Disclaimer: joss just says that he owns Buffy and Angel but I know the truth. I know! (doctor injects me with some sedatives.) No, not again. I'm not crazy!

Resolutions

The room fell silent. It wasn't because of the news that Riley was the culprit; it was more because of the face Buffy had, a face of pure horror and hate and anger all meshed together. Spike was just trying to process the information that had just been presented. How was he just getting that Riley was capable of such a thing? He had never trusted the guy…

Buffy stood up abruptly and pushed past the police officers who were watching the group with interest. She didn't even turn back to look at her lover or her sister, not even Joyce.

"William…" Joyce began but he cut her off.

"I got it" he nodded and half smiled, squeezing Dawn's shoulder slightly before turning and running after his kinda girlfriend.

"Buffy!" he called chasing her down the crowded halls. For someone with shorter legs than him, she sure as hell was fast. Spike tried to dodge the people that seemed to appear out of nowhere and were milling around like turtles only slower. "Buffy!"

She ignored him too determined to ride this fury out. He had hurt her mother. Riley had hurt her mother. She knew he was sick but to go so far? Joyce hadn't even met him! Why target her, the one person that had been with her since the beginning?

Buffy ran out the doors leading out of the hospital room. It had to be around four or maybe four thirty. The cops had taken a long time with the questioning it seemed, longer than any of then had realized. The sky was already darkening and the clouds had broken open and let loose their fury. The rain was coming down in buckets instead of just droplets but Buffy didn't feel them. Revenge was all she wanted; she could taste it. Millions of Riley death and/or torture scenarios ran through her mind.

"Buffy" Spike's voice came. He grabbed her arm and spun her around. They were a good block or so from the hospital. Buffy's hair was stringy and very wet. Her hair looked more of a deep brown then a blonde at the moment. Rain water was slipping down her face but that look in her eye, that look of pure hated, was unwavering. "Buffy it's okay."

"It's okay?" she spat. "It's okay? What part of this is okay?"

"I-I…"

She cut him off snatching her arm from his grasp. "That bastard attacked my mother and you wanna know why?" Spike remained silent. He knew that speak to her when she was like this was futile. "I can't believe I didn't make the connection after he tried to…" She stopped herself from going off topic. "We got into this minor argument. He wanted to take me out or something but I told him I couldn't. I told him that my mother wanted my home for dinner; the whole female bonding thing and what not. It's my fault that my mother is sitting in a hospital still in the red. It's my fault that she has had to experience any of that, to be beaten."

"No" Spike's word was simple but powerful. He effectively shut Buffy up so he rushed on not knowing how long it would last. "It isn't your fault. It's his. We're going to take him down I swear to you."

"Believe what you want. By the way, what's with this 'we' stuff? If I'm taking him down, I'm doing it alone. I can't risk anyone else I love getting hurt."

"It's not your choice to make. You can't do this alone."

"Spike…" she sighed some of her rage going from her, a very small portion mind you. "I am going to make sure that bastard gets what he deserves."

"And you will, with me."

"Spike…"

"No!" he paused. "Last night changed things. I'm not gonna lose you to this, to him. We work as a team. I am never leaving your side."

Buffy looked at him, arm crossed over her petite chest. She could see the look of resolve on his face and knew that she wouldn't win. Besides, she didn't have time to argue. "So, what are we going to do?"

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"We packed your bag and it's in the trunk" Spike said.

"Why can't I stay with you? Why can't I even go home?" whined Dawn as she put on her seatbelt. Spike and Buffy leaned in through the window, fake smiles plaster on their faces. The rain had lightened a little, the umbrella they had protecting them from it's remnants.

What Dawn didn't know was that when they had walked into the house, it was trashed with a note placed neatly on Buffy's bed. It read: I told you it wasn't over. Buffy, really, did you think I'd left you go so easily? I still love you and you ARE mine. I don't understand why you try and deny it. I'll be seeing you soon sweetheart. It wasn't the most original thing but hey Riley had written it. Need I say more?

"It's only temporary. Besides, don't you want to go with Willow and Tara?" questioned Buffy in a calm voice.

"Hey!"

"And Xander" Spike added appeasing the indignant driver. "Sorry."

"That's better."

"I guess." Dawn replied slowly. "But I also wanna be here with you."

"Soon" Spike promised. He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. "See you in a bit nibblet."

"Bye Dawnie." Buffy reciprocated Spike's moves before moving forward to the driver's window. "Thanks Xander. I appreciate you guys doing this."

"Just…be careful. I want you back in one piece okay?" She nodded and smiled. "Spike, he's not your most terrible choice and he cares about you."

"I know Xand. I know."

Xander's car drove away from them minutes later and Spike and Buffy stood waving, fake smiles on their face, until the car was out of sight. As if on cue, their smiles fell and their faces became grim.

"You sure you wanna do this?" wondered Spike looking Buffy directly in the eye. If she had any doubts…

"Too late to back out now and trust me that bastard is about to get what he deserves" answered Buffy. That look that she had had only an hour ago at the hospital was back. A tiny, humorless smirk spread across her lips. This is going to be 'fun.' She thought sarcastically.

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A/N: this story is almost over which may in fact seem weird but I need to tie this up so that I can concentrate on finishing up my other stories. There maybe like three chapters left I'm not sure. Oh and warning, if there are any Riley fans, Riley's about to get his butt kicked (literally or metaphorically I haven't decided just yet.) Okay, if you have any questions, comments, complains just REVIEW! And check out my other stories. Until next time…