A/N: Longer than the other parts, but necessary. Also gave this a recent proofreading.
A while later, Giles calmly said, "Relax, and free your mind from any troubling thoughts." His voice took on a monotone drone as she relaxed, and easily slipped under trance. "You're walking down a corridor, and you can see a door. Whatever relates to your dreams lies behind this door." Upon sensing her inner hesitation, he added, "Nothing can harm you, you are separate from whatever you see. Open the door. What do you see?"
Willow's voice seemed much quieter as she replied, "Two people in a home."
"Do you know who they are?"
"Dr. Gregory and Catherine Herschel. They're married, though it has only been two years."
"Can you tell me about them?"
Though her eyes were closed, a faint smile flickered on her face, "Yes. Dr. Herschel had been working in St. Thomas Hospital for only a few years, and then he treated an elder woman for influenza. It had been some time since the epidemic, but she was still dying. That was when he met her daughter, Catherine Byrne."
--------------
"How is she?" Catherine looked up at him, her red hair cut short in a becoming bob.
His eyes were filled with regret of having to bring her such terrible news, "I'm sorry, but with her advanced age, and the progress of the illness, I don't believe she has much time left."
She stared back at him, "No, how can you say that? There has to be something!" She angrily kicked the chair nearby. She then stopped, and stood still, her frame shaking with sobs, "There has to be." He put his arms around her, and let her cry on his shoulder. He typically wasn't so forward with patients or their families, but she seemed to need it. He can't heal the mother, but perhaps he could heal the daughter.
He then gently asked, "Do you want to get a cup of coffee, and just talk, maybe?" He knew he could slip out for a little while, since it had been a quiet day mostly.
She backed away, and looked back at him with a small smile, "Sounds like the bee's knees." The two headed downstairs, and across the street to where there was a little diner.
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"The two met regularly for coffee after that, and Catherine's sense of humor brightened things for Gregory. And he was the support she needed after her mother passed away. He later learned that she was employed herself, as an assembly line worker making watches."
--------------
"You don't mind it? The monotony?" He said.
She shook her head, "No, I like working with my hands. Putting something together. I mean, everybody always needs time, right?"
"Some more than others, yes. Unless, they actually need less time, and then maybe that's not so good." He glanced down, "Sorry, I'm not making any sense. My mouth tends to run away from me."
Catherine smiled, "That's all right. As long as you can catch it again." She added more thoughtfully, "Or someone to catch it for you."
She leaned forward, and so did Gregory. They met in a soft, gentle kiss. They suddenly backed away at the same time, and Catherine blushed, "I'm sorry. That was a little forward of me."
Gregory smiled at her, and replied, "It's fine. I was a bit forward, too." He then added, "Even if you have a sweet mouth." She smiled back.
--------------
"It wasn't long before they were married. They were so happy together."
--------------
"For you, my dear," Gregory said as Catherine opened the jewelry case where the necklace laid. She held it up. It was a thin, gold chain, with a small diamond pendent. He added, "I was told that this necklace is special. That when someone gives it to one they're meant to be with, the pendent shines like a star. It is supposed to be a sign that their love is forever, even after death."
She smiled, "It's beautiful, thank you." She got up, and kissed him passionately. He then placed the gold chain around her neck, and did the clasp. The pendent did seem to shine brightly in the light of the room. "I'll never take it off." The two of them embraced, and kissed again. They kept close as the kissing intensified, then clothes starting sliding off, almost of their own volition…
--------------
"3… 2… 1…" Giles quietly said, and Willow woke up, feeling a bit flushed in the face. She glanced over at Xander, who was staring back at her. He was tempted to fan himself, and wondered if Giles had a heater going in the shop. Yeah, that had to be it. Expressions of shock and, well, lust swam across his features as he and Willow's eyes met.
"What?" She asked. She couldn't help wondering why Xander was looking at her like that, and why she was interested. *No, gay, remember?* Right, silly notion anyway. And they had more important things going on. Like nightmares, and people who she never met, and yet felt so familiar. Worry about that, and not your friend, even if he's doing that cute thing with his face. *No, bad girl. He's taken. Forget it.*
"Willow, you know you were talking about stuff from like years and years ago?" Driving his previous feelings away, his appearance was now visibly shaken, and a little pale.
"Sometime in the early 20th Century, possibly in the twenties, I'm guessing," Giles added, straightening his glasses. "I think we've stumbled onto something here. Possibly a past life."
Willow leaned forward, and asked, "You mean, like reincarnation? Who?"
"I'm not certain, possibly this Catherine Herschel you were talking about." Giles replied, and took off his glasses. He waved them in his hand to accentuate his words. "Actually, the theme of reincarnation is believed by many different groups around the world, not merely Buddhists, either. Though they originated the idea I think. But other people who have undergone regression sometimes, will discover memories which are clearly not from their lifetime. Which are actually from a previous lifetime. Some have apparently have lived before multiple times."
"But why now?" Willow pressed on.
"Well, there was a murder," Xander replied, and both Giles and Willow turned to him. "You said so yourself, Will. A guy gets executed, and a woman attacked. She was murdered. It's obvious." Giles nodded in agreement at this fact.
But Willow asked, "But again, why am I getting these dreams? Does this mean I'm going to be murdered?" Her blue eyes widened in fear at the chance of this.
Giles answered, "I honestly don't know. Perhaps you can find some records of this couple. Gregory and Catherine Herschel?"
Xander corrected him, "Doctor Herschel, he was a doctor, but we don't even know where they lived."
"New York," Willow quietly replied, half to herself. Upon the pair of looks, she added, "I think they lived in New York. Maybe New York City?"
"It's a start, at least." Giles then glanced at his watch. "It's late, and you should rest. I think we need to continue this, hopefully we can learn more." Willow nodded, and headed out to the front.
Xander got up. He still felt uneasy about this. Past lives? Yeah, right. Ok, Willow and Giles seem to believe it, but it was still weird, and kind of disturbing. Speaking of disturbing, what was with that moment with Willow just now? *No, that was a fluke. Just a fluke. Willow has T…well, had, and anyway, you're practically married. Just forget it.*
He commented, "Yeah, lemme go pry Anya from the register." He walked out, and Giles was left alone, still mulling over the problem.
A while later, Giles calmly said, "Relax, and free your mind from any troubling thoughts." His voice took on a monotone drone as she relaxed, and easily slipped under trance. "You're walking down a corridor, and you can see a door. Whatever relates to your dreams lies behind this door." Upon sensing her inner hesitation, he added, "Nothing can harm you, you are separate from whatever you see. Open the door. What do you see?"
Willow's voice seemed much quieter as she replied, "Two people in a home."
"Do you know who they are?"
"Dr. Gregory and Catherine Herschel. They're married, though it has only been two years."
"Can you tell me about them?"
Though her eyes were closed, a faint smile flickered on her face, "Yes. Dr. Herschel had been working in St. Thomas Hospital for only a few years, and then he treated an elder woman for influenza. It had been some time since the epidemic, but she was still dying. That was when he met her daughter, Catherine Byrne."
--------------
"How is she?" Catherine looked up at him, her red hair cut short in a becoming bob.
His eyes were filled with regret of having to bring her such terrible news, "I'm sorry, but with her advanced age, and the progress of the illness, I don't believe she has much time left."
She stared back at him, "No, how can you say that? There has to be something!" She angrily kicked the chair nearby. She then stopped, and stood still, her frame shaking with sobs, "There has to be." He put his arms around her, and let her cry on his shoulder. He typically wasn't so forward with patients or their families, but she seemed to need it. He can't heal the mother, but perhaps he could heal the daughter.
He then gently asked, "Do you want to get a cup of coffee, and just talk, maybe?" He knew he could slip out for a little while, since it had been a quiet day mostly.
She backed away, and looked back at him with a small smile, "Sounds like the bee's knees." The two headed downstairs, and across the street to where there was a little diner.
--------------
"The two met regularly for coffee after that, and Catherine's sense of humor brightened things for Gregory. And he was the support she needed after her mother passed away. He later learned that she was employed herself, as an assembly line worker making watches."
--------------
"You don't mind it? The monotony?" He said.
She shook her head, "No, I like working with my hands. Putting something together. I mean, everybody always needs time, right?"
"Some more than others, yes. Unless, they actually need less time, and then maybe that's not so good." He glanced down, "Sorry, I'm not making any sense. My mouth tends to run away from me."
Catherine smiled, "That's all right. As long as you can catch it again." She added more thoughtfully, "Or someone to catch it for you."
She leaned forward, and so did Gregory. They met in a soft, gentle kiss. They suddenly backed away at the same time, and Catherine blushed, "I'm sorry. That was a little forward of me."
Gregory smiled at her, and replied, "It's fine. I was a bit forward, too." He then added, "Even if you have a sweet mouth." She smiled back.
--------------
"It wasn't long before they were married. They were so happy together."
--------------
"For you, my dear," Gregory said as Catherine opened the jewelry case where the necklace laid. She held it up. It was a thin, gold chain, with a small diamond pendent. He added, "I was told that this necklace is special. That when someone gives it to one they're meant to be with, the pendent shines like a star. It is supposed to be a sign that their love is forever, even after death."
She smiled, "It's beautiful, thank you." She got up, and kissed him passionately. He then placed the gold chain around her neck, and did the clasp. The pendent did seem to shine brightly in the light of the room. "I'll never take it off." The two of them embraced, and kissed again. They kept close as the kissing intensified, then clothes starting sliding off, almost of their own volition…
--------------
"3… 2… 1…" Giles quietly said, and Willow woke up, feeling a bit flushed in the face. She glanced over at Xander, who was staring back at her. He was tempted to fan himself, and wondered if Giles had a heater going in the shop. Yeah, that had to be it. Expressions of shock and, well, lust swam across his features as he and Willow's eyes met.
"What?" She asked. She couldn't help wondering why Xander was looking at her like that, and why she was interested. *No, gay, remember?* Right, silly notion anyway. And they had more important things going on. Like nightmares, and people who she never met, and yet felt so familiar. Worry about that, and not your friend, even if he's doing that cute thing with his face. *No, bad girl. He's taken. Forget it.*
"Willow, you know you were talking about stuff from like years and years ago?" Driving his previous feelings away, his appearance was now visibly shaken, and a little pale.
"Sometime in the early 20th Century, possibly in the twenties, I'm guessing," Giles added, straightening his glasses. "I think we've stumbled onto something here. Possibly a past life."
Willow leaned forward, and asked, "You mean, like reincarnation? Who?"
"I'm not certain, possibly this Catherine Herschel you were talking about." Giles replied, and took off his glasses. He waved them in his hand to accentuate his words. "Actually, the theme of reincarnation is believed by many different groups around the world, not merely Buddhists, either. Though they originated the idea I think. But other people who have undergone regression sometimes, will discover memories which are clearly not from their lifetime. Which are actually from a previous lifetime. Some have apparently have lived before multiple times."
"But why now?" Willow pressed on.
"Well, there was a murder," Xander replied, and both Giles and Willow turned to him. "You said so yourself, Will. A guy gets executed, and a woman attacked. She was murdered. It's obvious." Giles nodded in agreement at this fact.
But Willow asked, "But again, why am I getting these dreams? Does this mean I'm going to be murdered?" Her blue eyes widened in fear at the chance of this.
Giles answered, "I honestly don't know. Perhaps you can find some records of this couple. Gregory and Catherine Herschel?"
Xander corrected him, "Doctor Herschel, he was a doctor, but we don't even know where they lived."
"New York," Willow quietly replied, half to herself. Upon the pair of looks, she added, "I think they lived in New York. Maybe New York City?"
"It's a start, at least." Giles then glanced at his watch. "It's late, and you should rest. I think we need to continue this, hopefully we can learn more." Willow nodded, and headed out to the front.
Xander got up. He still felt uneasy about this. Past lives? Yeah, right. Ok, Willow and Giles seem to believe it, but it was still weird, and kind of disturbing. Speaking of disturbing, what was with that moment with Willow just now? *No, that was a fluke. Just a fluke. Willow has T…well, had, and anyway, you're practically married. Just forget it.*
He commented, "Yeah, lemme go pry Anya from the register." He walked out, and Giles was left alone, still mulling over the problem.