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In a dark night, a small gig slowly made its way through the mist covered moors. It occasionally stopped as the driver stood to peer at the hidden path that was only known to those who knew the moors well. As Deborah looked behind her, Philan growled,”Be still, lass! No one knows we’re here! It’s just us on the moors and the will o’wisps! And the long gone Laird’s brother!”
“Ye shouldna say that!”Deborah hissed as she clutched her sleeping charge harder to her chest.”Ye know that these moors be cursed! Like that mirror Lady Morag has! Like this child would be if she stayed!”
“Aye, that mirror be cursed like I am,” Philan snorted as he clucked the horses to go faster. He didn’t like being out at night. Away from his soft bed. But still, the money that Wolf gave him was good. Better than the pitiful amount his top-lofty and legitimate half-brother felt that he deserved. And that was enough for him. He looked down at the sleeping child. “Like the wee bairn is.”
Deborah gasped as she clutched the child closer.”This child not be cursed! She’s too young and good and sweet to be cursed!”
“But she’s old enough to be cursed a bastard like me and you,”Philan retorted harshly as he snapped the reins for the horses to go faster. “I’ll be glad when we deliver her to her Wolf.”
Deborah bit her lip. “Ye don’t think it was wrong of us to spirit her away like that, Philan? We’re taking her away from her ma.”
“And delivering her ta her da, lass. Girl deserves ta be with her father. Her true father who wants her, especially if her ma is expecting another bairn,” Philan said to her not unkindly. “A legitimate bairn ta hold up the family name for the Fergusson estates. Ye know I’m right, lass. The world isn’t kind to us bastards. Females, especially. Ye should know that, lass.”
“No, the world’s not kind ta us bastards, Philan,” Deborah said sadly as she wiped a tear from her eye. “I think we’d best hurry, Philan. The laudanum I gave her for supper should be wearing off soon and we’d catch our death of cold if we stay in the moors much longer.”
*~*~*~*~* Her heart heavy with worry, Morag opened her diary as she sat before the mirror the women of her family had guarded for generations. Taking a feathered pen, she started writing beneath the entry she had written only hours before....before her daughter was taken.
‘It is now the night, and I am so worried that I know not what to do. I know not what to think. The fire at the barn was stopped, and Mort Grange is safe but now my Meg is gone. In my rashness and terror, I allowed Joyce and her Mr.Giles to go after Philan and Deborah...and because of this I am beside myself with worry.'I think that this is all my fault should some harm come to her. I should have insisted that they stay and guard the mirror. I should have refused to give them the provisions they needed to search for my child. I should have never fully trusted the care of my child to Deborah. My child is gone, and I cannot bear it...'
Morag choked back a sob as she looked at the mirror. Then continued to write:
'Though the mirror remains silent to me, it can speak to Joyce. She
saw something in the mirror just before she left with her man, I know it. I have told Joyce
all that I was able, that she is the descendant of my precious Meg. Of why Wolf wants my
child, his daughter.
'Somehow Joyce understands the terror I feel when I think of a future without my Meg. I know not how I know this, but I do. She must love her daughter as much as I love my little Meg and I can tell with my mother's heart that she misses her daughter very much and that she wants to go home to her...but the mirror will not allow her. Not until she stops Wolf from using the mirror for his own purposes.
'I think that Joyce has yet to realize that she can control the mirror, with the help of her Mr.Giles. She is the key to stop all of this...madness. May the Lord above keep her and her Sassenach, Mr.Giles, safe.
As Joyce and Giles started to nudge their horses along the main drive, Joyce realized something, then stopped her mare, suddenly."Rupert? I have a question to ask before we start off!"
"What is it, Joyce?" Giles said as he reined in his mount.
"Well, how are we supposed to find Philan in the dark? And since we don't know the area very well, especially the moors, shouldn't we take a map of some kind to help us? Especially since we really can't trust any of Morag's servants," Joyce asked reasonably." And Morag is not really safe by herself to guard that mirror."
“I took a map of the estate from Malcom before I saw you and Morag,”Giles frowned as he stroked his chin."But I hadn't thought about the latter about the other servants. If Philan and Deborah were supposed loyal to Morag and Gussie, I suppose it stands to reason that there could be other servants just as loyal."
“In other words, Rupert, we may be leaving Morag’s care in a nest full of vipers,” Joyce sighed as she blew hair from her eyes. “Wonderful. Have I told you how strange my life has been since Buffy was called?”
‘Is she having regrets about our making love already?’Giles thought as he looked at her. “No, you haven’t.”
"Remind me to tell you about it. So what do we do? Do we save Meg from the dragons or do we protect our only way home? Or do we spilt up with one of staying with Morag and the mirror?"Joyce said as she closed her eyes, then looked at him."I don't like the choices, Rupert. And I really hate that last choice just to let you know."
"So do I," Giles admitted as he brought his mount closer to her. "I suppose that we could-hallo! Who's this that's riding up here in the middle of the night?"
Joyce squinted to look at the carriage that was coming up the drive. "Isn't that Father Ramsey's carriage?"
"That it is,"Giles said as he spurred his mount on to greet the older man. "Hello, Father. What brings you out here at this late hour?"
The older man greeted Giles."Mr.Giles. My servants told me that Meg had been stolen away from her home and that Lord Fergusson had taken most of the men to search for her. Leaving the mirror vulnerable to-well, hello, ah, Mrs.Summers! What, if I may ask, are you doing out here in this late night?"
"Oh, just riding around. Enjoying the clean night air after all the excitement,"Joyce said with a straight face."I'm supposing the same is with you, Father Ramsey?"
Father Ramsey shook his head.”I have come to give my shoulder and support for the Lady Morag, Mrs.Summers. Meg is very dear to her, as any child is to her mother.”
Joyce’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.”Indeed. How quickly you know of Meg’s abduction.”
“My servants told me of the child’s kidnapping as soon as they learned of it. They know it is my duty to console her,”Father Ramsey commented. Then he frowned.”Should you not be inside, Mrs.Summers? Where it is much safer for you? The night is not at all-”
“Safe,”Joyce finished for him as her brown eyes flashed.”But if it’s not safe, then what are you doing out here at night? Seems to me that a man of your standing in the community shouldn’t really be aware of all the dangers in the night.”
“Oh, but I am aware of all dangers that threatens my flock,” Father Ramsey said, his voice growing harder.”And, I must advise Mr.Giles that he leave you at Mort Grange where it is safe.”
“Do you really?”Joyce said sweetly.”Well, I must insist then-”
“If I may interrupt?”Giles said forcefully as he could. When he had both of their attention, Giles looked at the woman beside him.” Joyce, meet Father Ramsey the Watcher. He also knows about the mirror and is also concerned about what may happen should Wolf gets his hands on it.”
Joyce's brown eyes widened in realization."Good heavens! You people really are everywhere! And this definitely solves our problem."
“What problem?”Father Ramsey asked, confused.
“The problem of who is going to guard the mirror and Morag as we search for Meg,” Joyce said impaitently. “You do know how to use stakes, swords and magic, don’t you? And you can pick locks, use a gun and crossbow? I don’t think you would know about hot-wiring a car, but then, that really doesn’t matter. No cars around.”
“Well, yes, yes. I know how to use those weapons, “Father Ramsey admitted. Then he looked at her, confused.”But what’s this about learning how to pick locks and hot wire cars?”
“Rupert said he learned that while studying to be a Watcher,” Joyce said as she smiled at Giles. “Though I still wonder why learning to hot wire a car would be necessary.”
His face red, Giles coughed.”Yes, well. Father Ramsay, can you stay with Lady Morag as Joyce and I look for Meg?”
“Of course. Do you know where Philan is headed?”
“From the tracks around the stable yard. It appears he is heading towards the moors north of here.”
“The opposite direction of where Lord Fergusson is,”Father Ramsay sighed as he shook his head.”He’s a good man, but he is such a blithering dolt at a time of crisis. I’ll send word as soon as I get to the house. Mind you, Mr.Giles, those moors are rumored to be cursed. And that Lord Creighton’s half-brother had disappeared there. Mrs.Summers, are you sure that you would not like to stay in the house where it is safer?”
Joyce shook her head.”No. He needs back up, and we really don’t trust the servants. Besides, he wouldn’t be able to handle two people and a child all alone.”
Father Ramsay nodded his head in understanding, then looked at Giles.”Are you armed?”
“I have two pistols, an ankle knife and a stake with me,” Giles said as he steadied his horse. “And Joyce has...what do you have?”
“Other than a sparkling personality and a mean left cross? I have a paring knife, it was all that I could grab at the time,”Joyce said as she avoided the men’s gazes by patting her riding skirts down. “And some matches. And I still plan on going.”
Father Ramsay looked hard at Joyce before he handed her some of his weaponry. “Here, take my pistol, stake and this glass of holy water. At the edge of moors, there is a small forest that boarders onto the next estate. There is a small hunting cottage in that forest. It is possible that Philan might be holding Meg there.”
Both of them nodded and was about to depart when Father Ramsey called Giles back and motioned that he wanted to speak to him in private. He leaned further out of his carriage. “I need not remind you of how the Council regards a Watcher’s relationship with the Slayer’s family. Or how it often condemns the Watcher for having an affair with the Slayer’s Mother. It is a most precarious situation. Even if the Slayer’s Mother loves you.”
“I am well aware of the Council’s opinions on all matters regarding the Slayer,”Giles said guardedly. Then the priest’s words hit him. “She LOVES me? How do you know?”
Father Ramsey snorted in laughter. “Ah, the wonders and blindness of love. When she looks at you, her heart is in her eyes. That look was not there before when I last spoke with you. Take care of her, and be careful. Remember, she is a Favored One.”
Giles nodded. Then he moved his mount and watched as the carriage started towards the main house. Joyce rode up to him.”What did he say? Did he try and convince you to try and leave me? Rupert?”
Giles turned his head to look at her. Her face was marred by a frown and her brown eyes were clouded with worry. As they so often were these days, now that she knew her daughter was the Slayer. Not knowing that he was frowning, Giles studied the worry lines around her eyes. It was not natural that she should worry so much. She should be laughing and whatever it was a woman should be doing, she should not be stuck in a time and place just because of a magical looking glass’s whim. She should be out with the dream man she loves, enjoying herself.
And if that really happens, I’ll just feed him to a vampire, thought Giles with a scowl. Bad Ripper.Bad.
At his frowning silence, Joyce grew alarmed, then determined.”I am not leaving you, and Father Ramsay can go hang himself if he thinks that you should leave me where it’s safer. You need help and if you leave-”
In the middle of her tirade, Giles reached and pulled her over to give her a hard kiss. “No one will ever convince me to leave you, Joyce. Come on, let’s go get Meg.”
Joyce sighed as she spurred her mount on and caught up with him.”Have I ever told you how strange you are?”
As everyone was all over the library, Angel debated with himself before he went up the steps to talk to Xander. “Xander...”
Xander looked up warily.“Yeah, Dead Boy?”
“You’re a better man than I was when I was human,” Angel simply said. Then he walked away, leaving Xander to stare after him.
Wesley came from behind the stacks with an arm load of books.“Ah, Xander? I’ve got-why are you staring at Angel?”
“I think I was just complimented by Angel,” Xander said, amazed. Wesley looked at the retreating back of the vampire to the boy, and allowed himself a small smile.
Sitting at the desk, Buffy flipped through Morag’s diary when she noticed that the entry had changed again.”Angel! It did it again! The passage is longer!”
Angel raced over to Buffy and took the book from her. As he read the passage, he emitted a distressed growl that had everyone moving back from him.”Oh, God...Buffy...I-I don’t know how-I can’t-I-”
Her hazel eyes wide, Buffy wrapped her arms around her waist.”Just tell me what it says. Please?”
Taking a deep breath, Angel read the passage.“ ‘It is now the night, and I am so worried that I know not what to do....’”
As the hunter’s cottage came into range, Giles motioned for Joyce to stop.”What is it? Is that the cottage?”
“I think so,”Giles said as he dismounted. He winced as the muscles of protested his movement loudly. He slowly made his way towards Joyce to help her dismount. As he grabbed her by the waist, he asked, “Are you all right, love?”
Joyce winced as Giles set her down, and her legs wobbled. She wrapped her arms around his neck for support.“It’s been too long since I’ve done this. I think my legs are dead, and my bottom is sore.”
Joyce’s eyes widened when she felt two large hands cup her bottom and start to slowly knead the sore area. She pulled back a bit to look at the innocent look on his face. It would have worked too, if she didn’t know what his hands were doing and didn’t see the wicked look in his eyes. ”Uhm, Rupert? I don’t think this is the right time to cop a feel...”
Giles kissed her nose. “I’m not copping a feel. I’m massaging your sore parts so that you can walk. There is a difference.”
“Oh, sorry,”Joyce murmured as she leaned on his chest and sighed with pleasure as his hands worked out the soreness. Her hands made their way under his coat and started to drift downwards to his lower regions.
His breathing grew heavier when he felt her hands wander towards a hard place. Giles quirked an eyebrow at her.”What are you doing?”
“Copping a feel,”Joyce said innocently as she cupped his growing hardness though his pants and started to stroke him gently. She gave him a very feminine smile as he gave a small groan.”Why? Not enjoying it?”
Giles reluctantly removed her hand and wrapped them around his neck. Then gave her a hard kiss.”I think I’m enjoying it too much. But I don’t think I’ll be able to walk if you keep it up.”
“If this night went on like it was supposed to, you weren’t supposed to walk,”Joyce sighed as she leaned her head against his chin.”You were supposed to stay in bed while I had my wicked way with you. Not hunt for a kidnapped child.”
“Well, the night still isn’t over yet, Joyce,”said Giles as he pulled her closer to him. Letting her feel his desire for her.”You still might have your way with me.”
“Oh, goody,”Joyce chuckled softly as she pushed her pelvis against his. She gave a small laugh when she heard him groan her name. Her eyes shone as she stroked the side of his face. Then stopped at his ear. “You still have that hole from the earring I gave you. It didn’t heal over.”
“I wouldn’t let it,”Giles said as he nuzzled her hand.”Now let’s go and rescue Meg so that you can have your way with me.”
“A kiss for luck?”Joyce suggested, but Giles shook his head.
“Won’t be able to stop at just one kiss,”Giles admitted. “But how about your earring for now? For luck.”
Joyce sighed deeply as she took off her earring and put it on his ear.
”You’re always trying to get at my jewelry. Just don’t lose it, it’s an opal.”
“After we get Meg back, maybe you can get it back,”Giles said as he took her hand.”Now let’s go and rescue the fair maiden...”
Wesley rubbed his head in frustration.”At least we know why the mirror worked with Ms.Summers. And why it will work with Buffy....”
Angel cleared his throat.”That’s not...that’s not the rest of it. There’s more written...”
“So then get on with it Dead Boy,” Xander said impaitently.”No need to be more dramatic.”
Angel looked at Buffy. When she nodded, he reached out to hold her hand before he continued. “Remember, this history can change. It’s happened so far. They’re changing history in the mirror.”
Buffy nodded. “I’m ready...”
Angel cleared his throat as he read the passage. “ ‘I cannot bear...I cannot believe what has happened so far on this wretched night. Mr. Giles returned with my daughter as he set out to do, but at such a cost. Joyce now lies in her bed, wounded. The doctor has done all he could for her and says that it is now up to God. Father Ramsay said a prayer for her, asking for his help in saving this most Favored One. My heart echoes his prayer still.
“This is a most wretched time for us. May God help us all. Joyce Margaret McAllister Summers, my great-great granddaughter died early this morning. On her last breath, she called out her daughter’s name and that of Mr.Giles. He refuses to leave her side, refuses to believe that she is dead. I fear for his sanity...’”
Wrenching her hand away from him, Buffy looked at Angel in horror. ”No...no...no...nonononoNO! SHE’S NOT DEAD! SHE’S NOT!!” Angel started towards her, but Buffy evaded him.”You’re LYING! You read it wrong! It’s GILES that was supposed to die! NOT my MOM! My mom is NOT DEAD!”
Wesley tried to calm the grief-stricken child.”Buffy! Your mother is not dead yet! History in the mirror is still changing! The mirror-”
“The mirror!”Buffy shouted as she grabbed a chair and hefted it over her shoulder. ”Give me back my mother, you stinking piece of glass!”
Angel made a grab for the chair and Oz and Xander grabbed her when a shot rang out. Frozen, everyone turned to see a man with a graying brown beard and long hair hold two pistols towards them. He wore a tattered multi-caped gray overcoat that common in the Victorian Era. His wild green eyes darted from the mirror to the group. ”Get away from that mirror! Move over there! Now!”
Buffy froze as she recognized that authoritative voice.”Giles?”
The man looked at her coolly as he made his way towards the looking glass.”Not Giles. Not anymore. Never again. Not until she’s safe.”
“Giles? How-why-”Willow started to stutter. Still making his way towards the looking glass, Giles ignored her as he stood in front of the mirror.
Buffy stared at her Watcher as he put one pistol away in his belt and touched his right ear. A small light shone as he touched it. Buffy started towards him.“Giles, you....my mom-”
As the mirror started to shimmer and tendrils of light started to come out from the mirror, he smiled briefly at her.“I’m going to get her back...and I’m going to get it right this time...”
Then there was nothing but a bright flash of light. And Giles was gone again. Cordelia looked at the mirror, then at Wesley.”What just happened?”
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