Ages Apart
by dawnm
Choices
[reviews]
Title: Ages Apart
Author's Note: Please read and review. I'd love to know what you think of the story. Also, feel free to email me with any questions or comments if you like. Email: dawnm92@yahoo.com.
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Chapter 10 - Choices
The next morning the four of them headed off to the school. Xena and Gabrielle were left in the library while Buffy and Willow went to class.
"You okay?" Xena asked after a while, eyeing the bard with concern.
"I'm fine." Gabrielle replied, avoiding the warrior's gaze.
"You know, you haven't said two words to me this morning." Xena noted.
"You're imagining things, Xena." The bard said, trying to make light of it.
"Did I do something?" The warrior asked, reaching out to lift Gabrielle's chin to look into the bard's eyes.
"No." The bard replied softly.
"Come on, Gabrielle...I know something's wrong."
"What if we can't get back home?" The bard finally asked. "I've been thinking about it and if this spell doesn't work, what will we do?"
"It's been on my mind too." Xena admitted.
"It has been a wonderful experience...being here...but I worry. If we can't go home, I don't know where I would fit into this world, Xena." The bard quietly confided. "And Lila and my parents..."
"Hey, don't worry." Xena replied, looking down at the bard tenderly. " It'll be okay. I promise."
"You can't promise that, Xena."
"I'm sure the spell will work. And if it doesn't...we'll keep looking for a way." The warrior promised as she instinctively pulled Gabrielle into her arms to comfort her. The bard relaxed into the embrace resting her head on Xena's chest with a soft sigh. Their bodies melded together, a perfect fit the warrior noted as her heart began to race.
"I love you, Xena." Gabrielle whispered.
The warrior tensed involuntarily, trying to reign in her emotions, which were quickly getting out of control. The change did not go unnoticed by Gabrielle who abruptly ended the embrace and mumbled an apology, turning away from Xena as a single tear slid down her cheek.
The bard was certain then that her slip-up two nights before had cost her dearly. We can't even share a friendly hug. Gabrielle thought sadly.
"Gabrielle, what is it?" Xena asked confused, instinctively reaching out to the bard, who flinched and pulled away from the contact.
"I've ruined everything, haven't I?"
"What are you talking about?" Xena asked.
"The other night. When I had too much to drink...I said and did things that I shouldn't have. And I'm sorry...can't you forgive me, Xena?" The bard asked, her green eyes filling with unshed tears.
"Forgive you? Gabrielle, there's nothing to forgive. You just weren't yourself. You didn't know what you were doing. I know that." The warrior replied, trying to comfort the bard. Somehow this didn't seem to comfort her at all. If anything, Gabrielle seemed even more agitated.
"I was well aware of what I was doing, Xena." The bard snapped. "And I have accepted how you feel, but someday you're going to have to realize that I'm not a child. I am a grown woman and I have a mind of my own. I don't appreciate the way you dismiss my feelings as if I'm just some naïve little girl who can't think for myself." With that the bard turned and walked across the room and out of the library leaving Xena to wonder what had just happened.
The warrior had mulled over the situation and was just about to go out looking for her friend when Gabrielle came back into the library nearly an hour later. Xena still didn't understand all of what was upsetting her friend, but she had begun to piece together the puzzle and knew for certain that the bard was upset about what had happened between them the night when the bard had drank too much.
"Gabrielle..."
"Xena, it's okay. You don't have to say anything. I'm sorry I snapped at you." The bard said distantly.
"No. You were right." Xena replied. "I'm sorry if sometimes I'm overprotective. I don't mean to treat you like a child. I just don't want you to get hurt."
"I know. It's okay." The bard replied.
"I know you're not a child." Xena added with conviction, a spark of desire flickering in her eyes as she reached out and tenderly touched Gabrielle's cheek, amazed at how the beautiful bard had so quickly and completely stolen her heart.
Green eyes searching blue, the bard saw then what she had missed so many times before. For a moment Gabrielle doubted what she saw until she remembered what Willow had said about how Xena looked at her. Others had seen it, she realized - the desire in Xena's eyes when the warrior looked at her best friend - but until that moment, the bard had been blind. A smile touched her lips as Gabrielle entertained the idea that Xena might be attracted to her.
"What?" Xena inquired, a little perturbed that the bard seemed amused by her attempted apology.
"Oh nothing, Xena." Gabrielle replied with an innocent smile, which irritated the warrior all the more.
"Perfect. Well, as long as you're having a good time..." Xena replied, shifting uncomfortably.
Gabrielle bridged the distance between them then. "I'm sorry." She said sincerely, putting her arms around the warrior's waist and hugging her. Xena returned the embrace without hesitation, still thoroughly confused. Gabrielle, testing her newfound theory, snuggled into Xena's chest and softly ran her hands down the warrior's back.
The bard felt it then...as Xena's breathing changed and the warrior's heart raced in response to her touch. Gabrielle smiled and nuzzled Xena's neck, relishing her new discovery and pushing the limits of the warrior's self-control.
"What are you doing, Gabrielle?" Xena questioned, ending the embrace and holding the bard at arm's length.
"I was just hugging you, Xena." She replied, her green eyes smiling. "Is there something wrong?" She asked feigning innocence.
"No no, fine, just fine." Xena replied, trying to regain control of her breathing.
"I'm so glad that we could work this out." Gabrielle said, smiling as she stood on her tiptoes and placed a soft kiss on Xena's lips, before walking away from the stunned warrior.
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At lunch, Buffy and Willow sat in the schoolyard talking. Buffy told Willow about her conversation with her Mom on the phone the day before.
"Mom was so excited that I got into Northwestern. She doesn't understand. She really thinks that I can go away to college."
"Sounds like your mom's in a state of denial."
"More like a continent." Buffy corrected. "She just has to realize that I can't go away."
"Well, maybe not now, but soon, maybe. Or maybe I too hail from Denial Land." Willow admitted.
"Faith's turn to the dark side of the Force pretty much put the proverbial kibosh on any away plans for me. UC Sunnydale — at least I got in. You! I mean I can't believe you got into Oxford!" Buffy said.
"It's pretty exciting." Willow admitted.
"That's where they make Gileses."
"I know! I could learn...and have scones. Although I-I don't know how I feel about going to school in a foreign country." 'Or how I feel about the prospect of leaving Buffy.' Willow admitted to herself.
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After all of their classes were done for the day, Willow headed to the library to meet up with Buffy, Xena and Gabrielle. Moments later, Buffy and Wesley walked into the library, obviously already in the midst of a heated debate.
"I don't understand." Wesley said.
"Well, I don't think I can talk any slower, Wes. I want to leave."
"What? Now?"
"No, not now. After I graduate, you know, college?" Buffy said sarcastically.
"But, you're a Slayer."
"Yeah, I'm also a person. You can't just define me by my Slayer-ness. That's ... something-ism." Buffy argued.
Giles who was listening from the door of his office stepped into the fray. "Buffy, I know we've talked about you going away..."
"I got into Northwestern." Buffy informed him.
"That's wonderful news. Good for you." Giles said, clearly proud.
"Alright, everyone. Monsters, demons, world in peril?" Wesley interrupted, annoyed that he was again being ignored.
"I bet you they have all that stuff in Illinois." Buffy interjected.
"You cannot leave Sunnydale. By the power invested in me by the Council, I forbid it." Wesley replied. Buffy rolled her eyes and turned her back on Wesley.
"Ah yes, that should settle it." Giles commented, prompting another tirade from Wesley.
"Faith gone bad, and the Mayor's Ascension coming up, ... "
"I know it's complicated. I'm aware that my graduation may be, among other things, posthumous, but... What if I stop the Ascension? What if I capture Faith?" Buffy asked, interrupting the dark-haired watcher wanna-be.
"I very much hope you will." Giles agreed.
"If I do that, then all you guys have to do is keep the run of the mill unholy forces at bay through mid-terms and I'll be back in time for Homecoming, and every school break after that. Can we at least think about it?" Buffy asked.
"Perhaps if circumstances were different." Wesley allowed.
"I'll make them different." Buffy declared.
"What?" Wesley asked, looking confused.
"I'm tired of waiting for Mayor McSleaze to make his move while we sit on our hands counting down to Ascension Day. I mean, let's take the fight to him."
"No. No! Much too reckless. We're at a distinct disadvantage. We don't know anything about the Mayor's Ascension..." Wesley piped up.
"She's right." Giles said, backing Buffy up. "Time's running out. We need to take the offensive." Turning to Buffy, he added. "What's your plan?"
"I gotta have a plan? Really? I can't just be proactive with pep?"
"No. You want to take the fight to them? I suggest the first step would be to find out exactly what they're up to." Giles offered.
"Oh. I actually knew that. I thought you meant a more specific plan, you know, like with maps and stuff. Great. We'll find out what they're up to."
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Buffy left shortly thereafter with plans to stake out City Hall. A little after dark, a black limousine pulled up and Faith got out, carrying a box inside. Buffy watched all of this from the bushes and opted to follow the limo. When the car came to a stop in a nearby parking lot, the vamp driving, hearing a noise, looked back through the rear window. Buffy took the opportunity to smash the driver's side window with her fist and pulled his upper body out of the window.
"So, what's in the box?" She asked.
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Later, back at the library, the group was in full research mode when Buffy found what she was looking for in the book that she was reading. "The Box of Gavrock. It houses some great demonic energy or something which His Honor needs to chow down on come A-Day." She announced to the group.
Just then Giles and Willow entered the library carrying some large drawings.
"What's that?" Wesley asked.
"Maps. And stuff." Giles responded.
"Plans for City Hall. They were in the Water and Power mainframe." Willow explained.
"The box is being kept under guard in a conference room on the top floor." Buffy informed them, pointing to a map sheet. "There. Unfortunately, that's all I could get out of my informant before his aggressive tendencies forced me to introduce him to Mr. Pointy."
"Well, now, here's what I think we should do..." Wesley began, in his typical arrogant manner.
Buffy, ignoring him, continued. "I figure we can enter through the skylight. I'll take Xena with me."
"Agreed." Giles replied.
"And there's a fire ladder on the east side of the building." Xander added, pointing to it on the map. "Here."
"Yes, yes, fine, but we still need to consider whether the Mayor..." Wesley interrupted.
But Giles continued with his train of thought also ignoring Wesley. "It won't be enough to simply have possession of the box."
"Right, we have to destroy it. Not just physically - ritually, with some down and dirty black magic." Willow interjected excitedly.
"Hang on. We don't know what such a ritual would require." Wesley argued.
Giles, flipping through a book, quickly added, "I think the Breath of the Atropyx is standard for this sort of thing. Fairly simple recipe. Xander?" Wesley tried to read over Giles' shoulder but Giles handed the book to Xander.
"I know. I'm ingredient-getting guy." Xander said, taking the book without question.
"Alright, stop! I demand everyone STOP this instant!" Wesley piped up. Everyone stopped for a second to look at him. "I'm in charge here and I say this is all moving much too fast. We need time to fully analyze the situation and devise a proper and strategic stratagem." Wesley concluded.
"Wes, hop on the train or get off the tracks." Buffy advised.
"The Mayor will most assuredly have supernatural safeguards protecting the box." Wesley interjected. "Oh, we all forgot about that, did we?"
"Looks like a job for Wiccan girl. What do you say, Will? Big time danger." Buffy said with a smile.
"Hey, I eat danger for breakfast." Willow replied, offering the blonde a playful smile that temporarily sent the slayer's heart into overdrive.
Pulling Gabrielle aside, Xena asked, "Are you okay with staying here to help him while we're gone?" gesturing to Xander.
"Of course, Xena." The bard replied. "Don't worry." She assured the warrior. "He's harmless I think. He's Joxer, remember." Gabrielle joked, looking over to find Xander making eyes at her. "Annoying, but harmless." She added, rolling her eyes.
"That's Joxer all right. I'm sure you can keep him in line." Xena replied, smiling down at the bard. "And with any luck, we'll be back soon." The warrior added, turning to leave.
"Xena?" Gabrielle called, stopping the raven-haired warrior in her tracks. "Please be careful." Xena nodded, offering a reassuring smile before turning and taking her place next to Buffy once again.
"Let's get to work." Buffy said.
The gang filed past Wesley. Giles pushed a map into Wesley's hands as he walked past him. Wesley moped for a moment, then finally turned to follow the group out of the library.
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While the rest of the group was gone, Xander and Gabrielle mixed the spell ingredients in a large ceramic pot according to the directions Willow had left for them. When that was done, Xander turned his attention to Gabrielle once again. "This is great. Now we have a chance to get to know one another." He said, trying (without success) to be suave as he pulled up a chair beside her.
"Yeah, great." Gabrielle mumbled, wishing that Xena and the others were back.
"So...I haven't seen you around before. Do you live around here?" He asked.
"Not exactly."
"I didn't think so. I would have remembered seeing you." Xander assured her, moving further into her personal space. "You and I should get together this weekend, maybe catch a movie?" He proposed.
"It's kind of you to offer, but I don't think so." Gabrielle replied, getting up and moving across the room with Xander following closely behind her. 'He's not going to give up.' She sighed. 'Where are you, Xena?'
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Meanwhile, on the roof of City Hall, the trio looked down through the skylight, seeing the Box of Gavrock sitting on a conference table below. Xena opened the skylight. Buffy handed Willow a book and a bottle containing sand. Willow read the spell while pouring the sand over the box. As the sand fell, a blue force field became visible around the box, then suddenly disappeared when the spell was broken.
"Oh yeah, I'm bad." Willow said with a big smile.
"Four stars, Will. Now get going." Buffy responded, anxious for Willow to get back to the van and out of danger.
"I'm gone." Willow replied, before climbing down the fire ladder toward the ground.
Xena helped Buffy into a harness and set up a pulley system. She lowered the slayer down through the skylight, holding her over the box.
"Got it!" Buffy called up to Xena. As she lifted the box off the table, an alarm bell rang. Before Xena could pull Buffy back up, two vampires entered the room with their game-faces on.
"Don't suppose you wanna help me get down?" Buffy quipped. The vamps growl in response. "Didn't think so." Buffy said.
Xena, assessing the situation, leapt down to the table to aid in the fight, her distinctive battle cry distracting the vamps momentarily. Buffy took on one of the vampire guards, kicking him across the room in spite of still being stuck in the harness, dangling in midair. Xena planted a kick in the other vampire's face that sent him crashing into his companion, before turning to help Buffy out of the harness. Once Buffy was free of the harness, the slayer and warrior princess escaped the room and ran out of the building, ducking into some nearby bushes in an effort to lose the guards that were still chasing them.
Back at the library a short time later, the gang was all assembled, minus Willow.
"How did you guys let ... How did this happen?" Buffy asked, trying to contain her anger at the realization that Willow hadn't made it back to safety.
"We thought she stayed with you." Giles explained.
"They must have grabbed her when she hit the ground. Buffy, I'm sorry." Xena sympathized, knowing how much Buffy cares for Willow.
Gabrielle moved closer to Xena, feeling comforted in her presence. Seeing the worry on the bard's face, Xena moved to reassure her, putting an arm around her shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"Look, it's nobody's fault, okay. We just need to focus and deal. I swear I won't let them hurt her." Buffy pledged, calling on all of her strength. I can't lose you now, Will. I can't. The slayer thought, trying to dispel the growing ache in the pit of her stomach.
"We go back. Full-on assault." Xander suggested.
"They'll kill her." Giles interjected.
"We're assuming they haven't already." Wesley piped in.
"No. No, they know what she means to us. She's too valuable as long as we still have the box...We trade." Buffy concluded.
"We can't." Wesley said.
"No, it's the safest plan." Buffy insisted, then turning to Giles, "It's the only way, right?"
"It might well be." Giles admitted.
"Look, we call the Mayor and arrange a meeting." Buffy decided.
"This box must be destroyed." Wesley demanded.
"I need a volunteer to hit Wesley." Xander interjected.
"Giles, you know I'm right about this." Wesley added.
"Wes, you wanna duck and cover at this point?" Buffy replied, barely containing her desire to pummel the jerk.
"Damn it, you listen to me! This box is the key to the Mayor's Ascension. Thousands of lives depend on our getting rid of it. Now, I want to help Willow as much as the rest of you, but we will find another way." Wesley replied.
"There is no other way." Buffy stated, staring him down.
"You're the one who said take the fight to the Mayor. You were right. This is the town's best hope of survival. It's your chance to get out." Wesley continued.
"You think I care about that? Are you made of human parts?" Buffy replied, getting in his face.
"Alright! Let's deal with this rationally." Giles said, stepping in.
"Why are you taking his side?" Buffy asked, getting more out of control by the second.
"You'd sacrifice thousands of lives? Your families, your friends?" Wesley questioned.
The slayer stood silent, her mind made up. No one took her sense of duty more seriously than Buffy did as the slayer, but sacrificing Willow was not part of the deal.
"It can all end right here. We have the means to destroy this box." Wesley added.
I'll fix that. Buffy decided, veering around Wesley and flinging the pot with the spell ingredients across the room where it smashed into a display case, shattering into a thousand pieces on the library floor.
Everyone looked at each other, silent for a moment. Finally, Buffy turned to the elder watcher, "Giles, make the call."
Gabrielle looked worriedly at Xena, who had remained remarkably silent throughout the argument. Xena was visibly upset by Willow's capture, feeling partially responsible, and understood well Buffy's need to protect the redhead at any cost. She knew that she would do the same for Gabrielle.
"I'm sure she'll be okay, Xena." The bard offered.
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Meanwhile at City Hall, Willow had managed to find her way into the mayor's office and discovered the mayor's cupboard of magic stuff. With a little exploration inside, she found a hidden compartment containing the Books of Ascension, and began skimming the pages.
"Check out the bookworm." Faith quipped, appearing in the office doorway.
"Faith!" Willow replied, looking up, clearly surprised to see the dark slayer.
"Anyone with brains, anyone who knew what was going to happen to her, would be tryin' to claw her way out of this place. But you, you just can't stop Nancy Drew-ing, can you? Guess now you know too much and that kinda just naturally leads to killing."
"Faith, wait. I want to talk to you." Willow replied, stalling for time as she got to her feet.
"Oh yeah? Give me the speech again, please. 'Faith, we're still your friends. We can help you. It's not too late.'" Faith mouthed sarcastically.
A fire raged inside Willow then and she couldn't hold back any longer as she faced the deadly dark slayer. "It's way too late." Willow corrected, fuming at the jaded brunette who had been the source of so much pain in all of their lives since she had breezed into Sunnydale.
"You know, it didn't have to be this way. But you made your choice. I know you had a tough life. I know that some people think you had a lot of bad breaks. Well, boo hoo! Poor you. You know...you had a lot more in your life than some people. I mean, you had friends in your life like Buffy. Now you have no one. You were a Slayer and now you're nothing. You're just a big selfish, worthless waste." Willow continued, unable to reign herself in.
Faith, being Faith, punched Willow in the face then, sending the redhead to the ground. "You hurt me, I hurt you. I'm just a little more efficient."
"Aw, here I just thought you didn't have a come-back." Willow retorted, climbing to her feet again.
"You're begging for some deep pain."
"I'm not afraid of you." Willow said, looking Faith in the eye.
"Let's see what we can do about that." Faith replied, pulling out the large knife that the mayor had given her, and holding it to Willow's throat.
"Girls, I hope I don't have to separate you two. Faith, you can play with your new toy later. Something's come up." The mayor interjected from his place in the doorway.
Faith didn't move, still holding the knife to Willow's neck, staring into her eyes.
"Faith! You know I don't like repeating myself." The mayor scolded.
"I got someone. I got him." Faith asserted, finally letting Willow go.
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Back at the school, the gang plus Angel all waited for the mayor in the cafeteria, the designated meeting place. Giles had insisted on calling Angel for backup, in case a fight ensued with the mayor's henchmen.
The two vampire guards pushed open the front doors and entered, followed by the Mayor, then Faith who was holding Willow, again with the knife to her throat. The two groups stopped and glared at each other. The mayor and Buffy moved toward each other in the center of the room.
"Well, this is exciting, isn't it?" The mayor chuckled. "Clandestine meetings by dark of night. Exchange of prisoners. I just, I, I feel like we should all be wearing trench coats."
"Let her go." Buffy demanded, unable to contain herself any longer, her eyes glued to Willow's.
"No. Not until the box is in my hands. So...you're the little girl that's been causing me all this trouble. She's pretty, Angel...a little skinny. Still don't understand why it couldn't work out with you and my Faith. Guess you kind of just have strange taste in women." The mayor prattled on.
"Well, what can I say? I like them sane." Angel replied, an idiotic response considering that Faith was still holding Willow's life in her hands. Willow winced as Faith tightened her grip threateningly in response to the insult.
"Angel." Buffy scolded.
"Well, I wish you kids the best, I really do. But if you don't mind a bit of fatherly advice, I, uh, I-I just don't see much of a future for you two. I don't sense a lasting relationship. And not just because I plan to kill you. You two have a bumpy road ahead." The mayor philosophized.
"I don't think we need to talk about this." Buffy interjected.
"God, you kids! You know...you don't like to think about the future. You don't like to make plans. But unless you want Faith to gut your little friend like a sea bass, you'll show a little respect for your elders."
Angel in another bout of stupidity, challenged, "You're not my elder. I've got a lotta years on you." And Giles began to question his decision to include Angel in this meeting.
"Yeah, and that's just one of the things you're going to have to deal with. You're immortal. She's not. It's not going to be easy. I married my Edna May in Ott-three and I was with her right until the end. Not a pretty picture...wrinkled and senile and cursing me for my youth...wasn't our happiest time. And let's not forget the fact that any moment of true happiness will turn you evil. I mean, come on. What kind of a life can you offer her? I don't see a lot of Sunday picnics in the offing. I see skulking in the shadows, hiding from the sun. She's a blossoming young girl and you want to keep her from the life she should have until it has passed her by. My God! I think that's a little selfish. Is that what you came back from Hell for? Is that your greater purpose?" The mayor asked, staring at Angel for a moment and then shaking his head in disgust. "Make the trade."
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Later after the mayor and his henchmen had gone, Wesley let out the breath he'd been holding and once again found his voice. "Well, that went swimmingly." He said sarcastically.
Xena glared at him, clearly fed up with his arrogance and the way he treated Buffy. Wesley visibly paled under her gaze and said nothing more.
"We did alright." Buffy proclaimed, speaking volumes as she gazed tenderly into Willow's eyes, feeling incredibly lucky just to have her back safe.
Back in the library a few minutes later, Buffy and Willow sat cross-legged on the counter talking about the ordeal while Giles and Wesley stood back listening. "So Faith was like I'm going to beat you up and I'm all 'I'm not afraid of you' and then she had the knife which was less fun a-and then, oh! I-I told her you made your choice, Buffy was your friend..." Willow recalled, talking animatedly to Buffy, both of them enjoying their time together after the stressful evening.
Giles interrupted, "This is fascinating, but let's get back to the point. You actually had your hands on the Books of Ascension?"
"Volumes One through Five." Willow confirmed.
"Is there anything you can remember that could be of use to us? Anything at all?" Giles inquired.
"Well, I was in a hurry, and what I did read was kind of involved. If you ask me, way over-written. Actually, there were a few pages that looked kind of interesting, but I didn't have a chance to read them fully." Willow replied.
Giles looked disheartened for a moment. "See what you can make of them?" Willow added, with a cute Willowy smile, pulling the folded pages out of her pocket and offering them to the watcher. Giles, smiling like a kid at Christmas, rushed off with the pages.
"This is your night for suave, Will. You should get captured more often." Buffy noted, smiling fondly at the redhead.
"No, thank you." Willow replied, her heart skipping a beat in response to the warmth radiated in Buffy's smile.
Feeling the need to rain on their parade as usual, Wesley interrupted, "Well, let's hope there is something useful in those pages. The mayor has the Box of Gavrock. As of now, we are right back where we started. Wouldn't you say?" Buffy looked a little down at the realization, but refused to apologize for saving Willow.
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