"You're beautiful…" Willow gasped. "Myth’s say Gorgon’s were ugly…"

The Gorgon turned away to capture his snakes. His mind rejoicing. She is the one, I have found her!

"Willow? Willow! Are you all right?" Gorgon’s expression darkened. One stood in his way. One that he had sworn to protect. The other that shared the mark of Eyghon had said he had the power to destroy him if he wavered in his duty.

"Its OK, Rupert a few mice and pigeons that’s all. God its a mess!" She didn’t want to move from where she stood in case she stepped in something nasty.

Rupert stepped round her and collected some keys from a board, he shared them between Gorgon and Willow.

"Start opening stuff, everything!"

"Right o Ripper…" Willow smiled.

Gorgon shook his head, mystified. He went to the nearest file cabinet and tried his keys. After three hours search they had a satisfactory pile of papers and books in the middle of the desk. Rupert found a bag to put them in. He lifted it and promptly dropped it, holding his wrists in pain.

"They’re bleeding?" Willow asked, Rupert nodded he looked ghastly pale. Gorgon reached for the bag.

"Come, before our pillage is discovered."

Rupert stumbled down the last of the steps, his bandages were blood-soaked.

"We need a physician." Gorgon looked at Willow intently, then back to Rupert who rested his back against the cool wall of the basement. The room echoed with his ragged shallow breaths, he shook his head wearily, uttering one word. "Venom."

Gorgon took a step backwards. "No. It would cure or kill." Willow gripped the monsters hand, looking down her pleading soul touched his.

"Close thine eyes Watcher." Giles’ eyes shut tight as Gorgon knelt to undo his bandages. The creature removed the serpent’s covering and waited for them to strike at the now open wounds. Willow looked away. Gorgon, his head covered once more held Rupert’s wrists together, smearing the poison until the wounds healed. "Open thine eyes …"

"Thank you." He showed his wrists to Willow. "Look. All gone…" She turned on Gorgon.

"Why didn’t you do that straight away?" She accused.

"Willow," Giles interrupted, sensing the Gorgon’s dismay. "It’s a last resort. C’mon, home. We have research…"

Willow gazed at him lovingly, his glasses on; his nose in a book and munching an apple he looked like the Giles of old. Gorgon watched her watch him. He closed his book quietly.

"Mistress Willow found something other than a book." Willow blushed as Rupert glanced up, he swallowed his apple.

"Really, may I see?" Willow handed him the velvet box hesitantly. Giles put his book down and opened the box. He stared at the “seal” charm, becoming nauseous. He snapped the lid shut.

"Where did you get this?" Willow’s stomach flipped at the coldness of his voice.

"It was locked in a desk drawer in your office… I’m sorry, shouldn’t I have taken it?"

Giles stroked his thumb over the velvet lid, the name embroidered on the top was slightly rough to his touch. He put it down on the table.

"I was going to give it to.… It was a present, for her Birthday." His head slumped forward on his folded arms he was lost in sorrow again.

Gorgon touched the box, tracing the name of the jeweller, embroidered in gold. "Sebastian." He murmured. "Sebastian is a name, the sorcerer said you would know, Watcher."

Rupert’s head jerked up. He grabbed the box and re–read the name. The name was familiar to him, he closed his eyes picturing the Jeweller’s in his mind, looking up at the sign. "Claude Sebastian" His fist closed round the box.

"I know who that is!" Willow exclaimed. "It was in Ethan’s mail," Willow searched through the folio section of her lap top case. She passed the printouts to Rupert who read them with growing anxiety.

"Claude Sebastian is a respected member of the Watcher’s Council. It seems he’s descended from a relative of Marie Sebastian the vampire who had Buffy killed." Giles swallowed the lump that came to his throat when he said her name. "Why does he want me dead?"

Willow held herself still and erect, perhaps it was time to tell Rupert what she, Angel and Spike had done to Marie Sebastian.

"I have something to tell you, Rupert, you won’t like it…" She told him about finding Buffy, Angel calling the Bloodfast, how he and Spike had helped her to trap and torture Mary at the mansion. She told how Xander had tried to dissuade her but she disregarded his concerns and went ahead. She described in detail the progression of the torture and ended her account with her own shameful abuse of her Witch–power for evil.

Gorgon’s gaze revealed nothing of his inner turmoil. Giles looked both horrified and saddened. He couldn’t meet her eyes.

Gorgon looked deep into Willow’s eyes, his own filled with wonder, so much fury had been unleashed and then contained within so delicate a vessel. Still her spirit was pure untainted by this act of vengeance. She was indeed a perfect mate!

End of part 3

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