A/N: Some of the conversations are taken from the episodes, which means I do not own them, or the character obviously, I mean this is FAN FICTION after all, and a few were altered to fit the plot of my story. I'm sure you'll know the difference between what's mine and what belongs to the wonderful writers of the Buffyverse. All rights belong to Mutant Enemy.
Episode setting: I in Team & Goodbye Iowa.
Secrets & Lies
Moving in with Giles was the best decision Buffy had ever had. She was sure of that. The only thing that she really hated was the actual moving part. Lugging around boxes wasn't what her slayer powers were for.
"Where do you want this?" Xander asked as he carried another brown box through the door.
"Just drop it down over there." Giles nodded to the pile that was building.
"Just how much stuff do you have Buff?" Xander wheezed.
"Not much. It mostly weapons, cloths and Sam's stuff." she said defensively.
"Well I'm just glad you two can finally do this." Willow grinned.
"Yeah." Buffy agrees, smiling up at Giles as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "But are you sure you're gonna be OK alone?"
"I won't be alone. I met this girl, Tara at my Wicca group. She's got this nightmare room-mate, so I offered her your old bed."
"Is that wise?" Giles frowned.
"Wise? You mean sharing a room with someone who isn't going to freak out over the piles of occult books and herbs and candles?" she smirked.
"Right."
"Anyway, she's nice. - She might actually be able to help me with spells and stuff."
"Are you recruiting?" Buffy chuckled. "Cause you know, we're still a secret society right. I mean, Riley's one thing but…."
"No I'm not, but it wouldn't be all that bad to have another Wicca in the arsenal."
"Let's just see how everything goes." Giles said. "You two may not take to living together."
"Yeah. Maybe. - What about you two? You ready for this?"
Giles pulled Buffy in tighter.
"Yep. Totally ready."
"So how's momma bear handling it?" Xander asked, dropping down onto the couch. "Still freaking out about you two?"
"Mom's…..getting used to it." Buffy sighed. "I think her biggest problem is not having Sam around all the time now. But I promised to take him by as much as I can. And she's offered to baby-sit with anything big and bad comes a knocking. So….she'll be fine."
Willow sent them a supportive smile.
"Damn I've got to go." Buffy said suddenly, looking at the clock on the wall. "I'm meeting Riley at the school. I got to meet with Professor Walsh about the Initiative."
Giles stiffened.
"I'll be fine." She murmured reassuringly. "She's just curious, that's all."
"Just…be careful." he whispered.
"Always am. - I'll see you in a few hours."
~Don't Lie~
"So. The slayer?" Professor Walsh said, leaning forward on her desk to observe Buffy closely.
"Yeah. That's me." Buffy smiled, trying not to feel intimidated.
"We thought you were a myth."
"Well, you were Myth-taken."
"And to think all that time you were sitting in my class. Well, most of those times. I always knew you could do better than a B minus."
Buffy stared down at her lap awkwardly.
"Now I understand your energies were directed to the same place as ours, in fact. It's only our methods that differ. We use the latest in scientific technology and state-of-the-art weaponry, and you, if I understand correctly, poke them with a sharp stick."
Buffy shifted in her seat. She hadn't felt this small since she was four years old. She'd thought the professor was a great woman, a role model, but right now she wanted to show her just what a sharp stick could do. But she had to listen to this. She had to get into their inner circle. "Oh, well, it's more effective than it sounds." she said calmly.
She's spent the last week talking to Giles about what Ethan had said. Calling in contacts. She hadn't mentioned it to Willow; she didn't want to put her in the awkward position of having to lie to Riley. Because Willow was a terrible liar. So Giles and her had come up with a plan. Get inside. See what their up too. It hadn't been that hard to get Riley to get her clearance - as he put it. Now all she had to do was make it through the meeting with the Professor without showing her what a slayer was capable of.
It wasn't that she believed Ethan, or trusted him. But Giles seemed to take what he'd said to heart and she trusted his instincts. After all he'd been her watcher for years. He'd kept her alive longer than most Slayer. - Okay so she died once, but that wasn't his fault.
"Oh, I'm quite sure of that. As I'm just as sure we can learn much from each other. I'm working on getting you clearance to come into the Initiative. I think you'll find the results of our operation most impressive. Agent Finn here alone has killed or captured….how many is it?"
"17. 11 Vampires. 6 Demons." Riley stated proudly.
"Oh. Wow." Buffy murmured, trying to sound impressed. "I mean, that's…17."
"What about you?" Professor Walsh asked smugly.
"Me?"
"How many hostiles would you say you've slain?"
"Uh…well….Are we talking per month or year?"
"Overall?"
"I don't really keep a running total."
"Then estimate."
"Huh…I'd say….one a slow week….84."
Buffy didn't want to admit it, but she felt a strange kind of stratification at seeing the way the Professor's face tightened. How's that for a sharp stick. She did kind of feel sorry for the way Riley stiffened beside her. His eyes wide as he stared down at her.
"Well….that's….impressive."
There was an awkward silence where Buffy tried not to grin proudly.
"Well. Then I guess you'll be a great asset to our operation. - I'll contact you as soon as I've got your clearance." The Professor said, getting to her feet. "I look forward to working with you."
"Yeah. Me too."
~Don't Lie~
"How did it go?" Giles asked as Buffy strolled back into the apartment two hours later.
"Good. I think I'm in. - You should have seen her face when I told her my score card."
"Score card?"
Buffy dropped down next to Giles, curling into him. "She asked my kill rate. She was all 'Riley's killed 17' and then she asked how many I'd killed. Her face. Seriously Giles, I wish I'd taken a photo. - I did feel sorry for Riley though. He was so proud of 17." she couldn't help but chuckle.
"Did she tell you anything about the Initiative?"
"Nah. She was all about showing off. - You know she insulted Mr. Pointy."
"No. How dare she. The witch." Giles smirked.
"Seriously. She was all turning her nose up at my methods because I don't shoot lazar guns. I wanted to show her just what Mr. Pointy could do."
"You didn't?"
"No. I played sweet and quiet. All 'I can't wait to work with you.'"
Giles sighed. "We still not sure whether there's anything to what Ethan said."
Buffy turned to look up at him. "No. But you believe there is, don't you."
"I just think we'd be better knowing what their up too. If I was still a member of the council I could just…."
Buffy's hand reaching up to cup his face. "You miss it, don't you?"
"I miss being about to get the information we need. But I don't miss having to answer to them. - If I was still a watcher, you wouldn't be here." he murmured, dropping a kiss to her lips.
"Then I'm glad you quit. - That we both did."
~Don't Lie~
Giles rolled over in the bed, watching Buffy dress. "You heading out on patrol?"
"No. Riley just called. They want me to join them on some kind of training thing-y. I think it's like some kind of final exam."
"Just be careful." Giles yawned, stretching out beneath the covers.
Buffy strolled over, dropping down onto the edge of their bed and leaned in to kiss him. It was meant to be a peck, but it quickly turned into something deep and sensual. Giles hand coming up to cup the back of her head. Buffy moaned and forced herself to pull back after a few minutes. "I got to go."
"Do you?"
"Yes. If we want to find out what their hiding, we do."
Giles grunted. "Fine. Go."
"I'll be back as soon as I can." she said with a deep seductive tone. "Love you."
"Love you too."
Buffy reluctantly stood up and headed for the stairs. Suddenly having another reason to hate Riley's military buddies.
~Don't Lie~
As it turned out the final test was her against Riley's entire unit. Easy pickings really. Buffy wasn't sure if Professor Walsh was angry or impressed that she'd taken out five armed and fully trained men single handed in twenty-eight seconds. Riley at least had been.
Buffy took the stairs to the loft bedroom as quietly as she could, not wanting to wake Giles. Which as it turned out was a waist of time. She turned at the top to find him sat up in bed, the lamp on beside him, reading.
"How'd it go?" he asked, never lifting his eyes from the page.
Buffy reached for the hem of her shirt, dragging it over her head and dropping it on the chair by the dresser, before dropping down on the end of the bed to deal with her boots. "I'm in."
"Wonderful."
Buffy sighed, kicking her boots beneath the bed and crawling up and into Giles arms. He set the book aside and hugged her. Dropping a kiss to her hair.
"You alright?"
"Just tired and achy. - And I don't like this. Riley's a friend, and him and Willow are getting so close. I don't want to ruin it for her, after everything with Oz."
"I know. - But…."
"Yeah. Just….I just hope that they don't hate me when this is done?"
"If the Initiative have nothing to hide, they never have to know."
Buffy remained quiet, closing her eyes and settling into her lovers arms as sleep began to blanket her.
~Don't Lie~
"The place is huge." Buffy said as she spoon some vegetables into Sam's open mouth. "And I'm not exaggerating. I'd stay it probably cover the whole campus, and beyond." she glanced up to see Giles watching her intensely, a mug of tea braced between his hands. "They've got this thing. They call it the Pit. They do experiment and stuff on the demons they capture."
Giles frowned. "Hostile?"
Buffy shrugged. "I don't know. But I'm guessing they didn't get the memo on the friend demons. They're putting those chips in all kinds of demons."
Giles stared down into his mug. "Anything else?"
"There was a tone of stuff that was out of bounds to me."
"So you didn't see or hear anything about 314?"
Buffy shook her head.
A loud bleeping noise cut the conversation short.
"What's that noise?"
"Pager. Maggie gave it to me. Means their calling me in." Buffy said, getting to her feet. She handing Giles the bowl of baby food as she went to for her bag. "I got to go."
"Now?" Giles frowned, looking from Buffy to Sam.
"You wanted me on the inside Giles. This was your idea. If you want to know what's going on in there, I've got to go and play."
Giles huffed. "Right. - Your right. You should go."
Buffy rushed over to him. Pressing a kiss to his lips, before dropping one to Sam's head. "I'll be back soon."
"Be…."
"Yeah, I know. Love you."
"Love yo…." he was cut short by the slamming of his front door.
"Well, I guess its just you and me son."
~Don't Lie~
"So where's Buffy?" Xander asked, sitting beside Anya on the ex-watcher's couch.
"The Initiative called her him." Giles replied, his tone wary and unimpressed. It had been almost two weeks since Buffy had agreed to go undercover within the military unit and he was beginning to question whether it had been such a good idea. Especially when she hadn't come back with anything but had spent more and more time way from him and Sam. They saw her less now that when she was living at the campus and neither of them liked it. Sam had been more of a handful of late.
"Yeah. She does seem to be throwing herself in there." Xander replied.
"Hmm."
There was a strained silence for a few minutes before Xander began to change the subject.
"But I have something that can cheer you up." He grinned over the back of the couch.
Giles groaned as he poured the tea. Xander had been trying for day to get him and everyone else to buy his energy bars. "I don't know how many more way I can say I'm not interested."
"Try on. - Check these flavours. Cherry Berry, Maple Walnut. Almond Liquorice."
Giles stepped out of the kitchen with his fresh cup of tea.
"Ew!" Anya cringed.
"Anya, we don't say Ew in front of potential customers."
"Just skip this part and tell him you want money to but me pretty things. He'll understand."
Giles rolled his eyes with a defeated sigh. "Very well. Um….Maple Walnut."
"An excellent choice." Xander smiled brightly. Pulling out the bar, he unwrapped it and handed it over.
Giles looked at it for a moment before taking a bit and….freezing. "Please leave my home now."
"It's the, uh, the gritty texture, isn't it? Maybe you're more of a Cherry Berry fellow."
Giles dropped the bar on the table and searched for his trash can to spit into. The sound of a babyish giggle catching his attention. Sam sat on his blanket, staring up at him with wide eyes chuckling, probably at the disgusted face Giles was pulling as he fought to keep the revolting food product from slipping down his throat. He finally located his bin and spat just as someone began to bang on his door.
It burst open before he could get to it as Spike rushed in with a blanket covering his head. "Close the door!"
"Spike? You may wanna give up these morning jogs." Xander said sarcastically.
The vampires shot him a death glare. "Solider boys are out. I've been tryin' to keep 'em off my scent, run 'em in circles. But they keep comin'."
Giles pushed his door closed before turning to the vampires. "Um. And how is this our concern? - Seeing as you've expressed the wish to have nothing more to do with us?" he asked, thrusting his hands into his pockets.
"Spike said that?"
"Mm." Giles nodded.
"That hurts." Xander said, feigning insult.
"All right. Whaddaya want me to say?" Spike groaned, turning to stare at the teenager. "I need help. - And no cheek from you." he said turning to point an accusatory finger at the ex-watcher.
Giles ran his thumb and forefinger across his lips in an 'zipped' motion. An wholly innocent look on his face.
"Look! The buggers shot me…in the back." Spike informed them, shrugging out of his long coat.
"Remind me. Why should I help you?" Giles asked, resting against the desk, folding his arms over his chest.
"Because you do that. You're the goody-good guys. You're the bloody freaking cavalry."
"No, you can come up with a better answer than that." Giles smirked. "Why should I help you?"
"Oh! - Because I helped you. - When you turned into that Fyarl demon, I helped you, didn't I?"
Giles nodded. "And that was out of the, um, evilness of your heart?"
"O, hell, no. I made you pay me…."
Giles looked at the vampire. Waiting for him to catch on and smirking brightly when he finally did.
"You right bastard." Spike spat, huffing as he dug his hands into the pockets of his black jeans for the money Giles had given him a few hours earlier. "That's all that's left. I spent the rest on blood and smokes, which I'll never see again." he bemoaned. "Ah, come on! Circle the wagons. Tend to the wounded here. No time for layabouts."
Giles sighed as he closed the drawer of his desk. "Alright. Let's see."
Spike stripped out of his coat and shirt, before taking a seat in the desk chair while Giles went for the first aid box in the bathroom. When he got back he got to work. "Anya hold this?" he ordered, handing the ex-demon a flashlight. He pulled on a pair of gloves and pulled out a pair of surgical tweezers.
"Ow! Watch it. That hurts." Spike said through gritted teeth.
"It doesn't seem to be a bullet." Giles said, tugging at the small red object. "It's too deeply embedded for a tranquilliser dart."
"Also, not tranquil." Spike murmured.
"Some sort of….illumination emanating from it. - It's blinking."
"I don't care if it's playing Rock the Casbah on the bloody jew's-harp. Get it out of me."
"Alright. Anya, there's a bottle of Cognac in the cupboard by the sink. Will you get it for me?"
"What? You gonna get snockered now?"
"It's not for me, you prat. If I'm gonna operate, I need you anaesthetised. This'll take time."
"We don't have any. That blinking thing? - My pseudo-Soldier memory bank tells me that's a tracer.
"A what?" Giles and Spike quizzed in unison.
"It's like a homing beacon. And if commandos are reading the signal, they're comin' home."
Giles groaned. "Well, we need to but some time. It's in deep, and I'm no surgeon. - Call Willow."
While Xander rushed over to the phone to call his best friend, Giles got of the table and started clearing it. "Anya, can you take Sam into his room. Put him in his cot."
The ex-demon nodded and headed for the little boy, holding him awkwardly at arms lengths as she carried him through the alcove and into the back bedroom.
"She's on her way." Xander said as he rejoined Giles at the table.
"Good. - Alright you, on the table."
Spike was already gulping down the Cognac. "Alright bossy." he climbed onto the table and stretched himself out.
Giles left him there while he went and finished getting supplies.
It took Willow a good twenty minutes to get to Giles place, and the watcher was already working on the vampire when she rushed in. Dropping her bag on the floor, the book she needed already in her hands and ready. She stopped in front of Giles and instantly started reciting the spell they needed. Spike drunken moans humming in the background.
"So, how's this supposed to work again?" Xander whispered.
"If she succeeds, her spell will ionise the atmosphere around us, thereby disrupting the tracer's signal. It buys us time."
Giles cringed, closing his eyes as a bright electrifying light filled the room. Blowing all of the bulbs in the house. Sam instantly started crying from the next room.
"Did it work? Is the atmosphere ionised?"
Giles looked up at her with a slight surprised smirked as he saw her hair standing on end. "I'd venture yes. - Xander, go check on Sam will you."
"Already on it." the teenager called as he rushed towards the alcove.
It took another twenty minutes to finally get the tracer out of Spike's shoulder.
"It feels and looks, like the ionising spell's wearing off." Willow said almost in a panic.
"Giles?" Xander pressed around a mouth full of health bar.
"I've got it. I've got it!" Giles murmured; tugging on the little device until it finally slipped free. He stared at it for a moment.
"Giles?" Willow said, pulling him back.
"Right." he nodded, stepping back and rushing to the bathroom. Dropping it into the toilet and flushing. He released a breath of relief and walked slowly back to the living room, dropping down into the chair.
~Don't Lie~
Buffy stared into the small camera. She couldn't believe she'll actually trusted the woman. Admired her. She should have known it was a trap. "Professor Walsh?" she said firmly. "That simple little recon you sent me on? Wasn't a raccoon." she shook her head. At least she knew now. Knew that the Initiative wasn't want it pretended to be. They knew now that Ethan was right. "Turns out it was me trapped in the sewers wit a faulty weapon and two of your pet demons. If you think that's enough to kill me, you really don't know what a slayer is. - Trust me when I say you're gonna find out." Standing Buffy lifted her food; bring it down on the camera with a sense of satisfaction.
~Don't Lie~
"It'll be dark soon." Giles said, stripping off the surgical gloves. "I think it would be wise for you to leave Sunnydale."
"I'm not going anywhere." Spike insisted, dragging his shirt back on. Cringing at the pain in his shoulder as it began to heal. "Not until those bastards undo what they did to me, put me back the way I was."
"Sure. Just explain to the nice scientist guys that you miss killing and torturing innocents." Xander scoffed sarcastically.
"You think that would work?"
Xander rolled his eyes.
"Spike, Lord knows why I'm telling you this. It's for your own good. As long as the Initiative is in operation it's not safe for you here." Giles insisted, removing his glasses. "
"No. It's not safe for any of us." Buffy suddenly announced from the doorway.
Giles turned around, his face paling as he rushed over to her. "What happened?"
Buffy smiled up at him, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him tightly.
"Buffy?" Giles murmured with concern.
"I'm fine." she whispered, pulling back. "Maggie tried to kill me." she announced matter-of-factly.
"What?" Willow frowned disbelievingly. "She….no."
"Afraid so Will. She sent me down into the sewers with a blasto gun…" She pulled back more from Giles, walking further into the room. "and the next thing I know, it's raining monsters."
"Hallelujah." Xander murmured.
"And then this gate slams down behind me and I try to use the gun but it goes phtt in my hands."
"I can't believe it." Willow murmured, shaking her head.
"She set you up?" Giles frowned.
"Because I was getting too close." Buffy nodded. "The thing is, I haven't learnt anything. Whatever she's hiding I didn't find it."
"But she must have realised you were looking." Giles said, thrusting his hands into his pockets.
"I have to hand it to you Red…." Spike scoffed, glancing over at the teenager. "…you'd got a bleeding tragic taste in men. I got a cousin married to a regurgitating Frovalox demon that's got better instincts that you."
"What does her taste in men got to do with anything?" Buffy asked defensively. Even as she already knew the answer. She'd been thinking it too.
"You think Riley was out knitting bootees for their offspring while Maggie was stringing you up?"
Willow frowned, shaking her head. "No. No Riley wouldn't….No!" she glanced around at her friends. "You guys really think Riley had something to do with this?" Willow snapped, shooting to her feet. "Buffy?"
The slayer looked pitifully.
"He probably didn't…." Giles said quickly, trying to ease his young friend's fears. "But, um….we'd be remiss if we didn't think of all the possibilities."
"No, your wrong." Willow insisted. "You just don't like him because he's one of them."
"Willow…" Buffy sighed. "You know that's not true. You know I like Riley but…"
"He wouldn't tell a white lie, let alone a whole bunch of big, dirty ones."
"Will, he spent months lying to you guys." Xander said firmly.
"That….that was different…" she replied, flustered. "…that was his job…."
"So was this." Spike pointed out.
"All I know is that Maggie has it in for me, which means the Initiative had it in for me."
"And I'm guessing the mad scientist isn't too keen on the fact that the entire Scooby Gang knows that the Initiative is up to no good."
"Which brings us back to the not safe for any of us concept."
Willow slumped down into her seat. Numb and shocked as Buffy rushed over to the weapon's chest, throwing the lid open.
"Okay, everybody grab a weapon. We've gotta move."
"And storm the Initiative? Yeah, let's take on those suckers." Xander cheered, taking the axe from Buffy.
"I was thinking more that we'd hide."
"Oh, thank God." Xander sighed with relief.
Buffy nodded with a small smile before turning to the others. "Giles? Get Sam."
"Buffy, I think perhaps we should talk about this?" Giles frowned.
"We need to relocated some place we're less likely to be found. We need a plan."
"We could go to my place." Willow announced without really thinking.
Buffy looked at her sadly. "Will, pretty sure they'd….Riley."
"Right." Willow flushed, dropping her head.
"Xander, what about your basement? The guys haven't seen us together much, and there's room."
"Cool. Come on down and boogie at Xander's hideaway." Xander grinned enthusiastically.
"Yes. Come boogie." Anya grumbled.
"Absolutely not." Giles snapped. "I will not take my son to squat in that dank hole."
"What? It was good enough for me but you're about it all?" Spike spat.
"Precisely."
"Giles." Buffy sighed, strolling into his personal space. "We can't stay here."
His protests died beneath the pure fear and worry in her eyes.
"For Sam."
Giles opened his mouth to agree when the door flew open.
"Buffy?"
"Riley?" Willow gasped, leaping to her feet and rushing over to him.
"Hey." he hugged her, his gaze never leaving the slayer. "Are you OK? I…what happened?"
"You know?" Willow frowned, pulling out of his embrace.
Riley looked down at her suddenly distance. "I know something went down. - Tell me."
"Maggie tried to kill me." Buffy stated from across the room.
Riley looked from the slayer to his girlfriend and back again. Disbelief printed all over his face.
"It didn't work, but they're all upset anyway." Anya informed him.
"OK, listen. I need you to go over everything. Step by Step. There has to be some kind of mistake."
"There was no mistake." Buffy said sharply, her arms folded over her chest.
"And how do you know something happened?" Xander asked angrily.
Riley met the man's gaze. "I was on a mission. But I came back and…" he looked back at Buffy, then to Willow. "…I'm not sure. Look, let's just keep out heads and not jump to any conclusions."
"Conclusions?" Buffy frowned. "I was there. I know what happened." she snapped angrily.
Riley glanced around the group, taking in all there furious glares. Even Willows. Then he froze, taking a step back.
"What?" Willow asked, following his line of sight to Spike.
"That's Hostile 17."
"No." Spike said, once again using his bad accent. "I'm just a friend of Xander's. Buffer it. I'm your guy."
"This is Spike." Willow said quickly, trying to defuse the situation. "He's, um….It's a long story but he's not bad anymore."
"Hey. Watch it Red!" Spike snapped, getting up from his place on the stairs. What am I? A bleedin' broken record? I'm bad! It's just…I can't bite any more. Thanks to your wanker of a boyfriend."
Riley glared at him for a second before turning on Willow. "We've been looking all over town for him but you've know where he's been all this time?" he said furiously.
"It's not like that." Willow said quietly, flushing as she felt her friend's eyes on them.
"Really? What is it like? What's he doing here?"
"Leaving you swats to your dramatics thanks. - I've got my stories on the telly for that. By the by, if you're trying to kill her…" Spike grinned ridiculously, giving him two thumbs up, before pulling his coat over his head and running out of the door.
Riley clenched his jaw, turning away from a clearly upset Willow to glare at the slayer. "Buffy, what is this? You're hiding a HST?" his voice was eerily calm.
"Why don't you just back off and let her ask the questions, Jack" Xander snapped, his anger increasing by the second. "Your boss just tried to make monster food outta her."
Buffy straightened her back. "And taking it out on Will isn't winning you brownie points either." she told him coldly.
Riley deflated as he glanced over to where Willow was sat on a box looking miserably at her feet. "I…I didn't see much. I wasn't there." he exhaled slowly and walked back over to Willow, dropping down next to her. "All I know is Professor Walsh told me you were dead." Riley informed them, meeting the slayer's gaze. "Then I saw you on the monitors…" he groaned, leaning forward on his knees, his head in his hands. "This isn't Professor Walsh. There must be something making her act this way." he insisted, looking up at Willow. "Something - I don't know - controlling her."
"We think Buffy may have been becoming too inquisitive." Giles finally spoke from where he'd positioned himself between Riley and the back of the house, where Sam's room was. "That…she was getting close to something that Professor Walsh was trying to hide. Any idea what that might be?"
"What about 314?" Buffy added.
Riley shook his head. "Maybe…." he leapt to his feet. "Maybe she was trying to test you. What if it was only a drill?"
Buffy exhaled warily. "It wasn't a drill. - Why did she tell you I was dead, if it was a test?"
Riley began to pace, his hand scratching at his head.
"I've heard rumours that the Initiative isn't all that we've been told." Giles said, watching the younger man cautiously. "That secretly they're working towards some darker purpose. Something that might harm us all."
Riley spun to glare at the him. "What? No! That's…that's not what happens there." he snapped. "I would know!"
"No one is sure. We're just trying to sort it out." Willow said, leaping up to joint him. Her hands on his arms. "Right?" she said looked at Buffy and Giles. "
"I can't be here." Riley snapped suddenly, shaking off Willow's hands. "I can't be around you." he pushed past her, rushing for the door.
"Riley?"
"I'll sort it out on my own!" he snapped over his shoulder as he yanked the door open and marched through it.
Buffy turned to stare at her best friend as Willow collapsed down onto the armchair behind her, tears pooling in her eyes.
~Don't Lie~
Staying in Xander's basement turned out to be more difficult than Buffy thought. The only upside was that Sam seemed to be at ease. He laid on the fold out bed across Buffy's, Willow and Anya's legs staring up at the light reflected off the glitter ball. Buffy glanced off to the side to Willow. She'd been down ever since Riley had stormed out. She hated seeing her best friend so down, especially after everything she'd gone through with Oz.
"You OK?"
"Fine." Willow murmured.
"He'll come round." Buffy said, trying to sound convincing and supportive. "He's just confused."
"Do you really think he was in on it?" Willow asked, turning pained red-rimmed eyes on her.
Buffy swallowed. "No."
Willow looked at her friend unconvincingly. "You do, don't you?"
"Will, I don't know what to think. This whole thing is a mess."
The red head nodded.
"Must we have the noise?" Giles groaned, stepping out from behind the bed sheet curtain they'd put up the previous night. "My head is splitting."
Buffy smiled softly at him.
"Look who's a cranky bear in the morning." Willow murmured, glancing at Buffy, who laughed.
"Yes, I can't imagine why I didn't sleep well in my breach ball." Giles grumbled, rubbing at the back of his neck.
"Oh." Buffy pouted. "Poor baby. Sammy, I think daddy is going to need you pacifier." she chuckled, throwing back the covers and climbing out of the bed to walk over to him. Reaching up to rub at his neck.
"Every time you moved, it made squeaky noises. It was irritating." Anya informed him.
"Really? I'm surprised you could hear it over your Wagnerian snoring."
"Seriously?" Buffy looked between Giles and Anya. "Anyone would think that you were the couple." she laughed, her hands still warning out the tight knots of Giles neck.
Giles glared down at her with a disgusted face that Anya swiftly mirrored.
"Better?" she asked softly, staring up at her boyfriend.
"Yes, thank you." he exhaled slowly, wrapping his arm around the slayer preparing to pull her into a morning kiss.
Buffy shook her head and flushed, looking over to her friends and feeling her stomach plunge at the agonising look on Willow's face. "It'll be OK, Will. Riley's just confused that's all."
Willow forced her eyes up to her friend. "I don't know.
"Turn on the TV. Now!"
Everyone's head snapped to stare at Xander. "TV. Now."
Buffy let go of Giles and reached for the television.
"Sunnydale is still reeling from the news of the crime. A source in the coroner's office tells us that the boy was stabbed with what looks like some kind of large skewer, and his body was then mutilated. Police have not named a suspect, and the killer is still at large."
Buffy's head snapped around to stare at Giles. "The Polgara demon we brought in two days ago had a skewer in its arm. Maggie insisted we bring it back alive."
"She must have sent it after you." Giles murmured.
"And it got distracted. God!" Buffy winced, her eyes falling on Sam. She stepped forward, lifting the little boy off the bed and holding him tight to her chest.
"Buffy, it's not your fault. How could you know?" Willow said firmly.
"She's right. You mustn't blame yourself." he said, stepping up to her back. His hands on her shoulders, squeezing them.
Buffy pressed her lips to her son's head, her stomach tying itself in knots, fury flooding her at just what Maggie Walsh and the Initiative had done. A small boy's blood was on their hands and she was going to make sure they paid. - Them and the monster that they'd released into the world. "I'm not going to. I'm going to the crime scene to see what I can find out. You guys researched the Polgara demon. I wanna know where it is. I'm going to make him pay for taking that kid's life. I'll make him die in ways he can't even imagine."
Giles pressed his lips to the back of her head, humming agreement.
~Don't Lie~
Buffy watched from a distance as the corner carefully carried the body of the murdered boy out from the surrounded forest. She hadn't been able to shake the fury in her. She was going to make Walsh pay for this, no matter what it took.
"Buffy."
She spun around to meet Riley. "Hey." she smiled tensely. As much as she was still furious with the Initiative and Riley, she wanted Willow to feel happy more, and Riley had made Will happy for the first time in months. "Look, I'm sorry about earlier. I know that everyone came on pretty strong. - And the Spike thing isn't as tweaked as it looked."
Riley stared at her, his jaw tight and his back straight, disbelieving.
"Ok, maybe it is. But there's an explanation that almost makes sense." Buffy insisted, trying to control her frustration. "Hello? I'm apologizing here. And I think that's pretty big of me, considering I'm the one who was almost made a demon sandwich." she snapped. "This is the part where you throw me a bone."
"Maggie's dead." Riley announced coldly. "Happy now."
Buffy's eyes widened with surprise as she took what he said in. She wasn't sure how she felt about the news, but she could honestly say she wasn't happy. "Of course I'm not happy. - What happened?"
Riley remained cold and distant, looking past her. "That's classified."
"Classified." Buffy scoffed. "The Polgara. It got her and escaped, didn't it? - Well, I'm gonna find it and destroy it because that's my job. Mine. I was born to do this. I wasn't trained." she snapped; angry at Riley attitude. She marching off past him, not bothering to look back.
~Don't Lie~
Buffy strolled into Willy's Place and inhaled the air of familiarity. The demons that frequented the place all dropped their gazes, either from fear or respect. This was how it worked. Mutual fear and loathing. Not even demon, monster….vampire was a threat. Not everything that went bump in the night was out to kill and maim. Some demons were just out to live their lives in peace. And the one law they answered to was the slayer.
Buffy smiled at Willy as she leant over the bar.
"You're killin' me here."
"Missed you, too. The joint's jumpin'." Buffy took another glance around, locking gazes with the demon beside her, who swiftly got to his feet and rushed away with his drink.
"You know. I'm making some changes with my life." Willy announced drawing the slayers attention back to him. "I'm getting away from my old image."
Buffy raised a brow and smirked. "As a double-dealing snitch?"
"You think I'm blowing smoke but after those apocalypse demons nearly did me in, I had a spiritual experience."
The slayer bit back a laugh. "That's well. But have you heard anything about a Polgara demon doing some killings?" she finished sombrely.
"See, that's the thing. I don't talk behind people's backs no more." Willy said, smiled nervously down the bar. "And I'm bringing some class to the joint. It's Willy's Place. Brings in a better clientele. I got one of those deep fryers. These demons just go crazy for chicken fingers. If they see me dealing with you, I'm just the same Willy, working both sides of the street."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "I'm gonna have to punch you, aren't I."
"Just once. And it don't have to hurt."
Buffy straightened, drawing her fist back.
"Ow!" Willy flinched.
"I haven't even hit you yet."
"Right. Sorry. Ok. Wait. No. I can't talke to yo…." Willy barely finished before Buffy was slamming her closed fish into his face. "Ow! Ow!" he cried, clutching his nose.
"What have you heard about the Polgara?"
"Heard there was one around a week or two back. Word was you got him. You and those army guys." Willy winced, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
Buffy clenched her jaw. "And that was the last you heard?"
"Yeah. As far as I know, he'd off the streets."
"What about those army guys? You heard anything about 314?"
Willy frowned up at her with confusion, before movement at the door drew both of their gazes. Buffy inhaled slowly as Riley stepped inside. Giving Willy a reassuring smile she pushed herself off the bar and made her way over to meet the solider.
"What are you doing here? Following me?" She demanded.
Riley glared at her accusingly. "You told me you were tracking the Polgara demon. I thought I'd help. - But I see now, you're not hunting demons, you're socializing with them. - Again."
Buffy tightened her jaw, folding her arms over her chest. She was becoming really tired of his tunnel vision. "Smooth, Officer Riley. They teach you those undercover moves in Special Forces?"
"I'm serious. What are you doing here?" Riley snapped, his face glistening with a thin layer of sweat in the dim lights.
"Just coolin' her dog. Like the rest of us. Why don't you sit down. Relax?" Willy said quickly, clearly concerned that violence was about to break out. Rightly so.
"I want you to tell me. Who are you?" Riley demanded, ignoring Willy and grabbing Buffy's biceps hard. His eyes wild and unfocused.
"How about some chicken fingers on the house?" Willy said nervously.
Riley head snapped around, his eyes narrow. His hands tightening on Buffy's arms. "Shut up."
"I'm just saying." Willy shrugged.
"I said shut up!" Riley yelled. "Or maybe you'd like to go back to the lab with me. I'm sure the coats would love to classify a….whatever you are!"
The slayer shoved at his chest, breaking his hold on her. "Get off me! - Leave him alone. He's human!"
Riley looked from Buffy to Willy, disgust written all over his face. "So he's human. He just harbours demons. Which makes him a good guy like you?"
Buffy watched the solider with growing concern. His face was growing damper by the second and his was practically vibrating out of his uniform. It was the wild, furious look in his eyes that concerned her the most though. She's seen that look before and it was never a good sign. When he grabbed her again, it took all her self control not to break his arm.
"The truth Buffy! Now!"
"You have it." she said surprisingly calmly. "You are just too screwed up because of what happened to Walsh to see it."
"Hold it! You!" Riley yelled, his hand leaving Buffy to reach for his weapon, aiming it at a woman trying to leave.
Buffy held her breath, looking from him to the poor bystander. Demon or no, she wasn't a threat at that moment.
"No leaving till I say so. Got it?" Riley shouted, his hand shaking.
"Hey. Hey, we got new rules here. No killing." Willy said firmly.
"Right, except the rules don't seem to apply much these days, do they?" Riley replied frantically. "Like if I shot you right now…" he turned back to the poor trembling woman. "I don't know if I'd have a corpse on my hands or one really pissed off vampire."
"Riley." Buffy said gently, taking a step towards him.
"I mean, who do you believe? First it sounds like lies, then it sounds like truth."
Buffy took a deep breath. "Riley."
Glass scattered the floor as Riley swung him arm into the bar, knocking bottles and glass aside, his head dropped as he fought to catch his breath. "What's happening to me." he murmured brokenly.
Buffy stared at him, unable to answer that question but already sure it had something to do with Maggie and whatever 314 was.
~Don't Lie~
She's gotten Riley back to the basement with little fuss. The fight had seemed to have completely left the soldier. Willow's reaction upon seeing him was almost heartbreaking. She's rushed to meet them at the stairs, throwing her arms around him before guiding him cautiously to the bed. Buffy left her to calm him. Pausing at the curtain before turning away and facing her friends.
"What happened?" Giles asked quietly.
Buffy exhaled slowly, shrugging out of her jacket. "I don't know. I was at Willy's getting information, he followed me and them flipped out. He's a mess and it's not just grief making him act this way. - Something's affecting him physically and it's getting worse."
"You think Walsh did something to him?" Anya asked.
Buffy meet the ex-demon's gaze. "I don't know, but I'm ready to find out." she replied firmly, irritation, anger and frustration clear in her tone.
"Tough, with Maggie's deadness and all." Xander said sarcastically.
"She must have kept records somewhere. About Riley. About 314. About all of it. And she wasn't the only person that knew what she was up to."
"So what's the plan?" Xander asked.
"Xander, you and I are going undercover."
"No. No Xander. Not in a boyfriend way. Or a lead him into certain death way." Anya snapped, glaring at the slayer.
"He's the only one with military experience."
"It's not like he was in Nam. He was a G.I Joe for one night!"
"It's okay, Anya. I've backed up Buffy before."
"Can't you do something else to help them like Xerox hand-outs or something."
"I'll be careful."
Buffy turned away from the pair to meet Giles worried gaze. She closed the gap between them.
"How do you plan to get into the Initiative?" Giles asked quietly, his hands automatically going to her shoulders. "I'm sure their security system's impenetrable."
Buffy smiled up at him reassuringly. "I have my clearance. I'm just hoping she didn't have time to revoke it."
Giles shook his head. "Well…as for the whereabouts of this Polgara demon. I'm afraid we've not turned up much." he dropped his hands and turned to his books. "No reports since its originally capture."
Buffy sighed, squeezing his arms gently, pulling his attention back to her. "Keep looking."
Giles nodded.
"Xander?" Buffy turned back to her friend. "Ready?"
"Ma'am." he saluted.
Buffy rolled her eyes, turning back to Giles and pressing a kiss to his lips. "I won't be long." she spared a glance at Sam, who was in his play pen with a couple of Xander's old toys. Then she turned and headed for the stairs, Xander at her heels.
~Don't Lie~
It didn't take Buffy and Xander long to find what they where looking for. Or more precisely it found them. Apparently Maggie was working on her own pet project. One that not only involved doping Riley and his unit but also playing Frankenstein. Creating a part human, part demon, part machine monster that was apparently having something of an identity crisis. - big surprise on that one. - It turns out that in its need to understand what it was it was directing ten year old boys.
Adam - because Maggie was original in her naming process. - had informed her, Xander, Riley and Maggie's assistant all about what the woman had been planning. That Riley was meant to become some kind of super solider in the fight against evil.
Riley obviously hadn't taken this news all that well, which was how he'd ended up injured, having attacked the thing and gotten skewered with the Polgara spike. Buffy's fight had gone a little better. She hadn't been shish kebabed, so she marked that as a win. But Adam had gotten away and of course that was when Forrest had broken in and all but accused her of killing the doctor. If it wasn't for Riley she'd probably be in one of the Initiative cells awaiting reprogramming or whatever. As it was she and Xander were shown out of the base, while Riley was taken away by his men.
"He's okay. He's alive. - Will, we'll get him back. I swear." Buffy said desperately, hating the agonised look in her best friend's eyes. But what made her heart tightened was the belief she saw there too.
A/N: I hated the way Maggie and the others were so dismissive and disrespectful of the Slayer line and what Buffy did. But more than anything I hated that Buffy just took it. I mean I honestly think that the only reason she let them get away with it was because of her relationship with Riley. Like having to get along with your in-law and smile why they insult you because you don't want to upset your partner. So I decided that if she wasn't with Riley, she wouldn't take their shit the way she did.
And once again the reappearence of Xander's ridiculous solider memory. Seriously how many times must we go through how stupid this is?
While writing this I found myself wondering, how does Willow (and Buffy) get from the college to Giles house to quickly? I mean they get a phone call and then their there. Which wouldn't be a problem, but I didn't think the school was so close, seeing as we hadn't heard or seen anything of it for the first three years.
