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snoggedBefore any of you start your begging, there will be an epilogue. And just so you know, I really appreciate those of you who have come along for this journey. I can't begin to tell you how much that means to me.
Title: Mission X (14/14)
Author: snogged
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon and Co. own the characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I don’t.
Pairing: Willow/Riley
Word Count: 2623
Overall Rating/Warnings: FRT-13/PG-13 to FRAO/NC-17; language, angst, drama, violence, het sex, sexual innuendo.
Setting: AU! Season 6. Parts of this story come from the established canon plot lines and others are my own desire to twist things my way.
Summary: When Riley comes back to Sunnydale, he stays for a reason that’s not Buffy.
Beta: the amazing Gabrielle and the awesome![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
angelskuuipo.
Previous Chapters
Banners byrua1412: One / Two
Willow groaned, eyeing the large pile of dusty, thick tomes – remnants of what Giles left behind of his “special” collection - as if it was a tumor protruding from the Summers’ kitchen table. The table, on the other hand, wasn’t even breaking a sweat, so to speak. She’d half expected the table to snap in half from all the weight, but it had done no such thing, at least not yet.
In all honesty, she had no personal vendetta against books. She liked books; liked them enough to memorize the Dewey decimal and the Library of Congress classification systems by the time she was twelve.
The problem she was currently having was more based on the fact that her head hurt from the crazy plan she had hatched of trying to cram all kinds of spells into her knowledge bank for the past six hours. Usually, she would have just booted up the laptop, done a few searches, and found exactly the types of spells she needed in minutes. But the government sort of had a pesky way of tracking computer signals and she wanted to stay off their radar. Raising red flags right now would really put a damper on their surprise attack plans. The pending fight between her and Lazarus was the biggest, scariest test of Willow’s life. It was the test to determine how strong she was, how good she really was at this. Sure, she’d brought Buffy back from the dead and that was anything but child’s play, but this seemed bigger somehow.
Hence, the intense amount of cramming and the wish that she could just let it all soak into her brain through osmosis if she just put her head down on the table for a second. It would really come in handy if there was some way for her to just jam her fingers into the pages and draw the information through her central nervous system…maybe there was a spell for that…
It was just like her to fall hook, line, and sinker for the notion of a new spell. She had spent so much of this last year becoming dependent on what magic offered her, become so enthused about taking the easy way out instead of putting in the blood, sweat, and tears that Buffy did.
But was magic really all that easy? More importantly, was it really all that bad to want one more trick in her playbook?
Her fingers brushed over a promising looking title and she carefully began to leaf through the pages of the dark spell book. There was no question that this was some of the darker stuff everyone had wanted her to stay away from, but it seemed justifiable to learn the type of stuff her opponent must already know like the back of his hand. Fight fire with fire and all that…
“Penny for your thoughts?” Riley asked, plopping down beside her with a serene smile on his face.
As she turned her head to face him, his fingers crept towards her hand, reaching out to brush her knuckles. This would have been a simple, comforting gesture if it wasn’t for the fact that Riley was sporting a tight, forest green t-shirt that accentuated his firm, tight muscles. Insert countless sexy thoughts here.
With a grin, she tapped her temple. “If you’re looking for these thoughts, they’re gonna cost you at least two-fifty.”
“You drive a hard bargain,” Riley said, leaning in and brushing his lips against her hair, centimeters from where her finger had just been. “Perhaps we could work out some sort of deal…”
Willow’s heart fluttered, as his tongued traced the curve of her ear. The sensation of his hot breath against her flesh drew a gasp from her lips and she found herself tilting her body towards his, wanting to feel more of the heat from his skin. This was exactly the sort of distraction she needed right now.
Riley’s lips found her ear lobe and she shivered when his tongue flicked against the sensitive flesh. From there, it was on to her neck and his attention to the slender column of skin nearly set her on fire with lust. It was also enough to make her uncoil, to free her from the pressure being placed upon her.
“Riley,” Willow breathed, as his tongue dipped into the small hollow between her neck and her shoulder blade.
“Love you,” Riley murmured, his tongue skating back up her throat, tracing figure eights and concentric circles as her body writhed against his.
“Love you, too,” Willow replied softly, closing her eyes, letting the sensations forming inside of her build up in a sweet crescendo. This was a stolen moment for both of them, one that could end any second just by someone walking into the kitchen. But Willow didn’t want this to end. She didn’t want to go back to the reality that involved her taking on a super-spy-certified-psycho wizard.
“You’re a powerful woman,” Riley said, separating his lips from her skin, and wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace. “And I’m going to be here for you every step of the way. That is my promise and that is my mission.”
Willow’s breath hitched and her heart nearly melted from his reassuringly sweet tone. It was clear that the concept of the word ‘mission’ had changed for him. It was no longer something that came as an order from someone above him. It was something that came from his heart. Not only that, but having Riley to ground her while she dealt with whatever Lazarus threw at her would give her the strength she needed and deep down, she knew he wouldn’t let her falter.
“Are you guys ready?” Buffy asked, poking her head in, signaling that the sun had fallen and that it was time to head out. Much to Willow’s pleasure, there was no hurt in Buffy’s eyes from witnessing the cuddle-fest going on. There was just business and confidence, also known as Buffy’s take-charge-chick look. “Xander’s bringing the car around.”
Willow and Riley nodded, untangling themselves and getting to their feet.
“It’s show time,” Willow murmured, reciting a Latin phrase under her breath and tentatively allowing a crackle of magic to zing through her fingers. At least one part of her was feeling ready for this.
*~*~*~*~*~*
The rental home didn’t look any different from the first time they visited, but Riley could tell there was something different in the air. Given the timeframe, he was certain that the General had assembled another battalion to guard the premises and…
“There’s magic,” Willow said, stepping out of the car and finishing his thought out loud. She pressed her palm against the air and Riley swore he saw a bright blue light flash in response. “Energy shield. Same one I used when…”
She didn’t need to say anymore. They knew exactly what she meant.
“Can you bust it?” Buffy asked.
Before Willow could reply, Tara nervously stepped towards them, clutching a satchel of herbs in her hands. “I-I can do it. Willow needs to save her strength for the fight.”
Riley felt an instant surge of gratitude towards Tara. He was glad that she had decided to join them and that she wasn’t arguing with their decision to use Willow as their magical powerhouse.
“I can help,” Dawn offered, smiling brightly. Quickly, she glanced at her older sister and shrugged. “Or you know I could fight with you, Buffy.”
“No,” Buffy replied firmly. “You can stay in the car.”
“But I…” Dawn protested, her arms akimbo as she watched Tara set up the ritual with wistful eyes.
“In the car,” Buffy repeated, pointing at the station wagon. “Where you’ll be safe.”
With a pout, Dawn opened the door to the station wagon, begrudgingly slid onto the worn leather seats, and slammed the door to indicate the depth of her frustration.
“Are you sure you don’t need my help?” Willow asked, remembering how strong they were whenever they had joined forces.
“I think its better that we don’t,” Tara replied, situating herself on her knees and lifting her hands, palms upward, towards the heavens. “B…better for both of us. And I…I can handle it on my own.”
Willow nodded, understanding the implication of her response. Doing magic with Tara would bring back memories she was better off not clinging to. Instead, she opted to hold her breath while Tara carefully recited the incantation that should break down the shield fairly easily.
The shield, indeed, dissipated quickly and Buffy and Spike immediately slid into fight stance as if they knew what they’d just awakened. “Riley and Anya, there’s a side door on the west side of the house. Take Willow there,” Buffy said, taking control of the situation. All three nodded as Anya planted a quick kiss on Xander’s lips.
“Don’t die,” the former vengeance demon warned.
“I won’t,” Xander promised, curling his fists and raising them in front of himself protectively. Anya offered him a small smile and the three of them went off in their required direction.
When they reached the side entrance, Willow shivered; not from the breeze but from the threat waiting for her somewhere in the bowels of this house. Riley rested his hand on her shoulder and used the other to turn the knob. What lay behind the door was an unremarkable hallway with nondescript white walls and several bare florescent bulbs spaced several feet apart down the length of it. As far as anyone could tell, there were no guards blocking their path.
Carefully, they stepped inside and started walking, doing their best not to make any noise. It wouldn’t pay to arouse suspicion considering how simple it had been to get in this way.
“Little witch, little witch. Dug herself a mighty ditch.”
Or maybe not so simple…
Lazarus appeared before them, his pale skin looking even more wrinkled and paper-thin than before in contrast to the black robe he wore. Riley gritted his teeth, staring down the wizard with eyes like daggers and gripping the bronze-coated handle of a small knife he’d shoved in his pants before they left.
Lazarus cackled in amusement and stepped forward, slowly closing the gap that separated them. “The monkeys won’t protect you. They’ve just come to watch you fall.”
A bright green flash erupted from his fingers, zoomed towards their ragtag band of fighters, and hit Anya square in the chest. Instead of knocking her to the floor, though, it produced ropes that stretched across her body and plastered her to the wall.
“Willow!” Anya shouted, struggling against her bonds. “Do something.”
Although she and Anya hadn’t always seen eye to eye, Anya was still Xander’s wife and that meant something. Besides, she was not about to allow harm to come to her friends’ or her boyfriend’s lives. That was something both old Willow and magic-amped Willow could agree on. But just because she was fighting for the side of good, it didn’t mean she was just going to turn the other cheek. Anger and power coiled inside of her like a serpent, tightening the muscles in her body. It was time to kick some wizard butt.
“Da mihi vim,” Willow muttered, feeling the magic and strength surge within her. If she was going to fight, she might as well be as close to Slayer-strong as she could get and this spell offered her exactly that.
Riley watched with a mixture of awe and fear as Willow’s eyes changed from hazel to jet black. He’d remembered the physical change from the first time the army had attacked them, but he hadn’t remembered her eyes being so dark.
Willow raised her hands, sending her own beam of light towards Lazarus. The wizard stumbled backwards as it hit him, but it wasn’t enough to disable him and he came back with another lighting bolt strike. Willow blocked it with a flick of her hands and sent it flying towards the wall opposite Anya.
“Willow!” Anya yelped, watching with wide eyes as the plaster immediately crumbled from the impact, showering the floor behind them with a cloud of dust.
Unfazed by Willow’s attempts to thwart him, Lazarus closed his eyes, concentrating on the forces he had access to. Before Willow had time to open her mouth and scream, a strong red beam shot down the corridor and was swallowed by Riley’s stomach.
“Willow…”
Riley lurched forward, eyes widening as his fingers gripped his sides. Horrified, Willow turned to see something dark and crimson staining his shirt. It was unmistakably blood and it wasn’t about to stop anytime soon.
Lazarus sneered, chuckling low in his throat, clearly pleased by what he had just done.
Tears pricked her eyes as Riley stumbled towards the wall and without a second thought, she lunged at Lazarus. The added strength from her initial spell allowed her to knock him to the floor. From there, she grabbed his throat, digging her nails into his oily flesh.
Lazarus continued to chuckle manically. “Kill me,” he rasped, flashing his grotesque, yellowed teeth. “Do it.”
Intellectually, Willow knew she should back off. Despite Lazarus’s supernatural prowess, he was technically still human. Just like she was. But because of him, Riley was hurting. Riley was dying. And this was not going to be a case of if you love someone, let him go…
So she squeezed.
And squeezed.
And squeezed.
Until there was nothing left, but blood, sweat, and tears.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The beeping sounds of the heart monitor, mixed with the ache of her strained muscles, stirred Willow from her slumber. As she registered her surroundings, she felt her heart stop…just for a second…as she turned and looked at the bed beside her where Riley lay, unconscious, in a thin, paper gown.
“Riley,” she mouthed, her memories of that night still catapulting around her mind. General Huth had run off with his tail between his legs, or at least that’s how Buffy chose to report it. Lazarus was dead and his death had freed Anya. Anya had been the one to talk her down from her grief, had been the one to help her get Riley out of there. They’d gotten him loaded into the back of the station wagon and Buffy had held her hand all the way to the emergency room.
The doctors hadn’t been able to assure her that he would pull through. There was no telling how long he would be in a coma. But that didn’t stop her from sitting there in the sterile room keeping watch over him. It didn’t stop her from marking a black ‘x’ on a pocket calendar for every day she sat there.
Today was day three and Riley was…
Suddenly, she noticed the sharp rise and fall of his chest and she inhaled sharply, whispering: “Awake. You’re awake.” Immediately, she reached forward and entwined their fingers, relief flooding over her.
Riley groaned in response, his eyes fluttering open. “Wi..Willow.”
“You’re okay,” Willow replied, leaning forward and resting her head on his shoulder. “You’re okay.”
“You watched over me,” Riley said, licking his parched lips.
“Of course I did,” Willow said. “You’re not the only who has a mission, mister. Someone needs to protect you, too.”
A hint of a smile curled Riley’s lips as Willow pressed the call button and nurses filed in to check on his vitals. Even though Willow had gotten reacquainted with her magic, there was no question that this incredible woman was not the threat everyone expected her to be. More than that, this incredible woman had saved the world. Had saved his world. Even if the rest of the planet was never going to know about it.
Mission Complete.
Title: Mission X (14/14)
Author: snogged
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon and Co. own the characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I don’t.
Pairing: Willow/Riley
Word Count: 2623
Overall Rating/Warnings: FRT-13/PG-13 to FRAO/NC-17; language, angst, drama, violence, het sex, sexual innuendo.
Setting: AU! Season 6. Parts of this story come from the established canon plot lines and others are my own desire to twist things my way.
Summary: When Riley comes back to Sunnydale, he stays for a reason that’s not Buffy.
Beta: the amazing Gabrielle and the awesome
angelskuuipo.Previous Chapters
Banners by
rua1412: One / Two Willow groaned, eyeing the large pile of dusty, thick tomes – remnants of what Giles left behind of his “special” collection - as if it was a tumor protruding from the Summers’ kitchen table. The table, on the other hand, wasn’t even breaking a sweat, so to speak. She’d half expected the table to snap in half from all the weight, but it had done no such thing, at least not yet.
In all honesty, she had no personal vendetta against books. She liked books; liked them enough to memorize the Dewey decimal and the Library of Congress classification systems by the time she was twelve.
The problem she was currently having was more based on the fact that her head hurt from the crazy plan she had hatched of trying to cram all kinds of spells into her knowledge bank for the past six hours. Usually, she would have just booted up the laptop, done a few searches, and found exactly the types of spells she needed in minutes. But the government sort of had a pesky way of tracking computer signals and she wanted to stay off their radar. Raising red flags right now would really put a damper on their surprise attack plans. The pending fight between her and Lazarus was the biggest, scariest test of Willow’s life. It was the test to determine how strong she was, how good she really was at this. Sure, she’d brought Buffy back from the dead and that was anything but child’s play, but this seemed bigger somehow.
Hence, the intense amount of cramming and the wish that she could just let it all soak into her brain through osmosis if she just put her head down on the table for a second. It would really come in handy if there was some way for her to just jam her fingers into the pages and draw the information through her central nervous system…maybe there was a spell for that…
It was just like her to fall hook, line, and sinker for the notion of a new spell. She had spent so much of this last year becoming dependent on what magic offered her, become so enthused about taking the easy way out instead of putting in the blood, sweat, and tears that Buffy did.
But was magic really all that easy? More importantly, was it really all that bad to want one more trick in her playbook?
Her fingers brushed over a promising looking title and she carefully began to leaf through the pages of the dark spell book. There was no question that this was some of the darker stuff everyone had wanted her to stay away from, but it seemed justifiable to learn the type of stuff her opponent must already know like the back of his hand. Fight fire with fire and all that…
“Penny for your thoughts?” Riley asked, plopping down beside her with a serene smile on his face.
As she turned her head to face him, his fingers crept towards her hand, reaching out to brush her knuckles. This would have been a simple, comforting gesture if it wasn’t for the fact that Riley was sporting a tight, forest green t-shirt that accentuated his firm, tight muscles. Insert countless sexy thoughts here.
With a grin, she tapped her temple. “If you’re looking for these thoughts, they’re gonna cost you at least two-fifty.”
“You drive a hard bargain,” Riley said, leaning in and brushing his lips against her hair, centimeters from where her finger had just been. “Perhaps we could work out some sort of deal…”
Willow’s heart fluttered, as his tongued traced the curve of her ear. The sensation of his hot breath against her flesh drew a gasp from her lips and she found herself tilting her body towards his, wanting to feel more of the heat from his skin. This was exactly the sort of distraction she needed right now.
Riley’s lips found her ear lobe and she shivered when his tongue flicked against the sensitive flesh. From there, it was on to her neck and his attention to the slender column of skin nearly set her on fire with lust. It was also enough to make her uncoil, to free her from the pressure being placed upon her.
“Riley,” Willow breathed, as his tongue dipped into the small hollow between her neck and her shoulder blade.
“Love you,” Riley murmured, his tongue skating back up her throat, tracing figure eights and concentric circles as her body writhed against his.
“Love you, too,” Willow replied softly, closing her eyes, letting the sensations forming inside of her build up in a sweet crescendo. This was a stolen moment for both of them, one that could end any second just by someone walking into the kitchen. But Willow didn’t want this to end. She didn’t want to go back to the reality that involved her taking on a super-spy-certified-psycho wizard.
“You’re a powerful woman,” Riley said, separating his lips from her skin, and wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace. “And I’m going to be here for you every step of the way. That is my promise and that is my mission.”
Willow’s breath hitched and her heart nearly melted from his reassuringly sweet tone. It was clear that the concept of the word ‘mission’ had changed for him. It was no longer something that came as an order from someone above him. It was something that came from his heart. Not only that, but having Riley to ground her while she dealt with whatever Lazarus threw at her would give her the strength she needed and deep down, she knew he wouldn’t let her falter.
“Are you guys ready?” Buffy asked, poking her head in, signaling that the sun had fallen and that it was time to head out. Much to Willow’s pleasure, there was no hurt in Buffy’s eyes from witnessing the cuddle-fest going on. There was just business and confidence, also known as Buffy’s take-charge-chick look. “Xander’s bringing the car around.”
Willow and Riley nodded, untangling themselves and getting to their feet.
“It’s show time,” Willow murmured, reciting a Latin phrase under her breath and tentatively allowing a crackle of magic to zing through her fingers. At least one part of her was feeling ready for this.
*~*~*~*~*~*
The rental home didn’t look any different from the first time they visited, but Riley could tell there was something different in the air. Given the timeframe, he was certain that the General had assembled another battalion to guard the premises and…
“There’s magic,” Willow said, stepping out of the car and finishing his thought out loud. She pressed her palm against the air and Riley swore he saw a bright blue light flash in response. “Energy shield. Same one I used when…”
She didn’t need to say anymore. They knew exactly what she meant.
“Can you bust it?” Buffy asked.
Before Willow could reply, Tara nervously stepped towards them, clutching a satchel of herbs in her hands. “I-I can do it. Willow needs to save her strength for the fight.”
Riley felt an instant surge of gratitude towards Tara. He was glad that she had decided to join them and that she wasn’t arguing with their decision to use Willow as their magical powerhouse.
“I can help,” Dawn offered, smiling brightly. Quickly, she glanced at her older sister and shrugged. “Or you know I could fight with you, Buffy.”
“No,” Buffy replied firmly. “You can stay in the car.”
“But I…” Dawn protested, her arms akimbo as she watched Tara set up the ritual with wistful eyes.
“In the car,” Buffy repeated, pointing at the station wagon. “Where you’ll be safe.”
With a pout, Dawn opened the door to the station wagon, begrudgingly slid onto the worn leather seats, and slammed the door to indicate the depth of her frustration.
“Are you sure you don’t need my help?” Willow asked, remembering how strong they were whenever they had joined forces.
“I think its better that we don’t,” Tara replied, situating herself on her knees and lifting her hands, palms upward, towards the heavens. “B…better for both of us. And I…I can handle it on my own.”
Willow nodded, understanding the implication of her response. Doing magic with Tara would bring back memories she was better off not clinging to. Instead, she opted to hold her breath while Tara carefully recited the incantation that should break down the shield fairly easily.
The shield, indeed, dissipated quickly and Buffy and Spike immediately slid into fight stance as if they knew what they’d just awakened. “Riley and Anya, there’s a side door on the west side of the house. Take Willow there,” Buffy said, taking control of the situation. All three nodded as Anya planted a quick kiss on Xander’s lips.
“Don’t die,” the former vengeance demon warned.
“I won’t,” Xander promised, curling his fists and raising them in front of himself protectively. Anya offered him a small smile and the three of them went off in their required direction.
When they reached the side entrance, Willow shivered; not from the breeze but from the threat waiting for her somewhere in the bowels of this house. Riley rested his hand on her shoulder and used the other to turn the knob. What lay behind the door was an unremarkable hallway with nondescript white walls and several bare florescent bulbs spaced several feet apart down the length of it. As far as anyone could tell, there were no guards blocking their path.
Carefully, they stepped inside and started walking, doing their best not to make any noise. It wouldn’t pay to arouse suspicion considering how simple it had been to get in this way.
“Little witch, little witch. Dug herself a mighty ditch.”
Or maybe not so simple…
Lazarus appeared before them, his pale skin looking even more wrinkled and paper-thin than before in contrast to the black robe he wore. Riley gritted his teeth, staring down the wizard with eyes like daggers and gripping the bronze-coated handle of a small knife he’d shoved in his pants before they left.
Lazarus cackled in amusement and stepped forward, slowly closing the gap that separated them. “The monkeys won’t protect you. They’ve just come to watch you fall.”
A bright green flash erupted from his fingers, zoomed towards their ragtag band of fighters, and hit Anya square in the chest. Instead of knocking her to the floor, though, it produced ropes that stretched across her body and plastered her to the wall.
“Willow!” Anya shouted, struggling against her bonds. “Do something.”
Although she and Anya hadn’t always seen eye to eye, Anya was still Xander’s wife and that meant something. Besides, she was not about to allow harm to come to her friends’ or her boyfriend’s lives. That was something both old Willow and magic-amped Willow could agree on. But just because she was fighting for the side of good, it didn’t mean she was just going to turn the other cheek. Anger and power coiled inside of her like a serpent, tightening the muscles in her body. It was time to kick some wizard butt.
“Da mihi vim,” Willow muttered, feeling the magic and strength surge within her. If she was going to fight, she might as well be as close to Slayer-strong as she could get and this spell offered her exactly that.
Riley watched with a mixture of awe and fear as Willow’s eyes changed from hazel to jet black. He’d remembered the physical change from the first time the army had attacked them, but he hadn’t remembered her eyes being so dark.
Willow raised her hands, sending her own beam of light towards Lazarus. The wizard stumbled backwards as it hit him, but it wasn’t enough to disable him and he came back with another lighting bolt strike. Willow blocked it with a flick of her hands and sent it flying towards the wall opposite Anya.
“Willow!” Anya yelped, watching with wide eyes as the plaster immediately crumbled from the impact, showering the floor behind them with a cloud of dust.
Unfazed by Willow’s attempts to thwart him, Lazarus closed his eyes, concentrating on the forces he had access to. Before Willow had time to open her mouth and scream, a strong red beam shot down the corridor and was swallowed by Riley’s stomach.
“Willow…”
Riley lurched forward, eyes widening as his fingers gripped his sides. Horrified, Willow turned to see something dark and crimson staining his shirt. It was unmistakably blood and it wasn’t about to stop anytime soon.
Lazarus sneered, chuckling low in his throat, clearly pleased by what he had just done.
Tears pricked her eyes as Riley stumbled towards the wall and without a second thought, she lunged at Lazarus. The added strength from her initial spell allowed her to knock him to the floor. From there, she grabbed his throat, digging her nails into his oily flesh.
Lazarus continued to chuckle manically. “Kill me,” he rasped, flashing his grotesque, yellowed teeth. “Do it.”
Intellectually, Willow knew she should back off. Despite Lazarus’s supernatural prowess, he was technically still human. Just like she was. But because of him, Riley was hurting. Riley was dying. And this was not going to be a case of if you love someone, let him go…
So she squeezed.
And squeezed.
And squeezed.
Until there was nothing left, but blood, sweat, and tears.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The beeping sounds of the heart monitor, mixed with the ache of her strained muscles, stirred Willow from her slumber. As she registered her surroundings, she felt her heart stop…just for a second…as she turned and looked at the bed beside her where Riley lay, unconscious, in a thin, paper gown.
“Riley,” she mouthed, her memories of that night still catapulting around her mind. General Huth had run off with his tail between his legs, or at least that’s how Buffy chose to report it. Lazarus was dead and his death had freed Anya. Anya had been the one to talk her down from her grief, had been the one to help her get Riley out of there. They’d gotten him loaded into the back of the station wagon and Buffy had held her hand all the way to the emergency room.
The doctors hadn’t been able to assure her that he would pull through. There was no telling how long he would be in a coma. But that didn’t stop her from sitting there in the sterile room keeping watch over him. It didn’t stop her from marking a black ‘x’ on a pocket calendar for every day she sat there.
Today was day three and Riley was…
Suddenly, she noticed the sharp rise and fall of his chest and she inhaled sharply, whispering: “Awake. You’re awake.” Immediately, she reached forward and entwined their fingers, relief flooding over her.
Riley groaned in response, his eyes fluttering open. “Wi..Willow.”
“You’re okay,” Willow replied, leaning forward and resting her head on his shoulder. “You’re okay.”
“You watched over me,” Riley said, licking his parched lips.
“Of course I did,” Willow said. “You’re not the only who has a mission, mister. Someone needs to protect you, too.”
A hint of a smile curled Riley’s lips as Willow pressed the call button and nurses filed in to check on his vitals. Even though Willow had gotten reacquainted with her magic, there was no question that this incredible woman was not the threat everyone expected her to be. More than that, this incredible woman had saved the world. Had saved his world. Even if the rest of the planet was never going to know about it.
Mission Complete.
