To everyone who reviewed this, thank you!
As for Riley, I have had mixed reviews – it seems you guys are as confused as me when it comes to the good/evil dilemna! For now though, he wont be in it for one or two chapters, and at the moment his connection to Buffy is taking a back burner to the developing Buffy/Angel storyline. So you will have to wait and see how he turns out, but he will be back… Thanks for the help! And any more people who wish to add their ideas, please do, I've not made any concrete decisions yet…
ZombieGurl98: Thanks! I'm glad you love it! G
JenniZ: I can't take credit – the poem is a song by Savage Garden. I'm glad it had an effect on you though, and hopefully you'll like the story too?
Buffstuff500: Plot bunnies are a-hopping, and can feel the writing vibes…. and you're not useless! Thank you!
Lynn: Thanks! I'm glad you like the way I wrote them – I have had mixed reviews concerning that, so I am glad too hear that some people agree with me!
P.F.Doom. Thank you for your review – I am curious, when you say falling a little flat, what do you mean? Specifically referring to the scent and the marking, these devices are used in many other Buffy/Angel (and Buffy/Spike) stories, and especially with the scar, are now considered relevant Buffy facts. Is this why you believe they fall flat – because they are used so often? Or is there another reason? I would like to know, as it will help me improve the story. Also, with Buffy and Angel's voices not striking genuine, I'm not sure I entirely agree with you, as I have had others compliment their characters. Although I guess as the writer, I am biased. I am sorry that this aspect will probably not improve too much – I am trying but I have a feeling that this is just a part of the way I write. Sorry! Thank you for the review and the suggestion regarding Riley – I'm still unsure, although if he does cause problems I don't intend to make him entirely evil – that has been done so often and I think it would detract too much from the Buffy/Angel dynamic. Again, thanks!
P.S. Where possible will people sign their reviews? It would be nice to read some of your stuff, as you've taken the time to read and review mine...
Buffy stalked through the cemetery, stake in hand. After breaking up with Riley, she needed to blow off some steam. She hated to admit it, but it still stung deeply that Riley had slept with Faith and hadn't known it wasn't her. But, she knew, really it was a displacement of her real feelings – truthfully, she was more hurt to hear Angel defending Faith than to know about what happened between Faith and Riley. Because there was this little nagging part of her that had wished it was her in Angel's arms, that it was her he was championing so readily. She missed the easy interaction that she used to have with Angel – when she saw him in L.A, it had hurt so badly to hear him yell at her – more so than when he hit her. He had seemed so broken when she told him about Riley, just for a second, and then suddenly he was yelling at her. Angel had never yelled at her, and it had hurt so much that she knew in that moment that her life would never be whole without him – if that was the way they were to interact now whenever they saw each other, she knew she would never cope. Suddenly turning and staking the fledgling that was creeping up behind her (no one even bothered to wait by the graves any more – were all the vamps just totally losing their standards?), she realised that Riley had never been more than something to fill the time until she realised she wanted Angel back. And would do anything to get him. Damn 'sunshine and picnics and children'. She was an adult, and knew what she wanted. She was sick of trying to fill a round hole with a square peg, or whatever the metaphor was. She wanted Angel. And no one else. Trying to ignore the tingly feeling in her stomach that felt disturbingly familiar – it was only because she was thinking of him, there was no way Angel would be here in Sunnydale after the way they left things – she made up her mind. She would get him back. She just might need to stop by Willow's for a little magically enhanced persuasion first, that's all…
Watching her stake the fledgling – damn, were all the vamps in Sunnydale just brainless? He'd never sired such stupid minions, he was sure of it – Angel admired her. She was graceful and deadly, and yet she was sunlight and happiness wrapped up in one perfect blonde little package. He didn't know how he had ever been able to walk away from her. She was his, he knew it. Felt it. Looking at the frown that blurred her beautiful face, he wondered what was disturbing her so much. After seeing Riley walking across the campus with a pathetic look on his face, as if he had… what was Willow's term? Cancer of the puppy? Angel wondered exactly what had happened between Buffy and Riley after he dropped out of his tree. If Riley had hurt his Buffy… Angel left that thought unfinished. His soul may be bound, but that didn't mean he could encourage his demon. As conflicting emotions flickered across Buffy's face – first sadness, then anger, then what appeared to be determination, and then confusion – Angel wondered what on Earth was running through her pretty little blonde head. As she suddenly marched out of the cemetery, patrol obviously finished for the night, with a look of satisfaction and a slightly cheeky grin on her face, Angel decided that he should make his way home for the night. It would be difficult to follow her on the streets, with her predatory senses honed since he left and barely any trees to hide behind or in, she would eventually notice him, and he wasn't ready to face her just yet. Not until he had finished his preparations in the mansion…
Buffy smiled at Willow. Her Wicca friend had provided her with exactly what she had asked for, and more. "So his soul is permanent? How?"
"I don't know. It wasn't me. But its definitely bound – the magic surrounding it is stronger than the magic of the loophole in the curse. And it's fairly recent – like in the last couple of months at the most. It must have happened after he left."
"Thanks Will. He has a lot of explaining to do. And these will be perfect as persuasion…" Buffy picked up the objects next to her, and hefted them in her hand. "They will work, right?"
"Guaranteed. And I put a little extra mojo in there just in case."
"You're the best, Will. Well, let's see exactly what Angel thinks when I see him. I'm gonna leave first thing in the morning – its nearly 3 am, and I'm beat. There's no point in leaving now." And on that note, Buffy and Willow said goodnight to each other. Buffy wrapped up the objects in her hand in a thick grey blanket, and put them in the bag in which she planned to throw her stuff in the morning. Angel will never know what hit him…was Buffy's last thought before she drifted off to sleep.
So, more reviews? Pretty please? And to help me a little bit more, who would you all like to see be the one to do the persuading? I have another pair of possible plot bunnies (I suppose my imagination works too hard - I come up with so many different scenarios...) and want to know which one everyone prefers. Lets just say both ways will be fun, and leave it at that...Choose your favourite! I will actually write both, so if people are tremendously unhappy with the one I choose to post, I will email it to you and it will be posted on my site as a choose your own chapter section - however doesn't like these things... Thanks!