's nimble fingers quickly braid the two sections of her daughter's hair, "all right go tell Daddy that you're ready to go."
Anya gets to her feet and peeking into the bedroom she can see how well along Xander's braiding creation is coming. "Daddy this isn't right." Sonia states as Sophia walks in, "that's how it's supposed to look."
Anya has to cover her mouth to hold back laughter, Sonia's hair are pulled into two ponytails that look more like they are tied in knots than braided. "Mommy fix my hair!" Sonia calls when she catches Anya in the mirror.
Xander looks relieved when he turns to find Anya standing in the doorway, "yes please, fix her hair."
Anya kisses Xander, "why don't you find snacks to take with us?"
"Snacks are my forte." Xander smiles.
In half the time that ti had taken Xander to make the mess of Sonia's hair Anya has undone it, brushed it out again and braided it. "Thanks." Sonia plants a kiss on Anya's cheek before hurrying after her sister and father.
Before making her way to her bedroom Anya quickly straightens the girls room and then dresses herself quickly. Pushing the drawers back in Anya catches sight of the pictures on the dresser. In a double picture frame sits a picture of Dawn at her graduation and Dawn on the day she had announced her engagement to her fiancé. The next was a family picture of Willow and the two children she had adopted, Aubrianna who was two years older than the twins and Tristan who was a year younger. The picture with Buffy had been taken the same day as Dawn's engagement and despite the fact that Buffy wasn't married and didn't have kids she seemed happy, perfectly content to spoil her nieces and nephew. The final picture was the one everyone liked to call the ultimate family picture, it had been taken only a month ago, in a studio and everyone, including Giles was in the picture.
"OK we are packed in the car and ready to go." Xander states upon finding Anya in the bedroom.
Anya raises her eyebrows at Xander, "do you plan on wearing your pj's to the beach today?"
Xander sighs, "I knew I forgot something. The girls are in the car ready and waiting for us to go."
"I'm sure they are." Anya smiles, "I'll meet you downstairs."

Anya watches her family contentedly, Xander and the girls were asleep under an umbrella. Xander lay on his back with arms spread out with one girl snuggled against each. If anyone had told Anya, even the day she was in labor with the twins, that she would give up a day of work to go to the beach with her family she probably would have laughed in their face. But somewhere in five years Anya had become Anya the mother, with two small girls dependent on her, instead of money driven, outspoken Anya.
The girls had had a good time and that was all that mattered to Anya anymore, they'd spent nearly three hours building a sandcastle with Xander, which had been torn down by a crashing wave just after Anya had snapped the picture.
Sonia, the bolder of the twins, loved the ocean and if they would let her would probably go into the water by herself. So after the sandcastle accident Anya took her in as far as Anya could stand while Xander followed with Sophia on his shoulders.
After lunch, just over an hour ago, the three of them had fallen asleep and hadn't moved since. Suddenly though Xander stirs gently pulling his arms free he walks toward Anya, who is sitting in a chair soaking in the sun. Before Anya can take into account what is going on Xander has scooped her into his arm carrying her toward the ocean.
"Xander," Anya gasps kicking her feet, "please don't drop me in the water. It's to cold for you to just drop me in."
"Ooops," Xander states slowly releasing his hold on Anya, "I'm losing my grip."
"Xander Harris if you..." Anya's threat is swallowed by Anya's intake of saltwater.
Before coming up for air Anya can't help the temptation to pull Xander's feet out from under him and the two come up, sputtering for air at the same moment. Once both have regained there breath Xander pulls Anya to him, they kiss leaving them breathless again. "I love you." Xander whispers into Anya's ear.
Anya wraps her arms around Xander's neck and whispers the same in return. But just as the two move to kiss again they turn to see Sophia and Sonia running towards them. As they reach the girls both pick up one swinging them around quickly as they walk back toward the water.

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