FIC: Through Thick and Thin (Chapter 7: Where the Journey Began)

["cilia" <cilia@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hey!

Well next chapter is done, some very sweet B/W scenes a head if I say so
myself, oh and someone knows of Giles secret lover...

Enjoy!

Stefan

Through Thick and Thin
Cilia

Chapter 7: Where the Journey Began

"I can't believe they rebuild the place." Buffy said as they walked down the
halls of the reconstructed Sunnydale High. They all looked very different
from the last time they'd been here. Xander, now called Al'x dressed in
black and wearing a white jacket, Buffy in a respectable dark suit, Willow
wearing a similar one but hers was green and Giles once again dressed in
tweed, but the pair of sunglasses made all the difference.

The morning had been spent looking over Giles' books and having Czar fully
explain the glyphs on the artifact, Angel and Cordilia where driving in from
LA.
Buffy and Willow had sat down with Joyce and talked about pretty much
everything. Joyce took their relationship with ease, she'd had a year to get
used to the idea that her daughter didn't bat for the home team. Seeing her
with Willow had put her heart at ease. Willow would never hurt her daughter,
she would never leave now that she knew Buffy loved her and she had a
heartbeat. They talked of the past, the present and the future. The hit a
snag when the talked for some reasons turned to children, Willow had gotten
very distant, Buffy had noticed it and placed a comforting hand on her
shoulder. Joyce quickly moved on to a new subject,

"It's exactly the same." Giles said as they entered the library.
"Good I was hoping it would be." Buffy said and pulled out the disk.
"Willow set up the fire in the corner." She said and pointed Willow to the
spot in question.
"Al'x placed the water in that corner." She said as Willow made a small ball
of flame that hovered in the air.
"Giles the earth." She said as Al'x placed a glass of water on the floor.
"Czar?" She asked.
"I'm here." He said as he stepped out of the shadows.
"I need some wind in your corner."
"Consider it done." He said and gave a powerful flap of his wings.
"Now we all must step in the center of the four elements." Buffy explained.
"Take each other hands." Buffy said and took Willow's hand in hers with a
smile.
"Mind if I join in?" Spike asked from the shadows.
"Of course you can your family?" Willow said and then smiled at Buffy when
she was about to protest.
"After all we do need five beings." Al'x pointed out. Buffy smiled and took
Spike's hand.
"We stand at the beginning." Spike said.
"Our enemies are now our friends." Buffy said.
"The circle is complete." Willow said.
"We've traveled far and have now returned." Al'x said.
"Show us the path a head." Giles finished.
There was gust of wind and the disk spun. The faces of those who'd died
appeared before them.
"The path a head is ever changing."
"You're a family now and nothing can do you harm."
"Walk in light William there you'll find peace."
"A child of will be born of magic."
"Go South and search for the god of the sun."
"There all shall become clear."
The faced faded and the wind calmed.
"Wow!" Buffy said as she picked up the disk.
"How are you going to write this up in your paper?" Spike asked.
"I'm not sure." Buffy said.
"Did you guys get all that?" Al'x asked. Giles was writing it down.
"Why was I spoken to directly?" Spike wondered out loud.
"Someone over there must really like you Spike." Buffy answered.
"Who will have a baby?" Willow wondered.
"Well not us I mean." Buffy said and immediately regretted it.
"Wills I'm so sorry."
The talk about the future had come up from time to time. Children was
something she knew Willow wanted, but she'd accepted that considering her
line of work, being a Slayer even a one in semi-retirement could be dangers
and then there was the fact they were both female.
"It's okay it's just." Willow said and the gave up.
"Guys would you..." Before Buffy could finish, Spike and Czar where gone and
Al'x and Giles where closing the door. Willow had sat down and buried her
face in her hands.
"Wills I'm sorry I didn't. I mean the whole talk with mom and then this
message."
"Do you want them?"
"Want what?"
"Children?"
Buffy was taken back by this.
"Of course, I would be so happy if we could, but."
She was shut up, by a searing kiss.
"Wills we're in the library." Buffy said, for a lack of a better thing to
say, when they came up for air,
"I know." Willow whispered seductively and stood taking her hand.
"You want to do that. here?"
"I used to fantasize about it you know?" Willow said with a smile.
"Of making love to you in the library, make you scream my name." She said as
she pulled Buffy down in the center of the elemental circle.

"Wanna get a drink?" Al'x asked as they stood outside. "This could take a
while you know."
"Good idea." Giles said as they heard a thud.
"Lets go then."
"You first."
"No I insist."
"Bloody hell! Come on." Giles said and took Al'x by the elbow. "I swear some
things never change."
"You can only grow up so much."
"Well this is something new." Stjar'a commented as Giles dragged Al'x out
off the school.
"What is?" Giles asked.
"Him being dragged around, it's usually the other way around.
"I only drag you around when you're about to do something stupid." Al'x said
in a parental tone of voice.
"Well if you hadn't followed they would have never seen me."
"Excuse me, but could we get going please." Giles said rubbing his temples.
"Sure the G-man. By the way how's Faith?"
"Wha.. what?"
Al'x grinned a predators grin and Giles felt very uncomfortable.

Inside the library Buffy and Willow were floating, literally. The wonder of
levitation.
"Well I've never made you do that before." Buffy teased as she drew circles
on Willow's stomach. Referring to the various things that would sometimes
happen when they made love. Scorched walls and the blowing out of every
fuse in the house where the most common.
"You're just getting better that's all and I think some of this is your
doing." Willow said as she kissed her.
"Again?" Buffy asked with a sly smile.
"Always."
"Forever."
"Love you."
"Love you more."
"Shut up and kiss me."