Buffy, Xander and Willow continue their discussion in the hospital.
"There's not enough time to try and figure out the spell. Octavia has made her choice and with the order back I don't know if I have time to try and convince her otherwise." Buffy says.
Xander holds out the stone. "I remember when I told you there was no way to get Angel's soul back. When I lied, that was on me. But now we have chance to save someone we have to try."
"I can go back to Giles' and try to figure out the rest of the spell." Willow says.
"You can't it's too dangerous to split up the order will be trying to hunt us down." Buffy says.
"You have to go there to get weapons anyway." Willow says. "I'll come with you, get the texts and come back."
"Okay." Buffy agrees finally.
"I'll stay with Giles." Xander says. "In public, where it's safe.
"Just don't forget the order of taraka hires humans too, be on guard." Buffy says.
"I will."
They nod knowing what they have to do.
"Do you want this?" Xander asks holding out the stone.
"No, I'll be back to attempt the rest of the spell. Hold onto it I'll get the other one." Willow says.
Xander nods as Buffy and Willow leave.
—
Back in the initiative base, Riley, Walsh and Ivar watch security footage from the other night.
The video shows Octavia and a blonde girl (Buffy) fighting on the bridge. Then a few soldiers being taken down in smoke.
Ivar keeps reminding it, amazed at their fighting prowess.
"Imagine, every soldier in the initiative being able to fight like that." He says with a smile.
"Has she been turned into a vampire too?" Walsh asks.
"It didn't seem like it. The blonde might be the real slayer and the other is the fallen one." Riley says.
"Either one will be pivotal for our research." Walsh says. "Patrol heavy tonight. All hands on deck."
"Roger that." Riley says.
Ivar continues rewinding and watching the same clip.
—
Buffy and Willow make it to Giles' home.
"Let's make this quick." Buffy says.
Willow collects the texts and the other moonstone while Buffy selects from the best of Giles' weapons.
"Okay, let's go." Buffy says.
Just then two members of the order of taraka storm in. One demon with horns and one armored goblin.
"Buffy!" Willow scream.
They seem only interested in capturing Willow. The goblin snatches her while the horned demon fights Buffy. Buffy strikes the demon and something strange happens, she hurts her hand. The demon grabs her and throws her into a bookshelf burying her while they make off with Willow.
Buffy passes out.
—-
The initiative soldiers get ready to patrol in force. Riley prepares a group of over 50 soldiers.
"We all know who we're looking for. Check in often. Let's move!"
Riley and his squad move out.
—
Buffy stirs under the fallen bookshelf as the sun sets.
She wakes up and has a hard time even getting out from underneath the bookshelf. She uses all her strength just to move the bookshelf.
She stands and gets her bearings.
"Willow!" She remembers and then she remembers Giles and Xander.
She sprints out of the door.
—
At the hospital she finds Giles' room empty and Xander gone.
"No!" She screams.
She sprints out. She makes her way through town. She doesn't know where to go, who to turn to, she's at a loss. She's running through town when— Bam!
Octavia runs into her, trucking her. Buffy hits the ground hard.
"What's the matter? Feeling weak? Like all your strength has left your body?" Octavia says.
Buffy gets up slowly. Her whole body weak.
"So I heard that you didn't get a proper Tento Di Cruciamentum." Octavia says. "So I wanted to give you one. Every slayer does it."
Buffy thinks back to the test Giles performed with the muscle relaxer. A horrified look comes across her face. That's why she hurt her hand on the demon.
"It should be kicking in right about now." Octavia says as she kicks her.
"You know the day my watcher performed this test was the day he wasn't my watcher anymore." Octavia says. "I'll let your imagination tell you what that means."
Buffy hits the ground again.
"What did you do to them? Where are they?" Buffy demands.
Octavia gets low to the ground and grabs Buffy by the hair. Buffy winces in pain.
"I'm gonna tell you where they are." Octavia says. "I can't wait to watch you try and fight your way out of this one. Maybe you'll even make it to the final round. All just to fail in front of your friends and watch them die. Or maybe they'll watch you die first."
Octavia lets go of Buffy's hair and stands up.
"And then the next poor sap will become the slayer and end up right where you are. Destined to be squashed like a bug." Octavia says.
"No!" Buffy says.
Buffy jumps up and tries to strike Octavia but she's quickly countered and put back on the floor.
"Don't get fresh." Octavia says.
Buffy spits up blood.
"Your friends are being held in the canto building." Octavia says. "you do know where that is right?"
Buffy nods with a groan.
"Good girl." Octavia says. "See you there, slayer. I do hope you make it there in one piece."
Octavia walks away leaving Buffy on the ground.
—
The Assassin parkours through the city. He tries to find Buffy but continually has to duck and dodge large patrols of initiative commandos. A few commandos spot him and believe he is a sub terrestrial.
"Sub terrestrial! Fire!"
They fire their electric bolts. The Assassin dodges and parkours his way out of it.
—
Back on Buffy. Buffy starts running through the town trying to get to the canto building. She doesn't even know if she can beat octavia let alone the order of taraka in her current state but she has to try.
The Goblin demon and a couple of vampires ambush her. Buffy fights it as best she can.
Some commandos spot her and the Goblin battling.
"That's one of our targets!"
"All units engage."
They fire in her direction. While a few move in to take on the vampires hand to hand.
Lucky for Buffy they paralyze the goblin and fight off some vampires. Unlucky for her, they surround her and point their weapons at her.
"Don't move."
"Wait, please you have to listen." Buffy pleads.
"Buffy?" A familiar voice asks.
One of the commandos unmasks, it's Riley.
"Riley?"
"You're the slayer?" Riley asks.
"Riley, please. I'll explain everything but my friends are in danger I have to get to them." Buffy says.
—
Walsh and Ivar watch from the commandos body cam.
"Buffy summers?" Walsh asks.
—
Buffy looks at Riley. A thousand thoughts go through his mind. What of his duty to the initiative. But what about his feelings for Buffy.
"Please." Buffy says.
"All right, let her go." Riley commands his soldiers to lower their weapons.
"Go on." Riley says. "Go!"
Buffy stands up and runs off.
—
Xander, Giles and Willow sit tied up inside the Canto building. Octavia and her goons keeping guard.
Giles still ailing from his injury leans on Xander.
"We want to help you, Octavia." Willow says. "We found a spell that might be able to give you your soul back."
"You think I want to escape from this?" Octavia says. "How can I? There are only one of two options for a slayer to escape, death or defeat. This is the escape."
"You don't really believe that." Xander says.
"It's all I can believe." Octavia says.
—
Buffy continues her odyssey through the city, she's getting close. She's bruised, battered but not beaten.
Suddenly a few members of the order of taraka appear. Then a separate team of commandos engage with her.
"Oh, c'mon." Buffy says.
Then The Assassin jumps in front of her and takes out two of the commandos.
(This is the type of move I envisioned the Assassin doing I don't know why but it looks so cool)
The order of taraka start fighting with the commandos and The Assassin uses this commotion to take Buffy safety to a nearby rooftop using his rope launcher.
—
The Assassin and Buffy land hard on the rooftop. The building they're on overlooks the canto building where her friends are being held.
But Buffy is spent.
"I can't. Octavia's hit me with some sort of muscle relaxer. My strength is gone. I- I failed." Buffy says.
"Where are they? I'll save them." The Assassin says firmly.
"They're just over there in the canto building she said." Buffy points.
The Assassin nods and climbs onto the edge of the building, about to glide down into the canto building when-
"Wait." Buffy says. "You could die, at least tell me who you are."
The Assassin turns to her, this mysterious figure, this set of eyes.
"To those under the law I became like one under the law, so as to win those under the law. To the weak I became like the weak to win the weak. To the strong I became like the strong, to win over the strong." He says. "I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some."
Buffy's eyes meet The Assassin's. "Rhys?"
Rhys turns and leaps from the building, cape unfurling like a dark angel cutting through the sky.
Buffy watches him with a look of admiration.
Rhys glides downward and descends upon the canto building.
SMASH!
Rhys breaks through the top of the building in the midst of Octavia and the remaining members of the order of taraka. (At this point Rhys' face is still covered by his assassin outfit so while I'm calling him Rhys none of the characters in this scene know that the assassin is Rhys)
"I hardly expected you to show up." Octavia says.
"It ends here." Rhys says.
Rhys uses a smoke bomb to disorient his opponents making it easier to deal with their numbers.
Rhys charges into battle against the remaining members of the order and Octavia. This time utilizing his rope launcher he shoots the rope hook into one member of the order of taraka and pulls him forward into his hidden blade.
Xander and Willow start undoing their restraints.
As the smoke stats to clear only Octavia and Rhys remain. Rhys fights Octavia hand to hand, utilizing his elbow strikes and his gauntlets to wear her down and protect his body from her enhanced strength.
Octavia snatches Rhys arm and crushes his rope launcher. Rhys shouts in pain. He manages to free himself with a kick.
Xander and Willow free themselves.
Rhys re-engages and manages to land a few cuts with his hidden blade on Octavia making her back off a bit. Rhys wants to keep up momentum he points his blade forward, threatening her. Octavia for once feels she is in danger, she looks a round, all of the order of taraka are dead, vampires gone. She admits defeat.
Octavia makes a break for the door but not before throwing some debris at Rhys to cover her escape.
Rhys evades the attack but when he recovers Octavia is gone.
Rhys has won the day.
Xander and Willow lift up Giles and walk out of the building.
Willow turning back to look at Rhys "Thank you."
Rhys nods, withdraws and exits through the rooftops.
-Fade out-
—
In Giles' house.
Giles recovers on the couch while Xander, Buffy and Willow fill him in on the events that transpired.
"So professor Rhys was the Assassin the whole time?" Giles asks.
"Yes." Buffy says.
"This is why I didn't go to college. All the professors are nut jobs" Xander says proudly.
"And Riley is one of the commandos." Buffy blurts out.
"And Octavia had been injecting you with that muscle relaxer in a sort of poetic revenge statement against the slayer and council?" Giles asks.
"Yes, oh and she's still out there." Buffy says.
"But she's got no more gang and no more bounty hunters. At least for right now" Willow says.
"I'm sure she'll show herself soon enough." Giles says.
"So should we just forget that spell we were looking into?" Willow asks Buffy.
"No, we should give it a try." Buffy says. "She still deserves our help...but if she gets one of you hurt again she's going to be a pile of dust." Buffy says getting up and collecting her things.
Buffy goes over and hugs Giles. Giles flinches. "Oh sorry."
"It's all right. What was that for?" Giles asks.
"To thank you for being a great watcher. When I was with Octavia, I get the feeling that she didn't have to greatest relationship with her watcher. She..."
"I understand." Giles says. "Thank you, Buffy. For...being a delightful slayer."
They chuckle. Buffy gets up and gathers her stuff.
"Now, there's a few people I have to talk to before the end of today." Buffy says.
"What's today?" Xander asks.
"The last day of the semester. Can you believe it my first semester of college is over!" Buffy says as she leaves, closing the door behind her.
Giles, Xander and Willow smile to themselves. Proud of Buffy.
"Oh crap I have to go too!" Willow says as she frantically collects her things and leaves.
"So, Giles, how about you and me-"
"No, no I must rest, my uh, injuries." Giles says.
"Right." Xander says.
—
Riley and Buffy talk in Buffy's dorm room.
Riley gets up with a sigh. Both of them confused at the whole situation.
Riley: "So, the slayer."
Buffy: "Yep. But maybe I should be asking who you are?"
Riley: "You know who I am. The rest... what I do... I can't tell you."
Buffy gets up: "Well, then let me. You're part of some military monster squad that captures - demons, vampires, probably have some official sounding euphemisms for them, - like unfriendlies or – non sapiens."
Riley nods: "Hostile Sub Terrestrials."
Buffy: "So you deliver these – HST's to a bunch of lab coats probably, who perform experiments on them? How am I doing so far?"
Riley: "A little too well. It's mostly vampires. But we're really trying for some demons."
Buffy: "Meanwhile by day you pretend to be Riley Finn, corn-fed Iowa boy. Ever been to Iowa, Riley? God, if that's even your name."
Riley: "It is, born and raised. And hey! Bulletin: I'm not the only one who's been a little less than honest here."
Buffy: "I don't go around saying it to people it kind of defeats the purpose."
Riley: "And you fight incredibly."
Buffy: "You handle yourself pretty well. From what I've seen."
Riley: "But I'm a walking bruise today. You see me with my clothes off I look like... (Buffy raises her eyebrows at him) I mean... I have – bruises... I don't see a scratch on you."
Buffy: "You're not looking hard enough."
Riley: "I'm looking pretty hard."
Buffy takes a deep breath both of them look away.
Buffy: "I also wasn't at my best the other night so. Thank you for letting me go after my friends."
Riley: "You're welcome."
They stare in silence for a moment. Riley's feelings for Buffy hang in the air.
Riley: "So then... What do we do?"
Buffy: "I don't know. - I just...(Sighs) I really thought that you were a nice, normal guy."
Riley: "I am a nice, normal guy."
Buffy: "Maybe by this town's standards but I'm not grading on a curve. I think we both need a little time to – process everything. Maybe then..."
Riley: "Yeah. Yeah, I think that's a good idea."
They smile at each other. Riley goes to leave.
Riley: "I'll make sure none of my guys come after you again. We'll take you off the list and just look for the fallen slayer."
Buffy: "Yeah, I'd appreciate that."
Riley exits.
—
Buffy knocks on the open door to Professor Rhys' office.
Professor Rhys who was just packing up his things, turns and smiles at Buffy.
"I was hoping you'd stop by." He says.
Rhys leans on his desk.
"I always knew you were suspicious." Buffy says as she smiles and chuckles. "I just wanted to thank you for saving my friends."
"No need."
Buffy says. "But why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"I... well maybe I just didn't know if I could trust you yet." Rhys says. "And the council wanted me to stay secretive as is our nature."
"Gotcha." Buffy says. "Why the black outfit?"
"It was meant to give something for the demons and vamps to be afraid of. But it's pretty battle worn I might need to make a new one."
"But you do fight for the good guys. So maybe something more...hopeful?" Buffy recommends.
"I like that. Hopeful."
They smile at each other a moment.
"Are you going to be around Sunnydale over the break?" Buffy asks.
"In and out. Octavia is still at large so I'll have to report to the council. Among other business." Rhys says. "But I'll be back and I hope I'll see you in class next semester."
Buffy smiles. "I'll make sure to enroll."
"I'm excited to see where this journey leads, Buffy Summers." Rhys says. "Wherever it's destined end."
"So am I." Buffy says.
They both had this feeling like there was more here between them than just a similar mission. They didn't know how to approach it or if they should. But they knew at least for now they would stand together against the forces of darkness.
End credit song -
The End - To be continued...
Author's note - I hope you enjoyed this part of the story. I do have more parts planned out or "seasons" rather. As you will have noticed there are still storylines like the initiative and Octavia that haven't wrapped up. I have plans for about eight or nine stories continuing with this concept so hopefully you'll stick around! Thanks for reading!