Beauty and the Beast
By Kennie Gajos
A/NI took onboard what everyone was saying about wanting the English translations of the French conversations and they've now been posted underneath the chapters. I hope that that makes everything much clearer for people.
In answer to some of the questions I've been asked yes, Spike is all ghosty in Wolfram and Hart but because only the people within W&H know of his existence, the same rules apply here. And the reason why I picked Willow as the focus of the story is that it seemed to me that Willow and Dawn were about the only two who wouldn't slay their way out of the situation. And Dawn had wound up in the same sort of situation as Willow then about 20 people would have gone charging to France in order to slay her way out of it.
Anyway, have fun, enjoy the fic and please, please, PLEASE review!
Kennie
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Willow was in the middle of a deep and peaceful sleep when a loud banging on the front door disturbed her. A distant roar roused her still further and she got out of bed and headed downstairs.
Unfortunately Thiery had beaten her there.
"What are you doing back here?" He snarled at a hapless Giles.
Giles squared up to him. "I've come to see Willow."
"You are not welcome here. Get out!" Thiery roared, slamming the door in Giles' face.
Breathing heavily, he turned to return upstairs and make sure Willow hadn't awaken only to find her standing behind him with her arms crossed.
"Last time I checked, I lived here too." She reminded him. "Can't I have visitors?"
"You are my prisoner!" Thiery growled.
"Even prisoners have visits." Willow reminded him. "Besides, I asked Giles to drop my stuff off before he goes."
Some of Thiery's scowl lifted. "He's going?"
Willow nodded. "He has to go to Paris. Now if you'll move I can get my stuff. Oh now what?"
Thiery's scowl had returned. "How did you speak to him?"
"I have a cell phone. My friends called me last night to see how I was."
"What's a… cell phone?" Thiery asked.
Willow frowned. "Just how long have you been locked up in here?"
Thiery concentrated. "Since… 1746."
Giles began banging on the door again.
"You've, uh, missed a lot." Willow said. "Move please."
Thiery moved to one side. Willow opened the door and was promptly pulled into a hug by Giles. Thiery growled and he and Giles glared at each other over Willow's head.
"Willow are you okay?" Giles demanded, pulling back so that she could answer.
Willow smiled up at him. "I'm fine. Honestly! A little hungry but I'll survive."
Thiery made a contented sound not unlike a purr and Giles narrowed his eyes at him.
"Are you sure?" He asked. "Because we all talked about it last night after you went and we've decided that if you want to leave we'll make sure it happens."
Thiery growled again and pulled Willow behind him. "We made a deal. She stays."
"It's not your decision!" Giles shouted at him.
"Yes it is!" Thiery roared back.
Willow frowned. "No it isn't."
Both men turned to her. Giles looked hopeful and Thiery… Thiery looked upset and angry.
"It's my decision." She said. "Thiery is right. We made a deal."
Thiery snorted at Giles who merely looked upset.
"Willow, are you sure?"
Willow nodded firmly.
"Well if you're certain. Claudette!" Giles called behind him.
The same Claudette who'd helped Willow out the day before came into sight, carrying Willow's suitcase and duffel bag of supplies. Willow smiled.
"Hey Claudette."
Claudette smiled at Willow then gasped and dropped the things she was carrying as she caught sight of Thiery. "The monster!" She gasped in her native language. Thiery scowled at her.
"Relax Claudette… You'll see weirder things when you patrol with Buffy, I promise." Willow told the young Slayer.
Claudette nodded uncertainly and picked Willow's things up. She sidled inside, not turning her back on Thiery and placed Willow's things just inside the door before scuttling back out. Giles smiled at Willow.
"We'd better be on our way." He told her, realising how unsettled his newest charge was. He picked up a box by his feet. "By the way, I thought you might appreciate these."
Willow took the box from him. "Thanks Giles." She said with a loving smile.
The two of them hugged once more and then Giles and Claudette walked away. Willow watched them until they were out of sight and then closed the door.
Thiery watched her from the other side of the hall as she opened the box Giles had given her. He face lit up and she reverently lifted out a few books, examining the titles carefully before placing them back inside the box. Silently he slipped out of the room.
Willow picked up her things and made her way to her room where she began to unpack.
She had almost finished when there was a knock on her door.
"Breakfast." Thiery growled from the other side.
Right on cue Willow's stomach grumbled.