Part 20

 "What exactly if the prophecy, Giles?" Angel asked. He watched as Giles suddenly turned back into the watcher that they all knew, instead of the man that had just appeared moments before looking as if he could kill a certain group of teenagers. Giles reached over to the middle of the table grabbing the book that lie there. He turned it to the specific page.

"I discovered this the other day, while I researching something for a friend of mine. At first, I didn't understand what it meant, or how we would find out anything about the people that it was talking about, but after today I am in no doubt certain that the four of your are the ones spoken of."

"What..what does is say?" Willow asked, scared. Angel pulled her close to him, comforting her. A snort could be heard coming from the stairwell.

"Isn't that cute?" Buffy sneered.

 "Disgusting is more like it," Oz stated. Both were ignored by the group at the table.

Giles continued as if he had never been interrupted. "Well, here is what it tells us.
 
 

Giles watched as the two couples in front of him took in what they had just heard. Willow and Cordelia snuggled unconsciously into the protective embraces of the two vampires that they were with and Giles found himself smiling. He could see how much the two couples truly cared for each other, even Spike. (Spike, who would have thought I would be actually glad that he and Cordelia would get together.)

"Hey hey hey, what's the sitch?" Faith asked, entering the library, startling the people inside. As soon as she entered, she noticed the silence. "Okay, tense much? I need a sword to cut through the air."

 "Faith," Giles regarded the brunette slayer, taking off his glasses and cleaning them. "I was just informing Angel, Willow, Spike and Cordelia about the prophecy that I had discovered this weekend. I believe that it concerns them."

Faith nodded her head, "Okay. What did it say?" Giles reread the prophecy for Faith as she came over to join the four already at the table. Instead of taking a chair, she jumped up and sat on the table. She noticed the others by the stairwell, but didn't bother to worry about what was going on. She had a pretty good idea.

"So these guys are the two couples. Makes sense," Faith said, agreeing with Giles assessment. "I mean they are two couples and they were born from betrayal and all."

"You told us that it was revenge," Buffy objected, suddenly afraid of what Faith was telling her. Faith just shrugged her shoulders, turning to the younger girl.

 "So, B, I was wrong. I just didn't figure that out until this weekend when I saw Red and Fang together. Just didn't see the need to inform you of the fact that the two of them were an item in every sense of the word." Faith then turned to Willow and Angel, "Gotta say though, you two are awfully cute together when you cuddle."

 Willow turned a bright red as she dug her head into Angel's chest. "You watched us?" Angel growled, a slight yellow tinge coming into his eyes. Faith ignored it.

 "No big, not like I was following you or anything," she explained. "I was passing by this house when I saw Queen C's car in the driveway. I went to check it out since I knew she didn't live there." A snicker came from Spike and the other's looked at him.

 "What?" He said.

"Whatever," Faith rolled her eyes. "So, anyways, I went up to the house and saw the two of you in front of the fireplace and I could tell that the two of you were majorly together. Well it helped that Willow was only wearing one of your tops, Angel, and you were only in your boxers. Which are very nice, by the way." Faith grinned at the handsome vampire, clearly remembering the sight of him in his black silk boxers.

 "Faith, stop picturing my boyfriend in his boxers," Willow told the girl.

Faith couldn't help but laugh. "Don't worry Red, he's not my type. I like em breathing. Especially heavily." The four people at the table laughed, even Giles couldn't help but chuckle at the audacity of his slayer.

 "Faith, umm, I need to say something to you." Cordelia finally said as the laughter died down. Faith looked at the girl whose relationship she had a hand in breaking up. "I wanted to say that I was sorry for the things that I said after I found out about you and Xander. I mean, I'm not saying you weren't at fault, at least not partially, but I realize that my relationship with dweeb boy wasn't as secure as I though it was if he felt the need to sleep with you. I know that now and I actually very grateful to you for helping me discover that." Faith looked at the cheerleader, surprise clearly evident on her face.

"Are you sure Cordy?"

 "Yeah, I am. Besides, I have Spike now and he makes me truly happy. I wouldn't be with him if I hadn't discovered what had happened, so everything has turned out for the better. I owe you for that one." Cordelia stood and gave the slayer a brief hug, which was returned.

Giles cleared his voice, trying to regain control of the meeting. "Yes, well, this is very good and I think that Faith can help with this, once we know exactly what we are dealing with. Let's take a look at the prophecy again, shall we."

 Angel started, "Well the part about 'shadows and light, four shall come to lead the fight' would indicate the four of us. I mean, Willow and Cordelia definitely come from the light and you can't get much darker than Spike and I."

 Willow took over, " 'Born from betrayal, two couples shall rise' is further proof of it being us. I mean, we got together because of what had happened to all of us," the people at the table all looked over to the three at the stairwell, glaring at them.

 "Yeah and me and Cordy were definitely enemies, before all of this," Spike added.

 "As well as you and Angel being friends," Cordelia finished.

 "Exactly," Giles stated. "Now I believe this next part 'When day turns to dark and the moon has a ring' refers to a solar eclipse. I've looked it over and there is one scheduled for next month, on the day of the new moon, which is often a time of dark magick."

"But what about the next part? 'One shall come to tear them apart'" Faith asked. "I mean, I pity anyone who would try and tear this group up," Faith looked pointedly over at the group on the stairs again. "Do you think it means...?" she left the question unfinished, but clearly indicated that she thought it might be Buffy, Xander or Oz that would try and tear them apart.

 Giles shook his head. "No, I don't think so. I believe it may be someone new who is trying to destroy the balance between light and dark. The next part is the one that worries me the most though. 'From the table of light, three shall hoist the shadows darkness illuminated, Desire unbound with shadows around, familiar of face and vile of heart, betrayal lay in wait.' That would indicate that people that you know and trust are going to be used as pawns to try and destroy you."

"I guess that means we're going to have to be extra special about who we trust," Angel stated simply. "And not let anyone interfere in our relationships."

 "Relationships, my ass," Xander muttered.

 "This last part, what does it mean," Willow questioned. "I mean, 'With hearts full of love and forgiveness, The four shall rise above and vanquish the night' My heart is full of love, at least for Angel and you guys," Willow pointed to all of the people at the table, including Giles and Faith, again surprising the slayer.

"I believe that it isn't with us that your heart must be one with, but I'm not sure how you will have to do battle."

 "Great more research," Cordelia muttered.

 "Giles, can I ask a question?" Buffy asked, finally gaining the nerve to join the others at the table.

Giles turned to her, "What is it, Buffy?"

 "Does this mean that the four of them had to get together in order for this prophecy to take place," she questioned.

 "Yes, it would appear that way," Giles replied, exasperated by the girl he had cared for.

"Then that means, everything that happened, happened for a reason," Buffy cheered at the thought that all may be not lost in her quest to regain Angel. "I mean, maybe we were supposed to do what we did, in order for Angel and Willow to get together." Xander and Oz joined Buffy, their faces beginning to become less somber at the notion that maybe they hadn't been as responsible for their break ups as they thought.

"Buffy, I don't believe that to be the case," Giles tried to tell the girl, the control on his patience again wearing thin. "But, if that was the case, there has to be something in there that tells how to undo whatever was done to make them fall in love in the first place."

"Buffy that wasn't a spell," Angel tried to tell his ex-girlfriend, "that was all Willow. She made me fall in love with her just because of who she is. Who I want to be when I am with her."

 "But don't you see Angel," Buffy walked over to him, "that's just it. Maybe it's the prophecy making you feel like that. I mean, it would make sense. It would explain why you would choose her over me. That's got to be it."

Angel couldn't take being in the same room with Buffy anymore and he knew that he had to get out fast before he grew any angrier at her. Before he did or said something that he would regret. He turned to face Willow. "Are you ready to go?"

 Willow grabbed her jacket, nodding her head. "More than ready." Spike and Cordelia also stood up. Giles we're gonna take off. I don't think any of us can handle any more of this tonight. Here's Angel's new number and I guess Faith can tell you where he lives. Call there if you need us." Giles nodded his head, understanding exactly why the four had felt the need to leave, himself suddenly deciding that he wanted nothing more than to go home and get staggeringly drunk. Then, just as the four were at the library doors, something Willow had said struck him.

 "Willow, how can we reach you at Angel's?" Willow turned and smiled sweetly, looking directly at Oz and Buffy.

"Oh, Cordelia and I live there with Angel and Spike. You don't mind do you?" She asked, suddenly concerned at what the librarian might think of her. Giles thought a moment and realized that he wasn't angry at the fact that the couples were living together, if anything he was glad. It meant that they truly were together in every sense and it would make it all that much harder for someone to separate them.

"No, I don't mind Willow. In fact, I hope one day to be invited over to dinner to see it." Willow's smile lit up the room as she ran and gave the man whom was like a father to her a hug.

 "Tomorrow. Six. You and Faith. I make a mean pasta and we can do some research there." Giles returned Willow's hug, glad to see her happier than he could ever remember seeing.

 "We'll be there."

 "Good." Willow walked back over to Angel, who placed his arm around her waist, dropping his head to place a kiss on her lips.

 "I love you," he whispered.

 "And I love you," she told him back. The two couples left the library while five people watched. Two were happy that the four people had gotten together, realizing that the pairings made sense, while the other three silently plotted to get the ones the loved back.
 
 
 

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