Chapter Two
Out of the Woods
Kellie hummed as she brushed her hair, it was nearly afternoon when she woke up and wasn't surprised to find Darry already awoke and her nightclothes folded neatly on the bed. However, she had decided to take her time getting dressed and was lazily brushing her hair and humming a tune to a song that she couldn't remember.
She sighed, almost wistfully, and set her brush down on the dresser in front of her. Kellie brushed her hair behind her shoulders and turned to face the entrance of the attic room that she shared with her older cousin.
Kellie walked down the stairs and into the main part of the house. It seemed empty and Kellie wouldn't be surprised; the other members of the house had things to do and she, after all, had over slept. Darry must be out somewhere with Oz, and Buffy out with Dawn, Willow out with, someone: perhaps with Tara. Now that Willow had told Amy to 'get lost', Kellie didn't expect to see much of the girl anymore.
Kellie sat down at the large kitchen table by herself and rested her chin the palms of her hands; she had never heard the Summers house so quiet before.
As though to answer her thoughts and pleas for noise (even if she didn't know she was pleading for it), the doorbell rang and then someone knocked, impatient to get in.
Kellie left the kitchen and headed to the front door, where the pounding continued. "Hold on, geez." Kellie snapped at the person on the other side of the door. It couldn't be anyone that she knew or that the Scooby Gang knew because they would just use the kitchen door and walk right in.
Kellie unlocked the door and opened it, not enough but just to peer outside to see who was calling. It was a man, about Buffy's age, Kellie guessed, just in what could only be described as an army outfit. The man was ruggedly handsome with dirt on his face and dirt in his hair, which was disheveled.
When Kellie opened the door, the man looked at her and then gave her the once-over, looking surprised. He instantly straightened up, as though standing at attention. "Sorry, I didn't mean to knock so hard; this is 1630 Revello Drive, isn't it?" The man answered.
Kellie nodded, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah. Why?" Kellie asked.
"Does, uh, Buffy Summers still live here?" The man asked.
Kellie nodded. "She's out at the moment, though, but she lives here." Kellie answered. She gave him the once-over and noticed how dirty he was. "Who are you?" Kellie asked.
"Agent Finn, er, Riley Finn." The man answered, looking slightly uncomfortable.
"What are you doing here? And why are you dressed like a solider, you're not are you? A solider I mean." Kellie asked.
"I am; I really need to speak to Buffy, do you know when she'll be back?" Riley asked.
Kellie shrugged. "Not really, I didn't even know she'd gone. You're welcome here to wait, if you don't think she'll mind. After all, you seem to know her well. Why?" Kellie asked, cocking her head to study Riley.
"Well, I was once her beau but I guess I messed up by leaving here." Riley answered, once again looking upset and uncomfortable.
Kellie could tell that he didn't want to talk to her about his past with Buffy. "Come on in, Riley." Kellie offered, stepping away from the door.
Riley entered the house and looked around, noticing that everything looked the same. Then, he turned to her. "If you don't mind me asking, Miss, who are you and what do you have to do with Buffy?" Riley asked.
Kellie looked at him. "My name is Kellie Kennedy and I live here because my cousin, Daralyn, met Buffy and lived here as well. I'm just a friend of Buffy's, not a sister or high school pal, just a friend." Kellie answered.
Riley nodded and shut the door behind him but he stood close to the foyer, as though he wasn't welcome in the house. Kellie went into the kitchen and Riley followed, taking a seat at the large kitchen table.
"So, who else lives here?" Riley asked, drumming his fingers on the table and then stopping when he realized what he was doing.
"Well, Buffy, of course, and Dawn, her sister, and Willow. Darry and I live in the attic, Xander made it into a room." Kellie answered.
Riley nodded and Kellie could tell that he didn't really care. "Well, I can say with honesty, I've never heard of you or your cousin." Riley muttered.
Kellie sat down and studied him. "Ever heard of a town called Snowville?" Kellie asked. "A little skiing town just barely on the map." She added with a smirk.
Riley nodded. "Of course, it's part of training to learn every city in the United States, just in case we ever have to go there." Riley answered.
Kellie nodded. "I'm impressed." She muttered, dead-pan. Then she once again studied Riley's outfit. "So, what's with the outfit? You introduced yourself as Agent Finn so you're obviously trained, because you just said you were, in whatever it is you do, now tell me: what is it you do?" Kellie asked.
Riley shifted, looking slightly uncomfortable again. Kellie noticed that his eyes darted when he didn't want to tell the whole story. "What?" She asked. "Is this one of those: 'if I tell you I'll have to kill you' jobs?"
Riley smiled. "Funny. Yeah, in a way." He answered.
Kellie frowned and leaned back in her chair. "Now I'm dying to know." She muttered, dead-pan.
"Hasn't Buffy ever mentioned me, ever?" Riley asked.
Just then the kitchen door opened and Buffy walked inside, with Dawn and Willow in tow. Buffy looked down at the kitchen table and saw Riley sitting across from Kellie at the table.
Her face when white and she nearly dropped the bags she was holding. "Riley." She said, her voice straight and even, which was a surprise because of the way she looked.
Riley looked over at Buffy, standing up and pushing his chair under the table. Before Buffy or Riley could say another word, Willow and Dawn were pushed aside and Spike rushed in with a blanket over his body and smoke billowing from his hands.
When he was in the house, he threw the blanket aside and it landed on Riley; Spike turned to face Kellie, unaware that Riley was standing there, under his blanket. "Hey pet." Spike said with a smile.
Riley threw the blanket off him and whirled on Spike. "You, you're the demon that we put that chip in." Riley said, reaching for his belt as though he was getting something.
Spike turned to him. "Oh bullocks." Spike muttered. "Just my bloody luck, what are you doing here, you excuse for a sodding solider?" Spike asked.
Riley glared at Spike. "You're lucky I don't have my gun with me." Riley muttered. "Or maybe, I'm lucky you have that chip in your head." Riley said in a taunting way.
Spike stepped forward and hit Riley in the face, breaking his nose. Riley stepped backward, holding his nose. Buffy stepped forward as well and hit Spike in the face. "Back off." Buffy growled.
Spike jerked backward and nearly knocked the table over. Willow decided to step in and intervened. "Guys, lets calm down and think about this." Willow said.
Spike, however, did not intend on thinking about anything and hit Buffy in the jaw.
Riley shoved Spike aside again and kicked him in the stomach. Spike doubled over and fell to the ground.
Kellie decided that nobody messed with her Spikey and threw a punch at Riley. The punch went wide and Riley, on instinct, grabbed Kellie's fist and held it. Kellie jerked her fist but Riley held it tight; with his other hand he grabbed her other arm.
Before Riley knew what had happened, he was lying on the ground with a massive head-ache. He looked up and blinked his eyes to see a very angry looking brunette standing over him.
"No body messes with my cousin." The brunette muttered and rubbed her knuckles, working her fingers along her fist.
Riley looked around to notice that the kitchen was in shambles and the fighting had mostly stopped. The kitchen table had managed to get over turned and one of the legs had broken off; Spike was doubled over, holding himself up with one hand gripping the edge of the counter.
Buffy was picking up the broken pieces of glass and pottery and telling Spike she was paying for everything he broke. Kellie was glaring at him while someone, Riley thought he recognized, helped her to her feet.
Willow and Dawn her attempting to lift the kitchen table, however it was impossible because of the missing leg. Riley looked over at the brunette again, glaring at her.
However, he couldn't help but notice that even though she looked upset, she didn't really look upset. Her eyes sparkled with a slight happiness and a smile could be seen, just barely, at the corners of her lips.
To Riley's surprise, the girl held her hand out to him, an offer to help him up. Riley extended his hand and the brunette helped him up, Riley was surprised by her strength.
Kellie walked over to the brunette with the man that had helped her up in tow. The brunette turned to face Kellie. "Okay, I just nearly knocked this guy out, who is he?" She asked.
Before Kellie could answer, Buffy joined them. "This, Darry, is Riley, my ex-boyfriend who is apparently back in town. Out of the woods." Buffy said, fixing her eyes on Riley.
Out of the Woods
Kellie hummed as she brushed her hair, it was nearly afternoon when she woke up and wasn't surprised to find Darry already awoke and her nightclothes folded neatly on the bed. However, she had decided to take her time getting dressed and was lazily brushing her hair and humming a tune to a song that she couldn't remember.
She sighed, almost wistfully, and set her brush down on the dresser in front of her. Kellie brushed her hair behind her shoulders and turned to face the entrance of the attic room that she shared with her older cousin.
Kellie walked down the stairs and into the main part of the house. It seemed empty and Kellie wouldn't be surprised; the other members of the house had things to do and she, after all, had over slept. Darry must be out somewhere with Oz, and Buffy out with Dawn, Willow out with, someone: perhaps with Tara. Now that Willow had told Amy to 'get lost', Kellie didn't expect to see much of the girl anymore.
Kellie sat down at the large kitchen table by herself and rested her chin the palms of her hands; she had never heard the Summers house so quiet before.
As though to answer her thoughts and pleas for noise (even if she didn't know she was pleading for it), the doorbell rang and then someone knocked, impatient to get in.
Kellie left the kitchen and headed to the front door, where the pounding continued. "Hold on, geez." Kellie snapped at the person on the other side of the door. It couldn't be anyone that she knew or that the Scooby Gang knew because they would just use the kitchen door and walk right in.
Kellie unlocked the door and opened it, not enough but just to peer outside to see who was calling. It was a man, about Buffy's age, Kellie guessed, just in what could only be described as an army outfit. The man was ruggedly handsome with dirt on his face and dirt in his hair, which was disheveled.
When Kellie opened the door, the man looked at her and then gave her the once-over, looking surprised. He instantly straightened up, as though standing at attention. "Sorry, I didn't mean to knock so hard; this is 1630 Revello Drive, isn't it?" The man answered.
Kellie nodded, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah. Why?" Kellie asked.
"Does, uh, Buffy Summers still live here?" The man asked.
Kellie nodded. "She's out at the moment, though, but she lives here." Kellie answered. She gave him the once-over and noticed how dirty he was. "Who are you?" Kellie asked.
"Agent Finn, er, Riley Finn." The man answered, looking slightly uncomfortable.
"What are you doing here? And why are you dressed like a solider, you're not are you? A solider I mean." Kellie asked.
"I am; I really need to speak to Buffy, do you know when she'll be back?" Riley asked.
Kellie shrugged. "Not really, I didn't even know she'd gone. You're welcome here to wait, if you don't think she'll mind. After all, you seem to know her well. Why?" Kellie asked, cocking her head to study Riley.
"Well, I was once her beau but I guess I messed up by leaving here." Riley answered, once again looking upset and uncomfortable.
Kellie could tell that he didn't want to talk to her about his past with Buffy. "Come on in, Riley." Kellie offered, stepping away from the door.
Riley entered the house and looked around, noticing that everything looked the same. Then, he turned to her. "If you don't mind me asking, Miss, who are you and what do you have to do with Buffy?" Riley asked.
Kellie looked at him. "My name is Kellie Kennedy and I live here because my cousin, Daralyn, met Buffy and lived here as well. I'm just a friend of Buffy's, not a sister or high school pal, just a friend." Kellie answered.
Riley nodded and shut the door behind him but he stood close to the foyer, as though he wasn't welcome in the house. Kellie went into the kitchen and Riley followed, taking a seat at the large kitchen table.
"So, who else lives here?" Riley asked, drumming his fingers on the table and then stopping when he realized what he was doing.
"Well, Buffy, of course, and Dawn, her sister, and Willow. Darry and I live in the attic, Xander made it into a room." Kellie answered.
Riley nodded and Kellie could tell that he didn't really care. "Well, I can say with honesty, I've never heard of you or your cousin." Riley muttered.
Kellie sat down and studied him. "Ever heard of a town called Snowville?" Kellie asked. "A little skiing town just barely on the map." She added with a smirk.
Riley nodded. "Of course, it's part of training to learn every city in the United States, just in case we ever have to go there." Riley answered.
Kellie nodded. "I'm impressed." She muttered, dead-pan. Then she once again studied Riley's outfit. "So, what's with the outfit? You introduced yourself as Agent Finn so you're obviously trained, because you just said you were, in whatever it is you do, now tell me: what is it you do?" Kellie asked.
Riley shifted, looking slightly uncomfortable again. Kellie noticed that his eyes darted when he didn't want to tell the whole story. "What?" She asked. "Is this one of those: 'if I tell you I'll have to kill you' jobs?"
Riley smiled. "Funny. Yeah, in a way." He answered.
Kellie frowned and leaned back in her chair. "Now I'm dying to know." She muttered, dead-pan.
"Hasn't Buffy ever mentioned me, ever?" Riley asked.
Just then the kitchen door opened and Buffy walked inside, with Dawn and Willow in tow. Buffy looked down at the kitchen table and saw Riley sitting across from Kellie at the table.
Her face when white and she nearly dropped the bags she was holding. "Riley." She said, her voice straight and even, which was a surprise because of the way she looked.
Riley looked over at Buffy, standing up and pushing his chair under the table. Before Buffy or Riley could say another word, Willow and Dawn were pushed aside and Spike rushed in with a blanket over his body and smoke billowing from his hands.
When he was in the house, he threw the blanket aside and it landed on Riley; Spike turned to face Kellie, unaware that Riley was standing there, under his blanket. "Hey pet." Spike said with a smile.
Riley threw the blanket off him and whirled on Spike. "You, you're the demon that we put that chip in." Riley said, reaching for his belt as though he was getting something.
Spike turned to him. "Oh bullocks." Spike muttered. "Just my bloody luck, what are you doing here, you excuse for a sodding solider?" Spike asked.
Riley glared at Spike. "You're lucky I don't have my gun with me." Riley muttered. "Or maybe, I'm lucky you have that chip in your head." Riley said in a taunting way.
Spike stepped forward and hit Riley in the face, breaking his nose. Riley stepped backward, holding his nose. Buffy stepped forward as well and hit Spike in the face. "Back off." Buffy growled.
Spike jerked backward and nearly knocked the table over. Willow decided to step in and intervened. "Guys, lets calm down and think about this." Willow said.
Spike, however, did not intend on thinking about anything and hit Buffy in the jaw.
Riley shoved Spike aside again and kicked him in the stomach. Spike doubled over and fell to the ground.
Kellie decided that nobody messed with her Spikey and threw a punch at Riley. The punch went wide and Riley, on instinct, grabbed Kellie's fist and held it. Kellie jerked her fist but Riley held it tight; with his other hand he grabbed her other arm.
Before Riley knew what had happened, he was lying on the ground with a massive head-ache. He looked up and blinked his eyes to see a very angry looking brunette standing over him.
"No body messes with my cousin." The brunette muttered and rubbed her knuckles, working her fingers along her fist.
Riley looked around to notice that the kitchen was in shambles and the fighting had mostly stopped. The kitchen table had managed to get over turned and one of the legs had broken off; Spike was doubled over, holding himself up with one hand gripping the edge of the counter.
Buffy was picking up the broken pieces of glass and pottery and telling Spike she was paying for everything he broke. Kellie was glaring at him while someone, Riley thought he recognized, helped her to her feet.
Willow and Dawn her attempting to lift the kitchen table, however it was impossible because of the missing leg. Riley looked over at the brunette again, glaring at her.
However, he couldn't help but notice that even though she looked upset, she didn't really look upset. Her eyes sparkled with a slight happiness and a smile could be seen, just barely, at the corners of her lips.
To Riley's surprise, the girl held her hand out to him, an offer to help him up. Riley extended his hand and the brunette helped him up, Riley was surprised by her strength.
Kellie walked over to the brunette with the man that had helped her up in tow. The brunette turned to face Kellie. "Okay, I just nearly knocked this guy out, who is he?" She asked.
Before Kellie could answer, Buffy joined them. "This, Darry, is Riley, my ex-boyfriend who is apparently back in town. Out of the woods." Buffy said, fixing her eyes on Riley.