Come with Me

Special thanks to Txjmfan for reviewing all chaps, and to all of you who bothered to review at all. Hope you all enjoy this one, and please continue to review me!


Chapter 8


About an hour later, Giles arrived back at his apartment expecting the "expecting" Slayer to be there. To his dismay, the gang had not heard from her yet.

"Rupert, I'm really worried. Something must have happened. Otherwise, she would be hear by now." Joyce said, wringing her hands nervously. Before anyone else could get a comment in, Riley was on his cell phone.

"Yeah, I want the location of one Buffy Summers. About five foot three, long blond hair, and six months pregnant. Leave no stone unturned. Check the hospitals too." he whispered the last sentence. Unfortunately, it didn't go unnoticed.

"Oh god, Giles!" Willow started.

"Now wait. Let's all stay clam." Giles said, though inside he was a wreck.

"My people should be calling me back in a few minutes. If they don't come up with any- " Riley was interrupted by the shrill ring of his cell. Everyone was deathly silent as they awaited the news.

"Yeah. I'm on my way." he finished. They all watched him closely as he remained quiet with a pensive look on his face.

"Well come on Riley! The suspense is killing me. Figuratively speaking of course." Anya interjected.

"She's in the hospital. But she's okay." he added quickly.

"Good lord. How'd she get there?" Giles asked.

"I don't know. Some guy brought her in. They're there now."

"Well come on. Let's rock and roll down to the hospital." Everyone looked at Xander for his totally lame comment.

"Well, driving could be good too." he quickly amended.


************************


Giles and Joyce decided it would be best if the others waited in the lobby until they mad sure everything was okay. they agreed, albeit reluctantly. Joyce rushed in ahead of Giles. Her audible gasp made him fear the worst.

"Mom?"

"Hello Joyce."

Giles tentatively stepped into the room. He knew the first voice was that of Buffy's, and he was relieved that she was okay. But the familiar sound of the second, male, British voice was the one that troubled him.

" 'ello, Rupes." Spike said.

*God, please deliver us from this evil...* Giles thought.

"Spike, what are you doing here?" Giles asked tersely.

"Came to see the Slayer of course. But then, there was a lil' bit of a fight."

"Buffy, you were fighting?! Spike how could you? Especially in her condition and-" Joyce ranted.

"No mom. I was sleeping the sleep while Spike was fighting the fight against my attacker. I was unconscious." she clarified.

"From the description Spike gave me, I think that it was Faith."

"Faith? But she's in a coma. How can you be sure?" Giles blustered.

"Besides the description, she referred to me as 'B', if that helps at all." Buffy said.

"Wait a minute. You didn't see her?" Joyce asked.

"No, she came up behind me and knocked me out with chloroform."

"Yeah, see then I stepped in and-"

"Then? Only after she's attacked you step in? How courteous of you to let the lady strike first." Giles said snidely.

"No. I didn't know what the bint was gonna do, did I? 'Sides, I was taken aback by the large beach ball stuffed up the Slayer's shirt." he said sarcastically.

"Look, I know you don't like Spike being here" Buffy said addressing Giles," but he is the father. And if he hadn't been there tonight, god knows what would've happened." she finished pointedly.

"So, what exactly are you saying Buffy? Is Spike here to fulfill his fatherly duties, or does his interest lie solely in you?" Giles asked. Buffy scrunched up her face in confusion.

"Hello. Sittin' right here, Watcher." Spike said.

"What about Riley?" Giles continued.

"What about the blighter? Hey, who the hell's Riley? And what kind of a poofy name is that?" Spike ask Buffy.

"Well, I think that it's good that Spike is here. Riley is a nice guy, but he isn't the father. This baby is going to have to deal with things that only Spike and I could teach it."

"Besides, Buffy and Riley were never romantically involved. You can pretty much write it off as a friendship anyway." Joyce commented.

"Joyce, he won't take this lying down. Though I know Buffy doesn't love him, he indeed loves her." Giles said.

"What? Who told you that?" Buffy asked.

"He did, of course. He felt it necessary to have some sort of man to man talk with me. I think he wanted... my blessing?" Giles said.

"Yeah, well, his services are no longer need. So you can just tell 'em to piss off. Right luv?" Spike said to Buffy. She rubbed at her eyes irritably.

"Spike, when has it ever been that easy?" Buffy said tiredly.


Thoughts of Riley Finn- 2 Weeks Later...


I can't believe it! No one in their right mind would do such a thing. The hostile must have contaminated her in some way. After all, they did share blood, and god knows what *that* would do to you.

Two weeks ago, my life became a living hell. Buffy totally gave me the brush off; as if all of our time together could've been chalked up to a mere "friendship." It was more than that. I never felt that way about anyone before... That vampire must have put her under some sort of a thrall. I mean, why else would she sleep with that thing?

Thoroughly concerned she was under some sort of hypnosis, I decided that I had to save Buffy from herself. It's not like I'm the only one who sees how wrong this is. Xander and Giles feel just as I do. Though Giles never says it verbally, his silence is much louder than words. Xander just sticks to his usually quippy comments, but I can read between the lines. That was when I decided to form a plan to stop the insanity. However before I did, I decided to do what any man would do. I went to a bar to drown my sorrows. That was when I met her...

A true goddess; my dark haired angel. We met a week after the bleached moron debacle. At first, it was probably just the excessive liquor talking, but everything just came pouring out of me- demons, Buffy, the Initiative, Buffy's demon child (obviously, I was drinking a alot). In fact, she knew Buffy. As it turns out, she's a Slayer too. I knew that whole "I'm the only one" was just ego on Buffy's part. Anyway, she told me that Buffy was endangering herself and those around her because she was possessed. She said she just came in from L.A. to put a stop to it all. She explained how no one could know she was there, or Spike would probably try to kill her, or even Buffy because of the spell or whatever. But I couldn't believe it. Buffy could never be that far gone (could she?), but I kept the secret anyway. Something happening to Faith is something that I can not allow.

I just became so taken with her. Four days after we met, we made love, and I was hooked. These past three days have been the best of my life. She is the best of everything. When we were first together, she was hesitant- so innocent and pure. I made sure to be extra gentle. She seemed confused at first and asked what did I want from her. I told her I wanted nothing, but just to hold her. Her eyes became a little watery. I thought she would cry, but she held it back. Then the next day, she was business gal. I love that about her! How she can push the emotions away and get to the problem at hand. I was thinking of bringing her into the Initiave, but she said that now was not the time.

She had the most brilliant plan- to have the Initiative capture Spike. Once he's out of the way, Buffy wouldn't be under his influence and easier to decontaminate. Also, we would be able to see how it's possible for he, a vampire, can walk into the sun and create a child.

Though I still love Buffy, maybe it would be best if we were just friends. After all, Faith respects me, cares about me and believes in me. Besides, with Buffy having the spawn of a demon inside of her all of that time, I fear that I may already be too late...

TBC

A/N: Faith, Riley, and the Initiative have no knowledge of the Gem of Amara.