Angel knocked several times on the door to Riley's motel room. But there was no answer and he could sense no one within, so he went down to the lobby.

"I'm here to meet a friend. He's staying in room 217."

"217?" the desk clerk asked. When Angel nodded, the clerk said, "You just missed him. Checked out about ten minutes ago."

"Checked out?" Angel repeated.

"Yeah. Got picked up by some friends. Freaks, you ask me."

Angel hardly dared ask, but he had to be sure: "Couple of blondes, guy and a girl?"

The clerk nodded. "Yeah, that's them. And this other girl, retarded or something, and another guy. He seemed pretty normal, didn't talk too much. Real chummy with the retard."

Angel was barely able to thank the clerk as he started away, dread sinking into him. Darla had won. Spike had Riley.

But Angel couldn't believe, or couldn't accept that he'd lost Riley just yet. He might have time, if only he could figure out where they'd gone. Spotting a bank of pay phones on the corner, Angel went over and called the only person who could help him now, if anyone could. When she answered, he didn't bother to identify himself: "It's me. I need your help."

"I thought you'd never call," she replied.

+++

>Oh if you'd come home >I'll let you know that >All you want, is right here in this room >And all you need, is sitting here with you

When he'd returned home after visiting Riley the night before, Angel had been dismayed at the near-catastrophic state of the hotel. Keeping busy and brooding was better than sitting and brooding, and so he went to work immediately. He had started with the kitchen, cleaning up the food that had been out spoiling for hours, putting drawers back in, uprighting the refrigerator. It had taken longer than he'd thought it would, and as dawn broke he'd felt drained of energy. He'd gone to his room then.

But he hadn't slept at all. He'd tried not to think about Riley. Tried not to think about Riley's body beside him, beneath him, inside him. Tried not to think about Riley's smile, his voice, his breath, his pulse. Tried not to think about the way Riley looked when he slept. Tried not to think about the look in Riley's eyes when Angel turned from him -

Abruptly, Angel had left his bed and his room, wishing to escape his thoughts. But unthinkingly, he'd found himself in Riley's room. In the pocket to Riley's jeans, Angel had found one of the new state quarters. Connecticut. He'd rubbed his thumb over the embossed Charter Oak on the obverse, smiling at the memory of their night at the Troubadour. Had it really only been two nights ago? He'd started touching everything Riley had left behind.

And as he did so, Angel had known that despite his earlier destructive mission, he very much wanted to keep his memories of Riley. And what he wanted more than the memories, was Riley.

He'd waited out the daylight hours sleeplessly, impatiently. He'd thought about calling, but what he had to say, he had to say in person. He'd driven to the motel as soon as he'd felt safe - but it had been rush hour, and consequently it taken him twice as long to arrive. Just long enough to miss Riley....

So now he was rushing off again. Fortunately, it didn't take him long to arrive at his destination this time.

"Come on in, boss man," Cordelia said as she opened the door for him. He gave her a smile, nodded to Wesley, and then turned to the third member of the team.

"Faith," he greeted her, somewhat quizzically.

"Ah, it's rather a long story," Wesley said.

Cordelia looked at him and contradicted, "No, it's not." She turned to Angel and, to Wesley's chagrin, explained, "When the two of us tried fighting demons without you, we discovered we needed more muscle. So we brought in Little Miss Jailhouse Rock, here." Faith just grinned.

"So Gunn went back to his gang?" Angel asked. He'd heard the rumors on the street. His former employees both nodded. "And Faith?" He turned to her with a small smile. "You didn't break out, did you?"

"Not necessary," she replied, still grinning. "Early release."

"Strings were pulled. Let's just say we owe one to your friend Kate," Wesley added. "But you didn't call to check up on us. I gather, from the message Cordelia relayed, that you require our assistance?"

Now it was Angel's turn to nod. "Well, Cordy's help in particular." He sat down next to her. "I need to know about the vision you had, the one you came to warn me about. I know it was awhile ago, but as much as you remember."

"It was the strangest vision I've had yet," Cordelia began, pursing her lips in recollection. "I had the impression that I was getting a lot of lead time on that one, but the whole thing was kind of unclear. I don't know how to explain exactly." She paused, searching for a way to adequately describe it. "Okay, it was like getting two visions almost simultaneously, and it was a little hard to understand-"

Faith snapped her fingers impatiently and rolled her hand in a "get on with it" motion. Cordy shot her a look but got to the point: "Basically, I saw you as Angelus, and I saw Riley being turned." She and Faith looked at Angel for his reaction, but his face was immobile. "I couldn't tell if they were the same incident, or if you were even the one turning him. I mean, I could tell that you were Angelus when I saw you, but I couldn't tell what you were doing."

"Was Riley in an alley?" Angel asked, thinking that perhaps Cordelia had seen the near-death experience Angel had saved him from weeks ago. But she shook her head.

"No, it was a room somewhere. It's not too late, is it? I mean, you're obviously Angel. So does that mean Riley-"

"I don't know," Angel said more harshly than he meant to. He softened his tone. "That's why I came to you."

While they were speaking, Wesley had been at the computer tapping the keyboard and clicking the mouse. "Got it!" he said as a sheet printed out. "We thought it best to write this one down," he explained as he brought the print-out over to the group.

They crowded around him to read over the sketchy details of Cordelia's vision. Cordy wrinkled her nose and shook her head as she pointed to one surrealistic section describing a drawing with neon flashes. "See, the whole thing was so muddled. Like I was seeing double here-"

"No, you weren't!" Faith exclaimed, recognizing the graphic of the smiling double-mouth. "That's the Absolut Barminski billboard across from the Sunset 5," she said triumphantly.

"Of course," Wesley said, wondering how he'd failed to identify it before. "They're at the Chateau Marmont. Shouldn't take more than twenty, twenty-five minutes to get there at this time of night," he calculated.

"We better get going, then," Angel said, getting up. "I just hope we're not too late."

His three human friends exchanged a quick glance among themselves. "We?" they asked together hopefully.

+++

"Go slow," Riley said as he unwrapped the bandage to bare his wrist for Lindsey. "I want it to last." Looking to Drusilla for encouragement, Lindsey smiled his assent.

"Good night, sweet prince," Dru murmured as Lindsey sank into Riley's vein, causing the boy immediately to stiffen and sigh.

"*I* wouldn't need instructions," Spike muttered, watching. "I know how he likes it." Standing next to him, Darla shot him a warning look as she took Dru's hand. "It's so unfair!" he continued, aggrieved. "I'm the one who brought him in."

"Hush now," Darla said in his ear, not taking her eyes off the ceremony or letting go of Dru. "This is Lindsey's initiation. He's got to learn sometime, and this will just strengthen the kindred bonds." She stroked Spike's hair soothingly with her free hand. "Besides, Riley didn't seem to care which one us did it."

~Kindred bonds?~ Spike thought, jerking his head away from Darla's petting. ~Bloody hell, what am I - the family dog?~ But Darla did have a point: Riley hadn't objected at all when she'd suggested Lindsey be the one. He was loathe to admit it, but Spike had felt a bit betrayed by the boy's indifference. And by the fact Riley had just given Lindsey the wrist that he, Spike, had marked only yesterday. Still, as irritated as he felt, he couldn't look away from the sight before him. Riley and Lindsey locked in the Turning Embrace. He'd never really seen Riley in the throes of passion, and it was a hell of a pretty thing to behold: tremors of the thrill visibly rippling through the muscles and blood beneath his skin, mouth slightly parted, lips moist, eyes open - and that was the one thing that Spike hadn't anticipated, for he'd pictured Riley as the type to close his eyes in rapture....

A sudden movement of the boy's free hand, and Spike barely had time to see the stake Riley drove through Lindsey's heart.

But before the dust had even settled, Spike's attention was pulled away by the sound of splintering wood as Angel kicked in the door and his humans burst in.

They came to a stop, watching as Riley whirled and, without missing a beat, staked an hysterical Drusilla.

~Fucking poetry in motion, baby!~ Faith thought admiringly.

Taking advantage of the chaos and uncertainty in everyone except Riley, Spike chose that moment to flee out the window, jumping to the ground below. Darla had regained her wits and was ready to close in on Riley as he turned to her, sure she could take the boy in a fair fight - but with Angel in the doorway and the others inside, she chose to retreat after Spike.

Angel hadn't known what to do as he witnessed Riley in action. Even when Spike and Darla fled, Angel just stood there. In fact, all of them stood there, merely looked at each other as they silently tried to figure out what had just happened. Faith alone seemed unconcerned with such details as she appreciatively checked out Riley.

Applying pressure to his wrist to stop the blood flow, Riley looked past the others and spoke to Angel: "Come in."

They parted for Angel as he entered and walked over to Riley. He looked back at the team meaningfully. But they didn't take the hint; Cordy just smiled encouragingly.

Looking at himself, Riley grinned ruefully as he ruined his second shirt in as many days by tearing a strip to use as a bandage. Finally Angel cleared his throat and, gently placing a hand in the small of Riley's back, moved over to the window. Confused, Angel said, "I came here to save you."

Tying off the bandage, Riley smiled. "You already did."

Angel couldn't help but return the smile, even though he didn't really understand. Now Wesley had the grace to remove himself to the hallway, but Cordelia and Faith hovered expectantly in the doorway. "I went to your room, and you'd gone." Watching curiously, the girls began to jostle each other for position. Angel turned around. "That's very distracting," he told them.

"Sorry!" they chimed; Faith crouched down, leaving the top space for Cordelia.

Angel turned back to Riley and continued, "I thought you were going to turn-"

"I was."

"Why didn't you?" Angel asked.

"Because some things feel like love, but they really aren't." Riley was calm and clear-eyed. Angel got lost in those hazel eyes for a moment, bringing himself out of the trance as Riley stepped closer. "And some things feel like love. And they are."

"Riley..." Angel started softly. But then he didn't know what to say.

"I know," Riley said with an understanding smile. "You can't love me. I'm on board! But Angel, the train is pulling into the station." The smile faded into a serious expression as he continued, "And you have to tell me if you want me to get off here, or ride along to the next stop."

Angel hesitated. He looked into Riley's eyes and saw reflected the danger beneath the words and the looks and the emotions, beneath the supple skin and the pulsing veins. Then he looked past the reflection, deep into Riley's eyes, the window to his soul. He let the warmth he found there settle into him, spread through him; and he knew that warmth was worth everything, at least for a little while longer. But he couldn't speak. So he took Riley's face in his hands and kissed him tenderly and deeply, his lips and tongue trying to convey by touch what they could not express through words. Riley melted into the kiss, putting his arms around Angel as the room fell away and all there was in the world, was this embrace.

"Woo-woo!" Faith cheered imitatively, pulling an imaginary train whistle.

"Faith. Please! A little dignity," Cordelia admonished, pushing her out to join Wesley in the hall.

The three of them had to wait a little while for the elevator. It was just closing behind them when Angel's hand stopped the doors, startling them. He and Riley stepped onto the elevator without a word, and it proceeded to the lobby.

"It's all to the good?" Faith finally asked, knowing they all wanted verification of what was apparent.

"Yeah, it's all to the good," Angel confirmed for them with the hint of a grin.

"Then let's go celebrate!" Faith enthused, snapping her fingers overhead and waggling her hips, ready to party.

"I think Angel and Riley probably want some alone time," Wesley suggested discreetly.

"Besides," Angel pointed out, "everyone needs to get some rest if we're going to reopen the agency tomorrow." He smiled at his once and future employees. Wes and Cordy beamed back at him, but Faith only cocked her head. She knew her position with them was tenuous at best, and now that Angel was back they'd probably re-recruit Gunn....

"Even me?" she asked.

"Especially you," Angel reassured her as the doors dinged open.

+++

/Never dares to slow /On and on he goes /Knowing what he knows /Nature's whipping boy /Fate's immortal toy /Twisting through the void /Laughing

As he fled down Sunset Boulevard, Spike reflected that Riley had spared him. That had been the meaning of the look on Riley's face when he'd agreed to let Lindsey sire him: he wasn't abandoning Spike, he was saving him. Spike paused to lean against a palm tree and laughed.

"What's so funny?" Darla asked, catching up to him. He looked at her, grinning and silent. "Did you know they were going to do that?" she asked suspiciously.

Spike shook his head and pushed off the tree. "No idea. That's what's so funny," he said as he started walking, Darla next to him. "Besides, it wasn't 'them.' Did you see the look on Angel's face? He had no idea, either. That was all Riley." He let Darla consider that. Privately, he wondered just how long Riley had been plotting it. Was it a last-moment change of heart, or had that been the plan all along? The whole time Spike thought he had been playing Riley, had Riley really been playing him?

Darla apparently believed him, for she said at last, "Looks like it's just you and me now, William," as she put her arm across his shoulders.

"Looks like," he agreed, his thoughts still on the boy. ~Maybe Riley really is incorruptible,~ Spike mused. He couldn't help but smile again as he thought that he sure would like another chance to find out.

+++

At the front door of their hotel, Angel disentangled himself from Riley and paused.

"Maybe we shouldn't stay here tonight," he said.

"Why not?" Riley asked.

"It's not in the best condition right now."

Riley gave him a smile as he pushed past Angel. "I don't mind a little mess..." his voice trailed off as he surveyed the wreckage of the main lobby. He looked at Angel questioningly.

"I, didn't handle it very well when you left," Angel offered in understatement.

Riley raised his eyebrows and smiled again. "So I see." He looked around again. "Well, we can stay somewhere else. I just want to get a few things."

"Okay," Angel said. "I'll be waiting. Don't be too long." He kissed Riley and smiled as he leaned back against the wall to watch the boy go up the stairs. It was a minute or so before he remembered the state he'd left Riley's room in.

Angel pounded up the stairs and found Riley standing just inside his room, looking at the bloodied remnants of his mattress with an odd expression. As he turned to Angel, the expression was replaced by a soft smile as Riley came over and kissed him.

"I guess you *didn't* handle it too well," Riley murmured in his ear, reaching to tug Angel's shirt up and slip his hand beneath it. Angel delighted in the touch, but he stopped Riley, capturing the boy's hand in his and stepping back.

"I think we should talk, Riley."

Riley stepped in and kissed Angel just below the ear. "Oh, so *now* you want to talk!" he teased.

"This is serious."

Riley stopped his amorous advances at Angel's tone. "Okay," he said. "What is it?"

"This," Angel said, gesturing about the room. "Angelus." Solemn and anxious and hopeful all at once, he looked at Riley. "What you said before, about being 'on board' - do you understand, truly understand all this?"

Riley looked at Angel for a moment before speaking. "This may not sound like an answer at first, but just hear me out. I know I leaned too heavily on you before. I made you my whole world, and that's not a burden anyone should have to bear, ever." He paused, chewing on his lip, then went on, "I've done a lot of soul-searching," a slight smile, "and I know that I want to be with you now because it's what feels good and right, not because I have nowhere else to turn. I was lost, Angel, and now I'm found." He felt himself choking up, and took a deep breath to steady himself. Angel waited patiently for him to continue. "And the self I've found, or become, wants to be with you for as long as it works out. I'm in love with you, Angel. Wait-" he ordered, as he saw Angel opening his mouth to speak. "I'm in love with you, and I know you're not in love with me. And I can handle that." He paused again to let Angel digest that. "But can you?" He looked to Angel for his answer.

"I'll try," Angel said sincerely. "I can't promise more than that: I'll try with every particle of my soul." Now Angel took a moment to gather himself. "I'm sorry, Riley, so sorry for what happened before. For losing control like that. You know it wasn't, it wasn't because of you and Spike. I mean, it *was* - but," he swallowed, afraid to say it. But if he couldn't be honest with Riley, he didn't deserve him. ~Please, Riley, please understand,~ he entreated silently as he steeled himself for his confession. "I was just looking for an excuse." Riley looked at him unflinchingly. "It won't happen again," Angel went on earnestly. "Not like that, not in rage. I won't deliberately - I'll never resort to Angelus, to frighten you again."

Riley sighed. "Oh Angel, I wasn't afraid last night because I looked and saw Angelus. I was afraid because I looked and saw *you.* And you wanted me to be afraid." He stopped and shook his head; this wasn't coming out right. "I don't mean that I was afraid because I thought that's what you wanted from me. I mean, I was afraid that you wanted to cause fear in me. Because it meant you wanted to drive me away. It meant you didn't want me...."

"I want you, Riley. For now, I want you."

Riley smiled and kissed him tenderly, Angel giving himself over to the boy's mouth.

+++

The first thing Riley wanted to do once they'd checked into the Mondrian was take a shower. Angel undressed and got under the covers of one of the beds to wait... but he hadn't rested in nearly 48 hours, and was soon asleep.

He awakened some short time later in Riley's mouth. When he raised himself to his elbows, Riley looked up but didn't stop his silky suckling. Angel relaxed into the pillows as Riley continued, all his senses concentrated on the velvety pleasure. Then Riley tried to deep throat him, but had to pull back as his gag-reflex kicked in.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, smiling shyly.

"It's okay," Angel propped himself up again, encouraging Riley with a smile. "Everything you do is okay by me."

"Yeah, but," Riley was kneeling up now, his hand stroking Angel lightly. "I want to do that for you." Angel found it difficult to concentrate on Riley's words, enraptured by the sensations Riley's touch was producing. He looked at Riley's mouth, to focus on what the boy was saying. "You like that, right?" Oh, just to be in that mouth again, so warm, so wet, so perfectly comforting and luscious... "Right, Angel?" Riley was just teasing him now, an impish smile playing on his lips as he watched Angel squirming under his too-gentle ministrations.

Finally Angel could take no more and closed his hand over Riley's, compelling him to stroke harder and faster. Even when he felt Riley serving the desired rhythm of his own accord, Angel kept his hand on Riley's. He broke their gaze just to watch their hands moving together the length of his shaft, thumbs grazing the head, knowing that Riley was still watching his face with delight, and getting unbearably aroused himself at that delight. When Riley's other hand cradled his scrotum and squeezed his balls, Angel gasped and had to lie back down. What he wanted was more pressure, but the mild abrasion of the bandage reminded him that that Riley was using his wounded hand as best he could. Charmed by Riley's consideration and stimulated by the complimentary physical sensations, Angel closed his eyes, panting Riley's name gratefully as his orgasm surged through him.

Then Riley's sensuous mouth was on him again, licking the cum from his cockhead, his stomach, his chest, Angel's fingers tangling in his hair as he worked his way up Angel's body. When Riley got to his mouth, Angel rolled them over, returning the kiss deeply, searching Riley's mouth for traces of his own cum. Riley's cock was hot and hard against him, so Angel broke the kiss and shifted himself between the boys legs.

"Now pay attention, Riley," he said mischievously. "This is how it's done." He bent his head and took Riley's cock in all the way, the throbbing head lodged deep in Angel's throat. Angel moved deliberately, letting the head slide slowly back up to his mouth, pushing against the back of his teeth, but he didn't release it. He repeated the motion with agonizing slowness, his own cock stirring as Riley moved under him. He wished he could watch Riley's face, and made a mental note to look into getting a video camera. Riley's heavy breathing and soft moaning excited him terribly, but he refused to give into his desire to please the boy completely just yet.

"Oh, Angel, please," Riley supplicated, thrusting to meet Angel's cool mouth. As Riley became more insistent, Angel followed his lead. Although he knew tricks that would give Riley immediate release, he held still and let Riley fuck him in the mouth until he came in an ecstatic crescendo. Contented, Angel snuggled next to him and, equally gratified, Riley fell asleep in his arms.

/Now the beast can subside /The boy needn't hide /Oh if you'd seen with these eyes

Angel watched Riley sleep. It was less than an hour before the boy stirred and half-awakened.

"Can't sleep?" he asked drowsily. Angel shook his head. "I'm sorry, I almost forgot," Riley murmured as he kissed Angel lightly. He rolled himself out of their bed, climbing into the other one and pulling the covers over himself as he turned onto his side.

Angel followed Riley to the other bed. When he felt Angel's weight slip under the covers, Riley turned onto his back and looked at him questioningly. Lying next to him, Angel rested his hand on Riley's abdomen. "It's okay," he said softly. "Go back to sleep." Riley closed his eyes, but he was awake now. Especially as Angel began to caress his stomach idly. "I used to watch you sleep when you first came to me," Angel said peacefully after a few minutes. "I'd do nothing but watch you sleep for hours. It was the only thing that made me feel calm. It was the only thing that made me feel anything." Riley looked at him then and rested his hand on Angel's, not to stop the caresses but in reassurance. "You take my breath away, Riley," Angel said, kissing him tenderly. "At least you would, if I had breath," he added with a smile.

Eyes still closed from the kiss, Riley also smiled and stretched, purring as he luxuriated in Angel's touch.

"I love your coolness," he confessed huskily. "Everywhere your fingers touch me, my skin is electrified. Sometimes I think you must leave visible traces on me." He smiled as he trailed his hand up Angel's arm. "Is that what it's like for you, when I touch you?"

Angel shivered slightly. "Being with you is like sunshine," he said. "Heat washes over me in the wake of your fingers, spreading from the point of contact and warming me everywhere." Riley bit his lower lip and smiled as he flushed at Angel's words, abashed yet aroused by the naked emotions behind the lyrical expressions. Angel dipped his head and ran his tongue along Riley's lips, moistening them. But instead of entering Riley's open, inviting mouth, Angel shifted to nibble his earlobe. Angel's enchanting tongue swept over Riley's lissome body, down his throat from his ear to collarbone, flicking his erect nipples, gliding across his taut stomach to his hip, kissing along the bone ridge.

Angel was driving him crazy with that tongue and Riley couldn't stay still, squirming and arching in ecstasy and anticipation. But instead of feeling Angel's amazingly cool mouth engulf him, Riley felt Angel's strong hands turning him over, his knees nudging Riley's legs apart to lie between them, his thumbs gently but firmly opening Riley to him - and then to Riley's intense relief and pleasure, Angel kissed just below his tailbone, his tongue sliding down, plunging into Riley.

Riley undulated, thrusting back into the rimming and rubbing himself on the cotton sheets. Moaning, whimpering, begging for it: "Please, Angel, I can't stand it," he plainted throatily. "I need to feel you inside me. Not your tongue, not your fingers, I need your cock." He paused, writhing in supplication. "I love it when you're in me, and when you're not - when you pull out of me, I feel a physical loss."

"O Dia, Riley," Angel sighed deeply, unutterably aroused by his lover's confession. He moved over, drawing Riley up with him as he reached for the tube of K-Y on the nightstand. Then he sat on the edge of the bed and coaxed Riley onto his lap, kissing him, holding their cocks together. He let go so Riley could coat his cock with the lubricant. Then Angel shifted him up and Riley reached around to help position him before Angel pulled him down onto his cock, Riley so tight around him. As Riley bounced in his lap, arms around Angel, his good hand tangled in Angel's hair, Angel kept one hand on Riley's hip and started stroking him off with the other. Riley was so turned on that it only took a few beats for him to come, head thrown back sensually.

Looking at Riley, Angel was nearly transported to his own climax. But he didn't want to come just yet. ~Think of this as an exercise in control when you most desperately want to let go,~ he told himself. He fell back on the bed as Riley's orgasm subsided, pulling out of him as he pulled Riley down with him, rolling them onto their sides, limbs interlaced, kissing. Riley reached for Angel's painfully hard cock but Angel arrested his movement.

"Don't you want to come?" Riley asked, kissing him.

"Not yet," Angel replied with a smile. He disentangled himself and encouraged Riley to get under the disarrayed covers, which he fixed before slipping under them himself to spoon with Riley. Lying on their sides, Angel nudged his knee between Riley's legs and, his own cock still slick, pushed into him again. Riley made a small sound and pressed back against him. Arm around Riley's waist, hand on his cock, Angel began fucking him slowly, stroking Riley's cock until he was hard again.

"Angel, please," Riley whispered, thrusting to Angel's leisurely rhythm, "please, yes." Gradually Angel increased his rhythm in Riley's ass and on his cock, until they were undulating together wildly, Riley's cum spurting out as Angel finally came inside him. Angel kissed the back of Riley's neck softly as he slid out of him. Riley rolled over to kiss him. "Thank you," he breathed blissfully, shifting onto his back.

"My pleasure," Angel murmured. "My extreme pleasure." Angel cuddled up to Riley, arm across his waist as Riley held him close. Thus entwined, they drifted into sleep.

+++

THE END...