Spike crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head again. The man who had been trying to coax him out of his clothes for almost thirty minutes, threw his hands in the air and turned to Professor Walsh. “You deal with him.”

“Would you please just do as you are asked?” Walsh eyed the vampire critically, sitting her clipboard on a table.

“No. If you wanted me to behave then you shouldn’t have told me what you plan on doing to me.” He replied, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Maggie took several steps forward and stopped a few feet away from Spike. “The sooner you get this over with, the quicker you can go back to your room.”

“Well, there’s incentive. I get to go back to a four by six cell and sit there until you decide to do this again? It’s a nice offer, but I’ll pass.” Spike stuck out his chin and remained planted in one spot.

“You are trying my patience. Now, take off those clothes and get in the tub!”

“You’ll have to kill me first.” He declared, moving his hands away from his chest and pointing at the spot above his heart. “There, just stick wood through it. Better yet, give me some wood and let me do it myself.”

“Tempting, but no.” With a sigh, Maggie pulled a chair away from a desk in the corner and sat down. She glanced at the vampire and shrugged. “I have all day.”

Spike nodded and flopped on a stool beside the desk. “So do I and let’s think about it. You’re sitting here because you want to stick a probe up my ass and I’m sitting here because I don’t. Now, who do you think has less to lose and will give in first?”

“It will be painless.”

Spike narrowed his eyes. “Then you go first.”

“Look, we need to get a sample of your skin, take your temperature and check you out. That’s why you’re here.”

“That’s why I’m here? I’m saying no, so let me go.”

“We need these tests on you. It’s imperative.”

“Okay, scrape a piece of skin off my arm, stick a thermometer under my tongue, leave my ass alone and I’ll let you check me out.”

“You don’t understand. Our equipment is designed to-“

“Get broken.” Spike interrupted. “I will tear up everything in sight if you even attempt to get me out of my pants.”

“You still have to be sanitized. You’ll have to undress for that.”

“Lady, my dick hasn’t seen action in weeks. I can assure you, it’s clean.”

Maggie lifted her clipboard and skimmed over the Hostile’s file, taking into consideration the amount of time he had remaining. “How about we make a deal? You get into the cleaner, let them scrub you down and we’ll skip the anal probe and take samples the old fashioned way.”

“How do I know you’re being serious?” He looked skeptical and pulled his jacket further around his body.

Maggie held her hand out and said, “We’ll shake on it. I’m good at keeping my word. And, if you don’t take me up on it this way, I’ll just let the agents force you when they get back from their mission. I’ve got some guys here who take great pleasure in playing with the anal probe.”

Spike tried to look as deadly as possible as he extended his hand. “I want my clothes back, lady.”

Smiling, Walsh stood and pointed at a changing screen in one corner of the room. “Leave them back there and we’ll wash them. You’ll find a robe hanging up. Put it on and come back out here and Dr. Stein will oversee your bath.”

“What, you aren’t going to scrub my back for me?” He asked, still slumped on the stool and staring up at her. It was devastating to be at the disposal of these people and even worse that he was unable to fight back with force. Even being stubborn didn’t get him the results he wanted and that was a hard pill to swallow when you were used to being on top of the game.

“Sorry, I have things to do. Now, behave yourself and don’t make me have to come in here again.” Maggie smiled at the vampire and motioned at Dr. Stein. “See to it that no tests are done on him until I am present.”

“Yes, ma’am.” The doctor replied, watching as Spike moved behind the screen. He lowered his voice and said, “Are we really skipping the probe?”

Glancing at the screen, she nodded. There was something about this one, something she couldn’t place, and a part of her wanted to reach out and hug him instead of test him. He was different, the only way she could find out why would be to earn his trust, and there wasn’t much time. “We’ll be doing it all the old fashioned way.”

“Mind if I ask why?”

“Mind if I remind you that it’s not your place to question me?”

<><><><><><><><><><>

There were stacks of folders on top of desks and shelves all around the room. Some were blue, some were red and some were green. Riley quickly explained that the blue ones were for the Hostiles in captivity and the observations during tests. The red ones were for the Hostiles that had no implants yet and the green ones were for field reports. The green ones were the only ones they would actually use since they were ‘agents’ and not ‘Techs’. He opened a green one and showed her the questions that she would be required to answer and let her know that he would be doing all the paperwork for this mission, but at least she would know the difference.

Forest fished a thick book out of a file cabinet and handed it to her, telling her to take it home with her and study it since it contained the ‘proper’ ways to write a report. She flipped through it and sighed, causing Forest to laugh a little and go off on a tangent about writing being evil and how Riley actually enjoyed it. Threats were made and Buffy found herself giggling like crazy several times, completely relaxed around both boys.

She yawned as Riley put the finishing touches on the field report. He glanced at her and she clapped a hand over her mouth. “Sorry.”

“S’ok.” He smiled and closed the binder before he passed it to Forest, who opened it for review. “Buffy, would you like to go ahead and go home? I think that’s pretty much it for this mission.”

“I’m fine and if you feel like showing me around some more, I’d appreciate it. I don’t like not knowing where everything is.”

“I’d love to.” Riley glanced at his watch and then stood and extended a hand toward her. “Forest, think you can cover the rest?”

“I think I can handle it.” Forest put his hand on Buffy’s arm as she started to follow Riley and added, “Buffy, what you did out there tonight was amazing. I’m glad you’re on our team.”

“Thank you.” Buffy’s smile was wide as they left the room and Riley pointed toward the left.

“Over here we have the holding pens. When we tag a demon, we bring them here, usually unconscious, and they stay in lock down for seven days.” He nodded and led her down a brightly-lit corridor with glass walls. “And please, feel free to ask me questions. I like that you’re interested.”

“Why seven days?” She asked immediately, taking him up on his offer. The more she learned, the better it would be when it came time to move through the cracks and rescue Spike.

“For seven days, we pump antibiotics and disinfectant through the air in there.” He paused and pointed at an empty room. Buffy started to press her hands against the glass and he grabbed her. “It looks like glass, but it’s not. A military shield was invented during the Gulf War. No one knows it exists. Don’t ever, ever touch it.”

“Why?” Buffy backed away fast, staring up and down the length of the clear substance.

Riley chewed his lip for a second and then moved toward a demon that was pacing behind the glass. He lifted a bucket next to the security pass and the demon threw itself at the glass; causing it to light up with blue electricity and blow the demon backwards. “That’s why.”

“Okay.” She gasped as she took it all in: the padded rooms, the extra security, the demons stalking back and forth. It was mind boggling to think that this all existed for years and she never knew. “How many rooms are there?”

“In this level there are three hundred. Up there,” he pointed up at the platform that Buffy had used to escape, “we have over one hundred different rooms and cells, not to mention some other testing facilities, the infirmary and the mess hall.”

“I didn’t realize how big it was.” Buffy scanned the different cells, aching to catch a glimpse of Spike. By the time they reached the end of the hallway, her heart felt like it was pounding in her ears. "So what exactly do you do to them once you catch them?”

“Well, after the seven days, we get them out and put a special device in their brain.”

“Why?”

“Hmm.” Riley scratched the side of his face and thought for several seconds, wanting to avoid the boring medical diagnosis. “Have you seen the South Park movie?”

“Sure.”

“Well, you know how Cartman gets the thing in his head that shocks him everytime he swears?” He waited for her to nod and when she did, he shrugged. “There you go.”

“You shock them when they cuss?” She shook her head and laughed a little.

“No. It shocks them if they try to harm any living creature. It literally sends a powerful jolt straight through the nervous system and causes excruciating pain. They can feed on other demons, even kill them, but not people.”

Buffy digested that. No one had even thought of letting Spike feed on other vampires. If she had known that, she would have brought him along on patrol and put him to work. “What’s the point though? Why not kill them and be done with it?”

“Why should we have to kill them? If we can implant enough of them, and perfect the device, then they’ll kill each other and stop feeding on people all together. The best demons would be at the top of the food chain and the others would be extinct. Do you know how easy it would be to kill the remaining breed?”

“So, the Initiative wants to mess with the food chain and change the menus?”

“Exactly. We want to get people off the entrée list and get enough demons out there who are demon killers themselves.” He paused in front of a large window and pointed inside.

Buffy craned her neck and saw a vampire laid out on his stomach with his head hanging off the side of gurney. Several doctors were working on him and one was using a long metal pole to poke something near his ear. “Implanting?”

“How’d you guess?” He grinned and pointed at the sign above the door that read, ‘Implanting Room 3’.

“You said if you could ‘perfect the device’. What’s wrong with it?” She turned away from the window and watched Riley closely, trying to make sure he told her the truth.

“The life expectancy of the implant is short and the Hostile has to be kept within a ten mile radius of our main signal. If he gets out of the range, it kills him.”

“How does it kill him?”

“Well,” Riley pointed at the vampire on the other side of the glass again. “take a vampire for instance. When the human body dies and the demon takes over, the brain remains active. It can remember it’s life before the change, it can remember small details, everything. Walsh has a theory that the changing actually slows the body down so much that the brain doesn’t die at all, it’s like being cryogenically frozen. The implant, when it wears down, has a backup device that kills the brain completely. Even an immortal demon will die if the brain doesn’t function, it’s like beheading.”

“Is it instant?” Buffy chewed her lower lip, forcing herself not to run screaming through the complex and demand to see Spike.

“Sadly, no. The vampire begins to weaken as the date draws near and we can’t pinpoint why. They don’t eat, they don’t function and some become aggressive to the point that we have to stake them.”

“Has anyone ever removed one?”

“Yes. We did that several times and the demon, upon being freed, was about thirty times worse than an average vampire. The implants apparently damage a part of the brain and the vampire becomes unable to return to a human visage and stays in demonic form for good.”

“Wow.” She mumbled, unable to coherently say anything else. This wasn’t what she had hoped for. She had wanted to stop the implant from killing Spike, but leave it there, so he couldn’t hurt anyone. If this was true, then the only option to keep him alive would be to remove it and let him go back to being what he was. Only worse. Or put a new implant in, but who knew how long he could survive with someone constantly messing with his head?

“Let me show you the labs down here and find you a map. We might have to save the upstairs for later because I have to run some errands today at noon.”

“That’s fi-.” Buffy checked her wrist for her watch and realized it wasn’t there. “Oh my god! What time is it?”

Riley pulled out a stopwatch and said. “Almost ten a.m.”

“My mother is going to kill me!” Buffy turned back the way they had come in, hurrying down the corridor of cells. “I don’t have a license, you know, I told you that. I took her car and didn’t even leave her a note.”

“You want to call her?”

She shook her head. There was always a chance that the telephones were tapped around the facility and there was no telling what her mother would blurt out. “No, thanks. It’s going to be much better for me to see her in person.”

“We’ll cut through the back and get to Walsh’s office faster so you can change. Come on.” He grabbed her hand again, anxious to touch her as much as possible, and led her down several hallways.

Buffy could see the familiar row of offices in the distance and was about to thank him when a side door opened and Walsh stepped out. “Oh, Buffy! I hear that you are to be commended for a job well done tonight. Everyone’s talking about it.”

“You should have been there.” Riley beamed, brushing his thumb over the back of Buffy’s hand. “She scared me to death, but it was unbelievable.”

Buffy shrugged a little and waved her hand, dismissing the praise. “Just another day at the office for me. I’m glad that I’m not out there alone anymore.”

“What’s going on with him?” Riley asked, nodding over their heads at the blond Hostile who was having the back of his gown tied.

“Oh, we’re moving him back to his room. His tests are finished.” Walsh stepped aside and an agent stepped through the door, followed by Spike.

Spike glanced at the people in the hallway with indifference; then it dawned on him what he was seeing. He jerked his head up again and his eyes widened. “Buffy!” He stepped toward her fast, rapidly speaking. “What are you here to-?”

“Don’t you touch her.” Riley moved fast, shoving him away and causing him to hit the wall hard. Spike lost his footing, weak from stale blood and no exercise, and slumped to the floor.

Buffy positioned herself between them, painfully aware that all eyes were on her and her every move was being scrutinized. She waited for Spike to stand upright, trying to assess his condition. As soon as he was on his feet she drew in a deep breath and leveled him with a glare, hating herself for what she would have to do. “Spike, I see they haven’t staked you yet. You’re lucky that I’m not the one watching you.”

Spike searched her face and then let his gaze wander over her clothing. He took in the belt she was wearing and all the small pouches dangling from it. He slowly stared over the open vest and the green T-shirt underneath, then moved lower, drinking in the baggy camouflage pants that were tucked into her boots. “I’ll be damned.”

“You already are.” She replied, smiling cruelly at him.

Spike’s eyes met hers and held, searching for something, anything, to indicate that she was still on his side. He wasn’t a fool, he knew that if she was pretending to be on their side she would have to be cruel to him, but he needed some kind of sign. When she didn’t let a single emotion flicker across her face, he said, “Then you’ll be damned right along side me in this hell hole.”

Riley shook his head and pulled Buffy’s hand into his. “Let’s just go. You can get changed and go home and rest. After last night, I’m sure you need it.”

Spike locked his gaze on their entwined fingers and saw red. “After last night? What are you doing now, Slayer? Whoring yourself down here since you’ ve exhausted the college campus?”

Buffy felt a rush of blood go straight to her face and she did the only thing she could think of. Swinging hard, her fist connected with the side of his face and he fell back into the arms of the doctors, who gripped him hard, not letting him get near her. Riley caught her around the waist, lifting her off the ground and carried her down the hall.

Spike pulled free and rubbed his jaw. Walsh watched Riley disappear around the corner and then gave Spike her full attention. “You knew she was the Slayer?”

He shrugged in response and licked the trickle of blood on his lip. “We go way back.”

“How far?”

“Not as far as she went with that fucking soldier boy apparently, but far enough to despise her.” Spike watched the woman stalk down the hallway and growled when he was gripped and led back toward his cell again. There were two things he knew for certain: Buffy had done exactly what he had feared she would do when she came back and he wasn’t going to take it lying down. No matter what her intentions were … fucking around with one of the people who put him there was never on the agenda.

As soon as he was shoved into his cell, he turned toward the wall so no one would see how much pain he was truly in.

<><><><><><><><><><><>

Riley was sitting on the edge of her desk when Maggie opened the door. She glanced around the room, figuring Buffy was changing in her bathroom, and said, “Leave us alone, Riley.”

“Permission to destroy Hostile Seventeen requested.” He said angrily, grinding his teeth back and forth.

“Denied.”

He looked ready to put up an argument and then stood, walking out the door and closing it behind him. Maggie waited for several seconds before she crossed the room and tapped lightly on the door. “Agent Summers, I’d like to speak with you.”

“Just a second.” Buffy splashed water on her face and dried off with a few paper towels. Seeing Spike had affected her in ways she hadn’t been prepared for. She despised herself for hitting him and hated the fact that everyone had seen what happened. She changed her clothes quickly and pulled in a deep breath, fully expecting Walsh to tell her she was fired. Opening the door, she stepped out, glanced around for Riley and was relieved when she didn’t see him.

“Agent Summers, what exactly is your relationship with Hostile Seventeen?” Maggie shoved a chair away from her desk and pointed at it. “Sit.”

Buffy complied and watched the woman take a seat opposite her. “I’ve known him for a while. I was in High School and he came to town, trying to kill me and making trouble.”

“You told us that you were kissing him because you were trying to get information out of him.”

Licking her lips, Buffy nodded, allowing the lies to flow like wine. “Spike’ s like that. A few months ago, we teamed up against this demon thing and he told me how to kill it. He knows stuff and I needed someone who was in the know. I string him along and he thinks that I’ll sleep with him one day and if I appease him with kisses, he tells me. He’s a narc.”

“Is that right?” Walsh wasn’t convinced. “Why would a vampire help you?”

“I swear it. He’s not like other vampires. Even before he got the chip, he was different. I mean, he’s a killer, but he’s not stupid. That demon was going to destroy the world and he knew that.”

“And what did you have to give him in return for his help.”

Buffy thought fast and then pointed at the scar on her neck. “Slayer blood. It’s like a drug for a vampire. Or so I hear.”

“You allowed him to feed off of you?” Maggie looked stunned. “And he let you live?”

“We had a deal. Spike’s going to look out for his ass no matter what the cost. That’s how he is.”

“It’s been my experience that you can’t make deals with demons.”

“And I’m living proof that you can.” Buffy raised her eyebrow and then stifled a yawn with the palm of her hand.

“You’re exhausted. You go home and sleep for a while. We’ll need you back here by ten tonight for patrol.” Professor Walsh stood again and pulled Hostile Seventeen’s file from her desk. “Maybe then, I’ll have the results back on Spike and we can figure out why he’s so … unique.”

Maggie watched the girl leave and leaned forward, resting her chin on her clasped hands. She was convinced that Buffy was hiding something and she meant to find out what. Until then, the girl would stay and aid the Agents as if nothing was amiss.

And like it or not, the Slayer would help her uncover the mystery of Spike.

Because he could very well be the one that got away.

Years ago.

Buffy sipped her latte and tried to think of something to say. Sitting alone with Riley, with nothing demonic to discuss, was uncomfortable. He smiled at her and sipped his own drink, obviously thinking the same thing. When he glanced out over the crowd, she let her gaze wander over his appearance. He had on a dark blue shirt that was opened at the top and black jeans. His hair hung across his forehead, making him seem almost boyish, which contrasted with his masculine chest and arms. Finally, she leaned closer and said, “So, how did we get the night off?”

“No clue.” He smiled and sat his cup down, tentatively brushing the back of Buffy’s hand with his. “I guess Walsh is proud of us. Or you, to be more exact.”

“I take it that this is rare?” She glanced at their hands and then back up at him, wondering how his fingers stayed so soft considering his profession.

“Very rare.” The music got a little louder as a faster song started and he stood, scooting his chair closer to Buffy’s. “I’d ask you to dance, but I have two left feet and I’m afraid one of us would get hurt.”

“You can’t dance?” She asked, staring at him in shock.

“Well, I’m sure I could learn. Do you foresee teaching me anytime soon?” He brushed a lock of hair away from her shoulder and stared at her closely, drinking in the smooth planes of her peaches and cream complexion. In all of his twenty-one years, he had never seen anyone as beautiful as Buffy.

“I’m sure I could.” She replied, ignoring the cold chills that shot down her back as his thumb brushed her neck. It was ridiculous to be reacting to his touch, especially after the day she’d had. “Next slow song and you’re mine.”

“Just for that dance or for a few dances?” He asked coyly. “Some songs can play for days. Months even. I have a repeat function on my CD player if that helps.”

“I’d say quite a few songs.” Shifting in her seat, she hid her discomfort with a smile. Was he asking her for a long term commitment? She was about to say something more when she saw a familiar face. Her smile faded and she tensed as Parker sat down at a table next to theirs with a girl who looked fifteen.

“What’s wrong?” Riley glanced at her and then followed her gaze.

“Nothing, I just-“

“Parker Abrams really has quite an effect on you.” Riley sat up straighter and lifted his cup again, agitated. If only she realized how many hours he had agonized over the fact that she had wasted her time on Parker.

Buffy put her hand out and laid it on his arm. “I’m sorry. We just had a really bad … thing … and it was handled poorly. It’s just-”

“I’m not asking.” Riley sat further back into his chair and stared at Parker, who waved at him innocently. He made a show of leering at Buffy, flicking his tongue out over his sneering lips, and Riley looked away. “Look, do you want to leave?”

“No.” Buffy pointed at the dance floor and said, “Slow song.”

Nodding absently, Riley stood and pulled her chair out, then led her into the crowd of dancers. “I’m warning you, I’ve got as much rhythm as a deaf monkey.”

“I hear that there’s an entire conga line made up of deaf monkeys somewhere overseas. They dance and play.” She grinned up at him, relieved when he chuckled a little, and took his hands. Riley stepped on her toe immediately and she raised an eyebrow. “You really weren’t lying, Riley.”

“I’m a deadly weapon.” He replied, blushing a deep shade of red.

Forest moved closer, clutching Willow around the waist and said, “I don’t believe it, Buffy. You got him on the dance floor? I hope this place is insured.”

“Shut up.” Riley said, chuffing him on the back of the head.

“Buffy, are you insured at least?” Forest asked seriously. “I can call my dad, he sells it.”

Buffy laughed and then contained the giggles when Riley narrowed his eyes at her playfully, accidentally squashing her foot again. “You’re not teaching me very well, Buffy.“

“Go away, while I still have limbs.” Buffy told Forest and Willow, then smiled up at Riley. “Just don’t think about your feet.”

“Okay, can I ask you something?”

“Sure.” She glanced downward, carefully judging the best way to avoid his feet, which was easy since he had the same pattern repeatedly. Once she mastered it, she looked back up at him.

“Why do you let him get to you?” He nodded his head a little, indicating Parker’s table without looking that way.

“I-I don’t.”

“Don’t tell me that you don’t. I was just there with you, you know? He enjoys the fact that he bothers you.”

She lowered her eyes and then took a deep breath, searching for words. She was saved when the music was cut short and the Bronze manager walked onstage to introduce Bif Naked. Buffy clapped unenthusiastically and stepped back into Riley’s arms as they began to play a slow song. She recognized it immediately and groaned. It was the song that she and Parker had danced to and she didn’t want to go there. “Can we sit this one out?”

Riley started to nod when Parker stepped in behind Buffy and laid a hand on her shoulder. His eyes trailed a path up her bare back and then he glared at Riley over her head. “Hello, Buffy. My god, you look stunning.”

Buffy turned slowly and stared up at him. “Parker.”

“I thought I’d ask you to dance since your partner can’t.” He stared at Riley briefly, then looked back at Buffy. “And this is our song, isn’t it?”

“We don’t have a song.” Buffy replied quickly and started to walk past him.

Parker grabbed her elbow and spun her to face him. “Did you know that Finn here is only interested in you because I told him that you were good in the sack?” Buffy gasped and paled and he grinned at her. “What? You’re upset with me? Don’t be. He asked me, I didn’t volunteer it.”

Riley shoved him away from Buffy, ready to break his face, and then Forest was there, pushing him away and telling him to calm down. Parker smiled at Buffy and chucked her under the chin. “Don’t worry, he’s desperate enough that he might hang around afterwards.”

Buffy balled her fist and swung. Realizing what she was doing halfway through the punch, she pulled out and a limp slap landed across his cheek. He laughed, blew her a kiss, and re-joined his date. Red-faced, Buffy grabbed her coat off the back of a chair and snatched up her bag. Riley, still being held off by Forest, saw her, pulled free, and met her almost to the door. "Where are you going?”

“Home.” She shoved her arms through her sleeves and tossed her bag over her shoulder angrily.

“Buffy, don’t do this.” Riley pulled her into a corner, pleading with her to hear him out. “I didn’t ask you out because of what Parker said, okay?”

“God! Then he did tell you? You knew?” Buffy covered her face for a second and then slumped back against the wall, humiliated.

“Yes, he told me and I punched him in the face about three seconds later and that’s why he’s mad enough to do something like this.” Riley put his hands on either side of her, bracing himself against the wall and staring down at her. “I swear it, Buffy. That’s what this is all about and I wasn’t looking to get you in bed.”

“You punched him?”

“Ask Forest and Graham. They were both there. He said some really bad things about you and I couldn’t let it slide.”

She gazed up at him and swallowed hard, feeling a tingle slide through her body at his admission. He had decked someone for her and she didn’t know how to react to that. Telling him thank you would be appalling, so she told herself he was lying instead. “I have to go.”

“No. No, you don’t.” Riley caught her again and lowered his hands to her waist. “Please don’t. I want to enjoy this concert with you and I want to have a good time. I can’t do that if you leave.”

Forest and Willow approached them slowly and Forest stared at Buffy. “Are you okay?”

“Fine.” She replied tersely, staring at a spot on the floor of the Bronze and wishing she could open a vortex there to vanish into.

Forest nodded back toward Parker. “I don’t think he’s gotten over you knocking his lights out, Rye.”

“You hit him?” Willow asked, her features showing her delight.

“Hit him?” Forest laughed and shook his head. “Riley knocked him over a table and into the floor. All because he said some not so nice things about our favorite Buffy.”

Buffy gasped a little. So Riley really had punched him? Willow put an arm around Buffy’s shoulder and took her bag, handing it to Riley. “You aren’t going anywhere. That would just make Parker think he won. Let’s go to the restroom and you can freshen up and forget about it.”

Willow tugged her along behind her and Buffy followed dumbly, trying to sort out what she was feeling. As soon as they were inside the brightly lit bathroom, Willow pulled out her purse and handed Buffy a compact and lipgloss. “Buffy, you almost went off on Parker. You could have hurt him.”

“I know.” She patted some powder onto her nose and then smoothed a coral colored gloss over her lips. “Riley hit him.”

“Buffy, I never told you this, but Riley came to our room right after I found out about Oz and Veruca and he asked me about you. He said he wanted to know what you liked and stuff because he’d never ‘courted’ anyone like you.”

“Courted?” Buffy capped the gloss and accepted the blusher, even though her face was still red enough. “No one says that anymore.”

“That’s why I got a little pissed about you using him. Forest told me awhile ago that Riley changed his clothes three times when you agreed to go out with him and that you’re all he talks about.”

Buffy slammed the lid on the blusher and shoved it back toward Willow. “Well, thank you for complicating things even more for me. What about Spike?”

“What about him?” Willow dropped it into her purse and crossed her arms. “He ’s a vampire, Buffy. I don’t know why you’re so interested in saving him or what you plan on doing if you do, but don’t forget what he is. And don’t forget that Riley has a real, live, beating heart that you can crush in a second. You've been on the receiving end of that, Buffy, and you know how it feels.”

Buffy watched her friend slip into an empty stall and leaned against the sink. Yes, Spike was a vampire and yes, she wanted him more than she had ever wanted anyone in her life. It was getting complicated though. In order to save him, she would have to let everyone, even her closest confidantes, think that she was only interested in his well being. Not his being with her.

A toilet flushed and Willow stepped out. Buffy moved aside and watched her wash her hands, then grinned slyly. “So, what are we thinking about Forest?”

“Wow.” Willow blushed a little and applied some lipgloss to her own lips. “Wow.”

“That’s what I thought.”

__

Parker was on the dancefloor when Buffy left the bathroom and he wriggled his bushy eyebrows at her. She rolled her eyes and started back toward her table. Riley put his hand on hers from behind and she looked up at him. “What are you doing over here?”

“I saw him and figured he would give you a hard time if you were alone.” He replied, looking worried and unsure of his movements.

“Thank you.” Buffy slipped her coat off and hung it over her arm. “Think we still have a table?”

“Yeah.” He led her past the stage and they sat down, briefly watching the dark haired girl behind the microphone growl out beautiful lyrics. “They’re good.”

“I love their C.D.” Buffy sat her coat on top of her bag, which was in a chair next to her, then leaned her head over against Riley’s shoulder. “Do you forgive me?”

“Forgive you for what?” He asked, taking one of her hands in his and bringing it to his mouth.

“He hurt me. Bad. Worse than I’ve been hurt in a long time and that’s why he affects me and that’s why I react.” She sat up and turned to face him completely. “I’m sorry that I got so upset with you and I don’t think that you asked me out because of what he told you.”

Smiling, Riley ran his fingers over her cheek and then pressed his lips against hers. It was brief, almost chaste, and he sat back up. “For what it’ s worth, I think he’s going to be hurt just as bad.”

“What? No, Riley, you can’t-“

“Shh, not me.” Riley grinned at her and then pointed toward the dancefloor. “His date is sixteen and her brother is a friend of mine. As soon as I tell him that Mr. Abrams was all over his sister, he’ll suffer. Greatly.”

“Oh, that’s bad.”

“I’ll make sure it happens when you can see.”

“Oh, that’s good.”

Riley hugged her, closing his eyes and sighing happily into her hair. Nothing, absolutely nothing on the face of the earth, could possibly feel better than she did. Whether she meant to or not, she had tripped him and he had fallen straight into something that had to be love.

__

Anya moved her hips in a circle in front of Xander’s, grinding against his pelvic bone as he gripped her waist and moved with her. It was erotic, filling her senses with untapped desire. She had never imagined that dancing this way could be so stimulating. She let her hands trail down his chest, rubbing over his nipples and causing him to groan.

Smiling, Anya whispered, “Is your cock hard again?”

“It is.” He replied honestly, even though he didn't know how he managed to get hard again so fast. They had just had sex in the back alley fifteen minutes before that.

“Are you thinking about choking your chicken?” She licked her lips, pulling her tongue along the edges slowly, deliberately.

“That’s actually not what I’m thinking.” He replied, watching helplessly as she forced his erection to swell even tighter, just by moistening her lips.

“Are you thinking about my clit and carpet munching?”

“Among other things.” He caught her mouth in his and kissed her slowly, then pulled back and nodded toward Willow and her partner. “Let’s go see if she can get a ride home.”

Anya nodded and winked at him. For the entire day, he had been attentive and loving toward her and that was wonderful. She stood next to Xander as he tapped Willow’s shoulder. “Hey Willow.”

“Oh hi!” Willow turned and said, “Xander, Anya, I’d like for you to meet Forest, Forest, this is Xander and that’s Anya.”

Forest held out his hand and shook Xander’s firmly, causing the boy to go up on his toes for a second. “Owww, broken bones.”

Looking apologetic, Forest said, “Sorry, man, my dad was a stickler for a firm handshake.”

“I like firm things.” Anya announced, holding out her hand to Forest. They shook and she grinned. “Nice.”

Xander had shoved his aching hand into his pocket and then turned when Buffy tapped him. “Oh, hey Buffy, glad you made it.”

“Xander, Anya, this is Riley.” She nodded at Riley and finished the introductions.

Riley held his hand out to Xander and he whimpered slightly, pulling it from his pocket. Riley’s grip was just as firm and he smiled helplessly, “Nice to meet you, man.”

“Likewise.” Riley smiled and shook Anya’s as well, surprised at how tightly she gripped his hand. “Did you guys enjoy the concert?”

“Yeah, it was great.” Anya nodded, glancing up at the empty stage. “DJ’s are okay, but I like a real band.”

“Me too.” Riley nodded in agreement and held Buffy’s bag while she slipped her coat on. “I think we’re going to go for coffee. Is anyone interested?”

“Thanks, man, but I need to get home.” Xander shrugged a little and turned his attention toward Willow. “Do you need a ride, Will?”

Willow paused for a second and then glanced at Forest, who grinned at her. “I’ll drive you home. How does coffee sound to you?”

“Sounds great.” Willow blushed a little and looked back at the floor.

“How about you, Anya?” Riley draped his arms around Buffy’s shoulder and shook his head when she reached for her bag. “I’ll carry it.”

Anya considered the offer and shook her head. “Normally, I would say yes to the coffee drinking ritual that young people seem to be so fond of. However, my cunt is wet and I’m about to cream my jeans, so I’m going to go with Xander and make him cum with me.”

Riley’s smile faltered and he reddened slightly, “Okay then.”

Buffy was shaking all over with silent laughter and Willow leaned against her for support, giggling like mad. Forest stared at the girl in shock and then looked at Riley with raised eyebrows. Xander held up a hand and said, “I can explain this. See, she's-no-we-no-.”

Willow, still laughing, motioned for them to leave. “No, please, just go. Have fun.”

“Coming is fun.” Said Anya, wondering what joke she missed.

“Going is better.” Buffy had collected herself, but she knew she could collapse into hysterics again if she had to keep looking at Xander’s shocked face.

“Anya, are you ever going to get past part ‘C’ of the slang dictionary?” Xander asked, leading her away and wishing he could drop off the face of the planet.

“I’ve been reading part ‘D’, Xander.” She announced loudly. “And I have a few questions. Where can I buy a dildo and why haven’t I already gotten one?”

Several people tittered and Xander’s dick was not only soft, he figured it had withdrawn into it's shell for good. Embarrassment just did not factor into what he considered foreplay.

__

Almost an hour and several cups of decaffeinated coffee later, Riley pulled up to the curb in front of Buffy’s house. He sat with her for several seconds, and then leaned across the seat, staring at her intently. “Did I remember to tell you that I like your hair curly like this?”

“No.” Buffy replied, staring anywhere but his face.

“Buffy, I like your hair curly like this.” He said seriously, then broke into a huge grin.

“Thank you.”

“I think Forest really likes Willow. When you two had gone to freshen up, he asked me all sorts of things about her.”

“I’m glad.”

“And I think that I really like you.”

“Then I’m extra glad.” Buffy unbuckled her seatbelt and slid closer, kissing him softly on the lips. He slid his hand up her back and settled it at the nape of her neck, deepening the kiss. The same familiar current passed through her and she pulled back, allowing guilt to replace the delicate tingling.

Riley traced the curve of her jaw and said, “I guess it’s time to say goodnight. We’ll be meeting at ten am for a debriefing. Do you need me to call you and wake you up?”

“That would be nice.”

“Come on.” He nodded at his side of the car and opened the door, pulling her across the seat and out with him.

“You don’t have to walk me to the door.” She said, grinning.

“Well, I want to.” He took her hand and stopped walking when she stepped up onto the porch. Handing her the bag, he stayed one step down and they were almost eye level.

“Thank you for a really nice time.” Buffy said sincerely. “And thank you for not being mad about the whole Par-“

“Don’t say his name.” Riley wrinkled his nose and then put his hands on her hips. “Thank you for not being mad about the whole jealousy thing.”

“Jealousy?” Buffy raised an eyebrow. “You were jealous?”

“Yeah, I confess. It makes me crazy to think of him having you and not cherishing that.”

“Aww.” She put her arms around him and hugged him, leaning against his neck. “You’re so sweet.” ~ And I’m the biggest bitch in the world for doing this. ~

“You are too.” He kissed her again, briefly- in case her mother was watching, and pulled away. “Sleep well.”

“You too.” Buffy watched him walk down the sidewalk and waved when he got into the car. He sat there, waiting for her to get inside safely and as soon as she shut the door, he pulled away.

She flipped the light on at the foot of the stairs and leaned her head back against the door. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. Damn him for being so sweet and normal and damn her for being just a girl who had always wanted that. She needed to refocus and get her priorities straight. It was all for Spike. Riley was a device, right?

Right?

“Did you have a good time?” Joyce asked, peeking around the corner.

“Mom! What are you doing up at two a.m.?” Buffy asked, still leaning back against the door.

“I had company.” Joyce stepped aside and someone stepped out beside her.

Someone with a long leather coat. Someone with dark hair that stood up at the top and eyes that could penetrate the hardest soul. Someone with the face of an angel. Buffy’s eyes widened, “What is he- what are you- why-?”

“Hello, Buffy. I heard you could use some help.”