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Chapter 23: The Performance Buffy breezed into the office where Wesley and Gunn were sitting. Both men turned to look at the woman, bracing themselves for either wrath of the slayer or confessions of love, it could go either way. “Downstairs, now”, she said with a giddy smile and left the same way as she had come in. “I don't think I'll ever get used to those mood swings”, Gunn stated shaking his head as he got up to his feet. Just the very same morning Buffy had let him hear it because he had left a knife to the edge of the kitchen table. He had tried to defend himself by saying the baby wouldn't be even crawling for months and who could hurt anyone with a wooden butter knife. She had stated that once she decapitated a quarterback vamp with a nailfile. Five minutes later she was acting like the little tiff hadn't happened. “Well, I doubt you will, considering she will be giving birth in less than four weeks. Unless she carries past due date”, Wesley said and both men stopped, looking at each other with alarm. “But... but that probably won't happen, Angel said the baby is very well developed”, he continued not sure who he was trying to reassure. They walked out of the office, wearing similar frowns. “I'm just surprised Angel hasn't been spending his nights on that couch for the last few months”, Gunn stated and nodded towards the round sofa in the lobby. “Angel wouldn't abandon his pregnant girlfriend like that”, Wesley said offended in Angel's behalf by the suggestion. “No, I meant that I'm surprised that she hasn't kicked him out to the couch”, Gunn clarified. “Well, Buffy does seem to have more tolerance for him than others”, Wesley agreed. “No kidding”, Gunn sighed, he just hoped that Buffy turn back to normal after the baby was born. They made their way to the basement where Buffy, Angel and Cordelia were already waiting. Wesley raised an eyebrow in question, not knowing what was going on. “So what's going on?” Gunn asked what Wesley was thinking. It didn't go unnoticed that Cordelia was wearing a sports bra and tight Nike shorts. “We're training hand to hand combat, but since I have this huge obstacle for another month, I can't do it. Plus I want to show off my star pupil”, Buffy explained the situation. “So we're here as an audience?” Wesley clarified, but Buffy shook her head. “Nope, one of you is the one she'll be beating up”, she answered with a smirk. “Can't Angel do it? He has a lot more experience than Gunn and I do, more like two hundred years more”, Wesley complained. Buffy rolled her eyes. “Yeah, but Cordy doesn't have two hundred years of experience in kicking ass, it would be a little unfair to put her against him”, she explained, taking a short pause before continuing, “I was thinking Wes could be a better match for her.” Gunn grinned smugly and Buffy sent a halfhearted glare at his way. “Because he has a lighter build. But I'm sure she could kick Gunn's ass too”, she added looking at Gunn with challenge. She knew Cordy wouldn't win an experienced fighter like Gunn, but she wasn't going to let him gloat. “I have no proper clothes for this”, Wesley tried but Buffy wouldn't give him a reason to pull back. “You're fine like that”, she stated with a wave of her hand, not even turning to look at him. Wesley still seemed a little hesitant. “Come on, it's not like she'll have any weapons. Other than her nails”, Buffy smirked. “Yeah, Wes. You scared of a girl?” Gunn joined in and got a glare from both Buffy and Cordelia. “Hey!” the brunette protested. Gunn looked at the two women warily, he was on dangerous territory and he knew it. Angel was snickering in the background, amused by his friends distress. Gunn turned to look at the vampire with a scowl on his face. Sometime later Cordelia and Wesley were trading punches, at first both of them were hesitant, but soon Cordelia got more confident and almost got several hits. “Should we be worried for his safety?” Angel whispered to Buffy's ear, he was standing behind her with his arms wrapped around her waist. “Maybe”, she smirked and watched as Cordelia tried to kick Wesley's legs from under him. “Do you think we should put some padding on him?” Angel suggested as Wesley avoided Cordelia's move, but staggered backwards. “That could be a good idea”, Buffy said with an amused smile. “Look, look!” she said excitedly, pointing at the fighting couple as she noticed what Cordelia was about to do. Cordelia grabbed Wesley by the arm and threw him over her shoulder, but as he hit the floor, he swept her legs from under her and she fell on top of him. “Ow!” she complained and hit him on the shoulder before climbing up to her feet. “I'm thinking this show is over”, Buffy stated, by the look on Cordelia's face the brunette had had enough. Wesley got up, rubbing his shoulder. Buffy glanced at him with a crooked smile. “We're starting training with weapon's after the baby is born”, she stated and he looked at her somewhat mollified. “You can count me out of that rehearsal”, he said, still trying to sooth the hurt out of his shoulder. Gunn laughed. “She kicked your skinny, white ass real good.” “And don't you forget it”, Cordelia said, pointing her finger at him and turned around with her long ponytail swinging from the movement. “I'm off now”, she called out as she went up the stairs. Gunn looked after her with his head slightly tilted to the side before he shook himself out of it. The men turned to Buffy. “Where is she going?” Angel voiced the question the others didn't ask. “I'm thinking shower. She has a audition in three hours”, Buffy answered with a shrug of her shoulders. “Again?” Wesley questioned with a frown. Gunn turned to look at him with a strange look. “What you mean again? It's been months since the last one”, he said. “What is she auditioning for?” Angel asked with a frown, he remembered very well what the last one had led to. He didn't want anyone taking advantage of her, she was like a sister to him. One that he didn't kill. His frown deepened at the thought. “Sun-lotion or something, not sure. It had something to do with the outdoors”, Buffy answered. She took a deep breath and rubbed her lower back, looking around the basement with a frown. “Can you guys clean up here? The baby is announcing it's lunch time”, she asked turning to Wesley and Gunn. “I think we can manage”, Wesley answered and Gunn didn't contradict him. Angel shook himself out of his glum thoughts and led her up the stairs. His thoughts drifted to the meeting she would have in few hours and the deep frown returned to his handsome face.
Buffy and Gunn walked into a busy diner and she looked around herself, taking in the surroundings. There were two entrances, it had plenty of customers and two of those were police officers, sitting by the counter. Her eyes landed on Riley and she had to take a deep calming breath. “You don't have to do this, you know”, Gunn said from behind her, his fingers wrapping around her hand, letting her know he was there for her. “I know. But I need to”, she answered quietly and headed towards her former boyfriend. As soon as Riley noticed the two people nearing, he jumped to his feet. He also noticed Buffy wasn't alone and he didn't like it. “Buffy”, he whispered her name, receiving a greeting in a form of nod, then his eyes turned to Gunn. “Who's this?” he questioned, of course he knew who the man was, when he had been stalking her, he had done a background check on all of the people in the hotel, but he wasn't going to let her know that. “This is a friend. Gunn, Riley. Riley, Gunn”, she introduced, waving her hand between the two men. Gunn didn't say anything, he just looked at the man in front of him with hard eyes. The crazy bastard had hurt his friend and he wasn't going to let that happen again, he didn't trust the man. “I want to talk to Buffy in private”, Riley protested his presence, but Gunn just folded his arms in front of him and gave him a hard look. “Tough”, he said, not giving in a inch, there was no way he would leave that crazy ass alone with Buffy, no matter how in public they were. Angel had made him swear he would look after Buffy and he had no doubt he would meet the infamous Angelus if he failed. Also he and Buffy had agreed he would be close to her during the meeting, apparently she didn't trust Captain Cardboard either. Buffy turned to look at her friend, giving him a smile of appreciation and a small chastising look before nodding towards the next booth. They sat to the table, Gunn into the next booth facing Riley so he could see his every move. Not knowing how to start, Riley called the waiter to the table. “Do you want coffee or something?” he asked her, but she shook her head before turning to the waiter and ordering a green salad. Once he was gone, the table was again surrounded by an awkward silence. “Come on, Riley, you didn't invite me here to actually eat”, she sighed, she wanted the meeting to be over as soon as possible. She was feeling very uncomfortable in his presence and the baby didn't seem to like it either. Riley shifted in his seat and ran his fingers through his hair. “How are you feeling? You and the baby?” he asked, the simple question sounding very awkward. “We're both fine”, she answered, not giving more details. Again Riley ran his hand through his hair. “This is hard. I can't ask your forgiveness because I know what I did to you is unforgivable, but despite it being just words, again I want to tell you I'm sorry. I don't know what happened to me. It's all weird to just think about now. I love you”, he said and Buffy's eyes widened. Seeing the panicking look in her eyes, he quickly continued, “I didn't say that to make you feel uncomfortable, but it's true. I do love you, but I also know we were never meant to be together. You couldn't have loved me, really loved me because your heart belonged to another and now you're starting a family with him. I'm not going to lie and say that I didn't wish you'd be having a family with me, but I want you to be happy and I couldn't have made you happy. I was just filling the void he left.” She shifted uncomfortably, Riley's confession of love made chills run down her spine, but soon her nerves had been soothed as he continued. She didn't tell him that he wasn't even filling the void, she had been feeling empty after Angel left and Riley had been just a way to make her friends and mother happy and try to keep the loneliness at bay. Still it hadn't worked, she felt more lonely than ever, but at least her friends and mother were happy. “Riley”, she started but quieted as her salad and his coffee were brought to the table. Once the waiter was gone, she avoided continuing by digging into the salad. Riley was looking at her expectantly and she let the fork drop to the plate with a clang, it was no use to beat around the bush, she needed to talk to him so she could go back to Angel and curl up into his safe arms. “Riley, you hurt me. You really hurt me because you were someone I trusted, someone that was close to me”, she said with a sigh, rubbing her forehead with her fingers. “But I don't hate you”, she added with a quiet voice. There was a hopeful light in his eyes. “But I can't trust you either”, she stated lifting her gaze to his eyes. She forced herself not to wince from the pain she saw in his eyes, but she wasn't going to lie to him no matter how much the truth hurt, she didn't trust him, she doubted she ever would. “I understand”, Riley said, swallowing hard. He shifted in his seat, stirred the coffee, looked around the diner before finally turning back to look at her. “I've been thinking about going to see my folks for a while”, he stated, not meeting her eyes. “I think that could be a good idea”, she said, she believed it would do him good, but she also had a selfish reason, if he was in Iowa they wouldn't have to see each other even by accident. Gunn's cellphone started ringing and without turning, Buffy listened to what he was saying as she noted it was Angel calling. He hung up the phone and got up, walking to her. “We need to go, we've got a case”, he said and Buffy could hear by the tone of his voice that it wasn't just any case. She turned to Riley who seemed to be watching them with sharp eyes. “We need to go”, she stated and got up to her feet, digging into her purse and placing bills next to the barely tasted salad. “Alright, I'll see you sometime”, he said. Buffy gave him a small smile, barely noticeable and left with Gunn. “What did Angel say?” she asked as soon as they got outside. “Cordy had a vision”, he answered.
Buffy and Gunn rushed through the doors, finding the others in the lobby with Cordelia sitting on the settee, holding an icepack against her head. “What happened?” Buffy asked, hurrying to the brunette. “All I can say is Ow-ii! There's a group of drunken Irishmen doing riverdance in my head”, she complained but then sobered, looking up to Buffy with sadness in her eyes. “I don't think I'm gonna get the part cause right in the middle of the audition this vision hit me and I was screaming my head off, rolling on the floor. It was flashes of light, like electricity and then like something was pulling the blood through my skin. Major ygh on that one, but I also had a feeling that it was someone I know”, Cordelia said and suddenly doubled over, clutching her head. Buffy took a hold of her shoulders to keep her from falling from the couch. “Wesley, get her pills”, Angel ordered, but the former watcher shook his head. “She already took one, they're too strong to take two in less than half an hour”, he protested.
Cordelia sunk against the cushions, breathing hard. Then she opened her eyes and glared at the ceiling. “You couldn't just give me *one* vision!” she yelled accusingly, then turned to Buffy who was looking at her with undisguised concern. “It's Willow”, she said to the slayer.
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