Fic Post: Two for the Price of One
Title: First
Rating: PG
Summary: Obviously AU, given that Riley didn’t show much romantic interest in Willow in canon. But, what if shortly after Willow and Oz are through, he’s there to comfort her. Set in Season 4 this is my take on how things might have been Riley hadn’t been all over Buffy.
Pairing: Not really any, although semi Riley/Willow. At this point she is too heart broken to be really into Riley. So, more of a friendship drabble thing, since its not even 400 words.
A/n: Dedicated to Gabrielle, without whom I would never have tried this pairing.
Title: Tell Me
Rating: PG-13 to be on the safe side, for sure work safe, although it does contain some adult concepts and ideas.
Summary: When Connor really wants answers about his mom, the one he turns to is Cordy.
Characters: Cordy and Connor
A/n: This is the first time I wrote Connor, so hopefully I did him justice.
Connor wasn’t happy, but that wasn’t anything new. Two things had the ability to cheer him, killing demons and being around Cordelia. Killing was plain fun, the challenge of the hunt and the knowledge that you were superior, the more powerful being. He sat down on the bed next to Cordelia.
‘Tell me about my mother.”
Cordelia sighed. ‘Where to start.”
“The beginning.”
“Rhetorical question Connor.”
She took his hand in hers.
“Darla was human in the 1600’s, I don’t know exactly when. She was dying, and The Master turned her.”
Connor scoffed. “You mean there’s a vampire with such a pointless name?’
”Was. Buffy slayed him our sophomore year of high school. But, that’s off track.”
”So…”
“She turned Angel.”
“I didn’t know.”
Connor considered this new information, ”So, she made him evil?’
”Pretty much yeah. Encouraged him to kill, torture innocent lives. Until one fateful day.”
‘What do you mean?’
”See Darla brought a gypsy home to Angelus.”
“I don’t get it.”
“You don’t want to piss gypsies off. They cursed you father with a soul and Darla threw him out. She could tell he was different.”
”Wow, Holtz never told me this.”
Cordelia stroked Connor’s hair. “Look Connor, there’s a lot he probably didn’t tell you. Like how many lives Angel has saved.”
”But my mom, she stayed evil?”
Cordelia shook her head. “She was human for awhile.”
”How is that possible?”
“Well, years ago, Angel staked her to save Buffy. But Wolfram and Hart resurrected her.”
”As a human?”
“Yep. But, she wanted to get even with Angel.”
”So even human she was bad.’
”Not completely. See, she was dying, and she turned to Angel. At first, all she could talk about was having him turn her. But, he was talking her out of it, she was changing her mind. But, then Wolfram and Hart get Drusilla to change her.’
”She never had a chance.”
“I know Connor. But she did one incredible thing.”
”She staked herself so that you could be born. Otherwise, you would have died. So Connor, I want you to remember one thing for me.”
”What?”
“No matter what else was true about your mom, she loved you.”
”Thanks Cordy.”
She said nothing, just held him close.
She is first in his mind. So Riley knocks lightly on her door. What surprises him us the state Willow is in when she opens to door to her and Buffy’s room. Her eyes are red rimmed and its obvious she has been crying. The customary smile is gone and his heart breaks as he notices. As he looks at her he wonders if he can ever win it back.
“Can I help you?’
The words are robotic and Riley wants to hurt the person who broke her heart.
“Can we talk?’
”Sure.”
The acceptance she offers is mere habit, not because Willow really wants to talk. But she does back up, making room for him, and they end up sit next to each other on the bed. A sigh escapes Willow as thought this facade of manners is too much for her.
“What happened to you?’
Tears well up in Willow’s eyes as she looks at him. “Do you care? Because no one else does.”
”I do, please talk to me.”
The story spills out slowly of Oz leaving. But it gains speed and the words tumble out so fast Riley can barely keep up. Of course she fails to mention him being a werewolf. She was fairly certain that Riley was unaware of the supernatural things.
“I’m so sorry Willow.”
He means it, and she can tell. Willow takes his hand suddenly reaching out. “Thanks Riley. It just feels like no one understands or cares.”
Riley smiled at Willow. She was so pretty even with tears in her eyes, he gently brushed one away. “I care, and I’m not going anywhere.’
’Well you’ll have to leave eventually, ‘cause I don’t want you to see me sleep.’
He nodded. “Friends don’t let friends see each other drool.”
Willow laughed. It was short and quiet but he counted it as a victory nonetheless. He loved her all the more for it.
“We can be friends.” Even as he said the words, Riley hoped for more. But he’d take it one step at a time.
Willow nodded. “I’d like that a lot.”
“Good.”
So Riley held his new friend’s hand and hoped for the best.