FanFic: The Next Illogical Step (1/?)

[keeper444@xxxxxxxxx (Alex)]

Okay this is the second sequel to Higher Power, I guess I just can't
leave these chacters alone.
Judgeing by the way this is going it could be a long one. Hope ya'all
like it.
Thanks for all the positive feedback.
Later
Alex
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Title: The Next Illogical Step
Author: Alex
Feedback: Please any comments or suggestions to: keeper444@xxxxxxxxx
Archive: Whatever or whoever Just tell me
 Summary: Sequel to A Higher Power
Spoilers: This is all happening during as well as after the time covered 
in Truth and Consequences. Still in college Still near future. 
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy Willow Giles and any others from
BTVS are the property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy etc. No
infringement of any kind intended. 
Notes: So much research so little time. 
Willow learns a lesson in religion.
  ****flashbacks**** 
      <>thoughts<> 
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Title: The Next Illogical Step (1/?)
Author: Alex 
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      Willow turned away from her computer screen to give
her eyes a much deserved rest, she looked over at the couch to check on
her best friend and lover, Buffy. 
      The Slayer had fallen asleep on Giles couch again.
Willow felt a slight twinge of guilt knowing that she was the reason
Buffy was sprawled here on the couch instead of in her own warm
comfortable bed next door in their townhouse. 
        She'd tried many times before to get her to go
on home to bed, but Buffy always mumbled something about not wanting to
be alone any more and refused to leave until Willow did. 
        Willow noticed a slightly mischievous smile on
the sleeping girl's lips. 

      <>I wonder what's going on inside that pretty head.<>
Willow thought
<>Something wickedly fun no doubt<> 

        In the time since they had returned from Teach
Tu Dannan, both found that they simply couldn't get enough of each
other. 
        Even now, as tired as she was, watching Buffy
sleep Willow practically ached to take her blonde haired lover in her
arms and make love right there on Giles couch. 

        <>Bad Willow, bad, bad Willow<> she scolded
herself <> You must let the poor girl rest sometime or you'll wear her
out and then what would you do?<> 

        Willow sighed not wanting to ever think of life
without Buffy. 
  She couldn't resist one more look at her before returning to
work. 

    <>Goddess, she is so beautiful.<> Willow thought as the
longing returned <>I can't believe she's mine at last.<> 

        Willow knew the other reason Buffy was so tired. 
    She'd found out that last night was one of Willow's sabats,
Litha, the summer solstice, and she had insisted on joining Willow in
the ritual that had lasted until shortly before dawn. 
        As always after a celebrating a ritual Willow
was energized, but poor Buffy was completely worn out. 
        As she turned back to her computer, Willow heard
Giles mumbling something to himself in his study. He too was deeply
immersed in his own research. 
        Ever since they had shown up on his door step
with their gifts from Brigit, Morrigan, and Lugh, Giles had been like a
kid in a candy store. 
          First he went to work translating the
runes, and writings on the weapons and Willow's staff. 
            After finishing that he gathered the
stall the wooden dagger, and the rings ad took them all to a jeweler he
knew to have the stones identified and appraised. 
            All four of the large green stones
turned out to be very rare very valuable emeralds and the four smaller
red stones in the hilt of the dagger were nearly flawless blood rubies. 
        The man had tried everything to get Giles to
sell them but he'd steadfastly refused.     
Once he had finished with all he could find on those
artifacts, he turned to the one task he knew he'd love, the book. 
    He became obsessed with it he was unable to stop himself,
if it hadn't been for Buffy and Willow he would have starved to death
studying that book. 
          Try as she might Willow was unable to
fault him for his obsession, it had saved Buffy's life more than once. 
          Willow had to smile when she thought of
the look on his face when he came charging out of the study, to share
his findings the first time. 

*****"I can not believe this it's just so bloody marvelous,:Giles kept
saying pacing too excited to sit. "After god knows how long, I am the
first watcher to ever see this and since we have broken off contact with
the council I can't even tell them about it." 

        He translated some more then began muttering. 

        "This is just fantastic." he said to himself
then turned to the two girls that were starring at him like he was
insane. "Do you have any idea what this is?"

      "If we knew that then why would we need you." Buffy
said sarcastically, she'd had a bad day in class. 

      Some times she wondered if 'coming out' was worth all
the trouble but, one look at Willow always answered that question. 

    "Buffy!" Willow scolded "Be nice, Giles isn't the one you're
mad at." 

        "Right, sorry Giles, my bad." Buffy apologized 

        Giles looked at Buffy surprised, now he knew
Willow was good for her, she had never apologized before. 

          "Translating these kinds of things is your
speciality Giles," Willow continued "Buffy and I wouldn't have the
slightest idea where to even begin. 
          You are the one that figured out that my
staff was made specifically for me, to focus and amplify my powers, you
learned that the dirks were once called the 'Spurs of Erin' and that the
wooden dagger was a Pictish artifact known as 'Demon Claw' all very
helpful information in finding out their uses and now you have found out
something about the origins of the book. 
            I'm not surprised Brigit said you
were the one to turn to. We trust you completely." 

            "Oh..well...yes..I appreciate your
trust." Giles stumbled, embarrassed by the young witch's praise, he
cleared his throat then continued "Getting back to the book, I haven't
gotten much past the title and a few lines here and there, but from what
I gather, what you girls brought home is the 'Book of Souls'." 

            He paused expecting a reaction when
none was forth coming he explained further. 

        "Well I suppose that would mean nothing to you,
but believe me this is a major find." He lectured "It was the repository
for much of the Druid lore, their grimoire so to speak. 
            It is even said that it holds the
secrets of creation and making thus also their opposites." 

        There was a hiss as Willow drew in a sharp
breath through clenched teeth. 

            "Exactly so." Giles said looking at
the young witch over the top of his glasses. "The power these people
have entrusted into your hands is unfathomable. Their confidence and
trust in you is unbelievably strong. 
      The last time anyone heard of this book being seen was
before the time of King Arthur and the Christian incursion into Ireland. 
          It was said to have been returned to the
gods and most scholars believed it was either destroyed or that it never
existed in the first place. 
        I guess now we know the truth." ***** 
      Giles was in watcher heaven. With the help of Willow's
expertise the two of them came up with a program to help him translate
the various languages used in the book. 
        Every day he found some new medicine spell or
piece of information that had him running around all excited. 
        Soon between Willow being 'Research Girl' on her
computer and Giles progress with the 'Book of Souls' they'd pretty much
learned just about everything they wanted to know about the gifts and
their uses, all that is except the rings. 
        This soon became Willow's obsession, stopping
only to eat or patrol with Buffy, Willow spent nearly every waking
moment searching any historical data base she could find, but still no
luck. 
          She finally got so bad that Buffy had
suggested that she go to the goddess either for help or at least some
perspective on the subject.
Seeing no other available option Willow had done just that
last night. 
              Yet here she was again, with
her nose buried in her computer, searching. 

            <>I guess sometimes the answer is
no.<> she thought discouraged. 

              At that moment an accidental
missed keystroke placed her in a section of the Vatican library she'd
never been in before. 
      It was the forbidden books section, Willow had
picked up rumors about this area but had never been able to find it,
until now. 
              As she read through the
thousands of files, Willow came across the mention of a an ancient sect
of Celtic female warriors called 'Sisters of the Soul.
                Excited and thanking the
goddess Willow began searching and cross referencing her way into
several deeply encrypted files that the Church considered so heathen and
so blasphemous that only the most dedicated priests were allowed to see
them. 
                  Delving deep into
these files Willow finally found an eyewitness account over one thousand
years old telling of the sect and many of the ceremonies and rites they
practiced.

                It was here that Willow
learned the purpose of the rings and where to look in the 'Book of
Souls' to find the details. 
                It was also here she
learned the truth behind the disappearance of the sect. 
                  Because the
ceremony called upon ancient gods and was the mating of two people of
the same sex, the Church declared it blasphemous and an obscenity in the
eyes of their god. 
          So they began a systematic campaign to
wipe out all knowledge of the sect, including hiring assassins to murder
the woman. 
              Tears were in Willow's eyes as
she realized this was a record of hypocrisy and deceit as old as time
but the idea of someone supposedly on the side of the Light committing
the atrocities she was reading about was unforgivable. 
                  Especially when it
was women of the same caliber as their friends Brigit and Morrigan. 

<>Those Bastards<> Willow said to he self <>I hope thet're
burning in their own private hell!<>

                  The more Willow
read the angrier she became until, after she copied all the information,
Willow fed a virus she'd created into the system that would not only
cover her tracks but it would also destroy everything in the files she'd
been reading if not that entire section of their library including the
hard drive. 
                  That done Willow
gathered the print outs and went to show Giles. 
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end part 1 
tbc
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btw Bill the name is Alex, keeper444 is the address.
~A~
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No matter where you go - there you are.
                   ~Buckaroo
Bonzai~ 
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The second worst tragedy in the world:
Not getting everything you want. 
.............. 
The worst tragedy in the world:
Getting it. ~Oscar Wilde~