Title: Gift of a Future
Author: Gileswench

(notes & disclaimer with part one)

"So, Wesley, think you'll be okay for five minutes while I get us some Earth delicacies called hot dogs on a stick?"

"Yeah," Welsey assured Xander tersely. "I'm gonna get the high score here."

Xander looked at the game Wesley was playing.

"Yeah, I bet you will," he agreed. "Not much competition on that for Happy Caterpillar's Magical Journey."

Xander headed out.

"Oh yeah," he said to himself. "High score to Xander Harris!"

"Impressions?" Captain Picard began the meeting around the Summers dining room table.

"If Q is looking for people who won't admit their feelings, I think I know who he's talking about," Troi offered. "I believe he means Buffy and Giles."

"What makes you say that?" Dr. Crusher asked.

"Whenever they're together it's as if they're in their own little world. I watched them today. They finish one another's sentences, they communicate without words - I would almost say telepathically if I didn't know better."

Picard nodded.

"Giles was very particular about getting enough jelly donuts for her this morning. He even asked what flavors they had so he could get her favorites. He didn't pay nearly so much attention to the rest of the donuts."

"But does he not enjoy jelly donuts, as well?" Data asked. "Perhaps he wanted to get his favorites."

"He bought one single raspberry one for himself and had it put in a separate container, then asked for six cherry ones because Buffy prefers that flavor," The captain said. "It seems she doesn't like raspberry, and while it's Giles' favorite, he doesn't want her to have to double check when she chooses a donut."

"Only a man in love would be that picky," Geordie agreed.

"She is a great warrior," Worf added. "A man would have to do much to be worthy of her love...or that of Anya."

The others stared at the Klingon.

"Anya?" Geordie asked. "Did I miss something?"

Worf smiled.

"Anya bit me. Among Klingon females, that is a sign that courtship is desired."

"I hate to bring this up," Riker ventured, "but Anya isn't Klingon. It may not mean the same thing to her that it does to you."

"Perhaps we might return to the subject at hand," Picard suggested. "Do we really have any reason to think Buffy and Giles might be the people Q was talking about aside from jelly donuts and a good working relationship? From what I've seen, either might or might not be in love with anyone in the group."

"I'm not sure either of them is aware of it," Troi said, "but I don't think I've ever seen two people so in love in my life."

"Even if they are, what does it matter?" Beverly asked. "How is it going to help them defeat a God?"

Somehow, nobody had an answer to that question.

Wesley furrowed his brow in concentration. If he could just keep the Playful Pixies at bay, Happy Caterpillar would soon be in position to eat the Mystical Muffin and win him five hundred points.

He never noticed the gorgeous blonde with the psychotic smile coming up behind him.

"Hey," she said. "Can two play this game?"

"I think it only works with one player," Wesley shrugged, "but you could play next, if you want."

"Oh I think you're done," Glory purred as she grabbed Wesley by the arms in a surprisingly strong grip.

The Hellgod spun the boy around and pinned him against the arcade game. Behind him he could hear the music of doom indicating that Happy Caterpillar had been run over by the Tactless Tractor.

"See?" Glory smirked. "You're dead. Now, why don't you and me have a little chat?"

"A - about what? Have we met?" Wesley stammered.

"Well, it's been a pretty long while, but yeah," Glory told him, gripping his arms tighter. "And you were better looking then. But, hey! You're still what I need."

"Huh?" He tried to work himself free of her grip. "I think I should probably go..."

Glory gripped Wesley's face in one hand suddenly. She locked eyes with him.

"Pay attention when I'm talking to you!" she snapped. "And don't think anyone's gonna help you, little boy, 'cause I could kill everybody in this place before anyone could make it over here. Funny, isn't it? All these people here and no one can do a thing. Not one of them can help you. Then, that's people for you. Pretty worthless. But keys, on the other hand...keys are worth a very lot."

"K - keys...?"

Glory drew one perfectly manicured fingernail down Wesley's cheek. A thin trail of blood dribbled from the shallow cut. The Hellgod leaned closer and delicately licked a droplet from the boy's cheek. She leaned back to savor the taste.

A second later, she spat it out.

"You stinking liar," she hissed as she grabbed his hair in her fist. "You're not the key. You're just another worthless human being!"

"I don't remember lying to you."

"And in a minute, you won't remember anything at all."

Wesley stood, transfixed, as Glory stroked her fingers down his cheeks, then up. Suddenly she seemed to insert her fingers into his temples. Both screamed as a bright ball of light shot forth from Wesley's brain and travelled down Glory's arms, up to her head and was sucked in.

All at once, the screaming stopped.

Glory turned to leave as Wesley slumped next to the forgotten game.

Buffy glared daggers at her best friend.

"I told you not to fix that damn thing, Will. Giles told you not to. We all did. What part of 'dump that hunk of junk on the scrapheap' did you not understand?"

"I was trying to help," Willow began. "Honest..."

"Oh, I so do not want to hear this," Buffy fumed. "You had no right..."

"So if you don't like something nobody gets to do it? Is that it?" Willow returned angrily.

"Both of you, stop it," Giles ordered. "Now, as wrong as it was of Willow to fix the robot when we'd all agreed it was best not to, that's beside the point at present. We need to find it, and find it fast."

Buffy sighed.

"You're right. Yelling can wait. Having a super strong robot running around with nobody at the controls is not a good thing. I think we need as many people as we can get on this one." She turned to Giles. "Think Captain Picard would help on this?"

"I imagine his crew would welcome the opportunity to do something useful," Giles mused.

"Okay," Buffy said, "we'll get them started and then check out the graveyards. She's probably looking for Spike. Will, Tara, take the mall. If Spike programmed her to be anything like me, she might head there."

As they headed out the door, Giles turned back.

"Watch the store, Anya, until we get back. And if the robot shows up here...send her in the back to train until we return."

"Good luck," Anya called after them. "You're gonna need it."

Xander returned to the arcade, hot dog goodness in hand.

"Okay, Wes," he said as he approached the game, "you're gonna love this. Hey, look at that; you got the high score! Good for you! So, we take hot dogs, which are made from all the parts of the cow you don't want to eat, dip them in batter made from corn deemed unfit for consumption by pigs and a whole bunch of preservatives, and deep fry until soggy and greasy. Earth cuisine holds few greater delicacies."

He handed the corndog to his companion. Wesley stared at it for a long time. Xander soon finished his. He realized that Wesley had yet to take a single bite.

"Gonna eat that?" Xander asked at last. "'Cause if you're not going to, I might be able to force another down me."

"Force. Forcefield. Forcefield all gone," Wesley mourned, shaking his head.

"Right..." Xander agreed with a wary look. "I think someone had too much excitement with Happy Caterpillar, don't you? C'mon, kid. Let's go."

Xander started off toward the Magic Box. A moment later, he turned back and took Wesley by the arm.

"This way, pal," he said. "What happened? Did the game blow a fuse on you?"

Wesley just giggled.