Title: Gift of a Future 3/?
Author: Gileswench
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.

Picard was stunned by the matter of fact acceptance of his story, that he had come from the future to help in the fight against Glory and protect The Key. After a very few questions, Buffy had simply decided to take whatever allies they could get at face value. The rest quickly followed her lead. Then their attention had returned to the scantily clad and obviously malfunctioning robot.

The argument rapidly grew heated. Buffy was outraged that anyone would even consider repairing the machine while Willow insisted it was important to fix it as a secret weapon. Anya kept reminding the assembled crew that it had been built largely to serve in a sexual capacity and she didn't want her boyfriend to find it more attractive than her. As for Giles, he was clearly on the horns of a dilemma. On the one hand, he understood that an extra Slayer made things safer for Buffy. On the other, he couldn't deny that he felt the thing was an obscenity of the grossest kind.

At last, he decided in favor of Buffy's feelings in the matter.

"I don't care how useful it will be, Willow. Buffy wants that object destroyed, and I agree with her."

"That's only because it says your name wrong, Giles. It can be reprogrammed to say it right."

"It can't be reprogrammed not to have already had sex with Spike," Buffy shuddered."Oh God, that is such a disgusting concept. I so need a shower for even thinking that."

"So do I," Giles agreed.

Willow's reply was lost when there came a knock on the door. Giles went to answer it cautiously.

"Yes? I'm afraid we're closed. You'll have to come back tomorrow," he told the attractive couple at the door.

"Please," the woman asked, "could you tell us where we could find..."

"Deanna, Will, please come in."

"Captain!"

Giles stood aside and allowed the newcomers through the door. As introductions were made all around, Anya narrowed her eyes at Riker.

"You," she spat.

"What? Have we met?"

Troi took an emphatic interest in some crystals.

"Giles, we can't trust him. He scorns women," the former demon insisted.

"Scorn? When did I ever scorn a woman?" Riker looked perplexed.

"Ask her," Anya said darkly pointing at Troi.

Riker moved to her side nervously.

"I hesitate to ask, but when did I scorn you and how would that girl know?"

"Remember Angel Falls?"

"Of course I do. We were there together."

"Yes, and it was there you told me your career came first. That you couldn't concentrate on becoming the youngest Captain in Starfleet history and on me at the same time."

"Deanna..."

"Will, I was angry then. I'm not anymore. You had a choice to make and you made it."

"So where does the girl come into this?"

"I'm not just a girl," Anya told him, "or I wasn't then, anyway. I was a vengeance demon and immortal. I could travel in time and space to avenge the wrongs men perpetrated on women. The power of the wish was mine. She called me. It was the wimpiest vengeance wish I've ever been called on to grant. It was embarrassing."

"So what did she ask for?" Buffy wondered.

"Yes, what did you ask for, Deanna?"

Troi saw that the assembled crew was determined to find out what her wish had been. Even Captain Picard displayed an obvious curiosity, and Giles looked like a little boy wondering what was in a special package under the Christmas tree.

"Alright, I wished that once you became a Commander, you would turn down all efforts to raise your rank to Captain until you were at least forty years old."

There was a moment of silence.

"That's it?" Buffy asked, clearly disappointed.

Anya shook her head mournfully.

"Like I said, wimpy. Still, vengeance is just like retail: the customer is always right, no matter how wrong she is."

"Well...be that as it may," Giles said, "It's getting late and we've all had a long day. I think perhaps it's time to decide where our guests are staying the night and get some rest."

"There's an extra room at my place, and a couch," Buffy offered. "I could take two."

"And I would be more than happy to offer Captain Picard a place to stay. I haven't much room, but I'm sure we can work something out," Giles added.

Buffy cocked an eyebrow at her Watcher.

"Giles, you had better not be doing what I think you're doing."

"That depends on what you think I'm doing."

"You're going to give up your bed and sit up all night reading stuff, aren't you? That's not okay. Neither one of us got any sleep last night on that Hokey Pokey visionquest thing and then we had a rough night tonight. That's two nights of no rest. Not okay."

"Yes...well...I'm certain..."

"I'm certain you're no help at all if you crash and burn on me. I can't take care of Dawn and you at the same time. Help me out here?"

Giles smiled quietly at her wide eyes and wistful tone.

"On one condition: you need to rest as well. Get yourself a full eight hours. I mean it, Buffy."

"Deal."

Buffy extended her hand, and Giles shook it solemnly. Both held on just a split second too long. Buffy pulled back suddenly.

"So...I'm beat. I think I'll call it a night."

"Night, Buff," Willow called.

"No dice, Will. The bot dies tonight. Come on, guys," she gestured to Riker and Troi to follow her.

Before they could get to the door, it flew open and Xander and a redheaded woman dragged in a semi-conscious teenage boy.

"What happened?" Giles asked as he brought out his first aid kit.

"This kid was in the alley behind The Bronze. I think you can guess the rest. This is one hickey he won't want to show off to his buddies."

"Beverly!" Picard exclaimed as he rushed to her side.

"I think he'll be alright, Jean-Luc. It's just...if this young man hadn't come along when he did..."

Her knees buckled and Picard helped her into a chair.

"I'm sorry," she muttered. "It's just..."

"I know," Picard assured her. "It's Wesley."

"Wesley?" Xander asked. "Not another one of those."

"Do be quiet, Xander," Giles snapped as he pulled on a pair of latex gloves and examined the boys' wounds. "I think a few stitches are in order here, and some rest. I imagine you've quite a headache, haven't you?"

"S - stitches?" Wesley gulped. "What do you mean?"

Giles began to thread a surgical needle without replying. Willow cooly assisted. She filled a syringe and administered the anaesthetic.

"What are you doing to him? My God, you can't do this!" Beverly rose in horror, then sat hard when Buffy laid a hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay. They're almost like doctors.They do this sort of stuff all the time."

"Yeah? Well I am a doctor and I won't let you...butcher my son like this!"

Giles blinked in surprise.

"It was the vampire that attempted butchery. Willow and I are simply doing our best to repair the damage the demon did to...Wesley...I believe you said his name was?"

"He's telling the truth," Troi announced. "I know it looks primitive, but this is how they treat injuries in this time."

"Giles? Primitive? How come when I call him that he gets cranky, but when you do he's okay?"

"Possibly because when these people say it, they mean it quite literally, Buffy. May I?" He gestured with his needle and thread to indicate he wanted to continue his treatment of Wesley's wounds. Beverly turned to Picard. He gave her a reassuring look, and she nodded stiffly. Still, she didn't watch as Giles sewed her son's neck back together. As he finished the final stitch, Giles snipped the thread off with a tiny scissors and smiled at Wesley. "There now, good as new. Of course, I'll need to take those out in a few days, but you should be fine now. Just make sure you drink lots of liquids and get plenty of rest in the next few days."

"Okay, but where?" Wesley asked."We don't have anyplace to stay."

"No problemo," Xander assured him. "You and your lovely mother have just won an all expenses paid trip to the fabulous Casa de Xander for as long as you're staying in town."

He crossed his fingers that Anya wouldn't object too strenuously. Her eyes shot daggers into his back. He smiled weakly at her. She frowned. At last she rolled her eyes at him and nodded. He gave her a quick squeeze and gathered his belongings.

"Okay, all aboard who's coming aboard." At Beverly and Wesley's blank expressions he explained it to them. "That means, I'm leaving now, and you might want to come with me. Oh, and Buff? Since it's so late, why doesn't Dawn stay the rest of the night at my place?"

"Yeah, Xand. That'll be good. You can bring her here in the morning."

Xander rounded up Anya, Beverly and Wesley. He turned to Willow.

"Tara's still at my place. Want me to take you there?"

"No, that's okay, Xand. I have a couple things to do first. Tell Tara I'll meet her back at the dorms later."

Xander left with his troops.

A moment later, Buffy turned to Giles.

"I better go home, too, if I'm gonna get those eight hours you were talking about."

"Yes, yes of course. And we'll...um...meet here tomorrow, shall we?"

"Sure thing, Watcher mine. Bring donuts. Extra jellies."

"Your wish is my command," he replied with a wry smile.

"Don't stay up too late. And don't ask too much about the future. I've seen the movies; you can mess it up that way."

"Have you any more indispensible advice to give me before you leave, Miss Landers?"

"Nope. I don't think so. Wouldn't want to overload your brain, would I?"

They smiled warmly at one another. Buffy then turned to her houseguests.

"I don't have the car, so we're burning shoe leather. Sorry."

"That's alright," Riker said. "I'm sure we'll be fine. How far is it?"

"Not too far. Maybe a mile or so."

Buffy lead Riker and Troi out the door.

Giles turned to Willow.

"I'm afraid I have to go, too. Sorry."

"That's okay, Giles. I just have some stuff I have to do before I go home."

"Yes, but you haven't a key."

"You could lend me yours. I could give it back in the morning when we Scooby here."

Giles considered for a moment, then pulled a key off his ring.

"I suppose I really ought to have keys made for you and Buffy anyway. You girls ought to have access to the place. Why don't you have copies made tomorrow and give it back after?"

"Really? Thanks Giles. That'll be great!"

"Don't stay here too long. And be careful walking back to campus."

"I will. Goodnight."

Giles led Picard out the door. Willow watched them until the BMW pulled away and down the block. When she was certain they were gone, she closed the door and headed back to the now forgotten Buffybot.

"Now, let's get you up and running."

NEXT