Giles drove the car slowly to his house so as not to disturb his sleeping passenger. He parked and gently prodded her awake. She smiled at him she wasn’t sleeping.

"Cheeky…!" He helped her out and supported her as she stepped gingerly up the path. The front door opened and everyone greeted her. It was a very quiet “Welcome Home” surprise party. They hadn’t even told Giles. Soft music played. Lilac and pink streamers hung down the walls and helium balloons bobbed along the ceiling. Willow looked supremely happy.

"You like?" Giles was speechless. He hugged her tightly, placing a lingering kiss on her lips. Chloe elbowed Xander in the ribs. She wanted a kiss too.

Buffy came in with a tray of tea and rolled her eyes at the sight of a double clinch. "Break! Back to your corners." Giles straightened. His glasses were slightly misty.

"Oh, tea, thank you, Buffy. Oh dear, you can’t, can you, Chloe?" He looked at her and smiled, he explained her condition to the others. "The doctor has forbidden her to drink anything hot for twenty-four hours."

He looked at his watch. "You go into your room then, Chloe."

"How do you two do that?" Xander was mystified. "The thing with the thoughts…?" Giles poured the tea, smiling as he did so.

"How does she do it? Telepathy. Well now she can’t talk I hear her all the time. But before, when we were growing up, only when she was in danger or I was up to no–good. I don’t have the gift as strongly as she does." He grinned. "She shouts, I whisper." He frowned and looked at Chloe’s door. "Excuse me."

He opened the door of Chloe’s room and couldn’t believe his eyes. The figure from the Prophecy stood by the bed. He stepped into the room quietly and the figure turned. It was Chloe, standing straight and tall and holding a small vial of white powder in her hand. She sniffed and carefully closed the vial. He sat on the bed and stared at her as she closed the door.

"All the dreams happened to you, didn’t they?" said Giles. He swallowed hard, remembering the echo of multiple rape.

: Yes, Rupert they did. I have to save the souls tonight.

"Do you want me to help you?" He asked.

: There’s no need. Xander will be coming with me and I’ve sent for Angel. I have asked Willow to help as well. Don’t worry, Rupert, she’ll be in no danger.

"What have you asked her to do, Chloe?" His voice took on a warning tone.

:I asked her to hold my pain.

"NO!" He cried in dismay. "She won’t be able to stand it!"

: She volunteered she loves you. I told her that you love her.

"Chloe, I… I do?" He shook his head bewildered by the turn of events.

: Rupert. Believe me, you love her.

She smiled at him.

: Rupert, I’m not coming back after tonight. So I need you to take over.

"What? That’s all the more reason for me to come with you then. I’ll get my things." He got up from the bed; he didn’t want to look at her so she would see how much her words had hurt him.

: Rupert, lie down. This will hurt.

He looked at his sister and saw a ghost of Willow’s resolve face. He gave in reluctantly.

: Take off your shirt. I need bare skin for this.

He shrugged out of his shirt, feeling a little awkward about being bare chested in front of his sister. She smiled at his embarrassment. She approached him, hands extended. He caught her wrists before they touched his skin.

"Couldn’t Buffy destroy The Soul Catcher?"

: No, it has to be me. Sorry, Rupert, I’ll try to be as quick as I can so Willow’s pain will be brief. Let go, Rupert.

Giles released her hands and she placed them on his back and closed her eyes in concentration. He was hot suddenly, his back arched away from his sister’s hands as one by one the brands appeared on his skin. The pain was so intense he couldn’t give it voice. But in his mind he screamed. He fell onto the bed and lay still. He felt Chloe’s cool hand on his forehead, then nothing more.

:I will come and help you, Chloe.

Buffy was outside the door when Chloe opened it. She pushed her away and summoned Xander. He turned round in his seat and got up.

: Willow? Thank you for helping me. Just lie still. The pain will fade when I’m… when I defeat the demon.

She smiled lovingly at her. Willow nodded, managing a small smile of her own before the pain took her.

Buffy entered the room where Giles lay prone on the bed. The brands were complete, blistered and raw looking. She dashed to the shower and soaked a towel in cold water. She laid it on his back, and then ran back into the living room. Willow was on the sofa. She looked as though she was sleeping. The front door was open and Xander was gone. Buffy looked round at the devastation and folded her arms round herself. Angel ran in. He checked on Willow first. Her eyes were closed but she was not at rest.

"Angel, how did you get here so fast? I was just about to call you, Giles is in there." She pointed to Chloe’s room.

"Chloe called me. I’m supposed to help her but I don’t know where The Soul Catcher will be. If I’m late she’ll die." He was distraught. "She’s not strong enough to fight him on her own."

They both turned at the sound of falling behind them. Giles was just getting up from the floor. He reached for his crossbow from his bag and was about to go out the door when Angel stopped him.

End of Part.1

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