Blind Fate: This Is Not Me 1 of 14

by Kim-T-B

After defeating the First at the end of S7, this story is set about 1year later where all the Scoobies have gone their own way. But an unforeseenevent causes the 3 strongest Scoobies to go to London to finish an enemy whichshould have stayed dead.

Title:Blind Fate, In My Own Time 1/14

Summary:Its after the Apocalypse, and the Scoobies have all gone their separate ways; then some unexpected events brings 4 unlikely allies together to help each other; Spike goes blind

Pairing: Giles/Darcy, Darcy/Other, Buffy/Angel, Spike/Other

Friday December 25th, London.

Beautiful and untainted ends to perfect days were few and far between in this day and age. Standing on his balcony over looking Hyde Park, Rupert Giles was glad he was back home where he belonged. He was glad that he was still alive to see the sunsets over Hyde Park, like he had witnessed when he was a child. Taking a last look at the defiant golden orb before it disappeared behind tall and aging trees in London's biggest park, Giles turned and walked back inside to his warm apartment to stand beside the roaring fire. So much had happened to him over the past seven years since meeting the unforgettable Miss Buffy Anne Summers. It was only then that he realized he had survived more near death experiences than could be humanly possible. It was all because of one girl, the Chosen One. Now he was free of his duties as her Watcher, to do as he wished for the rest of his life, to spend it living peacefully without the threat of another Apocalypse anytime soon. Sitting down beside the fire in what he deemed his 'comfy' chair, Giles smiled as he fondly recalled what the rest of the Scooby Gang were doing now that they had averted their final Apocalypse together.

"I'm spinning around and it's making me ill.
You don't understand what I'm going through just to find a way to climb."

Alexander LaVelle Harris, twenty-four years of age, was one of the Slayer's best friends. He had surprisingly settled down in Los Angeles, California, after they had all went there to deliver the news to Angel and his group that the First had been defeated. Xander had enough money in his small savings account to get a condo in the same apartment complex as his ex-girlfriend Cordelia Chase. Buffy had tried to make sure that Xander would be alright without the rest of the group, seeing as how they had been there for each other when trouble was brewing for the last seven years. Xander had responded in his usual manner, "As long as Dead Boy doesn't mind me keepin' an eye on him". Reflecting now, alone in his seat, Giles was actually amazed at how much that young man had been through - even though right from the start, Xander had known that this wasn't his battle. He had known even later on in the battle against Evil that he was just a normal guy; Buffy, Giles and Willow were the only original members that possessed some sort of supernatural ability. But the loyal brunette had dealt with it and that made him a valued member of the team, who never turned away in fear, but made jokes at Death's door. Then again, being born and raised on a Hellmouth probably made him qualify for wanting to defend his home alongside the Slayer. But that young man had put his life on hold so many times that it made Giles feel proud of Xander, even if his sense of humour in dire circumstances was badly timed. When things had looked as though they were getting on top of him, Xander had always made sure that it didn't affect the group. All Giles hoped now was that Xander would come to terms with Anya's death and move on. The fact that Xander was around friends only made that thought even the remotest bit probable.

Then there was the young Willow Rosenberg, twenty-three years of age, who was an ex-black magic user. To some degree, she had been to Hell and back since being best friends with the Slayer. Once quiet and mousy to the extent that had probably left her feeling invisible to the rest of the group at times, she was now a powerful Wicca in her own right. With that power, she now showed the confidence that had been hidden for so long. She was now living in Italy, in a small town called Alfano, which was possibly the remotest part that she knew of - given her history with massacre and trying to send the world to Hell. Located in the mountains with only a single main road connecting it to the rest of the world, Giles found it rather strange that the young Wicca had chosen to reside in a place that was similar to Sunnydale, just in another continent. But the idea was for her to live quietly with Kennedy until the time came for her to reunite with everyone else, whenever that would be. Giles hoped that the lack of human contact up in the mountains proved to be a success; he didn't want to imagine what would happen if Willow went back to the black magic phase of her life again. But Giles was a man of logic and rationality - it had come with the territory of being a Watcher; it was more likely that Willow would return to black magic than it was if Willow was to live her life as a nun.

The last young member of the original Scooby Gang, who had moved from Los Angeles to try and escape her duties as the Chosen One was Buffy Anne Summers. At twenty-three years of age, she was still going strong after two deaths, one resurrection and five apocalypses. Giles had to admit that her way of going about being the Slayer was very unorthodox, and it had proved countless times that it was obviously much better than the rules set out in the Slayers Handbook. He smiled fondly when he remembered the countless times that she had disobeyed everything that resembled an order, making sure that everyone around her knew that it was her life and she was going to live it, with or without their support. Giles felt fatherly love towards that young woman, and he knew that Buffy felt the same kind of love for him. There was a father-daughter bond between the pair of them and it always managed to be a major factor when deciding what to do to keep Buffy safe - even if she was the Slayer. That same fatherly love had put a strain on their relationship countless times. Now she was travelling the world in search of any Hellmouths that needed closing and demons that needed slaying - although her Slayer life expectancy was almost up and there were other Slayers now to help lighten the load. As much as Giles hated to admit it or even wanted to believe it, he waited and wished for the day when she died and received the Eternal Rest after all of her struggles. The memory of finding out that they had resurrected her when she was in Heaven caused Giles to blink away tears before resuming control of his emotions.

It was Giles who was left to live his own dreams. He as the last member of the group that had once again found meaning in his life, enough to actually be able to live without fear of dying when he was needed most. He had moved back to England, after the several long years in California, and after buying his new place for a reasonable price, had begun making a structured system to which he could manage all by himself. He smiled now as he actually realized that he had set up his life again as though he were still in Sunnydale, and all he needed now were the others to complete this new life. He had a fulltime job as a member of the D.P.A – short hand for Demon Prevention Agency - that was run on the same grounds as what he had done with the others in Sunnydale. To be honest, it wasn't that much different to what Angel was doing in Los Angeles and he found it surprising that he willingly wanted to continue with the supernatural angle. However he wished the hours weren't twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week for the rest of his chosen career. He had a new group of friends who were strangely protective of their newest member. They often went out with each other and debated about topics they were each passionate about. It was all perfect, in Giles' eyes.

The sound of the 'Jingle Bells' themed doorbell disturbed him from his peaceful reverie down Memory Lane. Giles grudgingly peeled himself up off of his comfy chair and made his way to the door. He had a good feeling as to who it was at six o'clock in the evening and he was happy to have the company of his new love interest. Although, if the others found out, Giles was sure they'd think he was possessed and either kill him or send him away to be a priest – causing Giles to smile slightly at the numerous possibilities. The door was barely open a fraction before the guest came in quickly and placed a soft kiss onto Giles' cheek, before continuing to make their way into the kitchen with Harrods bags in tow. Miming a self "Hello, how are you?" Giles closed the front door and leant against it, just watching in mild amusement as the guest put the kettle on and draped his coat over one of the dining room chairs.

"Hello, Darcy," Giles finally began. He was caught by a glint of dark eyes staring at him after the movement stopped, "How are you?"

"Oh, I'm alright. Bit cold out and you not living closer to where I live makes it all the more difficult to get here without freezing myself silly."

"Well you're here now, so stop the complaining. It's Christmas. Wait here while I get your presents," Giles instructed. Darcy returned to rummaging through the cupboards. Before leaving the room, Giles added sarcastically, "Please. Make yourself at home."

Giles left his guest in the kitchen to get up to God-knows-what. A feeling of warmth and happiness spread through Giles as he thought of Darcy, the new love of his life and the person he felt very attached to. He had met Darcy through the D.P.A a year ago this very day and from then on, they had remained inseparable. Everyone them joined at the hip, and Giles didn't mind that idea one bit, seeing as how Darcy felt the same. Giles was very protective over Darcy's safety and Darcy returned this protectiveness in his own special way. Giles was new to the feelings that they both shared for one another. Over the course of a few months, Giles had continued to grow fond of Darcy. It was Darcy who had made the first move, practically initiating their relationship on February 14th, and it had caught Giles off guard. His bedroom was big and spacious as he walked in and towards the large chest at the foot of his king-size bed, smiling as he tried to anticipate Darcy's reaction to what Giles had gotten his partner. Opening the chest and letting his hands go in to get the presents, Giles was interrupted instantly. He couldn't help but feel as though Darcy knew what Giles was doing.

"In my own time I'll take a chance.
In my own time I'll find romance. In my own time."

Hearing a string of vibrant and original curses coming from the kitchen area which was next to the dining and living area, Giles grabbed the presents from the chest and hurried back to see what had made Darcy use those explicit phrases. Giles walked in to see Darcy mopping up a puddle of what looked as if it had been black coffee on the floor with a dishcloth. Darcy looked up then and did an impression of a deer caught in the cross lights of an oncoming truck. Giles was struck by how adorable Darcy looked then. Of Irish descent and having a gentle lilt, Darcy stood at just less than six feet tall and had long, unruly brown hair that hung just below his ears. Yes, Darcy was a fine looking man and Giles knew that if he said that out aloud, in the presence of certain people, the Scooby Gang would probably try to brainwash or kill him. Darcy slowly stood up with a sheepish smile and placed the now coffee-stained dishcloth into the sink. Giles noticed the slender shape of the young man before him, clothes clinging in only certain areas that secretly highlighted key features that normally kept Giles entertained for hours on end.

"Sorry. Bloody coffee pot was too hot and I, like an Irish idiot, picked it up without thinking," Darcy apologized. His Irish lilt had been minimized due to living in London nearly all his life. Noticing the bags that Giles held in his hand, Darcy felt a smile spread across his face. "Would those be for me, then?"

"Well, you're the only one that I actually brave the shops and crowds to get presents for. Now where's the coffee pot?" Giles asked. He sat the presents down onto the floor before going over to the breakfast bench, already seeing broken pieces of glass on the floor where Darcy stood and feeling concern for his partner. "Did you cut yourself on anything?"

"No, I'm alright," Darcy told him on the defensive side and bent down to pick the pieces of glass up from around his feet. Giles, bending down to help with the cleaning of the area, let the defensive tone slide this time, knowing part of the reason of why it was used. "Sorry about the pot. I know that was the last gift that Buffy girl gave to you before going off to Australia to shut down the Hellmouth there."

"It's only a coffee pot. Besides, you can always buy me a new one," Giles concluded in a silent plea to lighten the mood. He stood up with pieces of glass carefully cradled in the cup of his hands. Darcy looked all the more brooding than normal when things went wrong. "It's alright. Look, it didn't go with the décor anyway so it wasn't a great loss. Besides, I prefer tea so it's likely Buffy bought it on the chance she visited."

"You're something, you know that?" Darcy commented and smiled the smile that normally made Giles do whatever he wanted. Giles kept telling himself that he just agreed to keep Darcy happy, "Now, let's get to the presents. You're gonna love mine."

Placing the broken glass into the sink carefully, Darcy bounced away to his bags that were by a dining room chair. From under the slight fringe that hid tormented eyes, Darcy looked at Giles expectantly and pointed to the chair as if to order the older man to sit. Sighing but having a smile across his face, Giles went over to the dining table and placed his own bags on top before sitting down without protest at being controlled. Not that he minded being controlled by Darcy at times, but Giles preferred when he was the so-called alpha male of the relationship. It allowed for a perfect reason to be so protective of Darcy without the younger man feeling claustrophobic with what they had. Supposedly pleased that the older man was going to sit still and behave while the presents were given out, Darcy began to take out neatly wrapped presents and laid them on the table for display. Handing one to Giles after much thought of which one to begin with, Darcy leant against the table, tucked his hair behind his ears. He waited while Giles began to unwrap the present with neatness that normally would have made Darcy want to open the presents himself so they were seen quicker. But he let that urge slide as he thought of the possible responses that Giles could give him. Darcy tried to find which response would be more natural from his older lover. He smiled with delight when Giles frowned when he saw the box had another box inside itself, and smiled even more when Giles was still unwrapping after five boxes.

"Darcy, if this is some kind of joke…" Giles began before finally coming to the last box. Before he would inevitably begin to unwrap air, Darcy just continued to smile as Giles opened the last box and was stunned at what he saw. "Oh, Darcy…"

In front of Giles in the small box that he had finally managed to unwrap and hold in his hand, was a single double-sided gold cross attached to a heavy linked gold chain. Gingerly taking hold of the cross and chain for fear of ironically breaking it, Giles held it up and observed the item in front of him more closely. Giles was amazed at the craftsmanship and knew that Darcy probably liked the cross for that reason. It had neat, sharp lines that spoke of unknown protection against the creatures of the night. Turning the cross so that he could see the back, he saw the inscription, "To Giles. May God bless you." The only thing he could do right then was lean over and place a chaste kiss onto Darcy's lips. Pulling back, he began to fasten the cross around his neck as he saw Darcy start to blush.

"I didn't know if it was going to be too feminine for you, but the guy in the shop said that it looked good on a man or woman's neck. When I saw it, I thought of you and going out with the Agency each night. I couldn't bear it if something was to happen to you if you ran into a vampire," Darcy admitted. Attempting to cover up his display of affection, he added, "Plus, it was the only decent thing left in the shop. That, and I couldn't see you wearing Playboy rabbit earrings. Creepy images."

"Thank you, Darcy. It's wonderful," Giles told him with a smile. Eyeing the other presents before looking at the Irish man, he said, "I guess all of the other presents were brought because they were the only decent things left in the shops that you went to."

"Oh, aye. And don't you believe anything else," Darcy instructed smiling. "Now open the others 'cos I want to be opening mine soon."

Giles had the pleasant task of opening the rest of his gifts and he was truly amazed to actually see what was being given to him, knowing full well that it must have taken Darcy a lot to actually get the things he had. The other items included Krauss' 'Compendium of Magical Entities' which was hard to find anywhere and dealt purely with the magical side of the supernatural; a few old edition books which Giles had been meaning to get to complete his collections; and theatre tickets at the Globe Theatre for a whole year, something Giles had been meaning to get but never having a good enough reason until now. The books that were hard to come by and probably were a pretty penny when it came to purchasing them, were specialised in demonic toxins, possession and astral healing. There were a few other items and they were old weapons and probably were only going to be used as part of a private collection, although some of them could be used as workable weapons.

Darcy was a bit strange when it came to socialising and even worse when it came to buying things. Darcy always had someone else to get the items in return for favours – which ranged from covering that person's 'patrol' area to doing the really horrible tasks that no one wanted to do. Giles thought it was probably to do with something that had happened to Darcy when he was younger or maybe it was just how he was. Giles couldn't shake the feeling that it might be of a supernatural cause that held the young man back. Shaking the brooding thoughts from his head and determined to stay happy for Darcy's sake, Giles stared at the gifts and admired the collection. Looking back up at Darcy, Giles smiled and placed a soft and lazy kiss onto his partner's lips. Darcy stroked the side of his face until Giles pulled back enough to speak quietly.

"Right, now for your presents. Open them up carefully," Giles instructed like a parent talking to a delinquent child. He sighed when he saw Darcy make a grab for the presents, obviously eager to open them and to have his gifts displayed, "Or not, as the case may be."

Giles watched with mild amusement as Darcy began to unwrap the gifts with a huge smile on his face. Darcy's eyes held a glimpse of awareness to the unknown surprise that was held within. Giles settled himself into the age-old routine of just relaxing back into the dining room chair as Darcy gave his partner a huge smile at what laid before him. There was a small set of silver daggers with Darcy's initials engraved onto both sides, D.O.H; three small replica chakras with black onyx stones inlayed in equal intervals, and a silk shirt that gave a visible clue as to what nationality Darcy was. Visibly slouching further back into the seat when Darcy didn't say as much as a thank you, Giles was almost knocked off his seat when Darcy lunged at him and hugged him tightly. Pulling away from Giles after a couple of seconds, Darcy placed a soft kiss onto the older man's lips, saying thank you in his own special way. Warm lips seemed to mould together as they lost themselves in the moment, feeling happy and content. Darcy's tongue flicked into Giles' mouth as he gave the older man a tantalizing French kiss. A quiet moan emitted from Darcy as Giles used his tongue to respond to unspoken demands. Letting the kiss linger for a minute, Darcy finally pulled back and began to strip his shirt off to put on his new one that Giles had bought him.

"See, perfect fit. Good guess," Darcy beamed and tried to look at himself in the mirror behind the dining room table as best he could. "I love it. Emerald green. I have a perfect pair of slacks to go with this baby. And a good pair of shoes, too."

"Glad you like it. Now for your big present," Giles told Darcy. The younger man visibly shrunk in height and looked at Giles with confusion and wariness at the hidden agenda of surprise. "I know you don't like surprises, Darcy, but this is going to be a good one. Trust me."

"Now why would I want to do a silly thing like that?" Darcy asked absent-mindedly as he watched Giles disappear briefly before returning with a long wooden box with a red ribbon tied around the centre. Darcy eyed the present suspiciously before returning his gaze Giles, "What is it?"

"A surprise. If you want to know what it is, then you're going to have to open it," Giles told him and smiled. When Darcy began to edge closer, his natural curiosity getting the better of him, Giles said, "See, you want to know. Now, just open it."

Eyeing Giles one last time before lowering his gaze to the mysterious gift placed onto the dining room table, Darcy edged closer to it and hesitantly touched the wooden box with his hand. After a few moments of the gentle prodding and inspection of the outside, Darcy assumed it was safe due to lack of explosions and limbs lost. Darcy slid his hand to the ribbon and began to untie the bow. His hands were shaking slightly and his body was on full alert, just in case something was going to happen and everything was going to change – just like how it had done all those years ago. Finally getting the bow off and slipping the ribbon away from the mahogany box, Darcy just looked at the box as though it was going to reveal its true nature and bite him now that its confines were removed. Staring at it for a few minutes and feeling satisfied that he wasn't going to be a late Christmas dinner for the box, Darcy flipped the small metal clasp fastening in the centre and shakily opened the lid.

The inside of the box was covered in a rich red crushed-velvet backing and the corners were edged with delicate silver. Inscriptions in Latin covered the flat wooden surface of the lid. Attached to the inside panel, there were twelve small silver clips safely securing six beautifully crafted Samurai swords. Taking one out and holding it in his hands, Darcy held it up to the light for inspection and noticed the faint etchings of magical inscriptions that spoke of both protection and strength. The blade was impossibly thin but looked painfully sharp as Darcy began to use the sword in the space, recreating routines that were age-old to him just so he could see how the sword handled. It was an effortless struggle handling the blade and Darcy actually began to enjoy himself as he wielded it. That is, until he managed to slice the dining room chair in half and watched with Giles as the top half slid to the floor, clattering loudly in the undisturbed silence.

"Oops. I think this little beauty is too strong for the likes of me," Darcy began sheepishly. He looked at Giles with downcast eyes as the older man started to pick up the two chair pieces. "I'm really sorry. Now the whole dining room set doesn't blend in and I know how much you liked it."

"Yes, well, you were enjoying yourself. I suppose that's all that matters," Giles told him. He stood up to gently rub Darcy's shoulders, wanting so much to destroy the embarrassment that Darcy was feeling. "And I couldn't see you go into anything with swords and weapons that don't work and won't keep you alive. So, are you happy with your gifts?"

"Oh, yeah. I love them," Darcy smiled. He stepped in closer to Giles as he put the weapon down on the dining table, their bodies having little distance between each other. "Why don't I show you how much I love them? An extra gift from me to you?"

With that, Darcy took hold of Giles' hand and began to lead his partner towards the bedroom, both of them smiling as they thought of what was to come.

Sunlight was barely filtering through cream-colored Venetian blinds when Darcy had finished pulling his new shirt over his head, letting a tired yawn escape his lips as he stood up. Gently, he pulled the covers back over Giles' body to keep out the cold of the morning. He was surprised that even after six months of being intimate with each other, Giles could still keep up with someone that was just under half his age. Darcy thanked whatever Gods would listen. Smiling down at Giles' sleeping form, Darcy ruffled his own hair into a somewhat more respectable looking state before heading into the kitchen. He planned to write a small goodbye note for Giles to find when he was sure his Englishman wanted tea. As he finished writing the note, Darcy made himself a hot cup of coffee and poured it into a polystyrene cup that he found beneath the sink. He remembered the conversation he had had with Giles to get them so that he could have coffee on the go.

Knowing that Giles would be fine with the note stating he was going to hit some of the local bars to see what's what and brandishing his hot coffee, Darcy grabbed his long black trench coat. He carefully slipped one of his new Samurai swords into the back section that was designed for holding and concealing swords and any other illegal weapon. It was an excellent way to hide weapons, but Darcy liked the coat because it gave him an edge of mystery that was a visible reminder of how little people thought they knew him. Opening the front door, slipping out, and closing it quietly behind him, Darcy began to jog down the main stairs at a leisurely pace, greeting the old lady that lived beneath Giles with a warm smile. As he got to the main reception and front entrance, Darcy could see someone crouching inside the bus stop trying to get away from the sun's glowing rays.

From where he stood, Darcy could just about make out that the man was probably in his early twenties. He had bleached-blond hair, loose with ragged curls that jutted out at different angles with brown roots beginning to show. It made the hair look like different shades of sand. What looked like a long leather jacket was being clung by the man and Darcy felt sorry for him. Looking at his own reflection in the windowed doors of the apartment complex, Darcy felt suddenly out of place. It wasn't an unnatural feeling that came over Darcy every so often, but it was a feeling he couldn't shake and he felt it in the strangest of circumstances. He felt compelled to help the man across the street, seeing as how it was the Christmas season…

Turning on his heel, Darcy went back towards the reception area and looked around for any signs of the receptionist that usually worked there. When he couldn't find her anywhere, Darcy slipped behind the counter and into the back room, feeling slightly ashamed that he knew where the girl's personal chocolate food stock was. But that feeling quickly passed and he found he had given himself a five-finger discount to a couple of chocolate bars and a small cake. Feeling happy that the stranger would be satisfied with this little feast, Darcy walked around to the front door and stepped out into the cold morning on Boxing Day.

He jogged over to the bus stop and was instantly greeted by scared eyes looking at him from the top of the leather coat edge. Both of the scared eyes locked onto him as soon as Darcy came too close; the unknown man shrunk into the corner of the bus stop shelter even more. Crouching down so that he could try to see the man more clearly, Darcy could see a small bloody cut zigzagging down the pale face. Darcy slowly outstretched his hands that held the food and he saw the stranger eye the food hungrily. Darcy wondered if his life was really as bad as it seemed.

"It's okay. I don't wanna hurt you," Darcy said soothingly. Only a look of doubt answered him. Darcy was unfazed at this lack of trust, finding he couldn't blame him. "Hard as it might be for you to trust a stranger, I've been where you are. Take the food. Looks like you need it."

He put the food onto the concrete floor and moved back, watching in amazement as the young man darted forward to snatch the food. He then instantly recoiled with his prizes clutched tightly to his chest. Darcy saw a pink tongue dart out to lick dry, cracked lips and Darcy found himself making a decision that he'd help this person, no matter what it took. Suddenly realizing that there was a hot coffee in his hand that the man probably needed more than he did, Darcy placed it onto the floor and stood up. Again, the stranger lunged forward but took more care this time with his new prize, cradling it so that the heat was concentrated in his hands. Darcy gave a small smile before digging into his pocket for something he always carried, smiling when he found it after a few minutes. Taking it out, Darcy leaned forward and watched as the man took it nervously. Darcy noticed the bruises and scrapes on the stranger's knuckles caked with dried blood and dirt.

"Catch me if I should fall.
And even more so while I'm standing tall."

"Here. This is a number that can help you if you need it. Tell the guy Darcy gave you the card," Darcy told him. Turn up the collar of his coat, his eyes never leaving the brilliant blue of the stranger's, Darcy said, "I hope it goes well for you."

"After the clouds there'll be the rain.
After the sun there'll be the moon it doesn't matter.
'cause it'll be in my own time"

With that, Darcy turned and walked away from the stranger and thought that if he wasn't with Giles, he probably would have made a move on the guy. 'God, he's hot,' he thought to himself. Darcy quickly went about his way trying to get the image of the stranger out of his mind.

"So much is happening to me.
So much that I can't even see."