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*smiles* thanks for your kind reviews & thanks to Meli for betaing!

ok...don't hate me too much because I did run the next few chappies by my beta, who happened to issue the challenge, before I even wrote the chappies

in other words, i turned the angst up big time..but no fear it will only last a few chappies and then it will be all spikey saves the day.

so you've been adequately warned...no leaving me flamey reviews!!

happy reviews = next post sooner = sooner we get to a happy spuffy ending

**hugs** ~ Opal

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Ch 12 - Kidnapped

In hindsight, it had seemed so easy to pull it off that Riley had forgotten why he had been sweating it out in the first place. The drugs Maggie Walsh had given him had affected his strength and speed, which enabled him to quickly subdue the two master vampires with the tasers easily. It was a good thing too, since all he saw when he entered was blood all over Buffy. That was enough to propel him to ‘do the right thing’ in his mind. He pulled the tasers out of his pockets; hitting Angel with one while at the same time hitting Buffy with another. Spike did not even have enough time to turn around and stop him. Riley had hit the vampire while he was in the midst of turning around.

He had become very annoyed with Cordelia, who had started to beat on him with her fists once she saw him take out Angel. She had been quick to take care of. Riley had simply pushed her up against the wall and hit her with the taser.

In fact, the only person who got out of the room, besides Riley, without being hit with the taser was little William. William was now all-snug as a bug in his car seat, strapped into the back seat of the SUV. The only problem with the baby was that he had not stopped wailing since they left LA, and nothing Riley did would calm the child down.

He had wrapped Buffy up in a blanket and cleaned her up as best as he could, but he was not sure how much time he had until the vampires would awake. Spike he knew would be out for a few hours, but Angel being the older master vampire, could possible recover sooner. He had bound the wrist of both girls and gently placed them in the back compartment of the SUV. Hopefully, they would not be too mad at him, but he knew he did what was right and they would come around. A soldier could never be too careful.

The sun was just rising in east, as he drove out of California and into Nevada. The sunlight would buy him eight or ten hours before the vampires could come out and pursue him. Hopefully, by then he would be out of Nevada and into Colorado.

~~*~~

Angel was the first to awaken. Dazed and confused, he looked around the room until he saw Spike lying on the floor. “Buffy,” he whispered. It was then that he remembered. Cordelia had her vision, and they rushed into the room to find Spike with his fangs in her neck. Before he could lean down and finish off his errant grandchilde, his demon sensed a change. Angel deeply inhaled the air around him and concentrated on the scent of the blood in the room. The Slayer’s blood, which was most prevalent, assaulted his senses but he also smelled Spike’s blood. ‘Why would I smell Spike’s blood?’ Angel thought to himself. He shrugged and reached over to flip the blond menace over. It was at that moment that Angel’s demon recognized the claim on the vampire below him.

Angel’s demon roared in pain that the woman the vampire loved had claimed his nemesis, but it also recognized a change in the situation. Angel could not stake Spike because he knew it would kill Buffy.

Buffy.

So consumed with wanting to off Spike, he had forgotten about her. He took another look around the room. Buffy, Cordelia, William, and Riley were nowhere to be found or sensed in the building.

“Bastard.” Angel spoke in anger. He realized Finn was responsible for this. He knew the soldier boy had complex with vampires, but still to put Buffy at risk? There was no way that he could protect Buffy and William on his own.

There was no way, now that her mate would be coming after him with a vengeance. With renewed focus, Angel gently lifted Spike off the floor and laid him on the bed. As Angel moved away, he noticed two tiny holes on the side of Spike’s neck. Two holes over Spike’s sire marks. ‘Strange,’ he thought, ‘she was alive when we entered the room. Giles will need to look into this.’ Angel had a smug smile cross his face. He always felt awful for the wrongs he had done to Giles and the Scoobies as Angelus, but he would take deep pleasure in letting the biased Watcher know that his Slayer was now extra special.

Angel just did not know how special.

He did know that he could feel the younger William’s distress through the family bloodline. The baby was clearly upset from being pulled away from his father; hopefully Finn would not be stupid enough to take him away from his mother too.

Angel walked out of the room to call Giles. His footsteps were quick, but echoed across the floor of the Hyperion. He moved to the closest telephone and dialed Sunnydale.

~~*~~

Willow was sitting on Giles couch plugging away at her computer trying to research any sign of where Buffy may be. Joyce had called Willow and Giles to let them know that Buffy and the baby had not come home that night. Joyce’s neighbors had told her of a black SUV that had skidded out of her driveway and a strange looking young man with blond hair who looked like he had his heart broken. Joyce had quickly figured out that Riley must have taken Buffy away. As for the brokenhearted blond, she really hoped it had been Spike. She knew if Buffy was in trouble that Spike, as much as he would vocalize otherwise, would follow her to ensure her safety.

Giles was not so convinced. He thought that Spike was coming after the Slayer and her child with evil intentions of offing them both. As far as he was concerned, Riley was acting as a savior. Willow, knowing both sides of the story, was not so sure if Riley was such a hero.

When the phone rang that morning, Giles was in the kitchen preparing his cup of tea. The phone startled him, resulting in him dropping his teacup on the floor. Before bending down to clean up the mess, he muttered a ‘dear lord’. He shouted for Willow to get the phone for him.

“I got it Giles.” Willow yelled. She reached over and picked up the phone. “Hello?”

“Willow.”

“Angel.”

“Is Giles there?”

Willow was surprised that Angel was calling for Giles. Things were still shaky between the two men since the Angelus incident. She had not yet forgiven him for the death of her beloved teacher and mentor.

“He is, but he’s just cleaning up a mess. Look Angel, I don’t want to worry you but have you seen Buffy? She’s been missing since…”

“Yesterday. I know. She was here. Can you tell Giles to leave his mess and come here, it’s really important.”

‘Monosyllabic much?’ Willow thought. “Hold on Angel. I’ll get him.”

Willow placed the phone down on the couch and walked over to the kitchen entry.

“Giles, I’ll clean that up.”

“Oh, no bother Willow. My mess, I’ll clean it. Incidentally, who was on the phone?”

“Angel. You need to speak with him. He’s seen Buffy.”

Giles stiffened up when he heard Angel’s name, but when he heard he had information on his Slayer he quickly handed Willow the dust mop and broom. He walked into the living room and placed the phone to his ear.

“Angel.”

“Giles.”

“How is she?”

“She’s gone and not by her will either.”

“Damn it, I knew if William the Bloody was involved there would be trouble.” Giles began to nervously tap his foot on the floor while he waiting for Angel’s response.

“No Giles, not Spike. Riley. Do you have any information why she left?”

“Except for what Joyce’s neighbors told us, nothing.”

“Well then, are you sitting?”

“Yes.” Giles replied.

“Good. Make sure you have a pen and paper, because what I’m about to tell you will require some research.”

Giles reached for the pad of paper and pen on the coffee table. His nervousness increased tenfold when Angel had told him to he should be sitting.

‘Good Lord, what has happened to Buffy?’