Title - Initiative
Author - Flayme
Category - AU, Romance/Action/Adventure
Summary - Angel gets nabbed by the Initiative, ends up in the cell next to
Spike. Stuff happens, including confrontations with Riley. The Fang Gang
shows up, and they save the day.
Timeline - Sanctuary happened, but The Yoko Factor didn't. Oz never showed
back up, so Riley is still a member in good standing of the Initiative.
Doyle's not dead.
Pairings - B/R, B/A, C/D, W/T, X/A, G/O
Buffy ran a brush through her hair, straightened her skirt in the mirror, and turned towards the door to head out and meet Riley, only to be confronted by Cordelia before she got to the door. Buffy sighed. Cordelia planted her hands on her hips. "Not to interrupt your precious social life, but when are we gonna get my boss?" "Riley's a member of the Initiative. He might have information." "And it'll give plenty of time for her precious social life as well," Wesley added snidely. "At least I have a social life," Buffy shot back. Gunn grinned at his friend. "I kinda thought that redhead was cute," he told his friend, and Wes grinned. "You would." Buffy sighed, smoothed her blonde hair, and left.
***
She was there five minutes before Riley, which left her enough time to gulp down to mochas, which gave her enough energy to power a nuclear power plant. Riley leaned down and gave his girlfriend a tiny peck on the lips, startling her, but she smiled quickly. "Hey." "Hey," he answered softly. "What did you need to talk to me about so urgently?" Buffy nervously fidgeted with her cup and glanced around the outdoor area. "Ok, there's this friend of mine, who was supposed to be here in town, but hasn't shown up yet." She paused. "No, that's not exactly right." Deep breath. "Ok, he was here - in Sunnydale - to fight a demon that another friend - more his friend than my friend, 'cause I've only met the guy once - saw in a vision, and he never made it home. We're thinking he was captured by the Initiative." Riley frowned, obviously confused. "Buffy, we only capture.." He trailed off, staring at her in shock. "Demons. He was a demon?" Buffy nodded slowly. "Vampire, but a good vampire." The blonde commando slowly shook his head. "There's no such thing as a good vampire, Buffy. They're all bloodsucking, parasitic fiends." "No," she protested vehemently, "no, Angel's not a parasite! He has a soul!" Riley frowned. "A soul?" Buffy nodded slowly, keeping her feelings in check. "Yeah, a soul. He was cursed about a hundred years ago. He's a good guy. He helps people, fights evil, like I do, only in L.A. with friends, like the L.A. Scoobies, kinda." Riley nodded. "So you think he was nabbed by the Initiative?" His girlfriend nodded. "Yeah." She swallowed hard, some desperation coming into her eyes. "I can't leave him there, Riley. People need him." *I need him,* an inner voice whispered, but was ignored. "Especially his friends." She reached up and lightly rubbed the scar on her neck as if it burned. Riley sighed. "You want me to risk my commission for one vampire?" Buffy took a deep breath. "I wouldn't ask you this if it wasn't important, Riley. Angel's not your average vampire. He's." she shook her head. "It doesn't matter, but we have to get him out. If you could just get me in, so that I can get him out. Pretend that you weren't even a part of it." Riley sighed. "Buffy.. You still have you classification. You can still get in, if you want." Buffy blinked, then grinned sheepishly. "Oh." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I better go get him, Riley. It's better to just get it over with," she said quickly. "Bye." Riley stared after her retreating form, then a horrible suspicion dawned on him. The dark vampire, down in the labs. He and the blonde had said that they knew Buffy. When asked, the dark one had said she was great in bed. She had been so passionate in defending him. Had they really slept together? Had Buffy Summers, the Slayer and the girl he was in love with, had sex with a vampire?
***
Buffy took a deep breath and pushed Gunn and Doyle, both dressed in fatigues and army gear, out of the way of the retinal scan. Then they slipped into the elevator and went down. It only took them a few minutes to find Angel. Riley was standing in front of his cell. Buffy paused to hear the conversation. "Are you Angel?" he demanded. The ensouled vampire cocked his head, studying the all-American boy standing before him. Buffy could almost see the contempt in his eyes. "Who's asking?" "A friend of Buffy Summers. She doesn't like you very much, vampire." Buffy drew in a shocked breath. She hadn't said that! He was lying! What would Angel think? She didn't want him to think she hated him! She loved him! Buffy quickly pulled that thought up short and drew her attention back to the present. To her surprise, Angel just shrugged. "Oh, well. I think I can live with it." Riley's expression hardened. "Are you sure? She is the Slayer, after all." Angel gained an incredibly cocky grin. "I've lived with her being pissed at me before," he replied calmly. Gunn snickered. "When did Angel get to be such a wise-ass?" he asked quietly. Buffy shrugged, still intent on the conversation. "Have you now?" Riley was asking. "You seemed proud earlier!" There was some deep male laughter, and a familiar British voice said, "Yer just jealous, Captain Courageous. Angelus here has had the little bint, and you haven't managed to get into her knickers yet." Gunn and Doyle gave the little blonde Slayer an assessing look. Buffy straightened and strode out of the shadows toward Angel's cell. The vampire inside of it promptly straightened, soulful brown eyes widening slightly upon seeing her. Riley gave her a surprised look, obviously not expecting her to be there so soon. "Buffy." "Riley," she answered coldly, taking the keycard out of his hand and opening Angel's cell. "Why were you asking him all those things? Didn't you believe me when I told you he had a soul?" Riley looked ashamed. "He said some things about you before we met, today." Angel hid a smile and Spike outright laughed. Angel took the keycard out of Buffy's hand and opened his childe's cell. Buffy took this in, but figured it was something Angel could explain later. She planted her hands on her hips and stared at the blonde commando. "Like what?" Riley blushed, glanced at Angel, and said quickly, "He said you were great in bed. I didn't believe you'd ever touch him, but I couldn't just let-" He broke off when he saw the rosy blush climbing her cheekbones. She looked at Angel. "You said that?" Not wanting it to make it seem like it mattered whether she was good in bed or not, she quickly added, "Why?" Angel shrugged. "Wanted to piss him off. Seemed like a good way." Buffy nodded, believing that answer - at least until she saw Spike roll his eyes - and said, "You guys better go. I need to talk to Riley." Gunn and Doyle nodded and moved for the stairs, Spike not far behind them. The blonde vampire, however, paused when he noticed his sire wasn't following. As much as he hated to admit it, he was grateful to the big poof for letting him go, and decided that he was going to use that excuse when he was really just making sure his mentor got away. That, and the souled- Angel was his inner-William's hero. He watched as Angel leaned down and brushed his lips lightly over the scar on Buffy's neck, then kissed her lips in a long, wet, openmouthed kiss. Then the vampire walked away, his childe falling into step beside him. Buffy stared after them, her fingers pressed against her lips, then turned to meet Riley's enraged blue eyes. "I think you have some explaining to do, Buffy," the commando snapped, and the Slayer sighed.
***
Buffy entered Giles's flat three hours later, looking tired and hollow-eyed but still feeling Angel's kiss on her lips. Cordelia and Doyle were sound asleep on the couch, Cordelia leaning against the short Irishman's shoulder. Wesley and Giles were in the kitchen, talking quietly over tea. Gunn, Spike, and the Scoobies were nowhere to be found. Angel, however was sitting in a chair, staring at the draped window. She walked over to him on heavy booted feet. He looked up, and she smiled, but he didn't smile back. "How'd it go with your boyfriend?" Buffy sighed and sat down on the table in front of him. "I don't have a boyfriend anymore, and I think I have a really, *really* powerful enemy, now. He didn't much like the idea that his precious perfect little Buffy had boinked the undead." She saw him wince, and felt a flash of pain. "Sorry, that came out way wrong," she said, lightly touching his hand. "I don't regret it, Angel." Angel looked at her with calm, serious dark eyes. "You should, though, Buffy." The Slayer tossed her long blonde hair and grinned. "Well, I learned the 'sex is bad' lesson young, and that's a plus." She lowered her eyes, blushing slightly, and muttered, "Besides, it was wonderful." He reached out and tenderly caressed the side of her face with cold fingertips. "Wonderful," he murmured. "It was wonderful." She gave him an injured look. "You said I was..not good." Angel shrugged. "I was evil. When you're evil, you say evil things." He ran his fingertips over the scar on her neck, and she unconsciously tilted her head to the side in a show of vampiric submission. He growled, low in his throat, and she made a quiet noise. The vampire glanced at his sleeping friends, then pulled away from the vision in front of him. Buffy whimpered at the loss of his cool touch. She opened her eyes and came back to reality with a jolt. "Oh," she murmured, feeling her hot arousal, knowing Angel could smell it, and know that she wanted him. Desperately wanted him and couldn't have him. Angel cleared his throat several times before he was able to speak. "Spike can't attack people, for some reason, so I'm taking him with me to L.A. We're leaving after sundown." Buffy nodded, hating the feeling that she was losing him again, but unable to help it. She leaned forward and pressed her slightly parted lips against his, licking his to get them to part for her. He opened his mouth with a low, quiet moan, and Buffy slipped into his lap. They continued the passionate kiss for a long moment.
***
Spike emerged from the bathroom, glancing into the living room only in passing on his quest for the kitchen. He paused, then quietly called for the Watchers. "'Ey, mates, better have a look at this." Giles and Wesley exchanged an annoyed glance, and then went over to where the vampire stood, staring out into the living room. Both froze at the sight that greeted them -- Buffy, straddling Angel's lap, his hands at her waist, kissing deeply. "I don't know about you two," the vampire said softly, "but I don't really wanna see evil-Angelus again." He looked at Giles. "'Sides, I figure you'd hate to clean that outta yer chair." Giles frowned. "Spike, do shut up." Wesley was much calmer than either of his fellow Englishman. "They're still in love," he told them. "Angel will stop it before it has gone to far. There's nothing to worry about, however. His soul is bound." Giles looked at him. "How do you know?" Wesley shook his head. "He told me so." At his fellow ex-Watcher's inquisitive gaze, he added, "I don't know how, or when, all I know is that it's bound." Spike shrugged. "Good enough for me." He walked into the kitchen in search of blood.
***
Cordelia opened her eyes and nearly gasped at the sight before her - would've, had Doyle not put his hand over her mouth. "Don't," he whispered in her ear. "Just ignore it and go back to sleep, 'Delia. Let them have it." She nodded and laid back against his shoulder.
***
Angel broke away from Buffy only a moment later, looking guiltily at the pair sleeping on the couch. "We have to stop, Buffy," he said gently. Buffy groaned and leaned back slightly, Angel's hands still on her hips. "Why?" she demanded, the curse the farthest thing from her mind. What she was thinking of, however, was his lips on her, the feel of his smooth, hard pale skin, cool against her hot flesh, their one night together, how he had felt inside her, how - "We're in your Watcher's living room, for one thing," the vampire beneath her said quietly, "about three feet from where two of my best friends are sleeping." Buffy sighed, as she suddenly remembered why she hadn't been able to make love to Angel for so long.. "And the curse." Angel paused, thinking, then slowly shook his head. "It's not an issue anymore." Buffy looked at him, not daring to breathe. "You can - you can be with me?" The vampire nodded slowly. "But we can't," he said firmly. Buffy rocked her hips over his, watching as he squeezed his eyes shut and bit his lower lip in concentration. "Why not?" "Because we have separate lives now, Buffy, we can't just throw them away to - " He broke off as she ground against him and leaned for ward to whisper in his ear, "We can try. The reason you left me isn't valid anymore. I don't want sunlight and normal if I can't have it with you. I tried it. It didn't work out." Angel heard a muffled gasp from behind him, swore, and pushed the beautiful, aroused blonde Slayer off his lap. "We can't, Buffy," he said firmly. He looked at the draped window. "We have to go." He looked at the two on the couch as he slipped on his long black duster. "You two can stop faking, now," he said sarcastically, then called, "Spike! We're going!" "Yeah, yeah, yeah," muttered the vampire as he went for the door behind his sire. Gunn came down the stairs, and Doyle, Cordelia, and Wesley wordlessly fell into step behind their boss. Once they were gone, Buffy dissolved into helpless tears, rocked and comforted by her worried Watcher.
A/N - Thanks for all the kind reviews, but lookin' for more, as always. Next up...Buffy's so sad, and only one person - well, sorta person - can help. But will Angel come to soothe his wounded mate or will he stay away and let her suffer?
Buffy ran a brush through her hair, straightened her skirt in the mirror, and turned towards the door to head out and meet Riley, only to be confronted by Cordelia before she got to the door. Buffy sighed. Cordelia planted her hands on her hips. "Not to interrupt your precious social life, but when are we gonna get my boss?" "Riley's a member of the Initiative. He might have information." "And it'll give plenty of time for her precious social life as well," Wesley added snidely. "At least I have a social life," Buffy shot back. Gunn grinned at his friend. "I kinda thought that redhead was cute," he told his friend, and Wes grinned. "You would." Buffy sighed, smoothed her blonde hair, and left.
***
She was there five minutes before Riley, which left her enough time to gulp down to mochas, which gave her enough energy to power a nuclear power plant. Riley leaned down and gave his girlfriend a tiny peck on the lips, startling her, but she smiled quickly. "Hey." "Hey," he answered softly. "What did you need to talk to me about so urgently?" Buffy nervously fidgeted with her cup and glanced around the outdoor area. "Ok, there's this friend of mine, who was supposed to be here in town, but hasn't shown up yet." She paused. "No, that's not exactly right." Deep breath. "Ok, he was here - in Sunnydale - to fight a demon that another friend - more his friend than my friend, 'cause I've only met the guy once - saw in a vision, and he never made it home. We're thinking he was captured by the Initiative." Riley frowned, obviously confused. "Buffy, we only capture.." He trailed off, staring at her in shock. "Demons. He was a demon?" Buffy nodded slowly. "Vampire, but a good vampire." The blonde commando slowly shook his head. "There's no such thing as a good vampire, Buffy. They're all bloodsucking, parasitic fiends." "No," she protested vehemently, "no, Angel's not a parasite! He has a soul!" Riley frowned. "A soul?" Buffy nodded slowly, keeping her feelings in check. "Yeah, a soul. He was cursed about a hundred years ago. He's a good guy. He helps people, fights evil, like I do, only in L.A. with friends, like the L.A. Scoobies, kinda." Riley nodded. "So you think he was nabbed by the Initiative?" His girlfriend nodded. "Yeah." She swallowed hard, some desperation coming into her eyes. "I can't leave him there, Riley. People need him." *I need him,* an inner voice whispered, but was ignored. "Especially his friends." She reached up and lightly rubbed the scar on her neck as if it burned. Riley sighed. "You want me to risk my commission for one vampire?" Buffy took a deep breath. "I wouldn't ask you this if it wasn't important, Riley. Angel's not your average vampire. He's." she shook her head. "It doesn't matter, but we have to get him out. If you could just get me in, so that I can get him out. Pretend that you weren't even a part of it." Riley sighed. "Buffy.. You still have you classification. You can still get in, if you want." Buffy blinked, then grinned sheepishly. "Oh." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I better go get him, Riley. It's better to just get it over with," she said quickly. "Bye." Riley stared after her retreating form, then a horrible suspicion dawned on him. The dark vampire, down in the labs. He and the blonde had said that they knew Buffy. When asked, the dark one had said she was great in bed. She had been so passionate in defending him. Had they really slept together? Had Buffy Summers, the Slayer and the girl he was in love with, had sex with a vampire?
***
Buffy took a deep breath and pushed Gunn and Doyle, both dressed in fatigues and army gear, out of the way of the retinal scan. Then they slipped into the elevator and went down. It only took them a few minutes to find Angel. Riley was standing in front of his cell. Buffy paused to hear the conversation. "Are you Angel?" he demanded. The ensouled vampire cocked his head, studying the all-American boy standing before him. Buffy could almost see the contempt in his eyes. "Who's asking?" "A friend of Buffy Summers. She doesn't like you very much, vampire." Buffy drew in a shocked breath. She hadn't said that! He was lying! What would Angel think? She didn't want him to think she hated him! She loved him! Buffy quickly pulled that thought up short and drew her attention back to the present. To her surprise, Angel just shrugged. "Oh, well. I think I can live with it." Riley's expression hardened. "Are you sure? She is the Slayer, after all." Angel gained an incredibly cocky grin. "I've lived with her being pissed at me before," he replied calmly. Gunn snickered. "When did Angel get to be such a wise-ass?" he asked quietly. Buffy shrugged, still intent on the conversation. "Have you now?" Riley was asking. "You seemed proud earlier!" There was some deep male laughter, and a familiar British voice said, "Yer just jealous, Captain Courageous. Angelus here has had the little bint, and you haven't managed to get into her knickers yet." Gunn and Doyle gave the little blonde Slayer an assessing look. Buffy straightened and strode out of the shadows toward Angel's cell. The vampire inside of it promptly straightened, soulful brown eyes widening slightly upon seeing her. Riley gave her a surprised look, obviously not expecting her to be there so soon. "Buffy." "Riley," she answered coldly, taking the keycard out of his hand and opening Angel's cell. "Why were you asking him all those things? Didn't you believe me when I told you he had a soul?" Riley looked ashamed. "He said some things about you before we met, today." Angel hid a smile and Spike outright laughed. Angel took the keycard out of Buffy's hand and opened his childe's cell. Buffy took this in, but figured it was something Angel could explain later. She planted her hands on her hips and stared at the blonde commando. "Like what?" Riley blushed, glanced at Angel, and said quickly, "He said you were great in bed. I didn't believe you'd ever touch him, but I couldn't just let-" He broke off when he saw the rosy blush climbing her cheekbones. She looked at Angel. "You said that?" Not wanting it to make it seem like it mattered whether she was good in bed or not, she quickly added, "Why?" Angel shrugged. "Wanted to piss him off. Seemed like a good way." Buffy nodded, believing that answer - at least until she saw Spike roll his eyes - and said, "You guys better go. I need to talk to Riley." Gunn and Doyle nodded and moved for the stairs, Spike not far behind them. The blonde vampire, however, paused when he noticed his sire wasn't following. As much as he hated to admit it, he was grateful to the big poof for letting him go, and decided that he was going to use that excuse when he was really just making sure his mentor got away. That, and the souled- Angel was his inner-William's hero. He watched as Angel leaned down and brushed his lips lightly over the scar on Buffy's neck, then kissed her lips in a long, wet, openmouthed kiss. Then the vampire walked away, his childe falling into step beside him. Buffy stared after them, her fingers pressed against her lips, then turned to meet Riley's enraged blue eyes. "I think you have some explaining to do, Buffy," the commando snapped, and the Slayer sighed.
***
Buffy entered Giles's flat three hours later, looking tired and hollow-eyed but still feeling Angel's kiss on her lips. Cordelia and Doyle were sound asleep on the couch, Cordelia leaning against the short Irishman's shoulder. Wesley and Giles were in the kitchen, talking quietly over tea. Gunn, Spike, and the Scoobies were nowhere to be found. Angel, however was sitting in a chair, staring at the draped window. She walked over to him on heavy booted feet. He looked up, and she smiled, but he didn't smile back. "How'd it go with your boyfriend?" Buffy sighed and sat down on the table in front of him. "I don't have a boyfriend anymore, and I think I have a really, *really* powerful enemy, now. He didn't much like the idea that his precious perfect little Buffy had boinked the undead." She saw him wince, and felt a flash of pain. "Sorry, that came out way wrong," she said, lightly touching his hand. "I don't regret it, Angel." Angel looked at her with calm, serious dark eyes. "You should, though, Buffy." The Slayer tossed her long blonde hair and grinned. "Well, I learned the 'sex is bad' lesson young, and that's a plus." She lowered her eyes, blushing slightly, and muttered, "Besides, it was wonderful." He reached out and tenderly caressed the side of her face with cold fingertips. "Wonderful," he murmured. "It was wonderful." She gave him an injured look. "You said I was..not good." Angel shrugged. "I was evil. When you're evil, you say evil things." He ran his fingertips over the scar on her neck, and she unconsciously tilted her head to the side in a show of vampiric submission. He growled, low in his throat, and she made a quiet noise. The vampire glanced at his sleeping friends, then pulled away from the vision in front of him. Buffy whimpered at the loss of his cool touch. She opened her eyes and came back to reality with a jolt. "Oh," she murmured, feeling her hot arousal, knowing Angel could smell it, and know that she wanted him. Desperately wanted him and couldn't have him. Angel cleared his throat several times before he was able to speak. "Spike can't attack people, for some reason, so I'm taking him with me to L.A. We're leaving after sundown." Buffy nodded, hating the feeling that she was losing him again, but unable to help it. She leaned forward and pressed her slightly parted lips against his, licking his to get them to part for her. He opened his mouth with a low, quiet moan, and Buffy slipped into his lap. They continued the passionate kiss for a long moment.
***
Spike emerged from the bathroom, glancing into the living room only in passing on his quest for the kitchen. He paused, then quietly called for the Watchers. "'Ey, mates, better have a look at this." Giles and Wesley exchanged an annoyed glance, and then went over to where the vampire stood, staring out into the living room. Both froze at the sight that greeted them -- Buffy, straddling Angel's lap, his hands at her waist, kissing deeply. "I don't know about you two," the vampire said softly, "but I don't really wanna see evil-Angelus again." He looked at Giles. "'Sides, I figure you'd hate to clean that outta yer chair." Giles frowned. "Spike, do shut up." Wesley was much calmer than either of his fellow Englishman. "They're still in love," he told them. "Angel will stop it before it has gone to far. There's nothing to worry about, however. His soul is bound." Giles looked at him. "How do you know?" Wesley shook his head. "He told me so." At his fellow ex-Watcher's inquisitive gaze, he added, "I don't know how, or when, all I know is that it's bound." Spike shrugged. "Good enough for me." He walked into the kitchen in search of blood.
***
Cordelia opened her eyes and nearly gasped at the sight before her - would've, had Doyle not put his hand over her mouth. "Don't," he whispered in her ear. "Just ignore it and go back to sleep, 'Delia. Let them have it." She nodded and laid back against his shoulder.
***
Angel broke away from Buffy only a moment later, looking guiltily at the pair sleeping on the couch. "We have to stop, Buffy," he said gently. Buffy groaned and leaned back slightly, Angel's hands still on her hips. "Why?" she demanded, the curse the farthest thing from her mind. What she was thinking of, however, was his lips on her, the feel of his smooth, hard pale skin, cool against her hot flesh, their one night together, how he had felt inside her, how - "We're in your Watcher's living room, for one thing," the vampire beneath her said quietly, "about three feet from where two of my best friends are sleeping." Buffy sighed, as she suddenly remembered why she hadn't been able to make love to Angel for so long.. "And the curse." Angel paused, thinking, then slowly shook his head. "It's not an issue anymore." Buffy looked at him, not daring to breathe. "You can - you can be with me?" The vampire nodded slowly. "But we can't," he said firmly. Buffy rocked her hips over his, watching as he squeezed his eyes shut and bit his lower lip in concentration. "Why not?" "Because we have separate lives now, Buffy, we can't just throw them away to - " He broke off as she ground against him and leaned for ward to whisper in his ear, "We can try. The reason you left me isn't valid anymore. I don't want sunlight and normal if I can't have it with you. I tried it. It didn't work out." Angel heard a muffled gasp from behind him, swore, and pushed the beautiful, aroused blonde Slayer off his lap. "We can't, Buffy," he said firmly. He looked at the draped window. "We have to go." He looked at the two on the couch as he slipped on his long black duster. "You two can stop faking, now," he said sarcastically, then called, "Spike! We're going!" "Yeah, yeah, yeah," muttered the vampire as he went for the door behind his sire. Gunn came down the stairs, and Doyle, Cordelia, and Wesley wordlessly fell into step behind their boss. Once they were gone, Buffy dissolved into helpless tears, rocked and comforted by her worried Watcher.
A/N - Thanks for all the kind reviews, but lookin' for more, as always. Next up...Buffy's so sad, and only one person - well, sorta person - can help. But will Angel come to soothe his wounded mate or will he stay away and let her suffer?