Chapter: 28-29/?
Author: A.M. Glass
Copyright: April, 2000- not completed.
Overall Rating: PG-13-R
Disclaimer: The characters from “Buffy, The Vampire Slayer,” belong to Joss Whedon, et al. No copyright infringement is really meant or intended. All new characters are the sole intellectual property of the author… yeah, like anyone would want to borrow them anyway. This is a NON-profit excursion into fan fiction.
SPOILERS: Hmm, well, this story takes place during the fourth season, which means that both Riley and Tara are here. I do mention aspects of certain episodes, but not enough to give the entire episode away. This story does depart from the show, inasmuch as what took place in “New Moon Rising” hasn’t occurred. So, although Oz has left, he hasn’t come back.
Author’s Note: As you can tell by the date, I’ve been working on this little epic off and on for a little over two years now. The reason why it’s taken so long is another story in and of itself. I actually started writing this for a friend of mine who was/is touched that I would do that for her. I’d like to hope that she would enjoy the story, but due to circumstances beyond my control I won’t know. But, just in case, ‘B’ this is for you. Oh, quick note, you may notice that some chapters are longer than others. I have a tendency to just end a chapter at a certain part, because there’s something inside of me that says, stop here. Just thought I’d let you know in advance.
Feedback: Is up to you, but I’d really like to know what you think.
Thanks: Go to my beta readers for chapters 1-25 - Mel, Cathy, Allaine, thank you very much for putting up with me.
Special Thanks: To Fiona for going over the story from the beginning and continuing where the others left off.
Angst Warning: Yes there is. And perhaps even a hanky warning. I should let you know that I mention some issues that I generally don’t write about, but I felt they had to be in the story in order for it to work.
CHAPTER 28- UNVIELED
“Giles, what’s wrong?” Buffy asked as he put the telephone receiver down. She didn’t like the look on his face. Something was telling her that he wasn’t about to tell her that she’d won the lottery.
Wiping his glasses, he looked at the sleeping figures on the couch.
“Giles!”
Turning to Buffy he said, “We have a problem.”
“What else is new?” she asked rolling her eyes. “There’s always a problem. Give me a day without one and that’s a problem. What’s happening?”
“It... it seems Brianne,” he faced Willow, “found out.”
“Found out what?” Buffy asked as a sinking feeling hit her squarely in the stomach.
“According to this book,” he said as he walked over to the tome in question. “Brianne had no idea that Lord Germaine forced himself upon Hannah more than the one time she was told about.”
“Oh my God,” Buffy gasped.
“Yes. We had all thought that Brianne had found out later, perhaps years later, when Callum – Hannah’s son - was a young man.”
“So... what does that mean?” Buffy asked as her insides clenched at the news Giles was sharing with her.
“Either Brianne lied... or the acolyte decided to change things for reasons only known to him.”
“What does a cool light have to do with anything?” Buffy asked.
Sighing to himself, Giles wondered if Buffy would ever study any of the books he’d given her. “An acolyte is a cleric promoted to the fourth and highest minor order in the Latin Church, ranking next to a sub-deacon...” Giles paused as he saw that his explanation wasn’t helping. “Umm... the writer of the book.” He could swear that he actually saw the light bulb click on above her head.
“Oh. But... I... Giles... this isn’t making any sense,” Buffy said, her arms gesturing wildly. “Who’s to say which book is telling the truth?”
“There’s only one way to find out that I know of.”
“Oh no you don’t!” Buffy cried out as she followed his gaze.
“Buffy...”
“NO. No Buffy, let’s be reasonable crap,” she said regardless of his surprised expression. “We can’t. They haven’t slept in who knows how long. You said it yourself, you didn’t know how much longer Tara’s body could have taken, the stress it was going through. We can’t wake them.”
“Are you quite through?”
“I think so...” she said folding her arms across her chest “Unless you’re going to say something else that’ll get me started...”
“Buffy... do be quiet.”
Her mouth closed with an audible snap.
“Thank you. I would hope that you would have given me more credit. But, to allay your fears, however reasonable they may have been, I have no intention of waking them at the moment,” he paused long enough to see the relief on Buffy’s face before it turned into a scowl.
“I’m sensing a but here...”
“But...”
“I knew it.”
“When they wake,” he pressed on ignoring Buffy’s remarks. “I will need to speak to them.”
“Willow and Tara or...”
“Brianne. Although I do believe my best bet would be to speak with Hannah.”
“Why?” she asked.
“Well... if our version is true then Hannah obviously took precautions against Brianne finding out. She hid the fact very well... she persuaded Brianne's friends – her family – to keep her secret. I think Hannah would be a less volatile source of information,” he concluded. He saw Buffy’s expression. “Why are you smirking?” he asked.
“You wanna talk to Hannah ‘cause you don’t think she’ll get mad at ya! HA!!”
Pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose – resisting the urge to take them off and clean them – he replied, “To put it bluntly... yes.”
Buffy shook her head and turned her attention to her best friend. She noticed how well Willow and Tara seemed to fit together. And there was an inkling, a vague sensation that what she was seeing wasn’t just Brin and Hannah.
Willow's smile was a dead give-away.
Although Buffy didn't know that much about Tara - except what Willow had told her earlier - if she was the one who had brought Willow out of her shell, the one who could make her smile again after Oz, who was she to judge?
Not that she was judging. No – No judging here.
“Glass houses,” she muttered.
“What did you say?” Giles asked.
“Wha?”
“I thought I heard you say something about glass houses?”
“Nah. Just thinking out loud.”
“Well, as we don’t have anything else to do, I may as well fix something to eat,” he said as he walked to the kitchen. “You’ll be staying?” he asked as he opened the refrigerator door.
“Sure,” Buffy sighed. She sat down on one of the stools, taking another look at her unconscious friend. “Waiting bites.”
“Yes... yes it does,” Giles muttered under his breath.
Buffy smiled. Sometimes, being the Slayer had its advantages, she mused as she caught the comment.
* * * * * *
“Yes, this is Bernard Cooke. May I speak with Lady Pembrooke please, it’s very urgent. Yes, I’ll hold.” He kept looking at his notes, wondering if after all this time the end was finally at hand.
“Bernard... how are you? I was told it was urgent.”
“Lady Pembrooke...”
“Is something wrong?”
“It’s about the book.” Bernard heard an intake of breath on the other end.
“Has something happened?”
She had been down this road many times before. Her entire family going back countless generations had been waiting for this day to arrive.
“Yes.”
“Where,” she said softly. She couldn’t believe it.
“Some place called,” he glanced at his notes. “Sunnydale. It’s in the United States, California to be precise.”
CHAPTER 29- DESTINATION: SUNNYDALE
“All right... I don’t think I have any plans...” she said as she thought about her schedule.
“Elizabeth...”
“Yes, Bernard?”
“I do believe it’s both of them.”
“Do you realize what you’re saying?” she asked flabbergasted. ‘It can’t be both... it would be a miracle.’
“Yes.”
“Does Sarah know yet?” she asked.
“No. Not yet. I thought it best to inform you first.”
“Yes... yes. I understand,” she said as she sat down. “Tell me everything Bernard... everything.”
“Well... the two ladies – young women actually – are friends of an old acquaintance of mine, Rupert Giles...”
“Go on,” she instructed as she began to take notes.
* * * * * *
“Giles...”
In the process of jotting down more information that he’d found in his collection, Giles replied without looking up. “Mmm?”
“I think they’re waking up.”
Putting his pen down, Giles closed the book on past lives, stood up and walked towards Buffy. “Have they moved?” he asked, looking at the two women in question.
“No... but Will’s breathing has changed. It’s not as deep as it was five minutes ago,” Buffy answered.
“Really?”
“Yep.”
“All right, let’s welcome our guest. Whomever it may be.”
Eyes slowly fluttered open, blinking to focus. “Yuck.”
“Umm...”
“Hey.”
“Yuck... I didn’t chew on the pillow again did I?”
“Will...”
“Willow.”
“Tara? Is she okay?” she asked as she tried to peer at the blonde who was lying on top of her.
“Pillow?” Buffy asked.
“How long have I been out?” Willow asked.
“Not very long,” Giles said as he glanced down at his watch. “Perhaps five hours.”
“FIVE!!” Willow grimaced as she lowered her voice hoping she hadn’t woken Tara. “Five hours?”
“Give or take a minute,” Giles answered.
“Did Tara wake at all?”
“Nope, not a peep. And that’s great news for everyone but Giles.”
“Huh?”
“It’s like this Will... Hey!”
“Excuse us,” Giles said pointedly as he led Buffy to the kitchen.
“Let go!” Buffy demanded, knowing full well she could have gotten out of his grasp whenever she wanted.
“Buffy... I know you’re trying to help,” he said as he released her arm.
“First off, don’t do that again. And second... why did you pull me away?”
“I... I apologize for my behavior,” he said.
“Fine.”
“I’d rather not discuss anything with Willow at the present time.”
“Why?”
“I don’t want to trigger Brianne's appearance. I need to have Willow with us for as long as possible.
“Why didn’t you just say that earlier?”
“Buffy...” Giles warned.
“Umm... guys? A little help here,” they heard coming from the living room.
“Will?”
“What’s wrong?”
“Umm... I have a slight issue problem,” Willow said.
They quickly rejoined Willow in the living room, wondering what the problem could have been.
“I... I ah... I need to use the bathroom,” Willow said as a blush covered her cheeks.
“No biggie,” Buffy stated as she moved to the side of the couch and gently picked Tara up, freeing her friend.
Once Willow was able to get up she looked over at Giles, “She’s gonna be okay, right?”
“Willow,” he said gently as he watched Buffy place Tara back on the couch. He turned to her. “I can not honestly say,” he answered, shaking his head. “However... this is the best thing for her right now,” he said as he placed his hand on Willow’s shoulder. “She needs her rest.”
“All right,” Willow replied, her throat tight. “I’ll... I’ll be right back.”
“Do you really think she’ll be okay?” Buffy asked after Willow had left the room.
Fighting the urge to take his glasses off, Giles sighed. “I’m out of my element here Buffy. I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing,” he admitted.
>
at: 12/28/03 1:55 am