Title: Fortune’s Fool
Author: Miss Witch
Email: MissWitch@witchesbrew.zzn.com
Rating: PG – language and general Riley bashing (is there anyone here who doesn’t know yet that I hate Riley?)
Summary: Buffy seeks answers to the future.
Disclaimer: You know the drill. You know I don’t own the Buffyverse, I know I don’t own the Buffyverse. No one here thinks I own the Buffyverse.
Spoilers: General season 5. I’m completely aware that I changed the timeline around. Riley stuck around long enough for Buffy to go on her Vision Quest.
Distribution: Just ask. If it’ll help, I’m going to say yes. I just like the thrill of knowing someone wants it.
Feedback: Does the word "Duh!" mean anything to you?
Author’s Notes: The definitions I use for the Tarot cards are not necessarily those you’d find in a book. There is more to reading a tarot spread than straight interpretation, any card can represent any number of possibilities of people or situations. While I admit that I stretched some meanings, most of what I’ve used is within the realm of interpretation.

************

"Make sure you’re back on time." Buffy called after Dawn as she ran off with her friend Janice. Dawn waved at her before disappearing into the crowd.

"She’ll be fine." Riley assured Buffy, as she stared at the spot where Dawn had been. Buffy nodded broodingly.

"I suppose so." she said finally. "I just worry."

"Of course you do." Riley said. "She’s your sister. You’re supposed to." He began to tug on her hand. "Now, let’s enjoy the carnival."

The carnival had come to Sunnydale. Riley had convinced Buffy to spend some quality time holding hands and eating cotton candy. Buffy had decided that it would also be a great way for Dawn to have some all American fun.

So, here she was, strolling along through the carnival midway, holding hands with her honey, bored out of her mind.

Buffy sighed. She couldn’t imagine why Riley had wanted to come to the carnival. He didn’t want to go on any of the rides, or try any of the games. Basically, all they were doing was walking around, looking at things. Which was why she’d let Dawn and Janice run loose. No reason for every one to have a sucky time.

Buffy turned as a colorful sign caught her eye.

Buffy stopped and tugged on Riley’s hand.

"Let’s go in here." she suggested. Riley looked at her strangely.

"I can’t believe you want to waste your money on these charlatans."

Normally, Buffy would have agreed. With the whole Slayer "destined to die" thing, she wasn’t really keen to know when that would be. But with Glory on the rampage, and Dawn not actually being real, Buffy was willing to throw away a couple of bucks on a whim.

"C’mon." she said with a grin, pulling him into the tent.

Inside, the air was dim and heavy with incense. A young woman came forward to greet them. Her thick black hair hung in loose ringlets around her face, which was made up heavily. Black eyeliner, dark eye shadow, blood red lipstick, the works. She was the picture perfect image of a gypsy, right down to the gold hoops in her ears.

"Welcome." she said. Her voice was soft and smoky. "I am Esmeralda. Have you come to learn your destiny?"

Buffy snorted in amusement.

"I already know that." she said. The young woman smiled and inclined her head.

"Then what may I help you with today?" Buffy looked at Riley, who returned her gaze blankly. He certainly didn’t know why she wanted to be here. Esmeralda watched the exchange between the two.

<The energy flow between them was wrong> she thought in confusion. <They held hands, but their energies never mixed.> Buffy finally shrugged.

"I don’t know." she said. "I’m just trying to figure out what’s in store for me." Esmeralda nodded sagely.

"Come sit down." she said, gesturing toward the table. Esmeralda stopped Riley before he could follow. "I hope you don’t mind." she told him. "It would be much better if you waited outside. It’ll prevent the energies from mixing." <Not that there’s much chance of that happening.> she thought. But it would enable the girl to speak freely.

Esmeralda seated herself across the table from Buffy, who was fidgeting nervously.

"There’s no need to be afraid." she assured Buffy. Buffy shrugged.

"It seems silly." she admitted. Esmeralda raised an eyebrow in a way that reminded Buffy strongly of Giles.

"You don’t believe that it’s possible to divine future events?" Esmeralda asked. Buffy shook her head.

"Oh, I know it’s possible." Buffy assured her. "It just seems silly to come begging for answers. Weak, I guess." Esmeralda reached out and took Buffy’s hand, and felt a jolt of power.

"Weak? No." Esmeralda studied Buffy’s hand for moment, mostly to gather her thoughts more than anything else. "Sometimes we all need guidance." Esmeralda was assailed by images and emotions. Esmeralda sorted through them and tried to put them into some semblance of order.

"You’re confused. More confused than you’ve ever been in your life. It used to be so easy. You knew what to do and how to do it. But now…" Esmeralda searched the space just over Buffy’s shoulder, as if she could see something that Buffy couldn’t. "Now, there’s so many questions you can’t answer, and you feel lost. You wish things could be the way they used to be."

The images in front of Esmeralda’s eyes blurred. She frowned. The images weren’t as clear as they should be. She released Buffy’s hand and slid a deck of tarot cards in front of her.

"Shuffle these for me, please."

Silently, Buffy did as she was asked. Esmeralda had managed to put her jumbled feelings into words. Something that Buffy had been unable to do. After a few minutes of shuffling, Buffy pushed the deck towards Esmeralda.

Esmeralda took the cards and began laying them down across the table. She studied them carefully.

"You’re at a crossroads," she read. "Every where you turn, questions have arisen. You’re unhappy, and this effects your whole life." Esmeralda placed a few more cards.

"You’re missing what’s right in front of you. Something that’s been there for so long it’s a fixture." Esmeralda frowned. The cards were certainly making this difficult. Whatever was going on was well hidden.

Buffy gasped as Esmeralda placed 2 more cards. The Tower and Death.

"Change." Esmeralda told her. "Change so big that your world could crumble."

"Death?" Buffy whispered. <Death is your gift.> The First Slayer’s words echoed through her head. Esmeralda’s eyes locked with hers.

"It’s possible." she said seriously. "You must change your path to avoid it."

"How?"

Esmeralda pushed the remaining cards back at Buffy.

"Shuffle again." Buffy did as she was told and slid them back.

Esmeralda laid down two cards side by side. One depicted a strong looking woman holding a sword, the other an old man standing on a cliff holding a lantern over his head.

"The Queen of Swords and The Hermit." Esmeralda tapped the Queen card.

"This is you, and he," she tapped the Hermit. "holds the answers. It’s simple, but you can’t see." She laid down "The Lovers" card across the two. "Your destined fate, but you’ve walked away from it." Another card on top of the Lovers. "The Fool stands in the way."

Esmeralda leaned back in her chair.

"That’s all I can tell you. The Powers that Be have not allowed me to see more." she told Buffy. "But it’s all right there, you just have to change your point of view."

"Hmmm." Buffy said studying the cards. She looked up at Esmeralda. "It’s right there." she whispered. "I almost know what I have to do." Esmeralda nodded.

"You have all the pieces. Put the puzzle together." she encouraged. Buffy stood and nodded.

"Thank you." she said, digging into her little purse. She placed money on the table and left the tent.

Esmeralda sat back and watched her leave. She just hoped the Powers knew what they were talking about.

Outside, Buffy walked over to where Riley was waiting, cotton candy in his hand.

"How did it go?" he asked. Buffy stared at him for a moment.

The Fool stands in the way. Esmeralda’s words echoed through her head.

"Fine." she told Riley. "She shed some light on some things going on."

The rest of the evening passed slowly, as they wandered the midway. Finally, they met Dawn and Janice at the appointed time and headed home. Buffy had never been so relieved to see her house.

"So, what did you want to do now?" Riley asked, giving Buffy a knowing look as Dawn and Janice disappeared into the house. Buffy cringed.

"Riley, we need to talk…"

******

Giles leaned against the couch as he paged through an ancient book in hopes of finding some information about Glory. He wasn’t having much luck.

"Hey Giles!" Giles jumped as Buffy came bursting through the door.

"Bloody hell, Buffy. You just took 10 years off my life and I can’t afford to lose that much time." Buffy smiled at his statement and patted him on his cheek.

"Don’t worry, Giles, I’ll still love you." she assured him. Giles’ breath caught in his throat at her statement. <If only.> he wished. <If only she really did love him.>

Unaware, Buffy wandered through the apartment, paging absently through the books.

"Any luck?" she asked. Giles shook his head. He took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, the glasses dangling from his hand.

"I’m sorry, Buffy." he said regretfully. "I just can’t find the answers we need." Giles closed the book and threw it on the couch in frustration. "I don’t know if I’m even asking the right questions."

"It’s ok, Giles." Buffy assured him. "We’ll figure it out." Buffy flopped onto the couch next to the book. "Can I talk to you about something?" she asked leaning back.

Concerned, Giles looked down at her.

"Are you all right?" he asked. Buffy smiled softly and nodded.

"I’m fine." she assured him. Buffy patted the cushion next to her. "Sit." she ordered. Giles sat next to her as ordered, looking at her with some confusion. Buffy sighed once and then began.

"Riley’s boring, isn’t he?" she asked suddenly. She turned to look at Giles. "Truthfully. He’s totally boring."

"Buffy, what brought this on?" Giles asked, desperately searching for a way to evade the question.

"You’re avoiding." Buffy told him. "Just answer the question. It’s very simple. Is Riley boring?"

"Well, um" Giles cleared his throat. "I’m not sure that I’m the proper one to make that judgment." he fumbled. Buffy smiled.

"Well, I think he’s boring." she announced. "I found myself praying for a vampire attack last night at the carnival." Buffy threw her head against the back of the couch. "God, I was SO bored." Giles cleared his throat.

"Yes, well…" he started. Buffy interrupted him.

"Now that I’ve told you that I think Riley’s boring, and I’ll throw in that I decided to break up with him, do you think that maybe classifying him as, oh, I don’t know… a fool, would be accurate?" Giles stared at her for a moment.

"Buffy, what exactly is it that you want me to say?" he asked in confusion. "Do you want me to tell you that breaking up with Riley is the right thing?" He reached out and put his hand on her shoulder. "I can’t, because that’s something you have to decide for yourself." Buffy rolled her eyes in frustration.

"You are totally going to make me go through the whole thing aren’t you?" she asked, exasperated. "Fine, but there’s something I need to do first." Like lightning, her hands shot out and grabbed the front of the sweater he was wearing. Buffy pulled him to her and covered his lips with her own.

Giles was motionless for one stunned moment. Buffy couldn’t possibly be kissing him. Her teeth couldn’t possibly be nibbling on his bottom lip, her tongue couldn’t possibly be begging for entrance into his mouth.

But she was. And God help him, Giles had dreamt of this moment for so long that instead of pushing her away and finding out what was going on, he kissed her back. Buffy sighed and smiled as his lips parted and her tongue was able to dart inside. She could taste the tea he’d been drinking before she’d arrived, as well as a taste that was uniquely Giles.

The minute her lips had met his, Buffy had discovered a spark that she’d never known with either Riley or Angel. A spark that grew rapidly into a roaring fire.

Her hands released their grip on the sweater and began to slide along his chest, until they’d reached his shoulders. Wide, broad shoulders that had helped her carry the weight of the world. She could feel the muscles he’d earned while helping her train through the material.

Giles’ arms wrapped around Buffy, pulling her closer. Her tiny body pressed against his as he ran his hands across her back. He explored her mouth as thoroughly as possible, his tongue dancing with hers. Giles knew that it was most likely that this would be his one and only chance to kiss her.

Slowly, Buffy began to pull away. Gently, she pushed Giles away from her, caressing his cheek as she did so.

"So," she asked, "Riley, boring or not?" Boldly, Giles leaned forward and captured her lips again. He knew he was taking a chance. Buffy could reject him. She didn’t however. For a few moments, she leaned into the kiss. Then pulled back away. Just to be sure she didn’t give in to temptation again, she moved a little farther down the couch. "Well?" she asked.

"Riley is a bloody pillock." Giles said heatedly. "He’s like a cardboard cutout that’s able to speak. Stupid git is so busy trying to convince the rest of us how big and strong he is, he doesn’t notice what an idiot he’s making out of himself!" Buffy watched his outburst with amusement.

"Gee, Giles," she said smiling. "Don’t hold back. Tell me what you really think." Giles looked so horrified by his declaration that Buffy had to laugh. "It’s ok Giles." she assured him. She scooted closer and grazed the back of her hand along his cheek.

Giles covered her hand with his with his own and entwined his fingers with hers.

"What’s going on Buffy?" he asked. Buffy stared down at their joined hands.

"Yesterday, I went to the carnival with Riley." Buffy rolled her eyes. "Never have I been so bored." she repeated. "I saw a fortune teller’s tent and decided to get my fortune told." Giles’ eyes widened in surprise that she would do such a thing. "And she told me that I was at a crossroads, and that my destiny was to be lovers with The Hermit." Buffy smiled. "But the Fool stood in the way."

Giles stared at her in disbelief. He released her hand and took his glasses off.

"I’m sorry" he said, cleaning the lenses. "You did what?"

"You heard me." Buffy retorted. "I’m not stupid. I mean, you saw my SAT’s. Let’s face it, if the Fool was standing in the way of my being lovers with someone, well, Riley’s the only one in that position. So, last night, after I escaped Riley, I sat and thought about what she said, and gee, Giles, who’s the only person I know who could be considered The Hermit?"

Giles was finding it very hard to concentrate on everything she was saying. As Buffy spoke, she was tracing her fingers up and down his leg in a very seductive way.

"So you decided to test the theory?" he asked somewhat bitterly. The thought of this being nothing but an experiment nearly tore him apart. Hurt, he started to move away. Buffy was horrified that he would think she’d be so cruel.

"Giles, no." she said, grabbing him. "No, I would never do something so unkind to you. Not purposely." Giles pulled his hands away and stood, moving so that he was out of her reach.

"Then why are you here?" he asked her, almost coldly. Buffy stood slowly, realizing that she was walking a fine line. One wrong word, and she could mess everything up.

"Giles," she said slowly. "I broke up with Riley last night." she assured him. "I broke up with Riley because I realized he was wrong for me. Then I thought long and hard about who the right person for me was. And then it hit me like a bolt of lightning. The reason I was never happy was because I’d fallen in love with you." Buffy stood as close as she could to Giles and took his face in her hands. "You were right in front of me and I didn’t see you. I’m sorry."

"You love me?" Giles asked in disbelief. Buffy smiled. The moment of danger had passed. She nodded.

"Yes. I love you. Now, how ‘bout pulling me off this limb and telling me you love me too." With a swift movement, Giles covered his mouth with hers.

"I love you." he murmured between kisses. "I love you."

Buffy hobbled painfully down the metal stairs, Dawn in tow.

"Is everyone ok?" Buffy asked as they reached the bottom. The gang limped toward her, battered and bruised. Tara leaned heavily on Willow, exhausted from her ordeal, Xander carried an injured Anya, and Spike shuffled forward, clutching his ribs. <Alive.> Buffy thought with shining eyes. <We’re all alive.> Giles rushed forward, embracing both Buffy and Dawn tightly.

"Thank goodness you’re both alright." he said. Buffy leaned up and kissed him soundly on the lips.

"We’re fine." she assured him. "Although, a little shaken up." Buffy added as Dawn began to cry softly. Giles pulled the girl closer to him.

"Shhh." he hushed Dawn. "You’re safe now. Glory’s dead, and the window of opportunity to ever open the portal has passed." Dawn clung tightly to Giles and allowed him to soothe her. Buffy watched her friend, her lover, her life, as he comforted her sister.

"Marry me!" Buffy blurted suddenly. Giles grew still. Unsure he’d heard Buffy correctly, his head swiveled slowly to look at her. The gang stared in awed silence at Buffy’s request. Spike closed his eyes in pain. His dreams of ever convincing Buffy to leave Giles were dashed with those two little words. Buffy read the surprise on Giles’ face. "Marry me, Giles." she repeated softly. "We could’ve died today. A minute too late, and it would’ve all been over. I don’t want to waste any more time."

Still cradling Dawn, who watched with hope on her tear-streaked face, Giles reached out and cupped Buffy’s cheek with his free hand.

"Yes." he whispered. Buffy grinned, covering his hand with her own.

"Yes?" she asked. Giles nodded, and pulled Buffy to him.

"Yes, Buffy. I’ll marry you." he repeated. Xander gave a victory whoop as Giles leaned down and sealed the promise with a kiss.

"Let’s go home." Buffy said a few minutes later, when they finally broke apart. Giles nodded, and as Buffy and her battered friends left Glory’s tower, she remembered what the gypsy had told her about her fate if she’d remained on that path. Squeezing Giles’ hand, Buffy couldn’t help but to wonder what would’ve happened if she hadn’t admitted her feeling for Giles and remained with Riley.

The End

:: Back To Miss Witch's Page ::
:: Back to Author's Page ::
:: Slightly Over The Edge ::