Disclaimer: Joss made season 6 painful, I’m trying to make it happy.
__________________________________________
Chapter 24: Bite Me

“I’m going to the crypt for a bit, love,” said Spike, pulling on his duster.

Buffy looked up from her book, Igman’s book of Undead Habits and over her shoulder at her fiancé from the couch. The sun had just set and Spike had been pacing for ages to get out of the house.

“I thought you brought everything here when you moved in?” she asked curious.

“I did love, just have a favour to do a friend, lost at poker last night.”

Buffy shifted her body to look at him in the hallway. “You aren’t stowing Sulvote eggs by chance are you?”

“Don’t know, just need a space is all. Didn’t ask what the space was for. Was hoping that it was naked mud wrestling actually...”

“Spike!” Buffy protested with a big smile on her face.

“Of course I’d always be thinking I’d much rather it was you in the mud...” he quickly added.

“Oh, cause that’s so much better...Spike, these eggs, they’re dangerous,” she said worried.

Spike stepped into the living room, a concerned look on his face. The vampire crouched down so that he was eye level with Buffy.

“Love, this is one of those things from the future again, right?”

Buffy nodded. “And you aren’t going to like what coming next.”

“What comes next then Slayer?”

“I trust you Spike,” she said leaning over to kiss his cheek. She was avoiding. She knew it. “Have a good time with your poker buddies. We will be having company tonight, tomorrow, sometime soon.”

“Who, pet?”

“Captain Cardboard,” said Buffy, turning back to her book.

Buffy flinched as Spike muttered some choice expletives and ranted about Riley and something about plastic stakes as he kicked the couch, not hard enough to break it, but she was sure that it wouldn’t hold up to a beating. Buffy watched Spike go only slightly worried. Yes she trusted her mate, but she also trusted that Riley Finn was going to be exactly the same bigoted man as he was the last time she saw him.

But she still intended to one up him before he could on up her. Not like last time.

The moment Spike was gone out of the house, Buffy bolted off the couch and up the stairs.
__________________________________
Sure enough, Riley Finn found her later that evening and this time she wasn’t working a crap job at the Doublemeat Palace. This time she was in the bathtub. Dawn had to come up and get her, which have Riley time to stew in her living room of happy pictures. Happy pictures of Buffy and Spike, Spike and Dawn, Willow and Tara, Xander and Anya, but also the family portrait that they had had taken last week, Buffy Dawn and Spike like a family sitting in the centre of the mantel piece.

Buffy walked down the stairs elegantly in her tight leather pants, slayer boots and a cute black tee that said ‘Bite Me’ on it. Yes, since she had come back to this younger body, she’d been experimenting with fashion, and occasionally she liked to take a page out of Spike’s style guide. Her nails were painted black and her makeup was as dark as it had been when she was in high school.

“Riley!” Buffy greeted happily, stepping forward to hug him. “God, it’s been forever!”

And it had almost, over a hundred years. Buffy barely touched him as they hugged and she pulled away as fast as she could.

“It sure has, Buffy,” he said. “You look great!”

“Thanks,” she tried an insincere blush.

“Sorry to just drop in on you like this, Buffy,” offered the commando.

“Not a problem, next week I have demons teleporting in for wedding fun, it’s like practice.”

“Look, this isn't the way I wanted it. But something's come up, something big. We don't have much time. You understand?” said Riley cryptically, making sure to keep his voice low, obviously trying not to get Dawn involved.

“I’m familiar with the language known as cryptic ramblings...Willow and Giles are fluent speakers of it.”

“I want to explain, I just don't have time. I've been up for forty eight hours straight tracking something bad, and now it's come to Sunnydale,” said Riley again, casting a look at Dawn who was standing in the middle of the living room.

“Cause I’m always game of cryptic from the ex boyfriend...“

Riley sighed. “I know that I'm putting you on the spot, showing up like this, but ... but you know, here we are. I need the best. I need you, Buffy. Can you help me?”

“You don’t need me, you need a slayer Riley, I just happen to be her.“ Buffy grabbed her coat from the hall closet and opened the front door. “Well here I am, point me in a direction and I’ll slay”

“Don’t you want to know what to slay?”

“Oh I have an idea.”
__________________________________
Buffy and Riley walked down the street, each feeling the awkwardness.

“Look, I'm sorry this is all so sudden. You know, if we get a minute, I'd really like to sit down...”

Riley stopped talking as his attention drifted to the beeping gizmo that was on his belt.

“What is it?” Buffy asked only slightly curious, she had been through this before.

“Suvolte demon. Rare, lethal ... nearly extinct, but not nearly enough. It's close.”

Buffy couldn’t help but break out into laughter. He was very James Bond, and Batman combined.

“What?” asked the commando.

“Sorry. It's just ... you still carry around all that James Bond stuff,” she tried to explain. Buffy leaned over to examine the gizmo he was intently staring at. “It's so cute! I forgot.”

Riley put the device away, and shot Buffy a look of disbelief.

“Sorry,” said Buffy trying to sound sheepish. “Carry on.”

Riley resumed his trek. “We've been tear-assing through every jungle from Paraguay up, taking out nests. As soon as we put one Suvolte down, a dozen take its place. They're breeders, Buffy. One turns into ten, ten becomes a hundred. This gets out of hand and there's a war with humans? Humans are gonna lose.”

“So they're like really mean tribbles,” said Buffy smartly.

Riley shot her another look of death. “What? I’ve expanded my appreciation of the geekdom.. it’s a thing.”

Of course the first time this happened she had believed his tale that he spun. This time she knew better. In her pursuit to exonerate Spike when he was gone and she was alone, Buffy had found out the real story behind the eggs. And it only made her feel even worse.

What Spike had said had been the truth. Riley on the other hand was indeed tracking the doctor, but he wasn’t an international arms dealer selling Sulvote eggs, he was an OB/GYN for demons.

From behind them Buffy could hear a sound of growling, possibly demon. Looking up, Buffy spotted the demon in question. It was green and knocking over some vending machines. Probably disappointed that her demon skin didn’t allow her to carry change to purchase a newspaper. Or maybe she didn’t like the head lines.

“You ready for this?” Riley asked.

“Yes please.”

Walking towards the demon and the masses of screaming people...Cause people multiplied when there was demon near by, Riley held up a badge.

“National Forestry Service, we got a wild bear! Everybody stand back!” Riley yelled, pushing people out of the way. “Look out!”

Buffy watched the demon fight off Riley’s advances. A bear? she thought in disbelief, How stupid are people? The demon struck first, but Buffy couldn’t help but feel bad for the demon. deciding to do what she was chosen to do, instead of moralizing about the needless death of demons that were simply mad at the day’s head lines, Buffy jumped on the demon’s back only to be flung into the wall of the nearest building.

Riley was kind enough to help her up. The demon had retreated into the alley, and Riley motioned her to follow him. Buffy picked up a fallen gun that was at her feet and followed.

“Split,” ordered Riley once they got to a wider part of the alley.

Buffy nodded. They moved off in different directions. Suddenly, a garbage can flew at Riley, but he deflected the can before it could knock him to his feet.

Buffy noticed right away that the demon had it in for Riley. It was going to charge. Don’t blame it actually, she thought. Buffy rolled her eyes and again chose to protect her ex.

“Riley!” she warned. Buffy tossed him the gun.

Riley took aim and shot, the dart standing out against the demon’s skin. The demon roared at the pain and flailed it’s arms, knocking her down and into Riley’s arms.

“You all right?” asked Riley.

“I'll feel better when we catch it. But it's too fast,” she whined.

“I wouldn't necessarily say that,” he said smugly.

Back out in the street, a black SUV came screeching around the corner.

The Bat Mobile, thought Buffy.
__________________________________
Inside the car, Riley drove. Buffy sat primly in the passenger seat.

“Nice wheels,” she said trying to fill the awkward silence.

“Came with the car.”

Buffy tried to smile at his attempt at a joke. “Know where we're goin'?”

“Got an idea. The tag's on-line. We'll find it.”

The car beeped at her. The seat belt scratched and Riley’s driving was making her nauseous.

“How's your arm?” she asked.

“It'll heal. How you doin'?”

“Complicated question.”

“I just meant-”

“I know.”

“I hear ya. Got some, uh ... big stories to tell you to. If we ever get half a second.”

“Did you die?”

“No.”

“I'm gonna win,” she said with a huge grin.

Riley looked a little surprised. He took an appreciative glance at her clothing and handed her something black.

Buffy laughed in his face, when she realised what he was trying to make her wear.

“I’m not in your army Riley. I’ll wear this,” she said indicating what she was already wearing.

“A tee shirt that says ‘Bite Me’ Ya, that will go over well,” he commented.

“This is me Riley, deal. Things have changed since you left.”

Riley gave her a knowing look. “They haven’t changed that much Buffy.”

“You have no idea. So ... the black-ops life, it's workin' out for ya?”

“Don't suck.”

“They got dental?” she asked, looking at him from the side.

Riley shot her a smile. “Yeah, we're covered.”

The SUV filled with another pause.

“You know, there's not many people I'd ask to risk their life for me, Buffy. It's really good to see you.”

“Thanks.”

“You're welcome. And Buffy ... love the hair.”

Buffy smirked, and flicked her long blond locks over her shoulder. Spike liked the hair too, that’s why she didn’t do anything to it.
__________________________________
The SUV screeched to a halt on a side road. As Buffy got out she recognised the place immediately. She shut the door with a slam and dusted off her leather pants.

“End of the line?” she asked “I don't see our demon.”

“It's not here.”

“Let me guess.”

They walked between some low stone buildings. Riley shot her another teethy grin. They walked over to a fence and look down.

Buffy knew when she got out of the car that they were at the dam. And now she remembered when she had been here before.

“Down we go?” she asked.

“Looks that way.” Riley started getting some equipment ready for their descent.

“That's a big first step. So, Mr. Finn, got an extra jet-pack for a girl like me?”

“ Sorry, fresh out of jet-packs. Looks like we'll have to share.” Riley got out the repelling rope and attached it to the fence. “This test line's built for one, so if we go together, we're not hauling any gear. Just be you and me,” Riley explained.

“I was never big on the hardware anyway.”

“You hold onto me?” he asked.

Buffy shot him a look. “Well I don‘t know if I should do that...” she said all innocent like.

“Come on.”

Riley lifted her up onto the fence.

“Ready when you are, Agent Finn.”

Buffy put her arms around his shoulders and looked down as they began their descent.

In the silence during the descent, Buffy couldn’t help but let her thoughts travel to Spike and what he was doing, cause frankly Riley was boring. She’d done this before.

And like before Buffy killed the demon once they reached the bottom. It was trying to kill her, fair enough right?

And this time she wasn’t surprised by Sam.

“Hey,” greeted Mrs Finn.

Buffy looked up from the dead body of the demon.

“Hey there,” Sam greeted Riley then turned to Buffy and glared at her. “What exactly are you doing with my husband?”

“Husband?” Buffy asked curiously, partly knowing that that was what was expected.

Riley nodded.

“Wife,” continued Buffy.

Sam nodded.

“And ... those aren't code names like Big Dog or Falcon or... I didn't think so.”

“Buffy, meet Sam. Sam, Buffy,” introduced Riley.

“Pleasure,” said Sam sincerely.

“How long have you been married?” Buffy asked.

“Four months almost.”

“Mazel tov. Any children?”

Sam laughed.

“Buffy, I meant to tell you. When the time was right. She caught up to us a hell of a lot faster than I would've guessed possible. She does that.”

Sam smiled up at her husband.

“So, you-you guys do this often, you know, the whole ... husband-and-wife tag-team demon fighting thing?”

“Yeah, it's what brought us together,” said Sam, leaning into Riley.

Buffy kicked the dead demon at their feet. “So, guess that's mission accomplished.”

“She killed it,” said Riley stating the obvious.

“Oh, honey ... That's okay,” said Sam patting Riley’s chest, that she was still leaned up against.

“Okay? Wait ... you guys have been tracking this thing as a couple for two days straight, and you ... did want it dead, right?”

“Let me guess. Captain Can-Do over here” Sam pointed her thumb at her husband, “forgot to mention that this was a homing operation. But it's nice to finally meet you, by the way. Knife.” Sam took a knife from Riley and knelt down beside the dead demon. Slashing into the demon’s stomach, Sam started to curse.

“Damn.”

The ooze that was well, oozing out of the gash was gross. Buffy shot Sam a grossed out look.

“We're too late. Finn ... how could you recruit the Slayer without filling her in on the objective?”

“That'd be my question,” said Buffy. “I can’t be expected to remember everything you know.” Problem was she was experiencing a curious memory loss, probably because she had been repressing the embarrassment of last time for so long. The memory was painful, because in five years, she would get the news that Riley and Sam were dead, along with their new born son, at the hands of human terrorists.

“If we weren't under severe time constraints I'd seriously think about ripping you a new one,” said Sam completely ignoring Buffy’s comment.

“Stand down, soldier,” smirked Riley.

“He's your boss, too?” asked Buffy.

“Oh, he wishes. We better regroup. Buffy, I hate to impose further, but ... you got a safe house?” asked Sam.

“I, I have a house. I-I think it's safe,” said Buffy running her hand through her long blonde locks. Her engagement ring glinting as it caught a stray ray of light.

“Wow, look at that ring she’s sporting,” gawked Sam. “I’m not allowed to wear my rings on missions.”

“I normally take it off, when I go patrolling, Riley just surprised me, I didn’t think of it,” explained Buffy.

“Wow, that must have cost...Well wow, Buffy, do I know the lucky guy?” asked Riley.

“You do, but don’t we have to do something about the body?” asked the slayer, pointing at the demon corpse that had only just stopped oozing yellow goo.”
__________________________________
tbc...