New Beginnings

By PSUBrat

Unleashed

Buffy and Giles stood on the other side of the portal in complete shock. It was good that they had looked up from their conversation when they did, otherwise they would have walked right through the opening. Giles picked up a loose pebble and threw it through the breach. It struck Dawn on the other side. "Hey watch it Giles," she said in mock pain, "You trying to put someone's eye out?"

Giles looked chagrined. "Now is not the time to be making jokes Dawn. We must get this portal closed before someone notices!"

William scanned the area where the portal opened, hoping that no one other than them had noticed the change. They were downtown near quite a few shops and it was lunchtime, which meant that there were many people around. This wasn't good. "Giles, there's too many people here for you two to come through on this side. I think it will draw too much attention. Bit and I are going to have to come to you."

Giles nodded. He had been thinking the same thing. He believed that the only way for the portal to close was for Dawn to move through it, one way or the other.

William grabbed Dawn's hand and with one last glance around the area, and pulled her through with him. It had been just like walking through a doorway. That simple. Unfortunately, when they had reached the other side, the portal didn't close. Instead, it seemed to become more electrified.

"Dawn," Giles shouted above the humming, "you have to close it!"

"I don't know how," the teen shouted back at him.

William looked at Giles and then back at Dawn. Something in the back of his mind told him they knew the answer to this. Suddenly he smiled at Dawn and said, "Tell me more about this Steven bloke."

Dawn looked at him strangely. Why did he want to know about Steven all of a sudden? They had already talked about him this morning. As she was about to ask him what he wanted to know, the portal snapped shut.

***

Wesley walked into the magic shop and looked around. There were a couple of customers off to the side admiring a candle display but he didn't see anyone he recognized. As he moved further into the shop, he noticed a young, blonde woman behind the cash register. She looked familiar to him but he couldn't place where he had seen her. He knew she was part of the briefing notes but he thought he knew her from somewhere else as well.

He was browsing the books when Anya walked over to him. "Is there something I can help you with?" She asked with a smile.

"Actually, no. I was hoping to catch up with an old friend. Is Rupert around by chance?"

"Oh. You're looking for Giles," she said with a frown, "Sure you don't want to buy something?"

He was a bit confused by the young woman. "Is he here,[?]" he asked with some irritation.

"Who?"

"Giles."

"No. He's not here right now. Although he should be here soon." She knew immediately she didn't like this man. His eyes were cold and she didn't like the scar on his neck. He just gave her the creeps.

"May I wait for him?"

"Suit yourself," she stated as she ran back to the cash register to ring up a customer. Then she added, "Just don't touch anything,"

He sat down at the table to wait for Giles. The magic shop, he thought, was a very good front for a watcher. No one would ever suspect what really transpired behind these walls. He busied himself reading the titles of the books on the table. They looked like watcher books. He was about to pick up one that looked like a journal when he heard his name.

***

"How did you know to do that?" Buffy asked in amazement.

William shrugged. "It just seemed like the most sensible thing to do. Get her to think about something else. Can't concentrate on two things at once. Kind of like not being able to walk and chew gum at the same time."

"Yes! Of course," Giles declared, "Break her concentration and the portal will close. It's quite simple really."

"Glad you seem to think so Giles," Buffy cracked.

William chuckled.

"Now we know how to close them," Dawn said with a grin, "But we still don't know how I open them."

"I think I do Bit," William stated.

"How?"

Giles had discussed his suspicions with William the other night. Neither of them had complete proof as to the how, but William was certain after witnessing the event himself, that he did. "You were agitated and we were talking about Buffy. The next thing that happens is a portal appears in front of Buffy. I'd wager that it happened the same way when you opened a portal to my room."

Dawn thought for moment. She couldn't remember exactly what her and Buffy had been talking about. The excitement of the portal had overshadowed everything else that had happened that day.

"You're right," Buffy said hesitantly, "We were arguing. About you."

William and Giles both nodded. "Good work William," Giles said patting the new watcher on his back, "Mystery solved for now. Shall we continue back to the Magic Box?"

"Wait," Dawn demanded, "You're saying that all I have to do is think about something or someone and a portal will just open up there?"

"We're not quite sure on the specifics yet Dawn…" Giles had started.

"So cool! I'll just think about the Magic Box and open a portal," she said in a giddy tone, "That's so much easier than walking there."

"No," Giles shouted at her. "You cannot just go off opening portals whenever you feel the need. Firstly, we aren't certain how stable they are, and secondly, you cannot attract attention to yourself. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I get it," Dawn said defensively.

"Come on Bit," William said putting his arm around her, "let's go get lunch now." He led her back to town as Buffy and Giles looked on.

"We must watch her Buffy," Giles said with a concerned tone, "until we fully understand the ramifications."

Buffy nodded silently as she watched William and her sister walk away.

***

"Wesley?" Xander asked from the other side of the table.

"Xander! So good to see you again," Wesley stated as he stood up and extended his hand to Xander.

"So what brings you back to Sunnydale?" Xander asked not bothering with the handshake.

Wesley dropped his arm down to his side. He thought maybe the young man had gotten over the past, apparently, he was wrong. "Actually, I work here now. Across the street at the new law firm." He noticed Xander's confused expression and added, "They deal with international trade agreements and such. I translate documents for them." He thought the cover sounded thin but it's what Wolfram and Hart had decided upon.

"How lucky for us," Xander said dryly.

"Yes. Quite," Wesley said looking down at the table. "I'm waiting for Rupert. Did you by chance see him on your way in?"

"Uh that would be a no. And I'm not sure how happy he's going to be to see you."

Wesley tried to smile. Had Harris always been this obstinate? As a teenager, the boy had gotten on his nerves, but he didn't remember him being this annoying.

At that moment, Buffy and Giles entered the shop. Wesley was relieved. He didn't want to be in Xander's presence any longer. He was afraid he might hurt the young man.

***

Giles was stunned to see Wesley standing on the other side of the shop. The last that he had heard, Wesley was working with Angel in Los Angeles. He met Wesley's gaze and smiled. He noticed immediately that something was different about the former watcher. Wesley seemed cold and hard, as if he had seen too many horrendous things in one life for his mind to handle; but there was something else there as well.

"Wesley," Buffy asked incredulously, "what are you doing here?"

"I asked him the same thing Buff," Xander said in a disgusted tone. "Mr. Stuffy Watcher here works across the street at the new law firm. Guess we're stuck with him now."

"Good afternoon Buffy, Rupert," Wesley stated still holding Giles' gaze. "I wanted to stop by and talk to you for a bit. Let you know that I was back in town. Perhaps we could catch up?"

"Why don't you catch up with the next bus out of town," Xander sneered.

"Xander that's enough," Giles stated flatly. "Anya would you get Wesley a cup of tea and bring it into the office, please?" He motioned for Wesley to follow him. Once Anya brought in the tea, the door closed. Buffy and Xander stood out in the shop with eyebrows raised.

***

Wesley had left the shop by the time Dawn and William had come back from lunch. William was relieved that he didn't have to deal with Xander for the time being but he knew that eventually the two would have to at least be civil. He didn't blame the whelp for wanting to beat the living life out of him. He deserved it for what he had done to Buffy before he had left. However, Buffy had threatened Xander with death if he touched one hair on the watcher's head, ever. William had been grateful to Buffy for her support. It was a little unexpected but nonetheless appreciated. The thought brought a smile to his lips.

"Hey smiley boy," Buffy said with a puckered brow, "wanna share the happy?" She sat down in the seat next to him.

She had startled him out of his reverie. His mind was quickly racing to cover his true thoughts. "I was just thinking," he lied, "of the look on Xander's face when he saw me standing in front of him at the Bronze."

Buffy chuckled. "Good thing Giles and I were holding him back. If you were still a vampire I think he would have dusted you on the spot."

"I think you're right," he said with a smile. "What can I do for you Ms. Summers?" He asked trying to change the subject.

"Huh? Oh. Why I'm sitting here. Right."

He thought she seemed a little jumpy, even jittery. He wondered if she had been drinking too much coffee again. He raised his eyebrows, silently asking her to continue.

"Well Giles said that we needed to talk. Something about our dreams of the Master."

"You've been having them too?" He asked incredulously.

"Yeah," she said, unsure if she wanted to let on that he had been in her dreams as well. "He's in a cave. The first time I had the dream, he started to feed on me. The second time…"

"The second time what?"

She took a deep breath, "The second time, you started fighting him."

William sat back in his chair to let it all sink in. "You were wearing a white tunic."

Buffy's eyes widened. She nodded. "And you were wearing nothing but faded jeans."

They stared at one another for what seemed minutes. Finally, William broke the silence, "I think we need to research this." He handed her one of the books he had been going through earlier and then tackled a thicker book. "First we need to know if there is a prophecy that deals with the Master's return."

"And secondly," Buffy asked.

"Secondly," he said hesitantly, "we need to find out why we're experiencing the same dreams."

***

"Are you ready Heinrich?" Gavin asked with a smile. Everything was going as planned. Gavin's men had captured a fledgling vampire the previous night and had brought it to the apartment for Heinrich's approval.

"I'm ready," the man stated coldly, "Let's begin."

"Very well," Gavin stated as he had the fledgling brought into the darkened room. They had starved the young vampire on purpose so that it still had that same craving and blood lust as when it had awakened in its grave the night before.

Heinrich motioned for them to let it go. Gavin nodded his approval and the vampire was released. Heinrich glided over to it and stroked its face. "How would you like to become the most famous vampire in history?" He asked soothingly.

The vampire didn't move. It only nodded slightly. It seemed entranced by Heinrich's eyes.

"I will remember you fondly for what you're about to do," Heinrich said baring his neck to the fledgling. "Now feed." The fledgling did as commanded and stopped when Heinrich ordered him to.

Gavin stepped in and cut the vampire's wrist so that Heinrich could suckle the fledgling's blood.

Once the former master vampire had signaled he'd had enough, the fledgling continued to feed on him. Eventually Heinrich dropped to the floor dead.

Immediately, one of Gavin's men staked the fledgling from behind. They then picked up Heinrich's body to move it to the car. The body was to be transported quickly to a cave in the woods and buried. Then the ceremony would begin.

***

"William," Buffy said closing her book and gently closing his as well, "Before we start the research stuff, I-I need to talk to you."

William noticed that her tone had become serious as well as the expression on her face. "Is there something wrong? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. It's just that…Remember what you told me and Angel once?"

"Which time," he laughed.

"When you came back to Sunnydale; after Dru had left you the first time..."

William tried to think. He remembered he had returned to town and had tried to make the witch cast a love spell so that he could get Drusilla back. "I vaguely remember, pet. It was a long time ago," he said shaking his head.

She looked at him trying to see if he was playing dumb or really didn't remember. She decided that he didn't remember and continued. "Well, you once said that Angel and I could never be friends."

He remembered the rest, "Right. And that you two would fight and shag and hate each other till it made you quiver. But you could never be friends because love wasn't brains."

Buffy nodded her head slowly. "What I'm trying to say is William, I don't think we can ever be friends because I'm in…"

She didn't get a chance to finish her sentence because they were interrupted by a voice from behind them.

"Buffy have you seen Anya? I need to talk to…"

Both Buffy and William had turned their heads to see who had interrupted their chat. William's eyes widened. Could it be? "Cecily?" William asked incredulously, believing his eyes were deceiving him.

"William, is that you?" Cecily cried.

"It's me luv," he exclaimed as he quickly stood up.

"Oh William," she whispered as she ran to him and threw her arms around him.

Buffy watched in horror as the one thing that she hadn't prepared herself for, happened.

Continue To Book Three - Destiny