Discovery

Chapter 49

Giles opened his door cautiously, taking in the sight of the obviously annoyed FBI agent that was standing on the other side. Giles would have been lying if he said that he hadn't glanced up at the sky, making sure the sun was still up, because Willow's father was looking particularly murderous and not unlike the monster that had taken over his many times great-grandfather's body.

"Er... Special Agent Booth? What can I do for you?"

"Willow was just talking to me about all the... things she and the other kids have been doing," Booth told him, brushing past Giles and striding into the librarian's home. Giles sighed and closed the door. He'd anticipated that Booth would go to him when he found out some of the details about Willow's slaying career. He only hoped that Booth would refrain from using violence and that neither of them would end up getting arrested.

"What in particular has you so concerned, Special Agent Booth? Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Coffee would be great if you have it, thanks. She just told me about how, in some alternative reality, she's a vampire and how she can do magic and how she set a arrow on fire last night when she was saving Parker's life... and how she almost got burned at the stake! Who would do that to their own kid? I mean, I know that Willow wasn't theirs biologically but they've still been looking after her for almost eighteen years. I'm Catholic and I try to go to church every week and I know and understand that as a group we Catholics tend not to believe in any of the magic and supernatural stuff, I never did until now and I would NEVER do anything like that, and the same goes for a lot of the other people I go to church with. I'd never hurt either of my kids like that, even if I didn't know the truth. The Rosenbergs tried to kill Willow and it was their responsibility to look out for her. I should put a warrant out for their arrests, charged with attempted murder and abuse and assault," Booth ranted, pacing in Giles' living room while the Watcher prepared a cup of strong coffee for Willow's father and a cup of tea for himself. He opened up his liquor cabinet and retrieved a bottle of scotch, offering it to Booth, who nodded.

"Please, yes."

Giles smiled and put a generous shot into both cups before handing the coffee to Booth, who drank a quick mouthful of the hot liquid.

"Thank you," he said, sitting down at Giles' table. Giles shifted a few book aside before sitting down across from the agent.

"Firstly, reporting the crime would have no effect. Sheila Rosenberg, along with all of the other parents involved in that particular situation, have no memory of the event. I don't know how in depth Willow went with her explanation of the event but the parents were all possessed by a demon who wanted to bring about Buffy's death. Unfortunately, Willow was collateral damage. The fire was blamed on an electrical fault and as there was little damage done to City Hall, nothing was reported. Sunnydale's police department turned a blind eye, as is usual for this town."

"Willow didn't actually tell me much," Booth admitted. "I'm pretty sure she didn't plan on telling me about it at all. She let it slip and then she closed up about everything."

Giles nodded, taking a sip of his tea. "It has been a very long few days for all of them... Willow perhaps more than the others, she isn't as used to the limelight as Buffy is. Some slips of the tongue have to be expected."

Booth nodded. "I have a question, about the magic thing?'

"I imagined you would. Let me begin by saying that the magical arts are very difficult to understand and many aspects of magic are yet to be understood by even the most studious mages."

Booth nodded. "How did Willow come to have magic? I mean, I've never heard of any magic in my family and I don't know about Carmen... Willow's mom, but I never saw her do anything or say anything that hinted anything about that... or is it somehow connected to that Angel guy that is a vampire?"