The Brotherhood/Book One (TB-B1)
The Order Of The Brotherhood (TOOTB)
Author: MeB (aka XanWill4Ever)
Email: lenoxfiles@hotmail.com
Spoiler: This takes place during Season 1 in "Welcome To The Hellmouth" & "The Harvest." It is the First in The Brotherhood Trilogy. There is no AU in the first book.
Pairing: There are no pairings in TOOTB. However, events in the Trilogy lead up to Willow/Other (In Book Two-Brothers), Willow/Oz, and finally to the way it should be...Willow/Xander (Book Three-Untitled).
Summary: Willow Rosenberg has been chosen by the Brotherhood, but the purpose has not yet been revealed. While Willow struggles to keep the secret to herself to save her friends, she is concerned that she will lose a friend in the new girl, Buffy Summers.
Disclaimer: All characters of Buffy tVS are the property of Joss.
Rating - PG-13
Author's Note: NHA may archive. Anyone else is free to do so as well, just let me know. Thank you.
PLEASE NOTE- Story between these symbols * story * is all Joss from either the episode itself or from the Scriptbook.
Special thanks goes out to MarkW-BETA Reader!! Thanks, Mark.
xwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxw
PROLOGUE-THE FATHER
Somewhere in the desert, there was a very old castle that was strangely out of place. The castle could have been from another time or another dimension. In spite of that, it existed there-in the desert-for hundreds of years, perhaps more, undisturbed by time and civilization. There wasn't anything known about its' history for the world's historians did not know about its existence. The world itself was completely unaware of the castle in the desert...and there was a reason for that.
Something was protecting the castle.
Something evil.
The castle was a large, circular construction of wood and stone. Four high towers gave odd corners to the Keep, and upon each of these towers was an orb of great power. These orbs omitted powerful illusions over the castle, keeping it free from discovery. In the centuries since its creation, only a few have stumbled upon the existence of the castle, and then they had died horrible deaths, screaming out in agony where their screams were not heard by the outside world. The illusion around the castle was so powerful that even a pilot of a privately owned helicopter had not seen the castle walls looming before him as he struck the walls. The wreckage was still there, spread out on the desert floor at the base of the castle. The wreckage of the helicopter was now a part of the illusion and the pilot had long since been devoured by the creatures of the desert, his lifeless skeleton now the only reminder that he had ever truly existed at all. In time, the desert itself would swallow up the remains until there was no longer a single trace that an accident ever occurred.
The courtyard in the center of the castle was as the eye of a hurricane. Surrounded by desert, life blossomed within the courtyard. There were many beautiful gardens where a variety of plant life sprang forth from the ground, and a variety of fruits and vegetables grew in plentiful amounts.
At the very center of the courtyard was a large water fountain with a statue of a man wearing a robe, standing tall. The man was elderly and yet the statue depicted a man of great strength and power. The eyes revealed a keen intellect and confidence. In the statue's right hand was a book and around his neck was an amulet. Around the statue, water surrounded the base, and a waterfall pooled out over his feet to spill into the water below.
In the courtyard, there was also a great deal of activity. There were several groups split into teams of thirteen. Each group was involved with its' own task. Three of the groups were tending to the gardens. One group was spread out on the lawn with the hoods of their robes up over their heads, meditating to themselves. Another group was listening to its' Elder as he expounded truths on the Way of Life as a Brother. Another group, farther away from the others, were practicing the martial arts of hand-to- hand combat.
The members of each group were dressed in robes. Brothers and Initiates wore robes of dark brown. Elders wore robes of red.
Three young men walked across the courtyard. They were the only ones who were not wearing robes. They wore black sneakers, jeans, and t-shirts. The only similarities the three teenagers shared was a symbol of a burning sun tattooed on their right forearms, and on the backs of their right hands. The young man in the center of the trio also had the burning star tattoo on the back of his neck, unlike his two companions. He was leading the other two to the main entrance of the Grand Hall where the Brothers often heard the Word of the Father.
They went through the Grand Hall, and then they passed through a doorway at the rear of the Grand Hall. They entered into a corridor, and they followed it to a set of stone stairs that wound its' way upward and downward into one of the towers. They followed the circular stairs up and stopped at a door halfway up the tower. The stairs continued to go up, but the young teenager with the burning sun on the back of his neck wanted to gain entrance into the chamber beyond the door. His face revealed his determination to go forward. It also revealed his anticipation of what was yet to come.
Virgil Paige believed with all of his heart that he did not deserve this reward. This privilege. This highest honor...but he accepted it and he fully intended to make the Father proud of him at all cost. He had worked long and hard to rise from Initiate to Brother, and then to Elder, but he had finally achieved that which he sought. He had risen among the ranks faster than any Elder in the Brotherhood with the exception of one other, and because of his accomplishments, the Father had made it known to him that he was watching him.
The Father was proud of Paige.
The Father was indeed so proud that he himself had personally chosen the Brothers Jeremy Randall and Garth Talbot to be Paige's personal watch dogs. They would help Paige accomplish what needed to be done, and they would give their own lives for him if that was the Elder's wish.
Paige stood before the large door, raised a fist, and he prepared to knock. His fist never touched the door.
"Come!" said a commanding voice from beyond the door.
Paige opened the door and he stepped into the Father's chamber. The Brother's followed behind and they kept at a respectful distance. They were aware the Father could choose not to acknowledge them at all as was his right. For them, however, it was enough just to be near him and witness his power and work personally. It was simply enough for they knew they were carrying out his purpose.
The Father was a powerful man and he had walked the earth for thousands of years. He had gone by many names and his real name was known only by a mere few. Four hundred years ago, he had founded and created the Order of the Brotherhood with the help from a trusted friend, and now he was known simply as the Father.
The Father was standing at the window of his personal chamber and he was gazing thoughtfully out at the desert beyond the castle walls. He had a wine goblet in one hand as he was contemplating the future of mankind. When he heard the Elder and the Brothers enter into his chamber, he turned to face Paige with a smile reserved for a favorite son.
"And so..." the Father raised his wine goblet in a toast, "it begins, my son."
Paige bowed respectfully before him. "As you command, Father."
The Father smiled proudly as he gazed fondly at Paige. He completely ignored the Brothers. It was as if they didn't even exist. "Virgil, my son...you have exceeded my greatest expectations of you."
"I have only done as you would have me do, Father."
The Father let out a chuckle. "That is a very good response, if not diplomatic at best." He set his wine goblet down onto a coaster, on the surface of his desk, where a lantern was lit. There was a second goblet and a bottle of wine. The Father uncorked the wine and he poured the dark, cool liquid into both goblets. He smiled as he handed one to Paige. "Drink with me, my son. We have so much to discuss, you and I."
Paige took the drink and raised it. "Thank you, Father. To your health."
"And to yours."
They both drank from their wine.
The Brothers stood as still as statues. They had still not been acknowledged by the Father, but that didn't matter to them. They felt nothing but pride as they watched the Father and the new Elder make themselves comfortable in antique chairs beside the window. A round table now separated the two. On the table, there was an antique marble chess board and an orb. The orb was bright red and it rested upon a statue formed into two outstretched hands with their palms revealed. The statue was designed to hold the orb. There was a bright red dot of light in the very center of the orb.
Paige glanced curiously at the orb, but he refrained from asking about it. "What shall we talk about, Father?"
The Father smiled knowingly at him and then he took a sip of his wine. "Oh, my dear, favorite son...what do we always talk about lately?" He raised a hand dramatically into the air. "What has been the most talked about topic amongst the Brotherhood all summer long?"
Paige grinned. "Willow Rosenberg."
"Willow Rosenberg," the Father repeated thoughtfully. He leaned back in his chair and smiled warmly. "Willow Rosenberg. The one that you have been watching for me, and the one who will add another eighty years to my life, once I take what is hers." He stroked his beard and regarded Paige as if he had a secret he wanted to share. "Now, my son...the real purpose for your visit here today is about to be revealed." He waved his hand over the orb. "Do you know what this is?"
"I don't know what it is, Father," Paige responded as he focused his eyes upon the orb. "I only know that it is somehow connected to the ruby you had me drop onto the sidewalk in front of the Rosenberg residence." He looked at the Father expectantly. "You had me do that so Willow would find it."
The Father nodded his head. "And so she did. She placed it in a jewelry box on her dresser in her room."
Paige paused in thought. "The orb allows you to see into her home?"
"To some extent, yes. The ruby helps me utilize the mirrors in her home." He patted the orb on the table. "This is something quite different."
Paige tried not to show his enthusiasm for wanting to know what the orb did. Even so, the Father knew what the Elder was thinking.
The Father chuckled. "You are a strong one, my son. Your mind is sharp. You are almost as strong and sharp as the Prodigal son who left us." A touch of sadness crossed his face.
A look of anger crossed Paige's face. "The Prodigal son has betrayed the Brotherhood, Father," he reminded him carefully. "He has broken the Oath. He is no longer a Brother to us. And if we should meet--"
"You will do him no harm!" the Father snapped harshly. "He may be the Prodigal son, but he is still one of our own! He will return to us one day, and then he'll take his rightful place at my side."
Paige didn't say anything more, but he knew in his heart if it had been any other Elder, Brother, or Initiate who had betrayed the Brotherhood, the guilty would be severely punished right before the sentence of death was carried out. That was the way it had always been. Paige realized that the Prodigal son had a place in the Father's heart. However, even though Paige honored and loved the Father more than life itself, he strongly believed that in this matter where it concerned the Prodigal son, the Father was being ruled by his own emotions. The Prodigal son had once been Paige's best friend, but he was not afraid to deal with him if the time for confrontation ever arrived.
The Father waved a hand through the air as if to dismiss the subject. "Let's not talk about the Prodigal son." He looked at Paige. "You do want to know what this orb does, don't you?"
Paige nodded his head. "Yes, Father. I do."
The Father smiled at him. "It's rather quite simple, my son." He paused for effect as he leaned forward. "It is a Dream Catcher."
A look of understanding flashed across Paige's face. "The ruby we gave her uses magic to capture Willow's dreams," he exclaimed, grinning at the Father in triumph, "and the orb uses its magic to reveal those dreams to you!"
"In a manner of speaking, yes," he raised a hand, "but it does so much more than that."
Paige looked at him in surprise. "What else does it do, Father?"
"It allows me to enter into her dreams as well." He paused for effect. "It also enables me to draw her very essence here."
Paige regarded him for a moment. "Father, if you can bring Willow's essence here, then why don't you do it and simply take her?"
The Father shook his head and smiled wryly. "No, my son. It doesn't work that way as you should well know. I need Willow intact and brought to me when the time is right. I cannot perform the ritual without her. Bringing her essence to me through a dream will not give me what I want. Her essence cannot be taken in this way." He regarded Paige for a moment. "Tonight, you and I will meet Willow in one of her dreams."
"Then we shall both need to sleep in order for us to meet her. The orb will link our dreams together?"
He shook his head and laughed. "No, my son. We won't sleep. Willow will sleep and the dream will bring her essence here. To her, it will all be a dream. To us, we will see her as if she were truly present with us. But I must remind you again, it is only her essence and I cannot take it while she is here. Also, she must never be harmed while she is in the dream. If she is harmed in any way, it could be fatal to her."
Paige sipped thoughtfully from his wine. "Father, shouldn't I be out of sight when she comes? If she sees me, she will recognize me from school. Won't she wonder why I am in her dreams?"
The Father nodded his head. "You are quite right. Willow is a very perceptive young lady. You'll stay at my side and she will never see you." He glanced toward the Brothers who had remained standing in respective silence throughout the visit. "Now, I trust that the Brothers and Initiates in your charge are putting our plan into action."
"Yes, Father. Mr. Chomsky will meet his fate and we'll receive a new teacher to replace him." Paige grinned. "Then we can be free to prepare Willow."
"Just be very careful with her, my son. You can frighten her as much as you like, but you must not harm her."
Paige nodded once. "I understand, Father."
"I know you do. Just be certain that your Initiates understand as well. I know how boys can be." He paused. "Now...your Brother's will return to Sunnydale through the portal so they can supervise the 'accident' meant for your History teacher. The Initiation will begin and your followers will come into the Order of the Brotherhood as they assist you in preparing Willow Rosenberg for the Ritual of Longevity."
Paige raised his wine goblet in respect. "And so it begins, Father..."
The Father smiled warmly. "As I command, my son."
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
CHAPTER 1-DREAM CATCHER
The french doors that led out onto the patio from her bedroom were wide open. Willow Rosenberg leaned against the door frame as she gazed thoughtfully up at the stars above. It was getting late and she couldn't sleep. She stood there in her bare feet, wearing a long pullover shirt that stopped just above her knees. She tilted her head against the door frame. The house was silent and a cool breeze caressed her face as it came into her room like an invisible friend offering comfort.
Comfort was what Willow needed. The first three weeks of the tenth grade had started out badly, and with the horrible outfits her mother continued to set out for her, the days ahead could only get worse. Those outfits made her wish she were invisible. There were times she wondered if her parents actually cared for her because, every now and then, they made her feel unimportant. In her heart, she knew that they did love her and she was grateful for them. She simply wished they would pay more attention to her than they did. Both of her parents were career chasers and their jobs kept them extremely busy. Their jobs also required them to take the occasional trip, and sometimes that meant Willow would have the entire house to herself.
When her parents were at home, there were times when they would ask her how her day was, but they didn't really listen to her responses. It was always more like, "Uh huh, that's nice, dear."
Willow had even put her parents to the test several times when they asked her, "How was your day, sweety?"
"I-I made out with a boy un-underneath the bleachers at school," she had once declared. "Uh, he-he was all over me, and-and he did some things, you know, to-to me that-that men usually do to women. You know, uh, like-like squeezing, and-and touching, and-and kissing!"
"Uh huh, that's nice, dear," was the usual response.
She had made several other such outbursts, but the responses were always the same.
"I'm a-a devil child!"
"Uh huh, that's nice, dear."
"I-I dumped the coffee grounds and-and replaced it with dirt!"
"Uh huh, that's nice, dear."
"Xan-Xander made me, you know, p-pregnant!"
"Uh huh, that's nice, dear."
Willow didn't like to use Xander's name in any of her tests, but sometimes she was just desperate to know if her parents were paying any attention to her. Besides, the idea of Xander getting her pregnant only made her giggle in hysterics. It wasn't as if Xander was ever going to take her by the hand and...Willow blushed furiously - even though she was alone - and took a few deep breaths as she tried to regain her thoughts. She cared deeply for Alexander Lavelle Harris and she cherished his friendship more than anything. Xander was Willow's best friend, yet she did have hope that some day it would become more than that. Unfortunately, she knew he didn't share the same feelings. Even so, to Willow, Xander was the only shining light in her dark little world.
Willow and Xander had a lot in common. They both liked the same kind of ice cream, even though Xander could consume much more than she could. They both liked to watch Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer at Christmas time, but she had to watch it at his house because her father didn't let her watch it. One of the biggest things they shared in common was the way their parents treated them. With Willow, it was in their careers that took them away from home and took up much of their time. With Xander, it was alcohol and fights that took his parents time away from him. They would constantly fight and Xander's father would drink until he passed out on the sofa...or on the floor...or at the kitchen table...or on the front porch...or wherever it was convenient at the time for him to pass out. Xander might as well have been somewhere else. They barely noticed him unless he was in the way. So, their parents were not the best in the world, but they were their parents.
That was a small comfort.
Willow thought of Xander, smiled to herself, and said softly, "At least we have each other."
The first three weeks of school had been horrible for her, and with the sunrise in the morning it would be no different. Willow was more than a little anxious about school, especially with the "new" outfit her mom had picked out for her from the mall. At least she had a few friends she could meet with before the school bell rang -friends who wouldn't laugh at the way her mother dressed her. Someone not very nice, however, was bound to make a comment on her taste in clothes...again. She looked forward to seeing her friends because they were nerds and computer geeks, just like she was, so they were all pretty much in the same boat.
She frowned in thought. She realized that, at least to her, Xander Harris and Jesse McNally were not nerds or computer geeks. Yet, they had been labeled as "losers" because they were her friends. They were all "losers"...Willow, Xander, and Jesse. Her other friends, too. Darren Fuller, Joshua MacDonald, Nicholas Carbone, and Sylvia Landry. They were all "losers", or so they had been told numerous times. "Losers" according to the "winners" of Sunnydale High society kids.
Willow looked up at the stars and wondered what the new day would bring. She heard a rumor that a new girl had moved into town. She had put that rumor to the test by using her genius computer skills to find out just who the new girl was. She didn't tell anyone - not even Xander - she had hacked into the school's files, but because of what she did, she discovered the rumor was true. The new girl's name was Buffy Summers and she had moved to Sunnydale from LA. Willow had decided that Buffy was not only pretty, but because she was coming from LA, she was also probably of the elite, and therefore a "winner". This clearly meant she wouldn't be hanging out with the "losers" of Sunnydale High.
A frown touched Willow's face.
Buffy Summers was more likely to hang out with the likes of Cordelia Chase and Harmony Kendall than with her.
Her thoughts of Xander were interrupted by a yawn. She let out a weary sigh, closed the french doors, and locked them. Then, she climbed into bed. By the time her head was on the pillow, she was fast asleep.
Inside her jewelry box upon her dresser, a red ruby began to glow brightly, and its magic reached out to capture her dreams.
_________
Willow opened her eyes.
High above her, the stars shone brightly. A soft breeze blew gently across her as she sat up in her bed and looked around in wonder. Her bed was in the desert, directly in front of a large Keep. The huge doors were open wide as if to allow her to gain entrance if she so desired.
A smile lit her face.
She did desire to enter the castle. She was aware that she was dreaming. She had been dreaming about the castle in the desert many times, and in those dreams she had explored the great halls by torches and candlelight. She had explored the courtyard, watching what appeared to be monks going about their business. She had tried to speak to them in earlier dreams but since they had never responded, she had decided to leave them alone.
On this night, and in this dream, Willow decided that she was going to explore one of the towers. She followed a set of circular stone stairs to the very bottom and she found herself in a large circular room lit by torches on the wall. She was surrounded by three large doors and, as she looked at the door in front of her, she felt something she couldn't understand.
She felt a powerful force.
She moved slowly toward the door and hesitantly reached for it. Just as her hand gripped the large handle, a voice spoke her name.
"Willow."
She spun around, startled.
Suddenly, she found herself standing in a den. Books lined the shelves along the back wall. A table and two antique chairs were before a window that overlooked the desert. A desk was before her, cluttered with items and books she had never seen before. She could feel power coming from the items and the books on the desk. However, the powerful presence sitting behind the desk was where she found her attention focused, for the man sitting there was her father, Ira Rosenberg.
"Dad?" she inquired hesitantly.
Her father smiled. "How appropriate. Don't you think, Willow?"
She looked puzzled. "Wh-what do you mean?"
"That in your dreams, you would see me as your father. Don't you find that somewhat ironic?"
Willow regarded the personification of her father closely. "Uh, I-I don't understand. If-if you're not my father, then who are you?"
"I am simply Father." He held up a hand to halt her questions. "I am the Founder of a powerful organization, Willow, and I am known as Father to many. I have great power and I offer great rewards to those loyal to me. I have been using powerful magic to capture your dreams and I have brought you here to my home by special invitation."
Willow looked around the den. She didn't see Virgil Paige sitting in front of the window, watching her every move. The power of the Father never ceased to amaze him. He himself had some power, but he didn't believe he could ever be as powerful as the Father.
Willow looked at the Father with a puzzled expression on her face. "But- but...this is just a-a dream," she said softly. "I-it isn't real."
"Yes, it is."
She shook her head. "No. If-if this were real, you-you wouldn't look like my father." She hesitated. "Dreams aren't real."
The Father smiled warmly at her. "This one is real, Willow. You have been dreaming about my home, this castle, for a month now. When you wake up, don't you recall your dreams of this place more clearly and vividly?"
She didn't answer, but the look on her face was answer enough. Finally, she frowned. "W-why haven't I seen you before now?"
The Father paused. "I haven't had visitors here for a long time, Willow. I rather enjoyed watching you make your explorations throughout my home. You did seem to enjoy the tour."
She looked at him. She was at a loss for words as she tried to determine if she were dreaming or if this was real. She still couldn't believe it was real.
The Father seemed to know what she was thinking. "Yes, Willow. Yes. You are correct. This is a dream, but it is also reality."
"Uh, why-why am I here?" Willow asked him as she looked at his face. "I-I mean, it was nice of you to invite me here, and, well, everything, but..." She tried to understand why she saw her father's face. "Well, uh, is th- there a purpose?"
"There is always a purpose," he told her with a nod. He glanced at Paige. He turned to regard her with a fatherly expression on his face. "I wanted to meet you personally. I would like to get to know you...as a father should know his only daughter."
A lot of emotions crossed Willow's face. Hope. Confusion. Fear. For being in a dream, she wondered why she could feel her own heart beat racing rapidly in her chest.
"Th-this really is just a dream," she told herself. "My father doesn't talk to me like this." She looked at him. "You-you're not real." She closed her eyes.
The Father watched her, amused.
Willow kept her eyes closed tightly shut. After a moment, she slowly opened them. She was still in the den and the man who looked like her father was still standing there, watching her.
"Willow," the Father said gently as he walked around the desk and reached for her hand. "Why don't you sit down?" He led her to a chair in front of the large window. On the table next to her, a red orb rested in a statue shaped like a pair of hands. A chess board was set out with figurines placed upon the antique, marble game board.
From where he sat, Paige looked across the table at Willow and he smiled at her. She didn't even see him. He wondered if she would cry out in alarm if he reached over to touch her. He again was astonished at the power the Father possessed. It was an awesome power and Paige was honored to be able to witness it. He and the Father were not asleep, and yet at the Rosenberg Residence in Sunnydale, Willow was sound asleep in her own bed. At the same time, she was also sitting across from him with her pretty little bare feet, and wearing a long pullover shirt. She had no idea he was even present in the room.
Willow looked at the Father as he raised her head by her chin so he could look at her closely. "Is it so wrong of me to want to know you, daughter?" he asked her softly. "I want only for you to be happy."
She hesitated. "Uh, well, I-I want to be happy, too."
"Aren't you?"
Willow opened her mouth to respond, but she stopped. She was surprised to find out that she didn't have an immediate answer. She frowned. Of course, she was happy. She was always happy...wasn't she?
The Father regarded her with parental concern. "Willow, aren't you happy with your life? Isn't there anything that makes you feel alive inside? Something that makes you want the moment to go on forever?"
She looked at him and she realized that she was beginning to feel comfortable with him. It was almost like having a real conversation with her real father. Maybe that's what this dream was all about, she decided. She did want her father to pay attention to her in this way, dream or not.
"Well, uh, th-there is someone I know who, well, you know, makes me happy," she said softly as the Father got down on one knee and looked upon her with fatherly affection. "Uh, every time I see him, I-I feel all happy inside, and I feel like-like nothing can ever go wrong. I feel safe. I feel like I'm somebody special."
The Father favored her with a smile. "Who makes you feel like that, daughter?"
She smiled. "Xander."
"Ah. Xander." He nodded his head. "He's been your friend since you were a little girl, hasn't he?"
She smiled wryly and nodded her head. "Xander's always been there for me."
"He is your best friend."
"Yes. He is."
The Father regarded her with a knowing look. "But it's more than that, isn't it, daughter? I can see it in your eyes. You're in love with him."
Willow hesitated. "I-I really care for Xander. I care for him a lot, Dad, but..." she looked at him, "I'm-I'm not sure if I'm in love with Xander. Well, uh, I mean, I think about him all the time, and-and I want to be with him wherever he is. I..." She stopped. "How do you know what love is?"
"Let me ask you a question, daughter." The Father paused as he watched her closely. "When you are away from him, does it hurt?"
Willow paused in thought, then she nodded her head. "Sometimes, it does hurt inside...when-when I can't be with him."
"Now answer this truthfully, daughter. Does it hurt sometimes, even when you are with him?" His eyes never left her face.
Willow's face betrayed her thoughts. She thought of the times when they were together. Xander treated her like one of the guys, not like a girlfriend. Slowly, she nodded. "Sometimes," she admitted, "it-it does hurt when I'm with Xander."
The Father nodded his head knowingly. "Therein lies your answer, daughter. If you had no love for Xander, you would not be feeling any pain, but because your heart hurts inside you from time to time concerning Xander, this only shows that you do truly love him."
Willow searched his face with her eyes. "Thank you," she said softly as a tear rolled down her cheek.
Gently, the Father caught the tear with his finger and he smiled wryly. "For what, my daughter?"
"For-for listening." She smiled back.
"You are special, Willow. Never forget that." The Father rose to his full height and he walked back around his desk. As he took his seat behind his desk, he smiled inwardly. He watched Paige get up from his chair and move to stand in front of Willow. Paige leaned over her and he looked right into her eyes.
She looked right through him and her eyes only saw the Father at his desk. She was totally unaware of Paige's presence at all.
Paige waved his hand in front of her face.
Nothing.
"Do-do you really think I'm special?" she asked the Father eagerly.
He nodded at her. "Yes, I do." He paused to regard her, as if searching. "There is something about you, Willow. I believe you have a gift. I can sense something..." he trailed off. Then, he chuckled. "You are yet so young. You'll find your talents soon enough and you'll learn how to use them."
"Talents? Uh, wh-what are my talents?" Willow asked with anticipation. "I- I didn't know I had any." She looked at him, her eyes wide with wonder. "I-I have a gift?"
"You'll find your way, daughter. Don't let me spoil it for you."
"Oh, uh, well, uh, that's okay. Really it is. I-I don't mind a little spoiling." She nodded her head eagerly. "Really, I don't."
The Father seemed to consider it as he stroked his beard thoughtfully. Willow didn't notice his beard because all she saw was her father's face. Finally, the Father smiled warmly at her. "Daughter, I'll show you something that you are quite capable of doing. When you realize your talents, that is. I suspect it's a few years ahead of you, but let me show you about dreams."
"What kind of dreams?"
"Other people's dreams."
Willow paused in thought. "You mean, uh, I-I can go into other people's dreams? I mean, uh, won't they see me in their dreams if I'm, you know, there?"
"They'll see you if you want them to. Just like I wanted you to see me." He rose from behind the desk, approached her, and held out his hand. "Come with me, daughter. In years to come, you'll be able to do this. For now, just let me be your guide." He thought to himself that if Willow did live long enough to see those years, then her talent for magic would increase. He could sense her power even now and she was unaware she had any at all. However, none of that truly mattered. The Father already had plans for Willow's future.
Willow took his hand and stood at his side. Unknown to her, Paige stood beside her. She was in between Paige and the Father.
Suddenly, the den disappeared around them and another room revealed itself as their new surroundings. They were in a bedroom.
*In the bedroom, there were boxes scattered about and it looked like they were in the process of being unpacked. Lying in bed was a young girl with blonde hair, and she was having a restless sleep.*
Willow stared at the girl in wonder as her shadow fell over the bed. It was Buffy Summers.
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
TO BE CONTINUED--
The Order Of The Brotherhood (TOOTB)
Author: MeB (aka XanWill4Ever)
Email: lenoxfiles@hotmail.com
Spoiler: This takes place during Season 1 in "Welcome To The Hellmouth" & "The Harvest." It is the First in The Brotherhood Trilogy. There is no AU in the first book.
Pairing: There are no pairings in TOOTB. However, events in the Trilogy lead up to Willow/Other (In Book Two-Brothers), Willow/Oz, and finally to the way it should be...Willow/Xander (Book Three-Untitled).
Summary: Willow Rosenberg has been chosen by the Brotherhood, but the purpose has not yet been revealed. While Willow struggles to keep the secret to herself to save her friends, she is concerned that she will lose a friend in the new girl, Buffy Summers.
Disclaimer: All characters of Buffy tVS are the property of Joss.
Rating - PG-13
Author's Note: NHA may archive. Anyone else is free to do so as well, just let me know. Thank you.
PLEASE NOTE- Story between these symbols * story * is all Joss from either the episode itself or from the Scriptbook.
Special thanks goes out to MarkW-BETA Reader!! Thanks, Mark.
xwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxwxw
PROLOGUE-THE FATHER
Somewhere in the desert, there was a very old castle that was strangely out of place. The castle could have been from another time or another dimension. In spite of that, it existed there-in the desert-for hundreds of years, perhaps more, undisturbed by time and civilization. There wasn't anything known about its' history for the world's historians did not know about its existence. The world itself was completely unaware of the castle in the desert...and there was a reason for that.
Something was protecting the castle.
Something evil.
The castle was a large, circular construction of wood and stone. Four high towers gave odd corners to the Keep, and upon each of these towers was an orb of great power. These orbs omitted powerful illusions over the castle, keeping it free from discovery. In the centuries since its creation, only a few have stumbled upon the existence of the castle, and then they had died horrible deaths, screaming out in agony where their screams were not heard by the outside world. The illusion around the castle was so powerful that even a pilot of a privately owned helicopter had not seen the castle walls looming before him as he struck the walls. The wreckage was still there, spread out on the desert floor at the base of the castle. The wreckage of the helicopter was now a part of the illusion and the pilot had long since been devoured by the creatures of the desert, his lifeless skeleton now the only reminder that he had ever truly existed at all. In time, the desert itself would swallow up the remains until there was no longer a single trace that an accident ever occurred.
The courtyard in the center of the castle was as the eye of a hurricane. Surrounded by desert, life blossomed within the courtyard. There were many beautiful gardens where a variety of plant life sprang forth from the ground, and a variety of fruits and vegetables grew in plentiful amounts.
At the very center of the courtyard was a large water fountain with a statue of a man wearing a robe, standing tall. The man was elderly and yet the statue depicted a man of great strength and power. The eyes revealed a keen intellect and confidence. In the statue's right hand was a book and around his neck was an amulet. Around the statue, water surrounded the base, and a waterfall pooled out over his feet to spill into the water below.
In the courtyard, there was also a great deal of activity. There were several groups split into teams of thirteen. Each group was involved with its' own task. Three of the groups were tending to the gardens. One group was spread out on the lawn with the hoods of their robes up over their heads, meditating to themselves. Another group was listening to its' Elder as he expounded truths on the Way of Life as a Brother. Another group, farther away from the others, were practicing the martial arts of hand-to- hand combat.
The members of each group were dressed in robes. Brothers and Initiates wore robes of dark brown. Elders wore robes of red.
Three young men walked across the courtyard. They were the only ones who were not wearing robes. They wore black sneakers, jeans, and t-shirts. The only similarities the three teenagers shared was a symbol of a burning sun tattooed on their right forearms, and on the backs of their right hands. The young man in the center of the trio also had the burning star tattoo on the back of his neck, unlike his two companions. He was leading the other two to the main entrance of the Grand Hall where the Brothers often heard the Word of the Father.
They went through the Grand Hall, and then they passed through a doorway at the rear of the Grand Hall. They entered into a corridor, and they followed it to a set of stone stairs that wound its' way upward and downward into one of the towers. They followed the circular stairs up and stopped at a door halfway up the tower. The stairs continued to go up, but the young teenager with the burning sun on the back of his neck wanted to gain entrance into the chamber beyond the door. His face revealed his determination to go forward. It also revealed his anticipation of what was yet to come.
Virgil Paige believed with all of his heart that he did not deserve this reward. This privilege. This highest honor...but he accepted it and he fully intended to make the Father proud of him at all cost. He had worked long and hard to rise from Initiate to Brother, and then to Elder, but he had finally achieved that which he sought. He had risen among the ranks faster than any Elder in the Brotherhood with the exception of one other, and because of his accomplishments, the Father had made it known to him that he was watching him.
The Father was proud of Paige.
The Father was indeed so proud that he himself had personally chosen the Brothers Jeremy Randall and Garth Talbot to be Paige's personal watch dogs. They would help Paige accomplish what needed to be done, and they would give their own lives for him if that was the Elder's wish.
Paige stood before the large door, raised a fist, and he prepared to knock. His fist never touched the door.
"Come!" said a commanding voice from beyond the door.
Paige opened the door and he stepped into the Father's chamber. The Brother's followed behind and they kept at a respectful distance. They were aware the Father could choose not to acknowledge them at all as was his right. For them, however, it was enough just to be near him and witness his power and work personally. It was simply enough for they knew they were carrying out his purpose.
The Father was a powerful man and he had walked the earth for thousands of years. He had gone by many names and his real name was known only by a mere few. Four hundred years ago, he had founded and created the Order of the Brotherhood with the help from a trusted friend, and now he was known simply as the Father.
The Father was standing at the window of his personal chamber and he was gazing thoughtfully out at the desert beyond the castle walls. He had a wine goblet in one hand as he was contemplating the future of mankind. When he heard the Elder and the Brothers enter into his chamber, he turned to face Paige with a smile reserved for a favorite son.
"And so..." the Father raised his wine goblet in a toast, "it begins, my son."
Paige bowed respectfully before him. "As you command, Father."
The Father smiled proudly as he gazed fondly at Paige. He completely ignored the Brothers. It was as if they didn't even exist. "Virgil, my son...you have exceeded my greatest expectations of you."
"I have only done as you would have me do, Father."
The Father let out a chuckle. "That is a very good response, if not diplomatic at best." He set his wine goblet down onto a coaster, on the surface of his desk, where a lantern was lit. There was a second goblet and a bottle of wine. The Father uncorked the wine and he poured the dark, cool liquid into both goblets. He smiled as he handed one to Paige. "Drink with me, my son. We have so much to discuss, you and I."
Paige took the drink and raised it. "Thank you, Father. To your health."
"And to yours."
They both drank from their wine.
The Brothers stood as still as statues. They had still not been acknowledged by the Father, but that didn't matter to them. They felt nothing but pride as they watched the Father and the new Elder make themselves comfortable in antique chairs beside the window. A round table now separated the two. On the table, there was an antique marble chess board and an orb. The orb was bright red and it rested upon a statue formed into two outstretched hands with their palms revealed. The statue was designed to hold the orb. There was a bright red dot of light in the very center of the orb.
Paige glanced curiously at the orb, but he refrained from asking about it. "What shall we talk about, Father?"
The Father smiled knowingly at him and then he took a sip of his wine. "Oh, my dear, favorite son...what do we always talk about lately?" He raised a hand dramatically into the air. "What has been the most talked about topic amongst the Brotherhood all summer long?"
Paige grinned. "Willow Rosenberg."
"Willow Rosenberg," the Father repeated thoughtfully. He leaned back in his chair and smiled warmly. "Willow Rosenberg. The one that you have been watching for me, and the one who will add another eighty years to my life, once I take what is hers." He stroked his beard and regarded Paige as if he had a secret he wanted to share. "Now, my son...the real purpose for your visit here today is about to be revealed." He waved his hand over the orb. "Do you know what this is?"
"I don't know what it is, Father," Paige responded as he focused his eyes upon the orb. "I only know that it is somehow connected to the ruby you had me drop onto the sidewalk in front of the Rosenberg residence." He looked at the Father expectantly. "You had me do that so Willow would find it."
The Father nodded his head. "And so she did. She placed it in a jewelry box on her dresser in her room."
Paige paused in thought. "The orb allows you to see into her home?"
"To some extent, yes. The ruby helps me utilize the mirrors in her home." He patted the orb on the table. "This is something quite different."
Paige tried not to show his enthusiasm for wanting to know what the orb did. Even so, the Father knew what the Elder was thinking.
The Father chuckled. "You are a strong one, my son. Your mind is sharp. You are almost as strong and sharp as the Prodigal son who left us." A touch of sadness crossed his face.
A look of anger crossed Paige's face. "The Prodigal son has betrayed the Brotherhood, Father," he reminded him carefully. "He has broken the Oath. He is no longer a Brother to us. And if we should meet--"
"You will do him no harm!" the Father snapped harshly. "He may be the Prodigal son, but he is still one of our own! He will return to us one day, and then he'll take his rightful place at my side."
Paige didn't say anything more, but he knew in his heart if it had been any other Elder, Brother, or Initiate who had betrayed the Brotherhood, the guilty would be severely punished right before the sentence of death was carried out. That was the way it had always been. Paige realized that the Prodigal son had a place in the Father's heart. However, even though Paige honored and loved the Father more than life itself, he strongly believed that in this matter where it concerned the Prodigal son, the Father was being ruled by his own emotions. The Prodigal son had once been Paige's best friend, but he was not afraid to deal with him if the time for confrontation ever arrived.
The Father waved a hand through the air as if to dismiss the subject. "Let's not talk about the Prodigal son." He looked at Paige. "You do want to know what this orb does, don't you?"
Paige nodded his head. "Yes, Father. I do."
The Father smiled at him. "It's rather quite simple, my son." He paused for effect as he leaned forward. "It is a Dream Catcher."
A look of understanding flashed across Paige's face. "The ruby we gave her uses magic to capture Willow's dreams," he exclaimed, grinning at the Father in triumph, "and the orb uses its magic to reveal those dreams to you!"
"In a manner of speaking, yes," he raised a hand, "but it does so much more than that."
Paige looked at him in surprise. "What else does it do, Father?"
"It allows me to enter into her dreams as well." He paused for effect. "It also enables me to draw her very essence here."
Paige regarded him for a moment. "Father, if you can bring Willow's essence here, then why don't you do it and simply take her?"
The Father shook his head and smiled wryly. "No, my son. It doesn't work that way as you should well know. I need Willow intact and brought to me when the time is right. I cannot perform the ritual without her. Bringing her essence to me through a dream will not give me what I want. Her essence cannot be taken in this way." He regarded Paige for a moment. "Tonight, you and I will meet Willow in one of her dreams."
"Then we shall both need to sleep in order for us to meet her. The orb will link our dreams together?"
He shook his head and laughed. "No, my son. We won't sleep. Willow will sleep and the dream will bring her essence here. To her, it will all be a dream. To us, we will see her as if she were truly present with us. But I must remind you again, it is only her essence and I cannot take it while she is here. Also, she must never be harmed while she is in the dream. If she is harmed in any way, it could be fatal to her."
Paige sipped thoughtfully from his wine. "Father, shouldn't I be out of sight when she comes? If she sees me, she will recognize me from school. Won't she wonder why I am in her dreams?"
The Father nodded his head. "You are quite right. Willow is a very perceptive young lady. You'll stay at my side and she will never see you." He glanced toward the Brothers who had remained standing in respective silence throughout the visit. "Now, I trust that the Brothers and Initiates in your charge are putting our plan into action."
"Yes, Father. Mr. Chomsky will meet his fate and we'll receive a new teacher to replace him." Paige grinned. "Then we can be free to prepare Willow."
"Just be very careful with her, my son. You can frighten her as much as you like, but you must not harm her."
Paige nodded once. "I understand, Father."
"I know you do. Just be certain that your Initiates understand as well. I know how boys can be." He paused. "Now...your Brother's will return to Sunnydale through the portal so they can supervise the 'accident' meant for your History teacher. The Initiation will begin and your followers will come into the Order of the Brotherhood as they assist you in preparing Willow Rosenberg for the Ritual of Longevity."
Paige raised his wine goblet in respect. "And so it begins, Father..."
The Father smiled warmly. "As I command, my son."
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
CHAPTER 1-DREAM CATCHER
The french doors that led out onto the patio from her bedroom were wide open. Willow Rosenberg leaned against the door frame as she gazed thoughtfully up at the stars above. It was getting late and she couldn't sleep. She stood there in her bare feet, wearing a long pullover shirt that stopped just above her knees. She tilted her head against the door frame. The house was silent and a cool breeze caressed her face as it came into her room like an invisible friend offering comfort.
Comfort was what Willow needed. The first three weeks of the tenth grade had started out badly, and with the horrible outfits her mother continued to set out for her, the days ahead could only get worse. Those outfits made her wish she were invisible. There were times she wondered if her parents actually cared for her because, every now and then, they made her feel unimportant. In her heart, she knew that they did love her and she was grateful for them. She simply wished they would pay more attention to her than they did. Both of her parents were career chasers and their jobs kept them extremely busy. Their jobs also required them to take the occasional trip, and sometimes that meant Willow would have the entire house to herself.
When her parents were at home, there were times when they would ask her how her day was, but they didn't really listen to her responses. It was always more like, "Uh huh, that's nice, dear."
Willow had even put her parents to the test several times when they asked her, "How was your day, sweety?"
"I-I made out with a boy un-underneath the bleachers at school," she had once declared. "Uh, he-he was all over me, and-and he did some things, you know, to-to me that-that men usually do to women. You know, uh, like-like squeezing, and-and touching, and-and kissing!"
"Uh huh, that's nice, dear," was the usual response.
She had made several other such outbursts, but the responses were always the same.
"I'm a-a devil child!"
"Uh huh, that's nice, dear."
"I-I dumped the coffee grounds and-and replaced it with dirt!"
"Uh huh, that's nice, dear."
"Xan-Xander made me, you know, p-pregnant!"
"Uh huh, that's nice, dear."
Willow didn't like to use Xander's name in any of her tests, but sometimes she was just desperate to know if her parents were paying any attention to her. Besides, the idea of Xander getting her pregnant only made her giggle in hysterics. It wasn't as if Xander was ever going to take her by the hand and...Willow blushed furiously - even though she was alone - and took a few deep breaths as she tried to regain her thoughts. She cared deeply for Alexander Lavelle Harris and she cherished his friendship more than anything. Xander was Willow's best friend, yet she did have hope that some day it would become more than that. Unfortunately, she knew he didn't share the same feelings. Even so, to Willow, Xander was the only shining light in her dark little world.
Willow and Xander had a lot in common. They both liked the same kind of ice cream, even though Xander could consume much more than she could. They both liked to watch Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer at Christmas time, but she had to watch it at his house because her father didn't let her watch it. One of the biggest things they shared in common was the way their parents treated them. With Willow, it was in their careers that took them away from home and took up much of their time. With Xander, it was alcohol and fights that took his parents time away from him. They would constantly fight and Xander's father would drink until he passed out on the sofa...or on the floor...or at the kitchen table...or on the front porch...or wherever it was convenient at the time for him to pass out. Xander might as well have been somewhere else. They barely noticed him unless he was in the way. So, their parents were not the best in the world, but they were their parents.
That was a small comfort.
Willow thought of Xander, smiled to herself, and said softly, "At least we have each other."
The first three weeks of school had been horrible for her, and with the sunrise in the morning it would be no different. Willow was more than a little anxious about school, especially with the "new" outfit her mom had picked out for her from the mall. At least she had a few friends she could meet with before the school bell rang -friends who wouldn't laugh at the way her mother dressed her. Someone not very nice, however, was bound to make a comment on her taste in clothes...again. She looked forward to seeing her friends because they were nerds and computer geeks, just like she was, so they were all pretty much in the same boat.
She frowned in thought. She realized that, at least to her, Xander Harris and Jesse McNally were not nerds or computer geeks. Yet, they had been labeled as "losers" because they were her friends. They were all "losers"...Willow, Xander, and Jesse. Her other friends, too. Darren Fuller, Joshua MacDonald, Nicholas Carbone, and Sylvia Landry. They were all "losers", or so they had been told numerous times. "Losers" according to the "winners" of Sunnydale High society kids.
Willow looked up at the stars and wondered what the new day would bring. She heard a rumor that a new girl had moved into town. She had put that rumor to the test by using her genius computer skills to find out just who the new girl was. She didn't tell anyone - not even Xander - she had hacked into the school's files, but because of what she did, she discovered the rumor was true. The new girl's name was Buffy Summers and she had moved to Sunnydale from LA. Willow had decided that Buffy was not only pretty, but because she was coming from LA, she was also probably of the elite, and therefore a "winner". This clearly meant she wouldn't be hanging out with the "losers" of Sunnydale High.
A frown touched Willow's face.
Buffy Summers was more likely to hang out with the likes of Cordelia Chase and Harmony Kendall than with her.
Her thoughts of Xander were interrupted by a yawn. She let out a weary sigh, closed the french doors, and locked them. Then, she climbed into bed. By the time her head was on the pillow, she was fast asleep.
Inside her jewelry box upon her dresser, a red ruby began to glow brightly, and its magic reached out to capture her dreams.
_________
Willow opened her eyes.
High above her, the stars shone brightly. A soft breeze blew gently across her as she sat up in her bed and looked around in wonder. Her bed was in the desert, directly in front of a large Keep. The huge doors were open wide as if to allow her to gain entrance if she so desired.
A smile lit her face.
She did desire to enter the castle. She was aware that she was dreaming. She had been dreaming about the castle in the desert many times, and in those dreams she had explored the great halls by torches and candlelight. She had explored the courtyard, watching what appeared to be monks going about their business. She had tried to speak to them in earlier dreams but since they had never responded, she had decided to leave them alone.
On this night, and in this dream, Willow decided that she was going to explore one of the towers. She followed a set of circular stone stairs to the very bottom and she found herself in a large circular room lit by torches on the wall. She was surrounded by three large doors and, as she looked at the door in front of her, she felt something she couldn't understand.
She felt a powerful force.
She moved slowly toward the door and hesitantly reached for it. Just as her hand gripped the large handle, a voice spoke her name.
"Willow."
She spun around, startled.
Suddenly, she found herself standing in a den. Books lined the shelves along the back wall. A table and two antique chairs were before a window that overlooked the desert. A desk was before her, cluttered with items and books she had never seen before. She could feel power coming from the items and the books on the desk. However, the powerful presence sitting behind the desk was where she found her attention focused, for the man sitting there was her father, Ira Rosenberg.
"Dad?" she inquired hesitantly.
Her father smiled. "How appropriate. Don't you think, Willow?"
She looked puzzled. "Wh-what do you mean?"
"That in your dreams, you would see me as your father. Don't you find that somewhat ironic?"
Willow regarded the personification of her father closely. "Uh, I-I don't understand. If-if you're not my father, then who are you?"
"I am simply Father." He held up a hand to halt her questions. "I am the Founder of a powerful organization, Willow, and I am known as Father to many. I have great power and I offer great rewards to those loyal to me. I have been using powerful magic to capture your dreams and I have brought you here to my home by special invitation."
Willow looked around the den. She didn't see Virgil Paige sitting in front of the window, watching her every move. The power of the Father never ceased to amaze him. He himself had some power, but he didn't believe he could ever be as powerful as the Father.
Willow looked at the Father with a puzzled expression on her face. "But- but...this is just a-a dream," she said softly. "I-it isn't real."
"Yes, it is."
She shook her head. "No. If-if this were real, you-you wouldn't look like my father." She hesitated. "Dreams aren't real."
The Father smiled warmly at her. "This one is real, Willow. You have been dreaming about my home, this castle, for a month now. When you wake up, don't you recall your dreams of this place more clearly and vividly?"
She didn't answer, but the look on her face was answer enough. Finally, she frowned. "W-why haven't I seen you before now?"
The Father paused. "I haven't had visitors here for a long time, Willow. I rather enjoyed watching you make your explorations throughout my home. You did seem to enjoy the tour."
She looked at him. She was at a loss for words as she tried to determine if she were dreaming or if this was real. She still couldn't believe it was real.
The Father seemed to know what she was thinking. "Yes, Willow. Yes. You are correct. This is a dream, but it is also reality."
"Uh, why-why am I here?" Willow asked him as she looked at his face. "I-I mean, it was nice of you to invite me here, and, well, everything, but..." She tried to understand why she saw her father's face. "Well, uh, is th- there a purpose?"
"There is always a purpose," he told her with a nod. He glanced at Paige. He turned to regard her with a fatherly expression on his face. "I wanted to meet you personally. I would like to get to know you...as a father should know his only daughter."
A lot of emotions crossed Willow's face. Hope. Confusion. Fear. For being in a dream, she wondered why she could feel her own heart beat racing rapidly in her chest.
"Th-this really is just a dream," she told herself. "My father doesn't talk to me like this." She looked at him. "You-you're not real." She closed her eyes.
The Father watched her, amused.
Willow kept her eyes closed tightly shut. After a moment, she slowly opened them. She was still in the den and the man who looked like her father was still standing there, watching her.
"Willow," the Father said gently as he walked around the desk and reached for her hand. "Why don't you sit down?" He led her to a chair in front of the large window. On the table next to her, a red orb rested in a statue shaped like a pair of hands. A chess board was set out with figurines placed upon the antique, marble game board.
From where he sat, Paige looked across the table at Willow and he smiled at her. She didn't even see him. He wondered if she would cry out in alarm if he reached over to touch her. He again was astonished at the power the Father possessed. It was an awesome power and Paige was honored to be able to witness it. He and the Father were not asleep, and yet at the Rosenberg Residence in Sunnydale, Willow was sound asleep in her own bed. At the same time, she was also sitting across from him with her pretty little bare feet, and wearing a long pullover shirt. She had no idea he was even present in the room.
Willow looked at the Father as he raised her head by her chin so he could look at her closely. "Is it so wrong of me to want to know you, daughter?" he asked her softly. "I want only for you to be happy."
She hesitated. "Uh, well, I-I want to be happy, too."
"Aren't you?"
Willow opened her mouth to respond, but she stopped. She was surprised to find out that she didn't have an immediate answer. She frowned. Of course, she was happy. She was always happy...wasn't she?
The Father regarded her with parental concern. "Willow, aren't you happy with your life? Isn't there anything that makes you feel alive inside? Something that makes you want the moment to go on forever?"
She looked at him and she realized that she was beginning to feel comfortable with him. It was almost like having a real conversation with her real father. Maybe that's what this dream was all about, she decided. She did want her father to pay attention to her in this way, dream or not.
"Well, uh, th-there is someone I know who, well, you know, makes me happy," she said softly as the Father got down on one knee and looked upon her with fatherly affection. "Uh, every time I see him, I-I feel all happy inside, and I feel like-like nothing can ever go wrong. I feel safe. I feel like I'm somebody special."
The Father favored her with a smile. "Who makes you feel like that, daughter?"
She smiled. "Xander."
"Ah. Xander." He nodded his head. "He's been your friend since you were a little girl, hasn't he?"
She smiled wryly and nodded her head. "Xander's always been there for me."
"He is your best friend."
"Yes. He is."
The Father regarded her with a knowing look. "But it's more than that, isn't it, daughter? I can see it in your eyes. You're in love with him."
Willow hesitated. "I-I really care for Xander. I care for him a lot, Dad, but..." she looked at him, "I'm-I'm not sure if I'm in love with Xander. Well, uh, I mean, I think about him all the time, and-and I want to be with him wherever he is. I..." She stopped. "How do you know what love is?"
"Let me ask you a question, daughter." The Father paused as he watched her closely. "When you are away from him, does it hurt?"
Willow paused in thought, then she nodded her head. "Sometimes, it does hurt inside...when-when I can't be with him."
"Now answer this truthfully, daughter. Does it hurt sometimes, even when you are with him?" His eyes never left her face.
Willow's face betrayed her thoughts. She thought of the times when they were together. Xander treated her like one of the guys, not like a girlfriend. Slowly, she nodded. "Sometimes," she admitted, "it-it does hurt when I'm with Xander."
The Father nodded his head knowingly. "Therein lies your answer, daughter. If you had no love for Xander, you would not be feeling any pain, but because your heart hurts inside you from time to time concerning Xander, this only shows that you do truly love him."
Willow searched his face with her eyes. "Thank you," she said softly as a tear rolled down her cheek.
Gently, the Father caught the tear with his finger and he smiled wryly. "For what, my daughter?"
"For-for listening." She smiled back.
"You are special, Willow. Never forget that." The Father rose to his full height and he walked back around his desk. As he took his seat behind his desk, he smiled inwardly. He watched Paige get up from his chair and move to stand in front of Willow. Paige leaned over her and he looked right into her eyes.
She looked right through him and her eyes only saw the Father at his desk. She was totally unaware of Paige's presence at all.
Paige waved his hand in front of her face.
Nothing.
"Do-do you really think I'm special?" she asked the Father eagerly.
He nodded at her. "Yes, I do." He paused to regard her, as if searching. "There is something about you, Willow. I believe you have a gift. I can sense something..." he trailed off. Then, he chuckled. "You are yet so young. You'll find your talents soon enough and you'll learn how to use them."
"Talents? Uh, wh-what are my talents?" Willow asked with anticipation. "I- I didn't know I had any." She looked at him, her eyes wide with wonder. "I-I have a gift?"
"You'll find your way, daughter. Don't let me spoil it for you."
"Oh, uh, well, uh, that's okay. Really it is. I-I don't mind a little spoiling." She nodded her head eagerly. "Really, I don't."
The Father seemed to consider it as he stroked his beard thoughtfully. Willow didn't notice his beard because all she saw was her father's face. Finally, the Father smiled warmly at her. "Daughter, I'll show you something that you are quite capable of doing. When you realize your talents, that is. I suspect it's a few years ahead of you, but let me show you about dreams."
"What kind of dreams?"
"Other people's dreams."
Willow paused in thought. "You mean, uh, I-I can go into other people's dreams? I mean, uh, won't they see me in their dreams if I'm, you know, there?"
"They'll see you if you want them to. Just like I wanted you to see me." He rose from behind the desk, approached her, and held out his hand. "Come with me, daughter. In years to come, you'll be able to do this. For now, just let me be your guide." He thought to himself that if Willow did live long enough to see those years, then her talent for magic would increase. He could sense her power even now and she was unaware she had any at all. However, none of that truly mattered. The Father already had plans for Willow's future.
Willow took his hand and stood at his side. Unknown to her, Paige stood beside her. She was in between Paige and the Father.
Suddenly, the den disappeared around them and another room revealed itself as their new surroundings. They were in a bedroom.
*In the bedroom, there were boxes scattered about and it looked like they were in the process of being unpacked. Lying in bed was a young girl with blonde hair, and she was having a restless sleep.*
Willow stared at the girl in wonder as her shadow fell over the bed. It was Buffy Summers.
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
TO BE CONTINUED--