The cold wind wrapped around her slight frame as she fled the warmth of the house. The dark of night enveloped her as she ran, blindly from the prison that had held her body and soul captive. Unheeding his calls for her to wait, she quickened her pace. The gravel dug into her bare feet, but she paid it no mind as tears began to sting her eyes.

She had given them everything. What had she gotten in return? Lashes, beatings, and a broken heart. She had revealed her secret passion, hoping that somehow her feelings would be returned. Instead she found rejection. They would never allow her to leave unscathed. The way he had looked at her, pity etched across his face. The others wore masks of hate and disgust.

She heard the whinnying of the horses before she saw the barn. Unconsciously, her body had made its way to the large building, knowing what she would ultimately need to escape. She would never make it on foot. Struggling to open the heavy wooden door, she forced her way into the dusky atmosphere, finding the barn empty. A single lantern shone in the corner, casting an eerie glow onto the horses housed within the barn. As she worked steadily on the horse she intended to use to make her escape, she was constantly distracted by the shadows dancing on the walls. Her eyes, responding to her overactive imagination, darted around the barn nervously.

The crack of a twig sent her spinning around. The door hung open just as she left it. Not a sign of disturbance. Still she held her breath, waiting for any sign that her presence had been discovered. Finding it safe to resume her task, she led the horse into the common area, holding the reins tight.

Noticing the small lunch pail in the corner, she wandered over, careful to secure the horses reins to a pole. Hoping against hope that young Jimmy had forgotten that he had brought his lunch today, she opened the small metal box, delighted to find a hunk of bread, cheese, and what was sure to be a very special treat for Jimmy, an apple. Gazing down at her prize, she was startled out of her thoughts by a voice very near the barn. "Meghan!" The voice was urgent, fearful. He called to her even now, knowing that he had ripped her heart from her chest.

Gathering up the pail, Meghan turned to the horse, only to find herself plunged into darkness. The lantern in the corner burnt out, leaving Meghan to grope in the darkness for the reins. Finding the wood of the pole, she slowly moved her hand down, searching for the leather of the rein.

As her hand found the cool leather, she felt hot breath on her neck. Spinning around, she felt a cold, boney hand cover her mouth, pinching her nose, as another one jerked her back, pulling her into a tight embrace. Fighting against her assailant proved fruitless. As she felt her strength giving out, she gave into her last resort. Biting down as hard as she could on the hand that held her mouth, she heard a small cry of pain escape her attacker.

Before she could call out for help, Meghan felt herself being shoved into the pole behind her, her head striking the hard wood. Trying to regain her composure, she felt the hands on her again, this time entwined in her hair. The strong grip snapped her head backward to contact with the pole again and again. Hearing a satisfying crunch, the assailant let Meghan's body fall to the ground.

Though dazed, Meghan remained conscious. As she struggled to her knees, she heard the sound of metal scraping against leather. Knowing what was to come and noting the way her aggressor circled her, she began to crawl toward the door, hoping in the darkness to evade the inevitable. The hands grasped her blood-soaked hair tightly, pulling her into a kneeling position. The cold metal pressed into her neck as she said a silent prayer that God would have mercy on her. She felt her warm blood run down her front as she gasped for the air she knew would not come. As darkness consumed her, she saw her attacker, silhouetted by the moonlight in the doorway, wipe her blood from the knife and step out into the night.

Sunnydale, CA July 2000

"A week away, huh?" Buffy looked up from the pamphlet she held in her tiny hand.

"What do you think?" Riley asked, putting the last pillow on his freshly made bed. Walking to where Buffy was gazing at the colorful pictures illustrating the bed and breakfast nestled in the hills above Sunnydale, he leaned over her shoulder pointing to the stable and pool. "Riding horses, lounging by the pool....sounds relaxing to me."

"Who will patrol while we are on this relaxing escapade?" Buffy sighed, putting the brochure onto Riley's desk. A getaway was just the thing she needed, for the past two weeks she and Riley had been tracking an elusive demon. Finally, two nights ago, they got the break they needed. A very drunk demon was terrorizing young couples in the park. Buffy, with the help of Riley took the demon down with little trouble.

"Don't worry about patrol. Graham and the guys can handle it. Besides if something comes up, Giles' will know where to reach us," Riley said, trying to coax Buffy into the idea.

"Well, I do have a new swimsuit I am dying to try out," Buffy said coyly, offering Riley a smile.

"Then it's decided." Riley decided to seal the deal with a kiss. Sweeping Buffy's small frame into his arms, he ran his lips along hers. Breaking away from her mouth, Riley looked into her big green eyes and squeezed her tight, he reassuring her "We are going to have the best time, nothing in the world is going to ruin it."

"Peggy, honey, please wait!" Bill desperately grabbed for his wife, who was frantically throwing clothing into a suitcase that was resting on the rumpled bed.

"Who is she Bill? Your new secretary, the widow that just moved in down the street, that hussy from the store? Huh? Who?" Enraged, she turned on him, stalking towards him like a predator that's about to rip apart its cornered prey.

"No, Peggy, I swear. I don't know anyone named Meghan." Their marriage had been rocky for awhile now. Bill's late nights at the office had put a strain on their relationship. That's why they had come to the little bed and breakfast, to work out their problems.

Yet, during a rather intimate moment between the two, Bill had called out the name, not of his wife, but of a perfect stranger. He didn't even had a clue why. Peggy had freaked, to put it mildly. Her fears had become reality in her mind, Bill was cheating on her. Ignoring his denials and explanations, Peggy quickly grabbed her suitcase and made her way to the door. Bill quickly blocked her retreat, planting himself in front of the door. Blinded by a consuming anger, Peggy swiftly brought her knee up to connect with his groin. As he fell to his knees from the punishing blow, Peggy pushed past him out the door.

Throwing open the trunk of the car, Peggy quickly tossed her bags in. Slamming the lid closed, she fumbled to grab the right key to the car door, wiping away burning tears. A sudden chill ran down her spine causing her to stop cold in her tracks. Glancing around her, an uncontrollable sense of fear replaced her anger. The silhouette of the distant barn caught her eye, entrancing her. Peggy found her feet, working of their own accord, carrying her toward the darkened building. Her heart began to pound in her chest as she broke out into a cold sweat.

Reaching the wooden door, she pushed her way in, closing the door behind her. Plunged into darkness, Peggy's senses slowly began coming back to her. Panicking, she began frantically searching for the door she had just entered through. Her probing proved fruitless, causing her to call out for help. A sudden cackle of laughter stopped her unanswered cries for help. Turning around, so that her back was to the wall, her eyes began searching for the source of the maniacal laughter. A small lantern in the corner suddenly illuminated, dimly lighting the barn. Then it began.

All around her a cackle penetrated the air. Invisible claws racked down her back, ripping her shirt, tearing into her flesh. Calling out for help only made the blows to her stomach more fierce. Looking about frantically for her attacker, the woman found herself alone. Yet the punishment continued. Crouching into a fetal position took the focus away from her tender stomach as the punches turned toward her kidneys. A sharp blow to the head was all it took to relieve her of all the pain. A soft gust of wind extinguished the flame in the lone lantern, plunging the barn back into its crypt like darkness.

The soft breeze felt heavenly against her face. The horse trotted along down the trail at a steady pace, bouncing Buffy's small frame in the saddle. The week was going well, her worries dissolving in no time thanks to Riley. Her time was constantly spent in activities, no time to think of the dead. Swimming, horseback riding, massages, and activities of a more intimate nature kept her mind and body fully occupied. Now it was Friday, two more days before they had to go back to reality. She was already dreading it.

Glancing over her shoulder, Buffy found Riley further back on the trail, struggling with his stubborn horse. The horse would not yield to his gentle urging to keep up the pace, instead stopping to taste the grass on the side of the road. Slowing her horse, Buffy waited for Riley to catch up with her. Riley began patting the horse on the backside, hoping to get it to move. For his troubles, he got a bite on his leg. Buffy could make out quite a few colorful words that Riley had chosen to direct at the horse.

Laughing to herself, Buffy quickly rode back to join Riley. Riley looked up as she neared, rubbing his leg where the horse had bitten him. With a look of helplessness, Riley let out a sigh. "Sorry Buffy, I don't think he likes me too much." Taking pity on her boyfriend, Buffy offered him a ride with her. Grateful for the assistance, Riley quickly mounted behind Buffy, placing his arms firmly around her small waist.

Grabbing the reins of Riley's horse, Buffy steered the four of them back down the trail towards the barn. Riley leaned into her, allowing a hand to amorously run up and down her thigh. Nuzzling his face into her neck, he planted light kisses on her shoulder. While his one hand was doing wonders to her leg, his other one, trailed up from her was to the soft swell of her chest.

A sudden jerk from the horse brought both actions to a halt as Riley grabbed her tightly to maintain his balance. Buffy just giggled as Riley let out a relieved breath. The barn loomed in the near distance and Buffy, feeling the excited state Riley was in as he pressed against her, decided to pick up the pace. Coaxing the horse into a gallop, they made record time to the barn.

Riley dismounted gracefully from the horse, before he helped Buffy do the same. Taking the reins of his disobedient mount, he followed Buffy and her mare into the barn. Handing off the two horses to the stable boy, Riley grabbed Buffy's tiny hand in his and began to lead her from the barn. Buffy smiled her thanks to the stable boy as she was pulled away but stopped short of the door, tugging Riley back to her.

The wood near the floor of the barn was stained with a dark substance. Buffy felt a chill run up her spine, sensing something not right about it. Letting go of Riley's hand, she bent down to investigate. Someone had tried to clean it up, but had managed to miss a few spots. Running her finger over the boards, some of the material flaked off. On closer investigation, Buffy realized what it was. Blood.

The stable boy, noticing Buffy's examination of the barn floor quickly pulled up next to her to see what she could be looking at so intently. Noticing the stains, the boy hurried to explain, "There was an accident last week! One of the guests fell and hit her head in the dark."

Buffy looked from the dried blood on her hands to the boy, "I hope she's okay."

Looking down at his shoes, the boy said in hushed tones, "She's fine."

"Oh, okay..." Was all Buffy could muster.

Hoping to distract the couple from further inquiries the boy quickly reminded them that dinner was about to be served. Leaving it at that, Buffy stood up, dusting the blood from her hand and the dirt from her knees. Taking Riley's hand, they made their way back to the house.

The house was built in the late 1800's, their hostess had said. It was elaborately decorated in majestic velvet and silk. Buffy's favorite room was the bedroom Riley and she occupied. The large canopy bed was placed in the center, cherry wood dressers and night tables were situated around the room. The hardwood floor was covered in several places by oriental rugs. With an adjoining bathroom, the room was everything she hoped for.

The house had five bedrooms, each as extravagant. Three of those bedrooms remained vacant during their stay. The other room was occupied by honeymooners that Riley and Buffy had seen very little of. Taking their meals in their room, the honeymooners were quite antisocial. Not that Buffy and Riley blamed them. Besides they enjoyed having the dining room to themselves.

Pulling out a chair for Buffy, Riley commented on how beautiful she looked in the candlelight. Smiling at Riley, Buffy kissed him before taking the chair he offered. Sitting himself across from her, Riley quickly unfolded his napkin and placed it on his lap. Within seconds, the hostess, Mrs. Tuttle, was approaching the table. "Did we have a pleasant day?" The elderly lady asked, smiling down warmly at the young couple as she poured them each a glass of water.

"It was wonderful!" Buffy spoke up, returning her smile. Motioning for the server girls to bring them their food, Mrs. Tuttle continued, "That's nice dear. What would you like to drink this evening?"

Buffy looked to Riley for help, as she was not a big drinker and was unsure of what to order. Taking Buffy's look of utter cluelessness as a hint, he ordered a bottle of wine. Mrs. Tuttle motioned for one of the server girls to come over, if Buffy remembered correctly her name was Mary. "Please go down in the cellar and fetch a bottle of wine for our guests."

A look of horror passed over the young girl's face, her eyes bulged, and she began shaking as she stepped back. "No, please, ask someone else." She was afraid, Buffy was sure of it.

"Mary, do as I ask!" Mrs. Tuttle used a sharper tone, taking back both Riley and Buffy. The girl broke into tears as she ran into the kitchen, supposedly to get the wine. Mrs. Tuttle returned her gaze from the retreating back of the girl to the young couple. She offered a small laugh and a smile "Kid's now a days." With that, Mrs. Tuttle made her way to the kitchen to check on the preparation of the meal for her other guests.

Riley watched as she disappeared behind the kitchen door before raising an eyebrow in Buffy's direction. "What just happened there?"

Shrugging, Buffy had no answer. "She seemed scared of something."

"I'd go with terrified out of her mind." Riley said, remembering the look on her face. His little brother, Cody, had had that look when they had encountered a grizzly on a hunting trip when they were younger. Cody had been so afraid that he lost control of his bodily functions.

Before Riley could resume the discussion of what had scared the poor girl, Mary had returned with the bottle. Wiping her eyes with the back of her sleeve, she apologized for her behavior before returning to the kitchen. The incident was soon forgotten as Buffy and Riley settled in for their nice quiet meal.

Finishing their meal, and with the slight buzz the wine had left them with, they decided to call it a night. The house seemed empty as they made their way to the staircase that led to their room. The housekeepers had left hours ago, as had the kitchen help. The only people that remained were the newly weds and Mrs. Tuttle, who had a room of her own on the main floor. Mary and another girl who stayed in a small shack in the back of the house that use to be the servants quarters when the house was first erected.

Upon reaching the stairs, Riley swung Buffy into his arms, one under her legs, the other wrapped around her back. Snuggling into him, Buffy enjoyed the feeling of being carried to her room. With a little difficulty, Riley managed to get the door to their room open without dropping the blonde girl who was currently nipping at his ear. "Didn't get enough to eat, baby?" he said teasingly as he gently laid Buffy on the bed.

Pulling him on top of her, Buffy shot back, "I had plenty of the main course. Now, I want dessert!" Smiling wickedly up at him, Buffy attacked his mouth, using her hand to pull his head down to her. Snaking her hand into his hair, he held him there while her tongue mated with his. Her other hand slid down to relieve him of his shirt. Finding the hem, she quickly began to lift. Discovering that one hand wasn't enough to accomplish the task, Riley helped her by pulling the shirt off himself, never breaking contact with her mouth.

Resuming his position, he attacked her neck, sucking lightly at first, then harder. Marking her as his with a hickey, he pulled back to gaze down at her. Even in the soft light, Riley could see she was flushed with desire. Running his hand gently across her check, he gazed into her beautiful eyes. "I love you, Buffy Summers!"

Noting the look on his face, the gentle, loving way he looked at her then, Buffy was overcome with emotions. "I love you!" Quickly divesting each other of their remaining clothes, they soon found themselves in the age-old rhythm, the dance of lovers.

Exhausted, Riley pulled Buffy into an embrace, letting her head rest on his chest. Stroking her hair, he lulled her to sleep with his gentle touch. Riley quickly followed her into a blissful slumber.

The cold tile on the kitchen floor did little to ease her apprehension. Pulling the robe tighter around her shoulders, Buffy glanced about the darkened kitchen before resuming her journey to the fridge. Something about the area unnerved her. She felt as though someone was watching her every movement. Shrugging it off to being in a strange place Buffy pushed the uneasy feeling to the back of her mind.

Opening the freezer, Buffy was delighted to find mint chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream packed into the small space. Reaching for a carton, she was stopped short when a piercing scream filled the air. Spinning around Buffy tried to get a feel for where the scream had come from. She didn't have to try hard, the scream was followed by an intense argument. The voices were emanating from behind a door in the corner of the kitchen. Stepping closer, hoping to make out the words, she pressed her ear to the door.

"Please, Madam, I didn't take the jewelry. I swear." came a pleading feminine voice.

"Liar, you're nothing but a little leech, you've been stealing from us for years." Another woman's voice came, this one laced with anger.

"No, no!" The first voice cried out as the crack of a whip filled the air. Wailing, the kind that comes from unbearable pain, radiated from just beyond the door. Buffy's slayer instincts took over. Reaching for the knob, Buffy turned it roughly, throwing open the wood door. A strong gust of wind slammed it shut before Buffy could continue. Trying the knob again, Buffy found the door locked. Determined to break the lock, Buffy utilized all her strength. The knob wouldn't budge. The punishment continued on the other side.

Stepping back, Buffy took the only other option available. Running, Buffy rammed into the door with her shoulder. It didn't move. Moving further into the kitchen, Buffy geared herself up for another ramming. Just as she was about to go, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning, she was surprise to see Riley. A completely naked Riley holding a carton of ice cream. "Baby, come back to bed!"

The wailing on the other side of the door increased as the assault from the whip increased in frequency. Looking at Riley with questioning eyes, Buffy asked "Don't you hear that?"

Sucking on an ice cream laden spoon, Riley shrugged, "Hear what?" Taken back by Riley's answer, Buffy headed towards the cellar door once more. Summoning all her strength, Buffy slammed into the door. The door gave way under her weight and Buffy found herself falling.

Landing in a heap on the floor, Buffy looked up to see a concerned Riley looking down at her. "Buffy, are you okay?" Glancing around her, Buffy was surprise to find herself in their bedroom. On the floor of their bedroom to be exact. Picking herself up, she grabbed her robe that was draped over a chair next to the bed. "I'm fine, I must have been dreaming."

"I'll say. You were thrashing around pretty good. I tried to wake you, but couldn't." Pulling his pajama bottoms on, Riley rounded the bed to where Buffy was standing. "What were you dreaming about?"

Trying hard to recall, Buffy just couldn't remember. "I don't know, everything is hazy."

"You're shivering!" Riley said, quickly rubbing her arms with his hands. Noticing for the first time, she merely shrugged. "Cold!" came her reply.

"Let's get you warmed up." Riley guided her back to the bed. After getting her in, he slid in after her. Riley pulled the comforter up over them and held her tight against him, hoping that his body heat would warm her. Soon, her tremors ceased and he heard her softly snoring. Relaxing, Riley's own breathing slowed as he joined her in slumber.

The sunlight streamed through the lace curtains, a light breeze blowing them further into the room. Riley stirred, his arm stretching out to pull Buffy closer to him. Coming up empty, Riley slowly opened his eyes. He was alone.

Sitting up, he scanned the room, hoping to come up with a clue as to Buffy's whereabouts. A piece of paper perched on the dresser caught his eye. Rubbing his hands over his face, he pulled himself out of bed and padded over to the dresser.

It was her handwriting. "Went for a run. See you at breakfast. Love, Buffy." Placing the note back on the dresser, Riley figured he had about a half hour before breakfast was served. Gathering his shaving kit, he headed into the bathroom to get ready for the day.

Sweat trickled down her back in a vain effort to cool her body. She had been running for an hour straight, trying hard to clear her head. Something about her dream last night bothered her. It had a lot to do with the fact that she couldn't remember much of it, but deep down there was something else. Buffy remembered not only waking up to the feeling of the cold floor connecting with her head, but a spine chilling sensation. A sense of dread or foreboding. That and an immense desire for ice cream.

Her feet pounded the packed dirt of the trail as she tried to sort through her thoughts. Spying someone up ahead, Buffy started to veer off onto another path. She was not in the mood for pleasantries this morning. Then she noticed who the ‘someone' was. It was Mary, the terrified server girl from the previous night. Her curiosity over what had horrified the other girl got the better of her. Slowing down, Buffy slowly approached the her.

Immersed in weeding, Mary didn't notice Buffy approach her. She jumped a little when Buffy tapped her on the shoulder, a shriek escaping her lips. Buffy stepped back in surprise, uttering apologies.

Catching her breath while her heart rate slowed from the shock she had received, Mary stood up, facing Buffy. "Is there something you need, Miss?"

"I was just wondering about something," Buffy began, wondering whether to be forward with the girl or not.

"Wondering about what?" Mary seemed hesitant to inquire.

"The cellar." Buffy decided that being straight forward with the girl would be the best course. Judging from the look on Mary's face, Buffy was sure she was right. The welcoming smile on Mary's face vanished, her freckle spotted checks paling as a look of horror overtook her features. "What has you so afraid of it?"

"We're not supposed to talk about it." Mary looked around, her face a mask of fear. Turning from Buffy, she resumed her job in the flower patch. As Buffy drew closer, Mary tensed up further. Sensing her reluctance, Buffy stopped, sitting down on the ground next to Mary. Watching her, Buffy quickly figured out which were weeds and which weren't. Diving in, Buffy began pulling at the greenery. In shock Mary turned on Buffy, "What are you doing?"

"I thought I would help you out." Buffy shrugged.

"Please, get up. Mrs. Tuttle wouldn't like it if she saw you out here doing my work."

"Okay, I'll stop, if you tell me what I want to know," Buffy said, dusting her hands off. Buffy sensed that the young girl feared authority. She avoided punishment whenever she could. Knowing Mary could get fired for allowing a guest to do chores while vacationing here, Buffy bet on her fear of getting fired out weighing the fear of the other.

Surrendering to the fact that Buffy wasn't going to leave her alone until she told her, she grabbed Buffy's hand, leading her into the wooded area on the other side of the path. Looking around, making sure no one saw them, Mary turned her attention back to Buffy. "Swear to me that you will not let them know I told you. Please! Mrs. Tuttle would kill me if she found out I told you."

"Okay!" Buffy was a little taken back by the secrecy, but knew that it had to be good if she was this desperate.

"The cellar's haunted!" Mary began, her voice hushed. "So's the barn."

"Haunted?" Buffy was intrigued.

"They say that the ghost of Meghan Donahue walks the halls of the house. I haven't felt her anywhere but in the basement or the barn, but others' have. At night, when I have to go into the cellar, I feel her eyes on me, boring a hole into my soul. I try not to go into the cellar alone anymore. Once while I was in there, the door got stuck. As I tried to get it open, I heard rustling. I knew that I was alone down there." Tears sprang from Mary's eyes as her voice began to squeak. Searching through her pockets, Buffy quickly located a tissue she had placed in her pocket in case of allergies.

Gratefully, Mary took the tissue, dabbing her eyes as she composed herself. "Then came this low wailing, like a girl was in so much pain. I was so frantic at that point, that I dropped the bottle of wine I was carrying and pulled with all my might. The door finally gave. The cook looked at me like I was crazed. I told Mrs. Tuttle what happened. She just scolded me about the broken wine bottle. Told me I was never to speak of such nonsense again."

Settling down some, Mary sniffled occasionally as she continued. "Chris, the stable boy, he's seen things too. Lanterns turning on by themselves, items disappearing, only to be found in places that they shouldn't be. Like the pitch fork went missing for a week. It was found later in the tub of one of the guest rooms."

"You don't believe me, do you?" The girl's eyes met Buffy's for the first time, a twinge of embarrassment marring the normally twinkling eyes.

Searching those eyes, Buffy found no reason not to believe her story. "No, I do."

"Don't mock me!" Mary became suddenly angry. Pushing her way back to the weeding, Mary found herself halted by Buffy's strong hand on her arm. "I'm not mocking you. I honestly believe you. I have also had some experience with this type of thing."

"Y-you have?" Mary answered, surprised that the other girl wasn't busting a gut laughing at her.

"Yes." Giving the girl a reassuring smile, Buffy pulled her back into the sanctuary of the trees. "Now, if you could, tell me a little more about this Meghan Donahue. Who she was, how she died, you know, that sort of thing."

"From what I've heard, she was a servant here about a hundred or so years ago. She was supposedly in love with the son of the man who owned this property. I believe his name was Wilhelm. They had grown up together here. They were good friends until he turned ten. That's when Mrs. O'Connell, Wilhelm's mother, decided it wasn't fitting for a boy of his station to play with a servant girl. It's said that after that the two met in secret, keeping their friendship alive." Mary's eyes became bright as she recounted the tale, the look of fear vanishing from her face, as excitement overtook her.

The tale continued. Over the years, Meghan fell madly in love with Wilhelm, though Wilhelm did not return her feelings, except in friendship. After Wilhelm's father died, Mrs. O'Connell became cold, distant. She would lash out at the help, often beating them. Meghan received most of the blows.

Something clicked in Buffy's mind, a memory was triggered. Pushing it aside for the time being, she listened intently as Mary continued. One night, after a particularly harsh beating, Meghan was polishing the foyer floor, when Wilhelm arrived home with several friends. Standing off to the side, Meghan watched quietly as he greeted his mother, introducing her to each friend. It was the last friend that sent Meghan into a fury. Wilhelm had proposed to a young lady and she had accepted.

Watching as Mrs. O'Connell welcomed her future daughter-in-law with open arms, something in Meghan snapped. She rushed forward, pushing the young woman from Wilhelm's arms, declaring her love for him. The young woman picked herself off the floor, demanding to know who would dare to insult her. Meghan continued to pour her heart out to Wilhelm and anyone else who would listen. Meghan was only met with rejection, Wilhelm's empathetic, Mrs. O'Connell's ruthless, and the fiancé ridiculed her.

Ashamed and heart broken Meghan fled. She was later found murdered in the barn. "Some say it was Mrs. O'Connell that murdered the girl in a crazed rage. Others believe that the fiancé, jealous over the way Wilhelm ran after Meghan, slit the girls throat. No one ever knew for sure who it was. They all paid though." Mary pointed to the small cemetery . "They all rest over there. A month after Meghan's murder, Wilhelm's fiancé threw herself out of a third story window. A couple of days later, Mrs. O'Connell was trampled to death by her horse."

"Wilhelm was so depressed at the losses of his mother and his love that he remained in a drunken state for the eleven months following their deaths. He would be seen in town murmuring of ghosts. Everyone thought he was off his rocker. On the first anniversary of Meghan's death, Wilhelm hung himself from the rafters of the barn."

Mary looked around cautiously, stepping closer to Buffy, lowering her voice "But that's not where the story ends. Mrs. Tuttle's family bought the house after Wilhelm's death and turned it into the bed and breakfast that it is today. Since then, Meghan has claimed at least one victim each year. The deaths are more frequent around this time of year. She focuses on couples that stay here. Victims that are female tend to meet a brutal end, beaten to death. Males are more prone to suicide. Though, occasionally the roles are reversed. Last week, one female guest was beaten to death in the barn. Mrs. Tuttle reported it as a horse trampling, but I was the one who found her. The horses were all locked up in their pens." Mary's eyes misted as she remembered the sight of the poor woman's beaten body. "Her husband was found later in the bathroom, his wrists had been...." Mary covered her mouth as she began to sob.

Putting a comforting arm around Mary, Buffy patted her shoulder trying to calm her down. Buffy was mulling over in her mind the things that she had been told when she realized Mary was pushing away from her. Mrs. Tuttle could be heard in the distance calling for Mary. "I'm sorry, I have to go, breakfast duties." Buffy watched as Mary ran back to the house. Knowing that it was getting late and Riley would worry, Buffy began trudging back to the house also. Feeling as though she was being watched, Buffy glanced over her shoulder, the barn catching her eye. She felt a chill run through her body. Rubbing her hands over her bare arms, she had the sudden impression that she needed to get back to Riley. Fast.

Wiping the excess foam from his face, Riley inspected his shaving job. Satisfied, he pulled off his favorite cow pajama bottoms Buffy had bought for him. Turning the shower on, he tested the water. Finding the right temperature, he stepped in. Riley felt his muscles relax as the warm water ran over his tired body. He had been awake during the night worrying about Buffy after she had her dream. Lathering up a washcloth, he began washing his body. He winced as pain shot up through his side. Glancing down, he noticed that his left side was black and blue. Too frightened for her, he had barely registered how hard Buffy was hitting him in her sleep last night. He had tried to wake her as she continued to toss in her sleep.

He continued to scrub the rest of his body, humming to himself the tune of "Dancing Queen." His humming was stopped short when he heard a feminine giggle. "Buffy?" Riley inquired. Getting no reply, he pulled back the curtain slightly. "Buffy?" The room was empty. ‘Must be hearing things in my old age.' Riley thought. Shaking the incident off, he went back to showering. He was just lathering his hair when the giggle came again, this time closer to the curtain. Rinsing the soap from his eyes, he could see the outline of a person on the other side of the curtain.

Grinning, Riley called out "Why don't you come and join me, baby?" Turning his back to the curtain, he heard the soft giggle again, followed by the swosh of the curtain as it opened. Her feet thunked as she stepped in, closing the curtain behind her. "How was your run?" Riley asked, turning to her, his hands full of the scented soap she enjoyed.

He was alone. No Buffy smiling up at him, nothing. The water had suddenly turned icy, leaving him shivering. Rinsing his hands, he turned off the water before stepping out of the shower. Confused, he wrapped a towel around his waist, using another to dry his hair. Turning back for one last look at the shower, he was surprised to see ice crystals forming on the metal part of the knob.

Buffy raced up the stairs, dread building in her with each step. The short run from the gardens to their room had felt like an eternity. She couldn't explain her sudden need to be close to Riley. Buffy burst through the door just in time to see a towel clad Riley emerge from the bathroom. The look on his face told her everything. Something was wrong.

"Riley, what is it?" Buffy crossed over to him placing her hands on his waist.

Riley glanced back toward the bathroom, "Did you come into the bathroom a minute ago?"

"No, I just barely got back. Why?"

"I could have sworn...." Riley looked at Buffy, noticing the concern on her face. "It was nothing." Smiling, he changed the subject. "So, how was your run?"

Shaking her head, she pushed for information. "You could have sworn what? Riley?"

"Its just...I thought I heard...no, someone was in there with me." Riley crossed over to the bed, sitting down, putting his head in his hands. "I thought it was you. I was showering, I asked you to join me. I heard someone step in, but when I turned to look, no one was there."

Buffy joined Riley on the bed. Sitting next to him, she placed her hand on his back, gently rubbing. That's when she noticed his hands. "You're shaking!"

"It was so weird Buffy. I don't think I was imagining it." Trying to calm himself, he rubbed his hands together. His heart was racing, he felt...terrified.

The kitchen was quiet by the time Riley and Buffy snuck down. Glancing around the corner, Buffy was relieved to find it empty. Having explained the story Mary had told her, they had both decided that it was worth investigating. The story had triggered Buffy's memory of the dream she had had the night before, hence they figured it best to start in the cellar.

Riley, following Buffy's lead, stealthily made his way across the kitchen to the cellar door. Looking back the way they had come, Riley didn't notice the metal pot until his head collided with it. The force of the impact sent the rack swaying causing the rest of the pots and pans to clank into each other. Giving Riley an exasperated look, Buffy motioned for him to hurry. Riley was just shutting the door behind them when they heard Mrs. Tuttle enter the kitchen.

Putting his ear to the door, Riley listened until he was sure Mrs. Tuttle had left. "Coast is clear." Grabbing Buffy's hand, they began descending the creaky staircase. The musty, damp air hung heavily causing Riley to cough slightly. Concerned, Buffy asked if he was all right. Getting a nod, they continued on. The small fading light bulb did little to brighten the room. Shadows cast most of the room into darkness. It reminded Buffy of the crypts she often frequented.

"What exactly are we looking for?" Riley inquired, noticing nothing but shelves full of bottles.

"I'm not sure. Some clue that a supernatural entity is housed here." Buffy said, eyes peering into the shadows.

"What do we do if we find a ghost? Ask it politely to leave?" Riley said, the sarcasm in his voice apparent.

"I haven't exactly thought that through. But this isn't our first ghost experience. There was the haunting of Lowell House, though I guess *we* didn't do much to rid the house of that entity." Buffy's face broke into a huge grin at the memory of her and Riley's night together. Glancing at Riley, she saw her smile reflected on his face as well. Even if they had almost died that night, what a way to go.

"Any other experiences?" Riley enquired after shaking naked Buffy thoughts from his head.

"Oh,..." Buffy suddenly remembered one of her famous high school stories. "There was a poltergeist haunting the high school."

"Yeah, how did you get rid of it?" Riley asked, examining a cobweb strung between two bottles on a shelf.

Not wanting to bring up the whole Angel thing, she gave him the condensed version. "We gave him what he wanted."

"And that was?"

"Forgiveness. He had killed his lover in a moment of anger and he wanted her forgiveness," Buffy said simply

"So, what do you think this ghost wants?" Riley was about to head back across the room to where Buffy was standing when the light flickered. Slowly, the bulb began to dim. Riley and Buffy were soon left in total darkness. A chill crept over the room, wrapping its icy fingers around the couple. Riley reached his arm out blindly as he started his journey toward Buffy and the stairs. "Buffy?" he called out.

"Over here!" came her reply. Following the sound of her voice, he made his way slowly across the room. Even though he had seen no obstacles in his path before, something in his brain told him to be careful. The cold was unbearable, his body began to shake as his fingers searched for any sign of Buffy. His fingers finally contacted cloth, breathing a sigh of relief, he quickly searched for her hand. He soon found her hand, concerned over the cold he encountered there. "Buffy, you're freezing!" he began gently rubbing her hand in his own, trying to warm them both. Off to his left he heard her voice come, a good five feet away. "How would you know? Where are you?"

The hand he held squeezed his hand back, as he heard a familiar giggle come from directly in front of him. Pulling back, he felt the grip tighten on his hand. "Buffy!" he cried out in pain as he felt the bones in his hand pop.

Buffy reached him as he fell to his knees. Grasping his shoulders, she tried to pull him away from the entity. Her efforts were fruitless, panic taking over as she heard Riley moan in pain. Circling, so that she was in front of him, Buffy flailed her arms in the air, trying to connect with the creature, to get it to relinquish its hold on Riley. Her arms met with nothing but air.

As quickly as the attack had began, it was over. The light returned to its normal glow. Buffy turned to see Riley on his back, his face flushed from the cold, cradling his hand to his chest. Tears streamed down his face as he gritted his teeth against the pain. Kneeling next to him, Buffy glanced from his hand to his face, as she wiped the tears from his cheeks. "Are you okay?" Stupid question, she knew, but she didn't know what else to say.

"It felt like my hand was being squashed by a vise." Riley said through clenched teeth. The pain had been alleviated somewhat when the thing had released him, but his hand was still throbbing. Sitting up, he looked down at his swollen hand, thankful that it was still there. He thought ‘it' was trying to rip it off. Grabbing him under the arms, Buffy managed to get Riley to his feet. Noticing the room was back to its normal temperature, Buffy made a mental note. "Come on, let's get that looked at."

"Buffy, we should probably call Giles. See if there is any way to get rid of this thing." Riley knew this thing was no good, the ‘I want to crush your hand' incident aside, the loathing he felt radiating off of the entity was still present as he and Buffy ascended the stairs.

"After we get you checked out," came Buffy's reply. The look on her face told Riley not to argue with her.

Riley's hand was only sprained. Mrs. Tuttle was sure of it. Being a former nurse, Riley and Buffy took her word for it. They of course made up some story about slipping in the shower, Mrs. Tuttle appeared to be satisfied by their explanation. Riley was laying on the bed, in a euphoric state, thanks to the pain killers that Mrs. Tuttle had insisted he take. Buffy listened to the soft ringing of the phone as she waited for Giles to pick up the line. Riley laughed as he began to examine, out loud, the many uses for Cheeze Whiz. The clicking sound at the other end of the line caught Buffy's attention. Realizing it was the machine picking up, she left a message before hanging up and trying Willow's number. Much to her chagrin, she found that Willow was not home either.

She was about to try Xander when she noticed that Riley had stopped his earlier rambling and was sitting on the end of the bed, staring at the wall in front of him. "Honey, did you need something?" Buffy asked as she got up from the chair and padded over to him. Standing in front of him, she noticed his eyes seemed a little glazed over, like he really didn't see her. Tilting his chin up so that he looked into her eyes, she found no recognition in them. "Riley?" His eyes stared unseeing up at her. His hands rested in his lap, his breathing slow and steady.

Buffy turned her head towards the hall as sounds of an argument erupted. Wanting to find out what was happening, and figuring Riley's condition was drug induced, she pushed him down onto his back. Pulling his body with all of her slayer strength up the bed, so that his head was resting comfortably in the pillows, she told him to close his eyes and rest. It took him a moment, but he complied. As his eyes fluttered closed, Buffy moved to take off his shoes. Throwing an afghan over his body, she kissed him gently on the cheek before she quietly snuck out the door.

By the time she got to the room of the only other guests, a crowd had gathered. One of the server girls, the maid, and the cook stood outside. Each was looking around nervously. As Buffy got closer, she heard animalistic shrieks coming from inside. Buffy pushed pass the maid so that she had a direct view into the room.

On the floor, a man laid, his head cracked open, blood pouring from the wound, staining the carpet around him. Where his face should have been, there was nothing but pulp. A woman, her hair all askew and tears pouring down her face, was wielding a large shovel. She was babbling incoherently and Buffy was sickened to notice what looked like flesh and hair stuck to it in big clumps. The shovel was covered in blood. Mrs. Tuttle was talking to the woman, trying to sooth her, calm her down enough to get the shovel away from her. Turning to her fellow onlookers, Buffy asked if anyone had called the police.

"Mary went." Came the small reply of the serving girl, who seemed to be hanging her head in shame. Buffy turned her attention back to the scene when a particularly horrendous yell came from the woman. The woman was advancing quickly on Mrs. Tuttle, the shovel raised above her head, ready to deliver a crushing blow. Buffy acted fast. Dashing from the doorway, she caught the wooden shaft of the shovel before it could strike the terrified Mrs. Tuttle. Wrenching it from the woman's grasp, Buffy flung it into the open bathroom.

The woman lunged for it, but Buffy caught her wrist, wrestling her to the ground. The woman struggled fiercely, trying to throw Buffy off, but Buffy's strength gave her the upper hand. Straddling her, Buffy effectively pinned her to the ground. The woman's teeth gnashed at her, her nails scraping Buffy's skin. Grabbing hold of her arms, Buffy was able to secure them above her head with one arm. Using her other arm, Buffy slapped her, hoping to knock some sense into her. The woman cried out in shock and pain. Her body relaxed, her thrashing head stilled. Buffy watched as the woman's empty eyes returned to normal. Confused, the woman stared at Buffy. "Where am I? W..who are you? Jim! Where is Jim?"

"You don't remember?" Buffy asked, uncertain.

"Remember? Remember what? Jim and I were about to take a bath and then..." The woman's eyes wandered about the room and catching sight of her dead husband, she let out a scream. "What did you do? What did you do? Jim! Jim!" She began struggling against Buffy again, in a desperate attempt to get to her husband.

"Hey! Hey! I didn't do anything! Calm down!" Buffy insisted. Tears began to stream down the woman's face. She continued to whisper her husband's name softly, wanting desperately to understand what was happening. Seeing that the woman no longer posed a threat, Buffy climbed off of her. She watched as the woman rolled over and crawled to her husband. Placing his head on her lap, she smoothed back his hair, sobbing to herself. Lifting her eyes, she caught sight of the shovel in the bathroom. As memories flooded back, she began muttering "no" to herself over and over again as she began to rock back and forth.

"I did this didn't I?" Looking toward Buffy with pleading eyes, she was hoping that the young girl would reject this notion. Guilt and anguish washed over her face as Buffy nodded her confirmation. Mrs. Tuttle stepped up to Buffy, grasping her by the shoulders, she led her away from the grieving woman. "You've done everything you can. We'll take it from here. Why don't you return to that nice man of yours." With that, Mrs. Tuttle shooed her away. Buffy noticed the police officer walking down the hall and motioned towards the room. He nodded his thanks as he brushed past her.

His head felt incredibly heavy. Rational thought was elusive. His mind was foggy, he felt this pressing sadness and immense anger at himself though he didn't know why. His eyes fluttered open, blinking several times. He just couldn't seem to clear his vision. In the back of his mind, he could hear her calling for him.

Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he stood up, unsteadily. Grasping the bedpost, he steadied himself before he began walking slowly to the door. As he turned the doorknob, Riley felt a wave of nausea hit him. Resting his forehead against the door for a moment, he swallowed back the bile that had crept up. When the nausea had calmed some, he continued out the door.

Making his way down the stairs, he mumbled something to Mary when she inquired about where he was going. He wasn't sure what he mumbled, he wasn't sure of anything anymore. He just knew there was somewhere he had to be. The fresh air hit him hard. Taking deep breaths, he felt his head clear slightly. His vision was also clearer, crisp. Feelings of disappointment and rage at himself overwhelmed him as he was pulled to the distant building.

A single light welcomed him as entered the barn through the side door. The horses stomped slightly, clearly not happy about the intruder. Seeing the rope hanging from the wall, he knew what he had to do. Taking it down, he slumped to the floor, tears spilling down his face as he began tying the knot.

"It's only for a week!" Willow replied, following Giles down the stairs of his complex, groceries held firmly in her arms.

"Willow, I'm not a cat person. Or an 'any animal at all' person. Why can't you ask Buffy to do it? She'll be home tomorrow." Willow's insistent prodding at him to cat sit were wearing on Giles's nerves. As he struggled to unlock the door to his apartment, he vaguely heard her reply.

"Don't you remember Buffy's whole Giga pet incident? I don't want my cat ending up like that. Not a pleasant way to die."

As Giles and Willow entered the apartment, they were greeted by Buffy's voice. Throwing his groceries on the counter, Giles made a mad dash for the phone. "Hello? Buffy?" Much to his frustration, she had already hung up. Willow, hoping to win Giles over by helping him with his groceries, began putting away the items while Giles rewound the answering machine tape.

"Hey Giles! Riley, shhh! Um... It looks like we have a sitch. Big bad boo in need of being squished. A ghost named Meghan Donahue. Does that ring a bell? Anyway, she is causing a ruckus up here. I thought maybe an exorcism is in order. Give me a call. Oh, hold on...." Giles heard the phone clunk down. A couple seconds later she returned. "I can't find the number, but Riley gave it to you before we left. Talk to you later, bye."

Giles's face scrunched up. "Meghan Donahue, sounds familiar." Reaching for his Watcher Diaries, he found the one he was looking for and began thumbing through it. He barely noticed that Willow had stopped fussing over the groceries and had come over to the desk.

Willow hit the rewind button on the answering machine as Giles found the page he was looking for. "Yes, here it is. Meghan Donahue, died 1900. It says her ghost haunted the O'Connell residence for about a year. Three suspicious deaths took place during that time. After the death of Wilhelm O'Connell, no other incidents were reported." Turning to Willow, he noticed that she was playing Buffy's message again. He began to inquire about her actions, only to fall silent when Willow held up her hand. "Shh! I thought I heard something."

Finding the volume switch on the side of the machine, Willow began increasing the volume. "GIVE ME A CALL. OH, HOLD ON...." Silence enveloped the room once again. Holding a finger to her lip, Willow motioned for Giles to stay quiet. Then he heard it. What would have been a whisper played at normal volume, now became a clear angry voice. "You're nothing, you let you friends die, your mentor. You're not a soldier, you're barely a man. She can't possibly love you. End this now. Take the razor from your bag and.. I CAN'T FIND THE" Willow quickly hit the stop button as Buffy's voice came on.

Looking at Giles, she saw that he was already in action. Unlocking a cabinet door, he withdrew a book. "Willow, get your majick satchel. I'll drive, you read." Grabbing her bag, Willow quickly followed Giles out the door.

Through the window, on the opposite end of the hallway, Buffy noticed that night had already fallen. Eager to get back to a heavily medicated Riley, Buffy rushed down the hall. Pushing into the room, she was surprise to find the bed empty. "Riley?" Quickly checking the bathroom, she found the suite empty. Hurtling herself into the hall, Buffy ran into Mary, knocking them both to the floor. "Mary, have you seen Riley?" she inquired as she picked herself up, offering her hand to Mary.

Taking Buffy's hand, Mary nodded her head. "He said he wanted to get some air. He seemed a little out of it."

"Which way did he go?" Following Mary's directions, Buffy raced down the stairs and out the front door.

Lightening lit up the sky as Buffy burst out the door. The rain soon followed, lightly at first, then with increasing frequency. By the time Buffy reached the door to the barn, she was soaked to the bone. Pulling hard on the door, she found that it wouldn't budge. Looking through the boards of the barn, she could see the horses pacing in their stalls, clearly agitated.

Glancing around, she spotted Riley standing on one of the railings, tying a rope to one of the beams of the loft. Riley moved slightly, causing the rope to swing out, showing the noose at the end of the rope. "Riley!!" Buffy screamed as she began attacking the door once more.

Pulling with all her might, the door cracked open a bit, only to be slammed shut again. Backing up slightly, Buffy geared herself up, raising her leg, she delivered a powerful kick to the door. The wood splintered. Tearing her way into the barn, she noticed that Riley had turned to face the door. Tears ran freely down his cheeks as his body shook with sobs. "Buffy?" he whispered as he chocked on his tears.

Running to him, Buffy felt herself hit an invisible barrier just as she was about to reach him. She felt a pressure on her chest, then was flung backward, into the side of the barn. Shaking off the sudden dizziness, Buffy raised her head and noticed that Riley was placing the noose around his throat. "RILEY, NO!" Buffy ran at Riley again, but again was blocked. This time she was thrown into the gate that housed one of the horses. As the gate broke under her weight, the horse reared up, Buffy had to scramble to stay out from under its hooves. Rolling, she was able to avoid being crushed by the horse. Buffy quickly stood up as the horse ran past her, out the door.

Buffy was about to attempt to go to Riley once again when she felt nails graze her back, ripping into her flesh. Screaming out in pain, Buffy whirled around, instantly taking a fighting stance. Yet, there was no one there to fight. A hard blow to the stomach caused Buffy to double over in pain, the wind temporarily knocked from her. Glancing up at Riley, she saw him teeter on the thin board that was holding him.

His eyes shifted from the rope above him, to Buffy, panting on the floor. His expression changed suddenly, a familiar look of determination spread across his face. Reaching behind him, he loosened the knot, struggling to get loose from its confines. Before he could lift the rope from his neck, the board, he was standing on snapped. As his body began to fall, he heard Buffy scream, "No!'

The rope went tight, his body dangling a foot off the ground. The rope had been too loose to break his neck. He gasped for air as the rope dug into his throat, his hands clawing desperately at the noose, trying to relieve the pressure on his throat.

Buffy swiftly jumped to her feet. Racing over to Riley, she was surprised to find her way unbarred. Grabbing his legs, she lifted him slightly, allowing him to take a few gulps of air. Reaching up his pant leg, she found the small knife he kept in his sock, quickly taking it out. She handed it up to him. Sawing furiously at the rope above him, Riley felt the rope give some under the stain of his weight.

He was half way through the rope when he felt his legs being pulled out in front of him. Looking down, he realized that Buffy was being dragged across the floor. The rope tightened again on his throat, causing him to gag. Buffy had no choice but to let go. As her arms released Riley's legs, she saw him swing back, the hand with the knife still working to cut through the thick rope.

Black dots began to appear in front of Riley's eyes, his arms numb and heavy. Yet, he kept working at the rope above him. Just as he was about to pass out, the rope above him gave out, allowing his body to drop to the dirt below.

Relief washed over Buffy as she saw Riley, on the ground coughing, desperately trying to get up. She was still being dragged backward. Fighting was useless, but that didn't stop her from trying. Kicking and punching blindly, all she connected with was air. She was pulled into the now vacant stall. Feeling a hand grip her hair tightly, her hands went up instinctively to break the hold the entity had on her.

Her stomach collided with the side of a trough that held water for the horses. The hand on her head forced her head downward towards the water. Buffy's arms went out, grabbing tightly onto the side of the trough, holding her body above it and preventing her head from further descent. Something hit her arms at the elbows, causing her body to fall, her head plunging into the water. Struggling, she couldn't shake the grip holding her under.

She felt her strength give out. The water bubbled around her as the last of her air escaped her lungs. Her body, not willing to drown, tried desperately to gulp in air, instead finding only water. As water filled her lungs and darkness consumed her, her last thought was of Riley.

"Buffy, can you hear me? Giles! I think she is coming to."

Everything was blurred. Sounds, sights, everything. It was like she was on a tilt-a-whirl, images would be clear for an instant, then quickly vanish. Her throat felt raw, her chest felt like it was on fire. Trying to move, she found her muscles screaming at her to stay put. Bringing a hand up, she rubbed gently at her eyes, trying to clear them. Moving her hand away, the first thing she noticed was Riley. He was looking at her with such concern. ‘Oh no, Riley died too.' was the first thing that entered her mind. Then she looked over his shoulder. ‘Giles too!'

Realizing Giles was probably very much alive, she quickly concluded that she must have made it too. "Riley?" Buffy said, her voice scratchy.

Taking her hand, Riley leaned in, pushing the hair plastered to her forehead back with his other hand. "I'm here, baby. You're going to be fine." His hand trailed from her forehead down to her cheek, brushing it gently while his lips descended onto hers, leaving her with a chaste kiss.

As the kiss ended, Buffy felt a slight breeze. Glancing down, she noticed her shirt was cut open, exposing her to Riley, Giles, Willow, and about five police officers. Noticing a blush rise on her checks, Riley quickly shed his coat, covering Buffy. "Sorry, we had to perform CPR. The buttons on your shirt would have made that difficult."

Giles came to her other side. Kneeling, he took her free hand in his, asking if she was all right. Gazing around at the concerned faces, she reassured them that she was fine. "What about the..." noticing the officers once again, she stopped. Willow, knowing Buffy, quickly got the idea. "She's gone. It was so cool. We performed an exorcism using this new technique we found in one of Giles's ‘Willows not suppose to touch' books. " Willow was beaming, she always got that look when a spell went her way.

"The police will have a few questions for you. Riley already tried to diffuse the situation by stating you both were attacked by a mad man." Giles said, pretty sure that the Sunnydale officers would believe the lamest of stories. "I'll talk to them about taking you home." Excusing himself, he grabbed Willow and made their way over to the waiting officers.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Riley asked. Turning her attention back to him, she noticed for the first time the giant purple mark around his neck where the rope had rubbed.

"Riley, your neck?" She asked, sitting up, gingerly running her fingers over it.

"It looks worse than it feels," he lied, smiling at her through the pain. He loved having her fingers on him, but right now they were stinging him. Taking her hand away from his throbbing neck, he gently kissed the back of her hand before laying it in his lap, covered by his own.

"Well, this has to be the most interesting vacation we have ever been on," Riley said, hoping to take the attention off of his neck.

"Just stick with me, kid. This won't be the last." Buffy smiled at him, snuggling into his chest.

"I plan to." Riley wrapped his arms around her tightly, kissing the top of her head. He felt her smile against his chest. For the first time that day he felt at peace.

The End