Title: Doing The Time Warp 5/5
Author: Gileswench
Contact: gileswench@yahoo.com
Feedback: Constructive criticism always welcome. Praise abjectly
sought.
Disclaimer: It all belongs to Joss, Mutant Enemy, etc., etc., etc. I
just let them have all the fun Joss won't. I own nothing except my
twisted mind which you really don't want. Please don't sue.
April, 1997. Buffy's bedroom.
Angel blinked and looked around himself as Buffy spoke.
"My diary?! You read my diary? That is not okay! A diary is like a person's most private place! I...you don't even know what I was writing about! 'Hunk' can mean a lot of things, bad things. And, and when it says that your eyes are 'penetrating', I meant to write 'bulging'."
"Buffy..."
"And 'A' doesn't even stand for 'Angel' for that matter, it stands for...'Achmed', a charming foreign exchange student, so that whole fantasy part has nothing to even do with you at all..."
"Your mother moved your diary when she came in to straighten up. I watched from the closet. I didn't read it, I swear."
"Oh," Buffy said. "Oh."
Angel hesitated before he spoke again.
"I did a lot of thinking today. I really can't be around you. Because when I am..."
"Hey, no big," Buffy stammered to cover her hurt. "Water...over the bridge, under the bridge..."
"When I am all I can ever think about is...I...I'm gay, Buffy."
She stared at him in disbelief.
"Gay? You're gay? I don't believe it."
"Believe it."
"Why are you saying this, Angel? I know you like me."
"Yeah. There's just this thing...where I'm gay."
Buffy burst into tears. Despite her efforts to hide it, Angel felt his heart breaking.
"Please, Buffy, don't cry..."
"I'm not. I've got something in my eye," she told him stubbornly. "And I know you're not gay."
"Buffy..."
"No, I'll prove it!"
She grabbed Angel and kissed him hard. She put her entire heart and soul into it. Soon despite his best efforts, Angel found himself unable to resist and kissed her back with every bit of passion he could muster. He stiffened and turned quickly when he felt his game face coming to the fore.
"What? What is it?" Buffy asked. "What's wrong?"
She turned Angel to face her and saw his vampire visage. She stood amazed for a moment, then pulled him into her arms.
"See? I knew you weren't gay," she said as she leaned up to kiss him again. "I don't care if you're a vampire, as long as you keep kissing me like that."
*****
October 31, 1997. An abandoned warehouse.
Spike blinked hard as he found himself looking at a helpless,
terrified, amnesiac Slayer. He grinned and advanced.
Angel struggled uselessly against his captors.
"Buffy!" he cried.
Spike closed his hand around Buffy's throat. He grinned as he bent her back over the crate. He bared his fangs.
Xander looked up from the demons he was fighting to see Spike.
"Now that guy you *can* shoot," Willow yelled.
Xander raised his M-16 only to discover it was, once again, a toy gun he'd bought at the costume shop.
"What the..."
All around him the demons turned back into little children. Frightened, confused little children calling for their mommies.
Spike pulled on Buffy's dark tresses to discover he was now holding a cheap, brunette wig. Buffy sat up on her crate and smiled in a way that he knew boded no good for him.
"Hi honey, I'm home," she quipped as she punched him in the gut.
A brief struggle later, Spike managed to escape. He didn't stop running until he found his DeSoto and drove off into the night, a Sex Pistols tape blaring in the cassette player to soothe him. Forget Sunnyhell, forget bagging another Slayer, hell, forget Dru. She was already making time with a Slime creature in the sewers, anyway.
Maybe New York would be more welcoming.
He ran down the Welcome To Sunnydale sign on his way out, just because.
*****
April 1998. Sunnydale High.
Angelus looked wildly about him as he felt the spirit of Grace Stanley
enter him again. There Buffy stood as well.
"Grace," she breathed.
"Don't do this."
"But - but I killed you."
"It was an accident. It wasn't your fault."
"Oh, it is my fault. How could I..."
"Shhh," He soothed her, "I'm the one who should be sorry, James. You thought I stopped loving you. But I never did. I loved you with my last breath."
All Buffy could do was shed the tears James had held in his heart for so many years. Tears of regret, of guilt, of love. Angelus tenderly wiped them away.
"Shhh...No more tears."
He bent his head and kissed her, just as Grace willed. James kissed her back with all the passion and all the love a teenager could give. Even as both felt the spell lift, the kiss continued another moment. Suddenly Angelus stiffened and pulled away. Buffy opened her eyes and stared at him, slightly dazed.
"Angel?"
"Dammit! Not again!"
Angelus shoved Buffy away with a furious growl and ran into the darkness. He didn't stop until he reached the mansion and could wash the humanity off himself.
While he was at it, he decided to fuck Dru. Hurting her would make up for not hurting Buffy.
At least it wouldn't be about love.
*****
May, 1999. Sunnydale High Gym.
Buffy looked around herself, slightly confused to find herself at the
Prom again.
Still, her heart was definitely lifted when Giles came over to her. He looked good in his tux. What's more, he looked so proud and happy when he saw her walk in. He was still smiling. She decided happy was a good look for her favorite Watcher.
"You did good work tonight, Buffy," he told her.
"And I got a little toy surprise," she quipped twirling the gaudy little parasol.
Giles smiled shyly at her.
"I had no idea that children en masse could be gracious."
"Every now and then, people surprise you," she reminded him.
"Every now and then," he agreed quietly. She saw now that he was looking, not at her, but over her shoulder toward the door and that his eyes looked suddenly very sad. He took the gaudily decorated parasol from her hands.
Buffy followed Giles' eyes. Angel stood uneasily in the doorway. When he spotted Buffy, he headed for her. She was both saddened and relieved to find her heart didn't do a backflip at the sight. She was ready to let go and move on. She turned and plucked the award out of Giles' hand.
"Every once in a while."
She met Angel halfway and handed him the parasol.
"Hang onto this for me, will you?"
She reached up and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
"You look good," she told him.
Angel watched in stunned silence as Buffy returned to Giles and pulled her equally stunned Watcher out onto the dance floor. A moment later, he was startled to find Wesley standing next to him with an oddly sympathetic expression on his face.
"Are you alright?" Wesley asked.
Angel shook his head.
"Yes and no. This is what I wanted, but..."
"But Mr. Giles, yes I know. If it makes you feel any better, they did the same thing to me. Not that I was romantically involved with either one...look, why don't you stay nearby until the dance is over? I can't leave until my chaperone duties are fulfilled, but afterward I could take you somewhere and buy you a drink.
The vampire nodded. His eyes remained glued to the lovely girl in the pink gown clinging to the school librarian who held her as if she was every bit as delicate as she looked. It hurt, but at least he could take her into the sunlight.
"Yeah, Wes. Thanks. I'd like that."
*****
June, 1999. Sunnydale High Library.
"Cordelia?"
She spun around, surprised at the sound of her name and found herself back in the library with Wesley.
"Yes?"
"You know that…when this is over…"
"Yes?"
"Uhm, well, should we prevail…I'll be going back to England."
She plucked another book from the shelf and stowed it safely in a box.
"I know."
Wesley shifted awkwardly. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so nervous in his life.
"With Buffy no longer working for the Council, there really is…no place for me here."
He prayed that Cordelia would tell him he was wrong. He'd never wanted so badly to be wrong in all his life.
"I guess not."
Still, something in her tone gave him more hope than the blunt words could ever have done. He clasped his hands and advanced a step.
"No…reason to stay."
Cordelia turned and inched toward him.
"No."
He inched another step closer. He pulled off his glasses.
"No. No…cause to hope that…I might be needed?"
She looked up at him, glassy eyed.
"Needed?"
"Or wanted?"
"Wanted?"
He leaned yet closer. She did the same. He was so close to her lips. So close.
Suddenly Cordelia pressed both hands to his chest and pulled her head back.
"I'm sorry, Wesley. I just can't do this."
"Y- you can't? Why not?" demanded the startled Englishman.
"Look, I like you a lot, Wesley, really I do, but I just this minute realized this is never gonna work out. See, you're an older, handsome, sophisticated guy, and I'm...a lesbian."
"You're a WHAT?"
"Lesbian, Sappho grrl, dyke. Oh my God, I hope this doesn't mean I have to wear Birkenstocks and stop waxing my legs. Are you okay, Wesley?"
"Actually, yes," he laughed in relief. "I'm sorry, Cordelia. I don't mean to laugh. It's just I've been questioning my own...preferences of late, and well..."
"You and Angel, huh?" Cordelia guessed. "Don't look so surprised. You two have been totally vibing since the Prom."
"But with his curse..."
"If you take my advice..."
"I know. Don't get involved. Angelus..."
"Won't be any problem if you just make sure Angel knows who's boss."
"How do you know that?"
"Trust me, Wes. Go find your vamp."
"After the battle, perhaps."
"Oh, yeah. Right. Save the books and Sunnydale first, come out of our respective closets second. Good plan."
*****
May, 2001. Willow's dorm room.
Willow blinked sleepily and smiled when she became aware of the soft
pair of arms around her middle.
"Hey, Sleepyhead, ever gonna wake up this afternoon?" came a familiar, yet unexpected voice.
"Cordy?"
"Well who else would it be? You're not seeing someone else behind my back are you?" she teased.
"Um...not that I know of."
"Come on. Get up. You need to catch a shower and dress, pronto," Cordelia ordered.
"Huh? Do I have class?"
"Wow, you really were lost in Dreamland, weren't you? Remember? We have Dawn Patrol? Giles taking Buffy to romantic restaurant to get her mind off stuff? On a real date like we haven't had in way too long, and no, The Bronze doesn't count."
"I know all that," Willow assured her. "And I promise I'll take you to that new Italian place as soon as my work study check gets here."
"Good. Oh, and Xander called from LA. He had a vision about some vamp in a Pink Floyd tee shirt. Be careful of him."
"Did he say why?"
"Other than the terminally retro taste in both clothes and music, he didn't say." She leaned down and kissed Willow warmly. "Now come on. If nobody's there, we could even shower together."
Cordelia grabbed a towel and headed for the bathroom. After a moment, Willow grinned, as the memories of the past two years readjusted to fill in the blanks where Cordelia had helped her come out and become her lover. It made sense. Nobody knew her like Cordy, when all was said and done.
*****
June, 2001. Caritas.
"Here we are," Xander announced. "Two mugs of frosty root beer goodness
for a pair of crime fighting dudes."
He set one mug at his own spot at the table, and placed the other before Gunn.
"Thanks," Gunn said as he leaned over to give his lover a small kiss.
"That the best you can do?" Xander asked archly.
"In public, yes. I think even Mr. Greengenes here would frown on actual nookie on the tables."
"You are so right about that," Lorne shuddered. "It's bad enough trying to explain a Chaos demon in the men's room to the health inspectors. You two lovebirds save it for when you get home."
"What about us?" Fred piped up.
"You and me, kid, we can go home anytime we want to. It's only a few steps to paradise."
The girl wrinkled her nose and smiled as Lorne leaned over to kiss her.
"Insulin! Insulin!" Xander shouted. "My kingdom for some insulin!"
"Do be quiet, Xander," came a clipped English accent. The others looked up to see Wesley leading Angel into the club on a leash.
They all looked away again.
Angel turned to Wesley with a big grin on his face.
"May I go to the men's room, master?"
"I thought you went before we left."
"Yeah, but I haven't seen the new graffiti in a few days. Please? Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease? I'll make your night miserable until you let me."
"Oh alright," Welsey sighed impatiently.
He let go of the leash and Angel bounded away like an overgrown puppy.
Xander raise an eyebrow at Wesley.
"I thought you said you weren't gonna do the leash thing in public anymore."
"He insisted. He wouldn't go out without it."
Gunn snorted.
"I ain't sure which, but one of y'all has got a serious confusion about the whole sub/dom thing."
Wesley shrugged.
"Only in public places."
"Sooo..." Xander said, "to change the subject with absolutely no attempt at subtlety, because I really do not want to know about what goes on when you two shut the door, how's about that Buffy? Defeating a God, no less, with no loss of life or limb to her crew. Is that not worthy of a toast?"
"It certainly is," Wesley agreed. "Quite remarkable."
"Nah. Just the Buffster."
"The Buffster" the rest chorused as they clinked glasses.
*****
October, 2001. Magic Box. Training Room.
"Hey! Hello? Earth to Rupert?"
Buffy snapped her fingers in front of his face. He blinked, startled.
"Hmm? I'm sorry, Buffy, what were you saying?"
He was confused. Was he back with the bot? No. This was really Buffy. His head filled with memories he'd never had before. Memories of dancing with Buffy at the Prom, of dating her when she graduated High School, of kissing, and touching and making love with her. His eyes glazed over again at the thought.
She shot him a look of mingled frustration and amusement.
"Are you gonna zone on me every time I talk wedding plans?"
"Well...I...that is...what does it matter what I think?"
"Oh come on, Rupert. Guys having nothing to do with their own weddings went out with the ice age. I'm a working and going to school bride. You gotta pull your weight with this stuff."
"I just meant...you're so much better at this than I am, I thought we could safely leave it in your capable hands."
Buffy laughed and shook her head.
"You are so hopeless sometimes. Okay, I'll make the decisions and point you in the right direction on the day. Deal?"
"Deal."
"That's what I like to hear," she purred as she melted into his arms. He pulled her still tighter into the circle of his arms and squeezed his eyes shut to keep from losing his composure. She was alive and she was his. She was also talking again. "And since the wedding bores you so much, maybe I can raise your interest by talking about the honeymoon."
She reached up and kissed him deeply.
"Interest officially raised," he murmured against her lips.
She wriggled against him and giggled at the truth of his statement.
"Couch?" she asked.
"Yes, please."
He picked her up and took her across the room. He would be happy to train for the wedding night.
*****
February, 2002. Paris. The sewers.
"Spikey?"
Spike closed his eyes and prayed he was dreaming.
"Spiikey?"
"What, Harm?" he snapped.
"Is Karl Lagerfield a vampire?"
Spike stared at his vapid lover where she sat flipping through a fashion magazine.
"Who?"
"You know. The designer? His clothes are so cute."
"I don't know. Why don't you go ask him? You always did like a poofter, didn't you?"
"You don't have to be mean about it! Baby, I'm hungry. When do we eat?"
Spike thought a moment. The new memories were flooding in, replacing his old ones. He'd left Sunnyhell after his one defeat at the Slayer's hands and had never returned. No chip. No sodding chip! No embarrassing, dirty affair with the Slayer! He was free again!
"It's after sunset, and I'm a might peckish myself. Let's go find ourselves someone to eat."
*****
"Tell me about what it was like. In Sunnydale, the first time," Sam prompted.
Riley poked at the fire with his stick again.
"Well, I probably shouldn't mention this in defense of domestic harmony, but...when I first met Buffy? I sorta had a little crush on her."
"Just a crush?"
"I even asked Willow about her. But even then it was her and Giles. I'm sorta surprised they're still together."
"I don't know," Sam shrugged. "They seem happy."
"Yeah. It's just sorta weird. I mean, he's so old and stuffy, and she's so young and scattered about everything but the Slaying. But then, they're all sorta...different. I tried to fit in, but...it's like they have this little club they won't let anyone else into. Sure, they were nice and all, but I never really got them, if you know what I mean. And no matter what I did, it wasn't good enough. I wasn't used to that."
"So you left?"
"Yeah. But I did a bunch of stupid stuff first, trying to prove I was still something special; that just because I didn't have all the drugs and physical enhancements Professor Walsh gave me anymore didn't mean I was just another ordinary soldier. Took me a while to figure out that if I was just me, that's okay, too."
"Very okay with me, Finn. And I don't think you're ordinary at all."
"Spoken like a woman in love."
Sam stood and held out a hand to her husband.
"Come on, Finn. Morning comes early in the jungle. Let's go to bed."
THE END