Destiny's Gifts

Title: Destiny’s Gifts
Author: Muse’s Inspiration
Summary: Prophecy brought them together; honor kept them apart; love made them need each other. Duty will always bring your rewards, just not always when you want them. X-over with Star Wars. Begins with TPM.

Disclaimer: Ahem!!! I OWN NOTHING!!! Much as I’d like to claim it, I can’t. But at least I came up with the idea on my own… But anyway, they’re not mine; I’m only playing with them and will return them only slightly traumatized. I promise.

AN: So, my beta Dhark_Charlotte and I have been tossing around the idea of reworking this story for a while now. Finally, I grabbed my muse by the hair and drug her hussy butt (she was off making time in Tahiti with the cabana boy!!) and I beat her into submission and we're now getting somewhere with this piece again! Charlotte and I are also going over the older chapters and re-doing those as well, so you might want to re-read some of this so that it all flows together better now! :-) As always, reviews help keep the muse from being beaten (she works better if she knows someone is actually reading her ideas!) and always welcomed!


“Goodnight, Mommy.”

”Goodnight, Sweetheart.”

The little blonde-haired girl blew the older woman a kiss as she pulled the door shut, casting the bedroom into darkness. The little girl snuggled deeper under her covers, cuddling her beloved stuffed pig close to her chest. Her father had given her the pig before he had dropped her off back home and she held it close now, savoring the scent of his cologne on it. Smiling, she drifted off to sleep with memories of her trip to the aquarium ghosting through her mind…


“Wake up, child…”

The young woman turned toward the voice, her long blonde hair cascading over her shoulders as she whirled around. She looked around in confusion, the long white silk and lace shift she wore no protection against the dark emptiness.. Shivering from the cold, she wrapped her arms around herself and searched the void for the source of the voice.

“Who are you? Where are you?” she called out.

“Look”, the voice said, “and remember…”

The girl was suddenly bombarded with images: death, destruction, pain, betrayal… love and the pain that comes with it; honor and duty warring with want and need. And superimposed over all of it was herself, solitary, strong, aching with loneliness.

As quickly as it started, it stopped, leaving the girl swaying unsteadily. Stunned, she dropped to her knees in shock as she realized that she had just watched her life unfold. She had seen what she had done to friends, family and loved ones in the name of her duty. The physical pain hit as the shock wore off and understanding began.

She began to sob; a guttural, heart wrenchingly deep sound. She cried out as she saw that she would sacrifice all for the greater good, and still end up alone.

Anger immediately followed the grief. She pulled herself up off the floor to kneel and snarled out to the unseen presence, “How dare you?! I won’t do it! I don’t want that life!”

“You can’t change your destiny, child…”

She screamed, her rage ripping at her throat and tried to stand. The next instant, she felt a new presence. A sudden comforting aura wrapped her in its presence and she felt loved like never before.

“The road is hard, young one. But your rewards will be great and many. Keep pushing forward. Don’t ever give up.”

Tears filled her eyes as she shook her head. It was too much and she was too alone. Strong arms enveloped her and a soft, peaceful voice ghosted through her mind… “You will never be alone, Sweeting. I’m always here. I’m always waiting…”

A wash of assurance calmed her, but then the presence slowly started fading away and she whirled around, suddenly frantic. Reeling, she caught a glimpse of a man slowly disappearing into a thickening mist. As he faded, she noticed two things that her heart would never forget.

He had the most heartbreakingly beautiful smile she had ever seen. It warmed her painfully beating heart and his stunning blue eyes warmed her skin with a heated flush…

He held a hand out to her almost as an offering and quietly whispered, “…always, Sweeting…”

“…yes…always…” and she reached her hand out as well, tears streaming down her face…


“Buffy!”

She snapped out of the dream, confused as she always was when she woke up from it. She had been having the dream since she was a child, but lately it had been occuring with increasing frequency and becoming more intense. This last time brought the understanding that it was a Slayer Dream that she had been experiencing all these years… but what she didn’t understand was how she had been having a Slayer dream long before she was Called.

“Buffy! Will you wake up?!”

She focused on the voice and came fully awake. Reality fell into place and she looked at Dawn. Her sister had that perpetually annoyed teenager lexpression firmly in place’ but Buffy also noticed there was something else going on behind her eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

Dawn looked away.

“Dawnie, what’s wrong?”

Dawn sighed and looked down at the floor. Buffy started feeling the first skitterings of alarm shiver down her spine.

“Dawnie! Tell me! What’s wrong?!”

Dawn finally looked up at from the floor, tears in her eyes. “Buffy… it’s Tara. Glory got to her. She’s… not right… Willow’s gone after Glory!”

Buffy looked at her sister in horror. All she’d done was lie down for a short nap! She jumped up and scrambled around the room.

“Buffy! What are you doing?!” Dawn’s panicked voice grabbed her attention.

She whirled around and looked at Dawn. “This ends tonight. Now. Go hide, Dawnie. Get somewhere safe. I’ll find you when it’s all over.”

”No! I want to help!”

”Dawnie, go! Now! I have to know you’re safe!” the fierceness in her voice had Dawn stepping back and Buffy pulled her into a fervent hug and then strode out of the room and out of Dawn’s life.

Little did the Slayer know, but her life was about to change forever…