Of Stakes And Spells
by VixenRaign
The Second Course
[reviews]
(Author's Note: Sorry about the delay, it took me a while to find some free time, and I had to write this chapter a couple of times before I got it to a point where I didn't feel utter shame in posting it . . . Well! On that note, here it is! Chapter 17 . . . )
= = = (*The Second Course*) = = =
"Riley . . ." He turned towards then, face set, though his nerves were bubbling under the stony surface. Willow walked slowly over to her desk, and put down her bag.
"Buffy." It was a statement, not a question. Buffy stayed by the door, leaning against it, arms crossed. Riley approached her, and she looked like she was about to growl. The Corn-Fed-All-American stopped in his tracks and looked to Willow.
"Willow, could you excuse us for a minute?" Willow nodded and headed to the door.
"No." Buffy said, looking from Riley to the witch and back again, "Anything you have to say, she can hear." Willow held in a smile, thou8gh feeling awkward about being unwanted in the room.
"Uh . . . Buffy?" Riley started slowly, "There are a few things I wanted to speak to you about in private . . . ?" He reached out to take her arm, and this time she really did growl.
"No . . ." Buffy calmed and looked to Willow again, "I want her to hear." Riley became rather stiffened, and walked over towards the bed. "Why don't you start us off, since this was you idea?" Riley cleared his throat and looked to the floor.
"Who are you?" No Answer, "Why is a freshman walking through the streets of Sunnydale at night when people's hearts are being ripped out . . . with a cross-bow no less?!" Buffy tried to hide her smile, and Willow held in a small laugh. "I want some answers, Buffy . . . I think you owe me that-"
"I owe you?!" Buffy yelled, "I don't owe you anything! And I'm not the only one that kept secrets . . ." Riley looked away, sputtering slightly. "I'm a Slayer." Riley stared at her blankly.
"You're a what?" Buffy surprised.
"Slayer?" Nothing, "One who Slays Vampires?" still nada, "She who spends way too much time in grave-yards . . .?"still nothing but a slightly glazed stair. "Look it up, ask around. 'Slayer,' comma 'The' . . ." Willow giggled.
"Okay, so you're a Slayer-" Buffy cut him off again.
"Yeah, and what are you?" he didn't respond, seeming as though deep in though, "Let me guess: You're a soldier, working for a top secret government organization that tracks, kills, and neutralizes Vampires, Demons and other evils in order to research and control their numbers and abilities." It sounded like a question, but it wasn't. It was a statement, and Riley knew it.
"Close," he said, Willow smiled, "A little too close . . ."
"I bet you even have a Sci-Fi-Movie-esk name for them like-"
"HSTs . . . . Hostile Sub-Terrestrials." He filled in, frowning slightly, "How do you know all this?" Buffy just smiled, though it was obviously to hide her anger.
"You and your Commando-Demon-Hunter-Wanna-Bes have been getting in my way. Almost got Willow killed a few weeks ago . . ." Buffy looked at her, and the Witch almost snarled.
"Twice, actually." The witch was done hiding in the corner, "And where do you come off trying to kid-nap me? First Spike comes in here in order to piss Buffy, then a bunch of men break into my room and try to drag me off . . . !" Willow was practically yelling in his face now. Buffy put a hand on her shoulder, and Willow turned around and hugged her quickly.
"That still doesn't answer how you know all this . . ." Riley stated, slightly worried about a security breach . . . {An Insider, maybe?}
"You've been invading my turf. My number are down, and weird guys in uniform have attacked an . . ." Buffy paused, trying to think of a word to describe exactly what Spike was to them, " . . . An 'associate' of ours. He told us about your operations and explained some of the stud going on in your underground facilities." Riley looked shocked, {Must be an Insider!}
"Who do you work for?" he asked cautiously.
"Me?" she asked dismissively, "I don't work for anyone anymore." He looked confused, "I used to work for the Watcher's Counsel, but I quit last year . . ." she glanced at Willow, then back at Riley, "You're really never heard of me?" She asked skeptically.
"She's kind of the scourge of the Un-Dead-Underworld . . . Most Vampires and Demons know who she is." Willow frowned, "I'd have thought that a soldier from a highly trained and organized military project would at least have heard of her." The witch glanced at her girl-friend, and Buffy smiled. The Slayer took her work seriously, and even prided herself on it at times.
Riley cleared his throat, and reached to take Buffy's arm. Before he even had the chance to think, his arm was twisted behind his back and his face was pressed against the back of the door. Wincing against the pain, Riley grunted. Willow smiled to herself.
"Don't even try it Riley . . ." She growled.
"Ahh!" He grunted as she pressed his arm higher, "I wasn't gonna hurt you, I was just gonna take you out-side."
"Why?" she asked coldly.
"I wanted to talk to you . . ." He groaned, " . . . About when we . . ." he grunted, and she let go. Rubbing his shoulder he opened the door expecting her to walk through it. She didn't move. "Uh, Buffy?" he asked, pointing to the open door.
"I told you," she said, voice still chilly, "Anything you have to say, you'll have to say in front of Willow." She paused to look at the Witch in question and her face softened slightly with a smile. "Besides, I want her to hear."
{Oh, yeah . . .} Riley thought, {I forgot that Willow was really pushing for us to get together. I bet she'll be glad that I finally took the plunge last night}
"I just wanted to talk to you about the rest of last night. I'm a walking bruise today, but you . . ." he stopped to look her up and down, causing Willow to squirm, ""I don't see a hair out of place. You took the same beating I did, maybe more . . . How are you walking? I saw you take a scalpel in the back?" Willow's eyes bugged, and she paled considerably, turning to Buffy. The Slayer looked back apologetically.
"It's a Slayer thing." Buffy brush off the comment quickly, "Besides, Willow took really good care of me." Buffy smile held a secret to Riley, though Willow's blush (which he missed entirely) would have cleared it right up. Riley smiled and turned to the blonde.
"You could have come to me," he replied, more then just a hint of flirtation in his voice, "I'm sure I could have treated you just fine . . ." Buffy turned and walked past Willow, a disgusted look on her face as she headed to her closet. Opening it, she removed her jacket.
"Trust me Riley," Buffy said, voice cold again as she hung her coat and closed the door, "I needed special care." She winked at Willow and smiled when she blushed. Her smiled widened as she turned back to Riley. "So, how's you shoulder?" She asked, a snide tone to her voice.
"Almost broken . . ." he said slowly looking confused, "The doctor said I was lucky it didn't snap-"
"Yeah, and you try that crap again and I'll be the one to Snap . . .!" The Slayer practically snarled at him. "What was that all about Riley? You're a great friend, but . . ."
"You didn't know I liked you?" he guessed, glancing at Willow who was not looking very pale. "I thought you'd see right through me . . ." Riley bowed his head and did the shy-smile-thing. Both girls rolled there eyes and glance at each other, both faces the very essence of 'Puh-leez!'
"No, Riley . . ." Buffy said, voice softening slightly, "I knew. I just don't feel that way about you. Did I ever make you think otherwise?" Riley was about to reply, to defend himself, when he realized it was true. Though they had been friends, and were getting to be close friends, there was really no evidence to show his feelings were reciprocated. "If there was, I'm sorry if I led you on. Besides, I'm with someone now . . ." Buffy discreetly looked to Willow who was trying to wipe the small smug smile off her face.
"Yeah, I heard." He said shortly, "Willow told me." Buffy looked at the Witch surprised, "She told me you were sort of 'UnOfficially' seeing someone. Sure I can't change your mind?" he asked, putting on his best smile. Buffy smiled at him disappointedly.
"Sorry." She didn't feel it though, "I hope this won't effect our friendship too much . . . ? I really liked hanging out with you. How am I supposed to pass Psych 101 without you to explain it to me?" she asked kindly. He smiled sadly, and nodded. He walked to the door, and opened. They said their goodbyes, and with perfect synchronization both girls flopped down onto their beds. The looked to each other, and smiled.
"Is it just me," Willow asked, "Or is today a *really* long day?" Buffy giggled, and nodded her agreement.
"But you make it worth it." The Slayer stated seriously. Willow smiled and looked at the clock.
"And lucky us, it's only 3:40 . . ." when she looked back at Buffy's bed she found a sleeping Slayer snoring adorably.
(Author's note: Hope you liked the chapter! More is to come as soon as possible, and I should warn you that there will be a little more 'Romance' on the way. The only trouble is Danny, my friend who wrote those sequences for me, is kinda . . . not my friend anymore. So from now on I will be the author of the Lovin' scenes, and they therefore will not be as good as the once were. Sorry . . . :-( E-Mail me at VixenRaign@Yahoo.com )