**Thanks for the reviews. After reading the story that the reviewers were talking about, I agree that the concept of how Willow meets the SGC is similar. So I contacted the author of the other story and asked her if this story was too similar to her own. The author did not mind if I continued this particular concept and provided me a website from where she received her inspiration to write her particular story. I can PM the address to the reviewers if they so wish. While my story seems to be similar to that particular challenge, I do not intend to follow the rules of that that particular challenge. **
Briefing Room, SGC, 0900 hours.
Willow opened her eyes slowly, only to find herself facing a gray wall that had a picture of Saturn hanging on it. Realizing that she wasn't in her own room back in Sunnydale, the redhead turned to lie on her back as she recalled how she got here in the first place.
'Wherever here is' though Willow to herself as she sat up slowly, wiped her eyes before looking down at the clothes from the previous day that she had slept in. Willow remembered being taken by Dr. Fraiser to the room where she was just laid down and closed her eyes, 'I just went to sleep. The spell, it.. it tired me out. I'm still weak but, But I need to end it.'
Willow closed her eyes and gathered what magical energy she could as she repeated the full reversal spell so that her wishes do not take shape anymore. It was a few seconds later that she felt a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach, opening her eyes.. she now realized that everything was alright. The spell was completely reversed.
'I must have been nervous last night' though Willow to herself as she turned and placed her feet on the cold floor, 'I saw the others hurt and.. and I just missed the key part of the spell.'
It was then that Willow looked up when she heard someone knocking on the door. Asking whoever it was to come in, Willow stood up as a woman in fatigues walked in carrying a covered tray of food, as well as a set of BDU's.
"Ma'am," said the Airman, "General Hammond would like to debrief you in forty-five minutes. A set of BDU's has been provided for you, as well as some breakfast from the Mess Hall. When you're ready, please just knock on the door and I'll escort you to the briefing room."
"Ummm," said Willow, "thanks."
The Airman nodded her head before turning around and heading out the door. Once the door closed, Willow looked at the tray of food as her stomach rumbled.
'I haven't eaten anything since lunch yesterday' thought Willow to herself as she took off the cover and looked at the bread, eggs, and hash browns on the plate, 'but after what I did, I don't have any appetite.'
"Eat something, Will," said Willow to herself as she picked up a fork and pick up some potatoes, "at least that's what Xander would say. But then again, after what I did… I don't think he'll…. I don't think he'll want to talk to me without thinking that 'oh look, here's Willow. Better watch out with what she says, she'll make you a magnet for alien probes or something'."
Willow shook her head as she sat down and forced herself to finish her food. Once she was done, she took off her day old clothes and put on the BDU's that were given to her. Finding the light green uniform a bit loose, Willow then knocked on the door.
"I'm ready," said the redhead as the female Airman nodded before escorting Willow down different corridors until they reached an elevator. Once inside, Willow saw the woman press the button for the twenty-seventh floor. Willow could only glance at the woman who was standing next to her since she was extremely curious about where she was, but when she was ready to open her mouth and ask. The elevator had reached the floor and the both of them walked out. They headed down a corridor until they reached a large room with a red table in the middle.
'The same one I landed on' thought Willow to herself, 'at least, I think so.'
"General Hammond," said the Airman as she stood next to Willow while the General, and the four others who were seated around the table stood up.
"Thank you, Airman," said the General as the female Airman nodded her head before turning around and walking away.
"Good morning, Miss Rosenberg. I hope you had a good rest and I assume you have had something to eat?" asked the General as he motioned for her to take a seat. Willow nervously went to the seat that the General indicated as she looked nervously at the people around her. The only one she didn't see was the doctor who she met at the infirmary.
"Yes," said Willow as she walked towards the seat.
Nervously, Willow looked at the General after she walked to a seat and took a close looked at him; he was a bald man with a fatherly look about him. He then introduced the others who were standing around the table; Colonel Jack O'Neill, the one who had a bit of graying hair and stood with his hands in his pockets stood next to General Hammond before he walked forwards and took the seat next to Willow. On the other side of the table, she was introduced to Major Samantha Carter; Dr. Daniel Jackson, a man wearing a pair of glasses with short brown hair who Willow thought looked kind of attractive, and beside him was a tall muscular man who was also bald with a strange gold colored tattoo on his forehead.
"Hi," said Willow sheepishly, giving them a small wave.
"Miss Rosenberg," said the General after he asked everyone to take their seats, "now we all have some questions to ask you about why and how you got here. As I told you yesterday, somehow you managed to appear in one of the most secure facilities in the face of the planet and that is a really big security breach. I just need to find out if you are a security threat, do you understand?"
"Willow," said Dr. Jackson as he leaned forward, "we just need you to answer our questions honestly, we're just curious about how you ended up here, that's all."
"Willow, yesterday you said you made a wishing spell, is that right? asked Major Carter.
"Yes, that's right. I don't know how it works myself as I'm just a beginner in all this magic stuff" said Willow."
"I'm sorry Willow, the scientist in me finds that kind of hard to believe. Everything has an explanation, just because we don't have an explanation doesn't mean it is magic" said the Major before looking at Daniel, "What do you think Daniel?"
"Well, it is unexplainable but then again, ancient cultures also believed that certain events; events that we have scientific explanations for today, were happening because of magic. In a way you're right, just because there isn't an explanation, doesn't mean that there is magic involved" said Daniel.
"Well, all I'll say is that we were all here when she just dropped out of thin air. It's definitely unexplainable. Maybe it is magic, who knows." said the Colonel.
"Willow Rosenberg, can you give us some addition proof of what you say to be magic?" asked in a matter of fact tone of voice.
"I can try something simple; the spell yesterday took a lot out of me. But there's something that I can try... I mean it;s something I've been reading in before this... this wishing spell," said Willow as she held out her hand over the briefing room table with her palm facing upwards.
Willow concentrated on the space over her palm as she thought about the spell she read about only yesterday, before she heard from Devon that Oz moved all of his things from the house he and the Dingo's shared; before she did her 'Will' spell that made her wishes come true in unexpected and dangerous ways. Willow kept calm, taking breaths in and out slowly while using whatever little magical power she held in reserve after the various wishes she made yesterday. It was a few seconds of waiting that had Major Carter and the others looking at each other with frowns when a ball of yellow light started to appear out of thin air over Willows palm. Everyone in the room was stunned with Major Carter and Daniel just staring with their mouths wide open in surprise as the ball continued to coalesce and grow until it was the size of a grapefruit.
They saw the ball of light flicker a little as Willow's eyes narrowed to show her increased concentration; and almost immediately the ball of light stabilized and remained floating over her palm. Teal'c looked at the ball of light with his head tilted to the left and an eyebrow raised while Colonel O'Neill, and General Hammond just looked at each other and then at the light. Finally Teal'c or Murray, which was the name Willow knew him by, stood up and used his hands to sweep over and under the space between the palm of Willow's hand and the light. He noticed that the light would float up, and then down slightly. Finding no trickery he sat down, looked at Willow and bowed his head respectfully. Then it was the General's turn to try looking for any tricks, he also had no success in finding an explanation, and even gasped when he put his hand through the light itself... feeling just air.
It was then Major Carter's turn as she rushed over to Willow as she put her hand closed to the light with her eyes opened wide. She said that there wasn't any heat being emanated, so it wasn't some form of telekinesis that would vibrate the molecules of air over the redhead's palm and creating light and heat. She just said that it was light, before asking Willow how she was doing it.
"Magic," said Willow beads of sweat erupted on her forehead while a confused Major Carter walked back to her seat.
"Are you alright, Willow?" asked Daniel worried.
"I used a lot of magic last night, so keeping this light on with whatever magic I have left is a bit... tiring," said Willow with a smile.
"Ok, Miss Rosenberg. You can dissipate the light," the General told her as he watched the ball of light vanish before his eyes, and Willow put her palm down. "I believe you."
"Sir, I still can't believe what I saw. It's incredible" said Major Carter looking at the General, and then at Colonel O'Neill.
Just then Walter Harriman, one of the technicians at Stargate Command, came in to have a quiet word with the General.
"General, you wanted to know before we have a team incoming. SG5 is due to be back in 30 minutes from that archeological survey. They are bringing in some materials for Dr. Jackson to examine" he whispered into the General's ear.
"Very well. Thank you, Walter. Alright, everyone, I have to contact the President about what we learned here". Looking at Willow, General Hammond then said, "And then, based on his advice, we'll see where we go from there".
"Wait, you have a direct line to the president?" asked Willow in surprise.
"Yes we do", he replied
Willow was surprised, "Um... Sir, I just have one more question. What do you all do here? And where am I?".
"Well, we're in Colorado Springs. As for our work, it involves Deep Space Radar Telemetry, we keep an eye out for asteroids, work with satellites, rovers that go to Mars and other stuff like that. Mostly telescopes, they're sweet", said Colonel O'Neill before pointing towards Daniel, "Daniel, here also heads up the archeological division for the local museums here. We warehouse some of the artifacts collected in another section of this facility", he lied.
"Sounds exciting", Willow replied.
"Anyway, Daniel, don't you have that thing you have to do with that artifact thingy?" asked the Colonel.
"Yea, I do actually. Ah, ... Murray, I think I might need your help in translating some of that... stuff."
"Very well," replied Teal'c as he stood up.
"Maybe I can help? I used to help Giles with a lot of his research and that involved translated some weird old languages. Did I say I am good at research and computers and electronic stuff?" babbled Willow excitedly with her eyes wide open. She looked like a kid who just entered a candy store and was amazed by everything she saw.
"Tell you what, kid? How about we leave these guys to their work until we can get your background check completed and security status cleared? I'm not doing anything now so let's go get some pie, the blueberry ones in the Mess Hall are... edible." said the colonel before looking at the Major who stood up, "Hey Carter, I know you don't have anything to do, let's go. I'm sure you're dying to ask her some more questions".
"I am, actually," said the Major before Willow, and Colonel O'Neill fooled her through the hallways while the General went back into his office and picked up the red phone on his table.
"This is Hammond," said the General, "get me the President."
TBC.