Willow climbed Lowell House’s stairs with trepidation. The building didn’t hold the same welcoming quality it did a few weeks ago during their frat party. Inhaling deeply to settle her nerves, Willow placed several soft knocks on the door.
She waited several beats before knocking once more. As her hand was poised, the door opened quickly, startling her. Standing just inside the partially opened door, was one of the commandos. His narrow, dark eyes fixed on her. They questioned her purpose there, without him saying a word. Awkwardness surrounded them, until Willow spoke.
“Um…hi, Forrest right? I’m looking for Riley. Is he home?”
“And you are?”
“Willow, we met last night, at the Bronze. I’m one of Buffy’s friends. That’s why I’m here—“Before she could finish her words, he interrupted brusquely.
“She’s not here.”
“She’s not?”
“No.”
The former Willow, in her shy, geeky stage would have fled from such a callous, harsh tone. Not now. With confidence, Willow pushed forward.
“Well, is Riley?”
“He’s indisposed at the moment.”
Willow’s brow rose slightly from his word choice…indisposed. ”What is he hiding?” Willow inwardly questioned. Needing to say more, she spoke.
“Okay, do you think you could give him a message? Could you let him know—“
The door closing cut off Willow’s words. She was stunned momentarily by Forrest’s rude behavior. Shaking her head, Willow turned and headed down the walkway, grumbling unkindly about Riley’s friend.
Halfway to the street, another gentler voice echoed from behind her. Turning, Willow noticed another one of Riley’s friends jogging down the walkway. He quickly caught up to her.
“Hey, you’re one of Buffy’s friends, right?”
“Yeah, I’m Willow. We met at the Bronze last night.”
“Graham…” He held out his hand. He shook hers briefly. Once introductions were completed, he continued. “Can I ask why you are here?”
“Well, I was looking for Buffy. Forrest, the helpful guy that he is, told me she wasn’t here and Riley was indisposed,” Willow groused as she used her fingers to make air quotes around her stressed word.
“Sorry about Forrest, he’s a tad grumpy lately. He lost a project that he worked really hard on, and every time he thinks he found it, he looses it again,” Graham explained.
“Been there myself, I understand, but it doesn’t mean I accept that as an excuse for him being really rude. Anyhow, the main reason why I’m here is that Buffy’s MIA. I know she was with Riley last night. That’s why I need to talk to him.”
“He’s kinda busy, maybe I can help. Well, we were all together, until they left us around one am. I haven’t seen either of them since.”
Willow pressed forward. “Graham, I know that Forrest said Riley was busy, but do you think you could bother him? I only need a minute or two, that’s it.” Willow hoped her softened tone and warm smile would, with any luck, sway him.
Graham tilted his head slightly, almost as if he was listening to something. A few moments passed, and he responded.
“Yeah, that’s fine. Come back to the house, Riley will meet us in the foyer.”
Reluctantly, Willow followed Graham back towards the house, despite her entire being screaming in protest. She remained several paces behind until they reached the door. Opening from the inside, Willow noticed Riley standing in the foyer waiting for her. Hesitant about entering, she remained on the porch. With apprehension, Willow spoke.
“Hey Riley, do you mind if we talk privately for a minute?”
Riley’s gaze fell to Graham and then shifted off to the side, possibly to someone who was standing behind the open door. He nodded and slowly walked towards her. Numerous times, she witnessed him flinch, as if he was in pain. Graham silently walked into the house. He firmly closed the door, leaving them alone.
“Hey Willow, how’s it going? Sorry about Forrest, he’s—“ She finished his sentence.
“Lost a project that he worked really hard on, and every time he thinks he found it, he looses it again. Am I right?”
“Yeah, how did you know? Oh, that’s right, Graham. Forrest can be a tad grumpy when things don’t turn out his way.”
“We all can. Speaking of which, do you know where Buffy is?”
”Not the greatest segue way, but it will do,” Willow inwardly thought.
“Buffy? Well, um, she hung with the guys and me last night, until about zero, one hundred hours—“Noticing her brow furrowing in confusion, he explained. “That’s one a.m. Afterwards, she and I, well…we spent some time…alone.” Riley’s gaze darted down towards his feet with his final word.
“Where is she now?” Confusion continued to mar her features.
Riley glanced at her, looking slightly sheepish. He seemed to be blushing slightly. With hesitation, verging on shyness, he responded.
“Well, this morning, I had things that needed to be done, so she left. I can’t tell you where she is now.”
Willow could see how Buffy had fallen for his mid-western charms, but something didn’t add up. Knowing how Buffy felt following the two disastrous ‘morning afters’, she wouldn’t merely up and leave. If she did, which was highly unlikely, Buffy wouldn’t have gone the entire day without contacting her or the others.
There was far more to the story than Riley was telling. Not willing to show her hand just yet on her thoughts about Riley’s, or the Initiatives', involvement with Buffy’s disappearance, Willow quickly placed a warm smile on her lips.
With a cheery tone, she spoke. “Well, thanks Riley. Call me Miss Worry-wart. I’m just worrying over nothing. She’s probably at Giles’ right now, discussing the newest big bad in town. When I catch up with her, I’ll tell her to give you a call, bye!”
Willow quickly descended the stairs and headed towards the street. Once there, she turned briefly, waved twice then continued towards Giles’ apartment. As soon as she was out of viewing range of the Lowell House and Riley, Willow began to run full speed towards her destination.
**** ****
Matching her wave, Riley watched Willow depart. Once she was gone, his pleasant smile disappeared immediately. The kindhearted facade fell from his face as Riley entered into the house, meeting Graham and Forrest, who were still in the foyer. Silently, they ascended the stairs and headed towards the mirror, which camouflaged the Initiative’s elevator.
Three sets of eyes gazed into the glass without looking as they awaited the retinal scan. Once completed, the reflective wall moved, revealing the elevator. Each entered in order of command. Riley spoke clearly into the voice activation panel. The door closed, and they descended.
Once they reached their destination, each stepped out and headed towards Professor Walsh, who stood facing a wall of monitors. Each monitor revealed different sections of the Initiative and Lowell House. The men sat behind her, along with five other agents. Her hardened gaze moved from the screens and landed on the group before her.
She spoke in a harsh tone. “I see that we have a situation here gentleman. Our recent acquisition appears to have some strings still attached. They need to be severed, immediately.” Her gaze moved over each man several times before she continued.
**** ****
Present Day
Rough hands forced Buffy down the dimly lit hallway. Jack had peeled off from the group along with three guards a hallway back, which was a blessing. While he was present, the only sound heard was his heavy footfalls and the grumbles under his breath. His lack of presence seemed to bring relief to all, not just her.
Once they entered the main room, the pungent stench of demons, blood, and death assaulted her nose. The foreign substance that she’d choked down earlier, made its presence known. Buffy swallowed deeply several times to return it to her soured stomach.
The guards guided her towards a set of blood red doors at the furthest end of the room. Off to her right, Buffy noticed a dozen demons standing just beyond a red line. Their gazes moved from a metal grate and fixed on her. Each emitted numerous rumblings as she passed.
Reaching the ramp, which lead to the door above, both guards’ hands tightened on her upper arms to still her forward movements. Buffy could hear a thunderous combination of shouts and chants. Several moments passed until the crowd’s yells transformed to one mantra — “Kill, kill, kill”.
Silence followed briefly, until the cheers echoed from the room. Once more, Buffy's stomach rolled. The door opened and out walked a snake-like demon flanked by two guards. Quickly, they walked past her, heading towards the demon holding area. Its lidless eyes met hers briefly, while a forked tongue flickered forward. She believed that a smirk graced its gaping maw.
Shortly after they passed, two guards exited the area beyond the doors. Both held a length of the chain. Attached to the end, were two grappling hooks that were deeply embedded in the shoulders of a bloodied body of a dead demon.
Buffy’s eyes widened as the reality of what existed beyond these doors hit her full force. The guards noticed her tension. Their grip tightened maintaining a firm hold on her upper arms as they ascended the ramp.
Echoing over the roar of the crowd, a smooth cultured voice amplified.
“Ladies and Gentlemen the Macnamara brothers welcome you to another night of high stakes, high voltage entertainment. First time to our ring, a rare beauty, but don’t let this fool you. She’s a highly skilled fighter with the taste for slaying demons. Let’s welcome – The Slayer!”
Deafening cheers filled her ears, as she was pushed forward into a cavernous area. Buffy blinked several times to adjust to brightness of the lights. Buffy took the opportunity of introductions as time to take in her surroundings. Six-foot, concrete walls encircled her. Topped by four feet high, chain-link fencing, complete with a red warning rail.
Beyond there, dozens of name-less people all screaming for death, hers or one that she would supply. Either one would suffice. Following the cheers, the announcer introduced her opponent.
“And her opponent, another first-timer to grace our ring, Pei!”
Buffy turned to see a loose-skinned demon escorted into the enclosure. He looked like a cross between a human and a Shar Pei, floppy ears, big black eyes, small fangs, and hands adorned with long talons. With a hearty shove from the guard, he stumbled slightly then stood several feet from her.
Buffy’s gazed at the demon before her. Clad in loose black pants, a tee shirt and boots. He appeared almost, normal. Continuing her assessment, she stifled a laugh, when she noticed the words written across his chest —“Kittens…the other, other white meat.”
Their gazes held, until the echo of the doors closing broke it. With a lopsided, serrated grin, he spoke, “Hey, um, unlike the announcer said, I’m Wally, short for Walter. Those humans thought that Wally didn’t sound scary enough, so called me Pei. I guess it’s short for Shar Pei, you know the dog. Anyhow, you’re from Sunnydale right? My cousin, well my cousin’s cousin, twice removed is from there, Clem. Maybe you know him?” Buffy’s wide eyes remained fixed on him as he continued. “I guess not. So, I would ask what a girl like you is doing in a place like this, but that would be a cheesy line. But, really, how did you get stuck here?”
Wally’s face scrunched with confusion from her lack of response. He spoke once more.
“¿Usted habla español? Um…Vous parlez français? No? Parlate italiano? Sorry that’s all I’ve got.”
Following a chuckle, she responded. “Um, hi Wally, I’m Buffy. I would say nice to meet you, but that’s not true. That would mean I’m glad to be here which I am so not.”
“That’s ok, I understand. I want you to know, I don’t want you dead, but I don’t want to die either. Maybe if we just stand here they’ll call it a draw and we can leave, you know, alive?”
The crowd’s disapproval raised several decibels as they continued to speak. Behind him, Buffy noticed the guards hauling out a large, high-pressured hose and training it on Wally. The furrow of her brow caused him to turn.
Instantly, he raised his hands to shield himself and quickly began to back pedal, shaking his head violently as he moved. After several steps, he was pressed against the wall, his eyes wide and filled with fear.
“What’s wrong Wally?” Her gaze held firm on the frightened demon before her as she slowly approached him.
With a shaky talon-tipped finger, he pointed speechlessly towards the hose. His terror filled words, spilled forward.
“Water…water it kills our kind, very painfully. It shrinks our skin, like dry cleaning in the wash. Until it suffocates us, well, unless we die from the sheer pain first.”
Before Buffy could respond, Wally’s big, sad eyes fell upon her as he spoke. “I’m sorry.” With that, he rushed forward.
Instinctually, Buffy sidestepped his charge like a matador. Turning she witnessed him stumble slightly, and his head hit against the wall with a sickening crunch. Immediately, he buckled into a life-less heap on the ground. The impact appeared to have broken his neck.
The crowd chanted her name due to his death, regardless of Buffy’s participation in it. Two guards wrapped their steel grips around her upper arms and escorted her from the ring. She heard the announcer’s voice as she left.
“The winner…The Slayer! Expect big slays from her in the future! Now, coming to the ring…”
Still stunned, the guards dragged her down the hallway and deposited her none too gently, in her room. Buffy plopped weightlessly on her bed as she replayed the short battle with Wally.
“Never before had a demon acted so human-like. Well, except for Angel, but he doesn’t count with his soul and all,” Buffy murmured, her gaze remaining unfocused.
After several moments, with a heavy sigh, Buffy mentally shook her head and looked over to Spike’s side of the room…empty. She hadn’t seen him when she left the ring, but she hadn’t really seen anything at all.
All at once, a bombardment of feelings hit her: desperation, sadness, anger and sheer exhaustion. Her gaze traveled across the length of the room, she noticed the shower. Eying it hungrily, her skin itched for the comfort that water could give. Violently tugging off the restricting leather bindings, she headed wearily towards the shower.
The shower consisted of a solid piece of translucent Plexiglas that ran from the ceiling to the floor and a showerhead that protruded slightly from the wall. Buffy hesitantly stepped into the area. Automatically, a deluge of warm water danced over her fatigued body. Buffy sighed contentedly, as she submerged her head under the stream, enjoying every moment.
Buffy proceeded to search for some soap. She noticed a small niche in the wall that contained a tiny spout. Placing her hand tentatively under it, a squirt of slippery liquid landed in her palm. Large beaming smile graced her lips as she repeated the action to increase the amount.
Buffy moaned while she worked the soap through her filthy locks. Her hums increased as her hands ran down the length of her body. She turned and placed her head under the water to rinse away the filth and grime. Her mind was completely shut off from the early horror, only pleasure filled the space. This is why she didn’t hear anyone enter the room.
“Honey, I’m home…” Spike announced as they shoved him harshly into the room. The sounds of pleasure and falling water drew his gaze. Before him, separated by plexiglas stood the completely nude Slayer. Bubbles offered the only cover, for her taut body. After several moments of speechlessness, two choked words fell from his mouth.
“Bloody ‘ell.”
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Ok guys here comes another chapter. I know a lot of you needed to rinse your brains out after the image of Riley and Maggie stained there! Sorry! Anywho, thanks always to Sanityfair, who is the bestest beta and helps me sooooo much, words cannot attest to her greatness! *big hugs* Thanks also to Pixiecorn for her banner
Chapter End Notes:
Well, whatcha think?