TITLE: Magic 3/14
AUTHOR: Rari Coss
DISCLAIMER: It all belongs to Joss, the real king of the world, the WB, UPN, Fox, Mutant Enemy and anybody else who feels they own it. Im just borrowing, lost in admiration, and then giving them back, memories wiped clean.
FEEDBACK: Absolutely.

The pilot did want some extra cash. He landed them in a private airstrip and even arranged a car for them. Once it was dark Willow and Spike left the plane, the pilot happy to be sleeping the night away in his chair, his pockets full of money.

They parked a few blocks away from the Council building. Willow felt like she was having a heart attack. She could hardly walk. Spike laughed at her. “Come on Red. Pull it together. You won’t get very far like this.” He shook his head. “We’re supposed to be rescuing Giles, not the other way around.”

She made him stop walking. She rested her head against his arm. “I’m so afraid of what we’ll find.” She looked up at Spike. “Suppose we’re too late? What if he’s already dead? What if he doesn’t recognize me? What if he hates me for taking so long? What if…”

Spike put his hand over her mouth to stop her words. “Either we go and get it done or we get back on the plane and go home.” He looked towards the Council. “Whatever’s happened has happened. Standing here won’t tell us a thing.”

She nodded, clearly unhappy. She stood tall and took a deep breath. “Okay, okay.” She pointed at her face. “Resolve face.” She nodded again. “I’m ready, let’s go.” She headed off at a fast clip.

Spike grabbed her arm and spun her around. “This way, Red.” He pushed her in the opposite direction. Walking to the edge of the property behind the Council building Spike listened for guards and heard nothing. They slowly started looking for the landmarks that Mary had given to Willow.

***

Giles had his eyes closed, his face leaning on the bars on his window. Every now and then a breeze would brush against his face. He heard some whispering. His brow furrowed. He raised his head and looked out. He saw her. Willow was back. She was standing in front of one of his trees, staring at the building.

He called out as he always did. “Willow.” She ignored him, a frown upon her face. He called louder. “Willow.” Her eyes widened and she walked closer. His heart started beating faster. She never walked closer. He watched her as she approached.

She knew she had heard him that time. She looked for him. “Giles?” She softly spoke his name.

He spoke her name again. “Willow.” She looked down and saw him. She gasped and looked again. He looked so different. She watched him for a minute. She had forgotten how young he had gotten; he looked not much older than she. She almost didn’t recognize him. Then she saw his eyes and her heart recognized him. She threw herself down on the ground and reached through the bars on the window. He jerked back, frightened suddenly. She never did this. She never reached for him.

Spike started to approach Willow and she turned to him, her eyes worried, shaking her head. She pointed to the wall with her chin. Spike nodded and rested against it, out of Giles’ sight.

She spoke softly. “Giles, it’s me, Willow. I’m here.” He paced the room, talking to himself. He glanced up at her every now and then. She spoke again. “Giles, it’s me. I’ve come for you.”

He looked at her. “You’ve come to kill me?”

She shook her head, her eyes filling with tears. “No, Giles, it’s Willow, I’d never hurt you.” She wanted to get to him so badly it was making her crazy. She tried to inch closer, trying to be as close to him as she could.

Giles took a couple of steps towards the window. She was talking to him. He didn’t understand. This was not the way it was supposed to go. He spun away again, pacing the length of the room.

She kept talking, speaking softly. “Giles, you’re safe now. I won’t hurt you. It’s me, Willow. Come to me. Let me show you.”

He stood and looked at her. She was as beautiful as always. He wanted to touch her hair and her soft skin. He took another step towards the window; his mind filled with the pain of what seeing her always did to him. She put her hand out slowly, reaching for him. He moved in closer, and he slowly put out his hand to touch hers.

When his fingers touched hers he let out a gasp. His startled eyes flew up to hers. “Willow?”

She nodded, tears running down her face. “Yes, it’s me. I’m really here.”

He grabbed her hand and put it to his face. He held it there and closed his eyes. He took a long shuddering breath. He held her hand even more tightly. He stood there for the longest time, just feeling her hand on his face. Finally he opened his eyes. He still was afraid to believe. Willow watched him and fought hard to hold back her sobs. She would never forgive herself for waiting so long. She spoke to him again. “Giles, I’m really here.”

He walked the rest of the way and rested his cheek against the bars. She reached in with her other arm. She ran one hand through his hair and kept the other on his face. She twisted herself until her cheek lay next to his. She continued to speak gently to him as if calming a wounded animal. “I’m sorry it took me so long. But, I’m here now. I’ll never let them take you away from me again. You’re safe now.”

He pulled back and slowly lifted one of his hands and he softly touched her cheek through the bars. He looked at her in wonder. “You’re really here?” She nodded. “It’s really you?” She nodded again. He moaned. “Oh God.” He took her hands in his and brought them up to his face. He covered his face with them, breathing deeply, needing to smell her scent. His shoulders started to shake and she could feel his tears on her palms.

She started to cry then too. “Oh Giles, I wish I could hold you.” She looked at Spike. He motioned for her to step away. She nodded and turned back to Giles. “Giles, go stand over by your bed for a minute.” She tried to pull her hands away.

He held them tightly and lifted his face. “Are you leaving?” His voice was filled with panic.

She shook her head. “No, no, I’m not leaving. I want to come in there with you.” He looked at her confused. She spoke again. “I brought Spike with me. He’ll try and rip these bars out.”

Giles let go of her hands. “Spike’s here?” That, more than anything Willow had said, made him begin to believe that she really was there. He pressed up to the window again. “Where is he? Let me see him.”

Willow moved out of the way and Spike squatted down by the window, grabbing a hold of a couple of the bars and giving them a shake. He raised his chin in greeting. “Hey Giles.” Spike waited to see what Giles’ reaction to him would be. Giles reached forward and gently taking one of Spike’s hands, he pulled it through the bars and rested it on his cheek, closing his eyes. Spike had to look away, Giles’ gentle touch almost undoing him.

Willow wiggled in beside Spike and smiled at Giles. “Spike’s been wanting to come get you for months.” She smiled sadly up at Spike, wishing now that she had listened to him. “Ever since he rescued you last year he thinks he owns a part of you.”

Giles opened his eyes and looked at them both. Then he looked at Spike. “He does. He does own a part of me.” He looked back at Willow. “You both do.” He released Spike’s hand and moved across the room, out of harm’s way. Spike stood up for a moment standing with his back to the window. He felt exposed and vulnerable. He watched the night sky taking a moment to find his composure.

He ran his hand over his face and turned. “Right. Let’s get you out then.” He lay on his side, one foot resting against the bars. He began to kick, hard. It took him several kicks but all of a sudden the window jam loosened and the whole window frame shot into the room. Spike stood. Giles moved over to the window and put his hands up as Willow had wasted no time in starting to climb through the open hole in the wall. She wanted to get to Giles. She couldn’t wait another second. She was frantic to hold him.

He put his hands on her waist and lifted her down. She turned and moved into his arms, wrapping hers around him. Nothing had ever felt so good to her. She started to cry again, her emotions overcoming her. He felt as if he was reborn when she held him. He could feel his heart respond to her touch, he could feel his heart start to beat again. His hands convulsively clutched the back of her jacket.

He heard a noise and opening his eyes he saw Spike trying to climb in. He gently moved Willow away from the window, keeping his arms around her. Spike easily jumped to the floor and he looked at the two of them. “Not to break short the reunion but shouldn’t we be taking Giles and leaving? Maybe have this party somewhere else?” He jerked his thumb to the window.

They both ignored him. Giles just rested his head on Willow’s hair. A part of him still believed that he’d wake up and this would all be gone. Willow just never wanted to let go of him. Spike started getting nervous. “Really, I think we should go, now.” He knew that sooner or later they’d figure out that someone had breached the building. He’d just as soon not still be here.

He got annoyed that they were still ignoring him. He walked over and tapped Giles on the shoulder. “Look mate, this is a break out, that means we go out.” He motioned to the window with both his hands in a swinging gesture. “Out.”

Giles pulled back from Willow and just looked at her. He lifted one of his hands and laid the backs of his fingers against one of her cheeks. He brushed his fingers up and down, feeling the softness beneath them. He smiled at her, his eyes full of love. His eyes still full, he looked at Spike. Giles reached out and put his hand on Spike’s shoulder and gently squeezed. Giles spoke. “Thank you both. Thank you for coming.” He backed away from them a little bit. “But you can’t stay with me. You won’t be safe.” He cocked his head, listening. “They’re probably on their way now.”

Spike rolled his eyes. “No kidding. Which is why we have to leave, now.”

Giles shook his head. “If you’re found with me, you could get hurt. They won’t care.”

Spike grabbed Giles’ arm. “God, you are a selfless bastard aren’t you? You’re not telling us anything we don’t know. We don’t care.” He pulled. “Let’s go.”

Giles pulled his arm back. “Well, I care. I don’t want either of you hurt on my account. Don’t ask me to be all right with that because I can’t be.”

Spike swung around in a circle frustrated. “Fuck this.” He turned to Giles and his fist shot out in a blur, connecting with Giles’ chin. Giles’ head snapped back but he stayed standing. Spike looked at his still fisted hand in amazement. Spike threw another punch and Giles, as if in slow motion, simply lifted a hand and stopped it. Spike’s eyes widened.

Giles sadly shook his head. “I appreciate what you’re doing Spike, but you can’t hurt me. The magic won’t allow it.”

Spike’s head snapped up and he looked at the door. In a few seconds they could all hear it, the sound of running feet. Giles looked at Willow and Spike. “You can still get away, but you must leave now.” He looked at Willow a look of desperation on his face. “Please Willow, go.”

Willow shook her head, even though there was fear on her face. Spike stepped in front of her, ready to face whatever came through the door.

The running footsteps got louder as they approached the door. Spike, Giles and Willow waited for the door to open but it didn’t. They could hear muted whispering going on outside the door, several voices participating. It went on for quite some time. Giles ran his hand through his hair and bit back a grin. He put his hand on Spike’s shoulder. “Can you hear what they’re saying?”

Spike snorted. “It seems as if you have quite a reputation.” He turned and grinned at Giles. “I think they’re drawing straws to see who has to come in first.”

Giles barked out a laugh. He looked at the floor shaking his head. He turned to Willow. “Go stand over there.” He pointed to the corner of the room. She started to shake her head and he spoke again. “Go.” He wasn’t going to argue with her. She moved as far away from the door as possible. Giles stood shoulder to shoulder with Spike, their backs to Willow, as they waited for the argument outside the door to finish.

Spike turned his head a little to the side to Giles. “Want me to just kick it down?”

Giles grinned but shook his head. “Someone might get hurt.”

Spike rolled his eyes. “They’re probably here to kill you.”

“I know.”

“Shit.”

They could hear more footsteps coming towards the door. One set, unhurried. Giles listened as a key was put in the door. The key turned and the door swung open. Men poured into the room. Giles and Spike backed up until they stood right in front of Willow. The men were armed with either guns or crossbows. The crossbows were all aimed at Spike. Spike shot a nervous look at Giles.

Giles grimaced at Spike. “The room has surveillance cameras.”

Spike looked incredulously at Giles. “And this wasn’t something you thought you should mention? Do you know how far we could be right now if we’d left?” He shot a disgusted look at Giles and turned back to face the intruders.

A man walked in carrying no weapon. He was dressed in an expensive charcoal gray suit. His dark brown hair was peppered with gray, as was his short beard. His eyes were hard. He looked at Giles. “Rupert Giles.”

Giles looked at the man but said nothing. The man continued. “You have uninvited guests.” He looked behind Giles. “Willow Rosenberg.” He looked at Spike. “William the Bloody.” He pursed his lips.

He walked further into the room. He looked up at the hole in the wall and then at the remains of the window lying on the floor. He looked back at Giles. “You have become an unacceptable risk.” He started to move back to the door. He turned to one of the men. “Shoot them.”

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