Title: Thou Shalt Not Suffer a Witch to Live
Author: Angelina
Email: angelina2006@hotmail.com

Part 4


As usual the sun was shining in San Francisco. But for once Phoebe wished it wouldn’t shine so brightly. The intrusive light creeping through the gap in her curtains had steadily made its way across the room and was now beaming directly onto her face. Phoebe groaned as she risked a peek and was momentarily blinded for her trouble. She fumbled about on her nightstand with her eyes closed until she tracked down her sunglasses. She put them on with a sigh of relief. That was one problem dealt with, now if she could only stop the incessant pounding in her skull and prevent her stomach from doing somersaults she’d be fine. Oh, and some mouthwash would be nice too, her tongue felt like sandpaper and the taste in her mouth was vile to put it mildly. She cursed silently, swearing never to touch alcohol again. Just as she was contemplating testing the stability of the contents of her stomach by sitting up, the door to her room burst open and Prue bounded in and leapt onto the bed next to Phoebe.

“Rise and shine, sister dear!” she said, none too quietly, to the pile of blankets under which Phoebe had retreated.

“Mmmmph” came the reply. Prue started pulling off blankets in search of Phoebe who she suspected was nursing a killer hangover. She planned to make her suffer.

“Come on Pheebs, it’s a gorgeous day outside, you can’t waste it lying in bed.” Prue sounded unusually chirpy. Phoebe finally emerged from the covers, hair sticking out in all directions, traces of last night’s make up smudged around squinting eyes, sunglasses perched on the end of her nose at a very strange angle. Prue looked at her and exploded into a fit of laughter.

“Piper!” she spluttered “Piper c’mere quick, and bring the camera, this should be recorded for posterity.”

Piper appeared in the doorway, without a camera, but even she had trouble hiding her amusement at the sight of her hungover sister. She walked to the bed and sat down and Phoebe immediately scooted over and put her head on Piper’s knee - she was in need of comfort and clearly Prue wasn’t’ going to offer any.

“Awwww, poor Pheebs” said Piper as she gently rubbed Phoebe’s temples.

“Sympathy works, keep going,” mumbled Phoebe.

“You don’t get sympathy for hangovers, they’re self-inflicted” said Prue, still smiling widely.

“Why are you so jovial this morning anyway?” asked Phoebe, peering up at Prue.

“Well, yours truly just happened to land an ENORMOUS account for Bucklands last night . Plus Claire got so drunk that she admitted that I deserved a raise” said Prue, looking very self-satisfied. “And, by the way, it’s afternoon, not morning.”

“Whatever” said Phoebe, “Oh, and congrats on the raise” she added as an afterthought.

“Thank you” said Prue, “I thought to celebrate I’d take my sisters out to lunch and then we could hit the mall, my treat. But if you’re not feeling well I’m sure Piper and I could...”

“Your treat? I’m up, I’m up!” said Phoebe sitting bolt upright and regretting it a second later. “But before we go I need a shower, a toothbrush and 2 bottles of aspirin.”

Piper looked at Prue “Looks like it’s gonna be dinner instead of lunch.”

Phoebe swatted her playfully. “I’ll be twenty minutes, tops”

“And I’m the Queen of Sheba” said Prue.

“OK, forty minutes” said Phoebe, heading for the bathroom.

Prue and Piper looked at each other, it would be at least an hour and a half before they even thought about leaving. Phoebe stuck her head back into the room.

“And while we’re out I can keep an eye out for the people in my vision” The face disappeared and the bathroom door slammed shut. Prue turned to Piper.

“So what’ll we do while we wait for her?”

Piper shrugged, “I’ve always wanted to read ‘War and Peace’, I reckon I could make a good start on that.” Prue laughed and the two sisters went downstairs together.

Giles’ battered old Citroen was making its way through the streets of San Francisco, slowly. In the front Xander was holding a street map and arguing with Giles about the best way to get to Prescott Street. In the back seat Buffy was listening to them, Willow’s head was resting on her shoulder. She was asleep and had been almost since they’d left Sunnydale.

They’d gone home from the library to tell their respective families about the trip and get the permission slips signed. Not that either Xander’s or Willow’s parents paid all that much attention to what they did anyway. It had been harder for Buffy who had to tell her mother what was truly going on. She had been trying to avoid it because she knew her mother would be upset. She was very fond of Willow and was distressed to discover the seriousness of the situation. At first light Giles had picked them up one by one. Buffy was last and Joyce came out to say goodbye. This of course led to hugs and tears before they finally set off on their way.

Buffy glanced down at Willow. How could she sleep with all that racket? Not only from Giles and Xander but from the car itself which was finding the hilly streets to be something of a challenge. Buffy touched Willow’s cheek and withdrew her hand sharply, she was scalding hot.

“Giles.” No answer, the bickering continued. “GILES” she shouted in a voice she usually reserved for troublesome vamps.

“Yes? What is it Buffy?” Giles was feeling, and sounding, rather harassed.

“Willow’s burning up back here. What should I do?” Buffy, who was no stranger to crisis, was at a loss as to how best to help her sick friend.

“You should wake her up, I think we should try to keep her awake.....especially if she’s developing new symptoms.” Giles thought for a moment. “Xander, get a bandage from the first-aid kit and wet it, Buffy, use it to cool her down as best you can” He looked at Xander who was pouring bottled water onto a rolled up bandage. “It shouldn’t be too much longer until we’re there.”

Buffy nodded. She shook Willow gently. No response. She shook her again, harder this time. Still nothing.

“Willow! Willow come on, wake up!” Buffy was becoming frantic and started shaking Willow quite vigorously. “Willow wake up!”

Willow’s body suddenly jerked and her eyes opened wide. “The tadpoles have left the building....” She allowed her eyes to focus. “Buffy?”

“God Will, you scared me half to death!” said Buffy, her heart still racing.

“I’m sorry” said Willow sleepily. She swallowed several times. “Buffy I’m really hot.”

“I know, I know” said Buffy gently, taking the damp cloth from Xander. She placed it on Willow’s burning forehead.

“Oooh, that’s nice” breathed Willow. Buffy wiped all over Willow’s face, down her neck and onto her pulse points. Willow let her head rest against Buffy’s, it was too much of an effort to hold it up right now.

Xander watched in silence from the front seat. He hadn’t cracked a joke throughout the whole journey - a fact that had not gone unnoticed by Giles or Buffy. Xander grimly turned around to face forward again. By sheer chance a sign caught his eye. It said ‘Prescott Street’.

“STOP!!” he screamed and Giles practically stood on the brakes. Everyone in the car lurched forward and Buffy only just managed to keep Willow from ending up on the floor.

“Xander what is your damage?” she demanded, eyes blazing.

Xander was gesturing backwards wildly. “We just passed Prescott Street!”

“Oh my word” said Giles, struggling to find reverse and crunching the gears in the process. The little car shot backwards up to the junction and turned into the street. They crawled along looking for number 1329, finally coming to a halt in front of the manor.

“OK, so what’s the plan of attack?” asked Xander.

“I figured we’d just go in and tell them why we’re here” said Buffy.

“And what if they won’t help us?” asked Xander worriedly.

“I kick their asses until they do.” Buffy replied without hesitation.

“Buff....” Willow looked at her disapprovingly.

“I agree with Willow, I don’t think that’s the best way to go about it,” Giles rubbed his eyes as he spoke.

“So what’s your suggestion?” asked Buffy.

“Well, our first task is to determine whether or not the people we are looking for actually live here and whether or not they have the means to help us.”

“The means?” Buffy looked confused. “I thought you said they were mega-powerful witch types?”

“No, I said that the prophecies indicated that they were. For all we know the family could have stopped practising witchcraft years ago” said Giles. “We can’t very well knock on the door and start talking about demons and spells...th.th.they might have us committed!”

Willow was looking worried. “But even if they’re not active, they’re still bona fide witches right? With powers?”

Giles was quick to reassure her, “Yes indeed, these are witches by birth and should be able to help us no matter what. Provided that they still live here of course.” Buffy shot Giles a look which Willow noticed.

“No, it’s OK, I know this is a long shot. But it’s better than sitting around waiting for....” She didn’t finish and no-one prodded her.

“Right, well, I think it would be best if you all waited here while I go in and assess the situation.” said Giles.

“You’re gonna go and suss out what’s going on in a house full of young women, huh Giles?”

“Buffy’s right, I think I should go” said Xander opening the car door.

“No, Giles and I will go” said Buffy firmly. “He can be there with the back story and I’ll use my women’s intuition to see if they’re our girls or not.” The others nodded.

Xander got out of the car, followed by Buffy, then he climbed into the back beside Willow. As she walked towards the house with Giles, Buffy’s ultra-keen sense of hearing picked up the conversation from the backseat.

“Hey, I know what we should do! I spy with my little eye, something beginning with ‘C’”

“Car”

“No fair, you could at least pretend not to know!”

“Sorry Xand” Buffy could almost hear Willow’s smile. Xander could always be counted on to cheer her up.

When they reached the door they paused and looked at each other. They were both thinking the same thing - Please let this be the answer.

Giles pressed the doorbell. A voice from inside shouted “Coming” then the door was opened to reveal a petite woman in her mid-twenties with long brown hair. She smiled warmly at the strangers on her door step.

“Hi, can I help you?”

Buffy was a little taken aback by the woman’s appearance, she didn’t look like a witch. But then again, neither did Willow. Buffy scolded herself for having such stereotypical preconceptions in her head. But she was still a little disappointed that the girl wasn’t wearing black robes and a conical hat. Just then a cat ran past their legs, it was white, another myth dispelled.

Giles replied to the woman’s question. “Yes, I’m terribly sorry to bother you, I hope this isn’t an inconvenient time.” Polite and apologetic as ever.

“Well that depends on what you have in mind” realising how that sounded the girl blushed a deep red, as did Giles, and tried to backtrack. “Wh..what I mean is..”

Buffy smiled at her. “It’s OK, we know what you meant. Giles just wants to ask you a few questions. Oh and I’m Buffy Summers by the way” she said holding out her hand. Still blushing slightly the girl shook hands with Buffy.

“Piper Halliwell.”

“Halliwell?” enquired Giles, sounding slightly worried. “Not Warren, then?”

“Warren? Not for a few generations, no.” Piper looked puzzled and somewhat apprehensive. She reminded Buffy of Willow. At that point Prue appeared behind Piper and looked questioningly at the odd couple on the porch.

“Hello” she said, without smiling.

“Oh hello,” said Giles looking relieved. “Is this your sister?” Piper nodded. “You don’t happen to have another by any chance do you?”

Piper raised her hands and Giles and Buffy froze in place.

“Oh my God, Prue, this guy freaks me out.”

“How come?” asked Prue.

“Well, he knows that we’re descended from the Warren line and now he’s asking if there are three of us, doesn’t that worry you a teeny bit?” asked Piper, her eyes wide.

Prue looked at her. “Warlocks?”

“Warlocks, demons, blacklighters, shapeshifters. Take your pick.” Said Piper shrugging.

“They’re not your run-of-the-mill warlocks are they? A guy dressed in tweed and a teenage girl? Weird.” Prue observed.

As this discussion was taking place Willow was waving her hand in front of Xander’s eyes. He appeared to be frozen stiff. Willow looked outside and saw a cat chasing a leaf - both were suspended in mid-air. She turned her gaze to the door of the manor and was amazed to see two women talking animatedly while Buffy and Giles stood beside them like statues.

Willow sat for a moment, wondering what she should do. Then she made up her mind. She got out of the car and headed unsteadily up the steps to the house.

“Excuse me...umm, hi!” she said to the chattering women who turned to face her, stunned.

“Uhhhh, Prue, why is she moving?” Piper looked to her big sister for an explanation.

“How the Hell should I know?” said Prue snappishly, never taking her eyes off Willow. “Who are you?”

“I’m Willow Rosenberg” She squirmed under Prue’s scrutiny. “Umm, did one of you do this to my friends?”

“You know these people?” asked Piper. Willow nodded. Piper looked at her more closely. “Are you OK?” she asked more gently.

“I’m actually not feeling too well right now.”

“Maybe we’d better all step inside and discuss this further” said Prue.

Piper raised her hand again and everything unfroze. Buffy and Giles looked at each other, then at Willow, confusion was evident on their faces.

“Hey!” Xander called from the car. “What’s going on here? Willow?”

“Come on up Xander.” Willow beckoned to him weakly. Buffy was still looking at her with question marks in her eyes.

Piper and Prue stood aside as the four travellers trooped into the manor.




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