This story takes place after Buffy'

This story takes place after Buffy's twentieth birthday, but before Crush. First of three prologues. Feedback can be sent to cobalite@yahoo.com. No flames please, they give my deleted
messages folder ingestion. I own nothing. Please don't sue, all you'll get is my CD collection. In South America, Riley receives word something horrible has happened.

Black and Blue: The Call
By Cobalite Ice

Let me tell you the story 'bout the call that changed my destiny
Me and my boys went out
Just to end up in misery
Was about to go home when there she was standing in front of me
I said hi
I got a little place nearby, wanna go?
I should have said no
Someone's waiting for me
But I called my girl up and said

I hate the jungle. I hate the stench of rotting vegetation, the heat, and the bugs. I hate the village women who keep throwing themselves at me just because I saved their lives one or
twice. I hate Graham pretending it's like old times. I hate never knowing if the demon we're hunting is really evil or not. Most of all, I hate the fact that I haven't been able to stop.

Listen baby I'm sorry
Just wanna tell you don't worry
I will be late don't stay up and wait for me
Say again
You're dropping out
My battery is low
Just so you know
We're goin' to a place nearby
Gotta go

It surprised me to find a brothel here, one even older and more established than the one in Sunnydale. The woman, a human, who runs the place explained to me they are commonplace
in every area with high demon activity. I am not her only human client, of course. I suspect some of the other men in my troop frequent here, but probably for different reasons. Other needs
besides feeding are catered to here. It's been a long patrol, and now all I want to do is go home, and crawl into a hot shower.

Now two months done
Nothing been won
I can't take it back
What's done is done
One of her friends found out
That she wasn't my only one
And it eats me from inside
That she's not by my side
Just because I made that call and lied

It irks me that Spike of all people is the one who revealed me. I never thought he'd actually bring her to that flophouse. I admit, I was waiting for her that night I left Sunnydale.
Sometimes, I wonder what would have happened if she'd come after me. I miss her, the only thing that eases the ache is a fang buried in my skin. Thank god the owner is a professional and
doesn't let me lose too much. Can you believe she takes my blood pressure every time I go in?

My CO is waiting for me.

"Riley, did you tell anyone where you are, or how to contact you?" He looks at me accusingly.

"Just what continent I was on, sir." I can't imagine why he's so upset.

The corneal holds up a cage. Inside is a carrier pidgin. "It appeared out of no where. It's addressed to you." I pull out a slip of paper, it's a phone number with a Sunnydale area code.
No wonder my commander is angry.

*phone rings*
Listen baby I'm sorry
*busy signal/touch tone sound*
"Hello...hello...hello"
*phone rings*
Listen baby I'm sorry
*busy signal/touch tone sound*
"Hello...hello...hello"
Gotta go
oh..... (repeated MANY times)

I dial the number. A tired voice answered. "We're closed."

"Giles?" I suddenly realize this is the number for the Magic Shop. "It's Riley. Did you send me a carrier pidgin?"

I can hear him ask the crowd, muffled by his hand. "Willow sent it for you. Riley, you need to come back to Sunnydale."

"Absoluetly not. Whatever it is, Buffy can handle it."

For a long moment, there's no answer.

Let me tell you the story 'bout the call that changed my destiny
Me and my boys went out
Just to end up in misery
Was about to go home and there she was standing in front of me
I said hi
I got a little place nearby
Gotta go

Someone else takes the phone. "Soldier."

"Spike. They still letting you hang around, I see. So, why send a magic bird?"

"Buffy's gone." The man's voice broke.

My world ended with those two words. "Gone?"

"Last night. We figured this was the only way to reach you. She wants all of us there, to say goodbye. She wants us to make peace."

"Us. The three of us?" I can hardly believe my words. "We all hate each other. You, Angel and I all in the same room? It would be a blood bath!"

"Come home, Soldier, and prove I was wrong."

"Wrong about what?"

"Wrong when I told the Slayer you didn't understand." Spike pauses on the other end of the line. "You have twenty four hours. Burial is after sunset tommorow night. Prove me wrong."
He hangs up on me, and the decision is already make.

Gotta go
*dial tone*