-Chapter Two-
The Girl from Sunnydale
The moon shone through an encirclement of clouds that rotated around it. It shines down on Sunnydale, home of monsters and the supernatural and as many graveyards than it has people. One of the main reasons for the strange occurrences was the fact that this town was built on a Hellmouth, a gateway to Hell itself and a beacon of sorts to all supernatural and evil beings. This meant that all of the creatures of the night were investing this small town, sucking the blood, siring or killing the inhabitants, giving Sunnydale the biggest death and missing person's rate in the United States. Vampires, demons and now government agents running around the town did not bode well with its sole protector: The Slayer.
Revered throughout the demonic world as the chosen one, the one and only protector against the forces of darkness. She is a legend, some believing her to be a myth, many want to kill her, many want to sire her and some just want to hide from her and the rest of the world, until the night comes and then that is when they will rise and she must stop them with her ongoing battle.
And tonight is no different as Buffy Summers flipped over a headstone feeling the familiar cold hard surface of the headstone. A pain hit her back but, not enough to stop her, slayer strength helping her out. She rolled on to the floor getting up on her knees and blocking the vamp's kick to her head, she bats it away getting into a handstand and kicking it in the head. It stumbles. Buffy flipping to her feet and sweeping its feet from under it.
"So what? Did you think I'd be that easy?" Buffy moaned giving her enemy her usual smack talk.
It lunges at her. She flips it slamming it on the floor jumping down on it stabbing it in the chest with a wooden stake. Dust explodes from it as it ceases to be. Buffy sighs exasperated. "Boo, you bore
"Buffy?" came a familiar voice from behind her. Buffy spun around to see her boyfriend Riley Finn walking up behind her in his Commando gear, the traditional protective gear for those within the Initiative. Government task force assigned to protect and eliminate all supernatural threats residing in the Sunnydale. The fact that they and Buffy were both enemies post Maggie Walsh's death at the hands of the cybernetic monster, Adam, made her and Riley's relationship hard to work. They were inexperienced and way over their heads as Buffy would usually curse about them, though she discluded Riley from this list of course, but this was her turf, she was the Slayer and they were treating her like the enemy of the state. Now she knew why Giles hated technology, it made it hard for her to work with them when they disregard the mythical nature of fighting creatures like this; all they cared about was cutting them up for their mad experiments.
"Riley?" she said surprised. "What are you doing here?"
"My squad is coming this area," he replied holding his tazer gun down to his side. There is an awkward silence. Why? Buffy thought, why was things awkward? It shouldn't be, they were on the same side. Weren't they? "You'd better get going before they see you."
"What?" Buffy said taken aback and hurt. "Why should I go?"
"Buffy this is a government mission in progress, they can have you removed," Riley replied a little gingerly.
"They can try," Buffy mumbled, "besides, you guys won't find anything here. I've slain at least ten vamps tonight there won't be any tonight."
"You scared them away?" Riley chuckled.
"Yeah," Buffy smiled, "not ruining your fun, am I?"
"Maybe a little," Riley smirked, "but right now it's not the sort of fun I'm after."
He leaned in for a kiss, Buffy placing a finger on his lips pushing him away softly. "Not tonight G.I. Joe. You have work to do, paper work and that."
"Like you said," Riley persisted leaning in to her, "there won't be any other Hostiles tonight."
Buffy smirked moving into him both of them kissing the other passionately. It had been so long since she had tasted Riley let alone touch him, she had almost forgotten what it felt like. She didn't like his commando gear when they kissed, too many layers. Someone coughed behind them. They parted looking behind Riley to see a rather cold looking Forrest Woods stood there. He always seemed to turn icy whenever Buffy was around, Buffy the same, both of the returning each others glares with Riley stuck in the middle. "We got a call from the general," Forrest said stiffly yet his cold stare always at Buffy. "We need to go in for debriefing."
"Okay, go and wait with the others I'll meet you back there," Riley replied. Forrest sighed exasperated leaving the two of them alone again.
"Your boyfriend's not liking your bit on the side," Buffy said jokingly yet with a cold tinge in her voice.
"Forrest just has a hard time adjusting to you," Riley replied trying to keep things civil, he always did try even though he always sided with Buffy, she was right after all. "And what with Professor Walsh's death..."
"Which he blames me for," Buffy snapped indignantly.
"Hey I'm on your side, remember," Riley said taking her hands and kissing them tenderly. "I saw Adam too, just the Initiative isn't really taking my word at the minute but, they will soon. Things just have to cool off for a while."
"Not unless the Earth cracks open and time rewinds," Buffy joked sarcastically.
"Well, knowing our line of work that might just happen," Riley quipped. They stand in silence as they know they must leave and not knowing when they will see each other again. This had been the second time Buffy had been alone with Riley in a matter of two weeks. Each time being when they were fighting demons or supernatural forces, she had seen him a couple of times during college but he was with his Initiative buddies and would have to go off to do work. Tomorrow would be no different.
Buffy walked into her dorm room in Stephenson building to find Willow still awake, probably back from her Wiccan group. She looked up anxiously at Buffy as she puts her weapons away in her bag. "So, you stake anything?" she asked excitedly.
"Ten," Buffy said dully, "four demons and six vampires."
"Shouldn't you be happy," Willow asked confused sitting up as Buffy sat down on her bed. "I mean that's a lot in one night... and your not even hurt or bruised."
"Aren't I?" Buffy said quickly tears welling in her eyes, "when the only time I see my boyfriend lately is during his recon work."
Willow looked at Buffy understandingly getting herself confortable. "Well you see him round campus and you know during psyche class," she said trying to stay positive.
"And have his frat boy friends take him away to some debriefing," Buffy said glumly.
"Well you know, with Professor Walsh dead, I'd imagine you know things wouldn't be all hunky dory there and they'll need to have talks about their operation and stuff," Willow replied reassuringly, "its not like he's ignoring you."
"I know," Buffy said lying down on the bed still in her clothes, "just feels like I'm being pushed away or someone's prying us apart."
"I know things are hard Buffy but, they'll get better," Willow said coming over and sitting next to Buffy stroking her hair soothingly, "Riley loves you. He wouldn't give up on you so easy. He'll try and find a way to see you. I know he will. He isn't Parker."
"Thanks Will, bring up a painful memory," Buffy groaned miserably at the thought of her one night stand with Parker (the prick).
"You know what I mean," Willow said rolling her eyes, "he isn't Parker. He actually cares for you."
Willow went back to her bed leaving Buffy with her thoughts or more her inner turmoil. Was Riley worth it? Of course he was, it was the Initiative that was the problem. She knew there was something up with that place, she had to get him out of there. What were they up to? What had Walsh planned? Is what she wanted to know, what was Adam up to? What was he going to do and how would they stop him?
