The Ties Between Us - Part II:
Foregone Conclusions
by Ducks
Warning: Contains Spoilers for All four seasons of Buffy, and the first of Angel. There. You're warned. Actually? Nothing after Doomed has really happened, with the exception of Expecting on Angel.
Rating: We'll leave it at R…'till somebody gets naked or dismembered or something.
Disclaimer: *Ducks gives the reader a funny look* You're kidding, right?
Dedication: To Marc Blucas, 'cause DAMN does he have some shoes to fill! And to Harpy, who continually keeps hope alive for all of us Joss-beaten B/A shippers.
Special Thanks to Anja, who gives the best feedback an overworked, underpaid fanfic writer could ever ask for. And, honey? You could never beg too much for B/A interaction...
A Little Note/Disclaimer: I am NOT a B/R shipper… although, I must confess to rather liking the boy, himself… he's awfully cute in a corn-fed, aw-shucks kind of way. I just don't like him with Buffy. I'll write a rant about this at some point, but… for now? I am the B/A Enforcer, after all! No matter who these two fool around with or what Joss foists on us as far as new relationships for them go, I sincerely believe in the B/A Pairing!
Summary: Buffy is pregnant with Angel's child after the events of I Will Remember You. It seems that the Oracles forgot a little something when they swallowed Angel's day of humanity, and that mistake almost killed Buffy. Now her life is sent her life into a blinding tailspin. Just as she's recovering from her near-death, and the shock of discovering what happened between her and Angel at Thanksgiving, she finds she has some even tougher adjustments to make, and more dangerous things to worry about.
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Chapter One: Uncomfortable Homecoming
Buffy sighed, relaxing deeper into her bed. It was so good to be home, she thought she might like to curl up under the covers and sleep for a week.
But there was so much to think about… to do… to decide. Her mind reeled, and though her body was exhausted, her consciousness just didn't seem to want to fade.
A baby. She was having a baby. That fact in itself was enough of a blockbuster. There was never any question in her mind that she would have it, even before she knew for certain it was Angel's.
Angel… blockbuster #2. She hadn't seen him in the four days since he had come to the hospital, with the incredible story of his brief stint as a human, and the day they'd spent together that had brought her here. Even knowing the story, she still didn't understand it. And some part of her could barely believe it. But her instincts, and the new life growing inside of her confirmed that it must be so. What other explanation could there be?
She shook that thought immediately out of her head... never tempt fate on the Hellmouth.
She looked over at the virtual forest of flowers, plants, and mylar balloons that crowded her room. An unopened ivory card lay on her nightstand, and she fingered it lovingly before she opened it:
"I'm glad you're both okay. Love, Riley"
She blinked. Riley… she hadn't seen him at all since she'd regained consciousness. Not that she blamed him. Willow had told her how Riley had wakened in the hospital waiting room to overhear Angel talking about what had really happened on Thanksgiving. How he'd made some flimsy excuse and stormed out…
Buffy felt worst of all about hurting Riley, who had never been anything but kind and giving to her. She had really come to care about him in the few months they'd been dating… She'd even begun to dare imagining a future they might share together. And now this?
She should have known better. She was the Slayer, and whatever Riley's chosen vocation, she knew full well that brining normal humans into her world only resulted in one thing: pain.
Buffy closed her eyes. None of this was going to be simple.
But what in her life ever was?
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"Card Patrol!" Xander called happily as he entered the room. He stooped over Buffy and kissed her quickly on the forehead. "And how's our little mommy today?" He chirped, grinning, as he tossed a paper bag packed with junk food beside her on the bed.
Buffy immediately began rummaging through it, and dragged out a package of Ho-Ho's. It wasn't what she was hungry for, but it would do, for now…" BORED!" She snapped, "I'm so bored I could shoot myself!" She lamented.
"Now, now…" Xander chided her, "Two weeks, flat on your back. Doctor's orders."
She glared at him, her eyes wild.
"Hence, the cards!" He went on, pulling a dog-eared deck from his pocket, "Guess strip poker's out…"
Buffy's glare deepened.
"Har har!" Xander laughed, "How about Gin?"
Buffy sighed and said nothing, but turned to stare back out the window. Xander stopped shuffling when he realized he'd lost his audience.
"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked gently.
"No." Buffy said firmly. "I don't. Tell me what's going on out there." She said, nodding toward the open window.
"Ah. Out there." Xander said, as if he'd forgotten where it was, "Willow actually got a real, live B on her chem exam, which of course is worse than any Armageddon the minions of Hell might dream up; and Oz bought a new amp, which I'm pretty certain could double as a sonic weapon if we ever needed one. And Anya is still all pissed off that she can't find a comfortable pair of running shoes…"
"Xander!" Buffy interrupted him, "I meant SLAYING! What's going on with Slaying?!"
"Oh… right." He said, patting her hand, "Have no fear, Nighthawk's here."
Buffy shot him a look.
"Well, I've got help. We're covered, don't worry." He said.
"Tell me…" Buffy hissed.
So, despite Xander's so-called "better judgment", he told her the gang's plan. They rotated patrols in teams made up of at least one supernatural type (i.e. Angel or Spike), and several human ones. Wesley and Cordy had arrived in town just the day before to help out.
"It's like old times." Xander said wistfully, "But… you know, without you…"
Buffy frowned.
"And believe me, it's just not the same!" He added over-cheerfully.
"You're being careful, right?" Buffy asked him.
"Careful! Absolutely! You'd be amazed how well we've got everything working…" Xander squeezed the deck of cards too hard, and sent them flying all over the room.
As she watched them flutter to the floor, she thought, 'At least Angel's with them. He won't let anything happen…'
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Cordy could smell his hair from across the room. She'd been sure that Wesley's mystique and allure would have worn off by now, after they'd worked together for so many months. But it hadn't. She still got all tingly inside, watching he and Giles noisily bickering over their books.
Cordelia found (much to her surprise and chagrin) that it was good to be back in Sunnydale, working with the old team again. She liked being surrounded by smiling, busy, human faces for a change… and Wesley didn't always count. She loved Angel dearly -- he'd become the closest friend she'd ever had -- but since Doyle died, he'd been even more Woe & Angst than usual.
Optimism. Hope. Those were the things her old high school friends had… and now she was starting to catch it too, for the first time in a long time.
She got up and joined Angel at the bar. He was reading, as usual. Some old, decrepit book in some language she doubted even Giles would understand.
"Only one message." She handed him her slip of scrap paper.
"Kate…" he read, and thought, simultaneously.
"Yup. Just thanking you for the tip on Blue Leo… and to let you know things are under control there." Cordelia said.
He nodded. Good. Nothing going on in L.A. that couldn't wait.
Couldn't wait until what? That had been the question that had distracted him from his reading all day. How long was he planning on remaining in Sunnydale, and what were his reasons… his real reasons… for staying? His brain thought it knew the answers, of course: As long as he was needed, and because Buffy needed him. But the constant throbbing sensation in the general vicinity of his long dead heart made him second-guess himself. Did she really need him? And more specifically, did she want him, there?
Angel almost groaned when Cordy plunked down on the stool next to him. Whatever was about to come out of her mouth, he was relatively certain he wasn't in the mood for it.
"So. What are you going to do?" She asked, fixing her big, nosy eyes on him.
She'd probably be appalled to know how predictable she was.
"About what?" He asked innocently. Sometimes, playing dumb helped. She would just get frustrated and go away.
"Duh. About the baby." It never worked when the news was this big and juicy, though…
He looked up at her. "It's not up to me." He said simply.
Cordy cocked a perfectly plucked eyebrow at him, "Um… aren't you 50% shareholder?"
Angel gave her his best "please go away" look, which she ignored. He sighed. "It's not a piece of property in Acapulco, Cordelia. It's a child."
She rolled her eyes. "I know that. But, it is yours, right? So, what do you want to do? What are you going to do? There are things to think about, here… showers and baby clothes and stuff…"
Angel turned back to his book. "That's up to Buffy." He said, hoping this time it sounded dismissive.
"That's it?" Cordy said, aghast, "But you're the father!"
Angel snapped the book shut. "Cordelia. Listen to me very carefully. What happens now is Buffy's decision. Period. And I don't want to talk about it anymore. Okay?"
Cordelia raised her hands in surrender, "Okay, okay! Jeeze! I was just trying to help!"
"Thank you." Angel said, "But don't."
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Riley performed the familiar functions automatically, while his mind wandered elsewhere. He pulled and pushed, polished and clicked, over and over again, exactly the way he had a thousand times before.
"Ri. Riley…" Forest's voice brought him back from dark, irrational thoughts about vampire babies…
"Huh? Sorry." He said, setting the M-16 down at his feet.
"Do I even want to know where you are?" His friend asked.
"No." Riley answered flatly, "You really don't."
"I'm thinking it has something to do with a certain blonde whose name begins with B-U-F-F-Y…" he teased.
Riley not only didn't smile, he seemed to sag into his huge frame.
"That bad?" Forest said, suddenly concerned about his usually cheerful C.O.
Riley snorted bitterly. "Worse. Much worse." He said, putting locking down the rifle and sliding it back into its black field case.
"Want to tell me about it?" Forest said.
Riley looked at his best friend for a few moments. For all his bluster and obnoxious-ness, Forest was always there for him. Riley had been lying to him for so long now, he could barely keep his story straight anymore. It was hard to know how much he could say without blowing Buffy's cover… or contradicting his own earlier stories.
On the simplest level, Riley was a man, hurt and confused by the behavior of a woman he cared about, and he needed to talk to someone who wasn't tied by blood or life debt to Buffy.
"She's pregnant." He said finally.
Forest froze, staring at him in wide-eyed disbelief. "What? She's… what?"
Riley looked back down at the perfectly clean and shining floor. "You heard me."
Forest let out an exasperated sigh, and ran his hand over his smooth head. "Yeah, but I was hoping I didn't. Man…" he said, "That's… man."
Riley nodded. A clear picture of the vampire he had seen in the hospital a few days ago formed in his mind. He still couldn't wrap his brain around anything about this situation, and it was driving him crazy. He felt worn out, frazzled, and confused all the time, about all but the simplest things.
"Man." Forest repeated.
Silence hung between the two men for a while. Forest was really surprised -- he'd always thought Riley was Mr. Ultra-Conservative-Wait-For-A-Serious-Commitment-Guy…
"What are you going to do?" he asked finally.
Riley frowned. "I honestly don't know." As he got up to lock his rifle in the weapons cabinet, he wished desperately that he could tell his friend all of the gory details. Maybe a different perspective -- a neutral perspective-- was exactly what he needed to help him see more clearly. Or, at the very least, it would help him muster the courage to at least go and see Buffy…
He felt like the worst kind of coward. She needed him more than ever, now, and he couldn't even put aside his pride (his embarrassment, really) enough to go and look her in the face. He had sent flowers, but…
The truth of the situation was too much for him to bear alone. He got up took a quick look up and down the hall to make sure no one was around, then shut the locker room door.
"Forest…" he said quietly. Against his better judgment, he just had to lean on someone. And after all they'd been through together, he knew in his heart that he could trust Forest.
His friend looked up at him. "Yeah?"
Riley sat on the bench beside him, and folded his hands. "There's more. A lot more. But I need to know that I can trust you. Nobody can know about any of this, and I mean nobody -- not even Professor Walsh. Especially Professor Walsh. A lot of lives depend on this staying a secret."
Forest stared at him, but didn't hesitate, "You have my word, brother."
Riley nodded. "Do you remember, a while back, when I asked you about the Slayer?"
Forest cocked an eyebrow, "Yeah, and I remember telling you it was all a bunch of fairy tale bunk."
"Yeah, you did. But it's not."
Forest's other eyebrow joined the first. "Are you serious? Have you been taking something?"
Riley shook his head. "No, Forest, I'm serious. The Slayer does exist."
"You've been watching too much TV." Forest mumbled, despite the fact that he knew full well Riley never watched any television at all.
"I'm serious!" Riley snapped. Forest jumped a little. It was rare for Finn to raise his voice or lose his cool, even a little.
"Okay. Alright…" Forest said defensively.
Riley bowed his head, running his large hand through his sandy hair. "I know the legends are true, because I know her."
Realization sharpened Forest's features, "Buffy…" he said, his mind unable to believe what his ears told him Riley was saying.
Riley nodded.
"You're kidding." Forest said, "Please say you're kidding…"
"I wish I were." Riley said softly, "But that's not even the hardest part to believe."
He told Forest everything he knew about Buffy and her demon-hunting friends, about her lover, the vampire with a soul, and what had happened at Thanksgiving. He felt a twinge of guilt at sharing all of these private things about Buffy, but he couldn't seem to stop once he'd begun.
Forest went from incredulous, to amazed and back again several times as he listened to his friends' lament.
"Incredible." He said when Riley was done, "Man… I can't believe it… Little tiny Buffy? Demons with Souls? It sounds like something out of Grimm…"
"I know." Riley said, "I've seen it all, Forest… or at least I thought I had… and now, to find out all this?"
"Kind of sets your reality into a tailspin, huh?" Forest said, feeling that way himself. But hey, when he was a kid, he'd never believed demons and monsters were real, either. Now he knew better. Why not this too? "What are you going to do?"
Riley closed his eyes. "I have no idea. I don't even know what I think about it all yet."
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Graham backed away from the door. His head was spinning from everything he'd just overheard. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop, at first… he'd only wanted to grab a sweatshirt out of his locker. But he heard Riley mention the Slayer, and he just had to know.
The Slayer not only existed, she was dating his own C.O.! And now she was pregnant… an interesting fact in itself… but by a vampire with a soul?
He could barely hold back from sprinting down the hall. Someone had to know this -- all of this -- immediately. He struggled to keep both his cool and his even pace as he headed for Walsh's office.
This could change everything for the Initiative… and for his own career. Graham could barely believe Riley would betray them so by not reporting this to begin with.
But… that didn't matter now, Graham thought. Maggie Walsh was going to be thanking him for a long time to come.
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Chapter Two: When One Door Closes...
He stayed back, out of the full view of the window, so he could watch her. He'd sat in this very spot, in the V of the tree limbs, in better times and in worse. Many, many times. He never ceased to be paralyzed by the sight of her… he was always enthralled by the steel beauty of her every graceful movement.
She still kept Slayer's hours, even now that she was confined to her bed. He knew she was bored to tears… he could see it in the way she seemed to fidget constantly, flipping the TV on and off, getting up to move some small thing or another, then laying back down again. It was always worst in the darkest part of the night -- that time when her body and five years of habit were telling her she should be out hunting. Even now that she seemed to be sleeping peacefully, he could feel the tension surrounding her. She was probably dreaming about the hunt, too.
Angel knew the call intimately. That driving need to move, to act, to do something. Whether it was to protect the innocent… to stop the minions of Hell… to blow off steam, or to stave off the pain of unanswerable questions, unbearable thoughts, and painful memories, he wasn't certain. But whatever the motivation, the hunter was always irresistibly drawn to the hunt.
Since Buffy had been home, he'd come by every night around this time, in those dark hours before the dawn... Once upon a time, he would have been walking her home; stealing kisses through the very window he peered into now, watching her sleep… watching the even rise and fall of her chest.
They were so young, then… so innocent, in spite of who they were and what they did at night. For a time, Angel had almost believed he was young again -- young and alive in the warmth of her smile. For the first time in 200 years, he'd had some hope, because of her.
And now that hope lay sleeping, growing, thriving in Buffy's womb. An unbelievable miracle… Even if he never lay eyes on his child, never held it in his arms, he would know that it lived… that a beautiful manifestation of who he and Buffy might have been would walk the earth, carrying on his blood -- his human blood --a hope he'd never thought to entertain once he had ended his line with his own hand more than two centuries ago…
"Hey…" her soft voice came from the window, startling him from his thoughts.
Some guardian…
"Hey." He said.
Buffy smiled at him. "Why don't you come in? I don't care what you say, that tree can't be comfortable."
She moved away from the window, disappearing into the shadows of her room. Angel hesitated. He hadn't meant to come face to face with her again so soon… he wanted her to have the time and space she would need to rest and heal and process everything.
"Are you coming?" she said from the dark.
He climbed in the window like he had a thousand times before, and looked around the room. It hadn't really changed much, either… with the exception of the explosion of brightly colored flowers that decorated every surface.
A great many people cared a great deal about this woman…
Buffy patted the bed next to her, and he sat. He searched her face slowly for some sign of what she might feel about his presence there, but her expression held her secrets, telling him nothing.
"I didn't mean to wake you." He said.
"You didn't. I wasn't really sleeping…" she looked away, "I knew you were there."
He nodded. The tie between them had always been thus… that no matter where they were or what they were doing, no matter how many other beings might populate the room, they could always feel one another. They were partners in every way…had shared so much that words were hardly ever necessary, between them.
Which was good, considering Angel always found it hard to speak when he was around her, even after all these years. Especially now, that they had been separated for so long.
"How are you feeling?" He asked.
Buffy sighed. "Sore. Tired. Pregnant…" she said, "You know, I don't know why I didn't notice the signs before… I thought I just needed to eat better, get more rest, and then I'd stop feeling so fat and sick and slow all the time…"
Angel half-smiled. "Well, how were you to know? None of this ever should have happened."
Buffy didn't answer, but strained to see his face, shrouded by the shadows of the room.
"No, I guess not…" she said uncertainly, "But, you know, I've been thinking a lot… and maybe this was meant to be… from the beginning…"
Angel remembered the feeling of being knocked flat by this little girl… the pavement grating his back and her high-heeled boot crushing his chest as she glared down at him in the dark alley behind the Bronze…
"Maybe…" he said. But he didn't believe it. He felt once again, in his heart, that this was something he had done to her, like all the other things he had done to make her unhappy before.
"How do you feel about… all this?" She asked softly.
He was a little taken aback. He wasn't sure how he felt. He hadn't had the time or the strength to spend much time thinking about it, beyond the fact that come what may, he would support her.
"I don't know." He said honestly.
Buffy stared at him, "You don't know how you feel about being a father?"
Father. Angel rolled the word around in his mind. For a moment, he thought of his own father, and their troubled relationship. "I never thought it was possible…" he told her.
"No. I guess I didn't either. With me, I mean… I thought… Slayers don't usually live long enough to have kids. And… the idea of having them with you…" she let her voice trail off for a moment, unable, or perhaps unwilling, to go there, "And even if I thought I might… how good of an idea can it be to bring a child into my Hellmouth of a life?"
"Or into this world at all…" Angel added absently, looking out the window.
Buffy's head snapped up, her expression hurt. "So you… you don't think I should… have… it?"
Angel looked back at her. Tears were sliding down her bruised cheeks, sparkling like liquid silver in the moonlight. "I didn't say that." He said softly, "I never even thought it. That decision is entirely yours."
"So… you don't care, then." Buffy said flatly, her voice cracking a little.
'Damn it!' he thought. He never expressed himself well to Buffy. It seemed like any time he tried to tell her something, he only hurt her once again. He reached out with one hand and wiped the tears from her cheek.
"Buffy… of course I care. You don't really believe I don't…" it was a question, as much as a statement.
She shrugged, but said nothing.
Angel took a deep, unnecessary breath. There were a thousand things he should say to Buffy right now… all of the things he had felt for her in all the years he had known her... So many, he didn't even know where to begin.
"What I think shouldn't have any bearing on what you decide, Buffy…" he said, "You know how… how deeply I feel for you. You know what you mean to me. Or, you should…"
It wasn't helping. Buffy continued avoiding his eyes, and cried silently.
Angel decided, once and for all, to make himself clear, "I love you, Buffy. I always have… More than anything. More than my own life. And…" he hesitated slightly, looking down at the tiny swell of her belly under her nightshirt, "And I love our child, more even, than that."
She looked up at him. "Really?" She asked, looking for all the world like a lost, scared little girl.
He smiled, even though he knew she couldn't really see. "Really. Buffy, it's not that I don't care. But, where I come from… the ancient traditions of my people… they're… different than how you were raised. The Celts traced lineage through Mothers… They were considered the only true parent, and what they said in regard to raising their children, went. Period. And I believe in that, firmly."
He turned so they were fully face to face, and the moonlight shone on them, lighting their tear-stained faces. Angel reached out and took both of Buffy's hands in his own.
"If you tell me to go away… if you ask me to stay… or anything in between, I'll do it. Trust in that. I am always here for you….no matter what. I respect you, and I trust that you'll always do what you think is right. That's why I'm leaving this decision up to you. It's your life… your body… you have to do with it what you feel is best. I'm just a helper."
Buffy was overwhelmed. She didn't think he'd ever said so much to her at one time, before… and then, there was what he was saying. For the first time, she had visions of them raising their child -- sharing the future -- together. A hope she hadn't had in a long time. His eyes caressed her softly, and she lost herself in their mahogany depths.
She had almost forgotten what an amazing man he was, demon or no.
"I don't know what I'm going to do yet," she said, smiling through her tears, "I… I haven't… processed everything. You're right. But I promise, you'll be the first person I'll tell."
His smile spread an inch, and he let go of one hand to pull her closer to him. He looked deeply into her eyes for a moment, his face bare inches from his, and Buffy was almost certain he was going to kiss her.
He thought about it, but decided on a warm, soft kiss to her forehead, instead. He pulled away, still looking at her. "I should go. You need to get some sleep. It'll be dawn soon."
She knew he meant that he didn't want to go, but he had to. And it was probably best all around, for right now…
Angel got up and moved back to the window, and Buffy felt a tug at her heart to see his big, graceful body move across the room. Sneaking out of her window just before dawn, exactly like the old days.
"Angel?" She called him.
He stopped and turned back.
"What was it like? Us… together, I mean…" She asked. Buffy had dreamed about it happening so many times… wished for it with all of her considerable might. She even had prayed for it, more than once…for a chance to be with him… But Angel had had it. He had been there. And she would give anything to know what that felt like.
He looked seriously at her, the moon framing the outline of his unruly hair in its silver light, and casting deep shadows across his high cheekbones.
"Heaven." He said simply, then climbed out the window and disappeared into the pre-dawn mist.
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Anya, Xander, Cordelia, Oz, Willow, and Wesley all gathered around Giles' large dining room table.
"Giles, I don't really think any of this calls for much research." Willow said, grouchy at having been dragged out of bed so early on the morning after her turn for patrol. She was beat. "Angel made everything pretty clear, don't you think?"
Cordy tore her eyes away from a distracted Wesley to look at them. "Yeah," She said, inspecting her nails, "No mystical stuff, there. Buy them a copy of What to Expect When You're Expecting, and call it a day."
Giles rolled his eyes, and Xander barely repressed a grin.
Apparently, Wesley had missed the humor, "On the contrary." He said, "There are a great many mysteries and problems surrounding Buffy's pregnancy, and we must do our best to address them all. For one, we can't be certain that the child will be…" he looked compassionately at Cordelia, "Normal… despite what the medical tests might say. There has never before been a Slayer on record who bore any children at all…and we can't be certain that Angel's…er… special… circumstances won't have some effect, as well."
"Right." Giles agreed. The two men had seemed to band together, for Buffy's sake, and now made a formidable ex-Watcher pair. "And then, there are still other matters. The event itself, for example. We need to learn as much about these Oracles as possible. Understanding their power… learning how to contact them… these could be crucial to our victory in what lies ahead."
"I can do that." Cordelia said, not looking up from her nails.
"What?" Giles asked her. The others looked on, surprised.
Cordelia looked up casually. "I already know how to contact the Oracles." She said. "I can do it tonight, if you want. But you better make sure we have something to ask them, first… and a really good gift."
Giles blinked, speechless. Wesley, well used to Cordelia's power, took up the slack, "Yes. Very good. But, nonetheless, there are still the other matters…"
"Um… I hate to add bad news to really insane news, but don't we have to be worried about Buffy's safety, now, too? I mean, she can't exactly fight pregnant…" Anya added helpfully.
"Indeed," Wesley agreed, "There may be any number of creatures interested in this child… and in taking advantage of Buffy's inability to defend herself."
"Somehow I doubt she's 'unable to defend herself', "Xander quipped, "No matter how fat she is."
The others stared at him.
"So. Musty tomes it is." Oz said.
Giles began passing books around. "Yes. Musty tomes." He said.
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Chapter Three: The Tension Mounts
Spike was annoyed. It was barely noon, and already Angel had him slopping through the sewers. Not that he hadn't come to really adore the good fight (mostly because it was the only fight left, for him), but he liked to sleep late, and hated missing his stories on the tele.
"No self-respecting demon would be out at this time of day. What are we looking for?" he whined.
Angel ignored him, and ducked down the northernmost passageway.
"Hey, mate! I asked you a question!" Spike shouted after him.
Angel stopped, and slowly turned around, returning to glare at Spike. The only label he could think of to describe his sire's look was 'dangerous'… dangerous for him.
"The others are doing research. And we need to be sure Buffy isn't in any danger." He said.
Spike rolled his eyes. "Who's going to bother with her in the middle of the day?"
"We don't know. That's why we need to be out here." Angel turned and continued down the tunnel.
'Great. Nothing like wandering the vacant underbelly of Sunnydale, looking for imaginary dangers…' Spike thought.
Despite his irritation and fatigue, he followed Angel.
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Buffy watched the sun slowly sink over the horizon, and felt a familiar rush run through her body. It was all she could do not to leap from her bed, pull on some sweats, and hit the streets for a good, long patrol.
She placed her hand softly on her belly. She'd been feeling strange things all day, twitches and rolls that just didn't seem like they should be a part of her at all. Tomorrow, a trip to the OB-GYN, and soon, her captivity would be over… hopefully. But then what? She was willing to bet the doctor would say a big NO to any hunting, running, punching, kicking, or any other of her favorite activities.
The useless feeling that washed over her was even worse than what she had experienced near her 18th birthday, when she had thought she lost her powers for good. At least then, it seemed that the whole deal was off -- her sacred birthright had been a sacred mistake. But now? Now Buffy felt strong, at full power, and restless. She felt more energy running through her, in fact, than she could ever remember, and itched to go out and cream some bad guys.
It didn't matter that the others had it covered. Even with all of the gang working together, plus Riley and his bunch, making the possibility of a sudden demon population explosion slim, she couldn't help but feel that her job was being done by others -- others far less equipped to really cope with the danger. She hated feeling helpless. She hated being left out of the loop.
The more she thought about it, the more uncomfortable she became. She picked up the phone and dialed Giles' number, and felt a little rush of relief run through her to hear Willow answer. At least she knew one of them wasn't out there, tonight.
"Hello?"
"Hi Will, it's me."
"Buffy! Hi! How are you feeling?"
"Fine. Better… What's going on over there? Have you guys found anything yet?"
"No… not really. The only thing we've found about the Oracles is what Cordelia and Angel can tell us, and well… they're not as much help as you might like to think. Okay, so you'd like to think Angel would be some help, but he's locked up tight about the Powers. And, frankly, Cordelia isn't exactly a brimming fount of useful information…"
"Willow. What's going on tonight?" Buffy interrupted.
"Oh, nothing… the usual." She lied.
"Willow…" Buffy knew it.
Willow hesitated. She was under strict orders from Giles to share as little upsetting information as possible with Buffy, and she thought that the fact that over half of the Scoob's numbers had gone off to destroy a magickally reconstructed Kasala nest -- the pack that had almost killed Buffy -- qualified as upsetting. As usual, however, she was completely unable to lie to her best friend.
She sighed, "Angel heard a house had suddenly sprung up in the spot where you… where you destroyed the Kasala last time, and that a gang of nasty vamps had moved in…"
Buffy scowled. "Kasala?" They had almost killed her, and she was the Slayer. She had been afraid of this.
"We think so." Willow said sadly.
Buffy cursed. "Who went?"
"Um… Spike, Giles, Wesley, Xander… Oz couldn't -- the moon. And… Angel."
Bad news. Only the five of them against who knew how many tough, ancient, driven vampires. "That's it? Why didn't they call Riley?" She asked. At least the Initiative could muster larger numbers and greater fire power.
"I don't know." Willow said. She had suggested the very same thing, but Angel, Wesley, and Giles had exchanged funny looks and declared it "not a good idea".
"I'm calling him." Buffy said.
"Buffy… Giles was really firm. No outsiders." Willow said.
Buffy didn't like the sound of that one bit. "Riley's not an outsider."
Willow didn't argue, but changed the subject, instead. "So… when do you see the doctor tomorrow?"
"One." Buffy said, entirely uninterested in talking about a trip to the OB when two of three of the men she cared about most in the world were in so much danger…
"Is Angel going with you?" Willow asked.
Buffy hadn't even considered asking him. "No. My mom is."
"Ah." Willow said, "Well, how about if I stop by after class tomorrow and see how it went?"
"Okay. Sure." Buffy said absently.
"Okay. Then, I'll see you tomorrow. Sleep well, Buffy. And don't worry… they'll be okay. If they don't think they can handle things, they'll leave it."
Buffy wasn't so sure. The minute she said goodbye to Willow and hung up the phone, she picked it back up and dialed Riley's pager number, entering her special code.
That done, she settled back. He'd call soon, and she'd get him and his squad on things. She couldn't afford to lose any of her family… not now…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Riley's beeper began vibrating against his belt, he'd snapped it up so quickly, it had almost gone flying out of his hands. He looked down at the readout:
999-911
Buffy.
He was out on his own patrol, tonight. Riley knew that one of the possible consequences of an absent Slayer might be an onslaught of demon activity that somebody would need to put a halt to. He took it upon himself, as a favor to her.
He knew little about the clan that had almost killed Buffy…only enough to be certain that there would be more. He was ready for them. He'd make them pay for what they'd done.
Now, it seemed it was Buffy herself who needed him. He turned and sprinted at top speed across the Little League field -- a great shortcut to Ravello Drive. He was glad to find that he actually looked forward to seeing her, now -- assuming she was okay. Having unburdened himself to Forest, and talked over ever contingency, every detail, every option, it all seemed less daunting, somehow.
He still didn't have any solutions to his problems. Indeed, he'd started to question whether there were any problems, at all. What happened next was up to Buffy, period. Whatever she decided to do was fine with him. Or at least, he would respect it. He would support her -- stand by her -- no matter what. Or not, if that was what she wanted…
Riley was so deep in thought, he almost ran by her house. He slowed up, and tried to make himself look less like a disheveled demon hunter, and more like a concerned boyfriend, out for a stroll. He knocked on the front door.
Joyce looked terrible: drawn, pale, and exhausted. Of course, he imagined she probably looked like that a lot, considering what her daughter did for a living.
"Riley…" she said, clearly surprised to see him.
"Hi, Mrs. Summers. How are you?" he asked politely.
Joyce stared at him for a moment, uncertain what to say. Some part of her wished that this nice, normal boy were the father of Buffy's child… not some demon. Even if he was a good one.
She tried to muster a smile for him. "I'm fine, thank you, Riley. Isn't it a little late for a visit?"
Riley looked embarrassed. "Buffy beeped me." He said, holding up the beeper, which he had forgotten he was still clutching in his hand.
Joyce nodded, and moved aside. "Please don't be too long." She called after him as he sprinted up the stairs.
Buffy's door was slightly ajar, and he could see her pacing the room. For a moment, he panicked, almost fleeing right back the way he came. He would have, had Buffy not sat heavily back on her bed, staring anxiously at the phone.
She was waiting for him. He knocked softly on the door, and not waiting for an answer, entered.
He smiled at her. "Hi." He said.
She didn't return his smile. "Hi."
Riley fidgeted.
"They're back." Buffy went on, "The Kasala. Back at the farmhouse."
Riley frowned, remembering the last time he had been there, and had found Buffy, mostly dead. "How did you…"
"Willow told me. The others have gone over. Riley, you have to help them, please…" she looked up at him, her voice desperate.
He looked into her soft green eyes, and knew in an instant that he would deny her nothing. He also knew, from the look on her face, that Angel must have gone with them. He was jealous, of course. Almost irrationally so. He found, to his shame, that he wanted to tell her no for that very reason. Wouldn't it just be easier for everyone if the vampire disappeared?
He shook his head to clear it. He wouldn't do that to Buffy. Angel was the father of her child, after all, and besides, she had said "The Others". That meant that more than a single vampire's life was at stake, here.
"Of course." He said, reaching automatically for the radio in his belt.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Angel crept back to where Giles and the others waited, in the bushes. He found himself fervently wishing that Buffy was hunting beside him -- their extensive personal sign language would have come in handy, right now. He often missed fighting beside her.
"There are 20 in the building. Five guards outside, maybe more." He told them.
Spike grinned. Lots of them… that meant lots of bone-crushing and skull-splitting. It was going to be a good night.
Giles scowled, "We can't possibly hope to take on that many… Perhaps we should wait."
Angel shook his head. "They're mobilizing for something… stockpiling weapons. They could be going back out after Buffy. We can't risk it."
Giles nodded. "I should call the others… we'll require their numbers."
"No need." A voice from behind them caused all to jump simultaneously.
Six men in black combat gear stood, silhouetted against the night sky. Riley and his immediate unit had been mobilized quickly, and he had given them strict orders to keep their mouths shut and tell no one what transpired tonight. He had called only the five men who he knew he could trust implicitly. An unauthorized operation, if discovered, could get them all court-martialed.
"Great. A whole gang of stealthy night crawlers." Xander snapped.
"Ah." Giles whispered, "Well… good… I guess…"
"What's the situation?" Riley asked, dropping to a crouch between Giles and Angel.
Spike looked around the motley group, and smiled. Missing his stories might not be so bad, after all, if the tension surrounding Angel & Riley got any hotter. A good fight and a good soap opera -- life didn't get much better than this. All he was missing was a hot woman, warm blood, and a cold Guiness.
Angel felt the tension, too. But now wasn't the time for macho rivalry. Now was the time to concentrate on battle -- Buffy's life, and the life of his child, might depend on it.
"Approximately 25 vamps. Most are old, well trained, good fighters. Five outside on watch, one at each compass point and one floater." Angel said, reaching into Giles' large gear bag. He pulled out a sword, flinching a little as his hand brushed a large crucifix.
Riley couldn't help but stare at the puff of smoke that rose momentarily from the vampire's hand.
"Perhaps you should allow me to unpack." Giles suggested, pulling the rest of the items from the bag and handing them to the others. There were several swords, a pile of stakes and crosses, a crossbow, and a giant double-headed axe.
Riley pulled down his night-vision goggles and surveyed the scene. "Strategy?"
Spike rolled his eyes, "Kill them, maybe?"
Angel shot him a look, but said nothing. It was their plan, essentially.
"I will be casting a clouding spell on the perimeter of the house…" Giles said.
Riley nodded. "Good. I can have my men surround… catch any stragglers."
Angel looked around. "Spike -- you, myself, and three others should work the guards. Giles, when we give you the signal, come down and do the consecration on the first level doors. Xander, you back him up"
"After we get inside." Spike reminded him. He wasn't much in the mood for the searing pain of breaking through a consecrated door.
"Once the guards are out of the way, we should each cover an entrance. Spike, you take the south. Finn, the West. Have one of your men take the North, and one the floater. I'll take the East."
Everyone present nodded their understanding. Riley signed orders to his men, and three left, leaving himself, Forest, and Graham to accompany Spike and Angel.
He looked once again at the strange men as they snuck away into the brush. He didn't like them… Didn't like the things he had heard from the underground about them. Being sanctioned by the government didn't necessarily make them more trustworthy. In fact, Angel thought it made them less so, having seen all the many sorts of governmental tyranny he had in his long life. He knew Giles and Wesley had the same concerns, and weren't at all comfortable with Finn and his men jumping into the fray.
They couldn't have come on their own -- Buffy must have called them. If she trusted them enough to send them, that would have to be enough, for now.
Angel crept off to the East, and the others moved to their assigned positions. Giles began to chant softly, after saying a more traditional prayer to himself that Wesley would keep Oz's van running, and not fall asleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy continued pacing the room. It was getting late, and she should probably be going to sleep, but her nervousness and frustration kept her wired and moving.
What were they thinking, going after the Kasala with only the six of them? Wasn't it enough that the vampire clan had almost killed her?
She wondered again why Giles had refused to call in the Initiative. He had told her, soon after he first found out that Riley was one of them, that he was concerned about their effect on the balance of things, and about their true agenda. Ethan Rayne had been his source, of course, which immediately made the information suspect, as far as she //and anybody with half a brain!// was concerned. That, and the fact that immediately after that conversation, Ethan had turned Giles into a rather nasty demon.
Screw Ethan Rayne. What did he know anyway? He was a low-rent, rinky-dink loser of a bad guy, and it completely escaped her why Giles would suddenly find his old mate such a reliable source of information. What Riley and The Initiative did was hardly different than The Council… just more technologically advanced. And Buffy knew, both with her heart and with her Slayer's instincts, that Riley held nothing but good intentions.
But, what was the old saying? Something about the Road to Hell…
Buffy walked over to her open closet, and dragged out her red weapons trunk. She threw the heavy top open and inspected the contents quickly, ready to grab what she would need and go.
"Buffy, it's very important that you rest for the next few months. You and your baby barely survived the attack on you the first time… any further trauma, and… well, we can't be sure what would happen…"
The doctors words seemed to hang in the air, echoing all around her. She felt a little rolling twitch in her belly -- the second, that day -- and reached down to rub its growing surface.
She sighed. She couldn't just make these kinds of decisions without thinking, anymore… there was more than just her own life at stake, now. If she died, someone would simply come to take her place. There was no such contingency for her and Angel's child.
Buffy closed the trunk and slid it back into place, then turned and plopped down on her bed. It was all up to Riley and Angel and the others, now…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Riley crouched low in the brush, trying to be as quiet as possible so his target wouldn't be alerted to their presence. One false move, and they would loose the element of surprise. If that happened, they were dead.
He raised his taser rifle and sighted his target, some ten feet away. A single zap would cripple it, and leave it helpless against the simple, old-fashioned stake Riley had in his belt… a gift from Buffy. There was no need for the usual careful handling -- these vamps wouldn't be returning to headquarters with him.
He had a perfect shot. He pulled the trigger, and the rifle let out a loud, high-pitched whine, but didn't fire. Riley cursed, tossing the useless piece of crap aside as the vamp turned and hissed at him, and plunged forward.
Riley jumped to his feet as the demon advanced. It was huge, looked angry, and wielded a very big knife to match its very big, very fangy grin. He felt a little thrill of fear go through him. It was his first battle with nothing in his hands but a cross and a stake.
But before the vampire even moved far from its spot, a dark figure shot out of the shadows, grabbed it, and snapped its neck in a split second.
Riley jumped. As the paralyzed vamp crumpled, almost faster than the human eye could see, Angel crouched down and staked it.
He came out of his hiding spot, staring at the vampire for a moment before he nodded his thanks. Angel returned the gesture, and disappeared back into the brush.
Riley turned his attention to the sounds of battle beginning in the house.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Four: Surprising Interactions
Once the guards were disposed of, Giles' clouding spell and consecration made the rest uncomfortably easy. All 25 vamps were quickly vanquished, and Riley's men, Giles, and Spike were sent to double check the perimeter of the farm for escapees, or others not previously present, returning to the hunt. Xander, Riley, and Angel agreed to divide the search of the house. Xander chose the upstairs, and Angel and Riley took the basement.
The pair crept down the stairs, each armed with a sword and several stakes. At the bottom, they found an empty hallway, with closed doors at either end. Angel pointed right, and Riley nodded. They split up, and Riley took the door to the left.
Angel had a sincerely bad feeling about this. The rest of the farmhouse had been rather haphazardly rebuilt, so that its structure barely looked tenable. Magick, obviously, and hurriedly done. But the basement looked brand-new, well-constructed, and sturdy.
The door he came to was locked, but Angel was easily able to break in. The moment he stepped through the door, he realized he had made what could very well be a fatal mistake. Steel walls slid down on three sides of him, and immediately began to hum with electricity. Angel sniffed the air, wondering if he had wandered into a trap that was already populated… but it was clean, with the exception of Finn's human scent.
Angel surveyed his prison. Three walls were now electrified steel, and the fourth…
He charged the far wall. Another door was arranged in its center. As he approached it, he stopped. He looked carefully at it, seeing that it seemed to be a plain, flimsy office-type pasteboard door, which immediately made it suspect in this otherwise airtight room. He listened carefully for the sounds of electricity, used his inner sense to try to detect magick, but found nothing. He did, however, hear the shuffling of human footsteps on the other side.
Angel said a quick prayer to the PTB as he reached out and turned the cheap doorknob.
Riley stood on the other side, his sword drawn and ready to strike. Angel peered over the boy's shoulder, and saw that where they really were was one enormous room, a dungeon, almost, separated only by this single, strange wall. The remaining walls of Finn's area were also surrounded by electrified steel.
Riley lowered his sword when he saw that it was Angel who had stepped through the door.
"Booby trap." He said to the vampire, "They were expecting us."
Angel shook his head. "They were expecting someone. Most likely, Buffy."
"Damn it!" Riley snapped, "We can't afford to be stuck down here!" he snatched the radio from his belt, "Alpha team… Alpha team, this is Lavender… do you copy?" Only static answered him. He tried once more, but still got no response.
Angel looked askance at him. "The electricity interferes with radio signals." He said, as though Riley were a stupid child.
"Yes. I know that. Thank you." Riley snapped, "I had to try."
The two men separated once again, each examining every inch of their respective room There seemed to be no breaks in the walls, or in the electricity. They met back near the center door.
"What now?" Riley asked, frustrated.
Angel shrugged. "We wait. Giles and the others will come looking for us."
Riley glared at him. "Wait?" he looked around one more time, and then sighed. He nodded, resigned, and sunk to the floor. He pulled his radio out once more, pried the cover loose, and began fiddling with the wiring. Angel watched.
When Riley felt the creeping sensation of the vampire staring at him, he looked up. "Maybe I can adjust it to a strong enough frequency to transmit inside the house. When they come, we can tell them where we are." He told him.
Angel nodded, and began slowly pacing the room. After several laps, he stopped again, and crouched a few feet away from Finn, watching the soldier work.
He seemed like a nice enough kid… a genuine corn-fed midwestern farm boy if Angel had ever seen one… and he had. If not for his unusual job, he would be exactly the sort of person he had imagined for Buffy.
An idea slammed into his head like a fright train. It wasn't a pleasant one, and it would require a great deal of patience and strength on his part, but it seemed for the moment to be the ideal solution to his Buffy dilemna.
"Finn." He said to the boy.
He looked up. Angel rose and walked closer to Riley's position, and sat down next to him.
"What?" Riley said testily. However much Buffy might care about him, Angel was still a vampire, and that fact alone made Riley extremely uncomfortable.
"Stop for a minute. I'd like to talk to you, while we have the chance." Angel said.
Riley obeyed hesitantly, slapping the cover back on his radio and turning his full attention to Angel. "I'm listening..." He said. He couldn't begin to imagine what the vampire had to tell him that he'd want to hear. He was surprised at his anger toward the man... surprised at how much he resented his very presence...
Angel sighed. This was going to be more difficult than he'd imagined. But he knew, in his heart, that it was the best thing for everyone involved.
"I want to ask you for a favor, "he went on holding the man's gaze, "For your help."
Riley scowled. Was he kidding? No… by the dark look on the vampire's face, he felt safe guessing that he wasn't. "My help? With what?"
"With Buffy." Angel replied.
Riley briefly cast his eyes down. "Okay." He said quietly, "If I can." For her, he would… and for no other reason.
Angel seemed to hold his breath. "I know… I mean, I assume, that you and Buffy are close. I know she cares about you, and I imagine you care about her…" //how could he not?// "I don't think I have to tell you that the chances of Buffy and I… ever building a real home, together, for our child, are slim to none." He shook his head sadly, "I can hardly believe I'm saying this… Riley, I want to ask you… please… as one man who cares about Buffy to another… I want you to take care of her… and the baby…"
Riley's face became a mask of shock. "What?"
Angel looked skyward, searching for the strength to go on in the face of the pain that washed over him, "When I leave… I want you to promise to be there for her… and for the baby. I know that's a lot to ask -- to be the father to another's man's child, but… You know, and I know, that a human family would be the best thing…two normal parents…"
Riley simply stared at the handsome vampire, barely able to believe what he was hearing. It was an idea he had given a great deal of thought to himself, but he had assumed that Angel would want to take his rightful place as the child's father… whatever the circumstances. His obvious desire to put Buffy's well-being before his own gave Riley a new respect for this creature-of-the-night. It was an ironic feeling, and one that was far less than comfortable…
"I… I don't know, Angel… what about what Buffy wants?" He said finally.
"Buffy follows her heart without using her head." Angel replied, "She sometimes wants things that aren't good for her." He hated making his beloved sound like a simple-minded child, but it was the truth, and this was important for him. He knew Buffy would be angry if she knew… upset that, once again, an important decision regarding her life was taken out of her hands.
Riley nodded. He was familiar with Buffy's rash passions.
Angel continued to look at him. "Do you think you can? Do that… take care of Buffy, I mean… be a father -- a normal father -- for her child?" he asked.
Riley looked him square in the eye, "What about you? Don't you want a part in your child's life? In Buffy's?" He couldn't agree to this… it felt wrong… and even if he did, he had to know that he wouldn't spend the rest of his days in bizarre power struggles with Buffy's true love -- the baby's true father.
"What I want doesn't make any difference." Angel said flatly, staring straight ahead into nothing.
Before Riley had a chance to respond, they heard voices calling them from outside the door. Both men jumped to their feet and ran to the spot where Angel had entered.
"In here!" Riley called, "Be careful, the walls are electrified!"
The wall before them began to hum louder and turn a hot, angry red, and in a moment, Spike came crashing through.
"Calvary's here!" he shouted happily, then stopped in front of Angel and Riley. Both men appeared to be in one piece, and only one looked dead, so he imagined he hadn't missed anything too terribly interesting. "I would have been in sooner, but Giles wouldn't let me use his head as a battering ram."
Riley and Angel shoved past him, ignoring his jokes. When the reached the now decimated doorway, Angel gestured to Riley that he should go first. They looked at one another pointedly for a long moment, and then Riley stepped through the hole, into the concerned clutch of his men waiting outside.
Angel stood in the doorway, and Spike came to stand beside him.
"He's a nice chap, eh?" Spike said with a snide leer.
Angel watched the soldier debriefing his fellows, and said, "Yeah. Nice."
He only hoped he was nice enough…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The group gathered at Oz's van, where Wesley sat, sound asleep, in the front seat. After Xander woke him with some obscene comments and pounding on the locked door, the ex-Watcher jolted awake, and finally started the van.
"Well, let's reconvene at my house, shall we?" Giles said, hopping into the front seat beside Wesley.
Xander waved half-heartedly at the gathering, and climbed inside.
"I'll walk, thanks. Got no use for the special needs bus." Spike quipped, and walked off.
Riley leaned into Giles' now-open window. "We'll need to walk. This was an unauthorized operation, and we need to get home quietly."
Giles nodded. "I understand. Thank you."
Riley smiled at him, and turned to his men. "Alright, Alpha… fall out… quick and quiet, and get back to HQ. On the double. I'll join you in a while."
The men didn't question him, but scattered, melting into the night.
Angel looked at the van, where Xander waited impatiently, holding open the door for him. Angel waved him off.
"I'm going to check on Buffy." Both Angel and Riley said simultaneously. Xander grinned wryly and slammed the van door. They drove off.
Angel and Riley were left alone, once again, and both began to walk back toward town.
"I've been thinking about what you said." Riley said.
Angel looked over at him. "And…"
"And… I don't know. I mean… how can you not want this? I… I'd kill to have what you and Buffy share." He said. All that had passed between him and the Slayer in the 6 months they had known one another seemed to pale in comparison to the obvious bond between her and Angel. And, as much as it burned him to say it, he didn't think he could ever care as deeply for the bubbly blonde as this eternal creature seemed to… He gave up his chance at life with her, for her. That was some sacrifice. And now this?
"I have." Angel said quietly, eliciting a little shocked glance from Riley. "I do want it. It's just not right that I have it."
Riley continued to stare at him.
"She'll need you. This will hurt her. Badly." The vampire went on. "She'll be angry and resentful for a while. But stand by her. Just be there. She'll come around. She'll… she'll forget." He said with certainty. After all, she had forgotten, before...
"I doubt that." Riley replied. "But… I think you're right, in a way… at least for the sake of the child… it'll have a hard enough life as it is, with the Slayer for a mother."
Angel smiled in spite of himself. "I think she'll do fine."
Riley returned his smile amicably, "Be that as it may… I'll do it."
Angel looked at him. The boy topped his own considerable height by several inches, but his open, friendly face made him appear less of an imposing leviathan, and more of a cuddly teddy bear. He could understand why Buffy would be drawn to him, after years of his own sad, brooding darkness and lack of possibility or hope.
"Good. I thought I'd be able to count on you." He said.
"And what made you so sure?" Riley asked.
Angel looked him squarely in the eye, "Because Buffy does." He said.
The two men walked the rest of the way into town in silence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~