RP Log with lotterylucky, gr8muppetyodin & lyricalembrace

[actuallybye]

[Follows THIS]

Riley was more than aware of the fact that there was no way to make his workplace any less intimidating. It was supposed to be that way. It was a military thing. At least not everyone was walking around in camos. Even now, he was only in a pair of dark jeans and a grey t-shirt. He had to change after he had sweated so much the clothes he arrived to base in were making him not very pleasant to be around. In fact, even Graham told him to take a shower, and that was saying something considering they all got more than sweaty and gross during operations. He hadn't just showered, he ended up going to the infirmary to get some meds to make him feel better and after a run of IV fluids to get his hydration back up, he was feeling a little better. He had stopped puking for the time being which was a plus as far as he was concerned. The fever was still there, and the upset stomach, but he could handle that if he didn't have to bolt to the bathroom all the time.

Now he was standing in his office, looking out the window at the Paris city centre way in the far distance. They were on the outskirts so they didn't attract a huge amount of attention to themselves. In fact, like the school back in Sunnydale concealing the Initiative, this place was commonly thought of as a testing facility of some sort. That worked. Not true, but it worked. Behind him, Buffy was sitting in one of the chairs in front of his desk. They were waiting for Xander to arrive with Rory's best mate. Airlie MacKenzie. A Kindred, according to Blaise. The thing was, neither Blaise nor Riley actually knew that Buffy was oblivious to that fact. Things could be about to get extremely messy.


Airlie was numb. She could hardly think straight. It had gotten to the point that Xander was basically just leading her to where she needed to go and she just had to make sure her feet worked. There was an elevator, and then there was a corridor, and an office door. Then an office. With Buffy. And a really tall guy. She couldn't cry. She kept telling herself she couldn't cry. If she cried, it would be a dead giveaway. Her hand was clenched extremely tightly around Xander's with almost inhuman strength. The sight of Buffy had her nearly wetting herself... if she could still wet herself, that was. She had no idea who the tall guy was. She just knew that Rory was here somewhere and he was hurt. Hurt and had nearly been Embraced. She couldn't wrap her head around it, no matter how much she tried. It couldn't be true. It just had to be some sort of horrible joke.

Xander could feel his bones get to near breaking point in Airlie's crushing grip, but he didn't complain. He was also selfish enough to be grateful that the call from Buffy had come well after coitus was had. They had been deep into the post-coital holding each other stage with Xander trying not to drop off to sleep and drool on Airlie's shoulder. This time there had been a little biting, but none that would have put Xander in any danger. He remembered each and every amazing moment of sex with Airlie, and he would continue to do so. No memory wipe, no shame. Only pure shock when the call came to tell them Rory was hurt. He glanced between Riley and Buffy, trying to gage if anything had changed in Rory's condition. Then he glanced over his shoulder at Airlie to see if she was alright. Buffy didn't know. Buffy couldn't know about Airlie. Only Xander now knew about Blaise and there was a lot he wanted to ask his best friend right at that moment. Still, Xander's job was always to lighten any situation, and he was hardly about to disappoint. "Okay, so it wasn't enough you had to be all cool secret agent man back in Sunnydale with your fancy Initiative, that now you have to be running some military base in Paris? Seriously, when do I get to have sex with this guy?"

Buffy cracked a small smile at Xander's joke before she rushed over to him to embrace him in a hug. "You made it." She pulled away to step in front of Airlie and gave the petite redhead a hug as well. "I'm so sorry, Airlie. I wasn't... He was alone. I never meant for him to get hurt on this trip. It was never supposed to happen."

Airlie didn't know who she wanted to be pissed off with more at first. Buffy for looking at her, or Xander for wanting to sleep with the tall guy. It wasn't like she could profess to rationality at that moment. Not hearing that Rory had nearly lost his life. In fact, for a long few moments, she just looked between all three of them blankly before she blinked out of the haze and pushed Buffy away. "You dinnae get to touch me. No one gets to touch me," she insisted, and even dropped Xander's hand to go and find a spot on the carpet where she had enough personal space to keep everyone safe. She wasn't sure who she wanted to blame for this yet. Herself for letting Rory go, probably.

Riley had been watching Buffy and Xander, trying not to let the discontent residual feelings from Sunnydale come back and bite him in the ass. He was thinking how Buffy had admitted to it being Xander who gave her the speech about not letting Riley go. All in the past. Then he caught Airlie's hostile response, and wasn't particularly surprised. He stepped over to her, keeping his distance, but still held his hand out to her. "Airlie. I'm Riley Finn. I'm head of the Nuit Noire Operation here. We exist to provide protection and safety to Kindred and other supernatural species that are of little direct threat. You'll be safe here. Indeed, Blaise Richelieu wishes a word with you when you are feeling up to it." Unfortunately, Riley didn't realise how quiet the room had become at his words, and now realised that Airlie had made no move to take his hand. In fact, she was just staring at him, almost like she was looking through him. Uh oh. This wasn't going how he expected at all.

Buffy stared from Xander, to Riley and then to Airlie. "What?" she asked finally. "Why would Blaise want a word with--oh." Her eyes widened a little before she backed up to sit in one of the chairs in Riley's office. Xander had fallen for Kindred. Buffy was falling for Kindred, and Rory had been maybe possibly at some point about to fall for Kindred. It wasn't like they couldn't be accused of not trying to bridge the gaps between the races. Buffy started to avert her gaze so she wasn't coming as cross as staring at Airlie, but now it all made sense. Rory's mysterious friend that had been Embraced against their will was Airlie.

Xander cleared his throat as he reached up to scratch the back of his neck and tried not to be hurt by the fact Airlie had pushed him away as well as Buffy. As much as he was a fan of the Iowa boy, there were times when Riley's good nature just seemed to send him bumbling right through the middle of a scenario that needed discretion. "Cat's out of your bag too," Xander said to Buffy with a pointed raise of his eyebrow. "Just so we don't need to start trying to remember who knows what all over again. I just think the most important thing right now is Rory, and how he's doing. How is he doing?"

Airlie's hair had fallen into her eyes and she was now hugging herself tightly. If she let anyone touch her, she would hurt them. Yet, she took a step closer to Xander so her shoulder was touching his arm. Anything to keep her grounded. She was looking between Riley and Buffy. Riley smelt like sickness, she couldn't miss that. She also couldn't miss that they had sex, and recently. Then, she could smell Rory on Buffy too. "My god, is there anyone in this room who hasnae slept together?" she asked, feeling like her skin was crawling with all the senses bombarding her. She put a hand up and scratched her fingers through her hair before she started to pace restlessly. "You're all crawling in it like you wouldnae believe."

Riley blinked at the way her voice had taken a soft growly edge to it. Her green eyes were tinged silver too and that never failed to unnerve him. It meant they were pissed off or heightened in emotion. He was about to apologise, but caught himself just in time and managed to look slightly sheepish, clearing his throat. How freaky was it that they could sense two people had sex together? No one had a freaking chance of infidelity with a Kindred around. "He's still unconscious. Our doctors are keeping him sedated. He was nearly Embraced, he was drained, so we're giving him a transfusion. Apparently, though, he got close enough and there might be a chance he's not himself when he wakes up. It was a Clan called Brujah that got to him. More vicious of their kind. They wanted to take him."

Buffy tried not to look guilty all over again. She hated the whole Kindred scent detector thing. She glanced at Xander, but his eye was on Airlie. "We still don't know why, but Embrace was definitely the end game. Blaise said he would probably wake up angry, taking on their traits. Guess it shouldn't really surprise us that a group of Kindred intent on Embracing someone didn't have the qualities of fluffy kittens."

Xander held up his hand. "Just for the record, I've never slept with Riley, or Buffy. Just so we're clear. I'm only swimming in Airlie," he added before he had a chance to stop and filter what came out of his mouth. "Just out of interest, how exactly is something like this dealt with? I mean, I'm getting the sense that anything would need to go through this Blaise guy with him being the Prince and all. Also not really sensing a whole lot of celebratory vibes so were the attackers caught, or still at large?"

"The Anarchists. They have the most violent tempers..." Airlie mumbled. She looked up at Xander, feeling the relief wash over her at hearing he hadn't slept with either of them. She was still territorial so soon after them sleeping together again. If anyone tried to touch him, she would probably pounce. It also made it easier to remain in Riley and Buffy's presence.

"Blaise will call the shots. It is not our job to punish the defectors of his people. That's his job, or that of his Primogens, probably under his direction. We're just here to protect Kindred. It's one of our jobs, anyway. We wouldn't have even been out there if we didn't get frequency over our radios that Blaise's estate had been compromised with a security breach. We thought there was a threat to them there. Turns out that security breach was just Rory trying to visit Juliette, but because of... extenuating circumstances, access to the estate by Rory or Buffy had been blocked earlier in the day. It was enough to dispatch our men, though. Rory must have stopped on the side of the road to call Juliette. She had a voicemail from him. That's when it happened. The attackers were taken out. Their bodies have been burned at Blaise's request. Embracing against will is punishable by death. If they had gotten away, Blaise would have had them pursued and killed anyway." Riley paused for a moment with a small frown. "It's my understanding that in a situation like this, the victim would only wake with the Clan's traits if it was innate in them. If these guys really are that vicious and violent, would Rory really be at risk? He doesn't seem the type."

"He has it in him," Airlie replied immediately, flatly. "It might be buried now, but it's in him. From when his family was taken. He went through a very dark time when he lost them. The Rory you see now, he isnae the Rory that existed before he lost his wife and bairn. Before, he was... placid. Softer. Perfect daddy, perfect husband. Hardly swore, nay tattoos. She was his high school sweetheart. He hadnae ever loved anyone else. He was six weeks off completing his nursing degree at university. He never finished it. Sometimes I wonder if his heart died with them. Just... it's in him."

Xander risked a small touch to Airlie's back before he dropped his hand again, just needing her to know that he was still there. And if she ever decided to let him touch her again he was good with the comfort. It wasn't easy knowing your best friend was hurt, let alone having to process a swarm of emotions that Airlie hadn't got the hang of yet. Xander had been with Buffy when she'd been shot by Warren. Just like he'd been with Willow as she grieved over the loss of Tara - and lost herself to the dark magic when she'd become hell bent on revenge. He could understand Rory's side of things just as much. "Alright, so the bodies have been burned, but we're still not with the yay. Is there more? Do we know if it was just these guys acting on their own, or are there more rebels?" Xander frowned a little. "Rebel just doesn't seem like the right word when talking about Kindred. No offence."

Buffy shook her head. "It could be anything. It could be my presence, it could be an attempt to get through to Blaise by going through Juliette. I don't think it'll be a secret anymore that she was taken with Rory... The fact that she denied him access to their house says a lot. So if they think she's already hurting, then maybe they were planning on digging into the wound a little deeper. What's worse than seeing someone you cared for Embraced against their will?" Her gaze slipped to Airlie briefly before she went back to looking between Riley and Xander. She didn't want the redheaded Kindred hating her, or thinking that Buffy really would go on the attack just because she knew about her true nature now. "If Rory does have those traits inside him, and their about to come to the forefront then someone needs to be with him. I think Juliette might be thinking she's that someone, but in all honesty... Airlie, I think it should be you. You're familiar to him, you haven't just hurt him. Juliette's caused him pain. We don't know where he's going to try and aim the anger when he's awake. I'll just... sit on the bench."

"Hey, no one can bench sit this thing out, alright? You're all involved, whether you like it or not. Just for different reasons. Reasons I'm pretty sure I don't know all about and really don't want to, but we're all involved. Blaise and Juliette are involved. For the moment, there seems to be no immediate other threat. It looks like Rory was their target, perhaps to get to Buffy, I don't know. I'm doubting it, seriously. Unless Blaise decided to publish the fact she was in Paris, then no one here would know she was the Slayer, and trust me, Blaise did not publish the fact. Far from it. I think it's just another mere infiltration attempt to throw Blaise off his throne, so to speak. They went for his weakest link, which is Juliette. Rory got caught in the crossfire. If Rory was Embraced by Brujah, he would, obviously, become Brujah, and they are basically the complete opposite to Toreador. It would have drawn Blaise out in revenge. I really think that is all it was a case of. We're not discounting other theories, but at the moment, that's the wisest route to take. Rory's going to have some issues dealing with the near Embrace when he wakes up, and really, the best place for him to likely be is at Blaise's estate. It is the most protected place from Kindred in France. In fact, I think it's the best place for you all to be, and Blaise has extended the invitation and asked me to pass it on to you," Riley admitted with a small shrug. "I think it would be for the best. Airlie, you're a Childer, and Juliette would like to spend some time with you helping you control your abilities."

Airlie had nearly lost herself in a daze as Riley spoke. It was like it was information overload and her brain was attempting to reject it all. She felt weak, like she needed to feed, but how the hell was she supposed to do that here in a place that would probably put a bullet in her if she tried? She reached over and grabbed Xander's arm and just clung to it, though she was looking at Riley uncertainly. Her Sire had taught her as much as he could before it just got to a point that she was too furious with him to want him in her presence ever again. That's when the job got passed to Rory to protect her, and he had, but he hadn't had the experience or knowledge to help her completely control her emotions and urges. "Aye... okay," she eventually agreed.

Xander had a strange urge to offer up himself as food for Airlie, already beginning to understand what some of her shifts in moods were. He just wasn't about to do it in front of Buffy and Riley. He didn't need them knowing just how willing he was to let Airlie draw a little energy from him. He made a mental note to maybe offer when they got up to this palace, or whatever the hell it was. Then he remembered what Airlie said about Blaise having people around just for the purpose of feeding and wondered if that extended to the guests, too. Or this Juliette woman. "Do you really trust them?" he asked Riley quietly. His own protectiveness over Airlie was coming in to play, and he wasn't about to ask Buffy's opinion when she would be all kinds of biased.

Buffy took the hint and stayed quiet as Xander questioned Riley, turning her gaze to the window that overlooked the city. She couldn't help the small flip in her heart that came with knowing she'd be staying with Blaise, and the fact that he had actually extended the invitation despite everything. She also knew that she had to make a call to Giles and Willow before she went there. There was something back in Edinburgh that she needed them to take care of. She still needed to fix the mess she'd made with the Slayerettes, even if her plan would probably backfire on her. Again. She wondered if Faith would actually agree with what she was thinking. Maybe it was time to consult with the only other Original Slayer...

"With my life," Riley replied without hesitation and shrugged as he leaned over to pick up his bottle of water from his desk. He uncapped it and took a long drink, really trying to follow doctor's orders of keeping hydrated, even if they still couldn't tell him exactly what was making him feel sick. "You probably couldn't get a better source of protection than Blaise. He the all-poweful dude in this situation. He knows what is going on. He sees and senses things the rest of us could only dream of. Airlie is Kindred, and if there is one thing I can say about the guy, he has all of his Kindred at the forefront of his mind. They are why he exists. He wants to keep the peace more than any of us, no matter how long we have all been fighting the evil of the world. You gotta remember, he's been around a hell of a lot longer than we have. Nearly five hundred years, to be exact. Plus, he's a good guy," he added with emphasis, looking at Buffy pointedly.

Buffy didn't miss the look, sensing Riley's gaze on her as she turned back from the window. She just gave a small nod. They hadn't yet talked about what had gone on in the interrogation room, but she was pretty sure Riley wouldn't want to know anyway. "He's right," she murmured. "As long as we don't pose a direct threat to Kindred, he'll protect us with everything he has. Plus he knows that we'll all want to make sure Rory's safe. Even if he's taking a chance in inviting me and Xander in, he won't go back on his word."

Xander just gave a nod and kissed the top of Airlie's head. "Sounds like we have a plan. Plus I'm always a big fan of any plan that means we get to sit around in luxury. I just feel bad for Rory. He's going to start thinking he's some sort of walking vampire bait considering this is the second time he's been drained lately. This whole exhibiting the traits of the Bruhaha clan... Is that a permanent thing? Or will it eventually wear off? Just so I can be prepared for a permanent increase in his cranky pants."

Airlie crossed her arms tightly around her chest in an attempt to stop the terrible restlessness creeping through her. She was more than worried how Rory would be when he woke up. She remembered how increasingly angry he got when he realised his search for his family was useless. He only calmed down and changed his course of action when an old Hunter in Edinburgh approached him, took him under his wing to put the angry energy to positive use. Luckily, Rory had other friends close by that were happy to take Wee Willy for as long as necessary. But even then, if Rory needed his dog when he woke up, she would damn well drive to Scotland and pick him up, if that was what it took. "And people ask why he doesnae like being fed from..." she commented quietly with a small snort.

Riley had to smirk a little at Airlie's comment. He hadn't known Rory didn't let her feed from him. He had assumed it would be something friends did. It probably meant Juliette hadn't too, which was pretty intense if there was a fling going on there of some sort. There were still so many gaps Riley wasn't privvy to, and Buffy's assumptions were correct... he really wasn't sure he wanted to know. In fact, as he looked around the room, he saw all these hooks up or potential hooks ups, and all he felt was lonely. "... ah... yeah... right, so, you all stay with Blaise at his estate. I can take you to see Rory soon. Blaise and Juliette are still with him for the moment. Once they leave, you can see him." Business as usual. It was easy to push emotions aside for business. "It will wear off. He wasn't Embraced. Still, from what Airlie says, chances are he might try to push everyone away."

Xander didn't miss the fact that Buffy was watching Riley closely again, and he really did have to wonder what she'd been playing up by sleeping with Rory, Riley and trying to win the heart of a Kindred Prince. But the interrogation could wait. He glanced down at Airlie. "Well, Scotsmen aren't the only stubborn ones around, so he won't get a chance to push us away easily."

Buffy gave a nod. "Exactly. Plus there's enough people around that can hold him in place if need be." She cleared her throat after a moment and stood up to move next to Riley as she touched his hand briefly. "You're not going to come and stay with us, are you?" she asked him quietly.

"He's more likely to hurt himself than hurt any of us," Airlie spoke up, even if she was looking down at her feet. "He'll yell, though. He'll always yell when he gets pissed off. And swear a lot. More than a lot. At least if he's staying at this place, he'll be stuck there. He'll just have to deal with it."

Riley glanced down at Buffy and then folded his arms across his chest to break the contact. "Why would I? I have a home, and I spend most of my time on the base anyway. Blaise comes here if there needs to be business meetings. He's just been unavailable recently. Things seems to be back to normal... mostly. And seriously? I really don't want to be a, uh, seventh wheel."

Buffy gave a nod. "I know, I just... We can keep in touch though, right? We're... We're friends. Aren't we?" she asked Riley as she swallowed back a sudden lump. Maybe the sex had been a goodbye to any sort of romantic relationship, but she still wasn't ready to give up Riley completely. To have him out of her life again now she'd found him.

Xander had been trying to listen to Buffy and Riley but he slipped his arm around Airlie's waist loosely and kissed the top of her head again. "He'll be okay," he murmured against her hair. "We'll make sure of it. He has you. You'll be able to help him."

Airlie nodded and then closed her eyes briefly. "I just hope he has the strength this time to get through it. Maybe this will just all scare him off anything to do with Kindred. It might. He might just want to go home and cut us all off to protect himself. There's just as much chance of that as anything else," she fretted, unable to think at all how she would face life without Rory. "Am I the only one here sensing those two over there are so not resolved? They're all talk. How is he single, too? Laddie's a cutie. Not as cute as you, though," she added to Xander quickly.

Riley gave a nod and offered Buffy a faint smile. "Yeah, I guess..." he replied and cleared his throat. "I don't know. I guess time will figure that one out. It's just weird. I pretty much work with Blaise, and you're gonna be dating him, you used to date me. It's kind of all giving me a headache."

Buffy held her hand up. "Hey, hey. There's no talk of dating just yet. I still need to win his trust. If I even can do that..." She glanced down at her hands as she played with the ring on her finger and sighed. "But time... Yay time. I guess I don't have a shortage of it right now."

Xander snorted with amusement and gave a shake of his head. "Because it's Buffy and Riley. Closure might mean the world will end. He was married, now he's divorced. Can't really blame the guy for wanting to protect his heart. Maybe it's just as well he won't be following us into the Prince's lair. That really would just be awkward as all hell. Too bad you don't have a hot sister to set him up with."

Airlie scrunched her nose up a little. "Poor laddie. Can you imagine if he did? She's been with Rory, she wants the Prince, and he's supposed to just hang around and pretend to be comfortable? I wouldnae be comfortable. I'd wanna to smack someone. He's gotta be lonely, aye? He looks lonely. He feels... I dinnae know, but he's nay happy." She was speaking quietly so Buffy and Riley couldn't hear, and she was suddenly wishing she had more friends that she could set him up with. "Nothing like feeling one hundred percent left out while we're all staying somewhere else getting loved up and comforted."

"Practically dating," Riley corrected with a small snort of his own. "He's gone from wanting you as well out of his presence as humanly possible to inviting you to stay at his place. Excuse me for the inaccurate deduction based on fact."

"The invite was a surprise to me," Buffy murmured as she started to feel her hackles come up. Maybe her and Riley really weren't as resolved as she thought. She didn't know what she was supposed to do, or say though. Time. It all came back down to time. "I need... I have to make a phone call." She pulled her cell from her pocket and made a quick exit from the office to find another room she could hide in. She'd maybe come back out when it was time to Rory.

Xander blinked at the sudden exit and let out a sigh. "Old habits, huh?" he asked Riley. "Look, man, I'm really sorry about this. About you having to get dragged back into the Sunnydale lifestyle. I'm sure you're just wishing we stayed away. Having said that, it really is nice to see you, Riley. I've missed my guy friend. Just wish it was a reunion under better circumstances."

Riley looked blankly at the door Buffy disappeared through and sighed. "Yeah... whatever," he commented, pushing it away. "It's fine, really. It's just been a confusing week. Even more confusing considering I've formed a bond with Blaise over the course of my job here. He makes Spike and Angel look like dog turds, seriously. No offense if you had a soft spot for either of them. This guy just has class, and he actually cares about his actions. It's quite the step up from what I experienced in Sunnydale. I guess that's something Buffy needs to learn for herself. Once I know you're all fine having seen Rory, I'm going home to my bed to hide for awhile."

Airlie stepped over to Riley and patted his arm. "Just for the record, if I hadnae met Xander, I'd want to do you," she told him, trying to make him feel a little better on some level. "And if you were gay, I'd let you borrow Xander." She turned around to give Xander a sheepish look. "What? You'd be hot together."

Xander's eyebrows were just up in surprise as he gaped at his girlfriend, lost with what he was actually supposed to say. "Um... No, no soft spots..."

Riley laughed nervously and raised his eyebrows at Xander. "I think we're all safe from anyone borrowing anyone else. I'd rather have someone all to myself that doesn't want to push me away or poison me, to be honest, but thank you. I do really appreciate the thought. I'm okay. I think I just look a lot more pathetic than I feel." That might have been a blatant lie, but it sounded good.

Xander scratched his hand against the back of his neck as he joined in the nervous laughter, wondering if he was about to be hypnotised by Airlie into seducing Riley just because she did think it was hot. "I can't really blame you. It's taken me a while to find that, and now I have it... Nothing like it. I can definitely recommend it, man. I just hope you find someone that can give you that."

Riley shifted awkwardly and nodded politely. He just didn't like where the conversation had ended up again. It made him feel like he was relationship-challenged. It would just be nice to have a date with some laughing, maybe sex afterwards with someone who enjoyed his company and vice versa. It sounded simple, but it felt like he was looking for the Holy Grail. "Yeah, you know, we should head down to see Rory. You're probably tired from your trip. I'll just go ahead and make sure Blaise is satisfied that things are okay for the moment. I'll give you two your privacy. I'm sure you could use a few moments to... freshen up." He didn't know why he was assuming Xander had jumped in feet first with Airlie, but good on him. He had fast learnt if a Kindred loved you, they loved you unconditionally.

Xander frowned a little at the comment before he just nodded. He hadn't wanted to make Riley feel uncomfortable, but apparently he had. "Sure, thanks." He looked at Airlie before he walked over to pull her into a hug. She seemed to have calmed and he rubbed her back as he kissed her temple. "Why do I feel like I'm about to be offered a red or blue pill? There's not a whole lot of going back once we get to this guy's place, is there?"

Airlie shook her head. "Dinnae. It'll be fine. It might feel intimidating, but... it's true. It's the safest place I could be, I guess. Plus, Rory will be comfortable when he gets out. The only thing that you willnae be able to go back on is... knowing. About me, about us. About our world. I guess that is a scary prospect."

Xander smiled at her as he kissed her again. "Not as scary as I thought it might be. I'm not going back on the knowing, or you, or us. Okay?"