Started: July 18, 2003
Finished: September 26, 2003
Last Episode Seen Before Writing: Chosen
Pairing: Willow/Riley, slight Angel/Cordelia
Rating: PG
Category: Romance, Drama, Buffy/Angel crossover
Spoilers: Chosen
Summary:
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or show, and am not making profit….damnit!
What Happened After
Riley showed up after Sunnydale caved in. He showed up after the Scoobies lost Anya, and Spike, and most of the potentials. Riley showed up after Willow became a goddess and the rest of the potentials became Slayers. He came to help save the world, but he was too late. It was saved without him.
But he didn't know that. All Riley saw when he got to Sunnydale was, well, a crater where Sunnydale should have been. Just a giant, charred hole. As if someone had stuck a pin in the city and it had deflated in upon itself. A massive crater devoid of anything, including human life.
When Riley saw it, his stomach dropped out. He was too late to help. He knew his friends were in the bottom of that crater. They had probably gone straight to the source, Sunnydale High, to rid the world of The First. From the looks of it, they had gone down fighting. Buffy, Willow, Xander, Dawn, Giles. They didn't take things lying down. They were always in the thick of it, right in the fight. And now, he was afraid it had cost them their lives.
So, he went to the one place he knew where he could get answers. Riley knew he wouldn't be welcome at Angel Investigations, but if Angel would only give him two seconds to tell him who had lived and who hadn't, he'd be forever grateful.
Riley made the two hour ride to LA in a record one hour. His car screeched to a halt outside of the massive Hyperion.
Willow was walking out of the back office, her eyes glued to a book in her hand as Riley came rushing in. "Angel Investigations, we help the hopeless," she said without looking up.
A wave of relief washed over Riley. "Willow!" he said, jogging to her and wrapping her in a bear hug, making her drop her book.
Willow let out a little shriek as Riley lifted her off the floor. "Good to see you again, too, Riley," she said with a little giggle, hugging him back.
Riley set her back down, blushing slightly. "Sorry, Will. I saw Sunnydale and I thought…" he trailed off, looking at her. His voice went soft. "Is Buffy…?"
Willow smiled reassuringly, leading Riley to the couch in the lobby. "She's fine. She and Dawnie went to Cleveland to help out with the hellmouthish badness there."
Riley nodded. "And everyone else?"
Willow looked down, then forced herself to look back at Riley. "We lost a lot of potentials, but everyone else is okay, except…"
Riley put a comforting hand on her back. "Except who, Will? Xander?"
"No! Xander's fine, more than fine. Perfectly fine," she said, pausing, her voice lowering. "But, uh, Anya and Spike… They didn't make it out."
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Willow," he sympathized, rubbing her back lightly.
Willow gave a small smile. "We couldn't have done it without them," she said, forcing a brighter smile. "So, what's up with you? It's been a while. Are you still Mr. Initiative? Where's Sam?"
Riley frowned, pulling his hand back. "We, uh, split up soon after we left Sunnydale," he said, glancing at Willow. "She wanted to quit, and I wasn't ready."
"Riley, I'm sorry," Willow said with a sympathetic smile.
"I think I knew it wouldn't work," he said with a shrug. "But, anyway, I'm out now. Decided to call it quits after a too-close run-in with a Goolac demon."
Before Willow could respond, Cordelia walked in, a grin spreading across her face when she noticed Willow talking comfortably with a guy on the couch. "Who's the hunk, Will? Is he boyfriendly?" she asked, giving Willow a teasing smile.
Willow blushed bright red. "No!" she said, not looking at Riley.
Cordelia's eyes widened. "Oh! Are you a client?" she asked, the same grin lighting up her eyes. "A paying client?"
Riley laughed lightly, standing and holding out his hand. "Riley Finn, and you are?"
"Cordelia Chase," she answered, shaking his hand with a charming smile.
"Cordy," Willow said quietly, giving her a "back off" look.
Cordelia pulled her hand back with an apologetic look. "Oh, sorry, didn't know he was off limits."
"Cordelia Chase," Riley repeated to himself, trying to suppress a smile. "Queen C. You're Xander's ex."
Cordelia made a face. "Riley Finn," she said, and you could almost see a light bulb go off over her head. "You're the guy Angel beat up on when he went to Sunnydale."
Riley made a face. "Yeah, that would be me."
Willow giggled. "Now that everyone knows each other," she said, turning to Riley. "Where are you staying?"
Cordelia stepped forward, giving Willow a wink. "You can stay here if you want. We're definitely not lacking in the rooms," she said, ignoring Willow's shocked look.
Riley smiled at Willow. "If it's alright with Angel, that would be great until I can find a place. I went to Sunnydale to help out, but that seems to be moot now."
"We could always use extra help around AI," Cordelia said, not backing down.
"Cordy!" Willow hissed under her breath.
Riley bit back a laugh. "Again, if it's okay with Angel."
"It will be. I have a lot of pull with LA's number one vampire," she said, taking his arm. "Willow can show you to a spare room. Can't you, Will?"
Willow blushed again. "Yep, I can definitely do that. It's what I do best! Okay, not what I do best because there's the researchy stuff and I'm definitely better at that, and I'm getting better with the big magicks-"
Cordelia cut her off. "Follow her, she can show you the way," she said, giving Willow another wink before going back into the office.