Chapter Text
This has turned into a huge fic, so I’ve decided to include a preface. You can skip ahead to the next chapter, if you want to just get right into the story!
The title and general inspiration for the story is from the song "Bad Idea" from the Waitress musical (Sara Bareilles and Jason Mraz). It sounded pretty Buffy/Giles, to me, if Buffy and Giles began a closer relationship a little earlier on than how I usually headcanon it. Nothing illegal happening here, just a different take on Season 03, had Buffy and Giles come up with "a pretty good bad idea" during the time of the Cruciamentum.
The story begins with snippets of amended episodes from the start of season 03, “Anne”, while Buffy was in L.A. During this time, Giles finds Buffy, and that has a ripple effect on the rest of their future.
I always wanted to revisit both the Cruciamentum (“Helpless”) and Buffy’s brief experience with telepathy (“Earshot”). During the past many months of this process, I ended up revisiting more episodes than just those (“Band Candy” - irresistible, haha - and “Consequences”, for example). I also reference many more moments and plots from Seasons 03 and 04, fiddling with them a bit to fit into my story… and that was when this fic somewhat-accidentally turned into a B/G view of the entire series. The story goes into Seasons 05 and 07 as well, exploring how the rest of the series may have gone for them... leaving out the majority of Season 06 for reasons that will become obvious.
This was so much fun to write and "research" (binge-watch Buffy episodes? What? The stress.) - and I could probably continue this "world" forever... But there are other stories to be written, however, and I must let this one go eventually... With a friendly nudge from my beta and pal, what better time to begin to share this massive thing with the world than when we're all stuck inside and in desperate need of some reading and escape.
For the chapters that are more directly episode related, I’ve referenced the specific episode in question. If you see lines recognizable from the script, I’m not claiming credit for those bits. Just for how I’ve twisted them to my pleasure (or rather, Buffy’s and Giles’ pleasure). This is intended to be a B/G view of canon following the Cruciamentum, so there will be large chunks from episodes included.
This one is for giles1522 (Muldersgurl); for being my sounding board, encourager, idea-giver when I was stumped, and of course: connoisseur of the most inspiring photos and gifs of Giles. Above all one of my dearest friends, my sister with whom I share my fondest memories, and most definitely the one getting my hard-drive in the will should something ever happen to me XD.
For scene separations: Dash lines [ — — — ] designate a large time jump. Ellipses [ ... ... ... ] designate a small time jump. The chapters themselves will be varying in length.
Some of my playlist while working on this one: Bad Idea - Sara Bareilles and Jason Mraz, Blue Mind, All My Days, Through The Dark, Wait, At Your Door, and Crinan Wood - Alexi Murdoch, Make You Mine - Public, Always - Gavin James and Philippine, Woman - Mumford & Sons, Come Away With Me - Norah Jones, Never Tear Us Apart - Paloma Faith's cover, I Belong to You (+Mon Coeur S'Ouvre a Ta Voix) - Muse, and of course Anthony Head singing Under My Skin and The Way You Look Tonight.
The following chapter will begin Chapter 01 (Anne). I hope this fic is met well with you, and provides a bit of a reprieve from the chaos of the current world.
Skyson