This story takes place after Buffy's twentieth birthday, but before Crush. Feedback can be sent to
It's in the silences
The words you never say
I see it in your eyes
Always starts the same way
It seems like everyone we know
Is breakin' up
Hmmm, does anybody ever stay in love...anymore?
Black and Blue: I Promise You
By Cobalite Ice
She danced in the moonlight, but her friend was silent. So, Drusilla talked to the stars. "Then we'll live happily ever after. So happy, just like before." She listened for a moment, and clapped her hands together. "Really? Two years from now? Oh, that's wonderful. Fedex from hell! They never taught us that at the convent." Suddenly, the moon spoke. "No! No, no, no, no!"
-----
They were back outside the abandoned church. Buffy watched through the window. "They're talking. I mean, having an actual conversation. What the hell could they be talking about?"
Riley looked over her shoulder. "They're talking about New York. I guess she's from there. Oh, fuck."
"What?" Angel asked.
"She's gonna kill him afterwards. We have to stop this, now."
Buffy picked up her crossbow. "Let's find a way to skin the cat."
-----
"The drugs aren't working." Cynthia sighed. "It would have been less painful if they had. Looks like I'll have to resort to magic."
Liam noticed the binding circle he'd been standing in. "Is this going to take long?"
"It'll have to wait until morning. The moon has passed it's zenith. I think I need an aspirin." Cynthia rubbed where a human's temples would have been. She grabbed a bag of powder. "We'll continue this-"
The door flew open. "Drop it, Cat woman."
Liam groaned at the bad joke. "So nice of you to finally show up."
"I won't let you stop me." Cynthia was almost shaking with rage. She uttered a phrase in Latin. *Nothing living, nor with a soul may pass.* "As I was saying, we'll continue this tomorrow." She calmly walked away, leaving Buffy, Riley, and Angel locked inside.
Buffy banged on the barrier in frustration. "Now I know what being uninvited feels like."
"I can get in." Spike spoke quietly.
"How?" Buffy asked. "Look at this thing." She pounded on the barrier again.
"Nothing living or with a soul." Angel muttered. "He's neither."
Spike placed a hand against the wall. It gave resistance, but he'd be able to pass through. He hoped. "Spike, how are you going to get him out?"
"We'll burn that bridge when we come to it?" He pushed forward. It felt like touching a live wire. "High voltage." Then he was passing through, and a sharp pain cut through his skull. He screamed in agony, and fell to his knees.
Riley could suddenly hear Walsh's voice. 'When you finally find Hostile 17, don't use more than one tazer shot. There's a defect in the chip. A continual electrical charge activated the self-destruct. Only partially though. It can take months for the radiation poisoning to kill a vampire.' "And I repeat, Oh fuck."
Buffy ran to where they had Liam chained. "Are you alright?"
"I've been repeatedly drugged, and chained to the wall for hours. What do you think?" Liam stared at Spike. "Are you alright is the real question."
"I'm fine." He struggled to stand, and pushed Buffy away from him. He started picking the shackles. "Usually, it was you unchaining me. This is new."
A door opened, and shut. Drusilla stood before them, her face a mask of rage. "I won't let you take him." She pulled the gun she'd used on Liam just hours ago. "It's all your fault, Slayer. You can't have them. YOU CAN'T HAVE THEM BOTH!"
Spike's injury, and his work Liam's bindings kept him from moving quick enough. Angel was too far away. Only Riley saw her aim at Buffy, and pull the trigger. It only took a second, but to Buffy, that second took an eternity. No time to dodge, she was sure she was going to die. 'Goodbye, Angel.' Then she was knocked backwards, and Riley's heavy form collapsed on top of her. Angel and Spike were restraining Dru in the next second, keeping her from firing another shot.
"Riley?" Her voice was hesitant. She touched his shoulder, and felt blood. "Oh, god." She rolled him off of her, and onto his back. A neat whole was centered above the heart. A severed aorta.
His eyes were glazed, but he was smiling at her. He weakly brushed the hair away from her face. "I love you."
She didn't know what to say. He obviously thought she was the other Buffy. Should she lie to a dying man? He saved her from the dilemma. "You'll never say it." Then his eyes focused. "You have to… to tell Spike. Tell him, the shock's deactivated the chip. Put it into self-destruct. He has six months, maybe less."
"Okay." She took his hand, and held it tightly. She could hear his heartbeat slowing.
"The third's life shall be ended by a love unrealized." His breathing began to get shallow. "I never got a chance to kiss you goodbye."
She knew he knew he was dying. She placed a soft kiss on his lips. Buffy felt Angel, Liam, and Spike kneel beside her. Riley drew in another shaky breath. "It's been interesting, hasn't it, Spike?"
"Yeah, mate, it has."
Liam knew this may be their last chance to make peace. "Riley, I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"Hating you for so long."
"It's okay." Riley looked at Buffy, then past her. Then he smiled, closed his eyes, and exhaled his last breath.
Buffy started sobbing. She hadn't really known him, but her otherself's memories of him would always be with her. Angel put an arm around her, and pulled her close. Liam and Spike helped each other to stand.
Buffy looked at them. "Riley said-"
"I know, I know." Spike sighed. "The first shall, his greatest fear realized, become what he has most reviled."
"Your greatest fear?" Buffy asked. "Your greatest fear is dying of radiation poisoning?"
"No. I wouldn't have done it for anyone but you, Slayer. See, my greatest fear was becoming like my sire." He gave Liam a hateful look offset by a smile.
Suddenly, Liam jerked from his grasp, and collapsed back to the ground. There was a brilliant flash of light, and Destiny stood over him. "You have come to the end, Warrior. Live these last months as a man." Both Spike and Angel could hear another heartbeat in the room. Destiny spoke. "The second shall greet the morning light."
Outside a new day dawned, and Destiny disappeared. A tall, blond woman stepped out of the side room. She saw both Angels still alive, and saw the body inside her casting circle. Her eyes went wide. "I… I never meant to…" She'd never taken an innocent's soul.
"Cynthia." Liam didn't seem surprised, as they once again pulled him to his feet. "I thought you couldn't do the spell until tomorrow night. Why come back now?"
"I decided I couldn't go through with it. I like you. No one else has ever looked past the fur and fangs. No one has ever asked me about home, or where I was planning on going to college. I came to let you go." She ran her fingers (Oh, to have fingers again) though long blond hair. She looked to where Drusilla hung in Liam's chains. "I'll take care of this. You should all leave."
Buffy was about to what to do with Riley's body, but then she saw it was starting to fade away. "Let's go home."
Cynthia walked over to where Dru was chained. "I've decided."
"Just as I told you." Dru's eyes squeezed shut. "What choice did you make?"
"I choose gray." She pushed the stake forward.
-----
They were leaving. Buffy had assumed they would go, but now she was curious. "Where will you go?"
Liam smiled at her. "Home."
Spike smacked him across the back of the head. "Don't be so damn cryptic. He's going to Galaway. That's where we were heading a century ago when Angelus got a little side tracked."
Liam shook Angel's hand. "Remember what I told you. No secrets from her. It will only cause more problems."
"Are you going to give me any hints to keep from messing up as badly as you did?"
Liam thought for a moment. Before he'd changed, he had already smelled the sickness brewing that would send Buffy to the hospital, and Der Kindstod. Their intervention would prevent Alcatha. He couldn't tell himself anything useful. Except maybe this. "Just one. Darla is in the box."
"What?"
"Darla is in the box. Just, keep that in mind. It's gonna be a while." Liam turned to Buffy. "You take good care of him. He needs a lot of reminders about how much you care, and the fact that he isn't just a demon."
"I'll do my best." She gave him a peck on the cheek. "The two of you went through hell, didn't you?" "Yeah." Liam remembered his otherself talking about her dreams. "Do you know? About Thanksgiving, I mean?" She nodded. "I'll make sure he knows how to kill the Morah. I wouldn't want anyone to bear that burden." "Goodbye." "Goodbye." She turned to Spike. "You, I still can't believe." "Believe it, Luv." Then he grabbed her, and kissed her. She smacked him, and heard Angel growl behind her. "Never ever touch me again." "Never gonna have the chance." He shut the trunk on his otherself's De Soto. He'd left it here when he left for India, and Spike didn't think he'd mind. "Let's roll, Peaches." They got into the car, and left. It would be the last time Buffy, Angel, or anyone else in Sunnydale would see them.