Familiar Enemies
By: Samantha

They were pressed together tightly, breathing heavily. Sweat glistened on their skin.

“You’re really getting better at this,” Buffy said breathlessly, grinning.

Riley buried his face in the curve of her neck and kissed her skin lightly.

“I should hope so,” he muttered. “We’ve had plenty of practice.” He smiled into her neck.

“And what? Practice makes perfect?” She laughed.

“Exactly.” Riley pulled his arm tightly around her, holding her close.

“Well…” she began and flipped him to the floor. She sat across his chest. “I think you need more practice then.” She grinned down at him.

They had been sparring. Riley just didn’t know when to give it up. In the back of his mind-heck, in the front of his mind-he knew that even at his full strength, he was no match for Buffy. He couldn’t beat Buffy if he was fully armed. But he kept challenging her because, with her, even losing was fun. He grinned up at her now, trying to catch his breath.

“You cheated,” he said.

Buffy seemed to take exception. “Did not! I never cheat! How did I cheat?” She challenged him with her eyes.

“By being so beautiful. It’s distracting,” he said, turning the tables and flipping her over. He held himself over her, gazing into her eyes. She blushed.

“You’re not too hard on the eyes yourself.”

There was a silence between them-not an awkward one, but one of anticipation.

Riley lowered himself down to her, closing his eyes. He waited for the soft touch of her lips on his, but got an earful of Forrest instead.

“Sorry to interrupt you two lovebirds, but we’ve got a situation.”

Suddenly, Riley was all business and pushed himself off the floor. He stood, offering a hand to Buffy. She stood beside him.

“What is it?”

Forrest’s gaze fixed on Buffy.

“Professor Walsh is dead.”

Riley felt what little air he had regained leave his lungs. He couldn’t move.

Buffy shifted uncomfortably. Why was Forrest looking at her like that?

“When?” Riley managed.

Forrest looked briefly at Riley. “Sometime last night. Engelmann found her this morning.” He fixed his eyes on Buffy once again.

Buffy reached for Riley’s hand.

“You should go there, Riley. You need to find out what happened.” She noticed Forrest move towards the door.

“I think you already know what happened,” he said, looking over his shoulder before turning to leave.

Buffy couldn’t figure out why he would say that. Riley didn’t seem to notice.

***

Riley sat on his bed, his head in his hands. Maggie really was dead. He had seen her body, the blood, with his own eyes.

Forrest had stood next to him, saying things. Things about Buffy. Things that couldn’t be true.

No, Riley thought, shaking his head.

“Riley,” Buffy whispered. “Please talk to me.”

She was kneeling in front of him, gently trying to pull his hands away from his eyes. He hadn’t talked much since he returned from the Initiative.

“I just can’t believe she’s dead…” he rambled.

“I know…I’m so sorry.” She caressed his cheek.

Suddenly, Riley grabbed her shoulders and pushed her backwards, falling to his knees in front of her.

“Buffy,” he said urgently, looking into her eyes. “Where were you last night? Where did you go when you left here?” He scanned her face frantically.

“What?” She pushed away from him and stood up.

Riley got to his feet and took a step towards her.

“Please tell me you didn’t kill her, Buffy. I need to hear you say it.” His voice was shaking.

“I can’t believe this…” she said. “First Forrest, now you.” She backed away.

“Please Buffy.” Riley persisted.

Buffy was angry. And hurt. How could Riley even suggest something like that?

“No, Riley. I did not kill her. And I resent that you would even think I did.” Her voice was tight, full of anger.

Riley’s eyes softened, his voice taking on a less frantic tone.

“I’m sorry. I had to ask. Forrest thinks…” His voice trailed off.

“Forrest has never liked me, Riley. We both know that. So it doesn’t surprise me that much that he would accuse me. But you, Riley? I can’t believe you.”

She tried hard to fight them back, but the tears filled her eyes. She tightened her jaw.

“Buffy…” He didn’t know what to say.

Not wanting him to see her cry, Buffy turned and left. She leaned against the door, letting the tears flow.

***

“He actually accused you of killing her?” Willow asked, surprised.

Buffy nodded. “Not in so many words, but yeah. He said he needed to hear me tell him I didn’t do it. He actually made me say the words!” Buffy could feel the tears come to her eyes again.

After she had left Riley’s, she had hid in the restroom and cried. The last thing she had wanted was for one of Riley’s friends to see her crying and to report back to him. Especially Forrest.

Willow scooted closer to Buffy and put her arm around her friend.

“I’m sure he didn’t really believe you did it, Buff. He’s just in shock about Professor Walsh.” She spoke softly. “He loves you.”

Buffy blinked her tears away. She took a breath.

“I know. You’re right. But it still hurt to hear him say those things.” Her shoulders slumped. “Things had been going so great. Until this happened. I knew it wouldn’t last…”

Willow squeezed Buffy’s shoulders.

“It’ll be okay, Buffy. He’s just grieving. Give him some time, he’ll come around.”

Buffy leaned into her best friend. Willow-the perpetual optimist. She always knew how to see the glass as half full.

Buffy wished she could do that.

***

Riley stood at his window and gazed out into the darkness. He wondered where Buffy was. He had thought about running after her when she left earlier, but had ruled against it. She was angry and hurt. He had seen the tears in her eyes and knew that she wanted to be left alone.

He replayed their conversation in his head. Looking back, he couldn’t believe that he had said those things to her, that he had demanded that she proclaim her innocence. In his heart, Riley knew that Buffy hadn’t done it. But everything had happened so quickly and it was all piling up. Plus everything that Forrest was saying…

He rubbed his eyes and turned from the window. He thought he could still smell her perfume in the air. He sighed.

Just over six months ago, Buffy had stood outside his door and told him that she loved him. That had been the greatest day of his life, the single most perfect moment to date. And every moment since then had been like a dream. But here they were now, apart and unhappy.

Obviously, this wasn’t the hardest thing they had had to get through. That had been Angel’s visit and unfortunate incarceration. But when everything has been going so well, the fall was even harder.

Riley let out his breath slowly and shook his head. He was tired. So much had happened that day and his head was swimming. He needed to rest. He would be able to figure everything out with a clear head.

***

Buffy awoke with a start. She sat up in her bed, eyes wide. He breathing was heavy and irregular. Her skin was clammy.

Willow opened her eyes groggily and turned to look at Buffy.

“What’s the matter?” she asked, her voice husky. She propped herself up on her elbow.

Buffy was startled.

“What?” she asked, confused.

Willow sat all the way up. “Did you have a nightmare?” She yawned.

Buffy wrinkled her brow, thinking.

“I’m not sure. I don’t remember.”

Willow swung her feet over the side of her bed and stretched.

“Well, then it must not be anything big. Just a bad dream.” She smiled reassuringly.

“Yeah,” Buffy said. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.

Stretching, she stood up. The morning light filtered through the curtains. Buffy looked around the room, finally fixing her gaze on a still half-asleep Willow.

“So what are you doing today?” she asked in an attempt to alleviate her growing fear.

Willow yawned again. She noticed Buffy staring into space blankly, not paying attention.

“Oh,” she began. “I thought I’d cast a spell to bring back the Mayor and help him devise a plan for a new Ascension.”

Buffy wasn’t listening. “That’s nice. Sounds fun,” she said absently.

Willow laughed. She wasn’t mad. She could see that something was keeping Buffy’s mind preoccupied.

“I’m going to see Riley,” Buffy said, turning to get dressed.

***

When she reached Lowell House, there wasn’t a soul around. She walked up to the front door and pulled on the handle. The door opened easily and she stepped inside.

Something wasn’t right. It was too quiet. She looked around curiously. The thought crossed her mind that perhaps everyone was out on a mission. That was logical. But she couldn’t help feeling that that wasn’t it.

She continued on to Riley’s room, searching around the place as she climbed the stairs. When she got to the last step she glanced down the hall, noticing that upstairs was just as quiet and eerie as downstairs.

Cautiously, she took a step down the hall, towards Riley’s room. The strangest feeling took hold of her and her heart pounded in her chest.

When she reached Riley’s room, the door was ajar. Fear seized her and a lump rose in her throat. Reaching out, her hand shaking, she pushed open the door. Nothing. The place was empty. Buffy’s heart stopped trying to punch a hole through her chest. She took a deep breath.

She stepped into the room. She was going to leave him a note to tell him that she has been there. But what she saw changed her plans.

She stepped closer to get a better look. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. She couldn’t make a sound.

Blood. Lots of it. It covered Riley’s bed. The sheets were twisted and knotted. It looked as though there had been a struggle.

Buffy’s eyes frantically followed the blood trail from the bed, across the carpet, and to the mirror. There it stopped.

She stepped to where the blood stopped, her knees shaking. She knelt and touched her finger to the sticky substance. Bringing her finger closer to her face, she studied it, rubbing it against her thumb.

Terror gripped her as she realized that the blood was human.

“Riley,” she managed to say, struggling for air.

Spinning, she started to run out the door. But she tripped and fell. She braced her fall with her hands and pushed frantically against the floor, trying to regain some leverage. When she was once again on her feet, she bolted out the door. She didn’t look back.

***

The front door to Giles’ house burst open and Buffy ran inside, breathless. She wasn’t exactly sure why she had come here. It was just that Giles was always the first one she thought of when she had trouble. He always seemed to know what to do next.

“Who is…? Oh my God,” Giles said, coming down the stairs. His eyes were fixed on Buffy.

“Giles,” Buffy managed. “Please help me.”

The look in her eyes frightened Giles and he ran over to her, looking her over.

“Buffy, what happened? Where are you hurt?” Giles examined her closely.

“Nowhere,” she said, confused. “What makes you think…?” But then it dawned on her. The blood. She looked down at herself. Her entire front side was covered in blood. Oh God.

“This isn’t mine,” she whispered, trembling. She remembered the scene in Riley’s room. She shivered.

“What happened?” Giles asked again. He squeezed her shoulders gently, trying to comfort her.

Buffy fought back the flood that was threatening behind her eyes.

“Riley.” She stared pleadingly into Giles’ eyes.

Giles gently guided her to the couch and told her to sit down. She obeyed without question.

“What about Riley?” he asked gently.

Buffy shook her head absently.

“I went there…he was gone. They were all gone.”

“Who’s ‘they’, Buffy?” She wasn’t making much sense.

“The blood was in his room. All over. Then it stopped. Human blood. I tripped…must’ve gotten it on me.” Her eyes focused on something in the distance.

“Buffy.” Giles watched her closely. He couldn’t remember the last time he saw her like this.

She didn’t speak again.

Giles got up quickly and went to the phone. He would call Willow. Willow would know how to get through to Buffy. He would even call Xander.

He picked up the phone and dialed, glancing at Buffy on the couch. She was rocking back and forth slowly. She was silent.

Please pick up, he thought urgently.

***

“I’m sure he’s fine, Buffy. He’s strong, he can take care of himself.” Willow was trying. She was saying all the right words. The trouble was, she wasn’t entirely sure they were true. When she had seen Buffy on Giles’ couch, catatonic, her stomach twisted in knots. The blood hadn’t helped any.

Hours had passed and it was beginning to get dark. Buffy had finally calmed down to the point that she could put together a coherent sentence. She sat on the couch now, all cleaned up, with Xander on one side and Willow on the other. Giles sat in a chair, facing the trio, his elbows on his knees, fingers steepled pensively.

“So you say when you got there, there was no one around?” he asked.

“Not a soul,” Buffy replied softly. “It was strange.”

Giles creased his brow, a troubled look on his face.

“Was Riley’s room the only place you saw blood?” Giles asked.

Buffy nodded, remembering. She looked down at her hands as if they were still covered in blood. She let out a ragged breath.

“Maybe it’s not his, Buff.” Willow tried to sound cheery.

Xander chimed in. “Yeah. Or maybe he cut himself shaving.”

Buffy shot him a disapproving glance. “That’s not funny, Xander. He could be really hurt…or even…” She couldn’t bring herself to say the words that had been ricocheting around in her head for hours.

“Now let’s not jump to conclusions,” Giles said calmly, trying to be the voice of reason.

“What other conclusions are there to jump to, Giles?” Buffy demanded. “Tell me.”

Giles thought for a moment. “Well, you said the blood stopped at the entrance to the Initiative. Perhaps Riley struggled with a demon in his room, got the upper hand, and dragged it down to the compound.”

Buffy was hopeful for a moment. But the moment was fleeting. She shook her head sadly.

“No, Giles.” Her voice was cracking. “It was definitely human blood.”

“Hey!” Willow said suddenly. “Vampires bleed human blood, don’t they?”

Buffy turned to her. “Not this much, Will. You didn’t see it. Everywhere, blood. It would take 10 vamps to leave that much blood. Riley couldn’t…” She trailed off.

There was silence in the room all around. The only sound that could be heard was the ticking of the clock on the mantle. With each passing second, Buffy’s hope faded.

***

The room was dark. Completely dark. Riley had his eyes open. But he might as well have had them closed for all he could see.

He moved to sit up. At least he tried to move. But even the slightest attempt at movement was agony. A sharp pain radiated up and down his right side and his head ached. He felt nauseous and swallowed hard to keep from throwing up.

Managing to sit up, he leaned against the wall, breathing heavily. Where the hell was he? And how did he get here?

The last thing he remembered was turning the light off in his room and lying on his bed. Now he was here, in pain. Even breathing hurt.

Buffy. What about Buffy? Was she alright? His mind raced, despite the throbbing, through all the horrible possibilities. He squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his temples with his good hand.

“Buffy,” he said weakly, leaning his head against the wall.

***

She stood in front of Giles, pleading her case. Giles stood in front of her, his brow furrowed, his eyes scanning her disapprovingly.

“I just don’t think you should go back there, Buffy.” His voice took on the authoritative tone it always did when he knew he was right. Of course, he also knew that it rarely ever worked. In fact, he couldn’t remember the last time it had been effective.

“I just need to see the scene again,” she stated. “Too look at it with fresh eyes. See what I can find.” Her eyes still held a deep sadness. But they were clear and alert. She was cried out.

Giles let out his breath heavily. He wasn’t going to win this one, either.

“Very well, then.” He shrugged, surrendering. “I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

Buffy sighed wearily. “That makes two of us.”

***

Lowell House was full of people this morning, a stark contrast to yesterday. Buffy walked up the front steps and pushed open the front door. No one noticed her standing there.

She walked quickly up the stairs. There was only one place she cared about here. Riley’s room.

The door to his room was closed. She heard movement inside. Hope seized her. Riley was here, he was back. She flung open the door and was just about to scold him for not calling her when her heart stopped. Again.

Forrest and Graham turned to face the intruder. Forrest’s gaze burned into her.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he spat hatefully. Graham remained silent.

Buffy overcame her initial shock and spoke. “I heard someone in here. I was hoping…” she managed, her throat closing.

“Well, loverboy isn’t here. He’s gone.” Forrest’s voice matched his eyes-cold.

Buffy thought she would faint.

“Oh God…oh God…” she muttered.

Forrest continued unflinchingly. “Perhaps you should tell us where he is. You two have been attached at the hip for the better part of a year now. Enlighten us.”

Buffy looked at him, confused. “You mean, you don’t know where he is?” She felt her heart start to beat again.

Graham finally spoke up. “All we know is that Riley didn’t show up at the debriefing last night and that he’s still not here this morning. No trace of him anywhere.” His face was blank.

Her mind was spinning uncontrollably. But something was different. The two commandos seemed calm. Too calm, in fact.

In all her panic, Buffy hadn’t noticed it. She glanced incredulously around the room. It was clean. No sign of blood anywhere.

“The blood…where’s the blood? It was all over this place yesterday…” she said absently. She walked quickly over to the bed and inspected it closely. Nothing. The sheets were clean and the bed was made.

“What are you talking about? What blood?” Forrest asked venomously.

Buffy shifted her gaze to Forrest, studied him, and looked back at the bed. Unbelievable.

“It was here. I know what I saw,” she stated vehemently.

“Well it wasn’t here this morning,” Graham said simply.

“How convenient for you, huh Slayer?” Forrest’s eyes cut into her.

“What?” Buffy asked, half listening.

Forrest stepped closer to her, on the attack.

“I see. Yesterday there was blood in here. Blood that only you saw. Now you come here this morning and it’s gone. Your concern is overwhelming, really. Did you practice that look all night? Needed to make it look convincing and sincere? Well, I don’t buy it.” His jaw tightened.

Buffy stared at him, blinking in amazement. He was accusing her again.

“Look,” she said, getting over yet another shock. “I don’t know what the hell you’re problem is, Forrest, but it’s time to get over whatever it is. First you accuse me of killing Walsh, now you blame me for Riley’s disappearance. But the blame-Buffy-fest is over. Riley’s missing. It’s time to work together.” Her green eyes glowed with anger.

Not a word from Forrest. For once.

“Now I don’t know what’s going on here,” she continued. “But I know what I saw here yesterday. You say you haven’t seen Riley in over a day. Either have I. But something’s happened to him and I am going to find out what.”

She looked back and forth between Graham and Forrest.

“With or without you.”

***

Riley opened his eyes again. The room was still dark and he had no idea what day it was or how long he had been in here.

He had blacked out again and again. The constant loss of consciousness was really starting to become tiresome. He needed to stay awake, to try to think. Even if his head pounded unbearably.

Shifting his weight, he fought against the pain and tried to stand. But his head began swimming again and he slumped back to the floor.

Another, stronger wave of nausea overwhelmed him. This time, he couldn’t fight it. He leaned forward, letting it go. He coughed and wiped his mouth with his good hand.

He pushed himself painfully in the opposite direction of the mess. Or at least what he thought was the opposite direction, considering that he couldn’t find his bearings in the darkness.

He ran his sleeve over his forehead, wiping at the sweat pouring down his face. It was hot and he couldn’t breathe very well. He tried taking a deep breath, but the blinding pain shot through his body.

Shuddering, he leaned against the wall again, tears stinging his eyes.

What is happening to me? He thought, fear and pain and exhaustion gripping him.

***

Buffy was patrolling. She would rather be out looking for Riley, but Giles had made a good point.

“There’s nothing you can do about Riley right now. If anyone can find him, the Initiative can,” he had said to her.

Buffy had reluctantly agreed. So here she was. She gripped the stake tightly in her hand and walked casually through the night.

But if this was supposed to take her mind off things, it wasn’t working. Patrolling just reminded her of the first time Riley had tagged along. He had wanted to see her at work.

“So you just stab them with this stick?” he asked, laughing.

“I don’t think it’s funny, mister. It happens to work like a charm. Every time,” she answered defensively.

Riley smiled. “I’m sure it does. It’s just that I’m used to massive firepower and strength in numbers.”

Buffy grinned up at him. “You see. That’s your problem. You fail to see the simple things in life. Technology has blinded you.” She winked at him.

Suddenly, a vamp jumped out of the bushes and grabbed for Buffy. She spun and in one fluid move, dusted him. “Wow,” Riley said. “Cool.”

Buffy smiled again. “You see? Simple but effective.” She grasped the stake tightly. Then she offered it to him.

“Wanna try?” she asked, her eyes twinkling.

Riley started to shake his head, but then smiled sheepishly, like a child in a toy store. He reached for the stake, trembling slightly. He tossed it back and forth between his hands.

“Much lighter than a taser gun,” he said. His eyes were laughing.

“Yeah,” Buffy said. “And there’s none of that pesky fear of accidental electrocution.”

Riley gripped the small piece of wood tightly in his hand. “I like it.”

They walked along together for a while, listening to the sounds of the night.

Another vamp stepped in front of them. There was a stare-fest and then the vamp lunged at Buffy. She kicked him back to the ground.

“Okay, Riley. He’s all yours.”

Riley plunged the stake deep into the vamp’s chest and watched as the vamp turned into a pile of dust. When he looked up, he was grinning from ear to ear.

“That was fun,” he said, standing up.

Buffy took his hand. “Believe me, the newness wears off rather quickly. But I’m glad you’re having a good time.” She smiled at him.

The memory was still fresh in her mind and Buffy shook her head. Leaning against a grave stone, she sighed heavily.

“Oh Riley,” she lamented. “Where are you?”

***

The light came on, brightly illuminating what used to be a completely dark room. Riley had been half-dozing, trying to combat the constant urge to black out. He squinted now at the sudden assault on his eyes.

“I see someone had a little accident,” the voice said.

Riley tried to follow the sound of the voice. Where there was a voice, there was a way out. He looked around frantically. There were no windows that he could see, but he could make out the outline of a door against the far wall. No handle.

“And how are we feeling today, Riley?” the voice continued, mocking him. It wasn’t a human voice. At least not a natural one. It had been electronically altered.

“Go to hell,” Riley spat contemptuously. He was still searching for the source of the voice. He looked up to the ceiling. He saw a globe with a camera inside. Next to the globe was a speaker.

The voice resounded loudly through the room.

“Now, now, now…be nice or you won’t get dessert later.” He (she?) laughed. Whoever it was was really having a good time.

Riley tried lunging for the camera, for the voice. But the pain he felt when he tried to stand knocked him back to the floor. He lay crumpled in a heap, moaning.

“You did this to me,” he gasped, turning his face towards the camera. His eyes were piercing.

“That would be a ‘yes’.” The voice continued. “And it was so much easier than I thought it would be. No fun at all, really.” A pause. “Oh well, I’ll get my fun in other ways.” Another pause, this one longer, more drawn out for effect. “Like with Buffy, for instance.”

Riley sat up, ignoring the pain. He looked directly at the camera. His voice was tight.

“What have you done with her?”

His captor spoke clearly. “Nothing…yet. But I’ve got some ideas.” A laugh.

Riley’s gaze didn’t waiver, he didn’t blink. His voice was full of hate for this unseen enemy.

“You touch her and I’ll kill you myself.”

Another mocking snicker.

“I’d like to see you try. Considering your predicament, I’d say your chances are slim to none. Actually more like none. So sorry.”

The lights went out and Riley was once again surrounded by utter darkness.

“Hey, you son of a bitch!” he screamed into the darkness. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to think.

He had to get out of here.

***

Riley’s face popped into her mind. He was scared, angry. There was blood on his cheek.

Buffy opened her eyes and sat up. Her heart was racing. She jumped out of bed and ran to Willow’s, rousing her.

Willow opened her eyelids sleepily. “What is it?”

“It’s Riley, Will. He’s alive,” Buffy said quickly, breathlessly. She ran to the closet, searching for something to wear.

“What? How do you know?” Willow was wide awake now. She sat on the edge of her bed.

Buffy spoke, busily getting dressed.

“I saw him,” she said simply.

Willow stood up. “When? Where?” She was confused.

“Just now. In a dream. He’s alive, but he’s trapped.” Buffy glanced over her shoulder at her friend. “He needs my help.”

“Do you know where he is?” Willow asked.

Buffy shook her head. “No. But I’ll find him.” She finished tying her shoes and headed for the door. She grabbed a stake, just in case.

Willow stood silent as she watched Buffy rush out the door.

***

“You say she saw Riley in a dream and that he’s alive?” Giles asked Willow seriously.

Willow had gone right to Giles’ house after Buffy had left. She needed to tell someone about what happened.

“That’s what she said. She went looking for him.”

Giles nodded his head pensively. “Is that all?”

Willow nodded. “Yup. She had a dream, woke up, told me, and left. The end.”

“No idea where she might have gone?” Giles asked.

“None. Buffy’s like that sometimes. She moves without leaving a forwarding address.” Willow sighed. “What do we do now?”

Giles shook his head. “There’s nothing we can do, I suppose. Except wait for Buffy to return.”

“I vote we go back to sleep. The Buffster can take care of herself,” Xander spoke up. He had been silent up to now. Willow had called him out of courtesy.

Anya chimed in. “I agree. I mean, he’s her boyfriend. Let her worry about him. I have plans for mine,” she said blankly, cuddling up to Xander.

And for some reason, Spike had tagged along. He was still staying at Xander’s house, but welcomed every opportunity to get out of what he called “that cesspool of filth that isn’t fit for sludge much less a demon of my stature.”

“I agree with her. Let Goldie Locks fight her own battles. Don’t drag me into it,” Spike said, leaning against the stair railing.

They all looked at him as if to say, “Why are you even here?”

Spike stared back, rolling his eyes. He looked away.

“This bites.”

“Too bad you can’t, huh Spike?” Xander shot back. Anya laughed.

Spike gave Xander a look of disgust. “Look here, basement boy. I could hurt you in ways you can’t even imagine.”

Xander sat up straight. “Go ahead and try.”

Giles stepped in. “Gentlemen,” he said, loosely referring to both Spike and Xander. “This is not the time.”

They both were silent, sulking.

“That’s better,” Giles said. He took a breath. “Now. I’m sure Buffy knows what she’s doing. And we all know how well she can fight.” He looked at Spike. Spike snarled. “So all we can do is wait for her. Don’t worry.”

There were nods all around. Except for Spike. He grunted instead.

***

Buffy was back at Lowell House. Only this time, it wasn’t Riley’s door she went to. It was Forrest’s. She knocked.

The door opened and Forrest peeked his head out. When he saw who was standing there, his gaze cooled considerably.

“Buffy. What is it this time?” he asked icily.

Buffy stood her ground. “Riley’s alive,” she stated simply.

Forrest’s eyes flashed briefly and he opened the door completely. He stood with his hand on the edge of the door, a confused look on his face.

“You saw him?” he asked urgently.

Buffy’s breath was shallow. “In a dream, yes.”

Forrest’s gaze changed back to the same hateful one he always used on her.

“A dream? Please. Go away. Come back when you have some real evidence.” He moved to close the door. Buffy stopped him.

She looked at him, her eyes dark and smoldering.

“Don’t you even care that he’s missing?” she asked slowly and deliberately.

“Of course,” he said. “Riley’s my friend. But I’m also a realist. It’s been over two days since he went missing.”

“So?” Buffy persisted. She studied him intently. “Does that mean we stop looking for him?”

Forrest shifted his weight impatiently. “Where exactly are we supposed to look for him? Tell me. Besides, we do have other priorities that need our attention.” His voice was flat.

Buffy was fuming. How could he talk that way about Riley? Dismiss him so easily? She balled her hands into fists.

“Fine,” she said, controlling her voice. She wanted to punch him. “I’ll look for him myself. I’m sorry I bothered you. Try not to lose too much sleep worrying about your good pal Riley, okay?” She turned abruptly and walked away.

She was down the hall and about to turn the corner when she heard her name. She turned. Graham came out of his room and began walking towards her.

“So, what? You’re going to tell me to give up the search too? Not to worry about him, right?” Her eyes focused on Graham’s face.

“No, actually. Just the opposite. I think he’s still alive, too.” His voice was a whisper.

Buffy stepped closer. “You do?” She kept her voice low, following Graham’s lead.

“I don’t know what it is. I just feel like he’s out there somewhere, alive.” Graham’s eyes revealed nothing.

“What’s Forrest’s problem? He thinks I had something to do with Riley. And Professor Walsh,” Buffy whispered.

Graham looked over his shoulder at Forrest’s door. For security, he pulled Buffy into his room. When the door was closed safely behind them, he spoke again. This time more casually.

“I’m not making excuses for him, but he has personal issues with you. He’s felt threatened by you ever since you came into the picture. He’s just trying to hurt you in a way.” Graham’s eyes looked steadily into Buffy’s.

Buffy sighed heavily. “But to not look for Riley just because he hates me…I thought he was Riley’s friend.” Her eyes questioned Graham, searching his face for an answer.

“He is, Buffy. Forrest…he’s just had a lot to deal with lately. That’s all.”

“Haven’t we all…” Buffy said absently. She glanced briefly around the room. It was set up exactly like Riley’s. All the furniture was in the same place.

The setup reminded her of the blood she had seen in Riley’s room. She refocused her gaze on Graham.

“So you didn’t see any blood? Anywhere in Riley’s room?” she asked.

Graham shook his head. “None. If there really had been blood…”

“There was. I saw it,” Buffy interrupted.

Graham continued. “Well, the place was wiped clean when Forrest and I got there.”

Buffy nodded, thinking. “So I noticed.”

“So, what do you want to do about Riley? Any idea where he may be?” Graham asked cautiously.

Buffy shook her head sadly. “I don’t know,” she said quietly. “Are you willing to help?”

Graham nodded slightly. “I’ll do what I can.”

Squeezing his arm gently, she looked into his eyes. “Thank you.”

***

As Buffy left Lowell House, she glanced up at the windows. Lights were on in all of them. Except Riley’s. She sighed, her heart heavy.

“I’ll find you. I promise.”

She turned and wandered back in the direction of Giles’ house. The very tips of the sun’s first rays had yet to creep above the horizon. Suddenly, she stopped. She felt as though she was being watched. Being followed. She turned around quickly, scanning the area. She saw and heard nothing. She shrugged and started walking again.

Unfortunately, she had been right. A pair of eyes watched her from the shadows.

***

The sun was up now and had been for quite a while. The Scooby Gang (plus Spike and Anya) was still gathered at Giles’ house waiting for word from Buffy. Nothing yet.

The television was on and cartoons blared loudly through the too quiet room. And though their faces were pointed towards the screen, their minds were elsewhere.

Giles stood and began pacing in front of the television. No one seemed to notice. Well, almost no one.

“Hello? I’m watching that, mate.” Spike was annoyed.

Giles stopped, completely blocking the screen. “You can always leave. I’m sure any one of us here would be glad to show you out.” Giles’ face was like stone. He knew full well the sun was out.

Spike rolled his eyes. “Bloody wankers,” he muttered.

Silence filled the room.

Finally, Willow spoke. “Something’s happened.” She said the words that were on everyone’s minds.

The words hung in the air heavily. No one dared to speak, afraid to voice their suspicions. The room throbbed with silence once again as they all looked helplessly at each other.

Willow stood suddenly. “Well, I can’t just sit around here any longer. I’ve gotta do something.”

She headed towards the door. Then stopped. “Feel free to tag along. Really,” she said sarcastically.

Xander stood up. “I’ll go. There’s nothing keeping me here.”

Anya punched him on the arm. “Hey!”

Xander looked at her. “You know what I mean. We have to find her.”

Anya slumped into the couch. “Bet you wouldn’t worry this much if it were me,” she whined.

Dismissing that, Xander joined Willow at the door.

“We’ll call every hour in case she comes back.” Willow’s voice was shaking, her fear evident.

Giles nodded. “She’s fine. I’m sure of it,” he said reassuringly, although his eyes betrayed him.

“You’re probably right. All this will end up being for nothing.” Hopefully.

Willow and Xander left, leaving Spike, Anya, and Giles to stare at each other uncomfortably.

“Can we please watch the telly now?”

***

He must have blacked out again. Damn, he thought. He wished he could stay conscious. Every time he blacked out, something else happened.

The voice echoed from above. “While you were, er, sleeping, I did a little tidying up for you. If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s a filthy room.” That laugh again.

Riley remained silent.

“I got you a little something. Consider it a housewarming present.”

The lights came on. Once his eyes adjusted to the sudden, harsh illumination, Riley saw what it was that his captor had brought him. His heart stopped.

“Buffy,” he croaked. He couldn’t breathe.

She was lying slumped against the floor, not far from the door. She was facing him, but her hair covered her face. She wasn’t moving.

“Do you like it? I would really be hurt if you didn’t. After all, I went through so much trouble,” the voice quipped.

Riley spoke to his captor, but looked at Buffy.

“You bastard. If she’s dead…you’re next.” Riley’s words tasted like venom on his tongue.

Fighting the pain, he crawled over to where Buffy lay. He gently brushed the hair from her face. What he saw brought tears to his eyes. Her eyes were moving behind her eyelids. She was alive.

“Thank you, God…” he whispered.

“Give me a break, Riley. Do you really think I’d kill her so quickly? Where’s the fun in that?” Laughing.

“What do you want with us anyway?” Riley asked.

“That’s for me to know and you to find out…or not. Maybe I’ll just kill you first. Whatever I happen to feel like doing.”

Riley turned his eyes to the camera, looked directly into it. “I renew my promise to kill you,” he stated.

The menacing laugh filled the room. It continued for what seemed like forever.

“Thank you, Riley. I needed a good laugh.”

And with that, the lights went out.

Riley positioned himself at Buffy’s head, enduring every excruciating pain just to be close to her. He gently ran the fingers of his good hand across her cheek, through her hair. He placed his hand in front of her nose. Feeling her warm breath against his skin, he sighed in relief. At least she was alive.

***

Willow and Xander looked at each other. With each dead end, their hope waned. They had looked everywhere-Stevenson, the union, the library, even the cemetery. They had even gone to Joyce’s house, but didn’t go in. They could tell that no one was there.

They were standing on the front steps of Lowell House. Very few people had been there and the few that were either didn’t know Buffy or hadn’t seen her. They were about to leave when a familiar face came jogging up the walk.

“Hey guys,” Graham said between breaths. “If you’re looking for Buffy, she left hours ago. Went looking for Riley. I’m sure you’ve heard.”

Willow nodded. “So she was here? How long ago?”

Graham looked up, thinking. “A while ago. Around 2, 3 o’clock this morning. Why?” He looked confused.

Xander looked at his watch. 9:30. “No reason, really. We just enjoy wandering around campus asking people when they last saw Buffy. It’s a hobby of ours,” he said, annoyed.

Willow put a hand on Xander’s arm, gave him a look. “We just haven’t heard from her in a while, that’s all. We’re worried.” Willow’s eyes reflected the fear that was gripping her.

Graham studied her. She looked exhausted. And scared to death.

“She said she knew Riley was alive and that she was going to find him. Then she left. That’s all I know,” he said gently.

Willow looked at him sadly. “So no word on Riley either, huh?” Tears filled her eyes.

Graham shook his head slowly. “But for the record, I don’t think he’s dead either. Call it a gut feeling.”

Willow perked up. “So you guys are out looking for him? Buffy said…she should never have gone by herself.” A tear slid slowly down her cheek.

Without thinking, Graham reached out and brushed it away. “I’m sorry,” he said softly. He shook his head slowly. “First Professor Walsh, then Riley, now Buffy. These things always happen in threes…” he said absently, still looking at Willow.

“I thought that was only for famous people,” Xander commented.

He was ignored. Willow looked at Graham, her eyes fixed on his. “Do you think they’re connected?”

Graham blinked and stepped back. His temporary lapse into human emotion was over. He switched back to being no-nonsense commando guy.

“Can’t say. Just strange, is all.”

Forrest came walking up behind Graham. “Look who we have here.” He glanced at Willow. “Why the waterworks, Red?”

Willow blinked at his insensitivity, his utter disregard.

“Buffy’s missing.” She watched him closely.

Forrest didn’t blink. “So super freak went AWOL. Huh,” he grunted. He began walking up the steps, pushing past Xander. “Some Slayer,” he muttered under his breath.

***

Riley hadn’t left Buffy’s side. Not that it was easy to do so even if he wanted to. The pain was still tremendous.

His mind was filled with many thoughts as he waited for Buffy to wake up. Some of the things that crossed his mind were the various painful ways he would kill whoever it was that had put them here. He had many ideas, most of which were not feasible considering the circumstances. But it was still satisfying to think about them anyway.

Mostly, though, he thought about the tiny girl who lay unconscious beside him. How much he loved her. How his every breath was for her.

He ran his fingers through her silky hair. He remembered all the times he had fallen asleep with that hair on his cheek, how often he had slid his fingers through it like he was doing now. Only under happier circumstances.

She stirred, moaning softly. Riley touched her cheek.

“Shh,” he whispered. “I’m here.”

She reached through the darkness, towards his voice. She found his face. “Riley?”

“Yeah. It’s me.” He took her hand and squeezed it tightly. “You’re alright?”

“I guess,” she said, sitting up. “Nothing’s broken.” She paused. “You’re really alive…” She smiled in the darkness. “I knew you were alive.” She began to sob.

“Please don’t cry, Buffy. I can’t stand it when you cry. I’m okay.”

He waited as she calmed down, the sobs quieting down to sniffles.

“Are you hurt badly?” she asked, concerned. “I saw the blood in your room.”

“Let’s just say I’ve been better,” he said, trying to minimize the damage. Even now, he didn’t want her to worry.

“Where are we? What is this place?” Buffy asked, looking around, seeing nothing. She couldn’t even see Riley and he was sitting right in front of her.

“I’m not quite sure,” Riley began. “From what I’ve seen of it, it looks like some kind of isolation chamber. There’s a door somewhere. No handle. And no windows.”

“Is it always this dark?” she asked.

Riley let out his breath. “Only when the lights are out. Which is most of the time. Our gracious host only turns on the lights when he wants to torment me.”

Buffy squeezed his hand. “So you’ve seen him?”

“No. Just heard him. He can see us, though. There’s a camera on the ceiling he watches us with. And he speaks through an intercom.” Riley ached to look into her eyes, to see her face.

“What’s he sound like? Is he human?” Buffy inquired.

“I think so. But the voice has been altered somehow so it can’t be recognized. I’m not even sure if he is a he.”

Silence.

The light turned on and the two captives squinted against the onslaught.

“I see your lover is awake now, Riley. You must be so relieved,” the voice said.

“Like you care.” Riley’s eyes adjusted and he feasted his eyes on the face he had been longing for.

But Buffy’s eyes had adjusted as well and were opened wide, focused on Riley.

“Oh my God, Riley. Look at you…” She scanned her damaged boyfriend again and again. The dried blood covered him and he was obviously favoring his right side. She scooted closer to him and touched his face gently.

Then she turned her attention to the camera on the ceiling. “What did you do to him? He can hardly move!” She looked back at Riley, into his eyes. She was telling him, without words, that she loved him. He nodded.

“Your concern is overwhelming, really.” The voice was dull, monotone.

A twinge of déjà vu washed over Buffy. She couldn’t figure out why. She had never been in this situation before. She shook it off.

“You touch him again and I’ll kill you myself.” Her voice was cold and full of hatred.

The captor laughed. “What is it with you two? You even talk alike.” A pause. “We’ll see who does the killing around here.”

“Talk, talk, talk. That’s all I hear. Where’s the action?” Buffy said, standing.

"Buffy,” Riley whispered, grabbing her arm. She shook him off.

“You may think you’re big and tough, but only cowards hide their faces and disguise their voices while they make their threats.” Buffy’s gaze was fixed on the camera.

“What did you call me? Big words for such a little girl. Unfortunately, your credibility is weak, considering you’re in there and I’m the one who put you there.” For the first time, the stoic voice cracked with emotion. Anger boomed through the room.

Buffy stood her ground.

The lights went out again. She stood in the darkness, fuming.

“I wish you hadn’t’ve done that,” Riley said softly.

“What? Rattle him? He doesn’t scare me. He’s nothing but a coward. I could take him,” she said confidently.

Riley sighed. “I know you could. I have complete and utter confidence in your abilities. That’s not the point. I just find it to be good practice not to antagonize someone who says they’re going to kill you.”

“Riley, listen to me. Whoever it is, they’re scared. If they wanted us dead, we’d be dead now. But fear is a funny thing. It causes people to make mistakes. Big ones. When he makes his, we’ll make our move.” Buffy stood beside him, stroking his hair. She was scared too. But she had learned how to control her fear. She hoped that their captor hadn’t yet mastered that skill.

***

Graham sat on the edge of his bed, thinking about his earlier run-in with Willow and Xander. He couldn’t get Willow’s face out of his mind. The sadness in her eyes. Her tears.

He wasn’t sure why she stuck with him. She wasn’t the prettiest girl he had ever seen. Nor was she the sexiest. But there was something about her that was different from every other girl he had ever known. She possessed a certain innocent quality. Yet she was strong and wise beyond her years. Behind her eyes there was a wisdom and a sadness that both belied and strengthened her vulnerability.

She had been really worried about Buffy. Her tears had confirmed that. And for the first time in his life, Graham had felt helpless. He would have done anything to erase the pain from her eyes, but was powerless. He could fight the most dangerous demon, but he couldn’t make one fragile girl stop crying.

He stood up. He needed to clear his head. A preoccupied soldier was a dead one.

He stepped into the hall and almost ran right into Forrest, who was rushing past his door in a hurry. “Watch where you’re going, Private!” Forrest said brusquely. He was agitated.

“Sorry, sir.” Graham spoke formally.

Forrest continued towards his room without comment, slamming his door behind him.

Graham turned to leave when he heard Forrest screaming inside his room.

“That bitch! Who the hell does she think she is?”

Graham stepped cautiously towards Forrest’s door, but jumped back as something hit against it from the inside. There was more noise as a few more objects were tossed around the room. Graham stood motionless, listening. He had never heard Forrest so upset before.

“That’s it! She’s dead! They’re both dead!” Another crash.

Graham knew that he should just leave. Just turn around and walk away. Whatever problem Forrest was having was none of his business. But curiosity got the better of him. He stepped closer, listening.

“Calling me a coward. I’ll show her who’s a fucking coward! Her loverboy, Riley. That’s who! She’s got him so whipped he can’t even piss by himself! I should kill him first. Make her watch. Show her who’s boss…” Forrest’s voice drifted away as he calmed down.

But Graham had stopped listening anyway. He stood frozen in place. His heart was pounding. His mind raced. It was Forrest. Forrest.

Willow, he thought suddenly. He bolted down the stairs and into the night.

***

Stevenson Hall was bustling with students as Graham rushed up to the front door. He couldn’t think. What room was she in? He had been there once before. But that had been on business, when they were trying to recover Hostile 17. That was a long time ago.

Think, dammit, think! he cursed himself. Two something. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to visualize it. It was near a fire extinguisher, down the hall from the kitchen.

Damn! He couldn’t remember the room number. But he was sure he could find it if he could get inside.

At that moment, two girls exited the doors and eyed him appreciatively. Graham didn’t notice. He pushed past them through the doors, running through the lobby and up the stairs.

When he reached the second floor, he scanned the hall. This was it. 214. He was sure of it. He pounded on the door.

“Willow! Willow, open up! It’s Graham!” He was out of breath as his fist pounded loudly on the door.

“She’s not home,” a girl said from behind him.

Graham spun around, faced her.

“Where did she go? I need to talk to her. It’s an emergency.” His eyes pleaded with her.

“I don’t know. All I know is that I saw her leave about an hour ago. And I haven’t seen her roommate in a while either.” Her eyes were sympathetic. “I’m sorry.”

Graham struggled to regain his breath and to calm the pounding in his head. He needed to find Willow, tell her what he knew. But he didn’t have the time to look for her. He had no idea where she was. And by the time he found her, if he found her, it may be too late. Every single second counted.

No, he thought. Something needs to be done now.

***

Buffy was walking around the room slowly, sliding her fingers along the smooth wall.

“Found it,” she said loudly. Through the darkness she could feel where the wall ended and the door began. She pushed on it. It didn’t budge. She tried to slip her fingers into the crack, but just ended up digging at the door with her nails.

“It must be automatic or something,” she said calmly, thinking. She took a step back and kicked it with all her power. The impact pushed her back to the floor, but had no effect on the door.

Riley searched for her through the darkness. “Buffy! Are you okay?” He reached for her.

She crawled over to him, resting her head on his lap. He laid his arm over her protectively. “I’m fine as long as I’m with you.” She cuddled closer to him.

They were enjoying being together, despite their circumstances. Their breathing was slow and deep, synchronized. Riley bent and kissed her cheek. Buffy turned her face and met his lips with her own.

They held the kiss for a long time, feeling the warmth of each other flow through them. It wasn’t an urgent or energetic kiss, but it was passionate nonetheless.

“I love you,” Buffy whispered, pulling away from him. The tears were evident in her voice.

Riley kissed her forehead gently. “I love you, too,” he said softly. “More than you’ll ever know.”

He ran his fingers through her hair as she rested her head in his lap again. Silence fell between them “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

Buffy turned her face towards his voice. “For what?”

Riley let out his breath slowly. “For accusing you of killing Maggie. For even thinking for a second that you could have done it. I don’t know what got into me.” He was quiet.

Buffy squeezed his knee gently. “It’s okay. I’d forgotten all about it.”

“Well, I hadn’t Buffy. I’ve had a lot of time to think in here. And I can’t help but wonder if my stupidity is what got us into this mess,” he said sadly.

Buffy spoke clearly. “This is not your fault, Riley.” She sighed. “Don’t blame yourself for the work of some psycho.”

Riley took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. Long tendrils of pain gripped his body. He couldn’t move his right arm at all and his head was still throbbing. And it was still a constant battle to stay conscious. He squeezed Buffy tightly, hoping to absorb some of her tremendous strength. He let out his breath in a ragged stream.

“Buffy,” he said wearily. “I’m not sure how much more of this I can take.” The honesty of his words and the hollowness in his voice frightened Buffy. She sat up and put her arms around him.

“Just lean on me, Riley.” She began rocking back and forth slowly, resting her chin on his head. “It’s going to be okay. I promise.”

She listened to his breathing. Shallow but steady. She swallowed hard and prayed silently to herself.

“It’s going to be okay,” she repeated, whispering into the darkness.

***

Graham was running at full speed. Cramps tore at his side, but he kept going. He couldn’t stop now. Not when lives depended on it.

He spotted Lowell House and headed for it. He looked up at the windows and counted four from the right. Forrest’s room. The light was on. But did that mean Forrest was there? Graham sure hoped so.

He cursed himself as he burst through the front door and bounded up the stairs. He should never have gone looking for Willow. Too much time had been wasted. Running down the hall to his room, he prayed he wasn’t too late.

***

Willow sat up suddenly, her eyes wide open. She looked around at the sleeping figures strewn about Giles’ living room.

“What is it?” Giles asked, breaking the silence. He hadn’t been able to sleep a wink.

Willow looked at him, focusing on his face in the dim light.

“Something is happening.”

***

Buffy’s fear turned to panic. Riley lay heavily in her arms, not moving. Not making a sound. She could no longer hear him breathing. She hoped that it was only the pounding of her heart in her ears that was drowning it out. She put her hand to his nose, praying she would feel his warm breath on her skin.

She didn’t.

At that moment, something broke inside of her. She felt for a pulse but couldn’t find one. She shook him repeatedly, more forcefully each time. Nothing.

“No…” she sobbed, burying her face in his hair. “No…please…” The tears poured from her eyes and fell into Riley’s hair.

The door flung open. Light from outside the room illuminated Buffy and Riley. The way she was holding him, it looked as though they were one person, as though Riley was an extension of Buffy.

She didn’t move towards the door, didn’t try to rush to freedom. She just sat on the floor, holding Riley in her arms. All the strength had drained out of her.

She turned her eyes to the figure in the doorway. Because the light was behind him, she could see nothing but his silhouette. But when he spoke, she recognized the voice immediately. Forrest.

“Wake him up. Nap time is over,” he said gruffly.

Buffy stared at him blankly, too empty to even muster up hatred for him.

“He’s dead,” she told him.

Forrest was unfazed. “Too bad.” He was pointing a gun at Buffy.

Buffy continued. “That’s what you wanted, isn’t it? You wanted me to watch him die. That’s why you brought me here.” Her eyes rested wearily on Forrest.

“Yes and no. My main purpose of bringing you here was to kill you. Having you watch loverboy here die a slow, painful death was just an added bonus.” He paused, grinning. “Although I am disappointed that I missed the show.” He laughed.

Buffy turned her eyes away from Forrest and looked at Riley in the dim light. She held his hand.

“Why?” she asked weakly.

Forrest’s voice tightened. “That’s easy. Respect,” he spat.

“What?” Through her grief, Buffy could only manage monosyllabic responses.

Forrest became agitated again. “Everything was fine. It was me, Riley, and Walsh. We ran the show. But then you came along. And it’s bye-bye Forrest, hello Buffy. They pushed me aside. Completely disregarded me.” His hand began to tremble slightly, but his aim on Buffy remained true.

“I sacrificed everything for this place. I worked hard, gave them everything. But did they care? No!” He pounded his fist on the wall.

“You ruined everything, Slayer. You turned them against me…” His voice was slowly rising in pitch.

“Professor Walsh…you killed her.” Buffy returned her gaze to Forrest.

“She had to pay,” he said shrilly. “Just like Riley here had to pay.” He paused, tightening his grip on the gun. “Just like you have to pay.” His eyes glowed like fire.

Buffy closed her eyes and tightened her grip on Riley.

“Go ahead. Kill me. I don’t care,” she said, surrendering.

A gunshot blasted through the silence.

Buffy opened her eyes. She wasn’t dead. In front of her on the floor lay Forrest, his eyes open lifelessly.

Graham kneeled beside him, checking for a pulse. He shook his head.

“He’s dead,” he said quietly.

That was the second time those words had been spoken in the last few minutes. A chilling pattern was forming.

Graham looked at Buffy and then at Riley.

“Are you alright?” he asked carefully. “How is he?”

Buffy shook her head slowly, solemnly. She couldn’t say a word.

***

Buffy hadn’t slept in hours. Ever since she had been rescued by Graham, all she could think about was Riley. And Forrest’s words. What had happened to Riley and to Professor Walsh had been her fault. Forrest may have done the actual deeds, but Buffy had driven him to it.

Willow popped her head in the doorway.

“Hey, Buff. Why don’t you go get something to eat. I’ll stay with him.” Her voice was compassionate, her eyes soft with concern.

Buffy glanced at Riley. He was still unconscious, but at least he was alive. He still hadn’t awakened since their rescue and had yet to learn the truth.

She turned her eyes to the ECG monitor and sighed with relief as the steady blips danced across the screen. He was alive. He may not be well, but that would change. With every beep, he got stronger.

He had been very badly hurt and had lost a lot of blood. His right arm was broken and he had six broken ribs. He also had a concussion and had been hemorrhaging internally. The doctor had said he was lucky to be alive. Buffy told herself that she was the lucky one.

“Buffy, please,” Willow insisted gently. “You haven’t left his side since you got here. You need a break.” Willow looked at her closely.

Buffy looked at her friend through tired eyes. “I can’t leave him, Will. I’m afraid…I want to be here when he wakes up. I want my smile to be the first thing he sees when he opens his eyes…” Her voice trailed off.

“I’m glad to see your face no matter what configuration it’s in,” a hoarse voice muttered from Buffy’s right.

She turned her head quickly and met Riley’s eyes. A wide smile lit her face.

“Riley,” she said through her tears. “I’m so glad you’re awake.” She stroked his forehead with one hand, and squeezed his hand in the other. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

Riley managed a smile. “Here I am. Do you think I could ever stay away from you?”

Buffy blinked, trying to push back the tears that were clouding her vision. She wanted to see him clearly.

“What happened? Did you get the son of a bitch?” Riley looked at her squarely.

Buffy didn’t want to go into it right now. She would tell him all about it later. Now was a time to rejoice.

She nodded. “Don’t worry about that now, Riley. Just concentrate on getting better.” She smiled down at him.

Willow was grinning from the doorway. “I’ll leave you two kids alone,” she said, turning from the doorway, leaving the two young lovers to their quiet celebration.

The End

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