Title: Going Towards Yes 4/7
Author: K.V. Wylie
Disclaimer: Permission to use these characters relating to BtVS & AtS, has not been given. Joss, Twentieth Century Fox, UPN, WB & Mutant Enemy own TM and copyrighted them. This is purely for fun, and no copyright infringement is intended

Giles fell asleep and woke up in an empty bed. He didn't like it.

As he ate toast over the kitchen sink, he wavered between guilt and anger. He had no faith in a supreme being. He wasn't sure he ever had such a belief, and living with someone as deeply religious as Ira could be wearying. On the other hand, he hadn't wanted to take any kicks at Ira's lifelong commitment to his god. His words last night had been cruel.

After finishing his tasteless breakfast, he called Sahrene Ria. "Do you have your things together?" he asked her. "I'll come and get you."

"That's so nice, Dr. Giles, but there's no need," she said. "I called George and he helped me put some stuff in my car. Is it all right if I come by this morning?"

"Any time is fine," he assured her, before hanging up.

While he waited, he looked through her husband's papers. He became so absorbed that he didn't hear her car, and the rap on the door startled him.

"Come in, Mrs. Ria," he said, as he took her bags and held the door open.

She'd dressed in jeans and a bright tank top, her hair was held with a barrette, and she'd put on a little makeup. Still, he could see circles under her eyes and pale spots on her cheeks.

"You and Dr. Rosenberg are really nice to let me stay here," she said, her words fast and nervous. "I don't want to be in the way though."

"This house is too big for only Ira and me," Giles told her. He led her to a bedroom upstairs. "You may already know, there is a neighbour back there with binoculars."

"Mrs. Downweather," Sahrene said. "No one gets upset because she's old and can't get out." She waved out the window.

Giles stepped out of the window's line of sight. "I hope you'll feel at home here. I was a librarian at Ira's daughter's school, and I'm used to having young people around."

"Is Dr. Rosenberg's daughter like him?"

"Yes, Willow is intelligent and gentle. She and her friends call me Giles."

"You don't mind?" "Not at all. Also, Ira observes the Sabbath, which starts at sundown. I'm going into Stenholme to get some food and, this afternoon, I'll be making tonight's dinner. I should warn you that he, uh, tends to bless everything before he eats it."

"I'd like to go with you and help you," Sahrene said. "Could you tell me about it? I don't want to do anything wrong."

"Don't worry," Giles said. "Come downstairs when you're ready, and we'll leave."

She smiled. "I'm ready."

They drove to the ferry and went across the river. Sahrene knew where there was a grocery which sold kosher food, so Giles let her take the wheel of the van. While she drove, he told her about the evening meal, and some generalities about California.

When he quieted, she began talking, her words coming out in jumpy spurts. She was awkward with silence, and spoke to fill it. He found out about her childhood, that she'd been born in Calgary, but her parents had divorced when she was young and her mother had brought her to Druggins, to live with her great-grandmother. Two years ago, her mother had died from cancer, succumbing after a short and intense illness.

It was then Giles realized he was staring at Sahrene, for she glanced over and caught him.

"I'm sorry," Sahrene said. "I babble."

"No," Giles said, as he turned away. "I was thinking that you remind me of someone, a young woman who...was in California."

"At the school where you worked?"

"One of Willow's friends," Giles said. They were in the parking lot of the grocery now. He got out of the van and stood for a moment, eyes closed, while echoes of Buffy's voice battered his head. When he collected himself, he walked around to where she was waiting and said in as casual a voice as he could, "I promised Ira homemade challot. I hope you don't mind spending the afternoon baking."

Sahrene brightened. "My mom and I used to bake lots of stuff."

"Good," Giles said, and let her lead the way into the store.

- - - - -

The sun was casting long shadows before Ira returned home. Giles had spent the afternoon and early evening with Sahrene, the latter time trying not to show that he was worried.

"Where were you?" he demanded. "I called the university and the museum."

"I sat in on some classes, then I went to Mr. Steffler's home for coffee," Ira said. "I wished to ask Mrs. Steffler about Mr. Ria. She did offer to tell us about him." He glanced over Giles' shoulder. "What are you doing, Rupert?"

"Trying to put up a mezuzah," Giles said. "I can't remember how to roll it."

Ira frowned. "A mezuzah parchment is supposed to show that a Jewish family resides in a home, not one single Jewish person. We haven't had one up before. Is this guilt, Rupert?" he rebuked.

"Take it in the spirit in which it's offered," Giles muttered. "Shabbat Shalom."

Ira studied Giles for a few seconds. "Shabbat Shalom," he said, relenting. He kissed Giles before taking the parchment and rerolling it. "The word Shaddal should show on the outside," he said. "Rupert, this isn't your faith. You do not have toB"

"Just put it up," Giles interrupted.

Ira reverently put the parchment into its holder on the doorframe.

"It's not on animal skin. It's paper. I'm not sure I put the correct verses from Deuteronomy, and now I have a vicious writer's cramp..." Giles started.

"It's lovely," Ira said. "Thank you."

"Sahrene did most of the baking," Giles said. "And she wants to light the candles."

"That is her right, being the woman in the home," Ira said.

They kissed again, their mouths warm, then hot against each other.

"Giles, could you tell me ifBoops!"

They broke apart at Sahrene's voice. She was standing in the doorway of the living room, looking fixedly at the floor.

"What did you want, Sahrene?" Giles asked kindly. Ira expected a frustrated tone, and was surprised.

She raised her eyes hesitantly. "I just wanted to know if I set the table right."

"Let's look," Giles said. As they went towards the dining room, he said to Ira, "I thought you'd bring flowers."

"I thought I would be the only one at the table, and didn't bother."

"Do we need flowers?" Sahrene asked anxiously.

Ira looked at the table. "No, you've made the table beautiful."

Polished candlesticks, serving dishes, and china had been placed on a white tablecloth. A cup for the wine was next to two challot covered with white napkins. They had just come out of the oven and their warm smell was in the air.

"Thank you for taking so much trouble," Ira said to her.

"It was fun."

"I'm going upstairs to change," Ira said, noticing that the other two had dressed up.

"Hurry. The sun's going down," Giles said. He brought out the food for their dinner and was just getting the matches for Sahrene when Ira returned.

The three of them stood at the table. Sahrene lit the candles and said, "Blessed are Thou, O God..." she paused.

"O God, King of the Universe," Ira prompted. "Who made us holy with Thy commandments."

"And commanded us to kindle the lights of the Sabbath," she finished. "Giles told me what to say."

While they remained standing, Ira poured wine into the cup and said, "Praised are You, Adonai, who has made us holy by mitzvot and has been pleased with us. You have lovingly and gladly granted us Your holy Sabbath, recalling the creation of the world. The Sabbath is first among the days of sacred assembly, sanctifying us among all people by granting us Your holy Sabbath lovingly and gladly. Praised are You, God, who sanctifies the Sabbath."

He passed the cup first to Sahrene, then to Giles. He took a sip himself. Afterwards, he sat down. When Sahrene and Giles had also taken their chairs, Ira removed the covering from the bread and said, "Praised are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth." He smiled at Sahrene and added, "Let's eat this wonderful meal."

They ate slowly, lingering over the meal as windows grew dark and noises of the night began their rhythm. The meal was peaceful. The mood affected even Giles who found himself hungry for the first time in longer than he could remember.

Afterwards, Ira spoke the final blessing. Giles offered to clean up, but when he went into the kitchen, Sahrene followed him with the plates.

"I'll do this," he said.

"I want to help," she insisted, and began running water.

There was a large window over the sinks. When Giles returned from the dining room with the cutlery, he saw Sahrene standing on tiptoe, peering through it.

"It's pretty out there," she said. "All I can see from my place is a big fence."

"In California, our place looks out onto a parking lot."

"Do you like California?"

The question stumped Giles. "It's not easy to say."

"I've never been there. I'd like to go to Hollywood and see the sidewalk with all the stars in it."

"I haven't seen that."

"It's the first thing I'd do."

They hand-washed the china, and loaded the dishwasher with the pots. Afterwards, Sahrene asked, "Is there anything more we do on the Sabbath?"

"There's nothing I do, because I'm not Jewish," Giles said. "Do whatever you like, relax, play music. Ira is strict with himself, but he doesn't push it onto anyone else."

"What does he do?"

"He's probably upstairs, saying the Amidah, but he'd be in our room. You won't see him if you go up."

"The Amidah?"

"I think it's called the Standing Prayer," Giles replied. "He says it every day while facing east. On the Sabbath, it's shorter. I have no idea what it means."

"What religion are you?" Sahrene asked.

Giles shrugged. "Nothing. I don't have one."

"My mom and Grandmother Belle and I used to go to the Anglican church. At Christmas, we'd go to midnight mass and it was so neat. Grandma and I would hold candles, and mom sang in the choir." She stopped as a sad expression clouded her eyes.

"Did your husband go to church with you?"

"Oh no. He said it was a place for frightened people. He didn't want me to go, not even to take Grandma. She thought Austano was being mean, but he was fussy. He said it was because he was old and couldn't take a lot of things going on around him."

Giles spent the rest of the evening going through Ria's papers. He heard Sahrene go onto the back deck once, for a few minutes. When she rushed back in, he rose, then heard the sound of the kettle whistling, and sat back down.

The clock in the living room had just hit eleven when she went upstairs. Giles checked the doors and windows, then went up as well. Ira was in bed, drowsing over a book. He woke when Giles began undressing. "Where is she?"

"Safe in her room," Giles replied. He went into the bathroom. When he came out, Ira said, "She calls you by your surname, the way Miss Summers did."

"The way your daughter does," Giles said. He got into bed. "And?"

"I think you need someone to take care of."

"You're the one who said she was afraid of something. You're also the one who keeps harping on that her husband is still running around. I didn't start this."

Ira patted Giles' leg. "All right. What have you found in Mr. Ria's papers?"

"Most of it appears to be personal correspondence in Arabic, not one of my stronger languages."

"Arabic? To whom was he writing?"

"Several people. He was after information," Giles said. "A phrase keeps coming up that might interest you. Haram Esh-Sharif."

Ira sat up. "That is in Jerusalem."

"The Dome of the Rock."

They looked at the grey and yellow stone Giles had taken from the Museum.

"According to the Talmud, the Rock is the earth's centre," Giles mused.

"It couldn't be part of that," Ira said at last. "Haram Esh-Sharif is exceedingly well-guarded. Four countries and three religions lay claim to Jerusalem, and they all have their soldiers there."

"Yes," Giles said, "but there are water tunnels and aqueducts underneath. Jerusalem was invaded successfully twice by armies who came from the north and entered underground. The tunnels are a welter of mazes."

Ira got out of bed and touched the stone uncertainly. "Rupert, regardless of the water tunnels, it would be impossible to chisel a piece of *the* Rock. I've seen Haram Esh-Sharif. The Rock is massive and solid. You would need a sledgehammer."

"Or you could work patiently from underneath over a period of time. I've been in the cave below the Dome. People spend hours down there in prayer. You could burrow up through the ceiling of the cave."

Ira clasped his hands in front of him. "When God told Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, Abraham tied his son to the Rock. The Ark of the Covenant once stood on it, and there are imprints of the hand of the Angel, Gabriel. Jesus preached from it, when it was known as the Temple Mount. And the Muslim Prophet Mohammed entered heaven from there. His heel-print is still visible."

"In the Final Judgement, God's throne is supposed to rest on it," Giles shrugged.

"Rupert, the Dome is one of the most sacred places," Ira said. "It is inconceivable to believe that a piece of that most holy sacrament is here in a city of old coal mines and dinosaur bones four thousand miles away."

"Ria probably used Fedex."

"Rupert, this is not a joke."

"I'm not joking, Ira," Giles said. "I'm not convinced myself, however, Ria believed this stone was part of *the* genuine one. Judging by the letters I read, it was shipped to Druggins from one of Ria's friends in Jerusalem. Ria must have had some purpose in mind for it, something he planned to do here."

"If it is genuine, it must be returned and immediately."

"I agree," Giles said. "I'd like to know what Ria was up to. What did the Stefflers tell you about him?"

Ira sat on the edge of their bed. "After Mr. Ria took over the excavation, he asked Mr. Steffler for information on Jerusalem. If you don't know, Mr. Steffler's degree is in religious philosophy, and he has written two books on the history of Jerusalem."

"George said the university can't fill those classes, and that's why Steffler teaches language."

"Hmm," Ira said. "When Mr. Steffler asked for the return of his books and papers, Mr. Ria claimed he had lost them. Mr. Ria was apparently quite unconcerned about the loss, and told Mr. Steffler that the latter's works were 'illiterate junk'."

"Endearing."

"Mr. Steffler was not the only professor whom Mr. Ria alienated. After numerous complaints, the Dean formally asked the Museum Board to reconsider Mr. Ria's tenure. The Board responded by saying they would look into the matter, but there was money involved and they did not pursue the Dean's request too actively."

"Linda said Ria came with large grants."

"A quarter of a million dollars. Mr. Ria did what he liked, and no one questioned him."

"What remains is to find out what he liked to do, besides marry young women."

"He may have had some purpose in mind for his wife as well," Ira said.

As he got back under the covers, Giles said, "Linda told me that Ria spent a lot of time down the Hoodoo Trail. Would you like to take a walk with me on Sunday?"

Ira smiled. "I think that would be most enjoyable, if we could go alone. We haven't spent much time together lately."

He turned off the bedside lamps. Giles lay down on his side. He felt Ira draw close behind him.

"Are you going to the temple in Stenholme tomorrow morning?" Giles asked.

"Yes."

"Wake me when you get up. Don't just leave."

"All right."

Ira raised up to kiss the side of Giles' face, then lay back down, his arm around Giles' chest.

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