Long Way To Happy (Re-Write): Discovery
by rabbitx14
I hope you all enjoy this! It's really long! Please read and review!
Chapter One
Discovery
Cleveland, Ohio Suburb; July 25th, 2005
Knock. Knock. Knock. The sound knocking echoed through out the Summers O’Connor household like a marching band drummer causing disruption in the household’s peaceful slumber. A moan escaped Buffy’s mouth as she glanced up at the digital alarm clock on the night stand. She let out another moan; this time in frustration. It’s five thirty in the morning. There better be an apocalypse on my door step or whoever it is…they’re going to meet Mr. Pointy. She sat up and pulled the red silk comforter off her slender twenty four year old body with no regards to whether or not she was disturbing her husband of two months sleep and staggered out of her room into the hallway. Knock. Knock. Knock.
“I’m coming!” Buffy shouted taking a peak into her sister Dawn’s bedroom; once again she wasn’t home. That girl is going to get it one of these days. She sighed and continued down the steps and over to the door. She turned the knob and opened the door; her eyes widened in surprise. “Giles, hey! What are you doing here? Is everything alright?”
Giles accepted the hug from his former slayer and smiled greatly. It was good to see her once again. Buffy moved aside and let Giles through the door. I wish I could for once come to this girl without some ill news. I wish for once I could see her and bring some hope for the future. “Hello Buffy, it sure is great to see you once again. It is a beautiful home you have here.”
Buffy paused. She could tell he was avoiding the topic of reason to his visit. “What’s the deal Giles? What evil is coming to knock on my door? Oh, please tell me they have plans for an apocalypse with them. You know how much I’ve missed those.”
Giles gave his former slayer a gentle smile. Something’s never change. “Have you heard the news in regards to Faith?”
“No, I can’t say that have,” Buffy said leading Giles into a large new age kitchen where she began to fix some tea. “But let me guess, she joined some racy rock and roll band and is tearing up Hellmouth records with her sly stake playing.” Giles gave Buffy a very strange look. Buffy blushed. “Sorry, it’s early. I have this problem lately of being very sarcastic when I don’t get enough sleep. At least that’s what Angel tells me. But in all seriousness I haven’t heard anything about her whereabouts or her whatshedoings.
Last I heard the council was shipping her into some program to atone for her sins.”
“That would be correct, actually. However, that was about three months ago.” Giles’ voice became stagnant. “After what she did with Angel and the Mora demon, ultimately turning Angel human, the council made arrangements with the re-built Initiative to join in their battle. A couple months ago in May the Initiative were tracking an army of Palgora demons in the deserts of Egypt… over a hundred Military personal entered that battle. Two were removed from the scene of war alive; Agent Samantha Finn and Major Riley Finn. Sam arrived at the Walter Reed Army Medical Centre in Washington as a D.O.A.” Buffy gave him a blank stare. “Dead on arrival. Riley on the other hand, lucky enough to be alive spent nearly two months in a coma.”
Buffy stared at Giles for a moment. She slowly began to absorb the large quantity of information Giles had just shared with her. It was all most shell shocking to her how quickly the world turned upside down without any knowledge to her. So this is what it’s like being a next to retired slayer. I am so out of the loop. It’s almost sad. “Wow… Faith is dead; so is Sam. I am assuming another Slayer was called into power… Riley?” Buffy’s voice suddenly became full of concern and panic. “How’s Riley? How is he dealing with Sam’s death?”
“As you would imagine he isn’t all that well. After learning about her death he opted for honorable discharge from the Military; though the desire to fight the battle against the forces of darkness is still burning deep within his soul and the Watchers Council is aware of this fact.”
“They offered him a job, didn’t they?” Wait a minute…Riley… a watcher… who would have ever imagined…
“Yes, as the watcher for the new slayer, Ashleigh Madison,” Giles nodded at Buffy in thanks as she handed him a glass of tea. “Thank you, Buffy. Ashleigh’s first watcher, Trista Anderson was a dear friend of mine. We went through training with one another and I called her on many occasions in assistance with various encounters we made. She had a great deal of experience with the world of demons as well as the forces of darkness and the council believed a highly experienced watcher would be the most appropriate in accordance the slayers mature age. The day after being called up, her family was ambushed by a gang of vampires. In the end…”
“She watched them be killed,” Angel finished as he walked into the kitchen, overhearing the conversation taking place. “Sounds like the old fashioned initiation.”
“Initiation?” Buffy asked looking at her husband with a do-I-want-to-know look. “Is this coming from experience?”
Angel’s face fell as he let out a sigh. Better late then never, Angel. “Darla and I would rally up a group of four to six vampires and would get the slayers family and watcher together…”
“Oh god,” Buffy choked out looking at her husband in disbelief. “Why didn’t you ever tell me you killed a slayer?”
“Six.” Angel said his voice breaking.
“You killed six slayers!?!” Buffy shouted just barely catching Dawn walking through the front door. “Dawn get your behind into the living room, I will deal with you afterwards!”
Knock. Knock. Knock. The house suddenly went silent. Everyone’s heads turned towards the door in union as if the world had suddenly stopped moving. Angel gave Buffy a pleaded stare only to realize it was a lost cause by the ‘I’ll deal with you later look’ then turned towards the door and pulled it open. His jaw stiffened up and lifted his head in a typical alpha-male gesture.
“Riley Finn.”
Earlier that morning…
Riley rubbed his eyes as he stared at the road before him. His eyes were burning from the long drive from Toronto to the city of Cleveland. He glanced beside him at the slayer beside him and frowned. If there was one thing Riley had never understood about the way of the slayer was why they had to be of such a young age. Although he understood that Ashleigh was considered mature in terms of the age of a slayer; it didn’t change the fact that none of it made sense to him.
A girl her age should be dealing with the every day perils of being a woman. Not single handedly saving the world from the forces of darkness. A genuine smile crossed his face as the light turn green and as if he was driving down memory lane, memories of his relationship with a slayer played in his mind. Along with the good memories came the memories of how their relationship nearly didn’t come to be due to the fact that she was a slayer; memories of how she would go to him on a weekly basis crying herself to sleep frustrated by the slayer lifestyle. He could at the very least be thankful that Ashleigh was fortunate enough to have the majority of the teenage years be demon free. Though, with a single look into Ashleigh’s usually pale eyes he knew her life was far from what could be considered normal; her soul was tainted by deep emotional scars. Glancing down at a piece of paper on the dashboard Riley took a quick look at the name of the street and gently maneuvered Ashleigh’s Ram into the right lane and came into contact with a rather large pothole causing the truck to jump, startling the slayer awake.
Shit. Riley glanced over offering a gentle smile to the sleepy slayer. “Sorry to wake you up.”
“Hmm?” Ashleigh moaned still registering her surroundings. She glanced over at Riley then gave him a slightly embarrassed grin. “Hi. I’m the one who should be apologizing. The passenger in the front should never fall asleep. They should always be alert to help prevent the driver from dosing off and driving the vehicle into a ditch or tree. At least that’s what my father always told me.”
“That’s good advice; but it’s alright. You looked like you hadn’t slept in days.”
Sleep was something the slayer had long forgotten about.
“I haven’t. Not since I got called up anyway. The first night there was way too much adrenaline running through my system to sleep and then the second night…. My family…. I couldn’t sleep. After I emptied that house of vampires I cried for hours. At that moment I never believed anything could get worse, but that was until I realized that there was a chance that someone in my family could have be turned into vampires. I went to my room, gathered all my important stuff, and threw it into my hockey bag, minus the equipment which was thrown all over my room and like the rest of the house…it burned.” Her voice began to crack. “I went into the garage gathered the gas usually used for the boats, spread it across my house… I burned the place down. I returned to the scene a couple hours later and spoke to the cops. They said the remains for the four family members were discovered. They assumed that Trista was me so as far as anyone is concerned I’m dead. It’s how I wanted it. Hopefully that way none of my friends or family can be hurt or killed.”
Poor girl. I lost my soon-to-be ex-wife. She lost everything. Riley glanced over at his slayer and a look of pure sympathy spread across his face. He truly felt for this girl. He only lost his wife; she lost everything. “I’m sorry.”
Ashleigh gritted her teeth to fight back the tears. She was the slayer. She had to stay strong. “The slayer is meant to be alone. I read in the slayer hand book Trista gave me that a good slayer is supposed to move along unknown relying only on her watcher. No friends, no family. Only one slayer ever broke this convention. Ironically enough she is one of the longest living slayers in history.”
“Buffy Summers.”
“The one and only.”
The car became silent as Riley merged onto the interstate towards one of Cleveland’s many suburbs. Ashleigh pulled a black Nightmare before Christmas shoulder bag out from behind the drivers’ seat and pulled out an ipod incased in a black skull covered protective case along with a car FM transmitter kit. Without a single word to her watcher she hooked it up and pressed play. The riveting sound of a bass filled the cars speakers as Ozzy Osbourne’s ‘See You on the Other Side’ began. As the song played on Ashleigh leaned her head against the window, watching as the city passed her by. Tears slowly began to welt up in her eyes.
She fought them back.
Emotions were a weakness. Everyone knew that.
Ashleigh had enough; she leaped at the transmitter and turned off the song. It was too much right now for her.
The car filled with silence once again. A sense of concern and worry continued to build in Riley as he kept glancing over at Ashleigh in between watching the road.
‘Everything happens for a reason, Riley,’ Sam’s voice echoed in Riley’s mind nearly causing him to side swipe the guard rail; once again startling the young slayer.
“Sorry.”
There was another spout of silence between the two this time it was more awkward then it had been earlier. Tension was building in the car and Ashleigh could sense it. Another slayer trait she had to become accustomed too.
Ashleigh’s soft eyes found Riley as she intensively watched him drive through Ohio State. There was something mysterious about him behind the scruffy look he was currently portraying. Some tough look you’re trying to pull off there Finn. I bet you’re no different then a kitten. Though, he does look gorgeous with that mustache. She quickly looked away sensing his eyes were about to turn to her. She sighed and turned her gaze back to her watcher; the silence was killing her.
“Do you miss her?”
“Sam? Of course I miss her. I loved her dearly. We were married nearly four years.” Riley stammered with his words showing uncertainty behind his response. Keep what happened between you and your wife. No one needs to know…
Ashleigh let the uncertain answer slide. “Do you think it’s possible for someone to ever get over someone they were that in love with? Especially after death?”
Riley looked at his slayer with a peculiar look. She lost a lover. “I used to think you could never get over someone you loved with every fiber of your being. I did though.”
“Buffy?”
“Yea, it took me a year to get over her,” Riley laughed lightly as he took another walk down memory lane. “Sam waited for me to get over her. I spent many nights using her as a crutch then one night while working she got injured and I realized I was over Buffy and was in love with her.” All that for nothing.
“Was Buffy your first love?”
“Yes, she was,” Riley looked over at Ashleigh and gave her a slight smirk; trying to lighten the mood. “What’s with all the questions?”
“No reason,” responded Ashleigh in a quick manner looking away in hopes that Riley would fail to notice her cheeks had turned red. “I was just curious. Are we almost there?”
“Yea shouldn’t be long now.”
Silence quickly filled the air for the umpteenth time. Riley glanced down at the clock and sighed distastefully. It was 5:49am. He had been driving for nearly seventeen hours. Seventeen hours spent almost in perfect silence was enough to drive any one to the brink of insanity. Another sigh escaped Riley’s lips, this time being a sigh of relief as the pair pulled up to a large mansion on the top of a hill. The mansion had an old Victorian style feel to it complete with grape-like vines.
Holy shit. Look at this place! Ashleigh’s face widened as she stepped out of her truck. She fixed her black and white stripped Collide tank-top, grabbed her bag and closed the door.
A gothic slayer in a gothic mansion. How fitting. Riley walked up behind her and handed her another bag with some clothes in it. Ashleigh paused for a moment, staring at the bag in her hands then let her eyes follow upwards towards her watcher and grinned in appreciation.
“Thank you.”
Without a word and a simple smile Riley approached the walkway leading towards the front door of the mansion. The exterior of the house was simply breath taking. The grass, luscious Kentucky Blue; the walkway, made of marble; along the walkway following it up towards the house a beautiful variety of exotic flowers of all sizes and colors. On the west side of the yard was a majestic rose garden surrounding an equally beautiful yard set with a collection of magnificent statues of angels, fairies and the occasional animal. While on the east side was a slightly darker, more gothic feel to it. Various artifacts and statues of gargoyles, fierce lions, swift eagles along with the occasional gothic angel; in the centre of it all was a large granite fountain with three angels in the centre where the water gently flowed.
It was a Victorian gothic masterpiece.
“I would really hate to be the one to have to be the one to cut this grass,” Riley paused in his tracks and turned around, looking at Ashleigh with a strange look. “What?”
“You are strangely peculiar.” A little freakish, maybe.
Ashleigh replied with a weak wear half smile as she moved up towards the mansion. “Ooo… look a bunny!”
The slayer began to chase the small white rabbit.
Riley laughed as he watched as the slayer ran around the yard chasing the creature. Great… a slayer with ADD; they weren’t lying when they said she’d be a handful. “Ashleigh!”
No response.
Reluctantly, Riley sighed and allowed the slayer run amuck. He watched Ashleigh with a sense of curiosity with every movement she made. In many ways, she reminded him of a young rabbit separated from the rest of the world trying desperately to find its place. A feeling he understood all too well. Slowly he began to understand the relationship between Buffy and Giles better then he could have ever imagined. For some watchers, the few and far between, a slayer is so much more then that; for some a slayer is like a child.
His attention quickly turned towards the house as the he noticed a tiny yet tall brunette approaching the front door. His smile grew intensely at that moment. Dawn. Someone’s getting themselves into trouble. He watched carefully as she snuck through the front door and the echo from an argument within fumigated outside. A small smirk escaped Riley’s lips; the arguments of newlyweds.
‘Why didn’t you tell me you killed a slayer?!?’
Wow… has got to be a classic Buffy, Angel argument… Riley thought as he stepped up in front of the door. He waited; waiting for the break in the argument to make his presence known; a span of time that lasted no more then a minute past when the attention became averted towards Dawn. He snatched the opportunity and knocked on the door three times; then he waited. A moment passed and he was just about to knock once more when the door swung open to reveal a topless Angel.
There was something different about this Vampire. He was standing in the broad daylight.
Riley thought to himself staring down his old rival.
Angel looked at him with the same smart-ass Alpha-male look as he did the day their paths first crossed; Riley gladly returned the look.
Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in. Commando boy returns. “Riley Finn.”
That isn’t possible. He should be exploding into a pile of dust. Dammit! “Angel.”
The two men stood staring each other down with enough intensity to cut steel; despite the many years gone by the men still had a mutual hatred for one another. A few moments passed and despite the noise Ashleigh was emitting from her rabbit chase it was no where near enough to draw their attention from each other.
“Riley! Oh my god, what are you doing here?!” Dawn exclaimed breaking the intensity built up by the men.
“Wow… Dawn… you have…” Riley said taking a better look at the gorgeous brunette before him then embraced her. “You look amazing.”
“Thank you,” Dawn blushed and pulled her sisters arm towards the door. “That’s what happens when you’re a member of the Summers family. That and it helps being a senior in high school.”
“Riley,” Buffy said softly, also pulling him into an embrace much to the dislike of a highly jealous Angel. “I am so sorry about Sam. Giles told me what happened. That’s… its just terrible.”
“What happened?” Angel asked suddenly softening up in regards to Riley
“She died,” replied Riley his voice heavy with sorrow.
Dawn’s eyes widened, giving Riley another hug and grabbed his hand, leading him into the elegantly designed living room complete with red velvet sofas and a sixty inch wide screen plasma television.
A typical case of old fashioned meeting new age; or in this case Angel meeting Buffy and Dawn.
Dawn sat Riley down and ran out of the room without another sound knowing that the adults would want their space to talk. Angel, Giles and Buffy followed behind Riley each taking their seats in the sofa chairs across from the loveseat which Riley was sitting on. Angel looked at him with a sympathetic stare which Riley responded too with a nod of appreciation; with the sympathy aside the men went on to hate each other.
“Congratulations on the marriage you two,” Riley said softly; his voice laced with the utmost pain. “The first two years are the greatest of any married couples life. Enjoy them while you can. One day you’re going to wake up and your world is going to be completely different then how you know it this very moment.” Riley rested his head on the palm of his right hand. “They’ll either be dead or wanting a divorce so that they can run away with the man you thought was your best friend.” His voice became hasty. “Or if you’re really lucky you’ll get both.”
The entire room stared at the new watcher. None of them knowing how to respond to what he had just said.
“Thank you, Riley,” Buffy whispered breaking the silence. “How are doing since Sam’s passing?”
Riley sighed lifting his head and leaned back into the back of the loveseat. “I’m doing what I can. Everything has seemed to be quite the challenge.” His eyes adverted towards the open window about five feet away. Ashleigh was in plain view. “Considering the entire reason I am here with you is outside chasing a rabbit.”
“The new slayer?” asked Angel
“Yes, peculiar girl she is,” Riley stood walking over to the large windows pushing aside a piece of the red curtains for a better view. A soft chuckle escaped his lips as he watched the slayer who no longer chasing the rabbit but was now in nothing but a black cleavage friendly push up bra and her female boxers; displaying her feminine Marilyn Monroe curves perfectly; the slayer was heading straight for the fountain. “A true free spirit though she has a very black heart. Not in the evil way just tainted from being through so much; reminds me a lot of Angel in a weird round a bout sort of way.” Riley sighed and with a grin he glanced in Angel’s direction for a brief moment before turning his attention back to his slayer. “Buffy, the reason I am here is well…I need your help. Fighting demons, vampires… that I have experience with; training and teaching a young girl the ways of a slayer… making sure she stays alive as long as humanly possible… that I’m not sure if I can do. I helped you in my own ways even though sometimes I was more in the way then anything. Truth be told it seems I had no idea what I was getting into with all of this.” Riley turned and took salvage in the loveseat again. This time his eyes were directly on the slayer. “I knew I was going to need help regardless. The more I thought about it the more I realized I was going to need serious help. Watchers like Giles had specialized training for this kind of work; I was a major in the United States Military. I hardly consider that to be enough. I thought about where to get the most efficient help I could find and I immediately thought of the legendary dynamic duo known throughout the globe. Buffy Summers and her creature of the night husband, Angel.”
“Former creature of the night.” Angel responded receiving a bewildered look from Riley.
“I’ll explain it on a later occasion.” Said Buffy
“I understand Buffy helping but what good am I going to be? I’m just a mortal ex-vampire.” Angel asked standing from his seat; venturing towards the window Riley had been just moments ago.
“Experience, Angel. I need it, well actually my slayer does and you have it.”
“So, you want us to help you train the young girl swimming in my fountain?” Angel’s voice showed his amusement as he watched the young girl. “How old is she? Fifteen?”
“She is nineteen, believe it or not; although sometimes I seriously wonder and yes, I would appreciate the help.” Riley stood and took a spot next to the former-vampire.
Buffy smiled and placed a hand on Riley’s shoulder. “I’ll be more then happy to help you and this slayer along, although, I don’t know about Angel. In the end it is his decision.” Buffy shot her husband a do-or-die look then turned her attention back to Riley. “Could you call her? I would really like to meet the girl.”
Riley nodded and exited the living room heading towards the front door. He pulled open the front door but paused and just stood in the doorway for a moment watching the new slayer as she played about in the morning light. That’s a beautiful woman you have there as a Slayer, Finn. Full of life, full of spunk; it’s a shame her life expectancy isn’t all that long. Keep her alive. Guide her to a life Buffy is blessed to have. Normalcy… “Ashleigh, could you come in here.”
“Coming!”
The slayer stood in front of her watcher; soaking wet and still in her underwear. She received the same looks from everyone: amazement mixed with discomfort. Ashleigh snatched the towel from her watchers hands and slowly moved towards the entrance of the mansion. With every step she took inside the mansion her amazement became more apparent.
This was everything she dreamed a house could be.
In an instant the winding stair case traveling up three of the mansions four floors caught Ashleigh’s eyes. She was truly at a lost for words; at least for the moment.
The slayer became tense; all eyes were on her.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Ashleigh blushed putting a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.
“That’s alright,” Angel responded. “Riley, do you and the young girl have a place to stay yet?”
“Not yet. I wanted to get Ashleigh here as soon as possible and hopefully get to work with you.”
“How about you two stay here? We have got a couple rooms that you could use. Well, two and um, Giles is going to be staying here with us as well so that leaves us with an interesting problem,” Buffy said looking towards Angel for some help. “Maybe…”
“Giles, you and Ashleigh can each take a room I’ll just sleep in the living room.” Riley suggested
Oh god…Ryan…. No…Can’t stay alone…“No,” Ashleigh said suddenly almost overlapping Riley’s previous sentence causing the entire party to turn their attention towards her. “It’s really weird but I have had this fear of sleeping alone in strange houses. Bad past experiences.”
Riley gave the slayer a questioning look but didn’t question the girl. “I’ll share one of the rooms with Ashleigh then and I’ll take the floor. I have a sleeping bag in the truck I can use.”
“OK.” Ashleigh whispered. Way to go slick… sharing a room with your watcher. I wonder what he looks like with his shirt off… No… you don’t. Professional thoughts. I can look – can’t I?
“Once you are settled in I would like both of you to meet me in the basement so we can get started with some basic training which Riley will run. I’ll simply supervise. We’ll meet at eight. Ashleigh, wear something you can easily move in because afterwards I’ll expect you to run some obstacles we’ll have set up in the back yard which Giles will run with you as well as Riley. Riley, I expect you to spend a great deal of time with Giles while in Cleveland. He was the best watcher I could have ever asked for. You want to keep that girl alive you need to train her well. He’ll show you how to do it when Angel and I aren’t around.” Buffy glanced down at her Gucci wrist watch and sighed. “It’s nearly six thirty now and I have a lot to get together so I better get going.” With that, the slayer began to head up the stairwell.
“Buffy?”
“Yes, Ashleigh?” Her back was still to the young slayer.
“Thank you for letting Riley and I stay here in your home.”
Buffy spun around and smiled, appreciating Ashleigh’s manners. “You’re welcome.”
Later that evening…
It had been a long, grueling day for the new slayer. Two hours of intense sparing with all four of her trainers, three which she was able to defeat; the other taking her down in seven seconds flat.
She was no competition for the eldest slayer.
Following the ass kicking she spent another three hours doing various obstacle courses and various scenario training; which was wrapped up with another two hour jog done alone around the local area. While she appreciated having such a large group of individuals willing to help her train and hone her abilities, part of her longed for that sense of invisibility she had spent years mastering.
Silence was a thing of beauty for those who could truly appreciate it.
Ashleigh was now sitting on the large king sized bed in a room that was easily the size of the entire apartment her older sister had lived in prior to her death. It was covered in a dark purple velvet blanket which blended nicely with the black gothic headboard as well as the black carpeting and violet curtains which were momentarily opened to give any occupants of the room a glorious view of the land around them.
It was truly the bedroom she had always dreamed of having.
She was truly lost in her own unique world; no one could come between her and the state of mind she was presently in. A slight echo of Industrial beats penetrated from the two white Ipod headphones in her ears.
They made her feel invisible.
Riley stood in the door way for a moment just watching Ashleigh with the utmost curiosity.
Poor girl; so wounded, hurt, dark… alone. I look at her and you know what I see? Angel. I remember the stories I was told about Angel from Buffy… from her friends. The King of Brood… yea, that’s what they’d call him. He’s not like that anymore. Then again, I don’t see why he would be. He has Buffy. He won. He got the woman we both loved to himself. Looks like that brooding spot has been filled by the newest member to the slayage family. I wish there was something I could do. Something I could say that could make all that pain just go a way. But I can’t. I’m just the watcher. She’s a shy girl without a doubt; she barely said a word to anyone. Including me. She’s very intense and dedicated; a true athlete. She’s closed off and isn’t one to trust easily. I know she doesn’t trust me. She will in time…I hope. She’s also very fearful. What is that you fear Ashleigh? The world? Men? Yourself? You can’t go through life alone…
Riley sighed and moved into the room, placing Ashleigh’s food on the bed beside her. Ashleigh leaped off the bed, spun around to face Riley and got into a fighting stance ready to take on whatever trouble was coming her way. The second she saw it was Riley she lowered her defense and pulled the headphones out of her ears. She went to say something but suddenly paused noticing the tray of food her watcher had brought up stairs for her. Ashleigh’s eyes immediately meshed with Riley’s and for the first time they glowed – this time with appreciation.
He brought me food. He took time out of his life to do something nice for me. Nobody has ever done that… not even Josh, and I was engaged to him! Note to self: thank the watchers council for the watcher.
“I figured you would be hungry and considering you weren’t at dinner tonight I assumed you wanted to be alone. At least his way you’re able to eat and still get the separation from the rest of the world that you so much desire.”
With that said Riley gave Ashleigh a sincere smile and proceeded to leave the room. Don’t just let him go… you were taught manners! “Wait, don’t go yet.”
Riley spun around, concerned. “What’s wrong, Ashleigh?”
“Thank you.”
Riley nodded and slowly backed out of the room to continue his watcher coaching session with Giles. Once at the door way, Riley paused and turned around to get another look at Ashleigh. Ashleigh was sitting on the bed without any headphones on slowly beginning to eat her chicken dinner that Angel had prepared. I’ll make sure nothing ever harms you again, Ashleigh. I swear to you.
“You’re going all Giles on me,” Dawn whispered sneaking up behind Riley.
“What do you mean?”
Dawn nudged towards her bedroom as she left the door way with Riley close behind. “You give Ashleigh that exact same look of concern that Giles used to give my sister.” Riley closed the door behind them while Dawn found a spot on her bed. “It’s the same look my sister gave me that night she died on top of that tower… the same look she still gives me when she’s worried I have gotten myself into some mess. You have that same connection with this slayer that Giles has always had with my sister. At least that’s how it is for the time being.”
“What do you mean for the time being?” Riley was now leaning against an Ashlee Simpson poster on the back of Dawn’s door. “Do you think I’m eventually going to stop being concerned about my slayer?”
“Not at all.” Dawn smirked. You’re too blind to see it yourself right now. ’You know what? Don’t pay attention to that last comment, I’m just being fictitious. But listen Riley I learned a lot about you while you were with my sister and I can pretty much guess what you’re thinking and feeling… well, that also comes with being granted the abilities of a psychic from random demons but my point it… well, I don’t actually have a point. Just do me a favor? Take good care of that girl… there’s more to her then what presently meets the eye.”
What the-? “Dawn, you’re speaking in riddles. I have no idea what you’re trying to say to me.”
“Don’t ask questions. There will be no questioning the psychic; just listen to her. She knows what she’s talking about. Now go continue your session with Giles. Your slayer isn’t the one who needs training.”
“You’re right… I do want to talk to you later though. I really would like to catch up with you.” And find out what the heck you’re talking about.
“Deal; now get out of my room.”
Angel & Buffy’s bedroom; 12:36am
The night air was crisp and fresh; a welcomed break from the ridiculously humid weather Cleveland and area had been forced to deal with these past few weeks.
Buffy prayed that no major demon activity spawned following the storm as it sometimes did. She needed a break from near apocalypses and just fighting on a regular basis and the new slayer was no where near trained to fight any true, severe demon or force of darkness without assistance from Buffy. That would come in time, though it just wasn’t then. Buffy stood on her balcony outside her bedroom window with much frustration towards her husband and concern clouding her mind for the slayer currently out on patrol with her former watcher as well as her own watcher. She closed her eyes; feeling the wind on her skin. A storm was brewing and it was going to be a severe one.
A thunderstorm; it was a perfect reflection of Buffy’s emotions.
Her senses kicked in as Angel approached the open glass window door. She had managed to avoid speaking him for the majority of the day and she still wasn’t ready to speak with him just yet.
Angel walked up behind Buffy and wrapped his arms around her waist only for her to push away from him. “Buffy, we need to talk.”
“Do we? I really don’t feel like talking to you right now.” Buffy snapped turning towards the door leading inside.
“I know you’re upset right now…” Angel started following his wife into the main area of their massive master suite. “This is why I never told you about all of this.”
“Remember when I was seventeen and you first told me about Drusilla?” Buffy asked refusing to look at her husband as she climbed into the large bed. “Remember how I told you that I loved you I just wasn’t sure if I could trust you?”
“Yes.”
Her response could not be good; this feared Angel.
“That’s how I feel right now. I have known you all these years and have been married to you for two months and never once did you have the decency to come to me and tell me you and Darla was responsible for the deaths of those six slayers.”
“There were more, Buffy,” Angel said reluctantly sitting by his wife’s side. In total there were easily ten to twelve if not more. I only killed six of them.”
Way to go, Buffy! You married a mass murder of your kind! “Even better; I really don’t know if I can trust you, Angel. If this was some small run of the mill deal then yea, I’d over look it. But for you not to tell me that you killed six slayers… six girls all with the same destiny as I have… the same destiny Kendra and Faith had… the same destiny Ashleigh now has… women who put their lives on the line every single night to save this world… and you killed six of them.” Buffy gritted her teeth; attempting to fight back the tears as she spoke. “The way you, Spike and Darla went at it you might has well set up shop in Auschwitz. Would have been very fitting.”
“Buffy…” Angel pleaded running his finger tenderly down the right side of Buffy’s face.
Buffy pushed him away from Angel and laid down with her back to him for the first time since Angel became human four months ago. “I don’t want to talk to you nor do I want to even look at you. Just leave me alone.” Give it up. I can’t cave on this one. I just can’t.
“Buffy…” Angel attempted one final time. Please. Just listen.
“Good night, Liam.” I’m sorry; I know that hurts you… no… I’m not sorry. You deserve it. Deceitful bastard.
“I love you, Buffy.”
I love you, too, my dear Angel. Just why? Why did you have to do this too me?
Buffy shut off her lamp and closed her eyes. Angel lowered his head in shame. His wife truly was upset with him and she had every right to be that way.
It was going to be a long time until things were good between them again.
August 23rd, 2005; 2:01am.
A scream echoed throughout the room belonging to Ashleigh and her watcher. It was coming from the slayer.
Riley sat up, glancing over at the shaking slayer and automatically sat down on the bed besides her putting a comforting arm around her shoulder. “Ashleigh, what’s the matter? Another nightmare?”
“Ya,” she managed to choke out through tears.
Riley brushed a strand of hair from her face and placed a tender kiss on her forehead. “Want to talk about it?” I just wish she would tell me what’s causing these dreams… maybe then I could make them go away.
Ashleigh buried her head into Riley’s chest, breaking down into tears. Riley wrapped his arms around the fragile slayer and waited patiently for her to either open up or cry herself to sleep.
It was the same thing each and every time; she would cry herself to sleep then Riley would hold her the rest of the night without any sleep just to protect her.
Giles and Buffy grew to a form a strong father-daughter relationship; Riley and his slayer had grown to be best friends.
“They killed him. Vampires… the same ones who killed my family. They must have known I was to be called up as slayer. It happened almost two months before I met Trista.”
“They killed who?”
“Joshua. It was our one year anniversary. May 23rd.”
The boyfriend… maybe I can’t make it go away… maybe I can make it better somehow though. Wait a minute… the 23rd? That’s… “The same day of the battle with the palgora demons that claimed Sam’s life.”
Ashleigh went silent. She pulled back from Riley and looked him dead straight in the eyes with confusion dancing in her eyes as well as his. “When did you wake up from the coma?”
“July 23rd. Why?”
“That is so strange,” Ashleigh said wiping the tears from her eyes. “We both lost the love of our lives on the same day and the day after I was called up… the day my family and original watcher were killed you awoke from your coma. Talk about a coincidence.” There’s no such thing as a coincidence, Ashleigh! This means something, girl… you know it does…
Riley sighed and removed a strand of hair from Ashleigh’s face, catching a glimpse of her blood shot baby blues. “There’s no such thing as a coincidence, Ashleigh. Everything happens for a reason. Sam used to tell me that all the time.”
How did he… can he read my mind? No… it’s a coincidence that we were thinking the same thing… right? “Then why does all this bad shit keep happening to me, huh?” Ashleigh snapped allowing a fresh batch of tears to pour down her face. “You got an answer for that one? Ever since I was a kid nothing but bullshit keeps happening in my life. It’s as if I have some sort of curse that prevents me from ever being happy! Anytime I become happy something comes along and destroys it without even a second glance in my direction.”
“You’ve had a hard life. I under…”
“You what? You understand what that’s like? What did you do? Grow up in some small hick town deep in the country planes of Illinois or Iowa where you had to walk miles before coming into contact with some other living creature that isn’t a rabbit or fox?” Riley simply stared at her in disbelief. Ashleigh was now standing on her feet, pacing the room. You know nothing about me, Finn. “A little FYI for you, country boy; I grew up in the ghetto living in poverty since I was six years old. I had to work for every little thing I had. I never had any friends until I entered grade eight which I quickly lost when I shut the world out after the death of my grandfather. Not to mention high school… oh god… no body wanted to even speak with me. I mean really, when you live in the ghetto full of gangster rappers who really wants any affiliations with the German chick that has black hair, dresses in all black, wears black eye liner and listens to alternative styles of music like rock or industrial. NO ONE! Then one day in December my grade nine year I get asked out by one of the popular guys in school…I was figuring here’s my chance for somewhat of a NORMAL high school career… Some good that did for me. I spent eight months in hell with him. I was his puppet; being raped, beaten and abused mentally with no remorse. Let’s not even get into the path of hell with the drug and alcohol problems that followed along with anorexia. I had no friends until I met Joshua… he was the only one who fucking cared about me! I had no friends and my family… they didn’t care whether or not I was dead but Josh… then these vampires come and destroy my life and hell, add a cherry to top that cake and inform me I’m this superhero called a slayer. Again, I thought, hey here’s a change to avenge my boyfriend’s life but of course the whole big conspiracy on how a slayer is supposed to associate with no one but those appointed to her by the watchers council. The only people I socialize with are of the undead variety… friends are forbidden… again, I have to spend life alone. But no Riley, you have such a hard fucking life. You lost your wife I’ll grant you that but I.… I lost everything.”I didn’t just tell him all that… why did you just tell him all that? What happened to the ‘I’ll take it to my grave’ vow? Stupid anger.
Riley’s eyes had found the floor about half way through Ashleigh’s rant. As she edged near the end he could sense the break down in her voice. She was going to fall right apart and the end result was going to be anything but pretty. His eyes found the slayer once again who was now standing no more then a foot away from him. As she got on her last sentence her entire body was violently shaking and just as he expected, her knees gave out and she was on her way down to the floor. Riley caught her before she hit the floor and held her up. She pulled away from him and began to punch him in the midst an emotional rage.
Let it out, Ashleigh. You’ll feel better.
The slayer broke right down.
Riley picked up the emotionally wounded slayer and carried her over to her bed. He gently laid her down and covered her up; giving her a slight kiss on her for head. Her hand grasped his; she did not want him to leave her side. Reluctantly he gave into her and lay down on top of the comforter beside her. Ashleigh dug her head into his broad chest again allowing herself to release her emotions.
“You know you are never alone, Ashleigh. You will always have me.” I promise you. I’ll protect you even if means my own life.
Ashleigh’s eyes found Riley’s and for that moment the two of them lost grasp of the world around them. Ashleigh shook her head, snapping out of the trance and slowly rested her head back down on Riley’s chest.
An hour or so passed when he began to hear foot steps along the central hallway near the bedrooms. A sly smile crossed his face. Dawn was once again sneaking back into the mansion after a long night of fun with her boyfriend whom was currently oblivious to everyone in the mansion except for Riley. The foot steps came to a halt outside of the room Riley and Ashleigh shared. The door, which was partially open was slowly being pushed open a touch more so that Dawn’s head could fit inside. Once Dawn realized that Riley was wide awake she squeezed her petite frame through the door and slowly approached the bed.
“Now this sure is an interesting sight to see.”
Riley looked down then back at Dawn, giving her a slight grin. “Dawnie, you’re one too talk. It’s three o’clock in the morning and you’re just coming in now. I know I promised to keep my mouth shut about this boyfriend of yours but I don’t like you staying out so late.”
“Riley, I’m seventeen years old. I think I can pretty much take care of myself,” Dawn knelt down so that she wasn’t standing over Riley and rested her hands on the bed beside the watcher. “What’s up with this though? Is there a little rule breaking going on?”
“Rule breaking?” She doesn’t think we’re… does she?
“Never mind; I just wanted to say good night any way. We’ll chat more later on.”
“Okay; we’ll go get some ice cream at that place near your school. Just you and me, alright?”
Dawn nodded agreeing with Riley. She stood up without a word and went to give Riley a hug. As she bent over her left hand landed on Ashleigh’s shoulder and as she wrapped her right arm around Riley’s shoulder and neck a sharp pain struck her head as images began to pour into her mind.
Dawn’s psychic powers were once again surfacing after a long, welcomed absence.
The images were blurry although she could make out a wedding of some sort with people laughing, joking and having a good time. Just as fast as these images began they ended. Dawn let out a gasp and fell backwards onto the floor holding her head. They’re going to get married… they lost their loved ones to open themselves up to each other…
Dawn couldn’t help but smile through the pain and fear.
Riley gently moved Ashleigh off of his chest and onto the bed; careful not to awaken her and turned his attention to Dawn who was now quivering in fear. He knelt down beside her and moved some of the brown hair from her face. Poor girl; they’ve come back. Dawn wrapped her arms around Riley and began to sob from the pain. Riley sighed; it was going to be a very long night. So much for sleep; good thing for army training and the whole lack of it.
Riley lifted Dawn off the floor and carried her into her bedroom. The premonitions began shortly before he left Sunnydale when he and Buffy had broken up. Dawn was studying some of her history homework when she accidentally grabbed a book Giles had left at the Summers residence on Gods and Goddesses when Dawn received her first premonition of Buffy’s death. It scared her to death knowing that she pre-witnessed how her sister was going to die; Riley could remember every detail of that evening for truth be told it scared him to death knowing the woman he loved could very well die. He had advised her to go to Giles or Buffy about it though she decided against it in hopes if she kept quiet it wouldn’t happen. To his knowledge the premonitions remained at bay until that evening. All he could pray that what Dawn saw in her premonition wasn’t anything negative especially with Ashleigh caught in the mix; but she was obviously in no condition to discuss the matter at the moment and from experience with the Summers women, he wasn’t going to press the issue. With Dawn was in her bed he knelt down beside it to make sure she was alright when a blood piercing scream echoed through the mansion from the room he had been in just moments ago.
Ashleigh just had another nightmare. She really must depend on me to keep her shielded in her sleeping state.
He looked down at Dawn and for a brief moment hesitating running to his slayer aid but Dawn looked up at him and motioned towards the door. “Go. I’m fine.” She’s the one who needs you.
Without another thought to the matter he leaped up and ran into the room with Buffy, Angel and Giles not far behind. Ashleigh was sitting up in the bed with her knees to her chest sobbing. Riley ran to her side and wrapped his arms around her; guilt built up in his system quickly. Oh god… I shouldn’t have left…
Part of him knew this was likely to happen again.
“Riley, what happened?” Buffy asked slowly approaching the bed as she wrapped her house coat close around her body.
“Another nightmare, I think,” Riley began rubbing Ashleigh’s head and tried to get the distraught girl to look at him. She refused. I hope she doesn’t feel I abandoned her. “Ashleigh, what happened?”
Ashleigh looked up and noticed everyone in the room looking at her. She began feeling paranoid; As if she was being accused of some crime she leaped from the bed and slowly backed up into the corner wall by the dresser. Riley glanced at Buffy and Angel with pure and utter confusion on his face. Why is she acting like this? Riley slowly got off the bed and approached Ashleigh with caution, unsure of how she may react. As he got closer he could see her body gradually become tenser. He placed his hands on her arm and tried to look her in the eyes. Once their eyes met he swallowed hard; true fear.
“Ashleigh, what happened?”
“Josh…” she choked out
“What about Josh? Did you have another nightmare about the attack?”
Ashleigh shook her head. “No… I was in the cemetery when I was attacked by the group of vampires who killed my family… the leader was fighting me and I was just about to slay it when it came out of vampire mode and…”
“It was Josh,” Riley finished as the girl collapsed into his arms for the third time that night. It was a vision. Her boyfriend is a vampire. Lie to her. Tell her it’s alright. “It’s alright, Ash… it was just a nightmare.”
Ashleigh pushed Riley away from her and looked at him dead straight in the eyes. He’s lying. Sympathetic prick. “What if it’s not? What if it’s trying to tell me something? What if means that my boyfriend I thought I buried is the same vampire who slaughtered my family while I watched helplessly?”
“Ashleigh?” Buffy said from behind Riley. “This nightmare may have been a prophecy. If it is what is to happen what are you prepared to do?”
She doesn’t expect me too… no no no no… I can’t…I won’t…“I can’t kill my boyfriend!” Ashleigh shouted pushing past her watcher and the blonde slayer and grabbed her Nightmare before Christmas sweater from the desk chair. “There is no way you can expect me to do that.”
“Where are you going?” Riley asked grabbing Ashleigh’s arm
Ashleigh pulled away from Riley. “Out, hopefully I’ll find some vampires. It’s obvious that I am not going to sleep yet again tonight.”
“I’m coming with you…” Riley went to grab his shirt from the dresser when Ashleigh lowered his hand and stood in front of him. “Ash… you can not…”
“Riley, I am asking not as my watcher but as my friend, please let me go. I need to get some things sorted out. If it does come down to it and Josh is in fact a vampire then I do need to figure out what to do. I may not be able to kill him but that doesn’t mean that I can’t do something else,” Ashleigh placed her hand on Riley’s cheek and let their eyes meet. “Please understand why this is vital for me to do this.”
Riley sighed and though he knew it was against his every last whim he moved aside and let the slayer go. Ashleigh nodded in appreciation and began to head towards the door. She suddenly came to a halt and turned around to face Riley again. A small ray of hope arose in Riley that she would reconsider her decision. That was not the case. It was anything but. Ashleigh walked over to Riley and gently placed a kiss on her watchers cheek.
You have no idea what this means to me, Riley. I know you care and I appreciate it. “Thank you.”
Thats it for now. I'm hoping to do another one by the weekend... lets hope so. The the loyals... thank you.
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