Prophecy's Curse 7b

[keeper444@xxxxxxxxx]

Here ya' go guys as promised the second part of this chapter. Hope y'all
like it.

Later
Alex
+++++++++++++++++++
Title: Prophecy's Curse (7b/?)
Author: Alex P.
Feedback: Please any comments or suggestions to: keeper444@xxxxxxxxx
Archive: Whatever or whoever Just tell me
Summary: A year after "If Destiny Wills It" and a whole new threat has
come to town, that will test the Slayer and Great Sorceress's new found
powers. Part of a small series "The Return of Legends"
Spoilers: This is my own twisted little universe and, while there are
characters and Sunnydale from the show, their skills and places in these
stories are purely of my own demented imagination. Sorry if it offends
(not).  
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: Possible PG-13 to R in some places.
Pairing: B/W

Thanks to my beta Shyfox she's done the best she could with what I gave
her. Great work!!!

   [[thoughts]]
   ***flashbacks***
++++++++++ 
Prophecy's Curse (7b/?)
By: Alex P. 
++++++++++ 
Judging by the look in everyone's eyes Giles was sure he had everybody's
undivided attention. 

[[I certainly hope they pay attention]] the ex-watcher thought as he
took another long sip of the expensive glass of scotch. [[This is one
story I really don't wish to repeat]] 

"In the late spring of 1886 a new slayer was called." Giles began "Her
name was Mina Murray, and before you, Buffy, she was one of the most
successful Slayers of all time. 
Like you, she too had a "close friend" by the name of Lucy Westenra, and
the 
journals hint at her having strong supernatural powers, that she used to
assist her Slayer in the same manner as you, Willow. Together with
Mina's watcher, a Jonathan Harker, they did a remarkable job of holding
back the forces of darkness. 
That is, they did until the last part of August in 1888. That was when
rumors of an ancient and powerful vampire had come to London and was
creating quite a stir in the Whitechaple area. " 

Giles stopped to take another drink, then turned back to begin again
when he was interrupted by Cordelia. 

"Are you trying to tell us that this Dracula guy was 'Jack the Ripper'?"
She inquired. 
Everyone turned and looked at the former May queen surprised that she
even knew who 'Jack the Ripper' was. "Because if you are then I have to
tell you he wasn't." 

"How do you know that Cordy?" Xander asked trying unsuccessfully to hide
his pride that his girlfriend not only contributed, but knew something
none of them did. "Where did you learn about the "Ripper" 

"Well, I know you guys think I'm "Miss Perfect"," Cordilia stated flatly
"but when I was in Junior High, I went through this dark phase. All I
wore was black, and I was constantly reading about death, and murders
and stuff like that, and the 'Ripper' case always intrigued me." 

"So "C" what makes you think you know who he was," Buffy asked
incredulously "I've heard hundreds of real detectives have studied that
case, and none of them know for sure who the Ripper really was." 

Cordelia looked at Giles who looked back at her, and nodded. He already
knew the true identity of Jack the Ripper. He let her have the spot
light on this one. Giles firmly believed the ex-cheerleader earned the
right to her moment in the sun. 

"I know because he told me." she answered smugly. 

"What?" Xander cried out in surprise, and worry, knowing that the woman
he loved was anywhere near some psychopath like that. "When did you meet
'Jack the Ripper', and better yet why didn't you tell me?" 

"Well, by the time I could have told you it was over," Cordilia defended
"geez Xander, Macho much!" 

"Sorry honey." Xander sighed knowing he was acting like some big dumb,
macho Neanderthalic jock "It's just that I worry sometimes, and when I
find out you never told me something like you spent time with Jack the
Ripper, it's kind of hard not to get upset, ya' know?" 

"I know my big, strong, protector." the beautiful young woman purred
into her lover's ear, causing him to blush outrageously "I'll give my
big, tough, bodyguard a closer look at what he's guarding, later." 

Xander blushed even more than anyone thought possible, and his
girlfriend giggled at his obvious embarrassment. Buffy and Willow smiled
knowingly at the two young lover's, both happy that their friends had
found each other. 

"Ah...Cordy...Ahem!" Buffy finally got the ex-prom queen's attention,
and tried to refocus it on the matter at hand. "Are you going to nail
Xander there on the couch, or are you going to tell us who the Ripper
was? One or the other, cause if it's Xander, I gotta tell ya', I am *so*
outta here." 

"Eeeewww! Buffy! Bad visual place!" Willow wailed reprimanding her mate.
"You gotta stop doin' that." 

"Sorry Wills" Buffy apologised with a quick kiss. "Won't happen again.' 

"Now," the Slayer said turning back to her friends "Out with it "C", who
was the famous 'Jack the Ripper' so Giles can finish his story. K?" 

"Okay, sorry about that." Cordilia began, "When Spike took Willow and I
hostage, and Willow was still unconscious, he decided to try to scare me
more than I already was, like I could get more scared. So he began
describing all the different methods he had used to kill others in his
long life. 
While he did that, some of the descriptions sounded familiar, and while
he talked, my mind sorted through all the information I'd picked up in
Junior High, and then it hit me, that he was describing the Whitechaple
murders. 
So I asked him and he was real proud that I remembered his work. 
Then he told me that it was only partly true, that he was only
responsible for three of the murders and that something far more
powerful had killed the very first one, the one that no one is sure of,
and the last one. 
He said the last one was part of an ancient ritual that he wanted no
part of, and that the kind of magics involved would destroy a mere
vampire. 
So you see, if for no other reason than he killed most of the women,
Spike was Jack the Ripper." 

With this revelation everyone sat in silence, until Buffy realized that
the scratching sound was Dr. Jeffrey writing in a leather bound book,
that looked like a Watcher's journal. She narrowed her Hazel eyes, and
watched the monk turned warrior of the Light, and their supposed ally,
by order of the Church, as he wrote feverishly. 

Willow noticed her wife's distraction, and hostile posture then she
followed her gaze till she saw what was upsetting her lover,and smiled. 

"Buffy," Willow whispered "kind of reminds you of Giles when he first
started doesn't it?" 

"Yeah it does." the Slayer growled suspicions clearly written on her
face "Are you sure he's not some council spy?" 

"Yes Buffy, I'm sure." the young red head told her partner. "I asked him
to keep a record of what happens and what we learn for the church, and
for those that come after us. Like the Watcher's library, only the whole
story, and a truthful record, instead of forcing what we believe on
someone else. Is that alright, I know I didn't ask you but I figured you
wouldn't mind considering all the nasty lies we know the council is
going to write about us. Was I wrong?" 

Buffy saw a tear fall from her beloved's fabulous green eyes, and felt
the familiar tightening in her chest. She reached out and pull her witch
to her and gave the red head a fierce hug hoping it would help her
forget Buffy's mortality. 

"Of course you did the right thing," the now teary eyed blonde said "and
as usual for all the right reasons." 

After that everyone remained silent, thinking about what they'd already
learned, until Dr. Jeffrey finished writing. Then the group turned to
Giles as a signal for him to continue his story. 

"Ah...yes now where was I?" Giles sorting out his thoughts. 

"Mina Murray, Lucy Westenra and Jonathan Harker." Willow prompted him. 

"Yes that's right the betrayed ones." Giles mumbled, before anyone could
speak he held up his hand to stop their questions, "That is how I've
always seen them, it's one of the reasons I've never completely trusted
the council, as the story goes on you'll understand everything." 

Giles sat up now that he was once again the focal point of the room. He
took a quick sip of his drink and sighed as the potent amber liquid sent
it's warmth throughout his system. 

"Alright, now let's see, I think we can skip through the "normal"
occurrences just suffice it to say that since the main Hellmouth at that
time was in London the council was able to keep a closer eye on Mina's
behavior." Giles countenance darkened as his story progressed. "After a
while the council began to question the Slayer's loyalty, along with
that of her watcher. 
It is my belief that Mina, and her friends began to notice the
inconsistencies in the council's methods, and were becoming
disillusioned much as you were Buffy. It was then that the Whitechapel
murders began. 
It is my belief now that the council had something to do with calling
Dracula to London, and that Martha Tabram was a street person they
sacrificed in order to contact that being. I won't go into the entire
sordid tale, but after several clashes between Mina and Dracula, Harker
was severely injured and confined to the hospital, Mina Murray had all
but abandoned the council, and Lucy Westenra was dead. 
This last being enough to destroy any fighting spirit the poor girl had
left, especially considering Ms. Westenra was killed by a crossbow
bolt,which leads me to believe that it was the council that murdered the
misfortunate young woman. 
In the end the council called in an old fanatically religious, Watcher
who was also a Rabbi named Abram Vanhelsing. From here everyone believed
that the conflict went to the continent where Dracula was defeated and
everyone lived happily ever after. 
Nothing could be further from the truth, some persistent researcher kept
digging until he unearthed the original version of Jonathan Harker's
journal. 
According to it, the final battle took place in London, and when it was
revealed that Mina Murray was the reincarnated soul of Dracula's one
time love Elisabeta Hunyadi, Vanhelsing, with the council's full
knowledge, and consent killed Mina Murray, in front of Dracula's very
eyes." 

Giles stopped his story there for a moment while everyone else sat
stunned to silence, he was able to take a long drink of scotch, savoring
the calming effect it had on his over stressed nerves. 

Then the watcher sat back and waited for the storm of outrage and
confused questions to commence. 

He didn't have to wait long, and as he guessed it was Willow that spoke
first. 

+++++++++ 
END 7b
TBC 
+++++++++ 
There it is such as it is, have I started boring you yet? The next part
should be out some time next week. Until then cya.
~A~