Title: The Changes In Me

Author: Gillian Silverlight

Distribution: My site: http://www.homestead.com/gilliansspikelair/, those that already have permission to post my fic, all others please ask.

Disclaimer: They belong to Joss and the WB, UPN, FX; just about everybody except me. I just play with them.

Summary: Faith is out for revenge. It’s a bad day to pass out and wake up in Sunnydale!

Rating: NC-17

Lyrics: ‘Tell Me’ By Billie Myers; ‘Need To Destroy’ By Verucka/Shy/THC; ‘Strong Enough To Be My Man’ By Sheryl Crow & Stevie Nicks; ‘Somebody’s Knockin’ By Terri Gibbs; ‘Bad Animals’ By Heart; ‘This Just Doesn’t Seem To Be My Day’ By The Monkees.

The Changes In Me

‘Dreaming

But I'm not sleeping

Or have I died

Died of life’

‘Well… That sucked!’

Faith settled back against the bags in the corner of the warehouse, trying to find a more comfortable position, with little luck. It had been a long several days. She’d failed her assignment to kill Angel for the arrogant lawyer at Wolfram and Hart and he’d shown her more of his arrogance by sending a demon assassin after her!

Now she’d chosen to hide until she could figure out a way to retaliate against him…

‘Lindsey, that was his name!’ Sure that given a bit of time, she’d find some way to give the man a good dose of ‘payback’, Faith finally allowed her body to relax enough for sleep, uncomfortable though she was certain it would be, ‘And maybe I can figure something that will pay Buffy back at the same time… That’d be sweet! One revenge to get them all!’

~*~

It had taken a goodly amount of effort, but the brunette Slayer had managed to negotiate the twists and turns of the underground lair where she’d been directed. She emerged carefully into the lighted cavern of which she’d been told.

Looking around her, the cavern was a foul den, the light emitted by tattered rags. She was certain that she didn’t want to know what they’d been soaked in, before being lit to produce the greasy light that surrounded her. Some of the bones in the various piles along the walls looked all too human…

“I was told you would come. What would you have of me and what do you offer to make it worth my while?” The shambling figure emerged into the cavern from some smaller opening in the far wall. He…- and Faith was giving the moldering, hunched figure the benefit of doubt to assume that much…- was as tattered as the torch rags, greasy as the smoke they emitted and smelled even worse than the previous stench that filled the space. The odor had entered the room with the figure; and seemed to cling to the back of her throat, cloying, clogging. She swallowed hard against the rising nausea.

“I was told you could help me with a bit of a problem. Couple of people I wanted to exact a bit of revenge on, you know? I don’t have a lot of money, but I can get…”

“Money? What would I need filthy human paper for? To light the fires with perhaps?” The figure chucked, a rusty, wheezing noise. “I want other things for payment for my work….”

Faith felt a chill crawl over her skin, trying hard not to imagine what this being might prefer… but if she was going to get the job done…. “So what did you have in mind?”

“I can always use some fresh – food.” The shaman made the rusty cackle again.

“Okay. I can do some shopping for you. Just tell me what you want, maybe a list so I don’t forget anything.” Faith felt perhaps she should find another shaman, someone not so loathsome. Perhaps if she promised this one whatever it wanted, she could get out of this stench-hole and find someone that was more acceptable. Hmmm, getting’ morals about revenge… What a kicker!

“You might find my – list, at a store, but I think an alleyway might be easier.” He shuffled closer to her, the foul smell preceding him.

“An – an alleyway? What exactly do you want me to get for you?” Horror spread through her like ice from the thought of what she was sure this thing wanted.

“Food, stupid woman. I saw you look at the bones in here. You might not have touched them, but you looked. Oh, you looked! And I saw on your face that you knew what they were! I want three people. Medium sized, not too old. More tender that way.”

The ragged creature watched Faith’s face carefully, seeing the revulsion she struggled not to show. It was followed quickly for a fleeting moment by a thought that was all too plain… “Remember I said FRESH! I want nothing you find already dead.” He licked a gnarled, dirty fingertip, remembering the last fresh meat he’d had.

“You want me to bring three live people in here for you to kill and eat?! Maybe I should just leave. I think maybe I made a mistake. I’ll leave you to whatever it was you were doing when I interrupted.” Faith turned back toward the opening where she’d entered the cavern, only to find a solid wall. Glancing around the room, pushing her sense of panic back down she turned back toward the creature. It had moved closer while she’d looked for the exit and she’d not heard a sound!

“See? I can find my own food if I need to. Or you can tell me who you want revenge on and agree to my price.” He stretched out a hand toward her. She looked so plump, tender, and he could feel the power from her like a rising heat that shimmered through the room. She’d be tasty and strengthening.

“N-no! I’ll get you what you want. I just wanted a bit of revenge on some old ‘friends’ and the more of them, the better. Just let me go and I’ll bring you whatever you want, I promise.” She stepped back from the creature. The direction was away from where she knew the exit should be, but that was better than letting this thing touch her!

‘And when she brings them, I’ll still have her here to add to the pot as well!’ “Good. I knew you’d see things my way.” The Shaman shuffled back to his fire, lowering his gaunt figure to the rock nearest the fire. The boulder was smoothed and beginning to hollow just right, he’d been using it as his chair for so long. “Tell me of these people you’d harm.”

~*~

Lindsey was on the way to a two o’clock meeting when the wave of dizziness hit him like a sledgehammer. The corridor outside his office at Wolfram and Hart swam in gut-wrenching circles around him as he clawed at the wall, trying not to fall. A distant roaring filled his ears, and as the world around him swirled faster, the light grayed into darkness. With his last shred of consciousness, he felt a fingernail rip, caught in a small crack of the wall’s molding as he fell. He never even felt the floor as his face slammed into it.

~*~

Buffy put away the last of the dishes she’d washed while waiting for Riley to pick her up. They’d planned on catching the new movie at the matinee this afternoon. He’d only been talking about it for the past week. She remembered it was something about unusual people with odd abilities, dressing in strange suits and fighting a bunch of evil people with super-powers. Shaking her head slightly, put the last dish away, closing the cabinet door. ‘Sounds weird to me. Not really very realistic, but I suppose that’s the point of movies.’

Wondering why he was running late, Buffy walked into the living room to glance out the windows. Riley was always on time, or he called if something came up. If nothing else, Riley was dependable…- almost predictable. Unaware of her actions, Buffy sighed slightly with her thoughts, only to be caught up short, gasping instead at showed beyond the window.

Outside on the walk, Riley lay unconscious.

~*~

‘I step out of my skin

you wouldn't know me now

couldn't you go away?

shouldn't I?’

Feeling decidedly strange, he gradually woke in completely unfamiliar surroundings. Even without looking, he was all too aware that his hand was in the grip of an unknown and unusually strong female!

Slowly he opened his eyes, taking in his surroundings. He lay in a hospital bed, an IV in the hand the woman wasn’t holding. Moving carefully, he looked slightly to one side, seeing the fall of blonde hair spill across the edge of the bed. Her face was turned away from him. She seemed to have fallen asleep while still clinging fiercely to his hand. Moving carefully, he tried to extract it from her grasp without waking her. He wanted a few minutes to figure out what was going on.

“Riley! You’re awake! Are you all right? What happened? Were you attacked?” The woman woke as he moved, rising quickly from her chair at the bedside to fling an arm carefully around him, kissing him.

Seeing her face, he recognized her as someone he’d only seen previously as a photograph in a file. That same file was in a locked desk drawer back in his office at Wolfram and Hart. Lindsey had a pretty good idea where he was now, but not why Buffy Summers, the other Slayer, was calling him ‘Riley’ or why the hand he raised to rest on the back of her head as he thought she might expect, did not belong to him! For the moment, he decided to keep all incongruities to himself.

“I don’t know what happened. I was suddenly very dizzy, felt sick and passed out. But I’m sure it’s nothing serious… -Buffy.”

~*~

‘Tell me

Who would you be

Would you be me’

“Is Angel there?”

“Why Lilah… how unpleasant to hear your voice!”

“This is serious, Cordelia. Lindsey passed out at work.”

“And we should care about this why, exactly?”

“When he woke in the hospital abut an hour ago, he swore he was someone else. I reminded him that he’d been about to attend a meeting about your boss and he said he knew Angel. That they’d beat each other up last time Angel came to visit Buffy, whoever that is… but I think he might actually be telling the truth.”

“O-oh! That – that could be serious. Let me get Angel.”

Cordelia almost threw the phone down on the counter of the Hyperion as she ran up the stairs to tell Angel that Lilah Morgan from Wolfram and Hart wanted him on the phone… and why.

~*~

He was feeling somewhat awkward, as whoever ‘Riley’ was, his body was taller than Lindsey was used to and it threw his center of gravity off balance. It was obvious that Riley was Buffy’s boyfriend, but her photos were in the private file he had in Los Angeles on Angel. Unsure why the Slayer was with someone other than Angel, Riley/Lindsey decided to stall a bit for time and carefully ask a few questions.

“So, Buffy… have you heard from Angel recently?”

She stopped perfectly still, shocked at Riley’s question, “W-what? Why are you asking me about Angel? Do you think that he’s the person that attacked you?” Panic filled Buffy with the thought that Angel had somehow lost his soul again. ‘But that’s not possible! We’ve not seen each other. Has he fallen in love with someone else and…?’

That was an avenue of thought she did not want to pursue at all.

It was all ‘Riley’ could do not to laugh at her very apparent sudden chagrin, surprise and anxiety at his question. “No, Angel didn’t attack me, Buffy. No one attacked me. I was suddenly dizzy and passed out. I just happened to think of Angel for some reason.”

“Have you seen him? I mean, since he was here last and you two... You’ve not had another fight with him, have you?”

‘This is great! This Riley person had a fight with Angel! Obviously lived through it and Buffy knows about it. Hmmm, wonder if she was the reason for their fight. I’ll bet she was.’ “No. It’s nothing different than I said. I just happened to think of him for some reason. Can we go on inside now? I’m really tired from whatever this is.” ‘Not to mention that I have no idea where ‘Riley’ lives, or what he does or who he knows other than Buffy.’ He allowed himself to slump slightly against her, noticing that she seemed more than capable of supporting his weight.

Buffy let Riley lean on her as she helped him up the stairs of the fraternity house where he apparently lived, to his room. He seemed… disoriented. She wondered if the doctors had been wise to allow him to leave the hospital earlier, but said nothing about her worries. He also seemed to be rather short-tempered, but she assumed that was simply from whatever unknown problem was affecting him.

~~

‘Lie to me

I promise I’ll believe

Lie to me

But please don’t leave’

Once in his room, Buffy urged Riley to lie down, hoping some additional rest might help him.

“Riley, do you want me to stay tonight? I mean, in case you start feeling bad again or something?”

‘Stay the night?! That could be interesting!’ “Maybe you should. But we won’t have a problem here in the dorm, will we?” He could tell instantly that it was the wrong question. Surprise showed in Buffy’s face, though she erased it quickly.

“N-no. We’ve never had a problem before when I’ve stayed over. Has someone said something?”

“No. I just seem… -to have some gaps in my memories. Sorry. But I’d really like for you to stay tonight, Buffy. I’m not feeling one hundred per cent yet.” But he was sure that he could be ‘feeling better’ by the time she curled up in bed with him. The thought of her being a Slayer and Angel’s girl-friend or ex-girl-friend, was a heady rush for him.

‘The vampire has good taste in women. Likes these small blondes.’

“Okay, Riley. Why don’t you rest for a while and I’ll run get us something to eat. I promise to be right back. I don’t want you left alone for long in case whatever this is happens again.” Buffy leaned down to quickly kiss him and found herself surprised by a deep kiss instead. When she finally broke their embrace, she reassured him that she’d hurry back before heading out the door.

~~

‘Good. I’ll look around his room while she’s gone. It might help me figure out how to pull this off a little better, or what ‘this’ is…’ ‘Riley’ rose quickly from the bed, heading for the desk in the corner.

~~

“…something’s wrong, Willow. He didn’t even kiss like he normally does. I mean, yes, he did kiss me, but it was different, like kissing a different person.”

On the other end of the telephone, the redheaded witch could tell that her best friend was disturbed about whatever had happened to Riley. “I’ve got to go pick up some research books from Giles, so how about I tell him about it and see what he says?”

“I suppose so. I don’t want to worry him if it’s nothing.” Buffy was not sure that her Watcher would consider Riley kissing her differently as being a strong indicator that the man she was dating had something wrong.

“But… -Buffy. Guys just don’t change how they kiss all at once, you know. Well, unless they’ve been practicing with someone else… Which Riley SO wouldn’t do!”

“Yeah, I know, Will. Look, I better go pick up that something for us to eat like I promised and get back to him. I don’t want anything else to happen while I’m gone.” Moments later, Buffy and Willow said goodbye. Buffy reached to hang up the payphone, her movements slowed by her mental distraction.

~*~

Riley/Lindsey moved quickly about the room, checking in drawers, closets, rifling through books and any other possible place he thought might yield clues about his new identity. His first glance into the mirror had been a major shock, although not an unpleasant one. ‘Riley’ seemed to be well-built, looked strong, the kind of attractive that women seemed to like. Lindsey had no idea why he was in someone else’s body or how he’d gotten here, but he planned to find out all he could and take advantage of the situation prior to calling Wolfram and Hart.

Trying to judge the time carefully, he’d barely settled back into the bed when he heard the doorknob rattle slightly as Buffy opened the door, laden with fast food bags.

~*~

“What kind of deal is this, Lindsey? How do you know about Riley? Is Buffy alright?” Angel desperately wanted to grab the lawyer and force the truth from him, certain this was some sick ploy of Wolfram and Hart’s, but with Lilah standing on the opposite side of the bed, Angel knew he didn’t dare lay a hand on the lawyer. Lilah probably had security guards lurking on tap to prevent exactly the type of man-handling Angel had in mind.

“I told you, Angel, I don’t know anybody named Lindsey. I have no idea what you’ve done to me, why I’m here or what you did to make me look like this. This is NOT my body! If you’ve harmed Buffy in any way….” Lindsey/Riley was shaking with the vehemence of his denial.

“Perhaps if everyone could calm down, we might be able to get to the bottom of this, or at least make some headway in that direction.” Wesley suggested as he stepped closer, laying a hand on Angel’s arm.

Lilah looked at the slender man, something akin to admiration quickly crossing her face before settling back into its usual expression of distain. “That’s almost a brilliant suggestion, Wesley. How novel for you!”

Feeling the uncontrollable flush on his face, Wesley refused to look at the evilly attractive woman. “And that was almost a compliment from you, Lilah, Is your venom level low today?” He stepped beside the bed rail, not waiting for an answer from her. “Alright, you say your name is Riley Finn and that you were on your way to pick up Buffy Summers for a date. Perhaps you can tell us something that we would be familiar with but that only Riley would know…” Wesley suggested to the man that, at least on the surface, appeared to be Lindsey McDonald.

“You’re…? Who are you? British, obviously. How do you know Buffy?”

“Even if you are who you claim to be, I’d still be before your time… Hmmm, Are you acquainted with Rupert?” Wesley asked, again laying his hand on Angel’s arm, urging the vampire to silence. They were carefully trying to find information this man might have that Lindsey would not. Something that would identify him. However, they didn’t want to give away any secrets that Lilah Morgan, standing there representing her law firm of Wolfram and Hart, could use.

“Yeah, I know Giles.” Lindsey/Riley was wary of the question, expecting a trick of some kind.

“Good. Then are you aware of his profession?” Wesley asked, making it obvious that he, himself, was well aware of the answer to his question

“Do you mean the part about him being an out-of-work librarian or the part about being a….” He glanced at Lilah quickly, noting the expression of anticipation that made her eyes wide, lips parted, breath quicken. He knew she wanted his answer. “…Or the part about his work with the Council?”

“Nicely done.” Wesley had also noticed Lilah’s overt anticipation as well as the man catching himself quickly, changing the wording of his reply. “Suffice to say that he and I were co-workers at one point. We, uh, each had a charge to care for in the same capacity.”

“Buffy and Faith.” This time he had no hesitation in his answer, completely unaware of any connection between the tall female lawyer and the renegade Slayer.

“Just so. Perhaps you’d better come back to the hotel with us after all.” Wesley did not want to pursue the conversation further in front of Lilah, but felt certain that this man was telling the truth.

“Let’s not be so hasty, Wesley. You’ve not proven that he’s someone other than Lindsey McDonald, but even if he is - Lindsey, or at least his body - belongs to Wolfram and Hart. We’re not going to agree to him being taken anywhere that we don’t have access to him. Certainly not if you do!” Lilah interrupted.

“Don’t I get a say in this?” Lindsey/Riley asked quite angrily.

A chorus of ‘no’s’ answered him.

~*~

“I wasn’t sure what you felt like eating, but we’ve not gotten Chinese in a while, so I stopped and got your favorite,” Buffy said in a rush of words.

Riley/Lindsey was sitting up on his bed, propped against his pillows, a textbook open in front of him. In actuality, it was covering several notes and such that he’d found; much the same way teens often manage to hide library books or the latest magazine, during class.

Closing the book and laying it quickly to one side, Riley/Lindsey started to swing his legs off the bed, remembering to move slowly. Buffy sat the large takeout bag down quickly on the desk and rushed to his side, “Riley, don’t rush things, okay? We don’t know why you passed out and you said you were having some memory loss.”

“I’ll be fine, Buffy. I’ll sit here on the floor and let you handle everything. Maybe just enjoy being pampered a bit.” He was as good as his word, rising from the side of the bed, only to sit carefully on the floor, leaning back against the bed as he smiled at her.

Buffy struggled to keep her face under control, keeping her expression pleasant, all the while expecting Riley to grow a second head - or something equally as bizarre. His actions were baffling. He was the guy that always seemed to want to do things for her, was so incredibly independent. “Okay. It can be kinda like that picnic we had… -just here in your room instead.”

She turned away, unpacking the bag of its red and white cardboard containers, disposable plates, utensils and other sundry items. These she sat on a towel she’d spread on the floor next to Riley, while he watched her. In fact, his scrutiny was beginning to make her nervous, because he watched her as though he’d never seen her before today.

~*~

“Buffy was pretty upset, Giles.” Willow had explained everything she knew, which was not much, to the Watcher. They sat on opposite ends of his sofa, he gently cleaning his glasses before reaching for his teacup on the coffee table, she clutching an armload of books on her lap.

“I’m sure she was, Willow. Still, did she tell you anything specific other than Riley not, uh, kissing her as her normally did?”

“Giles, I know you can’t have forgotten simple things like that! I mean… - it could be total darkness and I could tell if it was Oz kissing me or not.” ‘Or Tara…’ Willow managed to sound almost indignant.

“Yes, yes. I understand what you mean, Willow. But the difference could be something as simple as Riley not feeling well. Were he actually some type of automaton or shape-shifter, surely Buffy would have noticed other differences. People have a certain body chemistry one becomes accustomed to, various mannerisms, habits and such that would become apparent in, uh, intimate situations.” Giles was intrigued by the possibilities, given the recent events they’d all endured. Had Buffy not recognized him under his metamorphosis of a Fyrl demon, or he her… - eventually… - in Faith’s body. A sudden, nagging, disconcerting feeling grabbed at him. “Willow… I’d like to have Buffy bring Riley over here tomorrow, please. And if you can bring Tara as well? Perhaps around six or so? We can say it’s for dinner, or… or dinner and a planning session about Adam.”

“Adam? Have we found out something new?” Willow was puzzled.

Giles sighed slightly, reaching for his glasses again. “No, Willow. We have not. However, with Riley here, then if, and I do mean IF… something similar to what Ethan did to me or Faith did to Buffy has occurred, perhaps we can uncover it. Or perhaps Tara can detect the unbalanced energy as she did previously.”

“OH! See, there is a reason you’re the Watcher, Giles. I mean, I knew those things had happened too and didn’t even think of something like that!” Willow rose from the sofa, her arms clutching the books closer.

“Quite. However, I think that perhaps my intimate involvement in at least one of those situations might have made a greater impression on me. Do not mention this to anyone else yet, Willow. Not even Tara. We don’t want to taint her impressions, as it were. I’ll do whatever research I can and we’ll plan on meeting here at six tomorrow evening.” Giles had risen and followed Willow to the front door, ushering her out then closing the door behind her. He remained standing, his hand on the doorknob as he considered which book it was that he wanted.

~*~

The gnarled, filthy shaman gazed into the small greasy pool of water he squatted beside. The surface was smooth, yet blurred with flecks of color from grease and other more noxious things that floated on the surface. As he stared, figures began to form and he saw the woman who’d petitioned him for the magick.

~~

Faith had managed to creep into the inner courtyard of the Hyperion without being noticed. She’d taken the precaution of playing with a cat for several hours earlier. Not because she was a great fan of the specific cat, or cats in general, but she hoped it would mask her scent from Angel sufficiently to let her listen undetected.

She’d been at the hospital earlier and had seen Angel and Wesley walking down the hall toward the room where Lindsey McDonald had been admitted several hours before. The patient in the next room had been unconscious, she assumed, hooked up to several machines, IV’s and so forth. They’d not been aware of her presence at any rate, which had allowed her to slip into the bathroom connecting the two rooms and listen at the nearly closed doorway. She’d heard everything she needed to hear.

Riley’s in Lindsey’s body, which means Lindsey’s in his… and that puts lawyer-boy with Buffy. I only wish I could be there to watch! Faith remembered her own sojourn in Buffy’s body and her excursion through Riley’s bed. He was interesting, if a bit boring. Can’t imagine why Buffy’d enjoy that after somebody like Angel. If all vampires are like that… Hmmm, the way he kissed! Bet Lindsey’s more inventive than Riley… Faith smiled a wicked grin to herself. I wouldn’t mind taking lawyer-boy for a spin, but he’s likely to be a shock to Buffy.

Still smiling slightly, Faith edged closer to the door to listen.

~~

Somebody's knockin' should I let him in,

Lord it's the devil would you look at him

I've heard about him but I never dreamed,

he'd have blue eyes and blue jeans

Lindsey/Riley walked into the lobby of the Hyperion between Wesley and

Angel.

“And you brought evil lawyer-boy here why, exactly, Angel?” Cordelia walked

toward them, anger glinting in her eyes.

“We think he’s telling the truth, Cordelia. That Riley has somehow been

transferred into Lindsey’s body.” Angel explained as he gently guided Cordy over to the sofa opposite where Wesley was seating - Lindsey? Riley?

“Fine. So Riley is who?” Cordelia didn’t want Lindsey near them, no matter who

he was!

“Buffy’s boyfriend. Cordelia? You used to date Xander, right?” Lindsey/Riley

asked.

“Like a million years ago… But I’ve gotten a lot better since then. Not hit my

head as often, that kind of thing.” Trust Lindsey or whoever he is, to bring up that part of my sordid past! Cordelia glared at him.

“Angel, that was certainly not something Mr. McDonald would have known.”

Wesley murmured.

“Yeah,” Angel agreed morosely. “So if Riley is here with us, in Lindsey’s body,

then that can only mean that Lindsey is in Riley’s body - ”

The implication hit all of them at the same time, creating a four-way echo as each one of them finished the sentence, “… with Buffy!”

It was all Faith could do to get out of the courtyard without falling back over the wall, she was laughing so hard -

~*~

Well somebody's talkin', he's whispering to me,

Your place or my place, well, which will it be

I'm gettin weaker and he's comin on strong,

but I don't wanna go wrong

They’d had the impromptu picnic, watched a bit of television and gotten ready for bed. Riley had seemed just… off, all evening, Buffy thought, as she slipped into bed next to him, pushing the switch on the bedside lamp, plunging the room into near darkness. She was suddenly nervous about sleeping beside him for the first time since… well, since the first time!

Riley/Lindsey rolled toward her, pulling her into his arms, capturing her lips with his; his tongue demanding entrance to her mouth. Buffy opened her lips, granting him entry and felt his tongue quickly battle against her own, tasting her, his mouth possessive.

Breaking the kiss, struggling for air, and her equilibrium, Buffy gently pushed against his chest.

“What’s wrong, Buffy?”

“It’s just… I mean it’s been a while for us. You know how that whole thing with Faith in my body and you with her… creeped me out. And now… Are you sure you’re up to this, Riley? After passing out and being in the hospital…”

Riley/Lindsey grabbed her hand, pressing it against the hardness of his erection beneath the silk boxers he’d worn to bed. “Does this feel to you like I’m ‘up’ to this, Buffy?” Faith switched bodies with her? And Riley was with her, them, and didn’t know the difference?

Buffy was confused. She wanted him, thought she was over the weirdness of trading bodies with Faith, Riley having sex with Faith in her body… but he was acting so unlike himself. Buffy flashed for a moment on the possibility of Faith having done the same thing to Riley somehow, but she couldn’t image how or when. The last she knew, Faith had been heading for parts unknown.

Buffy glanced up at Riley in the near darkness. He was waiting for an answer while he held her hand pressing his throbbing erection, “Yes, it feels very much like you’re ‘up’… I’ve missed being with you, Riley.” She closed her hand around him through the silk, feeling the warm hardness of him, her body tighten in response to him.

There was no further need for conversation, but the room was far from silent as mouths and hands were busy, clothes were shed…

Riley/Lindsey was completely involved in what his borrowed body was doing, even as a portion of his mind whirled in angry thought about how this switch had most likely transpired. He finally felt that he had the answer. The assassin we sent after Faith didn’t come back for payment. She must have taken him out and realized we sent him after her. She was probably pissed… I know I would have been. I’ll bet she found somebody to do a spell, ritual or something to switch us. Which means I need to make the most of my time here…

Sliding down Buffy’s body, he pulled a nipple into his mouth, as his hand roughly caressed the other soft mound. He felt her nails across his shoulders and bit harder, being rewarded with a gasping moan. Knowing she’d been Angel’s girlfriend, and him a vampire, Riley/Lindsey suspected biting might be a big turn-on for her.

Buffy pulled at Riley’s shoulder, wanting him to kiss her, wanting to feel the hard length of him inside her. Whatever had happened to him, even his lovemaking was different… different in a way that had her on fire. She didn’t want to think about it, she simply knew she’d not burned like this since… not in a long time.

Giving in to the pull of her hands, he moved back up her body, nipping at her flesh with blunt teeth. Instead of kissing her immediately, he nuzzled the side of her neck, licking a hot trail from shoulder to behind her ear, then back down again. His tongue felt the ridges of scar where neck and shoulder joined, traced them.

Buffy was too caught up in what Riley was doing to her. The fire filled her veins, melted her inside, tightened her body, making her skin feel several sizes too small, setting her nerves on edge until she wanted to scream for him to enter her, to fill her…

Without knowing how he knew, Riley/Lindsey was certain the mark was a vampire bite, and he was equally as certain that Angel had placed it there. His elation soared at the thought of what he was about to do! Pulling the ridged and scared flesh into his mouth, he caressed it with his tongue for moments before he set his teeth into the same bit of flesh. Buffy groaned and arched beneath him, pushing her pelvis hard against his erection.

It took only moments for him to wedge both knees between her thighs, opening her to him. He felt the tip of him touch the hot, wet center of her; then her hand was there to guide him inside. With a push, he sank completely into her, feeling the body he wore grasped by the strong inner muscles of a slayer.

Riley/Lindsey wasn’t sure he wasn’t going to explode that instant, groaning out her name against her lips. Willing himself to calm somewhat, he worked himself out of her an inch at a time, before plunging back into her. He set the pace and it was hard, fiery, demanding and possessive. She was incredibly responsive and equally as aggressive.

Her nails scored his back, his buttocks as she tried to pull him closer, deeper into her. Oh God! Whatever has happened… let this part of it stay! The one time she’d been with Angel, he’d been gentle, not wanting to hurt her, not wanting to let himself go completely for fear of what might happen, but he’d been just as possessive, demanding and aggressive as Riley was currently. Buffy knew that occasionally she’d wanted something… something more, different… better… from Riley, but hadn’t understood what it was. Now she knew. It was this. This fire that threatened to consume her, burn her up from the inside, melt her skin from her body letting her merge with him, crawling inside his skin with him… She felt the fire flame higher, filling her up, her muscles trembling, her body ready to explode. “Yes! God, yes… Don’t stop, come with me, come with me!”

Riley/Lindsey dipped his head back to that ridged scar on her neck, knowing full well what he was going to do, knowing he had only seconds as he felt the body he wore tighten, felt the first initial tremors inside him, squeezing his testicles tighter into his body.

He ran his tongue over the scar, sucking the meat of her neck into his mouth and bit her.

At the sensation of pressure, feeling his teeth press into her neck almost hard enough, Buffy felt her inner muscles flutter, felt the rising tide crest over her, felt him bite harder, harder, until she screamed with the release that flowed over her, through her, pulling her into shining bits of blinding light before reassembling her under and around him, more relaxed, more fulfilled than she’d been in nearly forever.

Riley/Lindsey bit harder as she screamed, her body grasping him, nails digging into his buttocks, pulling him to her. He felt the orgasm wrench through him and unthinking, he bit harder, feeling the first salty, metallic taste of blood as he broke the skin. Vaguely he heard his cries mingle with hers, remembered finally to release his grip on her neck before dropping his head to the pillow beside her, exhausted, sated, triumphant.

~*~

‘They walk into the lobby

The pack in black

Heads are turning

They must be crazy

They're bad animals - bad animals

Our territory is nighttime

We walk the jungle line

We stay alive

Bad, bad, bad boys and dangerous girls’

“So if this Lindsey is in my body… and with Buffy, what do you think…” Lindsey/Riley couldn’t finish his thought. He didn’t know how bad it could be, or what the man might do to Buffy.

“What will he do to Buffy? Knowing how much Lindsey hates me, and wearing your body and how much you hate me; if he’s not in bed with Buffy right now, he will be before too much longer! That’s what I think Lindsey McDonald will do!” Angel abruptly stood. Walking stiffly over to the doorway, he gazed out into the night but could see nothing except the picture of Buffy’s slight, beautiful body beneath that of the man he knew was normally Riley Finn. That was bad enough in itself, but knowing that it was really Lindsey McDonald inside that body, and most likely inside Buffy… His hands clenched around the door handles, the metal crushing as he threw his head back, his face ridged and fanged as the roar of anguish ripped its way from his throat.

Cordelia was the only one that dared brave the vampire’s anger and agony. She walked to Angel, standing behind him, her hands on his shoulders. “You don’t know that, Angel. And… and even if it’s true… You know Buffy’s moved on. You told her to get on with her life and she’s done what you said. Even this man, this Riley, over there in Lindsey’s body is proof of that. Did you think she was going to be a nun, Angel?”

“No. But it doesn’t make it hurt any less, Cordy.” He whispered to her as he turned into the hug she offered to comfort him. “And I always kinda liked nuns…”

“I don’t even want to know, do I?”

“No… Probably not. Thank you, Cordy” Angel shook his head slightly, pulling back to lay a gentle kiss on her forehead before letting her led him back to the sofa opposite Lindsey/Riley and Wesley.

“If you’re calmer, Angel, I’d suggest we call Mr. Giles and alert him to this situation. Not that there is much I think he can do about it tonight, unfortunately. I think attempting a call to Buffy would only alert Mr. McDonald and he might decide to harm Buffy and then make a run for it.” Wesley suggested, waiting for Angel’s approval before going to make the call.

Angel nodded, not looking up, just looking tired. He felt the weight of every one of his two hundred and forty-odd years at the moment.

“Cordelia, if perhaps you’d help me locate the number, please?” Wesley caught her eye, forestalling the puzzled expression on her face as he glanced quickly at Angel and the other man.

“Ah, yeah… Sure, Wes. I did move that book recently…” Cordelia followed Wesley quickly into the office, leaving the other two men alone.

“Do you…- Do you really think that he would… do what he’s doing with Buffy?” Lindsey/Riley looked at the dark-haired vampire he hated, and asked.

“I don’t know. I just don’t know.” Angel buried his face in his hands.

“I – I don’t understand why this is happening….”

“Li – Riley… I wish I could give you a good answer,” Angel lifted his head, looking directly into the blue eyes he knew as Lindsey McDonald. He could see the difference in who was actually behind those eyes, “but I don’t have one. I can make some guesses. Faith showed up here a few days ago. She’d been in contact with Wolfram and Hart, - the law firm you, ah, Lindsey works for. He hired her to kill me, but a lot of things happened and she didn’t. It was the second time I tried to save her from herself. I even took her home with me and tried to get her to do the right thing. She was going to but then a demon showed up and tried to kill her. A demon sent by you, or rather Lindsey, at Wolfram and Hart for failing to kill me for them. She killed it instead and split. She was really pissed at Lindsey about that demon assassin. I guess she must’ve found somebody to help her try to get even. What I don’t understand is why you are involved. I can understand Buffy…- but not you.”

Lindsey/Riley was silent for a few moments. “I can. At least I think I can. She did something recently and switched bodies with Buffy. She came to my room. I’d been hurt a while back and… well, it’s a lousy excuse. I thought she was Buffy and we… You get the idea.”

Angel looked at him in shock, “You didn’t know it wasn’t Buffy? You couldn’t tell?!”

“I said it was a lousy excuse, but I had been injured and the government had me on a lot of drugs before. I’d been having pretty bad withdrawals. It’s not an excuse, but it’s a reason.” Lindsey/Riley couldn’t bring himself to meet Angel’s eyes as the silence stretched out between them.

Cordelia and Wesley stepped over and took their seats beside the two men. “We let Giles know. He said Buffy had called Willow and was concerned that something was wrong with Riley. Giles suspected somehow and is supposed to meet with them tomorrow evening, after he does some research.” Cordelia reach out a hand, laying it on Angel’s arm.

“I can tell that both of you care a great deal for Buffy. I know that Angel still loves her.” Wesley looked from Lindsey/Riley to Angel. “But Angel, you have advantages that Riley doesn’t and if Faith was trying hard to act like Buffy, then the difference might not be detectible as readily.”

“Thank you… Wesley? I know that at first, no one really seemed to know they’d switched… No one except Tara. She’s a friend of Willow’s and is… is a witch I think. She knew there was something wrong.” Lindsey/Riley tried to explain what had happened.

“You mean Faith imitated Buffy well enough that no one noticed? Not Joyce or Giles either?” Angel asked incredulously.

“Yeah. That good an imitation.”

Wesley looked suddenly at Angel, “That may explain a great deal more!”

Lindsey/Riley looked from Angel to Wesley and Wesley to Angel, puzzled by the seemingly cryptic comments. “I don’t understand…”

“Faith has always been jealous of Buffy. You know there is only suppose to be one slayer, right?” Angel went on after Lindsey/Riley nodded, “Even though Faith was also called, everyone looked to Buffy as THE Slayer. Buffy had the friends, the Watcher or Watchers…”

Wesley took advantage of Angel’s hesitation to enter the conversation, “Suffice it to say that a great deal of animosity built up between them. Slaying, friends, Watchers, Angel… None of that was helped when Faith went rogue, tried to kill Angel and Buffy tried to kill her.”

“Buffy tried to kill Faith?” Lindsey/Riley was shocked! “Then I come along and do what I did, never knowing the difference… Wow! No wonder Faith included me in her revenge with this lawyer.”

“I suspect she tried to include as many people as possible, especially Buffy. This would do the job pretty well.” Angel chuckled ruefully, “Actually, it’s almost perfect as revenge on everyone. Faith may be rogue, out of control, vicious and jealous, but no one ever accused her of not being smart.”

~*~

“Stupid, stupid cow!” The ragged shaman pulled himself up from gazing into his seeing pool. He’d watched Faith leave the garden where she’d watched the others, walk down a street and finally get into a large metal vehicle - he thought he remembered them being called a bus - but it didn’t matter to him what they were called. What mattered was that she’d gotten the magick he’d bargained for but she’d not brought him the payment he required.

Reaching into a storage crevice in the cavern wall, he muttered to himself again, “Stupid cow! Show her what happens when she steals the magick from me!”

~*~

‘I guess I should have stayed in bed,

My pillow wrapped 'round my head.

Instead of waking up to find

A nightmare of a different kind.

This just doesn't seem to be my day.’

After the incredible sex, Riley/Lindsey and Buffy fell asleep, exhausted, sated, curled up in each other’s arms. When they woke the next morning, which fortunately was Saturday, they muttered slightly at each other and headed for the bathrooms.

‘I won't be your soft one

I won't be encircled

you might become something I need

and you must not get closer

couldn't I go away

with the dust of your words in my

mouth?’

Buffy turned on the water in the shower, adjusting the temperature then stepped under the spray. The stinging was almost instant as the water hit the side of her neck. Carefully, she touched the area with wet fingers, forgetting she’d already lathered soap between her hands. It burned. Not like it had the night before, but with real pain. Drawing breath against the sting, Buffy quickly showered, making sure to wash the painful spot carefully. Then with a towel wrapped around her, she walked over to the mirror and gazed at the dark, bruised area on her neck, seeing distinct teeth-marks in her skin. Marks that broke the skin. A couple of them were even oozing a slight bit of blood, not being quite healed this morning. She was angry with Riley for having bitten her so badly. But it had felt so incredibly good! The realization was followed rapidly by a shock of fear that coursed up her spine.

Is it me? Is there something wrong with me to have enjoyed that so much? And… and it’s right where Angel… Where Angel bit me when I made him drink me to save his life. Do I really need someone to bite me like a vampire to feel satisfied?

~~

Showered, dressed and back in Riley’s room, Buffy sat on the side of the bed, waiting for him to come back. It seemed as though hours passed before she heard the door open and he walked back in. “Buffy. What’s wrong?” As if I didn’t know…

“Riley, last night… You, you bit me.” Buffy managed to look hurt and angry at the same time somehow.

“Yeah. You bit me too. So? And you certainly enjoyed it. I’m sure quite a few of the guys here could vouch for that, from your screams of pleasure.” Riley/Lindsey struggled not to appear smug.

“But… You bit me! I’m still bleeding this morning, Riley!” Buffy didn’t know what to think, he was being so caviler about it!

“Yeah, you said that. So what’s the problem?”

“God, how can you just look at me like that, like it doesn’t matter at all that you hurt me last night?” Buffy wanted to leave the room, to run somewhere and just cry.

Riley/Lindsey stepped over to her, grasping her arms in both hands, “Buffy, what happened was in the heat of passion last night. We both enjoyed it. You’re not seriously injured. I’m sorry if it upsets you. But you don’t hear me yelling at you about the nail marks in my ass, do you? Cause you left some good ones…”

“Riley… I’m so sorry! I-I didn’t mean to do that!”

“I know you didn’t. Just like I didn’t mean to bite you so hard, but I got carried away with it. I got carried away with you.” Riley/Lindsey looked down at the tears brimming in her eyes and felt… sorry? Naw! Can’t be that.

He leaned down, lifting her in his arms, kissing her lips gently. Buffy twinned her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss.

He felt himself, or his borrowed body growing hard again, the towel around his waist doing nothing to hide it. He pulled her closer, walking her toward the bed. As the backs of her knees bumped the bed, she tried to break the kiss, tried to release him. However, he was the one that held on, lowering her to the bed, letting his towel fall away.

“Riley, no. We just got showered and I’m dressed. I’ve got errands to do this morning…”

“Buffy, I want you. You can tell it. I know you can. Like you said last night, it had been so long for us. I want you again. I promise not to bite…” He saw her face fall, “…unless you want me too. I’ll be careful.”

“As long as you’re careful, Riley.” Buffy acquiesced, remembering the intensity of their lovemaking from the previous night, remembering how good it felt!

In moments, they had her clothes off again and as he kissed her, he reached between her legs, found the wetness of her and reached deeply inside with a finger. Lindsey knew his way around women and in moments had found the spot he was looking for. Running the tip of his finger across that slightly rough area, he brought a gasp from her and he smiled into the kiss.

It didn’t take long to have her as wet as he wanted. He removed his hand and replaced his finger with the hard length of his body, pulling out of the kiss to raise up enough for her watch him take the same finger into his mouth, sucking gently on it as he drew it back out, tasting her.

He was rewarded with a moan that seemed to vibrate through her whole body.

He drove deep into her, hard, and fast as she rose to meet each thrust.

~*~

The shaman had all his ingredients together finally. He’d run out of an herb unknowingly and had to creep out of his cave in the overly bright moonlight, crawling between the trees to find the particular plant. Too much light hurt his sensitive eyes and the moon was almost too much light.

Now he had everything he needed.

The herbs pounded into the stone mortar were mixed with the grease and finally with a prick of his finger, a drop of dark, almost black, blood fell into the mix, smoking where it touched the ingredients. One more stir and it was ready.

Holding the smoking mortar to the air, the demon chanted, “Let those that were changed, be unchanged now. Bodies go to where they should be, the most devastation caused to all!”

With a quick practiced hand, the mess was thrown into the main fire where it flared a bright yellow-green nearly to the ceiling, high above the cavern floor.

~*~

Angel led Lindsey/Riley down through the sewers, the other recognizing distinct areas of them yet saying not a word. It was not a long journey from the entrance close to the mansion until they emerged in the basement of Giles’ building. Angel knocked on the door, huddling under a blanket.

“Angel! What on earth… Come in, quickly!” Giles moved back letting the vampire and stranger into his home.

“Giles, You might find this difficult but this, is Riley.” Angel jerked his head toward Lindsey/Riley while shedding the slowly smoking blanket.

“Hi, Giles.” Lindsey/Riley managed to even sound a bit sheepish.

“No, I quite believe you, Angel, Riley. Especially after the call from Wesley and Cordelia last evening and the visit from Willow. The question is, I assume, where exactly is Buffy and the lawyer that has your body, and how do we get the two of you back where you belong? How and why this happened, we can address afterwards.” Giles motioned to the haphazardly stacked books on the coffee table, the floor and the end of his sofa.

“Actually, we think we know some of the why and how, at least in general, but not how to undo this.” Angel remarked. He felt as tired as Giles looked and sounded.

“I think we need to go to my dorm room, Angel. That’s where he’ll be and I want to get my, ah, his hands on him right now!” Lindsey/Riley was obviously angry.

“Let me make a couple of calls for re-enforcements and I will agree with the idea.” Giles headed for the telephone.

~*~

Buffy’s breath was almost a whistle in her throat as she strained against him. She knew the release she craved was only moments away and she twisted her hand into his hair, pulling his head down to the curve of her neck. “Yes… Yes… Please… Do it. Now! Come with me…”

Riley/Lindsey was actually slipping over the edge as he bit into her neck and heard her scream as her muscles clenched around him like a fist.

In that same instant, he felt something odd, unexplainable happening to him and as he reached the peak of his orgasm, he was suddenly back in his own body, still inside of Buffy.

Riley seemed suddenly to change, alter, the feel of him shift on and inside of her. Caught in the grasp of the powerful climax, she could only hang on for long moments. Finally able to move, she turned her head, dislodging the grip his teeth had on her throat and saw a naked stranger on her, thrust deep inside her body where Riley had been moments before.

Slayer instinct took over as she shoved him off of her and across the room slamming him into the wall.

~*~

Willow and Tara had just entered the door of Giles apartment when Lindsey/Riley began to flicker and blur before their eyes. It lasted only seconds before he solidified again… as a very naked Riley, complete with erection and indisputable evidence of very recent sex in addition to a smear of blood on his lip.

~*~

‘Bad animals - bad animals

Got to swim upstream got a rebel seed

Bad, bad, bad animals - bad animals

Got to push the grain or go insane’

Riley’s dorm room was quite crowded.

Buffy huddled in a bathrobe, Willow and Tara beside her, their arms around her. She refused to look at anyone.

Lindsey wore a second robe, but remained sitting on the floor in the corner. Giles stood in front of him, guarding him from Riley and Angel.

Riley had borrowed shirt and pants from Giles. He’d been forced to ride over with Willow and Tara; Giles driving as quickly as possible, since they’d been unable to restrain Angel from taking to the sewers almost immediately. They’d almost made it to the dorm room before Angel, but the vampire had managed to get one good punch in before Buffy stopped him from beating Lindsey to death. She’d told Angel she didn’t want him to be responsible for killing anyone, then curled up in room’s lone chair until the others had arrived.

“Willow, will you and Tara take Buffy to the bathroom down the hall and get her cleaned up, bandaged and dressed, please. Let me deal with this.” Giles was barely keeping his own temper under control. As soon as the girls left the room, he rounded on the three men. “Does not even one of you have the brains you were born with!? I don’t even know why I bother to ask that question since it’s obvious that you don’t! My God, Angel! You left her! You told her to have a normal life yet every time you show up you’re so jealous you have to engage in fisticuffs with whomever she is dating! Do you really think that regardless of what has happened between she and Lindsey that she wants to see you kill him in front of her, or at all?

“And you, Riley… I gave you credit for better sense than that, yet I see that you’re no more civilized at the moment than Angel. I certainly understand that you’re upset and with reason! But do you actually think what you have experienced is remotely more traumatic than what Buffy has probably been through? I think not!

“And as for you Mr. McDonald, personally, I’d like to trounce you before they can do so, but I see that you discovered some of what a Slayer is capable of before Angel reached you. This is your own fault for attempting to harm Angel and encouraging an already troubled slayer. At this point we have no idea where Faith might be or even if she’s safe. How the bloody hell could you take advantage of Buffy like that!?” Giles stood over the man, both fists clenched at his side as he struggled not to strike Lindsey.

The lawyer had a dislocated shoulder from where Buffy had thrown him into the wall. Then Angel had added to the man’s obvious discomfort with a rapidly swelling black eye and broken nose.

Tara carefully opened the door, looking apologetic at the three men before stepping over to Lindsey on the floor and wiping the blood off of his face. She then handed him a second cloth that seemed to be filled with ice and urged him to hold it on his face. That done, she left the room again.

Before Giles could become quite so vocal again, Buffy stepped through the door with Willow and walked over to Lindsey. “Which shoulder?”

“W-what?” His voice was thick from the bloody nose, and the swelling of his face.

“I said which shoulder?” Buffy’s voice was like ice.

“Buffy, I…” Giles tried to answer her question to Lindsey. She turned her head, glaring at her Watcher. “I asked HIM, Giles.”

“Right.” Lindsey only uttered the one word, unsure what to expect from her now.

“Willow, can you and Tara?” Buffy asked. The two women seemed to know what she wanted as they stepped over to Lindsey, whispering something before laying their hands on his head. Tara slipped the bathrobe off the injured shoulder once the lawyer appeared to be unconscious.

Buffy stepped closer, stiffening as she heard a bitten off protest from one of the men. She didn’t know who and didn’t want to know. Probing Lindsey’s right shoulder, she felt the direction in which it was dislocated and put her bare foot on his chest next to the joint. Grasping the actual shoulder in both hands, she worked it carefully for a moment and then gave a sudden jerk. The pop as it snapped back into place was audible through the room. That done, Willow and Tara touched Lindsey’s head again, whispering the incantation once more and the lawyer opened his eyes.

“Your shoulder is back in place. It’s going to be sore.” Buffy told him just as coldly.

Moving the joint slightly, Lindsey could tell it was working again, but hurt bad enough that he wasn’t sure he wanted to move it at all. “Th-thanks.”

Buffy turned back and looked directly at Angel for the first time since he’d entered the room. Without a word her gaze traveled on to Riley and finally Giles.

“Out. All of you.” With a much softer tone she glanced behind her at her two female friends, “You too, please. I’m sorry.”

As she expected, all three men began immediately to protest. “Buffy, is this wise?” No, I’m not.” “I don’t think…”

She rounded on them, “No, You don’t! I said out!” She looked at Giles, her eyes pleading with him to understand. “I have some things I want to say to Lindsey before he leaves, which will be as soon as I finish. Private things.”

“Certainly, Buffy. Are you sure you’ll be alright?” Giles asked her, actually more concerned that she might harm Lindsey again.

“Yeah, Giles. I don’t think he’s a danger right now, and I wouldn’t have put his shoulder back in, just to kill him.”

Her Watcher had the grace to look slightly chagrined as he turned to usher a protesting Angel and Riley out the door. Tara and Willow followed them, closing the door and leaving her alone with Lindsey.

“Alright. You wanna explain to me why you did what you did?” Buffy offered him a hand up from the floor. He accepted with his good arm, walking carefully to sit on the edge of the bed, its covers still strewn wildly about.

“Which part? If it’s how I got in his body, I don’t know. I just woke up like that in the hospital.”

“Fine. The rest?” She stood with arms crossed, hip-shot, one foot tapping a deadly rhythm.

“I had no idea where I was or what was happening to me. I recognized your picture from a file private I have on Angel, in my desk, at work. He and I… have a bit of animosity between us. I simply played along while I tried to find out what had happened to me. As for the rest, you’re an attractive woman, Buffy. I’m a normal male. What else did you expect of me?”

“I guess that’s a reasonable answer. I don’t like it, but I suppose it’s reasonable.” She tugged the neck of her shirt open, exposing the bandage. “This. Why?”

Lindsey started to shrug then caught the movement as the pain in his shoulder made its presence felt even more strongly. “You were Angel’s ex- girlfriend. I felt the scar on your neck as I, uh, kissed it. I’d heard rumors about what vampire bites could be like. I knew you were the Slayer. I figured you were used to, or might like something a bit stronger, rougher, whatever you wanna call it.” Surprise filled his face at her next words.

“Well, you were right. The only time… It doesn’t matter. Something stronger, rougher, as you put it, is exactly what I wanted. And if you ever…” She stepped closer to him, grabbing the lapels of the robe in one hand, standing almost nose to nose with him, “Ever tell anyone about it, or what I said; no one will be able to keep me from killing you myself. Do you understand me?”

“Perfectly. Not a problem. It’s completely between us.”

She looked at him for a moment, then quickly kissed him, a bare brush of her own lips across his. “It was the best sex I’ve ever had.” Buffy released his robe and stepped back from him. “Now get out of my town, away from me and don’t ever let me see you again.” She turned on her heel, and stalked out the door.

In the hallway, she stopped, her back to her friends, “Get him out of here. Take him back to where he belongs. You’re not allowed to hurt him or you’ll answer to me and there will be hell to pay!”

She continued down the hall to the stairs and out of the building.

~*~

Several days later, Buffy had told all of her friends, one at a time as they tried to ask her about the unusual events, the same thing she’d told Angel. “It happened. That’s all that needs to be said. I’m not going to talk about it and neither are you. It’s over. I’m fine.”

But occasionally, when she glanced in the mirror and saw the scar on her neck, she thought about it, only for a moment.

Gillian Silverlight 05/31/2004