Buffy was constantly reminding herself to breathe as her and Angel walked the stairs to her mother's room to go to bed. Angel had a protective and supportive arm wrapped around her back, his hand resting on her hip. She didn't understand why she was so tired. She didn't do anything really. Just explaining things to Orin and listening to Caela further detail what was to happen in the future.

Angel folded back the covers and helped Buffy strip her clothes off, down to her lingerie and ease her into bed. He, too, entered next to after going down to just his boxers, he was having the same thoughts run through his mind, he had no reason for it, but he was dead ass tired. They both felt as if they had just fought the Master all over again. But without the bloodstainds and bruises.

Caela's mind was racing with questions caused by confusion. She had just met Orin, and she was sitting there, in his arms, wanting to go to sleep with him in the same bed. She was lost with these wants and aches to be with him. She had never felt this way before about anyone, or anyTHING for that matter.

*Gods, what tis wrong wid me? Do I have no restaint?* Caela shook her head slightly as she was scolding herself silently. *Get ahold of yerself Caela O'Hailey. He's a boy. Nothing else. You can live widout him perfectly. Focus on the important things.*

She started to sit up, pushing back against his chest. Orin's stomach cringed with the loss of contact with her and looked up at her with wide eyes, questionally. "What is it?"

She took in a deep breath and looked at her watch, thinking. It was only eight o'clock at night and her body was demanding that the watch was wrong and that it was near eight o'clock in the morning. Her mind was set, she was to send Orin home, and go upstairs and crawl into bed. Alone. Then she looked at him. "I'm tired. Why dontcha come in wid me. You can sleep on the couch if ya'd like." She didn't know what came over her, but she knew right then and there that she had no strength whatsoever.

Orin smiled up at her and stood up, kicking himself for even thinking that he could do such a think with his aching body. His intimidating size, compared to her, hovered over her and peered at her, trying to read her like she did to him. She giggled lightly at his attmepts. He was slightly hurt, frowning down at her.

"What?" He then smiled at the thought that her smile was the most beautiful smile he had ever seen.

"Ya cannot do it. They do not want ya to have it. They say it twill hurt ya. I'm sorry, Orin." She gave a small sympathetic smile this time, putting her palm to his cheek.

"They just now spoke to you?" He seemed eager to learn of her answer, to know more about this intriguing gift she possessed.

She nodded and smiled, keeping her hand unconsciously on his cheek.

"Do you think you will still have have it when this is all over? Read things, I mean?"

"No." She looked down, her voice containing a pinch of pain in it. "They do not want me ta. They say-" She looked up and took a deep breath, retracting her hand from his skin and letting it fall to her side. His took the copying place on her cheek in response, forcing her to relax and to continue. "They say that I am not supose to. I'm not meant ta afterwards."

Orin thought about this with a few ripples on his brow as he concentrated her words. Finally, "You mean you're not supose to have the ability now?"

She shook her head and then spoke, stepping a little closer to him. "I am, but not after. Things are to change for the better afterwards. But they never are specific." Her tone was sarcastic as she rolled her eyes and then looked around the porched, dodging his.

He cupped her chin in his fingers and turned her head to look at him. "Specific how? What do you mean by that? They like ridles?

What?"She gave a short and small laugh and then recooperated. "I mean..." Deep breath. "The better for whom doesn't matter to them."

Part Twelve

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