Log in

No account? Create an account

Previous Entry | Next Entry

Okay, here we go. I'm attempting my first story posting. Hope it works

A few days ago I was browsing through past postings and in July of last year saw a challenge by mrsdrake. Here it is:

I got hit with another plot bunny that I don't have time to write. I was watching season one again, and I noticed how much younger Giles looked in the early episodes. So, here's the idea.

Take Giles from season one or two and Buffy from season five or later. They are from different dimensions, but they are both the only survivor from their timeline after a big disaster and somehow manage to escape. The are both sent to a dimension where Buffy and Giles have died. How does an older Buffy and younger Giles deal with being thrown together?

This is my response to that challenge.

Title: Somewhere In Time
Pairing: Buffy/Giles (Duh)
Rating: FRM - Mature
This has not been beta'd. Any mistakes are mine. Sorry.

Chapter 1 - Convergence

The amulet hadn't worked. Either Angel was the only one who could use it, or it had been part of a trap. In any event, even with the potentials turned into Slayers, they were losing.

"Out, everybody out!" Buffy commanded. The few that remained standing fled up the steps as she kept swinging the scythe, mowing down as many of the vampire hoard as possible. Buffy stumbled over Faith's body. She had protected Spike to the end, trying to give him time for the amulet to do its magic.

Tears streaming down her face, Buffy stumbled up the steps. The corridor above was a scene of carnage. "Dawn," she yelled, but received no reply. She could still hear fighting down one corridor and she headed that way. Giles and Robin were back to back, encircled by vampires. As she watched, Robin was gutted, leaving Giles vulnerable. Trying to reach his side Buffy saw, to her horror, the two swords that were rammed through Giles, saw him take out one of his attackers as he fell. Buffy dusted the other and went to her knees beside her Watcher.

"No, oh please, God, no. Not Giles. Hang on, Giles, I'll get help."

He raised a shaky hand to her cheek. "From where, Buffy? Run, leave. Save yourself. The Slayer must survive." His eyes closed momentarily. When he opened them again, her breath caught at the depth of feelings she saw there. "You must survive." His breath hitched in pain. His hand caressed her, the thumb moving across her mouth. "I love you." With a sigh, he was gone.

"NO!" she screamed. She threw her head back and wailed her aguish to the heavens. She gathered his body into her arms. "No," she whimpered, rocking back and forth. It was a couple of minutes before her mind grasped the fact that she wasn't being attacked. Her head lifted and gasped at the sight before her.

Everything was frozen. Mere inches to her right, a sword aimed for her neck was stopped in mid-swing. Buffy gently placed Giles' body back on the floor, leaning over to give him a kiss on the forehead. "I love you too." She rose to her feet, picked up the scythe, and began moving along the corridor. She tried dusting the vampires, but her hand just moved through them as though she were a ghost.

Going down one of the other halls she found Xander's body laying across Dawn, trying to protect her even in death. Buffy gently smoothed Dawn's hair away from her unmarked face. If you ignored the blood, she appeared to be asleep. Buffy stood and walked down the halls looking for the others and found Anya's body sliced in half, Andrew's body pinned to the wall by a spear. Kennedy here, Rona there, all the potentials dead. Her mind and body numb she walked toward the principal's office, wondering what fate had befallen Willow. Buffy opened the door and gasped.

Willow was hovering in midair, hair black, eyes black, veins throbbing on her face. In her hands was a globe of energy, images flickering almost too fast to comprehend. Willow raised her eyes from the globe. "I'm sorry, Buffy, but we've lost. There's only one way for this to end that will keep the vampires from taking over everyone on the planet."

Buffy swallowed; thought of Dawn, of Xander, of Giles. "Do it."

"Not yet. There's still one thing I can do, I can save you."

"I don't understand. If you're going to destroy the world, how can you save me?"

Willow's eyes returned to the globe. "Reality is on three different axis': space, time and universe. Somewhere out there is a parallel universe that has a Sunnydale without a Slayer, without you. I'm going to send you there."

"No, Will, please. I don't want to live without Giles, without all of you."

"Too late, I've found it." Willow looked at Buffy, tears flowing down her face. "Remember us." She threw the globe. It distorted as it flew through the air, forming a vortex. Buffy tried to move, but couldn't. It enveloped her and she disappeared.

Willow's body wavered in the air, starting to shimmer. "No, not yet." She concentrated and another globe appeared in her hands. She gazed into it intently, finally sighing. "Yes, he's the one." The globe disappeared.

Willow released her hold on time, and the First became aware of the rival power. It walked through the door to the office, appearing as Kennedy. "And what do you think you're doing? You're the only one left. My army is already filling the sewers of Sunnydale. When the sun sets, they will spread over the state like a plague. In a matter of weeks we'll control the world. I've won. You might as well join me. We can have a lot of fun together."

"No. The planet doesn’t want you to defile her again. This ends now."

The First morphed, this time appearing as Xander. "You can't stop me. You don't have that kind of power. As long as humans exist on this planet, I'll be here."

Willow's body began glowing, growing brighter and brighter. "Exactly, as long as humans exist."

For the first time, the First became afraid. "No, you don't know what you're doing. Stop!"

Willow was no longer recognizable; instead a sphere of light, a miniature sun, filled the center of the room. Willow's voice echoed from the light. "It ends now." The light expanded and everything it touched vanished.

"No!!!!!!!!!" the First screamed, and disintegrated.

The light continued to move, growing in power and speed, until it had encircled the globe. Where a few minutes before six million people had lived, there were none. No buildings, no roads, no sign that man had ever existed. Animals and plants were all that now inhabited the planet.

Time to begin again.


Rupert Giles knelt beside the body of his Slayer. He pulled her into his arms. "Buffy, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I failed you." He lifted his head, hearing the distant sound of screaming. The Master was loose and he had opened the Hellmouth. "I failed the world." His clothes were dirty and torn, the tweed jacket missing a sleeve. "Why did you stop me? I should have faced the Master with you. I should have been by your side."

His eyes swept the cavern seeing Xander's body and a large pile of dust. Probably Angel. They hadn't been able to protect her either. He closed his eyes and swallowed, remembering seeing Jenny and Cordelia being drained as he had fled the library. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered. His Slayer was dead.

Giles sat back on his heels, holding Buffy tighter. He would wait here for the end. He wouldn't leave Buffy again.

He wasn't sure how long he had been there when he became aware of a voice calling his name.


He looked around, but didn't immediately see anyone.


Off to his right was a strange sight. The air was rippling, distorting, and in the center of the distortion he saw Willow's face. But not a Willow he had ever seen before. Her hair was black, as were her eyes. He could sense enormous power. "Willow?"

"Giles hurry, I'm not sure how long I can hold this."

"I don't understand."

"Buffy needs you."

He glanced down at the body in his arms. "Buffy's dead."

"Yes, your Buffy, but my Buffy is still alive, and she needs you very much."

He looked at the distortion, shaking his head helplessly. "I don't understand."

"Giles!" she snapped. "You're in shock, I get that, but focus! I'm giving you a second chance. Buffy needs you. Sunnydale needs you. The world needs you. Now get your ass over here!"

Giles tightened his arms around Buffy for a moment before placing her back on the floor. He gently kissed her forehead, then rose to his feet. He walked over to the distortion. "What do I do?"

"Just step into the vortex. It will take you where you need to go."

"Don't you mean it will bring me to you?"

"No, it will take you to where you need to go. It will take you to Buffy."

Giles took one last look at his Slayer, listened once again to the sounds of Sunnydale being destroyed. He stepped into the vortex.


In Joyce Summers' living room, six figures, all dressed in black, sat in silence. Willow and Tara sat on the sofa on either side of Joyce, Anya crowded next to Xander in his chair, and Riley sat alone.

"I still can't believe it." Riley's bewildered voice broke the somber atmosphere. "She was the Slayer. She was supposed to die saving the world, not because of a drunk driver."

Willow put her arm around Joyce as she started to sob. Glaring at Riley, Willow said, "She wasn't supposed to die at all. She had already survived the Master and Angelus. She was so happy to be going to school and Giles loved his teaching job." Tears began to slide down her face. "It isn't fair. Everything was going so well. They had gotten that whole Olivia thing straightened out and Giles was training with her again."

"Yeah, then Deadboy had to call and ask for help. Buffy never could say no to him," Xander said savagely. "And he had the nerve to ask that the funeral be at night so he could attend."

Joyce's head lifted from Willow's shoulder. "I took great pleasure in telling him to go to hell." She drew a deep breath. "I'm going to make some coffee. Does anyone want anything else?"

Everyone shook their heads and Joyce left the room. After a long silence, Willow looked over at Xander. "One of us needs to call the Council."

"They can go to hell too," Xander said sourly. "They didn't care about Buffy or Giles, why should we tell them?"

"The Hellmouth needs a Slayer. They have to figure some way of getting Faith out of the coma."

"Just what we need, psycho-Slayer running around again."

"Do you have a better suggestion?"

Before Xander could answer, there was a strange distortion in the middle of the room. A body tumbled through, followed a few seconds later by another. In the doorway, Joyce screamed and dropped the tray she was carrying. The two people on the floor looked at each other in disbelief.


"Buffy?" He reached out, cupping her face. "Buffy!" He pulled her to him, holding her with desperate strength. He pulled back, smoothing the hair away from her face. "Dear God, it is you." He gently traced the slash on her forehead. "What happened?"

Buffy wasn't listening, she was too busy running her hands through his hair, caressing his face. Tears filled her eyes. "Giles, you're here. How can you be here? You were dead."

"No, you were dead. I mean, my Buffy was dead. Willow sent me here. She said you needed me." His eyes filled with tears as well. "Oh, Buffy." He pulled her close again, releasing her just as quickly when he felt her flinch. His gaze traveled down her body and he saw that her blouse was stained with blood. "You're hurt."

Giles looked at his surroundings for the first time. They were in Buffy's home. Mrs. Summers, Willow, Xander, and three young people he had never seen before were there. They were all dressed in black and looking at Buffy and himself as though they were ghosts. Giles turned to the person who had helped him most in times of crisis.

"Willow, can you get the first aid kit? Buffy's been hurt."

His voice brought Buffy to an awareness of her surroundings. She gaped at the room and the people, then gasped, "Mom?" Buffy surged to her feet and rushed across the room, taking her mother into her arms.

Joyce held her just as tightly, then pulled back. "I don't understand, is this another one of the Slayer things you hadn't told me about? We just came from your funeral." Her hands smoothed Buffy's hair and she looked closer, saw the differences, then she let go and stepped back. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice cold.

Buffy reached out, but lowered her hand when Joyce took another step back. "My name is Buffy Summers, and I am the Slayer. Where I came from it was the year 2003 and we were fighting a battle. We lost. Willow and I were the only ones left. She said this world needed a Slayer, so she sent me here."

She swayed, putting a hand against her side. Her legs gave way and she started to fall. Joyce caught her, and Buffy moaned as the movement disturbed the wound in her side. Giles surged to his feet and helped Buffy over to the sofa. "Willow, the first aid kit, please."

Willow jumped up and ran to the bathroom, bringing the kit. Giles touched the hem of Buffy's blouse and hesitated. "May I?" Buffy reached across with her left arm and lifted the blouse, holding it up against the bottom of her breasts. Everyone saw the bleeding wound.

Joyce gasped, "What happened?"

Buffy never took her eyes from Giles' face. "I told you, we lost." When his shaking hands started to place a pad over the wound she told him, "It went all the way through."

Giles looked up at her briefly, thinking that the pain he saw in her eyes was physical. He urged her to slid forward on the cushion and turn slightly so he could see the wound on her back. "Buffy, this is serious. You need to go to the hospital."

Buffy shook her head slightly. "You can take care of it. Besides, Mom said they just came from my funeral. I think it would be a little difficult to get treated in an emergency room when everyone thinks I'm dead." She frowned and looked around the room. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw Riley, but she didn't comment on him being there. She asked her mom, "Where's the Giles that belongs here? Was he too upset to come back here with you?"

Giles' hands faltered for a moment then he resumed the treating her wounds. The others were strangely silent, until Riley spoke up. "It was his funeral too. You were both killed."

Buffy stared at him blankly. "How?"

"Drunk driver," Xander answered. "Angel asked for your help and Giles was driving you to L.A. Guy ran a red light and plowed into Giles' car. You were both killed instantly."

Buffy's eyes closed and she paled, swaying again. Giles dropped the gauze and grabbed her shoulders. "Buffy, you need to lie down. Perhaps you should go to your room."

"No. I'll be all right. Just stitch me up and put on a Band-Aid, I'll be fine." Her right hand went back to his face, fingers moving over various scrapes and cuts. "You need some first aid too." Her lips trembled. "You look so young. I had forgotten what you looked like without all the worry lines." Her hand moved up and ruffled his hair. "This is longer too. I like it like this, a little bit curly."

The others in the room were gaping at her in astonishment, while Giles sat still, barely breathing, under her caresses. She gave a little giggle and her hand moved down to pinch his left ear lobe. "I was so stunned when you showed up with that hoop in your ear. I can't believe I never noticed before that night that you had a pierced ear. You really should wear a stud in it so it won't close up."

Buffy reached down and took his unresisting left hand in hers. "Your hand hasn't been hurt. Your fingers are all straight." She brought his hand up to her cheek, laying her face against it briefly. She released it. "What year was it that you came from, and how did you get here?"

"Where I came from it was the year 1997 and there was a prophecy in the Codex. It said the Master would kill the Slayer and open the Hellmouth, releasing hell on earth. Buffy knocked me out and went to fight him. Vampires attacked the library and I managed to get away. I went to find her, to help her, but she was dead. The Master had drained her and snapped her neck." He stopped, lowering his head.

"I didn't want to leave her there, alone, so I was waiting for someone to kill me when I heard Willow's voice. But it wasn't my Willow, she was different; black hair, black eyes, and very powerful. So much power." His voice trailed away and he was silent for a moment. He raised his head and looked at Buffy. "She told me that there was a Buffy who still alive, who needed me. She told me to step into the vortex. I did, and here I am."

"I'm glad. I can't do this without you. You are my anchor; you keep me sane in the midst of all the insanity." Buffy started to say 'I love you', but realized that this Giles hadn't yet had time to develop feeling for his Slayer, so she stayed silent. This was a second chance for her, a chance to not mess things up with Giles.

He came from the time of the Master. That meant that his Slayer hadn't had a chance to screwed things up. His Slayer hadn't had sex with Angel and turned him into Angelus. He hadn't become seriously involved with Jenny Calendar yet. No Ethan Rayne, no return of Eyghon. No Spike.

She looked around the room again. Xander and Anya together. Riley was here, as well as Tara and her Mom, but no Dawn.

So many questions to ask. What things here had happened the same as in her world, and what things were different? Were the others going to accept them in place of their Buffy and Giles? How were they going to become un-dead?

Buffy looked at the others, and with a smile that she alone understood the irony of asked, "Where do we go from here?"


Mar. 27th, 2005 02:48 am (UTC)
I am so excited by this promising beginning! I would like to recommend that you put further instalments behind lj cuts; I don't mind, but some people with long flists prefer to scroll quickly through before reading fic and other long entries in depth, so it would make things easier for them. With or without a cut, it was an exciting start to what promises to be a(nother) good fic from you, and I look forward to reading more.
Mar. 27th, 2005 02:59 am (UTC)
Glad you like it so far, hope you like the rest. Still getting the hang of the lj cut thingy, but I posted it to both sites that way this time, so I'm doing better.



Latest Month

September 2012


Page Summary

Powered by LiveJournal.com
Designed by Paulina Bozek