Chapter 2 – Announcements
Riley listened to Buffy’s not so cheery voice on his answering machine.
“Umm… Hi Riley…when you get home, can you come by my dorm room. I need to talk to you.”
Riley picked up the machine and threw it against the wall.
“Fuck. I’d do anything to make sure it isn’t mine. Walsh is going to fucking kill me!”
“Well man, you don’t have to worry yet.”
Riley whipped his head around to see his Initiative buddy standing behind him.
“Forrest! What do you know?”
“I know your girl’s knocked up, and I know that Walsh won’t know because I was on duty to observe at the clinic and take a copy of the roster. Coincidentally, the roster accidentally met a bad fate tonight.”
“Oh man I owe you.”
Forrest placed his hand on Riley’s shoulder.
“Well it will buy you some time, until she starts to show.”
“I know. This is going to blow my career.”
“No it won’t. Not if you go with Walsh on the Special Ops mission in South America.”
“But I can’t leave Buffy to raise this baby on her own.”
“But it can’t be your baby dude.”
Riley froze in place. That only meant there could be only one other father, and even though it was a hostile, he was so hoping that was the case. He would be broken if his girl was cheating on him, and frankly the spell did not count to him. It also meant that he would be able to save his career and keep Buffy.
Forrest broke Riley out of his reverie.
“Dude, I’m sorry but that fetus was more than a month old.”
Forrest was confused at the look of relief on Riley’s face.
“Finn, dude you almost look happy that I’m telling you someone else knocked up your girl.”
“Forrest, it’s perfect. I wasn’t even with her then, so I can’t be mad at her. Plus I get to salvage my career.”
“Well, if you put it that way. I still think you should go on the special operations mission with Walsh, it will only confirm your dedication to the Initiative.”
“You're right. I’ll see her after I go see Buffy.”
Riley grabbed his coat, and left Forrest standing in his room. Forrest just shook his head and left Riley’s room.
~~~
Buffy was so grateful to have Willow as a best friend. She did not judge her, but after all, she could not. The very possibility that this baby could be Spike’s would assign a great deal of responsibility to Willow.
‘Nope. Not going to think that, definitely not the bleached wonders demon child in me.’
She heard a soft rapping on the door. Willow held her hand up, signaling Buffy to stay put. Willow walked up and opened the door for Riley.
“I’ll be at the library for an hour to study,” Willow informed them as she shut the door gently.
Riley could sense Buffy’s nervousness. It occurred to him then that she herself might not realize she had a demon spawn in her.
“Riley, I have to…”
He raised his finger to her lips gently, and let out a gently “shh.”
“You don’t have to say anything. Forrest was on surveillance tonight, and he already told me.”
Buffy stiffened up immediately. ‘How dare Forrest interfere? This is our baby, our business!’
Riley did not want to have the uncomfortable, ‘I don’t think I’m the daddy’ conversation with her. He took the cowards way out and opted for a different tale.
“I would have been here sooner, but Walsh got wind of it and called me to her office. She wasn’t happy at all”
Buffy finally summoned the courage to speak, “What did she say?”
“Buffy, I’m so sorry!” He truly was sorry, sorry he was about to lie to her.
“Why?”
“Walsh assigned me on to a mandatory special operations mission. I have to go on it. It will be for a few months.”
Buffy was not surprised the smug bitch would do that.
“Oh.”
“She wants to make sure I’m still committed to the cause.”
“How long will you be gone?”
Riley had to think hard about this. He did not want to be there when the baby was born, when she realized that the child did not belong to him. He did want to provide her with his support though, after she realized the truth.
“Eight Months. I’m sorry Buff, but I have to go.”
“When do you leave?”
“Tomorrow. 04:00 sharp.”
Riley reached up and brushed the tears from Buffy’s eyes.
“Don’t worry; Willow will be here to help you. I also have some funds sent aside to that I can transfer into your account to help you.”
He pulled her into his arms, tight against him. He wished that this baby was his, and then they could be a happy family. ‘If I wasn’t in the Initiative, then it would be perfect.’
He let her cry herself to sleep, and then laid her down on her bed. He placed a gentle kiss on her head. After he found some pen and paper on her bed, he left her a quick note.
Buffy – Sorry I could not stay the night, and we must part like this. You are a very strong woman, and I know you’ll make it through the rough months ahead. I’ll be thinking of you and will come back as soon as my time is up. ~ Riley
Riley quietly placed the note on the pillow next to her head. Without looking back, he shut the door behind him and made his way over to Maggie Walsh to volunteer for his new assignment.
~~~
Buffy woke up with a heavy heart. They all left her. Even Spike had left her when he found her back with Riley. If he stuck around long enough, he would have found that Riley abandoned her too.
She picked up the note that he left by her side. As she finished reading it, she could not stop the tears coming down her face.
‘Some Dear Jane letter this is. He didn’t even sign it with love. Bastard probably took the assignment Walsh gave him happily.’
She walked over to the mirror and frowned at her puffy, swollen eyes. It would be the last time she would allow herself to feel self-pity, for she had much more important things to deal with now.
I promise Spike next chappie!
Also no matter what may be going on there isn't going to be Biley. At most they will have a friendship. Just wanted to spare my awesome readers some angst as the story goes along!
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Hugs Opal