The cold dark cemetery echoed of silence as the headstones stood silently marking the graves of whoever the deceased may be. Wind rustled against the tall trees that towered nearby and surrounded and lay within the cemetery grounds. Suddenly a blinding flash of white light and standing in its place as it disappeared stood a very angry Slayer interrupting the still silence.

            “That…Son of a bitch!” she admonished as she turned about as if in search of the very being whom had placed her there.

Buffy stood with fist clenched not believing the nerve of the Goblin King, to send her back to Sunnydale without question. Her anger faded to that of worry as she thought about Giles. ‘Oh, God…if he hurts Giles in any way I’ll kill him. Okay, now what do I do? I am not going to sit around and wait until that so called Goblin King summons me back. Wait! No…that portal closed after me and Sarah went through.’

            Her long blond hair swept over then away from her determined face as she thought over the events of the past week. Deciding that standing in a cemetery to just think was not going to find her the answers that she needed she started her way towards the college dorm. She needed help and knew just where she would find it.

            Willow ran her fingers nervously through her short red hair as she looked about herself. She knew that her friends were nearby but was not crazy about the fact that she was bait. The past three days since the disappearance of Buffy and Sarah had left them in charge of the nightly patrols that was the job of the Slayer, which none of them were. Sure, with her witchcraft and all she had a little bit more protection than the others but it still didn’t make up for the fact that she was bait.

            In the shadows hidden within the brush of the trees behind the park bench crouched a fidgety Xander and a confident Riley. Riley held the night vision goggles in hand as he watched the surrounding for any oncoming vampire that would take the bait. His attention was momentarily distracted as Xander shifted his wait once again.

            Glancing down at Xander, Riley whispered as he returned his watch over Willow, “Would you please stop fidgeting? If you make anymore noise we might as well be standing out in the open.”

            Xander glared at Riley hissing back, “Sorry, I still don’t see why we’re doing this. They probably show up with or without this little set up.”

            “Sh…If I knew that you were going to be this cranky I would have left you at your place!” Riley calmly whispered back, though Xander was starting to wear on his nerves.

            Xander silently mocked Riley as he returned his eyes back on his friend Willow. He hated the whole idea from the start but as usual no one ever listens to Xander. For the millionth time he silently wondered what had happened to Buffy and Sarah. They had disappeared without a trace three days ago and just yesterday Giles was added to that short list of missing persons. They had last seen Buffy and Sarah chase the Goblins that were attacking the band at the Bronze and that was the last that they had seen them.

            Riley scanned the area around Willow his eyes focused on the moment but his mind over run with thoughts of Buffy. It wrenched at his heart as the possible causes of her disappearance came to mind, all of which were not good. His jaw clenched as her smile came to mind and then the thought of never seeing nor hearing her laughter again. He was thankful for the distraction of patrol and was itching to kick some demon butt to air out some of his frustration.

            Willow’s back stiffened as she detected a faint shadow at the corner of her eye. Her instincts screaming that it was not human she pulled out the wooden stake that she had hidden behind her and waited. Breathing came labored as the approaching shadow and surrounding silence was taking its toll on her shaky nerves. She wondered why she was feeling so panicky, it wasn’t as if she had never done this type of thing before. Then her mind found the reason, she had always had the Slayer watching out for her and now…now she was alone on a park bench with two guys hiding in the bushes behind her waiting to come to her rescue.

            Figure coming more into view Willow started to recognize the lone approaching figure. The leather jacket and black jeans gave away as to who that person was especially when his spiky short blond hair was alighted by the dim park lights. She let out her breath just now realizing that she had been holding it in.

            Spike exhaled smoke as he finished his cigarette, flicking it to the side he ground it within the park soil with his black booted foot. “Well, well…What’s this, a party and no one thought to invite me!”

            Willow tapped the wooden stake against her knee as she glared up at the defanged vampire, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m just sitting here all alone and…stuff.”

            Spike smirked down at the red head before him bringing up his boot to rest next to her sitting form on the park bench seat. “I see. So what’s with the two blokes sitting over there in the bushes?”

            Before Willow could respond Riley followed by Xander emerged from their hiding places. Riley was not amused from the expression that she saw from his face, “What the hell are you doing here?”

            Raising his booted foot from the park bench and returning to its previous position Spike was too tempted for the opportunity for an insult. “I don’t know. I might be asking the same question of you two. Though, I didn’t think you the type, swinging both ways and all.”

            Riley was at his throat in a second Spike’s shirt collar in his grasp, “I’d watch it if I were you. They might have something against killing you but I sure as hell don’t.”

            “All right, all right. If I knew you were that touchy about your secret sex life I wouldn’t have said a thing.”

            Willow watched as Spike continued to test Riley’s temper and thought that if she didn’t stop him now that no one would be able to stop him from fulfilling his promise. “All right now STOP!”

            Riley never left eye contact with Spike as he let go of his grip and backed away. Any normal human would have flinched and fled from the glare that he gave Spike but Spike was no human.

            Straightening his shirt collar Spike grimaced as he wished with all his being that he didn’t have that damn chip in his head. He wanting more than anything to rip that annoying boy scouts throat out with his bare hands but unable to fulfill that yearning. He did though enjoy annoying the crap out of him and had to settle with that.

            Xander watched as Riley backed away and wished that he had gone through with his threat. That Spike annoyed the crap out of him and though he was harmless to humans he more than deserved to be dusted. “I hate to interrupt everyone’s Kodak moment here, but don’t we have some patrolling to do.”

            Spike laughed at this, “What? You three! I hate to break your little shin dig but neither one of you are the “Slayer” so to speak” he quoted Slayer with his first two fingers of both hands in mock gesture.

            Willow crossed her arms insulted by Spike’s lack of confidence in their abilities, “Hey! We’re perfectly capable of doing damage.”

            “No offense love but other than the fact of Mr. Commando here, you’re as defenseless as kittens. Speaking of the Slayer, where is that annoying little chit?”

            Willow’s determined face turned to that of pain as she thought about her missing friends, “We don’t know,” she mumbled more to herself but Spike heard her loud and clear.

            Rubbing hands together as if overjoyed from hearing the news, which he was, he started his way away from the trio to head to his wanted destination. “As much as I love the chit chat an all…”

            Before he could finish his statement the group had the misfortune of an ambush as six figures in full vampire form growled from the shadows as they started their attack.

            Riley felt an impact against his back, as his body was slammed hard against the park ground. Bringing up his elbow sharply he jabbed it into his assailants face freeing him from being pinned helplessly to the ground. Quickly rolling from his awkward position on the ground he came to his feet crossbow in hand and did not hesitate as he fired his weapon. The vampire was dust the minute the wooden bow met its target.

            Willow ducked as one of the vampires grabbed for her startled form with a squeal. They had wanted to dust some vampires but this was not part of their well-conceived plan. She was relieved as Xander came to her aid staking the vampire from behind before he could grab hold of her.

            Xander in turn was rewarded with a jab to his side as another came from what seemed nowhere. Immediately he swung his arm towards his assailant missing its target completely. The vampire smirked with fangs drawn as he lunged for Xander.

            Willow jumped on the back of Xander’s attacker as she saw that the vampire was about to take a bite out of her friend. Bringing about her stake she jabbed her weapon as hard as she could into the chest of the demon meeting his heart with her first blow. The lack of body underneath her as it disintegrated to dust left her to fall on top of Xander causing them both to tumble to the ground.

            Riley was too busy to help his friends as he himself was being attacked by two more vampires. His weapon had the misfortune of being knocked out of his hands as one of the vampires luckily dislodged it from his grasp. Bringing fist in contact with face he was barely keeping his own as he was slightly outnumbered two to one.

            Spike watched with amusement as the Scooby gang was getting the stuffing beat out of them, though they were succeeding with a fair share of damage themselves.

            Willow was trying to get to her feet when she saw one of the vampires looming over their tangled forms. Xander was still facing the ground and had just succeeded in turning in time to see the vampire disintegrated to nothing. As the dust settled they both were relieved as they saw Buffy standing before them.

            Buffy pulled Willow up with her free hand, “I can’t leave you guys for a minute can I?”

            Willow squealed with delight as she flung her arms around Buffy in a bear hug, “You’re okay!”

            Buffy found that her friends overjoyed bear hug was blocking her breathing, “Air would be nice!”

            Willow released her friend but before she could say more Buffy saw Riley’s dilemma. Instincts in full gear she pulled one of the vampires successfully off of her boyfriends’ back as she threw it with ease to the side. Bringing her leg about in a turn kick, foot instantly connected with jaw disorienting the vampire as he stumbled back. Recovering quickly from his blow the vampire lunged forward fist flying through the air only to be blocked and rewarded with another hard hit as she backhanded him. With ease and speed Buffy brought about her stake disintegrating her target.

            Riley rolled to the ground at his dislodged weapon picking it up as he brought it about and fired. The vampire turned to dust in moments as Riley recovered to his feet. A smile spread about his face as he saw the very person he thought he might never see again standing a few feet away from him.

            Before Buffy could make one of her spiffy replies Riley brought her about in his arms and kissed her deeply. Her fingers tangled through his dark blond hair as she felt her body soften against his strong chest. As their lips separated she smiled up to her man, “I take it you missed me,” she softly chided.

            Spike smirked at the scene before him, “Way to ruin my appetite,” he mumbled as he turned and walked away. How he hated it when the good guys came through.

            Pulling slightly away from her to take a good look, “And just where have you been all this time?”

            “Believe me it’s a long story,” turning towards her other two friends her smile disappeared, “We’ve got plenty of work to do.”