Tara was exhausted like never before in her life. All around the others were battleing with vamps that seemed intend on taking Riley with them. She had to errect two shield. One for Riley and one for herself, Oz and Spike. Because the other two were moving quickly the shield stretched further than ever and she had to adjust it every few minutes.
Riley lay on his back near a sewer entrance. The leader of these Vampires had almost succeded in taking him underground till Oz sprung forward and distracted him long enough to have Spike ripping him limp from limp.
She didn’t know when it happened but gradually they all had become friends. Willow had left her after an argument about the use of magic and Buffy always made it clear that they were in her way and beneath her. So the others had bonded over that. Xander and Oz came to a truce about Willow while conceeding that she was now a manipulating bitch while at the same time coming to a truce with Spike, who hated Buffy and the witch. At first Tara was a bit fearful of Oz, remembering their first meeting but after he apologized and opened up to her they began to like each other.
Riley became a part of their group as Buffy cheated on him. They got to him in time to stop him from harming himself.
~~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~~~
Riley was sitting on the bed in his small apartment.
After he left the Initiative he quit college, worked at Giles shop and went searching for a place to live. He was happy because Buffy seemed to like it with him.
But then he had visited her in her Dorm and found her having sex with another guy. As he asked her about it she said that it was his fault because he coulnd’t give it to her. Never really could. And then she told him that it was over and to leave.
So he had left. Feeling as if the ground was crumbling beneath his feet.
With a knife in his hand he sat on his bed sobbing for everything he gave for her...
As he started cutting his left wrist there was a knock on the door. At first he ignored it till he front door crashed open and he heard several people enter his bedroom. Finding him bleeding and crying.
„Riley! What are you doing? Are you insane...“ Xander trailed of as he saw the forlorn empty look in Riley‘s eyes.
Spike rushed forward and took the knife out of the trembling fingers. Looking at the ex soldier in sympathy he ignored the call of the blood.
„She told us that she broke up with you, mate. Tried to tell us that you cheated on her. But we knew it better. She even smelled like the bastard she fucked so Oz and me told her off and Giles threw her and witchy-bitchy out. Send us here to see how you are. Probably a good thing, huh.“ Spike would never admit it but he liked Riley. After Riley told them how to deactivate the chip he was the first to offer his own blood when Spike got injuried.
„She then told us some other lie about how you tried to hurt her... Like that could or would ever happen...“ Tara looked at him with sad eyes.
„Smuffy was really mad as Giles told her flat out that he doesn’t believe her and tried to take it out on Spike, where Tara than stopped her and even Willow couldn’t do anything to help her. Now we know that when it comes down to it we can protect ourselves against the two bitches.“ Oz told him in his usual calm voice.
Riley felt himself relaxing a bit. He was still hurt but now saw that he had friends that would help him no matter what happend. From then on the five were always together with Giles as their father-figure.
~~~~~~end flashback~~~~~~~~
Now Riley was in danger and they had send Xander to get Giles. Tara felt the
Shields weaken and send the energy of her own shield to Riley. Hopefully the
remaining Vampires wouldn’t notice.
Suddenly there was a hand on her shoulder.