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Disclaimer: I bow down to the mighty Joss for creating these wonderful characters even though I hate him for splitting up Buffy and Angel. He owns them; I do not. Please don't sue because I don't have any money!! Donna Lewis sings Falling, from the Simply Irresistible soundtrack.
Author's Notes:Spoilers: Well, this trilogy is set during the summer after Season 4, except I wrote all of this or had it all planned out before it aired. So, Riley isn't in the Initiative or from Iowa and Spike wasn't fixed. All I had heard was that Spike would become an ally.
Author's note II: I would like to thank Carolyn for her input and prodding of this story. And for those who don't like my ending, I point the blame at her! She suggested I end it there and continue it in a sequel. But really, I liked her suggestion, because I was stuck. Completely out of ideas and inspiration. So it is my fault, not hers. I would also like to thank my beta reader, Janice, for all her hard work on the stories and not to mention dealing with me. I'm trying harder now! I am! For you diehard Buffy and Angel fans, don't worry, I am too. Just keep reading. Trust me!
Part 1
"Wow! For the weekend?" Willow asked Buffy in awe.
Buffy nodded. "Yep. His parents just moved to LA."
"That's a big step, you know. It was one thing meeting his parents, but now you're spending the weekend with them!"
"Yeah, but one day will be spent with his sister, Melanie, shopping."
Willow started giggling.
Buffy sighed. "What is it, Willow?"
"I can't help it. It's so funny. Riley and Melanie. Both names from Gone with the Wind! Has he ever said anything about it?"
"Nope. But I don't want to inform him though. I doubt he would suddenly like to know that his name is from the movie." Buffy replied.
"Actually Riley wasn't in the movie, he was in the book." Willow commented.
"Whatever." Buffy shrugged. "He has had enough problems as is with his last name. Finn. As in Huckleberry Finn."
Willow nodded. "How is it that we always meet people with weird, um... unique names?"
"I don't know, Willow. But I have wondered about it before." Buffy closed her eyes, and leaned up against her bed. There was only one person who deserved his strange name and that was Angel. Before she could go any further, Buffy opened her eyes, and sat up straight.
"Do you think I'm going too fast, Willow?" Buffy frowned, asking her best friend. She knew Willow would answer truthfully.
Willow shook her head. "No. You two are going slowly. I think this is just a nice gesture of him. You already met his parents, so this shouldn't be too bad. Plus, you'll be shopping with Melanie, and spending time with Riley. You won't be with his parents too much." She paused a second. "I don't think Riley wants to rush you. I think he realizes that you aren't ready for it."
"But what is 'it', Willow? We've been going out for almost the whole school year. We've had our fair share of make-out sessions, movies, dinners, and dates. What more is there? Sex? Marriage? If that is what he wants, then I don't know what to say. I like where we are. It's been a nice relationship. I don't know how serious he thinks this is, or wants it to be." Buffy let out a breath, and leaned back against her bed.
"Don't worry about it now. Just take it like it comes. Be yourself." Willow softly answered her.
Buffy snorted. "Myself? I can't tell him anything! I have to hide my life from him."
"Well… Just be the fun loving Buffy that we all know. The Buffy that isn't the Slayer." Willow suggested.
"That's all I can be around him." Buffy sighed.&nsbp; Scott's words from her senior year haunted her. "It's just that you never really know what's going on inside somebody. Do you? I mean, you think... if you care about them... But you never really do."
"So, does he plan on staying in Sunnydale for the summer, or in LA with his parents?" Willow asked, trying to change the subject, at least away from the seriousness of the Riley subject.
Buffy shook her head. "He hasn't said."
Maybe we've gone too far
"Where are we going?" Buffy asked Riley as they left his parents' new house in LA.
"It's as surprise." He answered cryptically.
Buffy shuddered. She never liked it when he was like this, nor did she like surprises, not since her 17th birthday. The cryptic act reminded her of Angel, and she didn't like to think of him. He had broken her heart, telling her to move on. Well, she had moved on, and she couldn't look back. Not ever.
She looked around while Riley drove them to his surprise. She recognized where they were going. The park. Memories flooded her. Memories from LA, and memories from Sunnydale.
"The park." Buffy softly answered her own question.
"Yep." Riley grinned. "I overheard you talking to Willow once, and you mentioned that you missed the midnight walks through the park."
Buffy grimaced. She remembered the conversation well. Buffy had mentioned the park, but obviously Riley had not heard the entire conversation. He would have realized that she could never go to the park with him. She didn't want to go the park with him or at least not at night.
Part of her wanted to keep the memories of her time with Angel separate from her relationship with Riley. They were special. But she also didn't want to go because she knew they could be attacked by vampires at any time and she knew that Riley couldn't protect himself, even if he did know about the existence of vampires. Which he didn't.
She and Angel had been able to walk through the park, although more often the cemeteries, because they both knew they could protect themselves, and they didn't have to worry about each other. But with Riley, Buffy would constantly have to keep a watch out for vampires. And how would she explain them to him? How would she explain that she was the Slayer? She didn't want to; the relationship with Riley so far had been nice without the complications of slaying matters. It had its downside, too, but that was beside the point. She had always wanted a normal relationship. That was what Angel wanted her to have, what her mom wanted her to have, and what Giles wanted her to have, although he would never mention it.
They had been lucky so far. Their dates had been to the movies, restaurants, and they would drive to the Bronze. They had never run into vampires. And if she sensed them, she would try to excuse herself and take care of the problem. Sometimes she ignored them, telling herself that she would come back for them later. She wanted this relationship to work so badly.
But in many ways, it also made her wish for her relationship with Angel. Hadn't she learned her lesson the first year she was here?&nsbp; She had gone out on a date with a guy who did not know she was the slayer. But the date had been interrupted with slayage and he almost ended up dead. Never kill a boy on the first date. That was her lesson. But really, it was hard to have a life outside slaying with people who didn't know.
It was an endless debate that she had been having with herself all year. Should she continue this relationship? Should she tell him? Should she run back to Angel?
Buffy sucked in a breath. She couldn't run back to Angel. He had been the one to leave; the one who wanted her to have a normal life. To have this relationship. Although deep down, he probably didn't want her to. It was just a front. They both loved each other. They knew that they belonged to each other - that they were soulmates. They just couldn't be together. Or could they? She had always wondered that. So they couldn't 'be together.' Had they not had a relationship before the whole incident?
"Buffy? Are you okay?"
Riley's voice snapped Buffy back to the present; to her present relationship with Riley. She had to think about Riley. About what was going to happen. A walk through the park. At night. With Riley. Not Angel. She had to concentrate on Riley.
They had stopped in the parking lot of the park. It was a familiar one to her. She had come here when she first started slaying. Buffy nodded her head at Riley's question, then spoke up. "I'm fine." She grabbed her purse before getting out of the car. It held her slaying supplies. Never leave home without it.
Riley stepped out of the car, then came around to Buffy's side. He took her hand then gestured to the park trail. They started down the trail.
Buffy fingered a stake in her other hand that she had taken out of her purse. She played with it nervously. Somehow she knew that tonight was the night. Riley was going to find out. It figured. The weekend that she was spending with him, and his family.
Riley noticed Buffy's nervousness, or maybe it was the fact that she was quiet. Which she rarely was. "Are you sure you're alright? Is the park bad?"
Buffy shook her head. "No, the park is fine. It just brings up some memories."
"Bad memories?" Riley asked. He stopped and turned to face her. He was concerned.
Buffy shook her head again. "No." She paused. "Well actually…" She then looked over at the bushes where she sensed some unwanted intruders. Buffy sighed. "It's just that…"
Four vampires emerged from the bushes, and started walking across the park toward them.
Buffy nervously looked over at the vampires. l They weren't in a hurry. They thought they had an easy meal coming. She grabbed a cross out of the purse, then dropped the purse. "Here, take this. Run." She shoved the cross into his hands, then gripped her own stake, waiting for the attack.
"What?" Riley asked, puzzled. "I don't get it." He looked over at people who Buffy was looking at. He shrugged. "So? Other people can come here."
"You don't get it, Riley. Run. I'll meet you back at the house."
"But Buffy…" he protested.
"NOW, RILEY!" Buffy commanded. She was not used to this. Usually the gang listened to her. But Riley didn't know what was going on. She quickly glanced over at the vampires. They were getting closer.
"I'd listen to her if I were you." A quiet voice suddenly spoke up behind Riley.
Buffy's eyes went wide.
Riley turned around to see a young man, middle 20's, dressed in black, with dark hair and dark eyes staring at him. "Who are you?" He asked.
"A friend." The dark stranger answered.&nbps; He, too, glanced over at the vampires approaching them.
"Well, I'm not leaving Buffy here." Riley defended himself.
The dark stranger sighed. "He's worse than Xander."
Buffy finally giggled. "Only when it comes to his male ego. But I think Xander still beats him when it comes to that."
"Hold it! What's going on here? You know Xander?" Riley pointedly asked the stranger. "Who are you?"
Buffy sighed. She caught a quick peek at the quickly approaching vampires. There was no time for introductions. She looked up at Angel. "Do you have any stakes, Angel? I only have one."
"Stakes?" Riley looked from Buffy to Angel, confused.
He nodded, pulled one from his jacket and tossed it to Buffy. She caught it effortlessly.
"All right. It's time to rumble." Buffy spouted. She and Angel turned to meet the vampires head on.
"What's going on here? Will someone please tell me?!"
Buffy turned to Riley. "I would stay down and away. Hold the cross in front of you if anyone comes near you." She turned her attention back to the vampires.
Riley scowled. He didn't like being left out. And who was this guy? He had heard little bits about him, Angel, during conversations with Buffy or the gang. But never that much. They would usually shut up when they saw him coming.
He went over to a tree and sat down. What were they doing? He looked at the cross in his hands. Why did she give him this? He was very puzzled by what was happening. All he had planned was a quiet stroll through the park with Buffy. But now, this guy had interrupted them. And now both he and Buffy were waiting for some guys in the park with stakes in their hands. Stakes? Why did they have them? And why did she have one on her? Riley shook his head. He had too many questions to ask Buffy.
Riley looked up at Buffy and Angel. The four men had come up to the two of them. Now, they were- hold on a second. He had to take a double take. Buffy and Angel were FIGHTING these guys! Why had they started a fight with them? What had they done wrong to get into a fight? And why was he still sitting by the tree and not helping? Maybe it was because he not willing to get hurt and the fact that he had no idea how to fight.
But apparently both Buffy and Angel knew how to fight. Buffy barely looked like she was breaking a sweat.&nbps; She kicked and punched effortlessly. So did Angel.
Riley blinked a second. Suddenly two of the guys were gone.&nbps; GONE! Where did they go? Riley looked around wildly. There was no trace of the two men. They had disappeared. But why?
He looked back at the fight. The other two men had disappeared as well. Buffy and Angel had dusted themselves off and were now walking over to him. Again, he looked around for the men, but found no sign of them. He shook his head. Apparently Buffy and Angel had scared them off or maybe the police were here? But he heard no sound other than the two of them walking through the grass.
Buffy and Angel stopped in front of him. Buffy looked at him curiously.
"What happened out there?" Riley finally managed to spit out.
"Oh there?" Buffy motioned to the now empty park. "Nothing."
"But where did the guys go? They disappeared!" Riley argued.
"They left.&nbps; They didn't want to give us any more problems." Buffy grinned.
Riley slowly nodded. It made sense. Sort of. If you didn't think about it too hard. He turned his head back to Angel. "And who is he?"
Buffy looked over at Angel, then back to Riley and smiled. "An old friend."
Angel smirked at Buffy's word choice. It had more than one meaning. Old as in past friend, and old as in 244 years old. But Riley didn't know that. And wouldn't suspect it either.
"Somehow I don't buy that.&nbps; You two went out together didn't you?" Riley probed. He had a sneaky suspicion that Angel was an ex.
Buffy looked down at her shoes for a second before answering Riley. "Yes."
"For how long?"
"Three years." Buffy answered looking straight at Riley. "We split last year. Angel moved to LA." She nodded over at Angel.
"I had thought that you hadn't had any or much experience. That was why I thought you wanted to go slow. But it isn't that is it? I was just a rebound guy wasn't I?" Riley shot out. He wasn't happy finding out about this after a year. She had never talked about her past.
"No!" Buffy pleaded. "Well, yes, sort of. But not really. I was trying to move on." She stumbled and looked between the two guys frantically.
"You still love him, don't you? I'm assuming it was a pretty strong relationship you had with him. You haven't been too gung-ho with me this year. Always very slow and cautious. Never too much emotion." Riley bitterly asked.
"I didn't want to make any mistakes! You can't blame me for wanting to go slow!" Buffy pleaded again. She looked over at Angel briefly, looking for support.
Angel just looked on in silence. His eyes were cast downward, looking very sad. He still loved Buffy, but he would not jeopardize her relationship for his greed. He had been the one to leave anyway.
"It has been beyond slow!" Riley shook his head. "I need some time to think about this, Buffy. I'm going home." With that, he took off for the car.
Buffy glanced at Angel, then ran after Riley. They got into the car and drove silently back to his parents' house. No one said a word.
Angel left the park as quietly as he had entered.
Putting my trust in you
Safe in your presence I will be
If I thought it was the thing to do
With you