Angel's brow furrowed and he looked around at the chaos around him. There was people running around everywhere, yelling at each other from across the room. The bright lights above him made his eyes hurt and he felt like he was in a maze. Wasn't he just here? A sigh escaped his lips.

He hated the grocery store.

It was like a big black hole that all his hard earned money slipped into and it would always happen. Over and over. Plus with Buffy and all his friends over at his apartment, attacking his kitchen relentlessly, he felt like he was here every week.

He frowned at the many types of cereal there was, though that was the least of his problems. The problem with Riley was not unsolved but mended somewhere. Spike managed to keep the health violation police off Wesley's back with a little bit of hush money. Riley had disappeared, this was announced by Doyle and Gunn who actually went looking for him, armed with brass knuckles and baseball bats.

He blinked at the bright boxes taking up several rows, some had cartoons on them and others were just boring. His mind wandered to Buffy, as usual. What kind did she like again?

"Fruity Pebbles!" Buffy exclaimed, reaching her hands out towards the box childishly. Angel looked down at her, raising an eyebrow. She was seated happily in Angel's shopping cart as he pushed her around, shopping for both of them.

"The Flintstones?" Angel asked, amused. Buffy's bright smile vanished as she glared at him.

"And what do you like, The Jetsons?" She snorted and Angel couldn't help but chuckle as he grabbed her cereal, throwing it to her. She caught with ease and placed it on an empty spot in her cart.

"What else do we need?" Angel asked, pushing her down the isle. Buffy looked at her list.

"Cheese, whip cream, strawberries, and chocolate." Buffy read off her list. Angel laughed.

"And what are we going to do with those interesting items?" Angel leaned down, brushing a kiss to her ear.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She grinned mischievously. Angel steered her towards the fruits.

"You are going to make me fat." Angel complained, though was pleasantly warm inside, forgetting about the over looming danger of Riley and his obsessiveness.

Buffy shrugged. "You burn off calories by kissing, you know." Angel's blonde said matter of factly.

"Then we have to do a *lot* of that, just to make sure I stay in shape." Angel joked, looking through several cartons of strawberries before grabbing one and tossing it to his lover.

"Well, ain't that just the sweetest thing you've ever seen?" Doyle spoke to them as if speaking to children.

"Why do I always run into you guys? And why are you here? You eat all of *my* food." Angel mused to himself.

"Delia put a big gaping whole in my refrigerator. I need to repair it." Doyle glanced with a grimace at his full shopping cart. Buffy reached out of her cart to pick up a box of tampons and looked at Doyle questionably.

"You mean, Cordelia needs to repair it." Buffy chuckled. Doyle glared at the blonde in the shopping cart.

"Did you get one of these in aisle five? Do they come with a mute?" Cordy asked, coming up behind Doyle to drop some more food of her choice into his shopping cart and raised a distasteful eyebrow at Buffy.

Buffy glared at the tall woman openly. She leaned back in her cart, unconsciously grabbing the carton of strawberries and was prepared to cannonball the red fruit right into Cordy's pretty, little, white shirt.

"Play nice, princess." Doyle chided. Angel looked a bit uncomfortable but tried to make light of the situation.

"How have you been Cordelia?" He asked politely.

"Yeah, how's the porn career coming?" Buffy added with a sweet smile. Cordelia glared at the short blonde, seated in *Angel's* cart. Angel never sat her in his cart, Cordelia thought jealously. She liked Doyle and liked living with him but being with Angel was different. A hundred times better, more satisfying and now he was giving all of himself to that whore.

"Great. And you're whore career? How is that treating you?" Cordy retorted. Angel put a calming hand on Buffy's shoulder when he felt her tense in anger. Buffy covered his hand with her own and looked back to Cordelia.

"I don't do that anymore, but since there is a spot open, I think you would make a great whore. You have all the practice of being slut, you should fit right in." Buffy snapped back.

"Well, glad to know you are doing good, Cordy." Angel quipped dryly before Cordy could start something else.

"Okay, Angel, when they start attacking each other, we have to run and get some whip cream and pour it all over them." Doyle looked like he was ready to run and get it at any moment.

"We better get going. Nice to see you two." Angel nodded his head. Buffy made sure Cordy was watching as she dropped a kiss to Angel's hand. Cordy withered in anger as Angel pushed the cart with Buffy in it away.

****** "Do you want me to go beat her up?" Faith asked when Buffy told her about the Cordelia incident yesterday.

Buffy tossed the idea around in her head. "As tempting as it sounds, I think Angel might frown upon it."

"Goody goody." Faith teased. The first part of their lunch, at their usual spot at the mall food court, consisted of Faith trying to get Buffy to come back to the job. But Buffy declined the more Faith pushed so she gave up. Besides, it wasn't that bad since Faith was getting most of Buffy's clients and her pay had increased.

"This sucks B, I can't believe you are really leaving me this time." Faith frowned but then forced a grin. "Well, if Angel fucks as good as he looks then I guess you are getting something better out of it."

"Thanks, I think." Buffy chuckled, raising an eyebrow.

"So, details how is that hunk?" Faith pushed, leaning forward as if it was some big secret.

A smile grew on her face before Buffy could stop it and she looked down at her food, shrugging. "Word's really can't describe. Let's just say...wow."

"Wow." Faith agreed, grinning.

"And Spike?" Buffy quickly changed the subject. She wanted no one but her to know about all the wonderful things that make up Angel.

It was Faith's turn to grin mischievously. "That man..." She shook her head.

"He is very...kinky?" Buffy tried to find the word that describes her lover's brother.

"Rough." Faith added, taking a sip of her coke. Buffy smiled, she thought that Faith and Spike made a couple but then there was Drusilla.

"Did you ever get caught by his wife yet?" Buffy whistled. "I suggest never to do it in his apartment, too dangerous."

Faith frowned. "Now that you mention that crazy bitch, I had a close call the other day, it might be because of her."

Buffy frowned also, all she needed was Riley going after more of her friends.

"Spike and I...you know, were getting it on in this alley when this cop car zooms by, we kinda separated and decided to go someplace less public and as soon as we stepped out of the alley, the cop comes back. The damn cop said that someone put a warrant for my arrest out! The pig was about to hand cuff me and everything!" Faith practically yelled, caught up in her anger.

"Jesus, what did you do?" Buffy asked, her eyes wide.

"A little bit of money from Spike and smooth talking from me made the cop delete the warrant. I knew that Dru was crazy but she never called the damn cops on you." Faith slumped back in her chair.

"I'm not sure that was Drusilla." Buffy sighed, burying her face in her hands. Damn Riley. Buffy looked up to see Faith looking at her questionably.

"You know that Riley guy that has been leaving all those messages?" Faith nodded and Buffy continued.

"The bastard almost shut down Wesley's store and made Angel loose a job opportunity." The blonde explained.

"Holy shit, B. What did you do to this guy?" Faith whistled.

Buffy threw her hands up in the air. "I don't know! I made some remarks and ditched him for Angel, but that doesn't make you go all crazy, does it?"

Faith shrugged. "I don't know, I had a client pull a gun out on me once, but I kicked his ass. Why don't you send Angel to go do the same to that asshole?"

"A few of his friends tried but no avail." Buffy sighed.

"What do you think he wants?" Faith asked, finishing her salad.

"Huh?" Buffy asked.

"Well, he is doing this for a reason." The brunette countered. "He wants something from you. What is it?"

Buffy's brow furrowed. "I never really thought about him wanting stuff, I just thought that he was crazy and doing it to be all...crazy like. And the only thing I could think is just too gross to imagine."

"Don't stop there, twinkie." Faith pushed.

"Well, the night I ditched him for Angel, he wanted me to sleep with him." Buffy thought back to that night.

"How much did he offer?" Faith asked.

"I don't know, something big though." Buffy chewed her lip.

"You think he still wants to sleep with you?" Faith raised an eyebrow.

"If he does, it wouldn't even be about sleeping with me anymore. Knowing him, he would probably want that just to get at Angel." Buffy sighed, shaking her head to get rid of the thought.

"Let's just hope he lays low for a while, if something else happens then I will seek that prick out and handle it myself." Buffy promised more to herself than to Faith.

Faith nodded slowly, not liking where this was going.

*******

*

"What? Last time I have seen you two, he was too shy to ask you for a dance and now you are humping like bunnies?" Willow laughed as she wiped the bar, ready for opening. The people were crowded by the entrance, impatiently waiting for the club's doors to open. Buffy spun on her barstool happily, momentarily forgetting about Riley and all Faith had put in her head.

"Isn't it great?" Buffy flashed her white teeth in a big smile to her redhead friend.

"Congrats Buffy." Oz, Willow's boyfriend, said to Buffy as he and his band set up on the stage.

"Where is that hunk?" Willow said with a small blush. Willow confused Buffy, she owned a bar and that put her fingers in the seedy underbelly of LA and she still got embarrassed when it came to boyfriends.

Buffy shrugged but she knew Angel would stop by the club later, it hurt to be away for too long.

"I was wondering what happened to you, I haven't seen you here in so long." Willow smiled, happy for her friend. She always frowned upon what Buffy did and she was glad that she finally decided to settle down.

"Sorry, Angel's been keeping me busy...all day...and night." Buffy trailed off.

"Too much detail." The bartender held up her hands.

"Sorry. Color me ecstatic." Buffy shrugged, jumping over the bar and made herself a club soda.

"Geesh, I haven't seen you this happy since...never." Willow frowned, preparing the bottles for a hectic night.

"Yeah. I'm also happy that your club is still open. I've been having problems with an ex-customer. This lunatic named-"

"Riley." A man strolled in, pushing his wallet back into his pocket. He wore a tan business suit and looked like he just came from a meeting. His hair was smoothed down and he flashed the girls a wide smile.

"Pleasure to meet you." Riley held out his hand to Willow who glared at him.

"How did you get in here?" She demanded.

"One of the bouncers now can afford a Mustang." The rich man smiled and turned to Buffy, still behind the bar. She gripped her cup tightly, trying to stop her fingers from trembling in anger. Damn bouncers.

"Riley, leave now." Buffy grit her teeth, spitting the words out slowly and stressing every syllable.

"I just got here, thought I would take a look around." He spread his arms nonchalantly, glancing around the place as if he was interested in buying it. Buffy frowned at the idea, more like closing it.

"We're closed right now, so you better do as the lady says." Willow watched the man closely, wary of his every moment. He looked familiar but she didn't trust him. She stood a little closer to the tense Buffy. Riley laughed and dropped his arms to his side.

"I just want a talk with Buffy, seems like she has been avoiding me." The Iowa bred blonde smirked at Buffy.

Buffy took a deep breath and jumped over the bar once again and stood in front of Riley. He towered over her, a good head taller than her and made her uncomfortable. She loved it when Angel stood over her, it made her feel safe and smothered with his delicious scent. But with Riley...it was different, scary.

"Buffy-" Willow warned and looked at Oz, whose band had stopped setting up and stood ready to jump in.

"No, it's okay. He is not manly enough to hurt me directly." Buffy glared into his eyes, which were not the familiar chocolate that she drowned in. Just cold blue. Riley's casual smile dropped and his shoulders tensed, his hands clenched. Buffy felt her muscles jump in reflex, she was sure he was going to hit her. Then it was gone and he relaxed completely except his tightened jaw

He led her away from their audience and into one of the corners of the club. Buffy made sure she was in sight of Willow and the door incase Angel wanted to drop by early. She wanted him desperately, wanted him to shield her from Riley and the sick games he played but she needed to deal with this, once and for all.

"What do you want, Riley? Why are you doing this to me?" Buffy asked, the questions that have been plaguing her since this all started.

"You know what I want." His voice was low and he put a possessive hand on her hip but Buffy backed away.

"Then you know I won't give it to you. I don't do that anymore." Buffy shook away the shivers of disgust he gave her. She could barely stand a single touch from him. Her body longed for Angel, it has been too long since she had last seen him.

"Oh right, now that you have your 'artist'. I never thought you would sink that low for someone that...poor. It's disgusting." Riley shook his head with a small laugh, obviously amused at her words.

"It's not about money." Buffy spat.

"It's always about the money, Buffy. You can't just go from a whore to an angel in a day because of one man who is barely making ends meat." Riley said matter of factly, his laugh and smile slowly dying into impatience and anger.

"Are you mad because I don't want money or that you weren't the man to make me change? I know you have this obsession with me, but you won't have me. Not now, not ever, not if I have Angel." Buffy crossed her arms over her chest with a smart ass smirk. She watched hate burn into his eyes.

"You act like money is nothing, it is everything in this city. You have no idea the connections I can make-" Riley grabbed her upper arm roughly but Buffy didn't flinch.

"Okay, I get it, you're rich, can we move on already?" She rolled her eyes, with a exaggerated sigh.

"You don't seem to be getting the picture, love. If I can't have you when you have Angel, then you won't have Angel." Riley watched as she tensed, her eyes turning dark. Buffy ignored the 'love' nickname, her arm bruising from his punishing grip.

"What are saying?" Though, she didn't want to know.

"Angel has, what, one friend? A brother? Oh, and you of course, a whore. When it comes down to it, he has no one, so he won't be missed if I get rid of him. It would be like he never existed." Buffy's blood ran cold and she yanked her arm from his grip.

"You will *not* go near Angel." Buffy hissed, anger and fear spilling into her words. Her hands were still shaking, but not with anger this time.

"Of course *I* wont. But I know people who will for the right cost." Riley smirked. Buffy turned away from him for a moment, taking ragged breaths. Just the thought of someone hurting Angel for money made her feel like she had a thousand pounds on her chest. It hurt to breathe and she tried to gain control. She wrapped her arms around herself and she felt Riley's victorious eyes burn into her back. Buffy took another deep breath, closing her eyes.

Riley grabbed her forearms, pushing her back against his chest. Buffy was too numb with fear to even feel his raging erection against her.

"But, I am always willing to negotiate, I am a reasonable man." Riley whispered harshly in her ear.

"You want me to sleep with you once." Buffy realized as she opened her eyes, staring blankly ahead and Riley pushed her tighter against him, dropping a kiss to her neck. Buffy flinched at the unfamiliar and unwanted touch.

"We will see about how many times." He smiled against her skin. Angel would always do that, his voice muffled since he loved to bury his face against her neck. Then she would rake her fingers threw his hair and he would always moan for her. Buffy wanted her him here, gods, please let him come soon. Let this be all a nightmare and she would wake up tucked happily under Angel's chin.

"No." Buffy breathed, shaking her head, she couldn't do that to Angel. She could never ruin that spark of glee in his eyes that she was his completely.

"Then Angel dies." Riley mocked a sigh of sadness and shook his head. Buffy's breath caught at the words and closed her eyes again. She felt him slip a piece of paper into her front pocket and he gave her hip a squeeze.

"I'll give you a couple of days to think about it but if I don't hear from you..." Riley trailed off, releasing her finally. "Let's just say, you better make Angel's last couple of days enjoyable. Use some of that hooker experience."

He winked at her before walking away. Buffy hadn't even noticed that the club's doors had opened and the place was now covered with people.

She blinked tears away, looking around the crowded club.

*******

*

Buffy wrapped her arms around herself, warming her icy fingers by stuffing them in the pockets of her coat. She walked home, not waiting for Angel who would probably be a nervous wreck but she couldn't see him right now. Couldn't see anybody, really.

Her thoughts were jumbled and shattered, leaving only small fragments that couldn't help her in this complicated situation. She tried to tell herself that Riley was bluffing and wasn't the murdering type but the way he looked at her, grabbed her at Willow's bar was a little more than enough evidence. She took deep shuddering breaths and closed her eyes tightly.

She sighed and cursed herself for leaving Willow's, for leaving the protection of Angel. Her feet took her to Angel's apartment, not hers. She chewed her lip thoughtfully, should she go in or crash at Faith's?

It killed her that she was thinking of not being around Angel, scared of what Riley might do if she saw them together. Buffy was never one to hide but this was too much. The though of Angel dead made her stomach churn and she could save him by sleeping with Riley, God only knows how many times.

But if she did as he asked, would he kill Angel anyway, then wouldn't it all be in vain? Angel would never let her go near him if she told him, he would rather die then have her go through heartache.

Another sigh escaped her sadden lips as she stepped into Angel's apartment without even realized she had walked up that stairs to the door. She shrugged off her coat with a weariness that only elder people should have.

The blonde collapsed into Angel's bed, smelling herself and him against the pillows. She closed her eyes, willing sleep to take over her but the only thing she saw was Riley's face, or Angel laying cold on the ground.

All because of her.

****** Angel let out a breath of relief as he saw his blonde tucked safely in his bed. She hadn't been at that bar and Willow had told him that after a talk with Riley, she split. He called both apartments but no one answered. He had been worried Riley had done something, said something.

He ran a hand through his disheveled hair and rubbed his eyes in a childish sign of exhaustion. He maneuvered through the small space to lay down on the bed, but jumped when he saw Buffy's eyes open and watching him with a sadness that he hadn't seen in a long time.

He brushed hair from her face and titled his head to the side slightly.

"I was worried, Willow told me that Riley talked to you. What did he say?" Angel asked, though he didn't really want to know.

Buffy sat up, looking anywhere but him, she still needed time to get things straight. She brought her knees close to her chest, resting her chin on them, closing her eyes in a pained expression.

"Buffy?" Angel asked, his voice more stern.

"I don't..." She sighed, not really sure what she was going to say, what she should tell him, what she shouldn't.

Angel's jaw was set firmly as he tried to think about what Riley could say to her to make her this distant. Has she changed her mind about their relationship? No, not when everything is so perfect. Not when he could taste the fruit of heaven everyday with her in his arms.

Buffy finally forced a smile to her lover. "Let's just lay down, sleep."

She was under the covers again before Angel could object. She turned away from him. She couldn't deal with anything now, she wanted sleep to take over her, for it to decide and soothe all of her problems.

Buffy let out a breath she didn't know she was holding when Angel finally laid down behind her, spooning her small figure. She turned around, throwing a leg over his hip and burying her face in his neck, both of them laying on their sides. Angel's large hands drew patterns on her back and tangled in her hair.

Buffy knew he was troubled and would probably not sleep tonight but she was too wrapped up in her misery to try and say anything to comfort him.

Especially since she couldn't even comfort herself.

****** Buffy smoothed her skirt and took a deep breath. She opened the door to her apartment, fully knowing that Riley was waiting for her. She went over her full proof plan in her head. She had decided just to fuck Riley and let Angel never find out anything about it. Besides, it was only her that would know. As long as she didn't have to hurt Angel, it would be fine.

"Let's just get this over with." She muttered before he could say anything. She straddled him as he sat on the couch, grinding herself against him and nipped at his neck. She avoided his lips, it was too intimate. Too unknown and unwanted.

She allowed his hands to roam under her skirt, pulling at her panties. She faked a moan but really wanted to vomit all over his designer shirt that she ripped off.

"Buffy..." A gasp at the door made the couple on the couch turn to the door.

Angel stood, his mouth open and his eyes pained. Buffy let out a cry, oh God, not Angel.

"Angel please..." Buffy moved to get off Riley and she was suddenly right in front of her boyfriend. She reached out for him but he pulled away like a wounded animal. That hurt more than a thousand hurtful words from Riley.

"Get away from me, you fucking slut!" He screamed at her, his calm and hurt features replaced by a twisted mask of hate and grief. She heard Riley laugh from behind her and tears spilled down Buffy's cheeks.

"Angel, please this isn't..."

"You've been doing this all along! You whore! You never quit being a whore and you have been doing this behind my back, haven't you?" Angel screamed at her, pushing her roughly against the wall. Buffy weakly shook her head.

"Don't lie to me!" He raised his fist and Buffy screamed.

*** "No!" She screamed and Angel couldn't stand watching her in her nightmare anymore. He grabbed her tightly pulling her into his embrace.

With a start and a gasp Buffy's eyes snapped open, tears already forming in confusion.

"What? Angel?" She muttered. What happened to her apartment?

"It was a nightmare, baby. You were screaming and kicking, please tell me what's wrong." Angel murmured in her ear, smoothing her hair and kissing away her tears. Buffy cried in relief, leaning against his chest.

"Oh God," She took deep breaths, slowing her racing heart. She tried to erase Riley's laugh and Angel's accusations from her mind.

"Please, love, I need to know what's bothering you." Angel whispered against her hair. He couldn't stand seeing her in so much turmoil. Buffy shook her head in dismissal.

"Riley...he wanted me to have sex with him and you walked in on us in my dream." Buffy said slowly, pushing away to look into his eyes. His expression was guarded. His reaction was the test if she should tell him what Riley really had said.

"Why would you have sex with Riley?" Angel asked slowly.

"He said he would hurt you." Buffy chewed her lip. Angel snorted.

"It was just a dream." Angel forced a smile.

"But what if it wasn't?" Buffy pushed. "Would you hate me if that really happened?"

"If you had sex with Riley to save me? Let's just be glad that is not how it is." Angel chuckled, shaking his head.

"But it would be saving your life, I won't let anything happen to you, not if I can help it." Buffy said, determination slipping into her voice as she climbed off the bed to pace.

Angel's smiled dropped as he watched her tense stance. "Come back to bed, it was just a dream, lets not worry."

"No!" Buffy cried. "It wasn't a dream! Riley came to the Bronze tonight and he said he would kill you if I didn't..."

"He said that?" Angel clenched his jaw. "Damnit, Buffy, why didn't you tell me? I don't want you near him! I'll call Spike and-" He leaned over and grabbed for the phone.

"No, damnit! Stop! Didn't you hear what I just said?" Buffy grabbed his hand, her voice high and she was boarding on hysteria and panic. The now familiar shaking in her hands started again.

"He is going to *kill* you. That means no more Angel, if you didn't get that." Buffy snapped. Didn't he understand how horrible this was for her? He seemed to shrug off his death as if he was nothing. As if no one would notice or miss him.

She would.

Angel froze, turning to look at her. "Are you actually considering sleeping with this asshole?" His lips turned into a snarl of disgust. Buffy turned around, showing her back to him. She wrapped her arms around herself tightly.

"I don't..."

"Buffy, I would never let you do anything you don't want to do, even if it means my death. I won't have him anywhere near you." His jaw was clenched as he sat up and turned her towards him. His grip on her arms was both firm and comforting.

"I know he will do it Angel, you didn't see his eyes when he said that. Its not even about me, its about you now. He hates you." Buffy dropped her eyes and placed a hand over his heart. It hurt to think that it might not beat if she didn't sleep with her enemy.

"The feeling is mutual." Angel sighed, trying to concentrate when their skin touched.

"Besides," He went on, "if he hates me so much, don't you think that he will come after me anyway? It won't matter what you do or not in the end." Angel tried to comfort her, playing with the ends of her hair, their bodies now so close they were touching.

"What are we going to do?" She asked, a small childish voice.

"Well, you are *not* going to have sex with him for a start. We will just wait until he makes his move." Angel mentally ran through several plans in his head but came up empty.

"You mean wait until they shoot you?" Buffy snapped.

"I don't care what happens to me, as long as you are all right. We will think of something." Angel brushed away her remark.

Buffy shook her head, she knew that this was going to end badly either way.

"Hey," Angel tipped her chin up to look in her eyes. "I love you, nothing will ever come between us."

Buffy knew it wasn't true and Angel was just saying this to try and bring her back to the edge of sanity.

"I love you." She whispered, leaning up and catching his soft lips in a kiss. She closed her eyes at the sensation, tears unwillingly coming forth. His tongue flicked against her lips and she opened her mouth without hesitation, inviting him to rediscover and claim.

His usual moan sounded when she ran her fingers through his hair and she hooked her free fingers in his belt loop. She tugged at his slacks with a small whine. This is one of those times where she absolutely needed him to be inside of her.

"Bed," Angel muttered unconsciously against her lips, lost as he cupped her breast on her shirt, brushing his thumb over her bra clad flesh.

"Right behind you." Buffy directed with a small chuckle against his skin.

"Hm, right." Angel muttered, laying down and pulling her on top of him.

*******

*

Buffy smiled at her customer as she rang up his books and placed them neatly into a brown paper bag. The past couple of days have been dull and uneventful. Thank God. Angel was in her eyesight every second of the day, her fear for his safety growing as Riley stayed in hiding for the time being.

The elder man smiled back at Buffy and walked out of the store with a new edition of some Sherlock Holm's books. Buffy looked at Angel who was watching the doorway for uninvited guests with his eagle sharp gaze. He started smoking again, the whole ordeal wearing on him much more than he would like Buffy to see. Dark circles were under his eyes and his chin produced stubble from not shaving. Angel smoked more then Spike did now but would never let Buffy have a cig herself. Bad habit, he would say.

"Put that out, Angel." Wesley snapped at him as the artist inhaled, letting the smoke curl into his lungs.

"I put the first one out for you and that is all I am willing to offer right now." Angel sighed, running his fingers through his unruly hair.

"You heard Wesley." Buffy scolded from the counter. They were unusually busy. Buffy had suspected that Riley sent in all these people to make a distraction, so Buffy would lose sight of Angel for a moment and then Riley would have his clean shot. The blonde immediately cursed herself for thinking so morbid and she knew she would go insane if she kept this up. Though, she already felt like she had teetered into the edge of insanity.

Angel muttered something under his breath before stabbing the cigarette into an ashtray. Buffy flashed him a smile and Angel's lips automatically curled into one. He could never deny those lips.

"Angel, you looked horrible, you should really go get some sleep." Fred said with a small encouraging quirk of her lips. Angel shook his head.

"I'll sleep when Riley is six feet under." He snapped, irritable. He had not argued against Buffy keeping a watchful eye on him, because he in return could always keep an eye on her. He was just waiting for Riley to pop around the corner and try to take her away from him. He would never allow that.

Ever.

Angel ran over plans in his head to get him and Buffy out of this mess, not really thinking to apologize to Fred. She was a big girl, she could take it. There was the option of running, Buffy and him flying to Ireland and leaving this place of broken dreams behind them. Angel quickly ruled out the idea of living in fear and hiding. Fighting Riley was going to be difficult but the only way The other way of solving this was too unimaginable to comprehend, it would mean Buffy would actually have to sleep with Riley. Angel couldn't allow that, either. Angel only had a handful of friends and only one of those people had connections and power. Riley had almost every alley to them in his pocket and more money than Angel could every imagine holding in his hands.

He couldn't even tell Buffy about the eviction notice that he found on his apartment door. He had struggled in the money business but he had always paid on time. Riley's doing once again.

"I'm waiting for the pigtails and apron, B." A voice called out and Angel was quickly sent into a panic. The voice was threatening, dangerous. He sat up quickly, his eyes scanning the achingly busy crowed, trying to spot Buffy at the register. He collapsed back against the couch when he saw only Faith talking to his love.

"I'm not at the Denny's." Buffy glared at her, though she was thankful for Faith's comic relief. She watched Angel out of the corner of her eye as the brunette talked.

"Nice place, I bet it has crappy pay but it is a start, eh?" Faith dug into her pocket and after a moment searching, she pulled out a wad of money wrapped tightly in the rubber band. Buffy looked around wildly, her eyes wide.

"Faith! What the hell are you doing?" Buffy hissed. Faith looked a bit hesitant as if she didn't want to part from the money. Buffy couldn't blame her.

"I got this for you, I've been making money off your customers and it looks like you need it more than me." Faith shrugged, pushing the wad of hundred dollar bills across the counter.

"I can't take this." Buffy shook her head and stepped back. But Faith reached over the counter and grabbed the blonde's wrist and forced her palm out. The prostitute slapped the money into her hands and made her fingers close tightly around it.

"If not for you, then give it to that smoking chimney over there," Faith nodded to Angel who was watching them closely, a cancer stick once again pressed between his lips. "buy him the patch or that orange flavored gum or something."

Buffy stared down at the money and bit her lip. She looked up at her old friend with a sincere smile on her face.

"Thank you, this means a lot." Buffy said softly, slipping the money into her coat pocket. Faith shrugged, uncomfortable with the mushiness of it all.

"Yeah, yeah." She snorted, digging her hands into her pocket. "I'm gonna split, talk to you later." The brunette quickly fled from the store, not wanting to let her soft side show, even to Buffy.

***** "Relax, you are making me nervous." Angel said to Buffy whose eyes were darting around at the abandon buildings, searching for hidden snipers with guns bigger than Rhode Island. Buffy couldn't believe how nonchalant he was acting, though a part of her new it was a front. She could tell by how hard he was squeezing her hand, his eyes squinted slightly, looking at father distances for trouble. Then Angel glanced around.

"Wait, where the hell are we?" He asked, looking around the unfamiliar surroundings. Buffy steered him left into an apartment complex.

"I asked Willow if it would be alright if you stay at her place for a while." Buffy shrugged. Angel sighed.

"Buffy..."

"No. Riley is trying to hurt you, Angel, and the first place to look would be at one of our apartments. It might take him a while to catch on but I think you will be safe here." Buffy held her hand up, stalling his arguments and briskly walked quicker, eager to get inside.

"I'm not going to stay at some stranger's home, Buffy!" Angel shouted, halting in his steps. He couldn't take all this running and hiding anymore. If something was going to happen, it had to happen soon or he would go insane.

"Willow is no stranger to you." Buffy scolded, ignoring him and walking quicker. Angel threw his hands up in frustration and surrender. He could never win with her.

"One night, one night only, Buffy." Angel promised before jogging to catch up with her. His arms circled around her as she stood in front of the building's door, waiting to get buzzed in. Buffy leaned back against him.

"I just like to know that you feel safe." She sighed.

"I only feel safe when I am with you." Angel kissed the soft flesh of her neck before turning her in his arms, bending down for a kiss. Buffy turned her head quickly, letting him catch her cheek before pulling away.

Angel raised a questioning eyebrow, concern filling him before she spoke.

"I won't kiss you until you stop that damn smoking." Buffy muttered, though there was nothing she wanted to do more.

"I take offense to that, my lady, I'm sure you have kissed dozens of men who have smoked." Angel chuckled as he opened the door for her when a loud annoying buzzing signaled their welcome.

Buffy shrugged and glared. "Yeah, but they paid me."

"What's your price then?" Angel teased, grabbing her hand and giving it a squeeze, making her forget about Riley for a moment as they playfully mocked eachother. Though, Riley was never far from Angel's mind, even in these precious moments he shared with Buffy. His dark gloom seemed to follow the artist everywhere he went.

"Way to much for you, buddy." Buffy grinned before Oz welcomed them into his and Willow's apartment.

**** Angel and Buffy lay in bed in their guest room, the bed was made from only one person but they somehow made themselves fit in a comfortable position. Angel watched, his features blank as Buffy was caught in another nightmare. Her dream terrors were almost every night now but she would always forget them in the morning.

Angel wouldn't.

He couldn't get the picture of her crying out in her sleep in pain or surprise out of his mind. He glanced at the clock on the table across the bed. With determination written in his features he quietly untangled himself from his lover's embrace. He stood up, slipping on a sweater and black pants.

He had arranged for Gunn, Spike, Doyle and Wesley, to meet him at midnight. They were going to take care of this Riley pest problem quickly and discreetly.

Angel glanced back at the bed, the thing he told himself not to do, and sighed in pain...? Love? He didn't know, everything was cluttered with Buffy. He gently smoothed her worried brow with his fingers, caressing her features. He bent down and showered soft kisses across her brow and lips.

When he pulled away, a feeling of foreboding dread took over him for such a long moment, he thought he was having a heart attack. He took deep breaths to slow his racing heart and the uneasy feeling in his stomach. He swallowed down vomit that threatened to rise as he quickly left the room.

The dread was too much for him.

*******

*

All the men met outside of Wesley's bookshop. The air was unnaturally chilly as Angel rubbed his hands together to ward away the cold. Doyle breathed against his hands also. Gunn supplied Angel was a black hat that warmed his ears. His whole body was cold as ice, though not from the weather.

"Okay, chaps, got a contact that knows where Finn is staying for his elongated trip in LA." Spike said, talking low in the circle of men.

"He don't live here?" Gunn asked.

"No, Buffy said he inherited some factory in Iowa." Angel told his slang speaking friend.

"Are you positive this source is trustworhy?" Wesley asked.

"I got it from the bleedin' phonebook, you nancy." Spike snapped, irritated. He was cold as fuck and he just wanted to shoot a couple of bullets in Riley's ass, go home, fuck Faith then sleep next to Dru. Was that so hard to ask?

"Hate to say it, lads, but we are going to need a little more than my good looks to get us in there." Doyle said, hoping that Cordelia wouldn't mess up his apartment that bad while he was gone. His place went from manly and messy to girlie and even more messy.

"That is where Wes and I come in," Gunn grinned and rubbed his hands together. He loved to break in to high security places just as much as the next man.

"I used to know this kid and he now is the head security guy of the Finn Mansion, he is gonna buy us enough time to get us in and out without being seen." The African American finished proudly.

"Show them what you got, Wes." Gunn nudged and Wes produced several guns out of his duffel bag. Doyle whistled and Angel took a deep breath, his fingers reaching for his cigarettes. Then he stopped his search and grabbed the one Spike was taking a drag from.

"Where the hell do you get this stuff?" Spike asked, amazed. Wesley glanced up.

"If I told you, I would have to kill you." The rugged man said and Spike could tell that he was only half joking.

"Right then." Spike armed himself, pushing a revolver into the waistband of his pants. Wes took the shotgun for himself while everyone else got a similar weapon to Spike's.

"You alright, man?" Doyle asked, as Angel gripped the gun uncertainly. He shrugged off the cold and trepidation.

"Yeah." He inhaled a drag from his cigarette and placed his weapon in the inside of his jacket pocket, making sure the safety was on. Angel's eyes grew hard and his posture tense.

"I want everyone to know, that *I* kill Riley, no one else. He is mine." Angel wasn't a very violent person, not until he met Buffy at least. She had the ability to bring out rage and hate that he never knew he possessed. Though, she also brought out his undying love and loyalty. He would do anything for her and her safety.

Even if it meant turning into Riley, turning into a killer.

***** Buffy woke with a start, her heart pounding in her chest and her pajamas were damp with sweat. She ran her shaking hands through her hair. Her nightmare was horrible, she saw Angel lying on the ground, cold and white. She had had this dream before but this was different somehow. The blonde turned, reaching out to Angel but she realized with a shock that he wasn't there.

Buffy stumbled out of bed, glancing in the bathroom.

Nothing.

She all but ran into the kitchen. He probably just got up to get a drink of water. But he wasn't there.

"Oh God." She muttered to herself, racing into Willow's bedroom. She feared the worst. Could Riley have come and taken him in the night? Was he hurt? Oh, God, Angel.

"Willow!" Buffy cried, she didn't care that she woken her and Oz up. She only cared about Angel and where he was.

"Buffy?" Willow was quickly on alert. "What's wrong?"

"Angel! He's not here." Buffy felt like breaking down but she couldn't give herself the pleasure until she found her missing lover.

"Buffy, maybe he just went out for cigarettes." Willow tried to calm her friend. Oz was still having trouble squinting against the harsh light that came over the darkness of their room.

"No, he had a full pack before we came here." Buffy's breathing quickened, panic crawling into her body, uninvited.

"You just have to remain calm." Willow quickly walked into the kitchen to make her some coffee.

"Calm?! How can I be calm when someone is trying to kill him and he suddenly disappears?" Buffy shouted, reason flying from her mind.

"I heard someone leave earlier." Oz supplied and Buffy spun to look at him.

"Just one person." He finished, grabbing the cup of coffee from Willow. It was too early for him.

"He probably just got restless, Buffy. I'll wait up with you until he comes back." The redhead gave her a small encouraging smile. The blonde didn't feel any better but she calmed a little bit.

It didn't that her hands were still shaking and she couldn't get the nightmare image of Angel lying dead on the ground away from her mind.

***** Angel drove, his third cigarette smashed between his lips. Everyone was in their own conversation. Angel tried to concentrate on the task at hand. He would kill Riley, if it was the last thing he would ever do.

He couldn't stand Buffy living in fear, staying at people's house, getting pushed into Riley's will. Angel would not let him provoke Buffy into sleeping with him. The only person that Buffy will make love to from now on would be him.

Angel gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. He tugged the black hat that Gunn gave him down his ears more, his whole body still frozen. No one else seemed to be affected by the cold as he was. He forced his teeth to stop chattering.

"Turn right." Doyle directed, his horrible fashion sense of a tacky green shirt and his signature brown hat would get him shot in the dark. Angel had to half smile at his bold fashion. Good OLE' Doyle.

"Bet the little bit is freaking right now." Spike said from the backseat. Angel simply tossed the comment aside. He had to concentrate on what he was going to do now.

"She will forgive me later." Angel shrugged, his voice as hard and cold as his eyes.

They slowed at an enormous house that Cordelia would kill for. A ten foot fountain sprung water in the front yard which was concealed around a large black wrought iron gate. The front courtyard stretched for an eternity before it reached the first section of the house. The mansion itself was white, large marble columns sat infront of the large double doors. Black shutters decorated the Victorian windows that ran down to the floor. It was beautiful and stunning.

"If this is his house just visiting, imagine the one in Iowa. Looks like the damn white house." Doyle chuckled.

"More like a plantation." Gunn grinned. "Damn slave owners."

"What is it with black people and going back to the slaves?" Spike asked arrogantly.

"Now I know you didn't just say that." Gunn snapped.

"No guards." Angel noticed, interrupting the two. There was a small house for security personnel in front of the iron gate but nobody occupied it. The other men who should be walking around with guard dogs were also no where to be seen.

"I told you, buddy, my man is taking care of it." Gunn gave Angel a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"Speaking of," Gunn jumped out of the car as a black man in a security dress came up to the gate. Gunn spoke a few words with him and shook his hands, wh ich Angel knew was a way to slip in money. Angel's eyes ticked to the security cameras and they have all been disarmed already. He felt a sense of relief at knowing that they were going to get in okay.

The gates slowly opened with a loud and long screeching sound as Gunn's contact pushed them open with Gunn's help.

"Angel?" Wesley asked at the stone look on Angel's face.

"I've got a bad feeling." Angel admitted, the cold, the dread, the episode when he was saying goodbye to Buffy. Something wasn't right.

"Hush, nancy, this is just your first raid, that's all. I'll protect ya, bro." Spike chuckled and hit Angel's shoulder. Angel suspected that Spike had slipped in some time for drinks before he left. Great. Nothing more than a drunk guy to protect him to boost his self esteem.

"Come on, already." Gunn snapped when the gates were finally all the way open. Angel drove in to the quad.

They all got out of the car, walking over to Gunn and his contact.

"So what's going on, baby? How we gonna get in here?" Gunn asked. Gunn's old friend looked down, taking a deep breath.

"Sorry, Gunn, but you aint going in there." The black man said, hand on his . 45.

The smile dropped from Gunn's face and he tensed. His crew behind him already had their hands on their weapons as well.

"What?" Gunn asked.

"Sorry to ruin you plans." A voice said from behind them. Angel whirled around, the voice ringing in his ears.

Riley.

And several other of his thugs with nasty looking machine guns pointed at them. Spike swallowed loudly.

"Ah, fuck me." He muttered. Angel's eyes blazed with rage, he didn't care about the machine guns, he could barely even see them. All he saw was Finn and the red hot desire to see him dead.

"Son of bitch!" Gunn spat at his friend. "You turned on me!"

"Nothing personal, G, I need the money." The contact was rewarded with a hard punch flying at his jaw. The traitor was on the ground and not moving.

"You came to kill me, Angel. Come on and do it." Riley grinned, showing his white teeth. Angel clicked off the safety of his gun still inside his coat pocket.

"You really that eager to die?" Angel asked, no fear evident in his voice. He didn't feel anything but hate.

"More eager to get you out of the way so I can find that little blonde of mine." Riley's grin never wavered.

"I'm thinking a cruise in Jamaica, some martinis...and, oh, me fucking her senseless." The sandy blonde man laughed at the look on Angel's face. All of his muscles were tense, his jaw clenched tight.

Then Angel relaxed.

"Right, I can see it now. My face in her mind as she touches you, she would be whispering my name when you lay her down on the bed." Angel closed his eyes and smiled.

"I bet she would even scream it as she comes, if you can make her, of course."

Riley's grin was wiped from his face and his hate mirrored Angel's. Though, Angel wasn't done tormenting yet.

Angel walked with a proud swagger towards Riley.

"I wonder if she would ever be satisfied with you, I'm judging by the looks of it, that you are quick. Too quick. She likes it slow and hard." Angel looked Riley up and down.

"Looks like you will be a little...*short* in that area." Angel laughed as Riley bellowed in rage.

"Bastard! I'll have you dead." Riley promised.

"I've been waiting, Riley, I grow impatient with your threats." Angel sneered the humor gone from his face.

"Angel..." Doyle said behind him, watching Riley's movement. He was about to blow.

But Angel couldn't hear him, he couldn't see anything but red, even Riley was blur of colors to him. Hate and the need for destruction was the only thing he felt.

"Come on, Finn! I know you are just itching to hurt me..." Angel was in his face by now, his dark eyes staring into Riley's light ones. Angel could see his reflection in those eyes of hate.

"Bitch," Angel whispered, Riley shaking with rage.

Finn threw the first punch and then all hell broke loose.

*******

*

Angel stumbled back as Riley's punch connected to his jaw but he was waiting for the hit. He retaliated quickly, ramming his fist into his stomach and watching in pleasure as Riley doubled over in pain. Angel's fingers reached out and tangled in his hair, snapping his head back and in one swift movement, brought Riley's nose down hard on his knee.

Riley let out a shout of pain, falling to the ground. Angel was seeing red with fury, kicking him harshly in the gut, unable to stop.

He didn't see the bullets flying at him and his friends from all directions.

Riley's thugs had started firing at the group as soon as Riley's fist flew but Angel's gang reacted quickly. Wesley whipped out his shotgun from the back of his duster, loading and firing before anyone could blink. Spike had dove to the side, just in time to avoid having his head being blown off. Doyle and Gunn ran behind the car, using it as a shield while letting shots fire from their own weapons.

They were outnumbered and out powered but Angel didn't care. A bullet that was intended for Spike grazed his ear but he couldn't feel it. Other than that, the thugs kept away from Angel, saving him for their boss.

Said boss picked himself off the floor, kicking out at Angel's legs, making the artist drop to his knees. A swift uppercut from Riley had him on his back, but he didn't stay down long.

With a cry of rage, Angel flew through the air, tackling Riley hard in his middle, both of them falling into the fountain. The icy cold water filled Angel's lungs as he struggled to breathe when Riley flipped him off. Angel's head slammed back onto the stone bottom, making him dazed.

Riley resurfaced with a gasp, letting the night's cold air fill his lungs before looking down at Angel, who was still struggling to get up. Angel's body was numb from the incredible cold, it was slowing him down dangerously. Riley laughed, grabbing Angel's head as it finally came above the water.

He allowed Angel one last breath before pushing his head back under and holding him there.

***** "Something's wrong," Buffy rubbed her hands together, heating away the cold that was taking over her.

"Stop saying that." Willow snapped, though she was starting to believe it herself. It was two a.m. and still no sign of Angel. No phone, no appearance, no note, nothing.

"I can't loose him, Will." Buffy whispered softly, tears filling her eyes. She wanted nothing more than to run outside and search for him but the hope of him coming home to her was making her stay in the uncomfortable kitchen chair.

Willow looked at Buffy, the dark circles under her eyes were welcomed compared to the red puffiness of crying.

"Oh Buffy," Willow reached out, taking her into her arms, like she would a child as Buffy simply sniffled against her. The blonde wouldn't allow herself to sob.

Angel would come, Angel would come, she repeated to herself.

"Five minutes and I am going to look for him." Buffy pulled away from Willow, embarrassed and tired of her crying.

"Buffy..."

"No. I can't just sit here and do nothing." Buffy said firmly, already up and walking to the other room to get dressed.

"I'll come with you then." Willow replied.

"No. I need you to stay here, keep the door locked...if...Riley took Angel, he will be back." Buffy swallowed hard. "I need you to keep an eye out for Angel here also."

"Right. Okay." Willow nodded but she didn't feel any better.

Nothing would make her feel better about this.

**** Bullets slammed into Spike's car as Doyle and Gunn hid behind it. It was a nice car, an old Mustang convertible with great leather interior and a nice black shine. Now it was just dented with bullet holes and the seats were torn up.

"How much ammo do they fucking have, mate?" Doyle cursed and waited a second when the bullets paused before turning and shooting poorly aimed shots at the men with machine guns.

"I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch." Gunn snapped, still raw from the betrayal of his friend, but knowing Jimmy, he was long gone by now.

"Let's just focus on not getting *us* killed." Doyle muttered, wincing at the sound of windshield cracking and shattering with the bullets. The guns were loud and Doyle knew he would be deaf by the time this was over.

Or dead.

"Where are the others?" Gunn asked, snapping out of his haze of red.

As if on cue, the ear shattering noise of a shotgun shooting off and getting reloaded just as quick, came from their right. Wesley jumped, flying through the air on his side while still firing shots at the thugs. He landed with a tuck and roll next to them.

Doyle and Gunn stared.

"Damn!" Gunn couldn't help but say. "That was some James Bond shit."

"Yeah, you are going to teach me how to do that. I mean, who said British people are stuffy?" Doyle tried to joke but the shower of bullets against the car didn't really make it funny.

"Spike and Angel?" Wesley asked, taking the time to reload behind the safety of the Mustang.

"Clueless as you." Gunn shrugged and peered behind the backend of the car.

He saw Spike, sitting causally against the other side of the fountain, taking a drag from his newly lighted cigarette. He seemed unaffected by the bullets and the fact that his car was taking a severe beating. He blew smoke rings into the air, glancing up at the sky.

Gunn rolled his eyes and turned to back the other two.

"Spike's perfectly fine and will be for the rest of this time. Angel, though, I don't know and he is who I am worried about."

***** Angel was caught in a moment of sheer panic as his head was pushed down. He thrashed wildly, the cold chilling him and his hand had a hard time gripping at the one that was holding his head down. His lungs burned for air and his vision blurred, he felt very light and dizzy. Red water surrounded. Blood, Angel thought dumbly. His blood. His ear stung from the cut and the cold water added to the pain. Darkness clouded around him and Angel knew it wasn't from the water.

He felt himself relaxing, and his muscles stop straining to get free against his own will. The grip on Riley's hand loosened as he couldn't concentrate on pushing it away. He felt very tired all of a sudden and it shocked him that he felt like he wanted to sleep here in this cold water forever. His eyes started dropping and he felt the burning need for air slowly passing.

No.

Buffy.

His slow thinking suddenly flew to her and what Riley would do if he failed. No, he couldn't leave this place knowing that he would probably force her to have sex with him.

With his last burst of strength, he forced his muscles to work again, to move and pushed Riley away. He was surprised at his own strength as Riley's hand was suddenly out of his hair. He flipped up, the need for air coming back full force, he felt his stomach muscles ripping with the wild movement.

Then air. Beautifully cold and crisp air filled his lungs as he let out a gasp for breath. He cough violently, his whole body stinging as the cold air entered his body. Angel forced his eyes open, glad to be seeing the starry sky above as he leaned over the side of the fountain, coughing up water. He dry heaved and gagged but he couldn't be more relieved. He pushed his numb body over the fountain, falling to the grass with a wet slap. He laid on his stomach, blinking rapidly for his vision to come back to normal and for the world to stop spinning.

He didn't have time.

Someone grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him to lay on his back. Angel looked up, Riley's face filling his blurry vision.

Riley with a gun.

His gun.

Angel's brow furrowed, his thinking slow and dumb as he forced his heavy limbs to feel in his pocket.

Empty.

Must have fell out when he was kicking in the water. Huh, he thought dumbly.

Riley laughed. "Did you honestly think you could beat me?"

Angel couldn't get the smart ass reply off his tongue before Riley reached out with his hand and hit Angel in the chest.

Hard.

The wind was knocked out of him and his chest ached but he forced himself up. Did Riley think a really hard punch was going to stop him? Angel let out a cry as pain went through him. He must have hurt himself in the fountain more than he thought.

Riley looked shocked as Angel stood up but Angel couldn't understand why. He tasted something coppery in his mouth.

"Angel!" Spike cried but Angel ignored him, forcing his numb legs to move towards Riley who took a tiny step back. Riley lifted up the gun but Angel smacked it from his hand.

The punch that Angel threw hurt him more than it hurt Riley. Riley stumbled back, a hand pressed to his nose that was sprouting blood, surely broken. Angel took the opportunity to pick up the gun from the grass but it was too heavy in his grasp, his numb fingers having trouble holding on to it. He let a pained groan as he fingers finally slipped into place. Riley was charging at him but Angel let out a shot.

Angel's aim was weak and his hands were numb but the bullet hit Riley in the knee, sinking into his flesh with a wet muffled sound. Riley screamed.

"Angel, lets go!" Doyle and Gunn came from no where, grabbing at Angel's arm. Their voices were high with panic but Angel fought against them. His chest still hurt. Riley must have had some iron knuckles or something.

"No, I have to end this." Angel wanted to scream but it came out nearly a whisper. It hurt to talk and breathe.

Spike ran out behind the fountain, helping Gunn and Doyle get him in the back of the car before jumping into the driver's seat. Wesley covered them before jumping into the car as well.

"Go!" Wes shouted at Spike who put the pedal to the metal and slammed hard into the iron gates. The gates that have been rained with gunfire came loose and slammed into the ground. Spike drove over it and sped away.

Angel could hear Riley screaming. "Get them you bastards!"

Angel wanted to curse at them but he couldn't get his tongue to form the words. He was so close...

"Jesus..." Spike turned around to look at his brother, fear and disbelief in his eyes.

"We have to get him to a hospital! Quick!" Doyle cried, putting a hand on Angel's chest. Angel winced, that punch was going to leave a big bruise.

"Stop." Angel said weakly, trying to push Doyle off his bruise.

"Angel, man, can you hear me?" Gunn gently smacked Angel's cheek as his eyes drooped.

Angel wanted to just fall asleep with Buffy. Why was everyone hassling him?

"I'm fine." Angel muttered, his eyes hooded and his words slurred. He winced suddenly, his hand trying to get to his chest where Doyle was still pressing his hand against.

"Just a punch. Hurt though." Angel slurred.

Doyle looked up at Wes who turned to Spike.

"Drive faster." The Brit said, panic in his voice.

"That wasn't a punch, man." Gunn said slowly. Angel's brow furrowed and he looked down at his chest where Doyle removed his hand.

He was surprised to see a bullet wound weeping blood everytime his chest rose and fell for him to breathe.

"Oh." Angel said stupid with shock, not really knowing what else to do.

"Don't worry, Angel. We are going to get you to a hospital and everything will be fine." Doyle tried to assure but his voice was shaking. Wesley glanced back at him.

"How close is it to his heart?" He asked.

Doyle shook his head and looked down at his hands that were covered in his friend's blood.

"Close." He whispered.

"Buffy..." Angel whispered softly, feeling darkness pull at him as he reached toward her blonde hair that he could see clearly.

"No! It's Doyle, you idiot." Doyle snapped, Angel was holding on to his wrist tightly.

Angel closed his eyes for a second and was jolted awake by a slap from Gunn.

"Stay awake, man, please." Gunn pleaded. "We are almost there."

"She is going to be mad at me if I die." Angel said, finishing the sentence he started before as if no time had went by. He let out a shout of pain as Doyle pushed harder against his bullet wound, his breathing becoming labored. Sweat beads spilled from his forehead but he was cold as ice.

"He is talking jibberish. Where the fuck is this place?" Gunn cursed.

"Jesus, someone call the little bit." Spike muttered, too shaken to look back at his wounded brother. Buffy would kill them all, if Angel wasn't dead already. Spike expelled the thought from his head.

"There!" Wes shouted, relieved to see the sight of the large white building but the relief was quickly replaced by overwhelming fear.

"Angel!" Doyle called from the back seat and Gunn echoed his cry.

Wes turned to look as Spike pulled in to the emergency wing doing a hundred.

Angel's eyes were closed and his grip on Doyle's wrist went slack, his face unnaturally pale and gray.

"He's not breathing!" Gunn yelled in panic.

*******

*

"You!" Gunn shouted, pointing at Spike in the waiting room of the hospital. Angel's lifeless body was quickly put on a gurney and wheeled into a room with dozens of doctors and nurse, all frantically calling orders. That was all they could see before they had to be escorted out of the room.

"You could have stopped this," Gunn accused, invading Spike's personal space. "You were just sitting there doing nothing while your brother was getting shot!"

"This is my fault, now?" Spike laughed, sarcastically. "You were the one who we trusted to get us in there. You were too fucking blind to see that you 'contact' betrayed us!" His patience has been cut ever since they had cut him off from seeing his brother. Oh god, he needed a long drink and a smoke.

Gunn let out a roar as he slammed Spike against the opposite wall, Spike's bleach blonde head smacking into the cheaply wallpapered wall. The staff and patients looked frightened, quickly backing away from the scene, calling security.

"Enough!" Doyle shouted, grabbing Gunn away from Spike, just in time to save Gunn from a wicked punch.

"Angel is in there right now, dead for all we could tell! We have no one to blame but Riley." Doyle said, his voice suddenly soft as he held his two friends away from eachother. The Irish man took a shaky breath, a bottle of whiskey would be nice right about now.

"I can't get a hold of Buffy." Wes came back from the payphones and he ran a hand through his hair. A doctor came out of Angel's room, his gloved hands covered with his blood.

"Doc, please, what's happening?" Doyle rushed him, grabbing the man by the shoulders, shaking him roughly.

"It's too early to tell." The doctor said cryptically, pushing past Doyle, quickly hurrying off to get more supplies.

"What the hell does that mean?" Doyle asked, hysteria in his voice. Angel was his best friend, he couldn't loose him.

"Angel said where he came from...shit, I can't think." Spike muttered to himself. They had to find Buffy if anyone.

"A tree!" Gunn shouted. "It was tree name, the person he was staying with."

"A tree?" Wesley asked.

"Willow! The bartender at this club I always used to go to." Spike replied, quickly going to the phone and pushing in the change rapidly.

"Call Cordelia and Fred, also. I'm sure they would like to know what has happened." Wesley said, his voice weary as he collapsed into the chairs next to Gunn.

They all waited.

***** Buffy was just out the door when Willow called her name.

"Willow, I will be back as soon as I find him." Buffy said tiredly, she wasn't going to stop her.

"It's Spike." Willow said and Buffy quickly ran over to the phone, forgetting about her search. Maybe Angel went to Spike's. He told her he sometimes went to his house just to eat and sleep when he was restless.

"Spike?" Buffy breathed into the phone.

"Yeah, it's me. Look, Buffy..." Spike trailed off. Buffy knew it was bad already, Spike never used her full name. She closed her eyes, praying for the first time in a long while. Dread twisted at her stomach and she was tempted to hang up so she couldn't hear the bad news.

"You need to come down the hospital, it's Angel." Before he could finish the sentence, Buffy was out of the front door.

***** Buffy's feet slapped loudly against the cold blank tile of the hospital floor and her chest heaved, she didn't wait for Willow to give her a ride, she had ran the whole way. Stupid? Yes, but very much needed. She slipped into the elevator before the door closed and the man inside looked at her strangely. She bit her lip, jumping where she was standing watch the numbers tick slowly as the machine moved up.

A thousand gruesome images of what happened to Angel ran through her head and she never needed his arms around her so much. Spike hadn't shared what was going on and Buffy didn't wait for him too. She just had to see him, to touch his face, yell at him for smoking, anything.

She ran as soon as the door opened and she heard some nurse yelling at her to walk but she ignored it completely. The bright sight of Spike's bleach blonde hair stuck out like a neon sign in pitch black but it was a welcome sight. Her throat was dry from not taking time to swallow as she ran.

"Spike," She panted, her eyes wide with worry as she clutched his jacket.

"What's going on? Where is he? Please, I need to see him." Buffy's voice was hoarse but the words tumbled from her lips but they were all blurred together into one big slur.

"What?" Spike asked, he looked completely confused and Buffy let out a cry of despair and hopelessness. She turned to see who else was there and found Doyle, grieving quietly in the corner. His hands stained red with blood.

Why was he grieving?

Buffy couldn't bare the answer.

"Wesley?" Buffy turned to him for answers, her lower lip trembling and his eyes filling with tears.

"Buffy..." Wesley started and he put an arm around her shoulder. Buffy didn't like how sorry and remorseful he was acting. Buffy broke away from him with a sob.

"No! I don't care about anything that you are going to say. Just tell me, please, is Angel all right?" Buffy's heart stopped, waiting for the answer and the couple of seconds stretched on for an eternity.

"I..." Wesley started but stopped quickly.

"What?" Buffy nearly shouted and the angry nurse who yelled at her before glared at her.

"We don't know. The doctors won't let us go in there." Wesley said finally and Buffy let out the breath she was holding.

It wasn't bad news, but not good either.

"When we wheeled him in here...his heart...had stopped beating. If they have been in there this long, it could mean that they revived him." The Brit said slowly and Buffy bit her lip. She looked down at the ground, closing her eyes, making more tears drop to the white tiles. She wrapped her arms around herself, pretending it was Angel's instead.

"But you don't know." Buffy snapped bitterly, looking towards the room to where Wes gestured. She wiped at her tears, she wouldn't cry if there was nothing to cry over.

Angel was going to be okay

Oh God, please let him be okay.

"Okay, okay..." Buffy tried to calm her self, sniffling as she pressed her hair back with her hands.

"How did this happen?" She asked finally and everyone remained quiet, their eyes cast downward. She turned away from Wesley, not wanting any more bad news from him.

"Gunn?" She turned to the African American, her voice accusing and demanding.

Gunn sighed and looked away, guilt on his features.

"We went after Riley but things went bad." He said finally. Buffy's eyes widened in anger and disbelief.

"Things went bad?" She said dangerously slow.

"You go on a suicide mission, knowing that Riley is out for Angel and things went *bad*?" Buffy was yelling by now.

"It was no one's fault, Buffy. Riley shot him, we will get him for this." We sley promised, putting a hand on her shoulder and Buffy knew it was to restrain instead of comfort.

A doctor with a clipboard and blood on his greenish apron walked out of the emergency room and he was quickly surrounded by everyone waiting for news.

He was bombarded with questions but he was used to that sort of thing so he held his hands up patiently.

"Please, calm down. Mr. Donovan was technically dead for a little over a minute, but we managed to revive him. He has suffered from trauma to the back of his head, which is the cause of his concussion and a bullet wound to the chest. It is safe to say that bullet was aimed for the heart but hit just an inch up and to the left, missing his lungs also."

The doctor started a long list of Angel's injuries, Buffy wincing at every single one. Every cut and bruise was hers too.

"Who bleedin cares? Just tell us if the bloke is alright!" Spike spoke up, interrupting.

"We removed the bullet with surgery but it was high risk, the bullet being so close to the heart but he is...okay." The doctor said slowly.

"Okay?" Buffy asked softly.

"He is not at his best, his breathing isn't very stable and his heart falters every now and then so we must keep a very close eye on him and he must stay here for several days." Doctor Jones replied.

"Is he awake?" Doyle piped up, uncharacteristically quiet. "Can we see him?"

"I'm afraid that no one can come in and see him until his breathing has stabilized. He acknowledges when people are in the room and if he gets too excited he could go in to heart failure." The doctor gave them a serious look.

Buffy sighed, half with pain and half with relief.

Angel was alive.

That was all that mattered.

***** Two hours later, Cordelia and Fred came to join what was soon becoming a circus waiting room. Spike and Doyle were playing cards in the corner, the only noise was the groans of the loser of a couple bucks. Gunn was consoling Fred by stroking her long hair as she leaned against his chest. Buffy regarded the couple with envy.

She wished Angel was stroking her hair, making her feel like this was all a bad dream and making her calm for when she really had to face reality.

The doctor hadn't let anybody in yet, they were all waiting for Angel to fall asleep so they could at least see him without threatening his life.

Buffy sighed, rubbing her eyes. Her patience was wearing thin with these damn doctors. The need to see Angel was completely overwhelming and the only thing from stopping her from busting down those doors into Angel's room was Wesley's restraining and friendly hand on her knee and the fact that Angel's heart rate should stay stable and not speed up.

She liked the thought that she made his heart race.

"All right, one at a time, please, you can go and visit him. No more than five minutes." The doctor limited.

Five minutes? She was supposed to see her beloved who was dead for a minute for a mere five minutes. An eternity wouldn't be enough.

Buffy went to stand up but Cordelia got up quicker, walking into the doors before Buffy can voice a word of protest.

"You can go in next, Buffy." Wesley assured her.

She muttered curses under her breath as she slumped back down in her chair.

*******

*

Buffy spent her first precious minute, stroking Angel's hand and taking long looks at his features and injuries as he slept. She was delighted to feel how warm his hand was, apprehensive at the little twitch in his fingers when she touched him.

By the lipstick on Angel's forehead, she could tell Cordelia had done similar to what she was doing now.

Skank.

She couldn't believe how close she was to losing him, to Riley out of all people. Another dreadful thought entered her mind which took up a valuable twenty seconds.

Money.

She glanced at the various machines hooked up to Angel and how long her had to stay here. It was going to cost a fortune. She cursed herself for thinking about money at a time like this and she pushed the thought away from her head.

Her fingers played with his rings, brushing kisses against his knuckles. She had so many questions to ask, so many things to tell him that seemed so ridiculous and meaningless now.

Buffy showered kisses on his cheek, his brow, his lips. She wanted him to wake up to tell her that everything was going to be okay but she knew things would only get worse from here.

Riley would know that Angel wasn't dead.

Would he attempt something at the hospital? Would she be able to protect him?

Would she be able to protect herself?

She knew that the guys would be her personal bodyguard with Angel temporarily delayed but the what ifs keep popping in her head.

Two minutes left.

She was angry at herself for being angry with Angel.

What was he thinking?

Did he have a goddamn death wish? He invaded Riley's house and nearly got himself killed. She was angry at the guys too, for letting Angel go along with this. For going along with it themselves. It was huge risk, one that they shouldn't have taken.

Buffy sighed, no point in pointing fingers.

Thirty seconds.

Buffy squeezed his hand, pressing it to her cheek and closing her eyes with a shuddering sigh. She was scared, she had never been so scared in her life.

Scared of Riley, sacred for Angel, so many things.

Time's up.

"I love you." Buffy whispered softly, pressing a kiss to the inside of his palm, getting up.

The only response she got was another twitch in his fingers.

He slept on.

***** When Buffy walked out after her five minutes, she saw the men all in a serious conversation, while Fred slipped in.

She approached them warily, emotionally drained from her five minutes with her Angel.

"What's up?" Buffy asked, she quickly got over blaming them for what happened to Angel. Riley was the only one to blame.

"Something wrong here." Doyle said, handing Buffy a cup of luke warm coffee. Buffy accepted it with a small smile before curling into a chair next to the huddle.

"Tell me something I don't know." Buffy said dryly, sipping the coffee.

"Police. It is procedure to report a gun shot wound to the police with every victim, especially since we aint talking." Spike supplied. "Bloody wankers."

"Yet, no detectives." Buffy sighed.

"Right." Wesley nodded in confirmation.

"Riley?" Gunn asked.

"Probably. We couldn't raise a charge if we wanted to." Wesley replied. Buffy sighed and shook her head.

"Sick bastard. So he is going to get away with this?" The blonde sighed, her voice desperate.

"No way, twinkie." Spike flashed her a grin. "We'll come back with reinforcements. Once Sleeping Beauty wakes up, we will just..."

"No way are you taking Angel back in there." Buffy cut him off immediately. Her voice firm and deadly.

"You think that you are going to stop him?" Gunn asked. "Angel's gonna want Riley's head on a silver platter after this stunt."

Buffy shook her head simply, knowing that Gunn was right. Angel always seemed to slip through her fingers when it came to Riley.

Buffy looked over to Cordelia, she was uncharacteristically quiet, simply sitting in the corner. Her head was turned away but Buffy knew she was fully alert and listening. The blonde decided to watch her more closely.

Something was definitely off.

"Well, this is too much excitement for me for one day." Spike stretched, putting a cancer stick between his lips as he stood off.

"I'm gonna go home and have sex." He stated. Buffy stared at him. Didn't he care that his brother was in the hospital?

Well, that is Spike. Buffy would be surprised if he acted any other way.

"Feel free to share." Wesley muttered dryly as Spike started home.

Fred walked out, her eyes red with crying making her look impossibly smaller. She smiled at Gunn.

"I'm ready to go now." She said softly. Gunn nodded, putting an arm around his girl. Buffy could see Wesley twitch out of the corner of her eye. There was always some issue with the three of them. Buffy thought that a good threesome would make everything better.

But that was the prostitute in her talking.

"Come on Wes, we will give you a ride home." Doyle nodded his head, then looked at Buffy.

"Coming?" He asked.

Buffy shook her head, giving him a small smile of thanks.

"I think I will stay too." Cordelia said bluntly. Buffy's sharp gaze turned towards her and wasn't surprised to see a glare staring back at her.

There was no way in hell Cordelia was going to be alone with Angel.

Doyle and Gunn left leaving only the two women.

Their glares were constant and unwavering and the only sound they made was their slurping of coffee.

***** Buffy sighed in annoyance and relief, asking the gods why Cordelia had to stay with her. Damn her. She hogged her time with Angel, making Buffy wait an hour before she was able to see him again.

Suspicion disappeared but was replaced by full blown jealousy. What happened?

Cordelia had been out of the picture for so long and now she shoved herself back in her life.

Bitch.

Buffy slumped into the seat next to Angel's bed, checking for more lipstick marks on Angel's face. She knew for sure now that Cordelia did that to annoy the hell out of her.

And it worked.

Buffy jumped as a groan erupted from Angel and his eyes fluttered open. Buffy stood up in her seat, worried that her presence would cause him more pain.

Angel looked around, confused. He couldn't feel anything from his neck down. For a pure second of panic he thought he was a paralyzed. He looked down frantically to see needles sticking out of his arm.

Morphine.

Hell of a lot better than Advil.

He relaxed back into the bed, sighing as he looked around the room. He gaze fell on a startled and worried Buffy.

He smiled automatically at seeing her.

"Hey." He muttered automatically, a sexy sleepy smile on his face.

For about a second.

Then he turned his head away and groaned. The recent events coming back to him.

Buffy is going to *kill* him.

"Just be calm, don't get too excited. How are you feeling? Are you in pain?" Buffy asked slowly sitting back in the chair.

"I've been shot." Angel stated bluntly. Buffy took his hand.

"Yeah." Was all she could say.

"You can't be mad at me if I am injured." He said quicker, his words a little slurred and he felt lightheaded from the drugs the doctors gave him.

"That is so not a Get Out Of Jail Free card. I will have a lot of time to yell at you later when your head is clear. Once you are out of this hospital, you get the couch." Buffy said sternly but giving his hand a squeeze.

"Couches are nice." Angel asked, still a bit delirious. Buffy laughed but it came out more of a sob. Tears were in her eyes and she pressed Angel's hand to her cheek.

"Damn you. I was so worried, you...you were dead." Angel wished his arms would cooperate so he could wipe those tears away.

"It's okay." Angel tried to comfort her but it didn't help that she was splitting into two.

Buffy sniffled, pulling away from him. "I better go get the doctor."

"No." Angel whined and he wiggled his fingers, yearning for her attention.

"How much drugs did they give you?" Buffy muttered to herself and she moved closer to the bed, entwining his fingers with hers. She laid her head down on his stomach, lightly, scared to hurt him.

"I can't feel anything." Angel muttered. It was strange feeling. He couldn't feel Buffy's head on him but he saw it there. He wanted to play with her hair but his hands were too heavy.

"The drugs will wear off. It's better with them, trust me." Buffy's eyes drooped, exhausted and her free hand was drawing circles around his belly button through his gown.

"Maybe, if you felt around a little lower, I would be able to feel something again." Angel chuckled at his own pun, his voice slurring even more.

"Typical male. You just got shot and put me through hell and all you can think about is sex." Buffy smiled despite herself.

"I meant my feet. I just got shot, Buffy, stop rushing me." Angel replied, his eyes closing with a small smirk on his face and he knew Buffy was smiling as well. He pushed the thought of what he was going to do with Riley, when he got out of here, away.

His dizzy mind thought of nothing but trying to comfort Buffy and not get the couch when they went home.

*******

*

Buffy yawned tiredly as some nurse rudely woke her up and Buffy faintly recognized her as the nurse that yelled at her for running through the hallway to get to Angel. She ignored the nurse giving her a pointed look and turned to Angel. She must have fell asleep with her head on his stomach. She gently untangled his fingers that were thread through her hair.

She ran her own fingers through her blonde hair, feeling the kinks his fingers made. Buffy half smiled and placed a kiss on his forehead as he slept, reluctantly leaving his side so the obnoxious nurse could check his vitals.

Buffy walked out of his room, feeling much better about the whole situation after a night sleeps in his arms. She rolled her shoulders with a wince.

She was sore as hell though.

She glanced at the chairs in the waiting room as she headed over to the coffee machine. Cordelia must have gone home and the rest of the gang was probably catching up on the sleep they missed from the hectic night before.

Buffy forced her eyes open wider as coffee machine poured steaming hot and cheap coffee into her little styrofoam cup.

The blonde glanced at the clock. She desperately needed a shower and a new pair of clothes. She could wait until Angel woke up, she liked being the first thing he saw.

She curled into a chair next to Angel's room and looked down at her coffee. She saw her reflection in the black liquid and winced. She looked like roadkill ran over twice. She placed the cup down and headed to the bathroom.

Buffy turned immediately to the long mirror the length of the whole wall. The bathroom was completely empty and Buffy was glad.

She didn't need other people seeing how horrible she looked. Angel would go into heart failure just by the sight of her. Buffy mentally knocked on wood for her dumb joke as she used her fingers as a makeshift brush.

She wet a paper towel, using it to wipe away any makeup that wasn't cried off. She glanced down to rinse the paper towel.

Buffy jumped and gasped when she looked up. A person behind her.

Buffy's hand flew to her heart as she whirled on the person.

"Jesus, Cordelia, you scared me." Buffy breathed out, her heart racing.

The brunette didn't look sorry. "Sorry." She muttered anyway.

Buffy shook off the weirdness between them and walked over to throw the towel in the garbage. When she leaned down to toss it in the waste basket, someone abruptly pushed her, making her head slam into the wall ahead of her.

Stars burst into her vision as she let out a small yelp of surprise and pain. She closed her eyes shut, pressing a palm to her head and someone pushed her again, this time she turned in time and her back slammed against the wall.

"Cordelia! What the fuck are you doing?" Buffy yelled, anger was mixed in with the shock.

Cordy looked determined and a nasty looking dagger was pulled out of her waistband.

"I was told not to kill you, but you are just such a bitch." Cordy spat, stabbing at Buffy with painful accuracy. Buffy rolled to another part of the wall, a dull clank sounded when the dagger hit the empty spot.

"What is he giving you, Cordelia?" Buffy snapped. She didn't even have to ask who employed Cordelia. Her body was tense and alert and she tried to put as much space between the psychotic bitch and her as possible.

"A place in Hollywood." Cordelia answered shortly. "He has got connections in the movie business." She added, slashing at the air, with a shout Buffy ducked and rolled behind her. Buffy jumped to her feet, her hands held out instinctively.

"Yeah, you could take my old corner." Buffy quipped, backing up a few steps.

"Please," Cordelia glared in typical high school fashion.

"I've been a part of this since that day I came back to move in with Angel. Riley filled me in but you being this much of a slut, was just shocking. God, you messed up that boy's head real good. I spent so much time in Angel's room, saying sorry for what I have to do..." Cordelia trailed off, looking away for a second. The dagger was still clenched in her fist and Buffy watched it was wary eyes.

"And that is?" The blonde pushed.

"To kill you, of course." Cordelia smiled genuinely.

Cordy's arm shot out, stabbing straight for Buffy's neck. Buffy instinctively turned to the side, letting Cordelia's arm shoot past her. The small blonde reached out and grabbed her wrist and pulled slightly. Just as Cordelia stumbled forward, Buffy's arm that was holding Cordy's, shot backwards and her elbow smashed into Cordelia's nose. Buffy took satisfaction in the sickening crack that sounded.

Cordelia screamed and held a hand to her nose, the dagger dropping from her hands.

"Learned that from the 'boy' that I messed up so badly." Buffy grinned, taking a fighting stance. Cordelia screamed in rage and lunged at her.

Buffy shifted her weight, a leg flying out into Cordelia's stomach. When the brunette doubled over, Buffy took the opportunity to punch in the jaw.

To finish it off, she spun, her arm held out, and the small blonde gave a clear backhand to the much larger woman's face.

Cordelia fell on the floor, unmoving, blood dripping from her nose.

Buffy's smile was large across her face as she dropped her hands, just before she took the time to stick her middle finger up at the prone woman on the floor.

"Who says hookers are weak?" Buffy asked herself. She made a mental note to do a Buffy Victory Dance in private before getting serious. Buffy grabbed Cordelia by the arms, dragging her into the stall and sat her up on the toilet.

She wouldn't wake up for a while and no one would think anything of someone going to the bathroom. Buffy walked out of the stall, she hadn't felt this mischievous ever since she quit for Angel.

It felt good.

She glanced at the dagger on the floor before picking it up. She pushed it into the waistband of her pants before walking out of the bathroom casually.

Buffy was sure she looked twenty times worse than she did when she had walked into the bathroom but she felt twenty times better.

Nothing like a good ass kicking of some jealous bitch to make her day.

Though, if Riley had power over Angel's friends, it made her suspicious about everyone else. Fred always seemed to be too quiet. And what was with Wesley and all those weapons in his store?

A damper was put in her good mood and she quickly headed back to Angel's room.

*******

*

Just before Buffy got back to Angel's room she saw her abandoned coffee cup on the endtable near those uncomfortable chairs she was starting to become real familiar with. Next to the coffee was also Wesley.

Buffy smiled at him, he looked even more rugged then he did when she first met him. Stubble grew on his chin and his hair was flying in all directions, but Buffy had to admit he still looked handsome.

"I thought you were supposed to be resting." Buffy said, standing before him.

"I couldn't." Wesley admitted. "I looked in on Angel, he seems to be better."

"Yeah, he woke up for about ten minutes but nothing since then." Buffy updated her boss. She wondered how the store was holding up with all the employees gone for days a time. She missed working.

"Are you okay?" Wesley's gaze dropped to her hands and Buffy's eyes followed. Her knuckles were red and bleeding. Buffy pushed them behind her back.

"Cordelia appears to be more than the run of the mill porn star." The blonde sighed, slumping down next to him.

The owner's eyes widened. "Riley got to her too?"

Buffy nodded, rubbing her knuckles unconsciously.

"Are you sure? I mean, Cordelia can be quite...well, she just isn't the type..." Wesley tried to explain and tried to defend his old friend but came up empty.

"Try telling that to her when she was trying to gut me like a fish." Buffy snapped. She sighed and softened. It was a big bomb for Wes to recover from.

"I'm sorry, Wes, I know she was your friend but money can make people do some crazy things. Out of all the people in the world, trust me, I know." Buffy put a comforting hand on his arm and Wes gave her a sad smile.

"It makes me wonder who else could be under his thumb." Wesley sighed.

"My thought exactly. I don't know who I can trust and who I can't. I'm not even sure I can trust you." Buffy admitted. Though, she knew Wesley out of all people would be her safest bet.

"I could leave, if that would make you more comfortable." Wesley suggested, understanding her mistrust, because he was starting to feel it too.

"No, I think that I could trust you enough to watch Angel's room while I get a new cup of coffee." Buffy smiled as she looked down at her now cold brown liquid.

"Anything I could do to help." Wesley nodded, sitting straighter and Buffy was half expecting him to salute her.

"At ease, solider." Buffy chuckled at his sudden mood change as she walked back over to the coffee machine.

She grabbed another cup and deposited another dollar into the machine. When her cup was filled she turned and abruptly smashed into a wall of muscle. She hissed as the cup titled and the hot coffee fell on her hands.

"Damnit. Watch where-..." Buffy trailed off, her lips parting slightly.

She glanced around, her eyes wide, as if to ask for help if anyone was looking. No one was. Wesley was down the hall and around the corner, too far.

"How dare you come here." Buffy hissed.

Riley's smile didn't reach his ears.

His nose was large, red, and swollen and he had a nasty black eye. Buffy was sure there was similar bruises all over his body. A small satisfaction rose in her, it seemed Angel was not the only one who was wounded.

"I happen to be a patient here." Riley said with fake calmness. He looked different from before and it scared Buffy. His eyes were once cold and full of hate and now they were lifeless. Devoid of anything and Buffy had to turn her glance away.

"How is Welfare Boy doing?" Riley snarled, no need for pleasantries.

"Fine. Looking way prettier than you." Buffy quipped, her eyes icy and her grip on her coffee cup was punishing.

"Is this a way you treat a former employer?" Riley took a step forward and Buffy retreated back until the wall hit her back painfully.

"After all, I did get the cops off your back, Buffy." Riley continued, invading her space, his movements held no lust, just domination.

"Don't you mean your back?" Buffy couldn't look at him, his seemingly calm demeanor was threatening. His fists were clenched at his sides and the veins in his head and neck throbbed painfully.

"Do you really think that getting rid of Angel is going to make me want you? You are pathetic, not to mention hideous compared to him. You mean absolutely nothing to me. I once was a prostitute and you still happen to be lower than me in the chain of class." Buffy said slowly, enunciating every word so he could understand perfectly.

Riley struck.

His fist hit the wall mere centimeters from her head and Buffy jumped, her gasp couldnt be heard under the slam of his palm against the wall.

"I just had an epiphany, bitch." Riley almost smiled.

"Obviously, killing him won't work. I've been there and done that. Guess I will have to go to more extreme measures." Riley said casually with a small shrug.

He leaned in close, his breath hot against her ear as he whispered.

"I'm gonna hit him where it hurts." Suddenly his hand grabbed her arm painfully and Buffy let out a shout as he pulled roughly.

"Let go, you bastard!" Buffy yelled loudly as Riley began to drag her along. She pushed her weight on her heels, trying to halt her movements but another tug and she was stumbling. She was screaming by now, panic taking over her.

"Buffy?" Wesley called hearing her scream. He glanced around the corner, looking at Riley pulling her away.

"Buffy!" He cried out again, his feet stumbling as he tried to hurry over there.

The blonde looked over at Wesley, still way to far down the hall. Panic rose in her as she tugged desperately. Buffy suddenly remembered the object in her hands and she halted on her heels once more. Riley turned to snarl and with one flick of her wrist, the steaming coffee flew into Riley's face.

He screamed, one hand flying to his eyes as he rubbed desperately to rid the liquid of his face.

But he didn't let go. His grip on her arm only tightened.

The hospital security finally flew down the corridor, right behind Wes, and Buffy yelled for help, pulling at her captured arm.

Before the guards in their gray uniforms could step closer than ten feet, Riley whipped on a gun from the back of his waistband that was covered by his coat. His eyes were as red and swollen as his nose now but he was still right on target. The staff stopped, their hands held up.

"Sir, please calm down," They tried to negotiate and Buffy felt her hope falling into an endless pit of despair.

Why weren't they shooting?

Buffy glanced at their waistbands and there was no guns.

Hospital staff don't carry guns. Only hand cuffs and stuff that would be no use to her.

Wesley pushed forward through the hospital security, holding his hands up in a sort of peace.

"Riley, put down the gun. Everyone sees who you are now, money will not get you out of it this time." Wesley said slowly, his wary eyes shooting towards Buffy then back to the insane farmboy.

"Back the *fuck* off!" Riley yelled, waving the gun at him, ignoring every word, and pushing Buffy towards the elevators.

"Get off of me, damnit, Riley, please!" Buffy yelled tugging at him and desperately trying to twist free of his grasp but he wasn't budging. Riley let out an annoyed scream of rage and he tugged the blonde towards him, letting go for a second only to wring his elbow around her neck. Buffy's hands flew to his arm that was locked around her throat, her eyes wide as he applied too much pressure. Air could barely slip into her lungs and she coughed violently.

"Do you really think you are getting out of here?" A tall black man that was head of security made his way through.

Riley's laugh was hysterical and Buffy finally knew what happened.

Riley had lost his mind. He was absolutely insane.

He just didn't care who died and who didn't.

That thought was obvious to Buffy right when Riley's gun fired.

Buffy screamed, closing her eyes tightly, praying that no one was hurt. She could hear the horrible slap of blood dripping to the floor and her hands flew to her ears. Another violent tug around her neck made her close her mouth, all of her air spent on that one scream.

***** Angel woke up with a gasp of pain. The drugs had worn off and that was only half good. At least he can think straight now. He groaned and fell back into bed, lifting his arms to cover his ears.

Everyone was screaming outside.

What the hell was this? New Years?

He tossed the idea around in his head for a ridiculous second.

Where is Buffy? Was his next thought after dismissing the New Years idea.

Suddenly, the screams outside became more real to him and he forced his tired mind to concentrate. Only one person was screaming.

He knew that voice.

He sat up with a groan, sweat starting to formulate as he tried to remove a nest of wires sticking out of him.

No, it wasn't Buffy. It couldn't be.

Lots of people scream in hospitals.

Oh God...

He heard a sniffle in the corner and he turned to look at a pretty nurse sniffling in the corner. She was haunched down, hands over her ears also. She glanced at him, her eyes wide and tearful.

"What's going on?" His voice was hoarse and he quickly threw his feet over the bed. He tried to stand up but his legs gave out and he fell to the floor with a cry of pain.

"Sir..." The young nurse stood up and Angel couldn't see through the haze of red hot pain.

"Someone has a gun, I think they might be taking over the hospital..." The nurse whimpered as she tried to help him up but Angel's large frame was nothing but dead weight.

"Lily," Angel read her name tag but paused as an eerie silence took over.

The screaming had abruptly stopped.

"I think I might need you help." Angel whispered.

*****

Wesley fell to the ground, grabbing the hospital guard that got shot in the knee. He applied pressure to the wound, his eyes flew to Riley who glared right back.

"Next person who steps closer is not going to be so lucky." He promised and the entire floor of hospital was empty except for the small crowd of security around them. People ran out in a panic as soon as the gun was fired.

"You're bloody insane! The police are outside, you won't get out of here!" Wesley yelled, his hands now stained with the blood of the officer. He pulled at a brave nurse who had stayed behind and managed to get her to take his spot.

"You are probably right. But if I never leave, your precious slut will never leave either." Riley said, pulling at Buffy whose eyes were now to the security guard on the ground.

She could have cried with relief when it was only a shot to the knee and not the head.

The soft ding of the elevator filled the air and Riley smiled.

"You can tell that bitch Angel, that it looks like I won after all." The sandy blonde laughed and tugged Buffy into the elevator.

*******

*

The elevator door closed just as Wesley rushed for it. Riley unwrapped his arm around Buffy's neck and flung her hard against the other side of the small elevator. Buffy pushed her arms back to brace herself and hit the wall with a cough.

"You're crazy!" Buffy spat, nervousness making her words shaky and not as strong as she would have liked. Being so closed to him in such a cramped space was making her on edge.

The gun pointed at her.

"I would shut that big ass mouth if I was you." Riley snapped, his own hands shaking. But not from fear. Buffy bit her tongue, keeping as close to the wall as she could, as far away from him.

"Where are we going to go, Riley? There is probably police surrounding every exit to this hospital, you'll never make it out alive." It was more than a promise than a statement.

Riley smiled, a small chuckled escaping his lips.

"You think you are going to be saved? By who? The police? I have them in my pocket. Your precious Angel couldn't lift a finger against me if he tried. No one is coming for you, Buffy. No one saves whores." Riley laughed.

Buffy grit her teeth. No, she wasn't going to let him scare her. She was going to be fine, oh God, she wished Angel was here.

"No one will stand up for you now, Riley. Not with all of those witnesses, no amount of money will be able to pay out the whole hospital." Buffy said slowly and harshly.

"You'd be surprised." Riley shot her a teethy grin that chilled her to the bones. Buffy glanced at where the elevator was taking them, down to the parking garage. Buffy wondered how stupid Riley could be. This place would be swarming with cops, she had a chance.

She had hope.

Riley followed her gaze to the set of lit up buttons with the floor numbers. Riley laughed once more, his insane mood slowly being replaced by something worst.

"You still don't get it do you?" He asked.

Buffy said nothing, her brow furrowed slightly.

Riley pressed the large red button of emergency stop, advancing on her as the elevator came to a halt, halfway between floors.

"We aren't going anywhere, Buffy." He grinned evilly.

****** Wesley watched the guards push towards the stairs, police swarming the floors. He was worried sick for Buffy, if something happened to her Angel would never forgive him or himself. Riley had lost it, taking over the hospital was a risky and desperate move.

But he had gotten what he wanted. Now him and Buffy were heading only God knows where and what he is making her do.

Wesley shivered, he and Buffy had a strange sort of connection, always had. Nothing romantic but more of a good bond of friendship. He didn't want to loose that.

"Angel!" Wesley exclaimed, running to his room when he saw his friend, half walking and half leaning on a petite blonde nurse. The nurse had tear stains on her cheeks and her stance was a little bit more than shaky.

"Wesley, what's going on?" Angel asked, sweating and panting. He was pushing his injured body to it's physical limits but he didn't care. Wesley quickly took the nurse's spot and lead him over to a chair. Angel collapsed in it, wearing his old and bloodied shirt and pants from the night of the shooting.

"Thank you, you should probably get out of here, it's not safe yet." Wesley told the blonde nurse who nodded with a small sad smile. Wesley ignored Angel's frantic and repeated questions. He didn't want to tell him.

He wanted to tell his best friend that nothing was wrong and Buffy was perfectly fine and happy at home. But he couldn't.

"Wesley please," Angel breathed heavily, pain shooting through his chest and shoulder. He must have reopened the wound a little.

"It's Riley ... he was here and he took..." Wesley trailed off, looking away. Angel's expression was enough to make him weep.

"He's got Buffy." He finished finally. Angel closed his eyes, glancing away. Oh God, no, they had managed to be rid of him for so long. Absolute fear crippled him and he was suddenly to exhausted and stiff to move, to breath, to think.

If something happened to Buffy, he wouldn't know what he would do. Would he cry by her grave site or would he follow her the morning after? Morbid thoughts ran through his head.

"Angel! Snap out of it." Angel realized Wesley must have been talking to him this entire time.

"I have to get her back, Riley will..." Angel shook his head, forcing his limbs to move. He tried to get up but pain shot through his body, paralyzing him as he fell back into the chair.

"You are no shape for this, Angel." Wesley shook his head, wrapping an arm around his injured friend, forcing him to his feet. Angel was little more than dead weight.

"I love her, Wesley." Angel grit through his teeth. "I can't just sit here and not do nothing about it while he forces her to..." Angel raised his voice but choked on the last couple of words.

"I love her." Angel finished softly. "I have to save her."

"I know." Wesley felt sorrow rising in him. Angel was one of the nicest people he had ever met, he didn't deserve all this drama and hate in his life. "We will."

"We are we going?" Angel asked, taking a sudden change in mood. He felt the rage now that consumed him everytime he thought of Riley. When he found his beloved, if one hair on her head was touched, he would kill him.

"I've been eavesdropping on several police conversations, they jumped in an elevator but it has seemed to stopped between the first level and the parking garage." Wesley filled Angel in.

"Let's go then." Angel replied.

*******

Buffy held her hand out.

"You stay the *fuck* away from me." She told him, wondering where the sudden burst of courage had come from.

"This is what I have been waiting for ever since I first laid my eyes on you." Riley whispered, his gaze hungry as he raked his eyes over her body. Buffy felt disgusted, she wanted to curl into a ball and vomit.

His hand shot out, tangling roughly in her hair and pulled her forward. Buffy let out a scream as she stumbled against him, forcing her head back.

Riley's lips crushed against her and Buffy shut her eyes tightly in disgust, wishing he would have just killed her. His lips were searing hot, not like Angel's cool and refreshing. She tried to push him away but he held her wrists in one hand. Riley's tongue forced itself between Buffy's lips and tears slipped from her eyes. Riley took a couple steps forward, pushing her against the wall and Buffy felt something sharp go into her back.

Cordelia's knife.

Buffy could have cried with relief when she finally remembered that she at least had a weapon, a knife was nothing compared to a gun but it was a start.

Buffy tried to wrench her hands away from him to grab it but he wasn't budging, his tongue caressing her and exploring painfully. Buffy was afraid she was going to vomit on him as her stomach rolled. She couldn't believe she used to do this with men for money, even when she had started dating Angel.

Buffy tried a different approach, she needed her hands free. Buffy let out a slight fake moan she had years to practice. She stopped struggling, arching ag ainst him, finally responding to his demanding tongue. Riley smiled against her, the arm slipping from her hair to grab her ass painfully, bring her closer and pressing his arousal against her stomach. Buffy could have choked in disgust and it took all of her will power to not shiver at his touch. He was rough where Angel was gentle and loving. Buffy could see his dark eyes now, smiling and twinkling when she made a joke. She prayed that he would forgive her for this.

Buffy stood on her tip toes, giving him better access to her mouth and Riley tore from her lips, her wrists still held prisoner by his large hand. He brushed blonde hair away from her face with his free hand.

"Responsive bitch, aren't you? I always knew you would come around." Riley grinned, feeling victory at last.

Buffy shrugged, giving him a sexy look. "I guess I never knew how..." Buffy stepped closer, pressing her hips against his arousal, Riley let out a groan. "good you feel." Buffy lied between her teeth.

She knew her hooker skills would come in handy someday.

Riley leaned forward, grabbing a patch of skin on her neck between his teeth, pulling and sucking. Buffy let out another fake moan, pressing against him.

"My hands," She whispered breathy against his ear, grinding herself against him. Riley let go of her hands immediately, and they grabbed his shoulders, holding him to her neck.

This was her chance, her heart was racing and she had never been to scared in her life. This was the only chance she would have to finally get him out of her life.

Buffy maneuvered one hand behind her body, feeling for the knife and the other one gripped his cock through his pants for a distraction. Riley groaned against her, still nursing her neck. Buffy's fingers felt the cool and pleasant feeling of the metal and she pulled the knife out with painstaking slowness and caution.

She held it against her thigh, letting out a moan as Riley's hands slipped under her shirt to discard her bra. She closed her eyes for a second, praying to whoever was listening.

A loud crashing sound came from above them and just as Riley pulled away, Buffy slammed the knife hard into his back.

It was meant for his spine but when he pulled away it deflected and his low on his shoulder.

Riley screamed, throwing her away from him.

"Bitch!" He screamed, pain and rage filling him as he tried to get the knife that was buried in his back out. Buffy reached for the gun in the back of his pants while he screaming and cursed. Her finger hooked around the ring of it and she pulled.

She was rewarded with a backhand to her face and the gun fell to the floor.

The gun misfired, letting a shot out as it hit the ground. Buffy screamed and ducked on instinct, throwing her hands over her head.

She heard more clattering from on top of the elevator and a shout of surprise.

Buffy looked up to see Riley had picked up the gun, aiming right at her.

****** "Come on," Wesley was panting and sweating by now also, having to helped Angel down several flights of stairs was no picnic. Though, Angel was faring worse than he. Blood was once against seeping through the bandages on this wound, soaking his already bloodied shirt. They had reached the first level, no police were they there. They were spending precious time trying to find a way to negotiate but they were clueless.

Wesley leaned Angel against the wall next to the elevator door as Angel coughed violently, sweat pouring from his forehead.

"Angel..." Wes started.

"Just open the door, Wesley." Angel interrupted, not wanting to hear anything. He only wanted Buffy in his arms.

Wesley pushed his fingers into the small slit between the doors and pulled. He let out a groan of effort as it took him several minutes to force the door open. Wesley stared at the elevator shaft, he took a small step forward to see the elevator that Buffy was trapped in. It wasn't that far down but a jump was going to hurt.

"Do you see it?" Angel asked, too weak to go and look from himself.

"Yes, I'm going down there." Wesley took his hand gun from the raid at Riley's house out of the back of his pants. He looked to Angel who stared intently back. Wesley knew Angel wished it was him who could go down there but he was too weak and would get Buffy and himself killed in an instant.

"Just...bring her back." Angel replied. Wesley sat down on the ground, lowering himself down backwards so his feet were dangling a couple yards in the air above the elevator as he held on to the floor. He said a silent prayer before letting go and dropping hard on top of the elevator. As soon as he did Riley's scream of pain could be heard.

Wes wasted no time in searching for the hatch on the elevator where the lights were placed in. Wesley yelled in surprise as a gun shot sounded and the bullet soared through the top of the elevator, only several inches away from him.

"Damnit," Wesley breathed heavily.

"Wes?" Angel called from above. His voice was laced with panic. Wesley knew he was more worried that that shot was for Buffy instead of him, but Wes took no offense.

"It's okay." Wesley called back, finally finding the opening. He ripped open the latch quickly. Then he stood up to full height, having his gun ready.

With one last breath, Wesley slammed down hard on the lights that were his last barrier of getting into the elevator, once he could the floor, he jumped down inside.

*******

*

"Wesley!" Buffy screamed as soon as she saw the string of muscles that led to Riley's trigger finger tense. Buffy's hands flew to her eyes, she couldn't take seeing someone she cared about being hurt...killed.

As soon as Wes heard his name, he ducked. He felt the heat of the bullet zoom past him, the metal tore through the tips of his hair that weren't quick enough. If he had been a second late he would have been dead.

The bullet slammed into the elevator wall, ricocheting off it and to another wall. Even Riley had to duck as the insane bullet finally embedded itself the wall right next to him. Firing and not hitting a target in such a small space was dangerous.

Wes looked at Buffy for a brief second, her hands flying from her eyes, checking to see if Wes or herself was hurt. She was in too much of a panic to feel pain right now.

The Brit turned back to look at Riley just in time to see the gun hit him hard across the face. Stars burst into his vision as he recalled the floor rushing up to meet him.

Buffy felt what was last of the hope that sparked in her, when Wesley came crashing through the ceiling, disappear in an instant. So this was how she was going to die, killed by her own sins.

She wondered briefly of her other friends and family when Riley straightened up, the gun holding only a couple more bullets.

Then her thoughts drifted to Angel, they always did eventually. What would Riley do to Angel when she was gone? Would he leave right away? Would he try to kill him? The thought forced herself on to her shaky legs, standing straight, looking Riley in the eye. For the first time, she wasn't afraid.

Of death or of Riley, she wasn't sure.

"This is it, Finn. The final moment. Let's see if you are man enough to do it." Buffy challenged, raising her chin high. Anger blazed in his eyes and he raised the gun one final time.

Then a similar crash from before smashed against the top of the elevator, Finn looked up.

"You are just one lucky bitch, aren't you?" Riley snapped, glancing up at the ceiling. Buffy heard a distinctive groan which she recognized immediately. Her heart jumped in her throat and she choked on her comeback.

Angel.

Riley pointed the gun to the ceiling.

****** Angel wasn't sure when he had been in so much pain before, it took him several minutes to regroup himself after landing on the elevator's roof. His heart was beating too fast and he had trouble focusing. He took deep breaths, in the mouth, out the nose. Or was it the other way around?

Buffy...

After he heard the gun shot, he lost the little control he had. He had to go down there, he needed to see that Buffy was okay with his own eyes. His worries about Wesley was another addition to his long lists of concerns.

Angel laid on his back, too weak to get up but trying not to waste precious time. Buffy needed him, he couldn't let weakness get in the way.

He was just about to get up when bullet slammed into the ceiling, flying upwards, only inches from his head. Another bullet came up on the other side of him. Angel rolled to the left quickly, bullets following his trail. He was making too much noise and Riley could tell where he was.

He was almost to the opening in the elevator that Wesley had made. He tried to slow down his racing heart, pain was no longer a problem to him. He would be numb until he had Buffy in his arms again.

Silence.

On the count of three, Angel told himself.

One.

Angel rolled to his feet, jumping down into the hatch, he heard a shot rang out, something hot searing his ear. He fell hard on top of Riley and chaos ensued.

Riley's scream of surprise was loud in Buffy's ears and as soon as Angel had fell through, she dove for Wesley's gun.

The once cramped elevator seemed to stretch on for miles now as she saw Wesley's gun come closer to her reach as she slid on her belly towards it.

Riley's powerful punch caught Angel off guard and Angel fell off of him. His numbness was fading since he saw Buffy was fine and unharmed out of the corner of his eye. He also saw Wesley on the ground unmoving.

Riley jumped ontop of Angel, his fist flying into his face, bruising and punching for all he was worth.

"MINE!" He screamed, slamming his bleeding knuckles into Angel's face over and over.

"SHE IS MINE!" Finn finally reached and tore Buffy's knife out of his shoulder with a cry of pain and rage. He lifted it up, ready to bury it into Angel's heart.

Angel was too weak to move, his heart was racing and the bullet wound from before was weeping blood, and he could only watch his upcoming death.

"No!" Buffy screamed, her fingers finally wrapping around the gun and she aimed at Riley. Riley's battle cry of hate tore from his throat as he brought the knife down.

Buffy closed her eyes tightly and screamed as she shot the gun...

She heard it hit the wall next to Riley. A groan of pain was heard from Angel.

She had missed.

Oh God, she had missed. She was too much in a panic to aim right and she had missed Riley. She squeezed the trigger again, blind. Nothing happened. Clip was empty.

She was too late.

Angel was dead.

******

"Buffy..." Angel's groan could be heard and Buffy opened her tearful eyes. She saw the image of Riley standing victoriously over Angel, who eyes were wide with pain as a knife was sticking out of his heart, in her head.

But that wasn't the image before her at all.

Riley's prone body had fallen on top of Angel's, who was too weak to throw him off.

"Angel?" Buffy asked, her voice shaky, tears flooding from her eyes lids as a sobbed was caught in her throat.

"Can't breathe..." Angel groaned, trying to lug Riley's weight off of him.

Buffy scurried over next to him, sliding on her hands and knees as she pulled at Riley's heavy form. She finally turned him over and off of her injured lover.

"Baby," Buffy sobbed as she took in his beaten form. The blonde was shaky all over as she pulled Angel's head on her lap.

Buffy glanced over at Riley, a bullet hole right in his head, blooding now staining the nice marble of the elevator floor.

"But...I missed." Buffy sniffled.

"No, you got a perfect shot. It ricocheted." Angel muttered, to in awe of her to do anything else but stare with wide eyes. His whole body seemed to relax, his heart slowing it's dangerous rate.

He nuzzled against her cheek as she caressed his features.

"I thought... I thought I was too late and that you were dead and he..." Buffy squeezed her eyes tightly shut, she hated when Angel saw her break down, she felt like a little girl but the waterworks seemed to open whenever he was near.

"Are you okay?" Angel asked, squeezing her hand weakly.

"Did he...force himself on you?" Angel asked, he didn't want to hear the answer. This was all his fault.

Buffy smiled and lied, her eyes shinning. Maybe she would tell him evantually, but not now. "No."

Angel sagged with relief, to unstable to believe in anything else.

"I love you." Angel whispered, kissing her palm.

"I'm so sorry I dragged you into all this." Buffy's tears fell on Angel's cheeks.

"Kiss me." Angel whispered, too weak to lift his hand and bring her to him. Buffy smiled through a sob as she caught his lips, leaning down.

She could taste a faint trace of blood on his lips but she couldn't bring herself to care. His kisses were the only thing that kept her alive, kept her fighting. His kiss was so refreshing, washing Riley's lips from hers. Cleansing her of all her sins.

Angel parted her lips with his tongue gently. He could taste her tears and they were like drops of heaven as he felt her smile against him.

"What did I miss?" Wesley groaned, coming too and holding his head.

Angel took his time parting with her, kissing her once more to end their bittersweet reunion.

"Oh my," Wesley commented as he glanced down at the bleeding and dead Riley.

"Hey! You down there! This is the police!" Flashlights can be seen through the hatch in the elevator and Buffy squinted up at them. They had finally got the idea to come on top of the elevator, haven't they?

"Are you okay lady?" One of the security guards from before asked.

"Just get me the hell out of this elevator!" Buffy yelled back.

*******

*

After weeks of hospital treatment and police interrogation, the gang finally had some type of peace, all collected in Angel and Buffy's new apartment. Cordelia was sent to a female prison for attempted murder, the only one who still visits her frequently are the fans of her porn movie.

"I can't believe this," The British bleach blonde muttered, an arm wrapped around Faith. It amazed everyone that he had yet to be caught by his own wife Drusilla since he frequently brings Faith into their home. Though, Dru did like to have other men on the side as well.

Spike was pissed that he had to miss all of the action that went down in the elevator, but Buffy didn't think he minded much, since he was out fucking Faith at the time. Buffy's prostitution days remained a secret even throughout all of the police's questions. Angel threatened anyone that dared to spill a word.

"It was crazy party." Buffy shrugged, only half paying attention as Angel stroked her hair and kissed her forehead.

Angel injuries, minor and major, took a long time to heal but Buffy had a fun time playing nurse, she even bought one of this very revealing nurse costumes and it drove Angel insane everytime she whipped it out.

"At least everyone is okay, you all had some pretty close calls." Fred smiled, always looking to the positive. Fred and Gunn finally broke off their fling, both convinced that they had grown too far apart, too different. Gunn soon became his usual player self while Wesley finally took his chance with Fred, breaking it off with Lilah long ago.

"So, when can I come back to work, boss?" Buffy asked, the book store had been closed for several weeks now and the friendly store had many demands for a reopening. Wesley revealed his inner nerd as he admitted his excitement for new shipments coming in from his mother country.

"The store is going to open back up in a couple of days, you'll be the first one there." Wesley promised, wrapping his arm around his girlfriend.

"I gotta take a look at this store." Faith announced, feelling a bit left out. Book places were not her kind of thing but if it was okay for Buffy, why not for her?

"Uh, no, sorry bit." Spike denied her quickly.

"Excuse me?" Faith bit out sharply, turning to glare at him.

"Every hooker that walks into that store ends up quitting and becoming a nun, take our Buffy for example. I can't allow you to go with in five miles of that store." Spike explained as if it made complete sense. Which it didn't. Faith shrugged, fully content in keeping her high paying job, use them and loose them was her motto. As long as Spike kept showering her with the green, she would stay.

"That store didn't make me a nun, moron." Buffy chuckled, grabbing a pack of cigs out of Spike's hand. She took a stick out and went to light it but Angel snatched it from her, throwing it in a nearby ashtray.

Buffy glared at him but Angel just smiled. He had took up quitting, no need to ease his anxiety with Riley gone. He didn't want Buffy affected by those cancer sticks, especially since he wanted many children with her in the future.

Buffy just snuggled into his chest, inhaling his wonderful scent. She had tried to think about where she would be if Riley had completed his mission of getting rid of Angel. She knew that she wouldn't have lasted more than a week if Angel was buried six feet under. The blonde shook her head and rid herself of the morbid thoughts.

"As much as Cordelia was...well, a murderer, I miss her. My apartment is completely empty and lonely. And still filled with way too many feminine products." Doyle spoke up.

"I'll come keep you company." Faith spoke up, breaking away from Spike, her eyes wide with hopes of another client.

"Don't even think about it, Doyle." Spike snapped, strangely possessive of the brunette.

Buffy's hand slipped under Angel's shirt, her fingers finding the rough patch of skin that she loved to nurse. His bullet wound. She felt extremely guilty, always trying to make up for what she has caused in his life by raining it with kisses or absently soothing it with her fingers.

Several days after Riley was killed, she was forced to go to a therapist. She was emotionally disturbed, angry and violent. Her and Angel's fights have escalated right after the whole event.

Buffy was furious at Angel for making her go see a shrink, doing stupid things like blaming him for what Riley said and did to her. In anger, she had let it slip about Riley forcefully coming on to her in the elevator, she cried as she screamed at him. She yelled herself hoarse on how much she hated him for making her do all these things, for loving him.

She had started the whole thing but Angel wouldn't become a scapegoat for her misplaced anger. He had screamed back at her, blaming her for him almost dying. He had gone low enough to call her a murderer, knowing full well how she had nightmares about shooting Riley frequently. He accused her of cheating on him, his fear of her still being a whore behind his back amplified as she left in the middle of night. Buffy didn't return until four days later. Angel still didn't know where she had gone and what she had did, but he had just embraced her, crying against her hair when she returned with tearful but hollow eyes. They moved in together a couple of days later.

As hard as it was getting through that first week, the shrink seemed to pay off. His name was Rupert Giles and Buffy found herself spilling everything to him. How much she loved Angel, about her prostitution days, how much she hated Angel for almost getting himself killed for her. He never judged, merely nodded and gave some fatherly advice. He even invited Angel to come to one of the sessions or even start some of his own but Angel refused.

Angel felt his skin burning and longing for more where her fingers grazed his skin under his shirt.

"Uh, it's getting pretty late, you guys better get going." Angel said hurriedly, the need to be closer to Buffy overcoming him.

"Angel, it's only noon." Doyle looked confused.

"Come on, mick, they want to fuck. So do I, for that matter, so lets get the hell out of here." Spike said grabbing Faith and pulling her out the door. Doyle blushed and the rest followed in suit.

Angel immediately pulled Buffy underneath him, his lips latching on to her soft neck. He loved to bury his face against her baby soft skin, it was his permeant sleeping place.

"Angel!" Buffy laughed, her fingers thread in his thick chocolate hair as she smiled at his administrations. He sucked and nibbled on any skin that his mouth could reach.

"You know we can't," Buffy sighed, closing her eyes and turning her head to the side, inviting him to more.

"I have to go meet Giles in a half an hour." Buffy giggled as Angel's hands slipped under her shirt, tickling her sides.

"Don't care." Angel muttered, too busy in her body. He unbuttoned her shirt slowly, kissing and licking every piece of flesh that was opened to his view. Buffy sighed in happiness, his touch was enough to make her feel like she was flying towards heaven.

Impatient, Buffy tore away from him, Angel let out a whimper of protest as his journey through the valley of her breasts was abruptly halted. Buffy ripped open his shirt, riding herself of her pants in a blink of an eye. Angel's were next.

As they made love, Buffy couldn't help but feel that everything that they had gone through, her murdering Riley, Angel dying, it was all worth it for these moments. She was glad that her days of selling herself were over and Buffy couldn't for the life of her figure out how she could taint herself with other men. Angel was the one for her and she belonged completely to him.

Buffy clutched him tightly, yelling his name as she came, Angel was panting harshly against her ear as he followed her, spilling his seed inside of her.

"I love you, no matter what happens or what I did. I love you." He breathed harshly.

"I love you." Buffy whispered back.

Send feedback to Ashlee

Back to the Fanfiction Archive