Summary: It's how I think that Angel and Riley should of met, well after Angel
beating the crap out of him first.
Rating: Pg-13/R for violence, gore.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Angel or Buffy characters they are owned by Joss Whedon, David Greenwalt, and 20th Century Fox.

Riley Finn could not believe what he had just heard five minutes ago, but he was seeing it right here. Buffy Summers, the Slayer, more importantly, his girlfriend, was lying in a hospital bed in critical condition. Her tanned skin was a few shades paler from blood loss, she had purple bruises marring her perfect face, stiches in various parts of her body. It was said that the doctors were even afraid to do surgery because of the severity of her condition.

Hostile 17, a.k.a. Spike, was standing near by. He was the one who brought Buffy in, who, perhaps had saved her from dying by fighting whatever it was she fought. The vampire told him, "The others are coming."

Riley nodded as he took Buffy's still hand. She didn't even respond to him. He ran a hand through his dark blond hair and sat beside her. The smart-ass Sub T was quiet, thoughtful almost. Riley asked, "What happened?"

"Well, mate, I was getting a bite to eat, and on my way home, I saw Buffy about be killed by this *thing*," the Brit answered, his voice betraying his fear.

Riley was about to ask him more when Buffy's friends entered the hospital room. The small redhead Willow, the gangly guy with the shaggy dark hair and baggy sweaters, Xander, his girlfriend, Anya, and their mentor Giles. They all gasped as they took in her appearance.

Anya said, "She looks all 'eewwww'."

Willow ran to her side and gasped, "Oh, my god, Buffy."

Xander demanded, "What happened to her?" Riley really didn't like him, and the feeling was mutual on Xander's part.

Spike answered, "A demon attacked her. Not sure what kind, but it was a nasty wanker."

Riley had to add, his sense of honor making him, "Spike was the one who brought her here and called me."

They all looked at Spike. The white-haired vampire just shrugged and leaned up against the wall.

Giles asked, "What's her condition?"

Riley swallowed as he answered, "Severely critical, the doctors are afraid to operate."

Then, from out of the blue, Spike said, "Then one of us should be calling the Big Poof then. Angelus is gonna wanna hear about this and be here."

Everyone looked at Spike. Giles took off his glasses and said, "You're right, Spike. Angel has every right to be here."

Xander said, "Yeah, and there's also the fact that he may be the only one who can kick this demon's ass."

Spike said, "I thought of that as well. Angel's gonna want to send whatever that did this to his pet to Hell with his bare hands, and damn anyone who stands in his way."

Riley had no idea on who they were talking about. Whoever this Angel was, he sounded dangerous. He asked, "Who is this Angel?"

"I'm Angel," a voice echoed in the room.

******
Angel had known something was wrong. He knew it, so that was why he had broke every speed limit to get to Sunnydale in the last hour. He had sensed it, but he hadn't expected to see Buffy, *his Buffy*, like this.

The boy who had asked who he was giving him the once-over. Angel did the same. Tall farm boy. Shaggy, greasy dark blond hair, hazel eyes, a few inches taller than Angel, but Angel had him on sheer size alone. For once, Angel stood at his full height. He asked, "Who the hell are you then?"

The boy answered, "Riley Finn, Buffy's boyfriend."

Angel ground his teeth together. This was the boy that he had seen Buffy with when Angel had came back to Sunnydale. He had told Buffy to start a new, normal relationship, but he didn't expect it to hurt this much. It was like having his soul ripped out from his body, only to have it stabbed and placed back there.

It took Angel every once of will power that he had not to knock Finn over and go to Buffy's side. But, he did walk over to her right side and took her hand. It was limp. He could smell her blood all over her, the gashes, the cuts, internal bleeding.

He would have staked himself right then if it had brought her back to life. "Buffy," he murmured, not caring who watched as he brought her hand to his lips and kissed the warm skin. She was warm. She had a pulse. She was breathing. She had lost a lot of blood. A whole lot of blood.

Automatically, he checked her throat for bite marks. There was none. Rage filled him. He was going to find whatever that did this to her and kill it. Slowly.

He looked up at Spike. He knew that his fledgling was the one who saved her, and for that, he was grateful. Besides, Spike was probably the only one in this room who knew how pissed off he was. He sneered, "What did this to her?"

The others stepped back. They had every right to. The tone he used spoke automatic death. Whoever did this had just sighed their death warrant. Spike smiled at its familiarity. He tilted his head toward Riley like he was saying, "Hey, if you're in such a killing mood, why don't you kill Corn Boy?"

Angel glared at Spike for a moment. The look was practically saying, "Why don't I kill you?" Spike smiled. They knew each other way too well.

Spike answered, "I'm not sure, mate, but it was bloody nasty. I didn't get a good look at it. I just grabbed your pet and ran."

Angel had to notice that he called Buffy his pet. For some strange reason, that struck a cord in Angel. He caressed Buffy's hand. Then, he felt her fingers tighten over his.

"Angel?" her voice asked desperately.

"I'm here," he told her as he dropped to his knees.

She turned to him, her green eyes were glazed with pain. Angel swore to himself that he was going to impale whatever that did this to her. "You knew," she said.

He told her, "Shush, save your strength. It's gonna be all right. I'm gonna kill this thing." He leaned up and placed a soft kiss on her brow. She smiled as she held his hand. Angel thought that she should of been holding it a lot tighter, but pushed the thought from her mind.

"Angel," she said, "This demon. You've gotta kill him, he's planning . . ." her voice faded.

"Buffy, stay with me," he demanded, clutching her hand and rubbing her arm.

His eyes opened as she looked at him. Then he saw the entire fight through his eyes. The demon wasn't an ordinary demon. It was an extremely powerful demon that would feed off the life force of a victim it severely injures and it's loved ones for days. If Buffy died, anyone she cared about would start to drop like flys after her.

He felt her pain. The thing's claws had shreaded her soft flesh, marred her perfict skin, and was now draining her essence like it was nothing. Anger filled him, and a steely determination.

"Kill it for me," she whispered.

He replied, his voice grave, "I swear it. Just keep fighting. Don't let this thing beat you."

She smiled and said, "It's your turn now." Then her eyes closed and she fell back asleep.

Angel stood up and bent down. He kissed her on her forehead, then softly on the lips. He didn't care if her new boyfriend was watching. If he had a problem with it, he could take it up with Angel. And get his ass kicked. He whispered, "I swear it." Then, he stood up and looked at the Scooby Gang, and the Farm Boy.

He told Spike, "I'm gonna need you, Spike. You're gonna have to show me where she fought this thing, and if you injured it any. If we can get a trace of it's blood, we can find it." Angel knew he was desperate, asking Spike for help like this.

And, to his utter surpise, Spike repiled, "Sure mate, I'll back you up." Angel nodded and walked out of the hospital, with Spike following.

******
Riley watched as Angel and Spike began to walk out of the room. He felt like someone had just thrust a knife into his heart and twisted. The way Buffy woke up when he took his hand, and the way Angel kissed her, not caring who watched.

Riley Finn was jelous, and pissed. He snapped, "You don't think you're gonna go after this thing without me?"

Angel spun around. Riley was taller, but there was something about Angel, the way he carried himself that reminded him of Buffy a little. Proud, stubborn, and determined. Dark eyes glared at him as Angel asked, "What?"

Spike simply shook his head. He said, "Now you've gone and done it, you bloody wanker." Riley had no idea what a wanker was, but he was smart enough to figure out it was an insult.

Riley stated, "I'm comming with you."

Angel laughed. It was a humorless laugh, a surprised, shocked laugh. He said, "You? I don't think so. You're staying here."

"Like hell I will," Riley snapped, "I'm gonna go kill the thing that did this to her."

Again, that laugh. Riley decided he really didn't like Angel then. Besides, there was something in the way he moved, and the jet black clothing he wore, exspecaly that exspensive duster, that made Riley think that something wasn't right about the guy who called himself Angel.

Angel replied, "You're stupider than you look, boy. Stay here, it's safe."

Riley walked up to him, got in his face. Anger and amusement plaied in Angel's dark eyes. Riley snapped at him, "You think you're gonna stop me."

Angel only smiled and said, "You better step back, Finn."

Xander practicaly sung, "Someone's gonna get their ass kicked."

Anya cheered, "Beat him Angel. Beat the little weasle. He does bad things to demons." Riley spun around to look at the couple. Anya beamed and Xander just shook his head in a combination of pity and amusement.

Spike said, "You better back away, Wanker, you don't want to get Angel pissed."

Angel looked calm and collected, but Riley saw the anger in his opponite's gaze. Giles even said, "Riley, it would be very intelligent if you do not provoke him."

Angel backed away and said, "It's okay Giles. He's not coming. If he does, well, that's his own problem." With that, he and Spike left the searing Riley in the room. Riley looked out of the room to find that only shadow loomed in the hallway.

He pulled out his cell-phone and dialed Forrest's number. He said, "Forrest, we have a Sub-T problem. Assemble Team Alpha and meet me at Sunnydale General."

******
Angel followed Spike as they walked to Weatherly Park. There was a clearing, and an obvious struggle had happened. Tree limbs were shattered, claw marks were dug in the soil, and there was blood spilled in several places.

Angel flinced when he recoginized the blood. It was Buffy's. He would recognize that blood anywhere. He flinched again. Spike looked around and pulled a pack of smokes from his duster. He took a cigerete out, lit it with his Zeppo lighter, and took a drag.

Spike said, "The wanker's not here."

Angel nodded as he walked into the clearing. He knelt down by a splash of blood that stained the soil crimson. He lightly brushed his fingers in it and smelled them. There wasn't a trace of anything else, it was purely Buffy's. That was not good, not good at all.

"She didn't hurt him," Angel said to himself.

Spike said, "No, I don't think she did. This was a really nasty demon, and despite how much fun they are too kill and all, I wasn't about to get involved with this *thing*."

Angel didn't like the sound of that. He stood up, then, he sensed something. Angel tensed up, and so did Spike, he sensed it too. It was human, a lot of them. Angel groaped out and sensed at least twelve humans coming this way.

"Bloody hell," Spike groaned.

"What?" Angel asked, automaticaly reaching for the sword in his duster.

Spike answered, "The Commandos."

"The *what*?" Angel asked in disbelif.

Spike answered, "The implant, remember?"

"Yeah, so?" Angel replied, his voice barely above a whisper. He was trying to control himself.

Spike went on, "This military instlation captures vampires and demons and does experiments on them, like the bloody implant stuck in my brain."

Angel gritted his teeth and asked, "Can you be sure?"

Spike smiled, his cigerete glowing between his teeth, looking more impish than demonic. He answered, "Yeah, you see, your Slayer's new pet is their leader."

"What!" Angel gritted his teeth. He *knew* there was something wrong with that boy, and not the fact that he doesn't bathe regularly.

"Back the hell away from there!" a male voice shouted at them.

Angel glared as Riley backed up by 11 other guys aproached them. They were dressed in full army gear, cammos, vests, wepons, night vision goggles, the whole nine yards. Angel told him, "This is no concern of yours. Get the hell away."

Riley said, "It's our concern, Cilvilian. Your 'friend' is a risk."

"Am not! You wankers made sure of that," Spike shouted at them.

Riley had somes ort of strange weapon in his hand, a gun that ended in a wooden stake. Hell. All of them had it. He pointed the gun at Spike. Angel put himself between Buffy's new lover and his fledgeling. Spike was the lesser of the two evils here, or so he was telling himself. He may hate Spike, but he was responsible for him. Or, so he was telling himself.

Angel said, "Maybe you wanna put the blaster down and listen to someone else's side. Even if it's Spike's."

"Hey," Spike snapped, his cigerete bobbing in his mouth.

Riley said, "This doesn't concern you, who ever you are. But if you want it to, fine. I don't know what the hell you are, but I'd be safe to bet that you're not human."

"Good call," both Angel and Spike drawled simintaniously.

Riley asked, "What are you then?"

Angel glared at him and answered, "You wouldn't understand, and I don't have the time to explain it to you."

Spike shook his head and took another drag. Then, Angel felt something extreamly powerful. Something that chilled him to the very core of his soul. "It's here," he said very quietly. It was like the same feeling he got from Buffy when they had shared that physic bond for that short moment.

The growling was earspitting. It changed to a high-pitched scream. It wreaked havok on his ears, and Spike's as well from the look of it. Angel spun around, shouting, "Come on, you bastard! I know you're out there, show yourself!"

Angel stopped and saw a large, looming black form behind the solders. Angel froze as a giant, talloned hand reached through them, sending them flying. Angel watched as Riley was battered agenst an oak tree. Spike drawled, "That had to hurt. Poor bloody bastard."

Angel looked up at the demon. It was huge and solid black. It's shape was vaguely human, broad shouldered, crimson cloven hooves, crimson horns perfict for gouging, glowing red eyes, gore tipped talons on each hand, black, leathery wings, like a bat, a silver ring pircing it's nose.

The demon watched him curiously. It said, "Intresting, the one the Slayer loves most is a vampire, one I cannot feed off of."

Angel growled, vamping out. He ran his tounge over his fangs and replied, "Sorry to upset your dinner plans, Ugly, but Buffy Summers is off your menu."

He rushed at the demon, his sword drawn. Only to get knocked by a talloned hand into a tree. Angel hit it with bone-crushing impact. It did little more than to piss him off even more. He stood up, growled and said, "You shouldn't of done that."

Spike was beside him in an instant, also in vamp face. The Brit said, "Yeah, we're gonna kick your demon ass."

The demon laughed, like the sound of a thousand hungry locust. Both vampires flinched at the sound. It shouted, "Fools! I've been feeding off the loved ones of my victoms long before you poured blood onto this Earth! You cannot hope to defete me!"

Angel rolled his shoulders and asked, "Why do they always gloat like this?"

Spike shrugged and answered, "Because they are huge wankers, and they know that any vampire's better than they are."

"You are arrogant, White Hair, you shall be the first to die," the demon told Spike.

Spike took up a stance as Angel brought his sword into position. Spike said, "You can try, you wanker."

Angel heard the moans from the humans near by. They were unhurt for the most part. Angel still growled at the creature anyways. Unheeded, Spike charged.

And, Spike got his ass tossed agenst the same tree that Angel did, except, the younger vampire was impaled on a branch. It missed his heart, but it was close enough. The demon said, betraying its pure arrogance, "I missed, pity."

Angel growled and charged at it. It swung its huge hand to Angel, Angel jumped and swung his sword down. In a rush of black gore, the hand fell to the ground, leaving only a bloody stump. The demon shreiked. Angel snapped kicked it's head and spun to the ground. He thrust up, impaling it. The demon screamed. Angel said, "Not as tough as you thought." Then, he jabbed his sword up and swong the blade. The creature's horned head colasped to the ground. The creature then dissolved into a puddle of slime.

Angel whiped his sword off in his duster and stashed it. He walked over to Spike and grabbed his shoulders. Spike screamed as Angel tore him off the branch. Blood was left on the shard of wood, and Spike had a good size hole in his chest.

Spike cried out, "Bloody hell! That hurt, you wanker!"

Angel placed Spike on the ground and said, "You better get away before your friends wake up. They'll live, but they'll be sore tomorrow morning." With that, Angel took off as fast as he could to the hospital.

******
Angel ran into the hospital. Buffy gasped and sat up. Angel almost cried in relief, and the others just watched in shock. Killing the demon had saved her, had healed her. Angel walked over to her, not knowing what to say.

She looked up at him, and then, the others, getting the messiage, left the room and closed the door. Angel looked down and said, "Finn's all right, he's just gonna be a little banged up tomorrow."

"And you?" she asked him, looking him over.

"I'll live, so to speak," he answered her.

She held out a hand to him. Powerless, he took it as she pulled him to her. He sat down on the bed, advoiding her gaze. She said, "I understand why you left."

He snorted and replied, "I'm glad someone does, because I still doubt it myself."

Buffy reached out and gently touched his face, forcing him to make eye contact. She told him, "I like Riley, and I care for him, but he's not you."

"Thank god," Angel replied.

She chuckled at that and said, "So, did you two get into a fight, or you just traded insults?"

He shrugged and didn't answer her. She said, "Angel that was a joke, you know a funny."

He nodded. He couldn't handle this. He had made sure she was safe, but it was time to leave now. She said, "Angel, I know."

He stood up and told her, "I better go, Finn will be up and here soon."

"Angel, I love you. I always will, no matter who I go out with," she told him.


He turned to her and blinked tears from his eyes. She was crying herself. He went to her side and gathered her into his arms. He knew it was dangerous, but he didn't care. "I love you, and nothing's gonna change that," he told her, burring his face into her long hair. She smelled so good, she always smelled good, like vanilla.

Then they kissed. It wasn't a chaste kiss, but a passionate one born out of months being apart, one of them almost dying, and the other having to leave soon. He held her tightly, running his lips over hers, tasting her for one more time before he left.

******
Riley watched as Buffy and the vampire kissed. The way she held him, the way he held her, the way they're were kissing told Riley Finn all he needed to know. The girl he had come to love loved someone else, and he couldn't get between that. It hurt Riley to no end.

******
Angel planted a kiss on her forehead, stood up and told her, "Rest."

She sadly nodded and asked, "So, this is good bye until we forget?"

Sadly, Angel nodded and left the room. He was never good with farewells, he wasn't good at any communication, unless Buffy was involved.

He ran into Riley Finn outside her room. The boy's jaw was tight as he glared at Angel. Angel knew that he saw them kiss, and he didn't care. Instead, he gave this warning, "If you hurt Buffy in any way, shape or form, I will come and kill you." He paused and gave Riley the once-over. He had to add, "And it won't be pleasant."

With that, he left the hospital and Sunnydale, alone and hurting again.



~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

dierileydie

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