Buffy the Vampire Slayer ? Intervention
FanFiction by Phoen Dusk
Chapter IV: Glimpses
?What the Hell is this??
Uriel winced as Faith held the gold folder, shaking it
in her fist. Apparently, she had read enough to know that he had
intimate knowledge of every critical moment of her life, mostly involving
the years she spent in Boston. ?I told you who I work for.
You think She would have an incomplete file on you??
?It would make sense, yeah, but some of this shit is wrong.?
?What?!? The fallen angel was flustered by the accusation.
Every assignment he had ever been given was exact to the minutest detail.
?That is not possible.?
?Look, it?s my life, I know what happened. My father
never touched me. He wasn?t around long enough to try.?
?Let me see.? He examined the file, checking where
she had mentioned. He handed it back to her soberly a few moments
later, keeping his thumb at a specific point on the page. ?Look at
the date.?
The younger Slayer did so, the color draining from her
face paled as she collapsed into one of the chairs. ?That? son of
a bitch. I was? I was just a baby.? She dropped the file to
the ground, cradling her head in her now unoccupied hands.
Uriel watched as her body began convulsing, while droplets
of water silently slipped between her joined palms. ?You should know
your mother threw him out? she thought telling you he left would be a bit
easier on you. I am sorry she never found out what kind of degenerate
the son of the other guy she married was.? He watched as she sat
up straight, wiping the tears from her face before failing to regain her
cool façade.
?No biggie. Already over it. Really.?
?Uh-huh. Sure. Just like I got over being
cast out.? He saw a genuine smile grace her features, enticing him
to reply in kind. ?You were right, though. You and I are quite
similar.?
?I guess? wait, you listened in on what I was saying??
?Not intentionally, no. I have very acute hearing.?
He watched as she began to regard him with caution, and listened to the
subtleties in her tone as she made her next query.
?Exactly how much did you hear??
?All of it. Nothing will be said to Elizabeth if
you wish.? Her _expression_ remained impassive, but he continued on
regardless. ?How long have you known??
?Known what??
?That you might be in love with her??
Faith rose quickly from her seat, knocking back her right
hand to deliver a punch directly into Uriel?s jaw. She watched his
face, noting that neither his tone of voice nor his _expression_ had indicated
any sort of mockery. Sighing, she lowered her arm, dropping once
more into the chair behind her. ?I thought She looked down on that
sort of thing.?
?You are kidding, right? That ?proclamation? was
handed down from a group of ignorant people lashing out in fear at a concept
they were unable to grasp. Everyone claims to understand love, but
very few people actually ever have. Why do you think so many religions
want to ignore reincarnation? Because it suggests that not everyone
gets to rest after their time here; that you might have to come back to
settle unfinished business or learn something you failed to or ignored
last time; or that you and your soul mate might come back as the same gender.?
?Soul mates?? The dark-haired Slayer seemed to weigh
the idea for a moment, but stopped as her companion interrupted the thought.
?I am not saying you and Elizabeth are soul mates, Faith.
In addition to that, some soul mates never become romantically involved.
There are three pure forms of intimate relationships: loves, true loves,
and soul mates.?
?Okay, so what?s the diff??
?Since you asked so nicely?? He caught her grinning
from her seat and placed himself in the other chair opposite her.
?Loves are people who meet while here and fall hopelessly for each other?
at first. The soul rarely comes into play in this type of relationship.
Some of the people getting married these days tend to fall into this category.?
?Kinda explains the high divorce rate.?
?Hardly. A high number of those marriages are born
of either blind, animalistic urges that occur in two people at the same
time or are marriages of convenience. Those people tend to get the
idea of loves and lovers confused.? He waited for a moment for a
response from her. Observing an impatience in her eyes, he continued.
?True loves finding one another is a great rarity, even
in this well-connected day and age. They are often two souls with
similar experiences and personalities who find each other in an attempt
to move towards completion together. They tend to have similar backgrounds,
goals, personalities? they compliment one another on virtually every level.?
?Okay, so maybe B and I fit into that category??
?I cannot honestly say, though your dissimilar personalities
tend to make me think otherwise.? Taking her silence as a cue, he
moved onto the final classification.
?Last are soul mates, which are an entirely different
story. The chances of two soul mates encountering one another is
higher than you would expect since they inadvertently seek each other out.
These are two souls who offset each other, one possessing what the other
does not and finding greater power by joining together than being apart.
This is the classic story of two forces melding into one ? yin and yang,
for example.?
?So B and I might be soul mates??
?Possibly. What you need to understand, Faith, is
that the kind of completion soul mates can give one another can also be
a driving force that keeps them apart, as well. You two seem to carry
some of the traits, but I have seen instances where two such people are
never friends, let alone more than that. In fact, some of the foremost
rivalries in history were between soul mates.?
?Shit. Are you telling me to back off??
?Of course not. Well, not right now, anyway.
When I start training you??
?Hold up. Training me??
?Remember the comment you made that I never mentioned
why I was here?? Uriel watched as she gave a slight nod of acknowledgement.
?Well, another dark force is on its way with every intention of catching
all of you off-guard.?
?Hey, we?re Slayers. We were born to deal with that
kind of sitch?.?
?You have been in a coma for eight months, and given your
shoddy combat performance last night??
The taller Chosen stood at that remark, visibly offended.
??Shoddy?? I was doing a pretty good job of kickin? your ass.?
?Yeah, you did really well for someone beating on an unmoving
target.? The fallen angel took to his feet slowly, leveling his gaze
at the dark-haired woman in front of him. ?I could have blocked every
last one of your attacks. With my eyes closed.?
?You wanna go right now??
As he caught the mirth in her eyes, his ears detected
a sudden, overwhelming silence in the conversation occurring beyond the
patio doors. He was prepared to listen more closely when Faith charged
him, apparently ready to begin her first session.
<*> Angel Investigations <*> Los Angeles, CA <*>
Cordelia Chase was currently seated at her desk, attempting
to gain a better understanding of the office computer. Angel had
no clue, Wesley was barely any more help, so she resigned herself to turning
to the one source available to her for assistance.
?Tech Support.?
?Yes, hi, I seem to be having a slight problem with one
of your computers.?
?Could you hold, please? Thank you.?
?Wait, I?? Sighing in resignation, the brunette
began to take stock of her life, rather than suffer the indignity of listening
to the muzak droning in her ear.
A few years ago, the words and phrases people used to
describe her usually included shallow, vain, self-centered, and materialistic.
What most of them never considered was the concept that she might, like
many others, wear a mask. Everyone saw who the ?bitch-queen? in full
glory took it as Gospel, never bothering to check if anything lay beneath
the surface. Cordelia acknowledged to herself that a few years ago,
there wasn?t.
Her life began to change when Buffy Summers transferred
to her high school. As with any newcomer, the tall, toned brunette
immediately greeted her in full attack mode. To her mild surprise,
Buffy never backed down from the challenge, which only made her increase
the amount of derisive remarks directed towards the blonde and her friends.
Had she known at the time she would become an integral part of the ?loser
squad? she often insulted, or that her father would cause the downfall
of her social status, the former cheerleader might have been less vindictive.
Then again, probably not.
One thing Cordelia missed about having money: lack of
waiting. In all honesty, it was one of the many things she actually
missed about having money. As the muzak continued to lull her into
a catatonic state, she contemplated how much capital these companies made
by charging you as much as the phone sex lines per minute of ?help? you
received. Unlike the smut though, you could be expected to not receive
your money?s worth. In the back of her mind, she pictured what the
rooms with these ?technicians? looked like: rows of side-by-side desks
with phones and PC terminals, conspicuously empty, though all the lines
had people on hold ? while the workers stood around the coffeemaker, gabbing
about their weekends, families, and sexual conquests.
?This is Maxine, how can I help you??
The sudden appearance of a voice brought Cordy out of
her trance. It also triggered another migraine that she had vowed
to one day properly thank Doyle for.
?Miss? Miss, are you all right??
Panting from the severity of the vision, the struggling
actress found enough ragged breath to speak. ?Yeah. Fine.
Gotta go.? She hung up the phone, completely disregarding the fifteen
minutes she had just spent on hold. Drawing on her reserves, she
spoke one more word at the top of her lungs. ?Angel!?
As the door to his office was flung open, she looked to
see the face of the familiar ensouled vampire standing there, concern visible
on his features. ?Cordelia, what is it??
?Trouble.?
?Who??
?Buffy.?
?Road trip??
?Looks that way. But this time, we?re all going.?
?Cordelia, you know??
?Look, this isn?t by choice. You know how much I
love the idea of revisiting Sunnydale without a starring role in a major
movie playing.?
Passively accepting defeat, Angel responded. ?Okay.
What about Wesley??
?Call him. He needs to come with.?
?That bad??
?Remember the demon army when??
?Yeah.? The memory of the loss suffered was powerful
enough without mentioning his name. ?They?re back??
?No. But whatever is coming makes them look like
the Boy Scouts.?
?I?ll call Wes.?
?I?ll call Giles.? She caught his stare and furrowed
her brow in response. ?We are going to need a place to stay.?
?Um, Cordelia, are you forgetting I have two different
places??
?No, but those of us still alive enjoy waking up to sunlight.?
Making a noise akin to a sigh, Angel walked back into
his office to call the former Watcher under his employ.
<*> Angel?s Mansion <*> Sunnydale, CA <*>
To say that the conversation between Slayer, best friend,
and Watcher was not going well would be an exceptional understatement.
In the first five minutes, no one had said anything. After that,
the dialogue had exploded, swiftly beginning a descent into chaos.
?Buffy, if you knew Faith was here??
?Giles, I only found out when I ran into her at the school.?
?And you didn?t see fit to contact us??
?I didn?t know she was going to be there, Giles.?
?Buffy, why did you leave so late??
?I don?t know, Will. Why weren?t you back when I
left??
?That isn?t the issue.?
?It sure seems to be the issue. What, I don?t need
to know where you are, but I have to tell you where I?m going??
?Buffy, please. We were merely concerned for your
safety.?
?My safety? Seems like you?re more interested in
who I?m socializing with these days.?
?At least Riley isn?t trying to kill you.?
?No, but the Initiative did and you?re still upset I was
hanging around with them for a few days.?
?All of a sudden they were more important to you than
all of us. We?re supposed to be best friends, but it felt like you
were just tossing me aside.?
?Really? So, why is it that the first I even heard
of Tara was during the whole body-swapping debacle? Hi, Tara.?
?H-hi.?
?Had you actually bothered to notice I was gone, rather
than spending all your time with Riley, maybe I would have introduced you
sooner.?
?Ladies, please, could we just?? The ex-Watcher
found himself cut short by both his former charge and the redhead.
?No!?
?Buffy, I?m worried about you. We never talk anymore.?
?That isn?t entirely my fault. Kind of hard to have
a heart-to-heart with someone when they aren?t around.?
?So you just decided to be all buddy-buddy again with
Faith??
?It isn?t that simple. She needs my help, and this
time she?s willing to accept it.?
?You didn?t have to come back here with her, you know.
They are better places to talk to her. Like a jail cell.?
?Will, you don?t understand??
?Of course I don?t, Buffy! She?s evil! She
tried to kill you!?
?I know, but? it?s complicated.?
?Buffy, I don?t see why you couldn?t have contacted us.?
?See? Even Giles knows she?s evil!?
?Willow, that isn?t what I said.?
?What is wrong with the two of you??
?Us? Buffy, she tried to kill you, Xander, and Angel?
and you had your head in her lap!?
?I can explain that.?
?Do go on.?
?Um? I was tired??
?You were sleeping? With Faith??
?Hey!? The voice of the blonde Slayer dropped a
few decibels after that comment, causing the others to work to hear her
next statement. ?I was just using her leg for a pillow.?
?Uh-huh, right, and I?m sure that guy with the really
long braided hair outside with her is just some big, cuddly bunny-hugger.?
?No, an ex-angel.?
The sudden silence that followed that statement was deafening.
When it ended, scarcely ten seconds later, the voice that shattered it
was not the one expected.
?W-what??
The more experienced Chosen looked to Tara, who had barely
been acknowledged in the course of the argument. ?An ex-angel.
Well, to be more accurate, a fallen angel, but I guess I should let him
explain it to you.? Turning to see how the outdoor conversation with
her younger counterpart was going, Buffy shielded her eyes as the man in
question came flying through the glass patio doors. The younger Slayer
quickly followed, casting her eyes downward to her sparring partner.
?Now who needs training?? Her gaze turned to the
others currently in the building, then to the glass littered on the floor
beneath her feet. ?Oops.?
?Faith, what are you doing??
?Be calm, Elizabeth. She was simply practicing her
?attack while they?re distracted? technique.?
?Sorry about the mess, B.?
Giles stood in mute shock. Willow was doing a wonderful
impression of him at the moment, while Tara seemed to be unsuccessfully
trying to avoid the scope of Uriel?s vision behind the petite redhead.
She noted her actions to be fruitless, given that he had apparently decided
to track her movement from his place on the floor. She watched as
he stood, casually brushed away fragments of glass clinging to his clothes,
and began walking towards her. Well, towards all three of them, but
his eyes seemed to be focused on her.
The dark-haired former angel stood before the trio, though
the blonde had captured his attention. He could swear knew her from
somewhere, if only?
?You?re an angel??
Uriel looked to Willow, glimpsing the mixture of tentative
awe and prominent disbelief accompanying the question. He had seen
the look many times in his travels, though there seemed to be a hint of
hope involved this time. ?I used to be one, yes.?
?So, what?s God like?? Giles doubted the validity
of the dark-haired gentleman?s identity, though he did reflect on the cynicism
of it. He, along with most people, could readily accept the notion
of demons and other forces of evil, but anyone claiming to be from the
other aspect of the supernatural was obviously insane.
?The Lady is?? He paused for a moment, searching
for a word comprehensive enough. ?There are scant few mortal words
which could vaguely describe her, though they are all from a language which
has been dead almost as long as I have been down here. The only word
which could possibly do Her any sort of justice is unpronounceable with
corporeal limitations.? His face gained a peaceful, ethereal countenance
as those assembled in the room were transfixed by the thought locked behind
the ancient eyes of the Fallen.
The redheaded witch was unable to tear away as well, until
she felt a warm sigh ripple along her right shoulder, caressing it from
behind. She twisted her torso clockwise slightly, observing a mirrored
look situated behind Tara?s gaze? though there seemed to be a tear attempting
to escape the bonds of her left eye. She decided that the inquiries
would have to wait until later, as the tallest person in the room resumed
speaking.
?Yet another topic for later. Ms. Rosenberg, Mr.
Giles, I need to speak to the two of you, as well as both of the Slayers.?
Uriel gestured towards the sitting area of the main room of the manor while
expressing his next thought. ?If everyone would be kind enough to
take a seat, I will explain why I am here. Faith, would you bring
in the chairs from the patio??
?Why me??
?You need the exercise.? The others in the room
watched the staring match between the younger Slayer and the former Angel
of Death, silently wondering when the physical aspect would accompany the
mental struggle being waged. All save Tara were surprised to see
Faith turn and walk towards the shattered doors, as though she knew who
would win the argument.
?We?ll see who needs the exercise.?
?Big talk, coming from the ?Mistress of the Cheap Shot.?
?
From over her shoulder, Faith increased the ante of the
verbal jousting. ?Cheap? If you weren?t so slow, you might
actually be able to avoid a shot or two.?
?This from the child who was unable to kick me hard enough
to make me fall over.?
With a chair under each arm, the former Bostonian came
storming back into the main hall. ?Do I look like a ?child? to you??
She dropped the chairs onto the stone floor, causing a small clatter to
reverberate throughout the room. She placed both her hands on her
hips, swaying slightly and arching her back, accentuating her feminine
charms and stimulating two occupants of the room. ?Does a ?child?
tend to look like this?? She watched as a smile crept across his
face and wondered for a moment if she should be more wary about his presence
in her life.
?Let me think for a moment. I have known 14 year-olds
with larger breasts, fuller hips and greater maturity, Faith. Then
again, I have also met people who never seem to grow up. The question
to consider, youngling, is do I consider you a child for physical or psychological
reasons??
?See? I?m not the only one who thinks she needs
a psych evaluation.?
?Fuck you, Red.?
?Faith??
?Yeah, B??
?Let it go.?
?Why? She won?t.? Turning to face her detractor,
Faith retaliated with recollected sentiments. ?What was it you said?
You?d like to go at me in a locked room with a few grenades??
?Faith??
?B, what don?t you get? No matter how pissed off
at you she might be, Red?ll find a way to make it my fault as long as I?m
around. She wants me dead.? Casting her head to the floor for
a moment, she inclined her view back to the most recent addition to the
unusual group of people. ?You used to do that kind of thing professionally,
right??
?We already had this conversation, Faith. I will
not kill you, nor will I allow you to die.? Casting a brief glance
about the assemblage, he emphasized his next phrase. ?By your hand
or any other.? The silence that followed as he offered the chair
he had previously occupied earlier in the day to Giles assuaged his concerns
for the time being. ?If you would all sit, I shall unburden myself.?
Giles accepted the place offered him, while Faith picked
up a patio chair in each hand, offering one to her fellow Chosen.
They seated themselves to the former Watcher?s right, with Buffy taking
the closer position to act as a median zone. The two witches, seeing
no other options available, dropped onto the couch, with Tara residing
in the place Faith last had. With no other seats available, Uriel
simply stood in the space before them.
?First off, I wish to introduce myself formally.
I am Uriel and, as Elizabeth mentioned, I am a Fallen, as well as an Intervention
Specialist for The Lady.?
?So, you were cast out of Heaven like Lucifer, but we
are to believe that you are here to assist us??
?Mr. Giles, I understand your reluctance, but I can assure
you that I am here to aid you.? Looking over the motley ensemble,
he amended his statement. ?All of you.?
?C?mon, U, spill already. Red?s getting kind of
fidgety being in the same room with me.?
?I was about to, Faith.? Furrowing his brow as his
gaze narrowed, the next words from Uriel sounded more like a feral growl
than normal speech. ?And don?t call me that again. Ever.?
?Whatever you say, Urie.?
??U? is fine, Faith.? The dark-haired speaker shook
his head, silently cursing the forces in the universe which placed him
on this assignment. ?Yesterday, a friend of mine delivered several
detailed files to me pertaining to the two Slayers and the group you affectionately
call the ?Scooby Gang.? Another file gave me my mission assignment,
which gave me vague directives as to how to aid each of you.?
?Um, what do you mean by ?directives?? ?
?What I mean, Willow, is that I was told that you each
require something in order to defeat an approaching evil presence.?
?You mean Adam??
?No, Elizabeth, someone you are not already aware of.?
Not wanting to worry them too much, he decided to tell them only part of
the prophecy. ?It said that while facing a known enemy, an unknown
one shall appear and cause the fall of the Slayer.?
?What, that one of us is going to die?? Faith gave
him a slightly incredulous look before redirecting it to Buffy.
?Been there, done that, not looking forward to repeating
it.?
?Buffy!?
?What, Giles? How many times have I faced down Death
and defied him??
?Her.?
The blonde Chosen shot a lethal glare at the tall stranger,
to which he replied with a wry grin. ?Whatever. I can handle
this.?
?We can handle it, B.? Reaching over and taking
her counterpart?s right hand in her left, Faith gave a gentle, reassuring
squeeze. She was rewarded with a gentle smile as the shorter girl
turned her way, apparently happy for the support. The moment was
short-lived as the former librarian switched into Inquisition mode.
?So, what exactly can you tell us about this unknown threat??
?Honestly? Nothing, other than that it should be
arriving in Sunnydale by the end of the day. Who and what are answers
I was not provided with. As for why, the only thing I can tell you
is that Fate and Destiny have a hand in this.?
?Oh no.? The two words were barely louder than an
exhalation of breath, but Tara knew Uriel had heard them as he turned to
look her way. As the _expression_ behind his black shades turned from
scrutiny to awareness, she knew he had finally recognized her. Taking
the initiative, she stood and walked to his side, whispering so that only
he would be able to hear. ?Outside. We need to talk.?
Uriel nodded his head solemnly, then addressed the others
still seated. ?If you will excuse us for a moment.? He noticed
the slightly confused stares from his left, but the most perplexed one
was from the redheaded Practitioner? which worried him greatly. If
she was as strong as he thought, making her angry would definitely not
be conducive towards his continued existence. Turning his back cautiously,
the ex-angel watched as the newly-recollected blonde opened the left entryway
door, stepping outside to await his arrival. Feeling no hostile mystical
energies building behind him, the duster-clad individual released a sigh
of relief and followed her into the sunlight.
As he stepped out the door, Uriel found himself being
transported elsewhere as the air around him shifted and rippled.
?What do you suppose that?s about?? Buffy was curious
as to why Uriel was speaking with Tara. It seemed as though they
knew each other, which further piqued her interest as to when the newest
member of their small circle had run into him before.
?I don?t know.? Willow was pondering the same question
as her roommate, though there was an accompanying notion that she barely
knew this blonde witch who seemed to occupy a special place in her heart?
possibly even her soul. ?I? don?t know.?
The stillness that followed that statement allowed the
two Slayers, the redheaded witch and the former Watcher to consider for
a moment what they had allowed the others to know about themselves.
Giles reflected on how his lifestyle had changed since
being relieved by the Watchers? Council. He now had the time to focus
on things he used to enjoy, such as playing his guitar and singing.
Thinking back to the days when he was known by and large as ?Ripper,? he
became aware of how little the people who now hoped they could trust him
knew about him. The reckless, unbridled years he spent attempting
to forget his path had never been spoken of, though the group had seen
glimpses during the band candy incident and the few times Ethan Rayne had
made his presence known. Giles decided that after this challenge,
he would divulge all they wished to know of his past, if for no other reason
than to be aware of what proverbial skeletons might still be lurking in
his expansive closet.
Buffy often confided her concerns to either Giles or Willow,
though she kept some of her deeper fears hidden from them. Her emotions
after the incident with the Master had been the first time, when she concluded
that being ?the Slayer? was a curse, not a blessing. She had tried
to push them all away to prevent them from either being dragged down with
her or one day resenting her. For all her abilities and training,
someone would always suffer, though it was often a nameless face she could
stay detached from. Fear was her greatest loss of control, and in
order to survive, she needed to stay in control. The one time she
let her walls down, that knowledge had been used against her? by Angelus.
Though both sides of Angel were now gone, the threat had imprinted itself
on her psyche. From Professor Walsh?s class, she knew internalizing
this would eventually cause a breakdown. She considered the idea
of finding someone new to confide in ? Riley, maybe even Faith ? would
probably be a good idea, but not until after Adam and whatever else awaited
them had been dealt with.
Willow had a number of things she used to keep to herself,
from her crush on Xander when they were younger to her interest in Magick.
When she began to work more powerful and complex spells with Tara, which
meant a greater risk of harm to herself or others, maintaining silence
about their activities was automatic. She had claimed earlier that
she and Buffy were best friends, but she never expected it to be redirected
back to herself. She told herself the reasoning behind the secrecy
was to prevent her friends from being concerned, though she knew the image
of the meek, helpless little girl others had imposed on her throughout
junior high and high school had been shattered in their eyes. Still,
most people had no clue as to who she had become, with her old designation
being forced upon her by an unaware society, including her own parents.
The redhead contemplated what the two individuals who had given her life
would think if they knew about her relationship with Tara. That thought
spawned an entirely new set of questions, the most repetitive one asking
Willow to define her emotions involving the blonde witch. Though
she was certain of the answer now, she wondered if a day would arrive where
she felt comfortable enough to express to everyone exactly how she felt
about Tara, including herself. She decided that she would tell her
as soon as the blonde returned? though she might wait to tell Buffy and
Xander.
Faith cast a glance over at Buffy and realized there were
volumes she had yet to share. She couldn?t understand the willingness
of her fellow Chosen to take another chance, especially given their history.
Though hopeful, a nagging section of her subconscious kept reminding her
of the results when someone had that kind of faith in her. The dark-haired
young woman smiled briefly, the irony of her given name amusing her as
it had many times in the course of her life. No one knew who she
was. Giving consideration to that last thought, she started to wonder
if she ever even knew ?Faith? herself.
<*> At the End of a Relocation Spell <*>
Uriel shifted his gaze left and right, absorbing the beauty
of the vista he now found himself at. White, snow-covered peaks exceeding
a kilometer in height surrounded him, shining from the luminescence of
a billion stars and a waxing crescent moon. A chill wind ruffled
the edges of his coat from behind, coaxing small tufts of powder onto his
exposed heels. Turning to face into the wind, he caught sight of
the person that had transported him here. Slowly walking to stand
behind her, the fallen angel gently placed his right hand on her corresponding
shoulder.
?Feeling a little homesick, were we??
Keeping her eyes directly ahead, the witch known as Tara
spoke. ?You actually recognize the view??
?Why would I forget? Your mother and I had many
conversations from atop Mt. Ziria. Mostly about you, I might add.?
?There are days I really miss talking with her.?
?When was the last time you spoke with her??
Releasing a heavy, visible sigh into the frigid air, the
young blonde woman gave her reply. ?Before the war.?
?You mean the one I was witness to??
?Yeah.?
?Wow. Been a few years then.?
?Yeah. I almost called her a few weeks ago, but
I think she?d be disappointed with my choices in life.?
?Why would you think that??
She finally turned, tears crystallized on her cheeks from
the cold winds around them. ?With all the gifts I have, what have
I done with them? Nothing.?
?Mentalities are completely different from when your mother
was active in the world. She felt things begin to change even before
you were born.?
?Is that why she left our ancestral home??
?One of the reasons, yes. She also wanted any children
she had to grow up outside of a place where the legacy consisted of treachery
and deceit.?
?I guess I should call her, but I?m afraid of what Willow
might think.?
?Have you told her anything yet??
Resting her chin against her torso, she responded quietly.
?No.?
?Well, that does explain why you changed your birth name
to some degree.?
?Not that she would be able to place it, anyway.
Have you ever seen reference to someone named ?Thyra? anywhere??
?Not that I can remember, no. Then again, I have
yet to meet someone with that name other than you. A benefit of being
unique, I suppose.?
?Uriel, please, you can?t tell any of them. Especially
Willow.?
He looked into her eyes, which seemed to have changed
to a crystal blue beneath the azure sky above them. ?She means that
much to you??
?I?m not positive yet, but? I think so.?
?Okay, ?Tara,? but you have to promise me something.?
?Sure.?
?Things may turn very ugly in the coming weeks.
At some point, you may have to tell her.?
?I know. Destiny visited me just after the Winter
Solstice last year. I?ve also had a few visions recently, but nothing
to glean any useful information from.?
?Is that why you came? Because of Destiny??
?Not exactly. She told me I would become involved
in a Decree she and Fate had passed, but she never asked me to come to
Sunnydale. That was entirely by choice. On an odd note, did
you know she and??
?Last I heard. Talk about an unusual couple.?
?At least they?re happy together.?
Noticing the sadness growing in her eyes, he redirected
the conversation. ?Well, if this is any consolation, it gives me
some peace of mind to know a familiar face will be around.?
?What are we going to tell them??
?The truth. You reminded me of your mother, and
you recognized me from when you were a little girl.?
?How did you recognize me, anyway??
?To be perfectly honest, when you first walked in with
Willow and Mr. Giles, I had no idea who you were.? He took a step
back, taking her all in for the first time. ?You look so much like
your mother when she was around your age. You have that same fire
behind your eyes.?
?How did you know what she looked like? I thought
you couldn?t see through that blindfold.?
?That was only for walking around in public. Your
mother understood what I was, so it was unnecessary in her presence.
She asked me to wear it around you since you were still coming to terms
with your heritage. She and I both agreed any excess confusion in
your life was not something you needed back then.?
?Well, I guess we should thank whoever invented sunglasses.
It?s nice to see you blend somewhat for a change.? Tara took one
last look around, a sad smile developing further with each recalled memory.
?She loved coming up here, you know? Just to escape from all the
insanity for a time.? She felt an arm snake around her shoulders,
pulling her into a comforting hug.
?We need to get back there before a brawl breaks out.?
Nodding at her old family friend, Tara made two brief
somatic gestures, causing the pair to disappear from the mountain peak.
Atop an adjacent summit, a woman with ankle-length gray
hair let a gentle smile grace her features, which appeared to have weathered
no more than fifty years. ?Stay well, my precious Thyra.? She
turned and began her descent from the wind-swept precipice, when an ebony-skinned
woman of obvious grace appeared before her.
?Don?t worry. Uriel still remembers the promise
you made him swear.?
?Thank you, Malaika, but I knew he had not forgotten.?
She regarded the current Angel of Death with a tender smile, as though
sharing a secret between them. ?I am nearly ready to join the rest
of my estranged family on the other side, once Thyra is ready to accept
her inheritance.?
?You think that will happen soon??
?When is ?soon? to ones such as us? A decade, a
century? when you have seen as much time as we have, ?soon? is a very vague
term, dear girl.?
?I can only grant you a short while longer.?
?I know.? The stately matron released her own sigh,
though her breath remained hidden from perception. ?Whether or not
she decides to accept what Destiny has in mind for her by the Winter Solstice,
I shall go with you. I have spent more than enough time here on this
particular visit.?
?As you wish. Would you care for some company on
your walk down??
?No thank you, Malaika. I would not want to keep
you from your duties.?
?Take care of yourself, then.?
?I shall.? With that parting, the woman began her
descent down the mountain as Malaika simply vanished in a wisp of pale
smoke.
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