Title: Gabriel's Message - Chapter 14 of How Many Days
Disclaimer: Joss doesn't play with his toys anymore. Someone has to, dammit!
Rating: R
Pairing: Buffy/Spike, Dawn/Other, Willow/Giles, Willow/Other
Summary: Post-Season 7. This is a sequel to 'Don't Stop the Dance'
Distribution: Anywhere you like, just let me know.
Feedback: is crucial! Pretty please?, I'm beggin' here. ;)
Thank you: Maribel (dusty273), my amazing beta and amazing friend.
A/N: The text of the prophecy in this chapter was written by Bloodluvin Girl as part of a challenge she issued on her website.
The Angel Gabriel from heaven came
His wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flames. -Sting
The beach is empty, but Buffy doesn't mind. She welcomes the solitude.
Things have been so busy lately, what with Dawn starting college and training the girls.
It's nice to have some time to think and just 'be'.
She strolls along the water; loving the feel of her toes sinking into the warm, wet sand. Someone is walking towards her. Another young woman. A Blonde. Somewhat Familiar.?
Definitely familiar.
'Lovely day, isn't it?' Such a musical voice. Buffy shades her eyes from the sun and smiles.
'Yes. Yes, it is.'
'Shame to spoil it so.' The other woman stops a few feet across from Buffy, and closer to the water. Her back is turned as she looks out over the horizon.
'Spoil it?' Buffy frowns. She moves closer to the girl, trying to see her face. She seems so familiar. The girl sighs. Arching her foot back and forth through the water, she squints out to the sea.
'Only for a little while.' She turns to face Buffy, who instinctively steps back. 'Hi again.' She smiles. 'Remember me?' Buffy stumbles back, almost losing her balance.
'You-you're dead.' She looks around, now noticing how perfect the day is. Too perfect. A dream? Or a vision, perhaps. The girl looks down, worrying her fingers.
'Um…yeah. I hope that doesn't freak you out too much's not too alarming. I don't mean to disturb such a sweet dream, but I do need to talk to you.' Buffy bristles, en guardegarde.
'What do you want.?' Her tone is indignant.
'Something is going to happen soon, Buffy, and you need to be ready.'
'Oh, really.?' She turns her back on the apparition of the girl she'd once tried to save and, crossing her arms, puts a few paces between them. Turning back to face her, she presents a mask of indifferenceregards her with a little disgust.
'So what is it that I have to be prepared for, exactly? I'm done being the Slayer. So if you have some mission-'
'Oh, but this is for you, Buffy. And you'll always be the Slayer. The chosen Chosen oneOne. Huh. The Chosen One and the one who was chosen.' Cassie laughs lightly, but Buffy frowns, unamused in confusion.
'Look. , I don't have time for games. If there's trouble coming, and you are, well, you... A-and wWhy you, anyway?'
'Why me?' Buffy nods. 'Well. I don't know, actually. It's just something that I'm supposed to do, I guess. Help you set things right.'
'That's a tall order.' Buffy looks the other woman over from head to toe. She seems so in earnest, but she can't be sure.
'Yeah, but I don't mind. Gets kinda boring otherwise.'
'What does? Strolling around in other people's dreams?' Cassie smiles patiently. She understands some of Buffy's hesitation, but hadidn't expected the anger behind it.
'No, heaven.' She smiles again. Buffy's mouth drops open as tears spring to her eyes.
Heaven.
The warmth. The peace.
Heaven.
'You still think about it, don't you?' Cassie moves closer. Buffy wraps her arms around herself, suddenly chilly. The sky has changed from its' summertime blue and dark clouds begin to move in. The winds coming off of the water are gaining in intensitystrength. 'Buffy…you're alive for a reason, don't waste it. Heaven isn't all it's cracked up to be. And you have so much left to do. So much life left to live. If you only knew…'
"Well, if you do know, why won't you just tell me? I'm tired of the cryptics.' Buffy snaps. 'Tell me what it is that I'm supposed to do now? I've moved on. I'm not hiding away in my room anymore; I'm ready to live again. I'm ready to really be there for Dawn. I'm ready to…to live.'
'Good! That's good! But that's not enough. You need to be ready to fight, Buffy. You've got to fight for what you want. Just a little bit longer. God, Buffy, if you just, ah!'" Cassie is clearly frustrated. She paces back and forth a bit. Buffy takes not of tThe gown she's wearing,. It's bright and colorful, and trails along the water like a shadow. It'sThe bottom is wet and clinging to Cassie's her legs and she is shoeless and natural. Buffy can all but seefeel the serenity inof her soul. She reminds her of-
'Tara.' Cassie stops and turns to her. 'I remind you of Tara.'
'Yes. Ho-how did you…?'
'Maybe I am her, a little. And Cassie. And Joyce.'
'Mom?'
'Buffy-'' she moves close to her and sighs. 'I know you've been through a lot, but you have to believe that I am not a threat to you. I am only here to help you. To guide you. I can't tell you exactly what is going to happen; I can only say that you need to go to Angel.'
'Angel?' Buffy extricates herself from the woman. 'Why? What does he have to do with anything? Is he in trouble?'
'No, nothing like that.' Cassie smiles. 'It's just where you need to be at the moment. Go to L.A. Promise me.'
'How do I even know it this is real? That you're real? And if you're real, how do I trust you?'
'Buffy, come now. You know.' Cassie smiles again and Buffy feels a calm move through her, not unlike Willow's presence.
'Will I…um. Do you know if I'll ever go back? Will I ever be done?' Cassie takes her hands.
'Someday, yes, of course. But you have a long, happy life ahead of you, I promise, if you fight for it. Fight for your family, Buffy. Don't let them get away.' Buffy nods as tears form inalls from her eyes. The sky calms, but night is coming. Cassie hugs Buffy and then turns to walk away. She stops and looks back.
'Be brave, Slayer.' She looks at the darkening sky. 'Black the day and fires bright. New his heart with golden light. Welcome in a broken soul. Old, but new with tarnished veil.' Buffy steps towards her as she fades away.
'What?' She scans the area. 'Wait! What did you say?'
Buffy awakes with a start.
"Damned slayer Slayer dreams." She rolls over and glares at the red letters of the alarm clock. 3:33 am. "Guess I'm stopping by Angel's on the way home." She fluffs her pillow and settles back down. "Hope he's not too evil."
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"How's your Italian?"
Wesley looks up to see Willow standing in the door of his office. He offers her the text he'd been consulting as she enters the room.
She sits across the desk from him, noting the scattered papers, scribbled-upon notebooks and ancient tomes.
"It's 'eh'." She smiles, taking the book from his hands. "Usually, I can pick through any language, if the words that are Latin-based. Did you find something?"
"I'm not sure." Wes flips through the pages of his legal pad. "Here, look at this." Willow leans in to read. "I found some text concerning the amulet, and it referred to a-a prophecy-"
"Not another prophecy."
"Sorry?" Wesley looked up at her, perplexed.
"Never mind, old joke." Willow grinned. "Continue."
"Yes, well, apparently there's a prophecy tied to the charm itself. It was crafted to bring back the religious advisor of an Italian prince in the 14th century." He pointed to the text in question and turned back to his notes for the translations. "I found the original Italian, which was then translated into German. This book is from Germany, but it claims to contain the original text. So I've been trying to translate that."
Willow turns the book fully around, reading aloud.
"Black the day and fires bright
New his heart with golden light
Welcome in a broken soul
Old but new with tarnished veil
Trust and hope both given free
A lingering touch will let them see
An evil comes with heart of coal
End of all with wicked tale
When the two come whole be done
Evermore will see the sun
Two will carry out this role
Listen well or all will fail
Peace will last for but a time
But lose and all will be for nigh
"Hmm."
"As I said, my Italian isn't perfect, but-"
"No, this makes sense. Nice job." Willow smiles and hands the book back.
Wes returns the smile and takes it from her. He is transfixed. She emanates such power, that it makes him giddy. It doesn't go unnoticed.
"Did you want to ask me anything?" She leans back in her chair and grins.
"Pardon?" He blushes. "Oh, sorry. It's just that- you're so different from when I last saw you. Not to mention everything that's come to light about your…abilities since then. It's quite fascinexhilarating, really."
"You Watchers are all alike." She laughs and he joins her, embarrassed. "I promise, I'll tell you anything you want to know – if I am able – after we get through this. First, I need to prepare." She stands and he follows, ready to assist.
"Of course. What do you need?"
"Giles and Dawn should be here shortly. I need a room without windows, do you have somewhere in the basement maybe?"
"Yes, you'll have access to anything you need." He grabs a pen and pad and jots down her instructions. "I'll see to this right away."
"Thanks. Make sure no one opens the box with the amulet until I do."
"Why?" Angel walks in on the tail end of their conversation.
"Dawn. I don't want her exposed to it unless absolutely necessary."
"So you do believe that she is tied to it, somehow."
"No, not to it, but to Spike." Angel begins a slow pacing, running his hand through his hairacross the back of his neck.
"I don't like this. And Does Buffy know about all of it? Where is she, anyway?"
"She'll know when she's ready. Right now, she's far from ready." She ignores the second part of his question.
"Why isn't she ready? What's been going on over there?" He stops in front of her.
"Nothing that should concern you. We're looking after her. It's just that I want Dawn and Spike and everything else to be alright and over with before I tell her. I just want to avoid any unnecessary pain."
"One thing I do know about Buffy, she doesn't want to be protected. She can handle herself, Willow. She's strong."
"Yes, she is. But even the strongest warrior has an Achilles' heel." Willow looks off, remembering the events of the past year. "Buffy has two."
"Dawn and Spike." Wes offers. She nods, turning to look at him.
"Yeah, Dawn and Spike. And they're both in danger of being lost forever." She turns back to Angel. "She can't help with this. And there's nothing she hates more than feeling helpless. So why would I put her through that?" He sagshrugs, defeated. "It's better this way."
"Maybe. I just hope, for your sake, she sees it that way. Especially if things don't turn out the way you hope they do. She'dll never forgive you." Willow looks so sad that both Wes and Angel look away.
"Don't think I haven't thought of that, Angel. If I can't pull this off, you're right. She'll never forgive me. I'll lose her for good, I know."
"Willow, for what it's worth, I firmly believe you can bring Spike back and protect Dawn. And you know we'll use whatever is at our disposal to help." He Wes places a hand of comfort on her shoulder. She smiles with gratitude but looks at Angel.
"Yeah. You're a goddess, right?" He grins half-heartedly.
"Well-" Wes walks towards the door. "If you're ready, I can show you the room and begin making preparations."
"Harmony called; the driver just picked up Giles and the others at the airport. I'll ask Fred to meet them in the lobby." Angel follows Wes and Willow to the door. "Let's get this show on the road."
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"Um, excuse me, Mr. Giles, but isn't this-?"
"The den of immorality? The axis of evil? The embodiment of all that is unholy and wrong in the universe? Oh, hello Angel."
"Giles."
TBC: Chapter 15 – If you love somebody, set them free
