Title: Gift of a Future
Author: Gileswench

(notes & disclaimer with part one)

Giles drummed his fingers against the steering wheel of his car. He'd driven Buffy to the school so they could pick up Dawn and take her safely to the Magic Box. He wondered what on earth could be taking so long. His head filled with dire images of Glory appearing in a classroom, abducting Dawn from under their noses. Giles knew if that happened, Buffy would likely have a breakdown. She'd been through so much in the past few months, and been so brave - too brave, now he took the time to think of it.

Through Joyce's illness and death, Riley's betrayal and departure, the Council's review, her father's continued refusal to take part in her life, Dawn's understandable emotional fragility in the wake of the discovery of her supernatural origin, and the ongoing threat of fighting a Hellgod, Buffy had hardly even cried, let alone admitted any human weakness. As the months had passed, Giles began to expect the tightly coiled, carefully emotionless behavior and had ceased to worry much about it.

But watching the young boys and girls stream out of the school, laughing, joking, breaking up into small, tight knit groups and doting couples, he found himself remembering the early days with Buffy, Willow and Xander in the library. Had they all really been so innocent back then? Buffy's insistance on trying out for the cheerleading squad and her constant demands for nights off to go to parties, Willow's shy demeanor and amazing computer skills, Xander's hapless goofiness that hid the astonishing courage at his core; where had these things gone? Giles had to admit ruefully that he had changed a great deal as well, and not entirely for the better.

He'd lost much of his enthusiasm and optimism, even, perhaps, the remains of his innocence, battling the forces of darkness day after day, night after night. He could accept it for himself, even expected it was about time he grew up and faced reality. But for Buffy and her - no, their - young friends, it was wrong. To see them robbed of their youth so early in life was unacceptable. Perhaps he could do something to make their lives a bit less grim.

Yes, as soon as Glory was defeated he would do something for them all. Take them on a trip to someplace pleasant. Nothing extravagant, but he could take a pair of cabins in the woods or a condo by a beach for a few days and let them all blow off some steam, be young for a week or so. He felt sure he could bribe Spike to watch the hellmouth for a week with enough blood and cigarettes. And vampire activity was always down in the summer with the shorter nights.

His musings were interrupted by the sound of arguing teenagers.

"You are so grounded for the rest of your life!"

"Oh come on, Buffy! Like you never ditched a class."

The Slayer whirled around to face her sister.

"There's a difference, Dawn. When I cut class it was to save the world. When you cut, it's because you don't feel like being there. Get in the car. We're taking you to the Magic Box and then Giles and I have to go look for the bot some more."

Dawn slid into the back seat and folded her arms across her chest sullenly. Buffy took her post next to Giles and blew out a breath in frustration.

"Not one word, Giles," she snapped before he could draw breath to speak.

Giles knew better than to argue when Buffy used that tone. Dawn, however, had not learned that lesson yet.

"I don't know why I have to go to school, anyway," she grumbled as Giles pulled out of the parking lot. "Keys don't need an education. Energy doesn't need to know algebra."

"Dawn," Buffy growled, "if you say one more word, you'll be grounded for your next three lives."

Dawn flopped back into the upholstery. She muttered something under her breath. Giles decided he'd better intervene before bloodshed could ensue.

"Would either of you like something to eat?" he asked. Food was usually a good distraction for both girls.

"What I'd like," Buffy snapped, "is for someone to pay a little bit of attention to what she's supposed to be doing. When I got to the school, the principal wanted to have a word with me. It turns out Dawn doesn't think she needs to be in class. In fact, Dawn is so sure of this that she's in danger of flunking most of her classes. Giles, she's flunking art. How do you flunk art? All you have to do is show up and doodle - emphasis on that showing up part."

"I'm right here," Dawn huffed. "You don't need to talk like I'm not here."

"Well you won't be for long if you don't go to class."

"What? I'm gonna just disappear like I appeared if I don't pull straight A's?"

Buffy half turned in her seat to impress the importance of her words on her sister.

"If you flunk your classes and keep on ditching school, Child Protective Services will decide I'm unfit to be your legal guardian and take you away where I can't protect you."

Dawn paled.

"Where would they take me?"

"I don't know. Maybe Dad? Maybe a foster home. The point is, wherever you go, you'd be in danger and I wouldn't be able to protect you - or whoever you're with. Just...work with me here, would you?"

"You never said that could happen before."

"Well, I'm saying now."

"Can they do that? Really?"

"They can and they will if you don't straighten up."

"Well that doesn't sound very fun," said Q as he appeared in the back seat next to Dawn.

"Shit!" Giles exclaimed as he swerved in surprise.

"Giles!" Buffy yelped. "Eyes on the road! And who the hell is that in the back?"

"Giles!" Dawn squeaked. "I can't believe you said that in front of me!"

"Giles!" Q mocked. "Nobody ever wants to admit they know me. I thought you'd be different, but no. You're just as bad as Jean-Luc."

"What the hell are you doing here?" Giles growled.

"Checking on your progress," Q said affably. "You never said you spend your days surrounded by beautiful women. Aren't you going to introduce me?"

"Beautiful?" Dawn piped up.

"Ravishing, my dear," Q assured her.

"Hands off my sister," Buffy warned the entity. "She's fourteen years old, and not up for grabs."

"Feisty!" Q said as he looked the Slayer over. "I like her, Giles. She's a little skinny, and her nose is a funny shape, but she's got moxie."

"Was there something you wanted, Q?" Giles asked with no little asperity.

"What's wrong with my nose?" Buffy obsessed.

"I'm here to tell you the clock is ticking. You don't have much time left to figure it out. I'm disappointed in you, Giles. Jean-Luc is moving faster than you. I really thought you'd get it first."

"Get what?" Giles demanded. "If you've something to say, just say it. What is it you want of me?"

Q shook his head.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You don't get it yet, do you? This has nothing to do with what I want and everything to do with what you want."

"Huh?" Buffy asked.

"What on Earth are you talking about?" Giles asked.

But Q was already gone.

Picard pulled back at long last.

"Beverly...what are we doing?"

"I didn't think it had been that long, Jean-Luc. It's called kissing."

"I know perfectly well what it's called," Picard huffed.

"And you do it pretty well, too."

"Thank you...so do you. But it's hardly appropriate. I'm your commanding officer."

"Even commanding officers are allowed to be happy, Jean-Luc. Even with their own Chief Medical Officers."

Picard slid his hands up to disengage Beverly's from behind his neck. Still, he kept ahold of them, bringing one to his lips for a soft kiss.

"I just think we need to consider this a bit. It isn't only Starfleet I'm concerned about. There's Wesley. And what happens if one of us gets transfered to another assignment? Starfleet is no great respecter of romance."

"Wesley adores you. Since we've been on the Enterprise, he's come to think of you as the father he never had. And if Starfleet sends us to opposite ends of the galaxy, there's always shoreleave. Or you could take early retirement."

"Retirement?" Picard exclaimed, aghast. "What would I do with myself then?"

Beverly took advantage of his momentary distraction to slip her arms around his waist and lay her head on his shoulder.

"You could do whatever you like. Go on archeological digs and unearth treasures, write a book about your travels...prove to me that even if you're retired from Starfleet, you're still ready for adventure of the right kind. Whatever you like, as long as you're happy and I get to share some of it."

Picard took a deep breath, but did nothing to move Beverly.

"Dr. Crusher," he said with a smile, "Are you trying to seduce me?"

"Am I succeeding?"

"You might be."

He moved slightly, keeping his arms around her.

This time he initiated the kiss.

Xander grabbed Wesley by the arm and steered him out of the street before he could be hit by a Buick.

"Jeez, can you try a little harder to get yourself killed, Spaceboy? That's the third time I've had to remind you that those metal things people ride in hurt a whole lot when they slam into you."

Wesley giggled.

"Pull the rotary harder," he informed his companion.

"Riiight. No more video games for you, Buddy. I'm cutting you off."

"Video games!" Wesley shouted excitedly. "Video games!"

"Later, maybe, when you stop acting funny."

He tried to pull Wesley in the direction of the Magic Box, but the boy resisted.

"Come on, Punk Rogers. Time to see your mom and let her deal with you for awhile."

"What seems to be the trouble?"

Xander looked up, startled. He relaxed a little when he realized it was Riker with Troi on his arm.

"Boy am I glad to see you guys," Xander greeted them."Maybe you can tell me if this is normal behavior for Wesley here."

"What's he doing?" Riker asked.

"He keeps getting into dangerous stuff and talking about things I can't understand. And it's like he doesn't listen to a word I say."

Riker and Troi shared a bemused smile.

"I wouldn't worry about it, Xander," Riker said. That's just life with Wesley."

"So you're sure there's nothing wrong?"

Troi looked carefully at Wesley. At last she gave her verdict.

"I sense nothing out of the ordinary."

"You're sure about that?" Xander fussed.

"Positive," Riker assured him.

"Okay. 'Cause I was getting worried there for a minute. Not that I was panicking or anything, but, y'know...oh, and Will, if I could have a little word with you. Man to, y'know, man?"

"Of course."

Riker allowed himself to be maneuvered to one side. Xander whispered in his ear.

"I don't think Deanna's lipstick is really your shade, if you know what I mean." He pointed to the smudge on Riker's cheek and another on his lips before returning to his charge.

"Oh yeah," he muttered. "Whole lot of loving going on! Come on, Wes. Let's see if Anya's in a better mood yet."

He hauled Wesley away from his intense inspection of a garbage can and down the street to the Magic Box.