A Reunion of Sorts: A Reunion of Sorts
by Sare
Disclaimer: I own none of the BtVs characters. They all belong to Joss Whedon, Fox, Mutant Enemy, and the WB.
Author's Notes: This is in response to a challenge, so that's why so many things are really weird.



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Buffy sighed as she leisurely stirred her sweet, sugary mocha while listening to Riley's boring discussion that he seemed to be having with himself about tomorrow's psych lecture.

She *so* did not want to be here. I mean, first of all, it was the Bronze. Why would she be at the Bronze when she could easily be on patrol slaying her little demony friends? It felt so good to take out her pent up emotions and desires out on the ignorant beasts, and here she was on a boring date with a boring guy that she didn't even remotely like but had gone out with him because Willow insisted.

And somewhere in that small spiral of time, everyone had gotten the idea that she had been *going out* with him. One date did *not* equal going out. And she didn't want to bruise his selfish little ego by telling him that she did not like him in the least. She was more compassionate than that.

Not wanting to be bored all night, she pulled Riley up mid-sentence as she heard one of her favorite songs come on.

"Wha..?" Riley asked, dumbfounded as Buffy began to thrash her body around to the beginnings of the song.

"Come on, Riley. Can't you dance to Ricky?"

She tried to ignore the first few lyrics, which oddly reminded her of a certain dark, brooding fellow that lived in her very own Los Angeles.

I'm a desperado
Underneath your window

How many times had she woken up in the night, only to see him staring at her with those dark, mysterious eyes, silently reassuring her that it was okay and that nothing could ever go wrong, that with him, nothing would ever *be* wrong?

I see your silhouette
Are you my Juliet
I feel a mad connection
With your body

Oh, how she knew that connection. She knew it *intimately*. She wanted him to claim her once again, to become his and he become hers. She wanted to be with him.

Shake your bon-bon
Shake your bon-bon
Shake your bon-bon
I wanna be your lover
Your only latin lover
We'll go around the world in a day
Don't say no, no
Shake it my way, oh
Shake your bon-bon
Shake your bon-bon
Shake your bon-bon

She wanted it all. She wanted to be his lover once more, to feel his lips brush against hers ever so softly, wanted to feel him run his hands along her back, gently easing out the tension that had so rigidly claimed itself there.

She wanted to see the world with him. She wanted to go around the world with him and love him and cherish him and need him.

You're a Mata Hari
I wanna know your story
In the Sahara sun
I wanna be the one
That's gonna come and take you, make you
Shake your bon-bon
Shake your bon-bon
Shake your bon-bon
Up in the Himalayas
C'mon I wanna lay ya
We'll go around the world in a day
Don't say no, no
Shake it my way, oh
Shake your bon-bon
Shake your bon-bon
Shake your bon-bon

She wanted to go to him up high on the mountains, and love him there, claim him there, be with him there. She wanted him everywhere. She wanted it known to the world that he was hers and she was his.

Hola Amiga, Hola Amiga You're my temple of desire
We'll go around the world in a day
Don't say no, no
Shake it my way, oh
Shake your bon-bon
Shake your bon-bon
Shake your bon-bon

She widened her eyes as she gazed at Riley, who was desperately trying to flow and move at ease.. but was emphatically failing. His moves greatly resembled the Xander dance, only more gruesome. He had no coordination at all.

Buffy grimaced. Now, how did I ever fall for that bulky piece of grime?

She then gratefully spied Willow and Spike coming through the doors of the Bronze, who quickly pointed out the slayer and her not-so-boyfriend-material guy, which was not too difficult considering Riley's flailing arms amidst the crowd.

Spike didn't even try to contain his laughter at the boy when he walked up to them. He was quickly silenced by Willow, who although agreed with his amusement whole-heartedly, knew that there were more important things to deal with at the moment.

"Buffy, Giles needs you. There's some new prophecy or something in the Codex."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Great!" She sarcastically said. "So what? Am I gonna die again? 'Cause you know, that was a real three month mood-killer which I would not like to repeat, thank you very much."

Willow nodded her head in agreement. "Yeah, we don't want to repeat it either. So let's get over there and see what we can do to stop whatever fate lies ahead of us."

Shrugging her shoulders, Buffy grabbed her coat before walking out with Spike and Willow, Riley slowly trailing behind.

"So, Will," Buffy asked as she tugged a pair of purple gloves that Willow wore, "Why the gloves? It's not even cold."

Willow rolled her eyes. "Spike says that he'll give me a 'special present' if I wear them tonight and tomorrow night."

Buffy raised her eyebrows and glanced at Spike, who wore an amused grin. "Spike, why the gloves?"

The Billy-Idol wannabe shrugged and fished into his pockets for a cigarette.

The blond rolled her eyes and turned back to Willow. "Well, I guess if you get a present, it's all good."

"Yep." Willow proudly said as she opened the door to Giles apartment-

And halted in her tracks.

"Uh," She stuttered. "Uh, Buffy, c-can I see you in-in-in-" Her mind turned awhirl as she realized she couldn't say 'kitchen' because Buffy's former vampire lover was standing in the way of it, "-the garden place that's outside of Giles' house?"

But it was too late. Buffy had already shoved past Willow and set foot into the room, her eyes immediately shifting to Angel's.

And then shifted to the blond bimbo that hung on his arm.

Buffy swallowed and nodded her head, as if accepting for the final time that Angel had moved on and didn't want her anymore. "Hi, Cordy. Angel."

"Buffy!" Cordelia exclaimed, then walked over to her and wrapped her arms around the other girl's back. "How are you? It's been ages!"

Buffy widened her eyes in shock as the realization that Cordelia was hugging her finally sunk in. "Yeah! Good to see you."

"Buffy." Angel softly said after Cordelia had released her.

Buffy nodded at him, then glared at Giles, silently implying that she was angry with him for not telling her about the little surprise waiting in the living room. "So, Giles, what's the big bad?"

"Well, uh, there seems to be a new demon in town that is a sort of magnet to human beings. It can-"

"Got him." Buffy said before grabbing her coat and heading out the door.

Willow smiled apologetically at Giles. "I was on patrol with Buffy last night and we killed the baddie."

Giles raised his eyebrows in surprise and agitation. "Why wouldn't she tell me about this until now?"

Willow shrugged and grabbed Spike's arm, dragging him to where Buffy and Riley were heading - back to the Bronze.

Angel's mind was elsewhere. So she had moved on. He had told her to, after all, but it still hurt knowing that they still had their special connection but that their love couldn't be acted upon.

'Right.' The voice seemed to emanate from the back of his mind, but he knew that it was his heart that spoke. 'Your soul is restored but your love still can't be acted upon. That's bull.'

Angel mentally shook his head. Even if he did get back together with his only love, he couldn't go into the sunlight with her, create children with her, give her a normal life outside of the darkness that she lived in.

"Angel?" Kate's sickenenly sweet voice broke into his reverie and he turned his head to meet hers.

She smiled seducively at him and ran her hands along his chest. "Wanna go with the kids? Rupert told me they're going to a dance club. We could join them." She suggestively said as she shoved her hips into his.

"Sure, whatever." Angel mumbled as he fought back the pain of what he felt was betrayal.


* * *
Xander looked nervously around the table at the Bronze. He could feel the tension surging between the people that he once knew so well and ones he didn't know much at all.

Cordelia shifted nervously in her seat and wouldn't meet his gaze. He knew that coming here had to be hard for her, resurfacing of old memories and stuff. But he would think that she would at least bicker with him like back in the old days! Maybe she changed..

But the most tension clearly visible between any two people was between Buffy and Angel. He even saw that and he was the most clueless of them all. Riley and Kate kept on hanging on them, talking to them, but it was obvious that neither was listening. They were too busy trying to avoid eachother's gaze to notice anything.

Xander noticed how everyone, including himself, was sitting with their backs extremely rigid and totally straight, tension in their muscles cramping and creating soreness that would not diminish easily.

"So, uh.." Xander began, trying to bring up conversation between the couples. He noticed the distress and misery on Buffy's face at how Angel was so close to her but so far away and how Riley was hanging on her and talking her ears off. "Buffy, wanna dance?"

Buffy immediately stood up, shoving her chair out of the way and practically diving into his arms.

He smiled at her as they moved into the middle of the dance floor. Her expression changed slightly, and a small smile crossed her face. "Hey, Xander?"

"Yeah?"

She grinned whole-heartedly. "Let's get some payback."

Xander raised his eyebrows, obviously not knowing what she meant.. until she started slowly winding her hands around his neck, then slid them down the length of his body until they rested on the small of his back.

She slowly drew her left leg up and sensuously glided it along the inside of his leg, then leaned in so that her whole body was pressed up against him.

He could feel her heat, and he could feel his own heart racing at the death looks that Cordelia, Angel, and Riley were giving him from the table.

She slowly lifted her arms above her head, revealing more cleavage in her low-cut white t-shirt, and again lifted her leg, hiking her black mini skirt up past the middle of her thighs. Xander was thankful that at least her black platform sandals weren't scraping against his leg like Cordy's had a while back, though he saw now that that was the least of his problems at the moment.

Somewhere during the close inspection of her outfit, Riley had come and clamped a firm hand around her wrist, glaring daggers at the boy and at Buffy.

"What do you think you're doing?" He menacingly asked.

Buffy smiled innocently. "Dancing with a friend."

Riley's grip tightened and Buffy immediately lost the smile. "You don't dance with friends like that. You dance with lovers like that."

"Yeah." Cordelia vehemently said as she grabbed Xander and dragged him across the dance floor. He smiled when they started bickering like they usually did and wound up in eachothers arms.

But back to Riley and Buffy.

Riley grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the Bronze, only noticed by one.

Angel.

He shoved her away from him and she bumped into the alley trash can, but stood her ground and defiantly lifted her chin.

Riley clenched his fists until the knuckles turned white. He was just seething with anger towards Buffy and the little schoolboy that dared to even touch his girlfriend. "What were you doing with him? Trying to make me jealous? No one touches you but me!"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Possessive much? And please! I let whoever I want touch me. You have no control over me or my life."

"Like hell I don't!" He growled, practically spitting into her face. "You're a mean, spoiled, selfish little brat that doesn't even know true love when it passes around! You should be smacked!"

From the distance, a figure growled. This figure moved into the dim light of the alleyway and came to possessively latch onto Buffy's arm. "She belongs to me."

Riley smirked, waiting to hear the ever-so-smart quips that would emerge from Buffy's mouth.

But none came.

Instead, she smiled up at Angel, who offered a tiny smile before turning back to Riley. His demon was roaring, smashing against it's barriers to be let loose for just a little while. Just a little while to kill this being that dared to speak to his lover that way.

Buffy saw the turmoil in his eyes and nodded, knowing he was wondering if he should let his demon emerge or not.

He did.

Angelus growled and stepped closer to Riley, still holding Buffy by her upper arm. "You dare speak to her that way."

Riley attempted to make a few feeble steps away from the demonic creature, but Angel, fast as lightning, grabbed his arm and squeezed with all his might.

"You are a fool, boy. If anyone smacks her, it'll be me." He got a whimper out of his lover and turned to face her, seeing the pain of rejection cross her face. He immediately became remorseful for the words he had said and let go of her arm, bring his hand to her face. "But I won't. You don't deserve that. I know that Willow and the others were pushing you into going with this gruesome pile of garbage. Don't worry."

Buffy took a deep breath and nodded, knowing that Angel was still in there, that the demon hadn't completely taken over.

He growled again when Riley struggled, and knocked his head against the wall, sending blood spurting out of his skull and his eyes rolled back into his head, signaling that he was unconcious.

Angel turned back to Buffy, who immediately claimed his mouth with her own, hungrily nipping at his lip and thrusting her tongue into his mouth. He responded with equal fervidness, happy to be with his mate after so long.

She ended the kiss and gazed down at the slumped form of Riley. "What are we gonna do with him?"

Angel responded by dragging the boy up by the scruff of his neck and flinging him over his shoulder before wrapping his arm possessively around Buffy's waist, guiding her to the mansion. "I can think of a few things."


* * *
Riley awoke with a crick in his neck and an extremely sore back. He moved to rub the tension out of his neck when he noticed that he was chained. To a wall.

And Angelus towering over him with a sharp, jagged knife in hand.

Buffy came up behind him, hesitantly placing a hand on his shoulder. "What are you gonna do?" She quietly asked, so as to not disturb his thoughts too much.

Angel shrugged. "I was thinking about skinning him alive, but we do have to find another person tonight that you can do some magic on."

Buffy smiled when she realized that the person in question was Kate.

"Alright." She agreed.

Angel guided Buffy with his hand on the small of her back to a chair in the corner. "Sit." He commanded.

Buffy turned around and pouted up at him. "I wanna help!"

Angel shook his head at her, his demonic features coming into light. "No. Sit. It's my turn, love."

Buffy huffed and crossed her arms. "I'm helping. He's *my* boyfriend, not yours."

Angel turned her around and slapped her on the ass, just hard enough to sting pretty badly. "Don't get an attitude with me, Buffy."

Buffy turned around and glared at him beneath her long lashes but obliged to his demands, gingerly sitting herself onto the hard, wooden chair and crossing her legs. "Hurry up, then."

Angel gave her a warning glare before turning back to Riley. "Now, boy, where should we start?" He squatted down beside him and dragged the pointed end of the knife alongside the boy's cheek, watching with satisfaction as crimson blood oozed from the cut.

Angel grinned before reaching over to the corner where he took out a bucket and some strips of paper made for waxing legs.

"Ever shave your legs, Riley boy?" Angel asked as he violently ripped the ends of Riley's pants up. "Hmm. Guess not."

He then dipped a strip into the hot wax and lay it upon the boy's leg, then harshly ripped it off. Riley screamed in agony, and Angel repeated the process before going to the other leg and doing it again.

He delighted in the twist of pain in Riley's features and the groans of suffering coming between his closed lips.

From her chair, Buffy rolled her eyes. "Women can bear the pain of a waxing of legs, but men can't? Men just aren't as tough as us."

Angel rolled his eyes at her and she smiled sweetly before he continued on.

He took the knife he had previously used on the boy's cheek and jabbed it into the palm of Riley's hand, the sharp instrument gliding through blood and bones just like butter.

And everything afterward for Riley Finn became a haze of blood and gore before he finally passed away into oblivion.


* * *
Kate rode in her car on her way to Los Angeles. Rupert had sent her to get another book from Angel's office. She smirked as she turned the corner that passed yet another graveyard in Sunnydale. Maybe she could go through his things and burn another one of those pictures of Buffy that he had. How many did he have anyway?

Her thoughts were cut off when another vehicle suddenly swung in front of her, stopping in the middle of the road. She immediately crashed into it, and her head bashed into the steering wheel, sending her into unconciousness.


* * *
Buffy and Angel each stepped out of the car, carefully walking over to where Kate was and opening her door.

"Hey!"

They both turned to stare at.. Principal Snyder?

"Didn't you die last year?" Buffy casually asked.

Snyder rolled his eyes. "Does it matter? Stay here. I need to report you to the police for purposefully pulling in front of this lovely young lady and trying to kill her."

Buffy tapped her foot impatiently. "We weren't trying to *kill* her." Adding under her breath, "Not yet anyway."

"Look, I'm her father." They both gasped in shock at this revelation. "I need to protect her."

Angel scoffed at him. "Right." He carelessly dropped Kate to the ground and grabbed Snyder's head. "This is for being not too nice to my lover all those years."

The last thing he heard and saw was Buffy, saying, "This time, stay dead please."

Angel smirked and grabbed the girl, flung her over his shoulder, and headed to the mansion.

Buffy was about to run after him when Willow ran up to her from a few sidewalks away. "Buffy! Where were you?"

The slayer shrugged. "No where special. Hey! Can I borrow your gloves?"

Willow looked at her suspiciously. "Why?"

Buffy smiled. "It's really, *really* important. Can I?"

Willow sighed in defeat and handed them over. "There goes my present."

Buffy smiled delightfully at her before walking at a fast pace to the mansion.


* * *
Angelus met her at the door. "Where were you?" He harshly asked, afraid that she had met up with another guy or Xander or somebody.

Buffy grinned at his jealousy. "Relax, I saw Willow and got her gloves."

"Gloves?" He questioned.

She dangled the gloves from her fingertips and a mischievious look crossed her face. "Yeah, you'll see."


* * *
About an hour later, Kate came to. Buffy was ready for her. She chained her to the wall, ignoring Kate's protests.

"I'll have you arrested for this!" She screamed.

Buffy rolled her eyes and shoved the purple gloves into the lady's mouth, not wanting to hear anything out of her for long. She had a digusting voice.

Angelus came over to her and placed a hand upon her own. "Let me help." He purred into her ear.

A part of her screamed to tell him no, that he would just have to sit down and watch as she had, but the stronger part of her wanted to allow him to do so. She loved to see him work.

She reluctantly nodded her head, and Angel let a sly smile cross his face as he lightly tapped her behind with his hand. "I'll reward you later."

That was the last spoken thing that Kate heard before everything was crushed into a misty existance of pain and suffering.


* * *
About an hour after Kate's death, Angel overpowered the demon and locked him away again. He hesitantly looked up at Buffy, searching for signs of rejection or hate, but found none.

Instead, Buffy crawled into his lap and wrapped her arms around his waist. "So, you okay?" She asked him.

Angel nodded with a smile. "Yep. You?"

"Fine." She sighed in contentment. "This is nice. Stay with me?"

"Forever." A strange sense of deja vu entered the two as they each took in his next line. "That's the whole point."


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