Title: Sun and Shadow
Section: Los Angeles I
Part: Six -- Riley
Author: Arsahi
Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer is property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. Angel the Series belongs to Joss Whedon, David Greenwalt, and Mutant Enemy.
Distribution: Eh...gonna be stingy this time and say ask first. You can find my email address on my author profile.
Dedication: The normal people, you know who you are.
Rated: This part is rated PG-13.
Pairings: Angel/Cordelia, Fred/Gunn, Wesley/Take a Stab At It, Spike/Buffy, Willow/Tara, Xander/Anya
Notes: This is my first crossover, folks. Be warned.
Timeframe: Post-Gone for BtVS and post-Dad for Angel.
~*~ Riley ~*~
A scream ripped through the Hyperion at precisely 3:16 p.m.
The only reason Spike knew this was because he rolled over and checked the clock as soon as he heard the scream.
He stumbled down to the lobby in nothing but his boxer shorts to find Cordelia in Angel's arms, panting. "A man...tall, brown hair...attacked by..."
She looked at Spike, frightened. Everyone else filled in the blank and took a step back. However, Spike wasn't paying attention. His ears pricked up at
the sound of a window sliding open and the double thump of heavy commando boots up two floors. He suddenly bolted for the stairs, running as quickly and quietly
as unhumanly possible. He ran into his room and tackled his intruder to the floor, pinning his arms to the floor.
"Lemme go!" his captive wriggled underneath him.
"Captain Cardboard?" Spike let go of Riley in shock.
The younger man shoved Spike from his back and jumped up, dusting himself off. "Hostile Seventeen."
Spike narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing in L.A.? More particularly, what the bloody hell are you doin' in my room?"
Riley reeled back. "Your room? You live here?"
Spike snorted. "Did I stutter, G. I. Joe?"
"Why do you live here? You're supposed to be in Sunnydale," Riley narrowed his eyes.
"I live here because Buffy kicked me out of Sunnydale. Peaches and I have an understanding," Spike informed Buffy's ex-beau.
"What does Angel think of your...feelings...for Buffy?" Riley asked.
"He supports them," Spike smirked, knowing Angel had been insanely protective of Buffy when Riley was involved with her.
"That's funny, Spike," Riley snorted. "Why would he support your feelings for his ex-girlfriend?"
"Because he's in love with Cordelia," Spike explained tiredly. "Now you answer my question. Why are you here?"
"I need to speak with Angel," he glared at Spike.
"Then get out of my room," Spike shoved him out...into Angel. "Lookie who I found, Angel."
"Riley," Angel's eyes flashed. Riley then realized the situation he was in: he was trapped between two vampires who had the capability to hurt him very
badly and would need little prompting and would have no hesitation to do so.
"Angel," Riley said. "I have to speak to you."
"About what?" Angel arched an eyebrow.
"Holtz. Daniel Holtz and his army."
"So...Holtz was preserved by a demon and now he wants revenge on Angelus for killing him family," Cordelia rubbed her forehead. "Perfect. My boyfriend's
being hunted by a guy whose family died at Angel's evil alter-ego's hands two hundred years ago." Cordelia had actually forgotten about Holtz in the past
weeks. Spike had gone back to sleep, asking Fred to fill him in later.
"And now he's gathering an army of humans whose families have died by vampires," Fred sighed. "What a predicament."
"So...how are we gonna defeat these dudes? Y'all, if these folks are backed by this demon guy, we're pretty damn useless, us humans," Gunn pointed out,
snaking an arm around Fred's waist. She leaned against him tiredly.
"We need Spike," Wesley said. "He's got the right mindset for this sort of thing."
"Wes is right," Lorne agreed. "As much as the guy gets under our skins that's what we need. He knows how to find weaknesses."
"Fred, go wake him up," Angel nodded to her and turned to Riley. "If you're lying or setting us up, you'll regret it."
Riley nodded. "Understood."
In a few minutes, Fred returned with a bleary eyed but caught up Spike. He looked at everyone and down at himself, shrugging off the fact he was wearing
nothing but a pair of sweatpants Angel had graciously donated to Spike's ever-growing wardrobe. Spike yawned and muttered about an
ungodly hour to wake up.
"So...you need my expertise?"
Angel nodded. "Army of humans backed by demonic power and led by a guy hell-bent on revenge. What do we do?"
"Get rid of the demonic power," Spike shrugged. "Without that, they'll just be a buncha rage-driven Happy Meals."
"See? I knew I let Drusilla turn this boy for a reason," Angel clapped him on the back. Spike just stared at him like he'd lost his mind.
"After that you get rid of the weapons and take out the leader," Spike concluded. "You needed to wake me up for that?"
Riley rubbed his temples. "The thing is, we don't know who's backing Holtz and his army."
"Spike," Angel said.
"Spike's backing the army?" Riley asked ingeniously.
"No, you stupid inbred invalid," Spike spat. He turned to Angel. "Dammit Angel, let me sleep."
"Go back to sleep."
"There is a god."
"But."
"Of course. You couldn't let me rest in peace, could you?"
"When you wake up, take Riley with you to go find anything on this demon. You're good at that."
"Maybe I should pretend I'm a cucumber."
"Cordy, Lorne--stay here and watch the baby. Gunn, Wes, Fred: you three see if you can find out if Wolfram and Hart are still after Connor. I'll go
out and see if I can weasel anything out of the Conduit. Commence Operation Holtz an hour after sundown."
"Dammit, Angel!"
"An hour after sundown."
"Wanker."
An hour after sundown, Spike awoke with Riley hovering over him. With a stake. Ready to dust him. "Bloody hell," Spike threw Riley off.
Riley just bounced back up and pounced on Spike. "I just came from Sunnydale."
"Bully for you," Spike retorted sarcastically, grabbed Riley's wrist, socking the boy in an attempt to rise from the bed. "Your point?"
"Buffy's in pieces over you," Riley retaliated by knocking Spike's head back with his elbow.
"She bloody kicked me out!" Spike kicked Riley off. "If she's so torn up about it, why didn't she call?! Bitch just wants to have her cake and
eat it too."
"Angel told her you didn't want to speak to her," Riley dove at Spike with the stake.
"I'll kill 'im," Spike grabbed the stake from his grasp and headed out of the door.
"Wait," Riley grabbed his arm. "How long have you been here, Spike?"
"Twenty-two bleedin' nights."
"And you haven't tried to contact anyone in Sunnydale?"
"What part of 'they kicked me out' do you not understan'?"
"You love her, don't you?"
"Are you going somewhere with this, Soldier Boy?"
"Call her."
"No bloody way in hell. The day I call her is the day Hell freezes over."
"Call her, dammit. Let her know you're okay."
"No. I'm not goin' back t' the Hellmouth, and I'm not gonna talk t' anyone. I need closure. She threw me out. Got it?"
"You know L.A. will never be your home."
"Are you trying t' push me inta Buffy's arms?"
"Remember what you told me? I'm not the long-haul guy? Spike, I know you're a long-haul guy. You stayed with the same woman for a century.
Ever since you two were under that spell, she'd been trying to deny her feelings for you. And now she can't keep a lid on her feelings anymore. So just
call her. Call her tonight, call her to tomorrow. Just call her."
"Lovely monologue. Let's get going, you stupid git. Just because you're encouraging me doesn't mean I like you."
"Wouldn't have it any other way."
"But thanks for the support, mate."
"Uh huh."
Spike tossed a smallish sword to Riley from the weapons case and armed himself with an axe. He slung it over his back and walked over to Cordelia,
Lorne, and Connor. "Keep 'im safe, all righ'?" he told Cordy. He kissed the baby's forehead and hugged Cordelia, then did a little high-fivey thing with
Lorne. "Protect 'em, Lizard Boy."
"I will, Drac," Lorne nodded. The green demon had taken to calling Spike "Drac" because of his Lizard Boy nickname. Drac was short for Dracula, but
Spike didn't object to it. He knew Lorne meant nothing personal by it.
Spike's lips twitched into half of a smile. "Bye, Lizard Boy. Anythin' happens to the Li'l Tyke or Queen C and I'm holdin' you responsible."
Riley watched this scene with great interest.
Why, if he didn't know any better, he would say Spike had developed a soul.
Riley had done a lot of things in his life, but he had never, never crawled through a sewer as dirty as the one he and Spike were tramping through.
A rat scurried past his feet. It was a rat the size of his foot. Riley shivered and hurried over to Spike.
"Weenie," Spike muttered.
"There are rats the size of my feet in here," Riley told Spike.
"Wee. Nie," Spike reiterated slowly. "Wimp. Coward. Loser."
Riley grumbled, "Look who's talking."
Spike just laughed quietly at him. In the distance, he heard splashing in the
sewage water, and it sounded different and heavier than the rats or
anything else that naturally lived in the sewer. He clamped his hand over Riley's mouth and pulled him into the shadows. The splashing got nearer. Someone,
or something, was running through the sewer. It was undead, whatever it was, because Spike heard no heartbeat from the runner.
"I wish you weren't human," Spike muttered. "If I can smell your fear, then so
can wha--" he stopped. He shifted. "Oh bugger," he muttered. "This way," he
dragged Riley into a tunnel that branched off from the main tunnel. "Take a deep breath Riley, slow down your heartbeat."
Riley did as told. He slowed it so Spike could hardly hear it.
"Commando training?" Spike whispered. Riley just nodded.
"POOKIE!" a tangle of female limbs and blond hair jumped on Riley and squeezed.
"Dammit!" Riley exclaimed. "Jesus, Harmony!"
Spike's face twitched as he tried desperately to choose between laughing at his comrade or running away in fear.
"...Blondie-bear?" Harmony turned and looked at Spike. "Boo-boo!"
"Boo-boo?" Riley asked cluelessly.
"Bloody..." Harmony tackled Spike. "Go away Harm. He an' I are on a mission, bugger all."
"You? And Pookie? Working together?" Harmony giggled. "Wow."
"Shut up," Spike clamped a hand over her mouth. "Quiet. Don' talk and you can follow us."
Harmony nodded and Spike released her. "I saw this big demon guy back there. He was walking with an older guy with old clothes?"
Riley and Spike stopped walking back to the main drag, exchanging glances. "What did the demon call the guy?" Riley asked tentatively.
"Holes...or Hutz...or something..." Harmony trailed off.
"Holtz?" Spike suggested.
"Yeah!"
"Find him."
Harmony led the way back to where she'd last seen the two. Spike sniffed out Holtz's scent like a dog and took them down that direction.
"They split up here..." Spike glared at the split tunnel. "The demon went that way. Holtz went this way."
"What do we do, Spikey?" Harmony whispered.
Spike unslung the axe from his back and handed it to Harmony. "I'll follow Holtz's trail. You two follow the demon."
They nodded. Riley started down the tunnel where the demon went and Harmony caught Spike's arm as he started towards Holtz. "Be careful, Spike. Don't
get dusted."
Spike nodded. "You too. Take care o' Riley."
Harmony nodded and caught up with Riley, sticking to the scent she'd picked up as the demon's. Her ears picked up even the faintest noise. "Riley," she
hissed. "We're getting closer, I think." She reached out and grabbed Riley's hand. She gulped and suddenly froze. "I'm sorry I'm a pest."
"Harm, shush," Riley advised. "You're not going to die."
"If it comes down to a fight, I want you to back and find spike and stay with him. I'm strong than you are," Harmony gave him a half-smile. "I know
everyone thinks Harmony is just a harm, a pain in everyone's ass, the bubbly ever-cheery airhead." Harmony shook her head. "I get it now. I can't just look
out for myself. I have to look out for myself. I have to look out for my sire, and for you, and for Angel and Cordelia and Connor." Harmony looked the
Iowa-raised commando in the eyes. "I remember what it's like to have a soul. I remember that it made everyone look out for everyone else, even if you hated
them. I remember what it felt like. And Riley, I don't want anyone to die. I'm looking out for everyone."
"Dammit, Harm," he grabbed her shoulders. "You're not going to die! We're just investigating!"
Harmony's lips found his then.
After a moment or two, she backed away. "Okay, let's go."
They trekked farther down the sewage to come out at a dry creek bed running through the back of one of the rows of estates. The sewage tunnel had dried
and it was obvious it was used frequently as a passageway.
A clock stuck midnight in someone's house nearby.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Riley."
"Happy Valentine's Day, Harm."
Spike stuck to the shadows, creeping quietly and using every predatory skill he had left. He knew Holtz was nearby, he could hear voices. One of them
belonged to Holtz, of that he was sure. Suddenly, another scent hit him...the demon's. He should've known--Harmony had given them away so the demon had
gone off in one direction, then used a spell or something to rejoin Holtz, figuring that
Harm and Riley and himself would go demon-chasing. After all, it
was no secret Spike was at the very least associated with Angel Investigations.
So Spike crept carefully closer, now hearing snippets of the conversations:
"...Angelus...servant..."
"...soul, you fool."
"Child...it?"
"...Kill...it..."
Spike saw red. Kill the child? He choked back a growl. Instead he treaded closer.
"...no use...child..."
"...and Justine?"
"...services required. She's...army."
"I preserved you," Spike got closer. "So you could eradicated Angelus. We've been over this, Holtz."
"I've told you. I've got my plans. Darla's gone now, sadly, so I cannot take my time in getting pleasure from torturing her."
"What about Justine?"
"I just explained. I need her as my right-hand general in my army."
"Army? I gave you your army, but you went and killed them all."
"All I need is fire-power."
The demon, exasperated, groaned.
Suddenly, the cement under Spike's feet changed. He arrived at a staircase, with a tunnel leading right and left. A cast iron door to the left had a
window that looked like it belonged in a prison. An orange flow from torches along the walls illuminated the hallway. Footsteps were coming from the opposite
direction from the door where the voices were coming from. Whatever it was coming smelled human.
Spike ducked back into the shadows and watched a girl filled with rage and who had orange hair walk into a the room with the demon and Holtz.
"Justine." Holtz, Spike decided.
"Boss. When are we gettin' down to business?" That was Justine.
"Have you found me any soldiers?" Holtz again.
"By the way, what kind of soldiers are you looking for, Holtz?" the demon asked.
"Humans. Ones who have been affected like Justine and I."
"Yeah, I have two people. Isobel del Gado and Monique la'Reaux."
Isobel? Spike's friend, Isobel?
"Some dumb nutso vamp by the name of Spike confessed about a whole buncha stuff to del Gado. He works for Angel, and he'll confess some of Angel's weak
spots."
Spike fought back a snort. That's what you think, lady. Then he realized how attached he'd grown to Angel and the others.
He realized also that he should probably go now. As he went back, he made a mental map of the sewer, and as he reached the cross-section where he and the
other members of his group parted ways, he followed their trail--he didn't even have to use anything but his eyes. He came out from the sewer entrance and
followed Riley's and Harmony's foot steps into a secluded little park in the back of the estates.
He followed the fresh footprints and froze at the sound of heavy breathing.
...Oh god. He could the pheromones in the air. He shuddered, recognizing Harmony's pheromones and then...the other male pheromones triggered his
memory from somewhere...a year ago? A year and a half? No, two years ago. Riley. They were Riley's pheromones. Memories of Buffy flooded his mind as the
clock in the house struck two a.m. He racked his mind for a moment and came to the conclusion that Buffy and the others would still be at the Magic Box for
another half-hour. If he hurried, Spike could make it back to the Hyperion in fifteen minutes. He could only hope that they hadn't gone home early for the
Valentine's Day issue.
Spike ran as fast as his booted feet could carry him, arriving at the hotel at 2:17 a.m. He was cutting it close.
He ran past Lorne and Cordelia to the telephone, picking it up. The clock turned to 2:18.
He dialed the numbers as quickly as his fingers could move, his desire to hear her voice winning out over his resolution of giving up Buffy for good.
It rang once.
Twice.
Three times.
Four times...
"Thank you for calling the Magic Box. Our hours are rather over, as they are from seven a.m. to seven p.m. If this message is urgent, please push the
pound key to be put through to the shop. If Anya or I am still here, we will answer the telephone. Push the star key t--"
"Sorry, Giles," Spike muttered, having pushed the pound key. 2:21 a.m.
It rang once.
Twice.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Spike was just about to hang up when the telephone on the other end was answered.
"Hello?"
"Buffy..."
"...Oh my god."
Both of them just stood on the phone with each other, either knowing exactly what to say. Spike resisted the urge to blurt out just how much he missed her
and racked his mind for a neutral subject to comment on.
"How's the slayin' going, luv?" he asked.
"Okay. Same old ick, monster of the week, Dawn getting in trouble on Tuesdays thing," Buffy told him. If he wasn't mistaken, she was...nervous.
She was babbling. Either that or she was trying to get him off the phone.
"Speaking of the Bit, how is she?" Spike asked curiously.
"She's, ah...okay. Her arm's all healed now," Buffy sighed. As an after-thought, she tacked on, "She misses you."
"Do you miss me?" the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.
There was silence.
Then, a faint whisper.
"Yes."
If Spike's heart could beat, it would've stopped and he'd have died all over again.
"I miss you too."
The following afternoon, Spike woke around four p.m. from a pleasant dream...about Buffy. He chipperly made himself look decent and literally skipped
down the stairs. "Good afternoon, pet," he grinned at Fred, then proceeded to walk over and give her a hug and a kiss on the forehead. "Pleasant day,
sweetie," he hugged Cordelia and picked up Connor. "Hewwo, widdle man," he kissed the baby's forehead and put him back down. "Hey mates!" he clapped Wesley
and Gunn on their respective backs. "Lizard Boy," he did the high-fivey thing with Lorne. "Where's the man of the hour?"
"Napping," Cordelia replied. "He's due up in a few."
"S'all bloody right. Where's Riley?" Spike wondered.
"Don't know," Cordelia shrugged.
Riley walked in the door on cue and held it open, pulling someone in under a smoking blanket inside.
"Thank you, pookie," she smiled at him and took off the blanket.
Cordelia's jaw dropped to the floor as Riley checked her for any bad burns.
Spike did a quick body count: Cordelia, Connor, Lorne, Fred, Gunn, Wesley, Riley, Harmony, and himself. Angel would be joining them, making a grand total
of ten humans and demons in the room. He looked at everyone contemplatively. The Angel Investigations crew had grown quite a lot since he'd last seen them.
The Doyle boy had died, Wesley had joined the team, as did Gunn and Fred and himself and it looked like Riley had joined too. Spike never thought he'd be on
the same team as Riley, but the boy had shaped up and grown up since he'd last spoken with him in Sunnydale. Not to mention they'd made a wordless
truce that day.
But Spike was still having trouble grasping exactly why Riley felt drawn to Harmony, his childe.
You didn't think he just picked her up off the street, did you? He found her walking around a couple of days before Harmony had revealed he and she were
there looking for the Ring of Amarra. And he'd changed her because he was hurting about Drusilla.
"Happy Valentine's Day," Angel announced to everyone, then walked over and wrapped his arms around Cordelia's waist from behind. "Happy Valentine's to
you too," he murmured, kissing her neck and producing a bouquet of red roses from behind his back. Gunn, at this display of affection, pulled Fred into his
arms and settled her back against his chest and her head against his shoulder. Lorne, Wesley, and Spike banded together as the final couple in the room
decided they were going to be lovey-dovey.
"Why, Angel, I didn' know you cared," Spike mocked him in a feminine voice.
"Hush up," Angel glared at Spike.
"Let's go celebrate my twenty-second day here, mates," Spike suggested to Lorne and Wesley.
"Sounds good to me, Drac," Lorne agreed.
"I'll join you as well," Wesley nodded.
"Hey, Spike, the only place you're going is with me and Cordelia," Angel told the blond vampire.
"Whoa you two, I'm no' into tha'," Spike smirked to himself.
"Remind me why we're helping him, Angel," Cordelia sighed.
"Try Sunnydale, Spike. Let's go," Angel tilted his head towards the door.
"How about no?" Spike replied. "I'm no' going to Sunnydale on Valentine's Day."
"Not even if it's to let me help you like you wanted?" Angel arched an eyebrow.
Spike laughed embarrassedly. "Sorry, fellas," he clapped both Lorne and Wesley on the back, then turned and rubbed his hands together ambitiously. "So,
when do we leave?"
Section: Los Angeles I
Part: Six -- Riley
Author: Arsahi
Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer is property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. Angel the Series belongs to Joss Whedon, David Greenwalt, and Mutant Enemy.
Distribution: Eh...gonna be stingy this time and say ask first. You can find my email address on my author profile.
Dedication: The normal people, you know who you are.
Rated: This part is rated PG-13.
Pairings: Angel/Cordelia, Fred/Gunn, Wesley/Take a Stab At It, Spike/Buffy, Willow/Tara, Xander/Anya
Notes: This is my first crossover, folks. Be warned.
Timeframe: Post-Gone for BtVS and post-Dad for Angel.
~*~ Riley ~*~
