"Okay. Explain this to me slowly. Agent Forrest, Agent Finn, and Agent Graham- you are my most competent soldiers. I expect the others to follow your example. I trust you with my most important assignments. So, how exactly did Hostile Seventeen manage to elude you, my supreme officers and their team?" Professor Walsh said to the three shame-faced men.

"Professor Walsh, he fooled the doctors into thinking he was drugged. Then he used Winters and Andrews as shields, so we didn't have a clear shot to tase him," Riley replied, swallowing deeply.

"Yeah, and it's not like he had a chip or anything. He could've killed any one of us and-"

"But he didn't. Do you understand how important he was to me? To this entire operation?" Walsh said cutting off Forrest's explanation. "I want him back, and I want him back now," she said with finality before she stormed away.

"This totally sucks, man. With that much of a head start, and no tracking device, it could be anywhere," Graham said dejectedly.

"Not this time, guys. I know exactly where it's going," Riley said, eerily happy.

*******

"Buffy, you're right. The Initiative is pretty big. He's probably been down there all along," Willow said.

"Well, we have to get down there. We have to go down there. We have to go down there now," Buffy said frantically.

"Buffy, do calm down. There's no way we can get down there this very moment. We have no idea what's down there and I for one do not want to be shot," Giles said calmly.

"But Giles, we're running out of time; Spike's running out of time." she said with the beginnings of a pout, her hormones taking over.

"I agree with G-Man, err uh, Giles,” Xander corrected off of Giles’ disapproving look. “Only if we had a friend to help us infiltrate into their system... oh wait! We do," Xander said sarcastically.

"I don't know if that's such a good idea, Xand. Riley and I have kinda been on the outs since we "broke up" or whatever."

"But, if Spike is there, then wouldn't Riley know by now? Ya know, since he's there everyday and is one of the like, head soldiers. I mean, who knows, maybe he even orchestrated the entire capture in a horrible fit of jealousy. I've seen it happen many a time in my vengeance days," Anya said thoughtfully, glad that she could contribute to the conversation. Everyone looked pensive for a moment, absorbing Anya’s observation.

"No, but Riley wouldn't— would he?" Buffy asked more to herself than the others.

"I mean, he just seems so honest and non-vindictive. And not so much with the big evil secrets," Willow said.

"Well, the point of a secret is to keep it a secret, Will," Xander pointed out.

"Yeah, and- and it is plausible. I mean, since he was, I mean prejudice of demons. And the, the thought of losing you to a vampire probably sent him over the green edge of jealousy," Tara added. Buffy's face slowly began to harden at this new revelation.

"Well if that's true, then I am so gonna hurt him," she said with determination. Before anyone else could comment, they were all interrupted by a swish of black hastily coming through Giles' door.

"You need to give me asylum," Spike said while still facing the door, appearing to try to compose himself.

"Spike? Oh god, what happened to you?" Buffy said as she ran up to him and flung herself at him.

"Hey, luv. Didn't expect you to be here. S'not safe. Soldier boys are after me."

"So, you decided to come here and endanger me?" Giles asked.

"Well, yeah. But also 'cause I need a bit of help. Lousy bastards been trying to poke and prod at me. But thanks to my trusty gem, they couldn't cut me," he said triumphantly. Buffy breathed a sigh of relief and glanced down at his hand to admire his mystical savior, and saw that it wasn't there.

"Spike, did you drop it or something? It's not here."

"Well no, it is here. Just not on me anymore. It's inside of me. I swallowed it just in case of a really dire situation. In which case, I was right," he explained.

"But I mean, will it still work?" Buffy questioned.

"Well, appears that way, since, its blinding sunlight all around out side and I'm not a blowin' in the wind."

"Now, when you said the soldiers were following you, are they on their way here now?" Giles inquired.

"Oh, um no. I lost those wankers ways back. But you never know."

"Well, unless one of the soldiers was Riley and therefore knowing exactly where Giles and Buffy live," Anya pointed out.

"Oh yea. That bloody bastard was there right along with 'em, trying to electrocute me and such." Buffy's grip instinctively tightened on Spike.

"Oh, that's it. I am so gonna-"

"Hold on there, pet. That's not exactly the smartest or safest thing to do." Spike gently placed his hands on her extended belly.

"Buffy, as crazy as this may sound, I agree with Spike. The type of manpower they have, and the uh, condition that you're in," Giles paused as he briefly cleaned his glasses. "I think the best solution is to go far, far away from here. At least until we know how to deal with this Initiative problem."

"But Giles, I never run away from-"

"If you want your child as well as yourself safe, you'll do as I say."

"But they're not even after me, Giles. Why do I have to leave?"

She surely isn't going to like what I'm going to say he thought wearily.

"Not yet, but they could be. Riley knows that Spike is the father of your child. If he's alarmed the others at the Initiative that... It's not safe, for either of you here. Here as in Sunnydale," he finished a bit more harshly than he intended.

"Well, if that's the case, shouldn't we all make ourselves a bit scarcer around too? I mean, I for one don't wanna be captured and tortured just so those idiot soldiers can find out where Buffy and Spike are. That would be highly unpleasant," Anya said.

"Well, Riley knows where we all live, except for Xander. What are we gonna do, Giles?" Willow asked worriedly. And then the gears in Giles' mind quickly began turning as he formulated a plan; a highly feasible plan that worked itself out in more ways than one. The tiniest hint of a Ripper like grin appeared on his face, particularly at the thought of tormenting Spike before he said, "Well, we could always..."

*******

"Of all of the bloody places on the bleeding planet, why the hell do we haveta go there?" Spike said as he harshly gripped the steering wheel, causing his knuckles to whiten.

"Because it's like a safe haven. It's all full of safeness. None of the people after us know where it is, and extra muscle is always of the good," Buffy explained cheerfully.

"I don't want you anywhere near Peaches’ muscle. Never." he said as he glared steely at the road in front of him. He'd been in a pissy mood ever since they left. She didn't know that he felt that threatened. She gingerly placed her hand on his arm.

"Spike, pull over please." He gave a sigh of exasperation and did as she asked, mentally preparing himself for the lecture he was so sure he was getting.

"Look, we haven't had much time to talk since we left, and considering the way we left things the last time we saw each other... I just wanted you to know that I'm- I'm sorry," she said as she began to fidget with her hands. He looked at her with a quite puzzled expression.

"Whatever for, pet?"

"It's just, I got so scared when you- and I didn't want to- and I was just understanding how I- but you see how I mean, 'cause-"

"Well actually I don't. Mainly 'cause I didn't catch one soddin' sentence. Mind backin' up a bit and actually completing a thought?" he said in a teasing voice. She gave him a slight glare. But then her expression softened before continuing.

"I'm sorry for being scared at your admission to loving me, and the fact of the matter is, I was just plain scared of, scared of realizing that I love you back," she said shyly, looking down at her lap.

"Buffy-"

"No, let me finish.” She lifted her head and looked at him earnestly. The look of awe and wonder in eyes, written all over his face nearly brought her to tears.

“I also thought it would be a good idea if I mentioned that you have nothing to worry about. Angel is so in the past. He'll always be in my heart, but I think it's fair to say that I have definitely moved on. I’m… I’m in love with you Spike, and seeing Angel again isn’t going to change that. It isn’t going to change all that we’ve shared," she said as she gave her belly a gentle pat. Though he still felt skeptical, considering his girl had yet to come face to face with Captain Forehead, he leaned over and kissed her tenderly. Then another thought occurred to him, and he looked at her, brow furrowed.

"But Buffy, you don't know how possessive he can be. He doesn't know about you, me, and the bit. This whole thing might cause him to go round the bend several times over. I mean, it would have been easier if we could've called or something. Bloody phone taps," he muttered. He then reached into the glove compartment and took a generous swig from his flask.

"He's gonna throw it in my face, and yours bout how I'm evil, don't have a soul; how I'm all un-broody and un-repenting for my sins... Blah di blah... Then he'll probably try and stake me. Not that it’ll make a difference."

"You know I won't allow that to happen. I mean, attempting to kill the father of my child would totally piss me off. And an angry Buffy is a totally insane and therefore irrational Buffy. Especially with the added hormones."

"Yea. Just hope you and Rupes are right. Though knowing Giles, he probably sent us there just for spite as well." He shook his head and then began to shift gears.

"I just hope they're all okay."

******

Summers’ Residence

"Sorry Ri, but looks like they cleared out. And no one's at the Giles’ residence either," Forrest said.

"Damn it! Where the hell are they?" Riley slowly wiped his face in an attempt to calm himself.

"If we don't find them, Maggie's gonna have all of our asses," Graham said.

"Well, they didn't just disappear. They have to be somewhere." Riley looked around anxiously as if they would just pop out of the walls.

"Where do we start?" Forrest asked.

"I think I might have a lead. You guys go do recon at the campus. I have to go check something out," Riley said as he headed out. Faith's bound to know something he thought.

*******

Xander's Basement


"Do you think they got away okay?" Willow asked.

"I'm sure they did. Besides, when Giles gives us the word, we'll meet 'em up there," Xander said.

Giles' plan was to send Buffy and Spike to the Hyperion for their own protection while he and Joyce took a trip to merry old England to see one Quentin Travers. The others were to wait at Xander's place.

"Somehow, I just don't see this plan working. The Council's main purpose is to rid the earth of demons. But with a whole agency of demon hunters, why would the Council feel obligated to stop them?" Anya asked.

"Well, you've never seen Giles in his 'Angry Ripper' mode. Quite intimidating. Plus with an angry mom, their case should prove worthy," Willow said.

"Yeah, and besides, once they bring up the whole 'threatening the line of the slayers' with their weirdo scientist tests schemes, that should surely piss off the Council. Their main concern may to be to rid the earth of demons and such, but their main priority is of the Slayers, and their part in saving the world. Pretty much broken down to ego," Xander explained.

"Well, now that that problem's temporarily outta the way, what about Spike?"

"What about him Ahn?" Xander said dismissively.

"Well it's just, I don't think that Angel's gonna take his presence in his home too well. Especially with an impregnated Buffy. And with the heightened smell that vampires have, he’ll probably be able to smell Spike, Buffy and the stench of sex all over them."

Xander thought this over briefly with a frown before saying, "Thanks for visual there, sweetie. Dead boys will dead boys with their crazy pissing contests. Or would it be blood contests?"

******

Riley's Dorm


"Hey shotgun. Where ya been?" Faith asked in a coquettish voice, walking up to him seductively as he came through the door.

"Not now, Faith. They're gone," he said, his voice full of frustration.

"What?"

"Buffy, the vampire, her friends, Giles, they're all gone- not at his apartment, dorms, her house..."

"Well, I say party all around. What exactly is the problem? Now the only Slayer you haveta worry 'bout is me." She caressed his chest with one hand as the other traveled lower.

"No, you don't understand. Professor Walsh says-"

"God, what is with you and that old bag? All I here is 'Professor Walsh' this and 'Professor Walsh' that. What is she, your keeper? And when ya do take a breather from quoting the 'Almighty' Walsh, all you talk about is Buffy!" she yelled, taking her hands off of him.

"Look, they were a very important study. I mean a vampire that can go out into the sun for crissakes! And Buffy, carrying a demon child? How can we possibly ignore that?" he said, trying desperately to reason with her.

"Oh, I think that should be very easy..." She cupped his groin, massaging it slowly. He groaned and tightened his jaw at the contact.

"Faith, I thought you would be more than happy at bringing them down." His voice was husky, though all the while attempting to keep his thoughts focused.

"Well right now, I'm more concerned with bringing someone else down..." She gave him a tight squeeze. It took Riley a moment before he righted himself and pushed her feebly away.

"No, business now. Professor Walsh would not be pleased. This is business, Faith. And I have to do my job. It's expected of me. Maggie trusts me to do my assignment. And I'm sorry, but you'll just have to wait." He gave her a pleading, hoping for understanding.

Faith just sneered at him, feeling disgusted with herself for feeling anything for him at all. He’s just a live vibrator after all.

"Yea, right. You know what? I'm tired of playing second fiddle to those two bitches. See ya around, soldier." She spun quickly on her heel, heading to the door.

"But Faith-" he started, grabbing her arm.

"Don't touch me!" she yelled as she knocked him into forcefully into the wall and ran off. It was lucky for him she didn’t put her full strength behind it.

Riley let out a large sigh as he contemplated his day’s events. He couldn't find the hostile, the slayer, and worst of all, Faith had run out on him. On top of that, Maggie would have his head.

"I have to make this right,” he muttered as he finally went after his dark angel.