Description: A/U college fiction. Buffy moves far away to join her boyfriend William aka "Spike" at college. Things are going wonderfully for the couple and their tight nit group of friends when tragedy strikes. I'm not going to lie, this is going to be a pretty angsty story. However, I can promise that it will have a happy ending, and that's all I'm going to say.

Disclaimer: All characters relating to Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel the Series are property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and Fox. This story is written for entertainment purposes only and not for profit. In other words I am nothing, I own nothing, I have nothing...Please don't sue me :-)

Chapter 9

From Beneath You
it Devours

“Willow?” Buffy called out as she entered her room. “Willow, are you here?” Her only reply was silence. Crap! Buffy thought to herself. “I have had such a day, and I really need to talk to you damn it!” Buffy fussed out loud to no one. Sighing heavily she retreated to her bathroom to get ready for bed. She had an eight o’clock class in the morning, but she planned on getting up early and going to check out Willow and Tara’s old apartment. She doubted very seriously that she would find Willow there but it was worth a try. Buffy watched herself in the mirror as she brushed her teeth and reflected on the events of the afternoon. She had just had dinner with Riley and was going over the details of their conversation in her head.

Riley was born and raised in Iowa. His mother had moved he and his sister down to Georgia to escape their abusive father when he was nine and his sister was six. He graduated from high school outside metro-Atlanta and came to the University of Georgia where he was now studying to get his law degree. His sister, now nineteen, decided to stay in the city and attended Georgia State University located in the heart of Atlanta. Buffy told of her life in California. How she and her friends ruled Sunnydale High School, decided who was popular and what was cool. Varsity Cheerleading and the latest fashion trends molded her existence back then, right up until the time she met William. She told Riley how she hated him at first. He was a transfer student from England and she remembered how cocky and arrogant he seemed.

“All the girls wanted him, so of course I thought he was revolting,” Buffy laughed at the memory. “He could tell that I hated him and of course that just made his ego get ruffled and he made a habit of getting under my skin.”

“Sounds like a typical adolescent romance,” Riley smiled. “You know the one where you run up to him, knock the hell out of him and then run away. That’s how you know it’s love.” Riley sighed as he clutched his heart in mock sarcasm.

Buffy smiled weakly and nodded. “Exactly, she agreed. He used to make it a point to come by my locker every morning with some sort of wisecrack or another, my favorite was: ‘Gee Summers, I don’t know what everyone is talking about, that outfit doesn’t make you look like a hooker,’ and he would always walk away with that ridiculous smirk of his before I had a chance to say anything. It didn’t take him long to win me over, though.”

“So what changed?” Riley asked curiously.

“We got stuck doing our senior project together. We worked on it day in and day out and eventually...you know,” Buffy trailed off taking a sip of her soda. “He was my first love.” She could feel a lump rising in her throat and her eyes were beginning to water.

“Buffy,” Riley sighed heavily. “I can’t begin to tell you how sorry I am. I-”

“Riley,” Buffy interrupted him feeling the tears beginning to well. “Please don’t.”

“No,” he countered. “No, I need to tell you this. Buffy, I don’t know what you must think of me. I know that if I were you I’d hate me right now. I want to tell you what happened that night.”

“Riley, please” Buffy pleaded. “I can’t.”

“Please just hear me out,” Riley continued. “I don’t know what you were told about that night; about what happened but I want a chance to explain.”

Buffy nodded in response. She had to admit she was just a little bit curious. Part of her was screaming at her that she should hate him for what he had taken from her. The other part was so tired and so numb that she just didn’t think she had the energy to feel anything, much less hate someone.

“I’m sure that the police report would say that I was driving recklessly, and I’m the first to admit that I was. I wasn’t drunk. I’m not one of those people that get behind the wheel and goes nuts, I’m really not. That night I was on my way to Atlanta. I had just gotten a call from Jenna, my sister. She was crying, hysterical really. Her boyfriend had come home and they had gotten into a fight, which is pretty normal. Well, this time it escalated even further and he beat her. I don’t mean he just slapped her around, that’s bad enough; I mean he beat the shit out of her. Broke two of her ribs, and her nose. She was so scared and crying so hard when I talked to her she could barely tell me what happened. I lost it Buffy; I had to get to her. I know that I shouldn’t have gotten behind the wheel in that state of mind but I had to...” Riley had to stop to swallow the lump in his throat. His voice was now thick with emotion. He looked up at Buffy with unshed tears in his eyes and said, “ I will never be able to give back what I took from you.” With that, Riley let his emotions take over and began to shake with the force of his own tears.

“Shh, Riley,” Buffy reached out and took his hand to try to soothe him. “You don’t have to do this. The truth is if anyone is to blame for the accident it’s me. William and I had a pretty big fight that night. He asked me to drive and I did which was probably a big mistake because Buffy and cars are not very mixy when I’m in a right state of mind, much less all wiggy from an argument. I was trying to make nice with him and wasn’t exactly paying attention to what I was doing. Honestly, I never even saw you until it was too late. If I had been paying attention I could have-”

“No Buffy,” Riley interrupted squeezing her hand. “Don’t blame yourself, I told you it’s my-”

“I have an idea,” Buffy again interrupted wiping the tears that were now flowing freely down her cheeks. “Why don’t we make a promise to ourselves and to each other?”

“What’s that?” Riley asked releasing her hand and wiping his own face.

“We’ll stop with the blame game. And that means we don’t blame each other or ourselves. What do you say to that?”

“I’d say that you’ve got yourself a deal.” Riley smiled and attempted to take Buffy’s hand again. He was only slightly surprised when she pulled back away from him.

“Sorry!” Buffy exclaimed noticing his surprise. “It’s just that here lately I haven’t been really big with the touchy-feeley.” Riley nodded and Buffy could see a hint of disappointment in his eyes. “Riley,” Buffy started looking intently into his eyes. “I feel the need to be totally honest with you. I don’t know when I’m going to be ready for the touchy-feeley again, or if I ever will be. Does that make sense?”

“It does,” Riley replied nodding in agreement.

“But, I could always use another friend.” Buffy continued. “I mean you can never have too many of those, right?”

He looked at her and smiled. “No, I guess not.”

Buffy finished brushing her teeth and changed into her Yummy Sushi pajamas. When she was finally ready she climbed up into her loft and into bed. Once she was under the covers she turned off her bedside lamp. She lay there in the quiet dark for a few minutes before reaching under her pillow and taking out William’s t-shirt. She brought the fabric to her nose and inhaled deeply. She could still make out his faint scent. As she bunched the shirt up and cradled it against her body her lips curled into a smile. She drifted off to sleep remembering the words that Father Angel had spoken to her just that afternoon.

“I think he’s still trying to save you.”

***

“Willow, are you in there?” Buffy looked down at her watch and knocked on the door again. She had about ten minutes before she had to get to class. She really hadn’t expected to find Willow here, but it felt like the only place that she hadn’t tried.

“Do you need some help Miss?” An older and almost creepy voice asked from behind her, causing Buffy to jump slightly.

“Oh my gosh,” Buffy gasped. “You startled me.”

“I’m Mr. Snyder, the landlord here. I live next door and I heard a lot of commotion, and thought I’d come see if there was a problem.”

“Um, well...” Buffy stammered. “My friend used to live here and she’s...well...she’s missing, and I thought that maybe I’d find her here. Have you seen her? Willow Rosenberg?”

“No, I can’t say that I have.” Mr. Snyder replied looking Buffy up and down. She suddenly felt very uncomfortable under his gaze and decided it was time for her to go.

“Well thanks. If you see her could you tell her that a friend came by?” With that, Buffy turned and began to walk down the stairs of the apartment complex.

“Oh, I don’t think I’ll be seeing Ms. Rosenberg again,” Snyder called after her. “I haven’t seen her since the accident.”

When Buffy heard this, she stopped halfway down the steps and turned to look back at the smug little man who was now staring intently at her. “How did you-”

“Truth is,” Snyder continued “She’s gone on ahead of you.” Snyder paused a moment as he broke off into laughter. “Not hardly helpful,” he said as he continued in hysterics.

“Excuse me?” Buffy asked fear welling up inside of her.

Snyder’s laughter came to a serious halt and he stared icily at Buffy. “If you hurry, you can catch up with her, but you need to hurry and go to them.”

“Go to who?” Buffy asked.

“To them, silly girl,” he replied inching closer to the staircase. “ Go now before it’s too late. There is nothing for you here now. All of this,” he said as he gestured wildly with his arms, “is nothing. It’s inside you and soon it will come tumbling in death, and screaming, horror and bloodshed.” He paused for a moment and pointed down to the ground tilting his head slightly as he said only loud enough for Buffy to hear, “ From beneath you it devours, and if you don’t go soon you too will be consumed.”

That was all Buffy needed to hear. She took off down the stairs and ran the short distance back to campus, never pausing to look behind her.

***

Buffy made it to class with five minutes to spare. She paused just outside the door to her history lecture and let out a gasping breath. What the friggin’ hell was that all about? Note to self, when you see Will again KILL HER! Stupid crazy landlord man. Buffy was torn from her thoughts by a familiar voice.

“Buffy, there you are.”

“Hey Anya,” Buffy smiled.

“I knocked on your door this morning. Xander and I went to breakfast and we thought you might like to join us, but you weren’t there. Were you having orgasms?” Anya asked with a devilish grin.

“What?” Buffy asked, No, I just-”

“Because if you were, that would be totally fine,” Anya recovered. “I was just surprised that you weren’t there and-”

“I went to go look for Willow,” Buffy clarified grinning at her yammering friend.

“Still no sign of her?” Anya asked.

“Nothing,” Buffy sighed. “I went to her old apartment to see if maybe she was there. I figured it was a long shot, but you never know. Well, now I know and knowing means no Willow.”

“She’ll turn up,” Anya tried to reassure her. “Have you tried her Mom’s?”

“Not yet,” Buffy answered. “ I didn’t want to worry Mrs. Rosenberg unnecessarily, you know, just in case she hadn’t heard from her either.”

“I can understand that,” Anya nodded. “But maybe she went home, this has been a stressful couple of months.”

“Maybe,” Buffy replied uncertainly. “Well, we’d better grab our seats, I’m thinking it’s about to start.” Buffy and Anya headed into the lecture hall and took their seat.

Buffy and Anya sat relatively close to the back of the room. They each took out their books and turned to the page the professor requested. About thirty minutes into the lecture Buffy began to get bored. Okay, okay Renaissance period, poets, nature and naked people...is the clock even moving? She thought to herself. Buffy was seriously considering getting up and skipping the end of the lecture when she heard it. It was so soft she had to strain her ears, but she could make out the sound of music playing ever so softly in the back ground.

A hundred days had made me older since the last time that I saw your pretty face
A thousand lights had made me colder and I don’t think I can look at this the same
But all the miles had separate
They disappeared now when I’m dreaming of your face.

She turned around in her seat to see if maybe the person behind or beside her had a radio or Walkman. She didn’t see anyone, but could clearly hear the music as it continued to play,

I’m here without you baby but you’re still on my lonely mind
I think about you baby and I dream about you all the time
I’m here without you baby but you’re still with me in my dreams
And tonight it’s only you and me

“What the hell?” Buffy asked out loud to no one.

“Huh?” Anya whispered.

“Nothing,” Buffy replied still listening to the music. It was steadily becoming louder. She continued to look around the room to see some sign that someone else could hear it. All the other students were busy paying attention to the professor’s lecture, scribbling madly in their notebooks.

Everything I know, and anywhere I go
It gets hard but it won’t take away my love
And when the last one falls, when it’s all said and done
It gets hard but it won’t take away my love.

“Do you hear that?” Buffy asked as she turned to Anya.

“Hear what?”

“That music, do you hear it?” Buffy repeated.

I’m here without you baby but you’re still on my lonely mind
I think about you baby and I dream about you all the time
I’m here without you baby but you’re still with me in my dreams
And tonight girl it’s only you and me.

“I don’t hear any music,” Anya answered. “What song is it?”

“It’s...” Buffy trailed off as she listened to the words in her head.

I’m here without you baby but you’re still on my lonely mind
I think about you baby and I dream about you all the time
I’m here without you baby but you’re still with me in my dreams
But tonight girl it’s only you and me

“You know,” Buffy stated collecting her books and her bag. “I’m not feeling too well. I think I’m going to duck out of here. Will you come by tonight and give me the notes?”

“Sure thing,” Anya replied. “Take care, Buffy.”

Buffy smiled at her friend as she hurried out of the lecture hall. She practically ran to the doors that lead from the History building out into a small courtyard and parked herself on a bench just outside. She was breathing heavily trying to process what had just happened. Someone had to have been listening to a radio, that was the only logical explanation. But, then again, her life seemed to have abandoned all that was logical lately. Her mind began to wander back to when she had first heard that song. The dance she and William shared. Making love to him in what was to be their bed. She felt suffocated. Quietly, Buffy wished for the one thing, that a few months ago seemed to surround her, and was now so far out of reach: some sort of peace.

***

Buffy walked quietly back to her room. She didn’t notice the tears that had begun to fall, so she didn’t bother to wipe them away. As she neared her dorm she saw a familiar figure in front of her.

“Buffy?” Riley called still a short distance away.

Afraid to speak, she could only mutely wave in reply. Riley jogged the distance between them smiling.

“ I thought I’d see if you wanted to go for a cup of- what’s wrong?” He quickly changed the subject when he noticed her tears.

“Nothing,” she replied quickly, still not bothering to wipe her face. “Just, bad day.”

“Are you okay?” he asked, placing a concerned hand on her shoulder.

“I will be, I just want to get home and rest a little.” With that, she began to walk away from him. He quickly caught up to her.

“Well I’ll just walk you to your room, make sure you get in okay.”

“Riley that’s really not necessary,” she replied coldly. “Look I’m almost there.”

“I know it’s not necessary,” he replied. “I want to.”

“Suit yourself.”

They walked the rest of the distance in silence. When they reached O-House Riley held the door open for Buffy and was slightly held up by a stream of students just coming back from the dining hall. Buffy didn’t wait for him and continued on to her room. She reached the door and slowly took out her key. When she unlocked the door she called out,

“Willow? Willow, Please be here.” There was no answer and Buffy felt defeated. She collapsed onto the floor in wailing sobs, crying out to whoever would listen. “Please help me.”

***

Buffy woke in her old bedroom, in Sunnydale. She sat up and took in her surroundings. It looked just the way she left it. The house was quiet, and she listened intently for a familiar sound but heard none. “Mom?” she called out. When there was no reply she shrugged her shoulders and assumed her mother had gone out of town on another one of her buying trips. Buffy felt safe. She was home and here nothing could hurt her. That’s when she heard it, the front door was flung open and slammed shut swiftly, shaking the house as it did so. Buffy sat up further in her bed and grabbed her comforter pulling it over her pajama clad body. She strained her ears as she listened, footsteps. She could hear foot steps climbing the staircase. Thick heavy footsteps, the sound they made chilled her to the bone. She frantically looked to her bedside table and grabbed her phone. 9*1*1* she dialed into the phone. When she put the earpiece up to her all she could hear was a busy signal. “Shit!” Buffy exclaimed as she slammed down the phone. The footsteps were getting closer and she thought about hiding or jumping out the window, but she was paralyzed with fear and couldn’t move. She heard the footsteps come to a stop right outside her door, and her breath caught in her chest as she saw the gold door knob turn very slowly. The door opened and she had to shield her eyes to the light behind it. She could make out a man’s form silhouetted against the light and tried to discern any details that she could. That’s when she heard him.

“Buffy, Luv, I’ve been looking for you.” He stepped away from the door and she was able to focus on him.

“William?” Buffy breathed. “You scared me.”

“Shh, Pet. I didn’t mean to scare you, baby. I knew I’d find you here,” he whispered as he walked to the side of the bed. When he reached her, he slowly ran his thumb across her cheek, catching a stray hair that had fallen into her face, and he tucked it behind her ear. She closed her eyes when he made contact with her skin, breathing in his essence.

“Mmm,” she sighed, “I’ve missed you.”

“I miss you, so much. It feels so good to touch you baby,” he whispered as he placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. Buffy took advantage of his closeness and pulled him down to her.

“You’re too far away,” she whispered as she kissed him soundly on the lips. Her tongue darted out, licking his bottom lip, begging him to let her in. He responded instantly and opened up to her. Their tongues danced slowly around each other as William climbed into bed with her. They broke the kiss when air became an issue and Buffy laid her head upon his chest, nuzzling his warmth.

“You feel good,” she whispered.

“Not as good as you, love.”

She looked up into his eyes and noticed they were glistening with unshed tears. “William,” she breathed as she reached up and traced the outline of his face with her index finger. He closed his eyes and relished the feel of her touch. A single tear slid down his cheek and she caught it with the pad of her thumb.

“No tears,” she whispered softly.

“It feels so good to have you here, like this,” William sighed, his voice quaking with emotion. “I wish you’d come home love, to me, to us...”

“Shh,” she interrupted, placing a finger over his lips to quiet him. “Can’t we just be here, where it’s safe and it’s just us?”

He smiled at her and bent down to catch her lips in a passionate kiss. Buffy broke the kiss first, her skin was slightly flushed, and her lips were swollen from kisses. She leaned toward him and placed feather light kisses along his jaw line. “I love you,” she breathed as she placed an open mouthed kiss at the base of his neck.

“Buffy,” he gasped.

Buffy worked her way to his ear tugging lightly on the lobe with her teeth. “William?” she breathed quietly.

“Yes love.”

“Make love to me.”

William pushed her back slightly so that she was facing him. She looked deep into his eyes and thought that he was going to push her away.

“I’m sorry, I thought-”

“Shh,” he reached out to her and slowly began to unbutton the top to her pajamas. Never breaking eye contact, he removed her shirt. Buffy was panting with want as she stared into his eyes. She leaned in to kiss him softly as she began to tug at his t-shirt. Once she had freed the hem of his shirt from his jeans, she slowly lifted it over his head, breaking their kiss to discard the material. He breathed heavily as he ran the palm of his hand down her cheek, then her neck to her collarbone and eventually finding his target, he cupped her right breast in his hand. She hissed at the contact, and arched into his hand. He slowly licked her neck starting from her collarbone and ending at the base of her chin.

“I want you,” he whispered huskily.

“I’m yours,” she replied.

William gently grabbed Buffy’s waist and turned her so that she was now laying on the bed beneath him. Without a word he began to untie the belt to her pajama bottoms. When he had them loose, he slowly removed them along with the cotton underwear she wore underneath. Once she was completely bared to him, he sat back in awe of her.

“You are so bloody beautiful,” he exclaimed as he showered her body with kisses. “So sweet,” he sighed as he kissed her bellybutton. He ran his hands up and down her sides and smiled when he felt the goose bumps appear upon her skin. One of William’s hands found his way to her heat and lightly caressed her.

“William,” Buffy gasped when she felt his hand come in contact with her. “Please, I need you,” she begged.

He smiled lovingly at her as his finger began to slowly trace circles around her throbbing clit. Buffy writhed beneath him, panting and gasping for breath. She had suddenly lost the ability to think, the only words that she could form were a faint, “Don’t stop.” William continued his ministrations until she was almost to the edge. He could feel her body beginning to quake and he quickly pulled away from her. Buffy groaned in protest and opened her eyes at the loss of contact. She could see him standing beside her bed as he quickly removed the rest of his clothing. When he stood naked before her, she reached out to him, beckoning him to join her. He slowly climbed up her body until his eyes met hers in a comfortable gaze. He leaned down and kissed her, pushing her legs apart with his knee, positioning himself at her opening. When he broke the kiss he softly rested his forehead against hers. He pushed into her slowly, his gaze never leaving hers.

“Oh God,” she cried when he was fully sheathed inside of her.

“You okay luv?” he asked shakily, fighting for control.

“I love you,” was her only reply.

William kissed her passionately as he began to slowly thrust in and out of her. Buffy moaned slightly at the feel of him inside her and he took the opportunity to run his tongue along the top of her teeth. One hand moved between their bodies and cupped one of her breasts, gently tracing the circle of her nipple as they moved together.

“William,” she gasped.

“God Pet, you feel so bloody good. Love you so much,” he panted as he quickened his pace. Buffy lifted her hips to meet his thrusts and he cried out, “Yes baby, move with me, just like that. I love you. Tell me that you love me.”

“I love you.”

“Tell me you’re mine baby, tell me there’s no one else and that you’ll always be mine.”

“No one else,” Buffy gasped. “ Could never be anyone else; you...ahh..you’re my everything.” Buffy could feel herself nearing the edge and she closed her eyes trying to fight it off. William could feel her holding back. He reached between them and traced light circles on her clit again.

“Don’t hold back baby, need you to come with me.”

“Oh God!” Buffy exclaimed. “William....I....”

“That’s it baby, come on.” That was all the encouragement Buffy needed she plummeted over the edge screaming his name. When he felt her quiver around him he followed, burying his head in the crook of her neck. When their breathing started to return to normal, he looked up into her eyes, and still sheathed inside her he kissed her lightly on the forehead. Buffy could feel him begin to pull away and she quickly tightened her grip around his neck.

“Stay with me, please, just until I fall asleep?”

William smiled lovingly at her and kissed her forehead again. “I’ll stay with you love.” He slowly pulled out of her and moved her so that he could cradle her in his arms. “Always,” he whispered and kissed the top of her head as she drifted off to sleep.

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