Yikes. My laptop died and I got a dog, so my writing has been non-existent this last two weeks. Still, I'm beginning to see the last bit of the shape of this thing, so if I can just steal time on other computers this week, more should be forth-coming.

Thanks again to reviewers. It's a fabulous, fabulous service you do, giving feedback, and it's much appreciated.

None of these characters are mine and I make no money from this venture.

Chapter 11

Books, books, everywhere; they were piled haphazardly on every horizontal surface. Small books, large books, scrolls and tomes. Many were leatherbound and a few had intricate designs on the covers. Almost all had that faintly musty smell of books that weren't read often.

Daniel had to admit, he had never heard of most of these books. But he recognized in the taut, set look on Giles' face the same fervor he himself often felt. The other man was skimming through a book - from the occasional muttered word it sounded like it was written in Sumerian - and he looked completely absorbed. Four other books lay open in a semi-circle around him, and every so often he would put down one book and pick up another, always in a different language. Keeping his mind focused, not allowing the constant flow of information to dull the eye or mesmerize the brain.

Daniel did that too.

He wondered if this was how he and Sam looked to Jack. Sam's focus was an awesome sight to behold, but when they got to witness it, she was usually saving their collective asses. Better living through nuclear physics, his Jack-voice said. Usually he was too worried about dying or the dangers inherent in blowing up a sun to think about the look on her face as she typed coordinates into the computer or reconfigured Goa'uld information crystals. Still, he always felt this same type of kinship with her in those moments, a subconscious recognition of the similarities between them.

He missed Sam.

Shaking his head to clear it, Daniel looked down at the book in front of him. Written in an older Arabic dialect, the book had contained one tantalizing reference to a ' devil, red-skinned and invincible' with 'eyes the color of dawn'. It called the demon the 'kin-stealer and the 'servant of time'. Interestingly it was in reference to the exploits of someone who was never named, only referred to as 'The Fallen.' Daniel put a sticky-note on the page, scribbling 'Fallen?' on it, and went to the next book.

"so I agreed to see her." Oz said. "I figured I've been through it, y'know? Since I was already in the neighborhood, it couldn't hurt to help Angel out."

"How's she doing?" Willow asked.

"She's fairly freaked. At least Jordy's teeth were kid-sized, you know? Kate got the full on wolf-attack."

Willow grimaced. "Ouch."

"Yeah." Oz fell silent for a moment. "Willow. Aboutabout Tara. I'm sorry."

Willow looked down and away for a moment. When she looked back, her eyes were soft and sad. "Me, too."

Giles felt something massing, just behind his left eye. He was piecing together scraps of information, adding them to the mix as fast as possible, and he felt the shape of something becoming clearer.

Unfortunately, it looked rather bleak.

"This reference here," Daniel said, indicating a small quotation, "I recognize the language, it's a variation on Goa'uld. The surrounding text seems to describe something like the "web" Graham was describing."

Giles pulled on his glasses and peered at the indicated quote. "It's an obscure demonic dialect," he muttered, mostly to himself, "something about The Fallen'I can't quite make it out."

Daniel turned and retrieved the Arabic book he had been studying earlier. "YesI've found another reference - here - to this demon and something called 'The Fallen.'"

"Yes, now that you mention it, I've run across several references to 'The Fallen.' Somethingor someone?" Giles' eyes unfocused as he added another piece to the puzzle in his mind. His brow furrowed and he, reluctantly it seemed, pulled a business card out of his shirt pocket. "I wonder"

His voice trailed off. He shot a sharp look at Willow.

Willow caught his eye. Emotions flitted across her face - confusion, understanding, amazement. "Oh."

She sounded surprised.

Suddenly Willow stretched, hugely and theatrically. "Boy." she said brightly, "I sure am tired."

Oz stared at her.

Daniel stared at her.

"Aren't you tired, Oz?" Willow fake yawned with enthusiasm.

"If the situation requires." he said, questioningly.

"It does." she said in a low tone, then added loudly, "Oz and I are tiredand sore stiff - but not in a bad waythat came out all wrongwalk!" Willow started edging toward the front door. "We should takea walk."

She and Giles were looking at each other the whole time; it was slightly creepy. There was some kind of communication going on, but Daniel couldn't read either of them well enough to hazard a guess as to what it involved.

Except he was fairly sure the card Giles was holding was somehow key.

"Yes." Giles said shortly, breaking eye contact with Willow and looking back at the card in his hand, "I think you shouldget some air."

Daniel looked at Oz, who looked just as mystified.

Willow and Giles smiled tightly at each other and the red-haired girl headed off, Oz at her back.

"Ooookay." Daniel looked at Giles, the obvious question in his blue eyes.

"I'm going to call someone." Giles said quietly. "I need you to be absolutely quiet; I don't want him to know you're here. Anddon't mention this call to Buffy? Ever?"

Daniel thought for a moment. "Agreed."

Giles leaned over and dialed a number on the telephone.

It was still on speaker and when the line was picked up the voice on the other end was British and clipped.

"Wyndam-Pryce."

"Wesley, this is Rupert Giles."

"Rupert." the voice took on a strange edge, "I hope the books were useful."

"Yes, thank you." Giles' voice was also clipped and Daniel could see a certain tension in his fingers as he pulled his glasses off and began to polish them. "I'm trying to make out an obscure quotation on the Chirilic Codex. Something about The Fallen?'" he replaced his glasses and stared sightlessly into space.

"YesI think I remember that section." There was the sound of shuffling. "I believe the original source of that quotation is the Terimine Prophecy." The voice on the other end now sounded a bit pre-occupied, as if the speaker was going through books, searching for something particular.

"Could you find that for me?"

"Certainly." Wesley sounded surprised. "But doesn't that pertain to the Loknoor demons?"

Giles rubbed his head. "As a matter of fact"

"Well, then isn't this a bituseless? Looknor are extinct. Everyone knows that."

"Yes, Wesley, " Giles gritted out, "everyone does know that. Just as everyone knew Balthazar was dead, remember?"

There was a silence.

"I'll get right on it."

"You do that."

Giles hung up the phone and sighed. "Bloody berk."

"Now what?" Daniel asked, trying to stay polite.

Giles focused on Daniel for the first time since he'd pulled out Wesley's card.

"We keep looking. Any and all references to either the demon or this ' Fallen' chap. Something," he said grimly, "that can tell us who he was and how he stopped this thing. We need all the information we can get."