If Destiny Wills (19a/?)

[keeper444@xxxxxxxxx]

Sorry this sucker got good on me and grew out of control. There was no
good stopping point so it's split close to the middle for convenience. I
hope that's okay.
Enjoy.
Alex
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Title: If Destiny Wills (19a/?)
Author: Alex P.
Feedback: Please any comments or suggestions to: keeper444@xxxxxxxxx
Archive: Whatever or whoever Just tell me
 Summary: Sequel to A Higher Power
Spoilers: Starts where Next Illogical Step leaves off. Still in college 
Still near future. 
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy Willow Giles and any others from 
BTVS are the property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy etc. No
infringement of any kind intended and no money made. 
Warning: Contains scenes of a loving relationship between two consenting
women. If you have a problem with that (why are you here?) or it is
illegal where you live (I suggest you move to my end of the
gutter...quickly) then PLEASE DELETE THIS NOW !!!!!
Rating: PG
Pairing: B/W

Notes: This wouldn't be here if not for my beta Ralf, thanks bunches.
Also a big thanks to all of you that continue to send feedback, it keeps
the motor running. ~A~
   <>thoughts<>
   *****flashbacks****
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Title: If Destiny Wills (19a/?)
Author: Alex P. 
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The Slayer sat on Giles' couch. Her impatience would have been obvious
even to someone that didn't know her. 

To Willow the anger and frustration that radiated from her lover was an
almost living thing gnawing at her. The anxious witch had to scoot away
from her beloved Buffy to escape the painfully intense emotions that
flowed into Willow's mind, despite her attempts to block them out. 

The two girls waited for Giles to come back from the kitchen both
wishing he would hurry but for far different reasons. 
As if on cue, Buffy's mentor and ex Watcher entered the room carrying
three large mugs of herbal tea. 

After setting a mug in front of each girl the man retreated to his
favorite overstuffed easy chair. Willow took a sip of her tea and closed
her eyes savoring the comforting feeling the warmth and flavor provided
her over tired body. 

"Mmm...This is really good, Giles." Willow tried to lighten the tension
with small talk. "You've been experimenting again haven't you. I can
taste the chamomile and peppermint but there's something else. I just
can't make it out. Alright I give up what's in there?" 

"Well your right about the first two." Giles said, smiling at the girl
knowing what she was trying to do. "There is also ginseng and echinacea.
According the herbalist you told me about, it's supposed to help relax
while restoring energy and stamina. Do you like it?" 

"It's excellent." Willow answered "Did you like Cheryl? I met her
through some Wyccans I met on the net. She seems to kn..." 

"Enough babble!" Buffy roared unable to contain her anger any longer. 

Willow flinched like she'd been struck. Seeing that made the Slayer even
angrier. She launched herself off the couch. Unable to contain the
nervous energy that accompanied her rage, Buffy began pacing. Giles
watched her calmly, infuriating her even further. 

The ex-Watcher decided it was time to let his Slayer vent some of her
anger. 

"Judging by your outburst Buffy, you have some questions about tonight."
Giles said in the calm parent to petulant child voice that he knew
irritated the raging blonde even more. "If you would like...." 

"You're damn right I've got some questions." Buffy growled
sarcastically, interrupting Giles, her patience gone. "Like where the
hell were you while that demon bitch was feeling me up and the woman I
love was nearly killed?" 

Giles started to answer but the Slayer stopped him abruptly. 

"NO! Giles let me finish!" She said quietly, the barely controlled
menace clear in her trembling voice. "It's bad enough you call in these
people we don't even know and expect us to work with them and trust them
with the pressure that Wills and I are under after the last few weeks.
Then you leave us out there to be humiliated and nearly killed." 

Buffy didn't feel it but tears of rage and humiliation were flowing down
her face. She blamed Giles for her capture and the delay in freeing her
and, even worse, she blamed herself for Willow being nearly killed or
worse. 

To be honest, the fact that her lover had to be rescued by Angel, her
ex-lover, especially after she'd treated him so badly, really hurt. 

Although it could be argued that Buffy knew that her lover was capable
of handling a single vampire. It was also true that she had no idea
there was another vamp hiding in the shadows. 

She also knew she should have stayed with Willow until she'd finished
off her opponent, then they both could have gone after the escaping
vamp. That was the first rule of slaying, never leave a companion alone,
always stay together. 

But she'd broken her own rule and left the most important person in the
universe alone and vulnerable. She'd come close to realizing her worst
nightmare, losing the one thing more important to her life than
breathing. 

Willow was almost killed and it was her fault. That thought was eating
at the back of her mind fuelling her anger. 

As Buffy ranted and paced both Willow and Giles watched her intently,
never taking their eyes off the Slayer. But when the accusations and
incriminations became more personally aimed at Giles himself, Willow
watched the man out of the corner of her eye. She saw the pain in his
eyes and how his body jerked with every accusation Buffy sent his way. 

Seeing his anguish, and knowing that Buffy was just striking out at him
because he was there, Willow decided that it was time for her lover's
tantrum to end. 

As Buffy approached the couch on her next tour around the room, the red
haired witch reached out and gently took the Slayer's wrist, causing
Buffy to stop in mid-sentence and look into the eyes that held her heart
and soul. 

"Buffy, honey stop." Willow softly pleaded with her lover. "Let Giles
explain, I'm sure he can. Sit here with me sweetheart, please." 

Buffy looked over at Giles and saw the hurt written for her to see
clearly in his eyes and felt badly for having caused it. Looking back
into the eyes of her beloved, and seeing the request for peace in her
gaze, the mighty Slayer knew she was lost. 

She sat down on the couch feeling guilty for losing control. Willow
scooted over next to her Slayer and gently took her lover in her arms.
The witch could feel the tension leaving Buffy's muscles as her touch
relieved the Slayer's rage and guilt. 

"This had better be good." Buffy growled, letting them know she was
still not a happy camper. 

"Thank you, my love." Willow whispered, then nibbled lightly on her
Slayer's sensitive ear lobe bringing a soft groan from deep in Buffy's
soul. 

"You don't play fair Wills." the defeated blonde moaned pulling her
lover closer. 

"You love it though." whispered the red head. She placed a soft kiss on
Buffy's lips and placing a hand high on the muscular thigh of her
"victim", gave it a firm squeeze. "Don't cha?" 

"Abso-frickin-lutely." the Slayer whispered breathlessly as her heat
rose. 

Before they could go any further Giles cleared his throat loudly,
reminding the young lovers of his presence. 

Embarrassed for getting carried away the girls separated and turned
toward the ex-Watcher giving him their undivided attention. He wasn't
completely sure he really wanted it. 

"Alright Giles." Willow stated calmly. "I think we're ready to hear your
explanations now." 

The ex-Watcher shifted in his chair suddenly uncomfortable under the
intense gaze of his Slayer's lover. He'd practically raised both these
girls since meeting them as sophmores in high school, watching them grow
and mature into their roles as Slayer and Sorceress. 

Now under their combined scrutiny he was in awe of the raw power he
could feel radiating from them. It felt like electric shocks directly to
his brain effecting him on many different levels. 

Taking a big gulp of his tea, Giles swallowed hard then gathered his
thoughts and his courage and locking eyes with the girls he began hoping
they would understand his motivations. 

"I suppose the best place to start would be to explain the unexpected
extra help that showed up here tonight." Giles began, while making a
mental check list of things that needed to be covered during this
session. "As far as the Abbot and his brothers are concerned, they
contacted me through Jeffrey Fallon and requested to see you both. It
was implied that they had knowledge of a vital nature to share with you,
as it turned out they did. 
I thought since we were facing a powerful and unknown force I simply
believed we could cover two things at once. 
First, you know how the church can be, and by meeting with it's
appointed representatives we headed off several potentially serious
problems. 
Second, by repairing the ancient rift between the Sisters of the Soul
and the church, we would gain a powerful ally and resource that was
completely independent from the Watchers Council, and it would be ours
alone. 
I realized that when they expressed their desire that the council not be
informed of their involvement. Add to that their specialized knowledge
and the church's larger source of occult information, not only past but
present as well, gives us more than even the council can give." 

The ex-Watcher paused his narrative for a few moments to try to gauge
the two girls' reactions. By the look on Buffy's face he knew he had her
with the idea of further separation from the much despised Watchers
Council. 

Giles felt a little guilty for playing on the Slayer's hatred of the
treacherous Council, but he knew it would work and he needed her on
board quickly so he could get to the hard part, convincing Willow. 

The red haired witch had not only had dealings with certain religious
fanatics but, because of her Wyccan heritage, she already had a deep
distrust of the church and it's representatives. Giles was worried that
this would cloud Willow's view of the offer of assistance but, after
speaking with the Abbot and seeing the man was sincere in his beliefs
and his offer was genuine. 

They came to a shaky truce that gave them more crossbows with fairly
adequate marksmen behind them. The fact that the Abbot had brought
several rare and priceless artifacts of the Sisters of the Soul sect to
give to Buffy and Willow. 

Also the performing of a heretofore unknown betrothal ritual by the
Abbot himself had gone a long way toward gaining the hard won trust of
the young Sorceress and her companion. They had even acted pleased that,
when the Abbot and his companions left in the morning, their semi-friend
Jeffrey Fallon would be staying on as a kind of Slayer paramedic and
liaison between the Scoobies and the Abbot's order. 

"Okay, I guess that springing the church guys on us can be explained."
Buffy began then with a hard edge to her voice. "But you went behind my
back and called Angel, when you knew how I felt about him. What gave you
the right to..." 

"Buffy don't." Willow interrupted softly and placed a finger gently on
her love's lips. "Remember what would have happened if not for Angel." 

The Slayer turned and looked into the deep green eyes of her universe
and felt the unvoiced emotions swirling just below the surface
threatening to break through. 

She and Willow shared the horror and guilt that Buffy felt when she
remembered how close she'd come to losing the love of her life that
night. And then she felt the love, trust, and more than a little lust
that her soulmate had for her at that moment. 

<>This knowing each other's thoughts could have a real up side.<> Buffy
thought, as a smile spread across her lips when she saw a totally
unbusinesslike vision flash into her lover's mind. <>And it looks like
tonight's gonna be interesting!<> 
Both girls eyes took on a smoky sensual tint as they looked deep into
the promise of each other's soul. Then Buffy's eyes turned hard and cold
as she remembered the reason they were there and Willow knew she'd lost
her temporally to the rage in her warrior's heart. 

They turned back to Giles and he could see the angry demand for an
explanation in the Slayer's deadly cold eyes. Taking his cue from that
he began before she even had to ask. 

"Not telling you was an absolute necessity, Buffy." Giles tried to
explain. "Angel was my wild card. I was the only one that knew he was
there. I could not tell anyone that he would be watching over Willow,
especially not you or Willow." 
Giles held up his hand to stop Buffy's outraged protest. 

"Please let me explain." Giles asked pleading for her trust. "If you
remember, I told you I had seen evidence of a metaphysical attack on you
Buffy." 

When he saw acknowledgement in both girls eyes he continued. 

"Well that meant to me that somehow someone or something had gained some
kind of access to your mind, Buffy." the e-Watcher explained. "And
through you they had possible access to Willow. So you can understand
why I could not tell you about any special back up I had arranged." 

Willow nodded her understanding and agreement with her mentor's actions,
but feeling Buffy's still seething anger she knew Giles had other things
to explain. 

<>He'd better explain what she wants to know quick.<> Willow thought
watching her beloved. <>If he doesn't, he's gonna have ticked off slayer
exploding all over this house. It won't be pretty.<> 

The more Buffy thought about what Giles had said or more what he hadn't
said the angrier she became. She clenched her jaw grinding her teeth as
her hands curled into fists. Every muscle in her body was tight like a
coiled spring ready to launch her in every direction at once. 

"That's all fine." Buffy growled. Her anger was like a living thing
taking control of her mind and body longing to lash out at anyone handy.
"Now would you care to explain why you and the good Abbot stood by and
watched while that...that...BITCH put her sleazy hands all over me. Did
you have a good view? Was it a good show? Did it turn you all on?" 

By the time she finished the Slayer was standing over Giles, her face
nearly purple with rage, her body tensed for attack, her voice barely
above a whisper, but every word clear and concise. Both other occupants
could clearly hear and understand every word. 

Willow could feel her lover's anger getting out of control and knew she
had to intervene before Buffy attacked Giles, knowing that Buffy would
never forgive herself if she hurt her surrogate father. 

Stepping up behind her lover Willow gently wrapped her arms around
Buffy, trapping her arms to her sides. Knowing she was taking a big
risk, but counting on her lover sensing who she was, Willow began
planting soft kisses on the Slayer's neck and lightly nibbling at her
flesh. 

She knew this would distract Buffy just enough to get her anger under
control. 

"Easy baby." Willow whispered softly into Buffy's ear so only her lover
could hear. "You know this is Giles, not some stranger. We've sworn to
hear him out, cause he usually has a reason for what he does and you
know he would have stopped if he could have. Right Giles?" 

"Buffy, I swear to you if I had had any idea that the Countess would do
anything like that to you, I would have set up the ambush entirely
different." Giles began, hoping the vulnerable and humiliated girl would
understand what he was about to tell her. "It was the only way to free
you from whatever had taken control of your mind. 
I reasoned that whatever it was would have to be there to gain full
control of your faculties, and after seeing Willow defeat it in her
sleep I knew that her powers had increased at a fantastic rate. 
That led me to believe that she would be able to defeat it and
permanently free you from it's control. I also believed that the two of
you needed to join forces to overcome it." 

The former watcher paused to get a drink of his now cold tea and let the
girls absorb what he'd already said. 

"What I hadn't counted on was you separating from Willow." Giles
continued. "I knew she was more than likely safe, having entrusted her
safety to Angel. But when you came over that rise alone, it was the
first time all night that I was worried. 
Then when the demoness gained control of you so quickly, I was
admittedly caught unaware. My biggest worry was, if I sprung the ambush
too early the Countess would get away with you, Buffy. 
Knowing how much the two of you mean to each other and how unbreakable
the ties are between you, I knew that it would only be a matter of time
until she either gained control of Willow or the shock of losing you
would kill her. 
Even so I was going to risk it to get you back and I was about to order
the attack, especially when I saw what she was doing to you. Buffy, I
want you to know that when I saw that creature trying to violate you, I
am sorry but, I almost lost control and in doing so would have probably
cost you at the very least your life." 

Giles had to stop momentarily to regain control of his emotions,
reliving his moment of truth. Knowing that once again he'd acted like an
outraged father and not a watcher bothered him. 
He wondered if he was capable of doing his duty to the two girls that,
for better or worse, had come to depend on his judgement and trusted him
to know what to do to keep them as safe as was possible. 

++++++++++
End 19a
Part b in a few
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