Riley Alexander Finn's Journal

I'm going to do something stupid.

I'm going to talk to Spike.

He never does anything unless he benefits from it, so, of course, I'm taking money. And a liberal amount of blood, requisitioned from the blood bank. I'm not above bribery.

If the Mayor is all the Big Bad that Buffy says he is, then every pair of hands will help. Plus, we all have to sleep sometime. Except Spike.

He doesn't have to sleep. Ever. Unless he wants to. At least, that's what I'm given to understand.

Science was really more Dr. Walsh's thing.

I want him on retainer. At the very least, I know if he's around, that's one more target that isn't Buffy for the Mayor to take on.

Will I sacrifice Spike if it'll save Buffy down the road?

Oh, you betcha.

Current Mood: discontent

I hate surveillance work. If I haven't mentioned it recently, there you go.

Hate.

I'd rather be hip-deep in the work, righting wrongs, tossing bad guys out windows. Especially when the bad guy in question is one that threatened to, quote, "eat" my girlfriend.

I know I'm tired. There's a joke hanging there, and I can't even reach out and take it.

Whatever Mayor Wilkins, excuse me, ex-Mayor Wilkins, has planned, he's not exactly going about it in a noticeably evil way. Although it's not like I wasn't forewarned. Xander did tell me this guy had "Harmless dork" down to a science.

Xander would know.

Ok, that's unfair. It's the lack of sleep talking.

I think, just maybe, we should see if Spike wants to be cut in on a little of this action. He's a creature of the night. He's gotta be good at the sneak-and-peek thing. If you can help him battle his boredom, I mean. Last thing we need is him, Batmanning his way through a window because he's run out of things to do on a stake-out.

I really do believe Wilkins is evil, though. Nobody would willingly watch that much 7th Heaven.

Current Mood: grumpy

It's official.

I'm a crappy boyfriend.

Well, I don't know if I'd say that I'm a crappy boyfriend, exactly. But when work bogs you down so much that it's hard to just schedule dates, and keep that schedule of dates, then that doesn't exactly make you a candidate for boyfriend of the year.

Sure does keep you from pursuing the occasional thought of taking things past the boyfriend point.

Ok, thoughts like that are just gonna make me fumble live rounds on the firing range or something, and that's definitely no good. Concentrate on the stuff I can do something about, like sending flowers to Buffy to surprise her. Let her know I was thinking about her. That kind of thing.

Anything that can put a smile on her face, really.

Current Mood: busy

She made it home.

I can't express how happy I am. To see her again, safe, and sound, and home...

There's more to do, yet. Cordelia, Mr. Windham-Pryce, Mr. Giles...

...those two vampires, too.

Tara thinks that she can lock on to the others that were lost by using a "peice" of them, kind of like she used Dawn's blood. I'm going to Los Angeles.

Spike better give up something of Angel's. Or I might just have to take it.

Current Mood: determined

Things are far too strained lately.

I've caught myself on the verge of giving up hope too many times for my comfort.

Buffy...I have to face facts. She's been lost for so long that she may not be coming home. It's not something I want to deal with, but there comes a time when you just have to deal.

I miss her terribly.

The scarf that she gave me when I was hauled off into that military hospital's been under my pillow every night since she left. It's all I have to hold on to. That, and my faith that if she's still alive, out there someplace, like Willow was, she'll find her way back.

I've pulled away from the group. I've never really felt like I belonged to them in the first place, not totally.

Distance. In both thought, and deed. It's not good for anyone, I know.

Sometimes, it's all you've got, though.

I've got to go hit something. A lot.

Current Mood: discontent

I'm well aware that I've been driving Tara, Fred and everyone else around here half-crazy while I've been recovering from the beating I took at the hands of that vampire woman.

I know I'm not a very good patient. I've grown to accept that. It's a flaw.

Thank God that Spike hasn't been around, getting underfoot and on my nerves. It could only be worse.

Especially since there's obviously some connection between him and that woman who laid me up like this.

While Tara and Fred have been hitting the research trail to find out how to get everyone re-united in the here and now, I've been going in the opposite direction.

Trying to find out something, anything, on our new friend.

It's rough going.

Most vampires, it seems, are pretty good at disguising their trail. I guess if they weren't, there'd be a lot more of them dusted over the years. You wouldn't wind up with some lasting centuries, if they didn't know how to stay out of the public eye.

Willy's been keeping his ear to the ground for me, but so far, nothing.

I'm tired of waiting.

I'm going to go out, I'm going to find this woman, and I'm going to make sure her story has a very dusty ending. If I don't do something, I'm going to just go flat-out, full-bore, John-Rambo style crazy.

And frankly, I think if I get any crankier, Faith may put me out of my misery, just so no one else will have to hear me complaining.

Current Mood: frustrated

Frustrating doesn't begin to cover things lately.

Tara's trying, but there's only so much she can do, she says. Without more information to go on, there's any number of rituals or artifacts that could've teleported Buffy and everyone else away to God knows where.

And why, oh why, did they not take Spike?

Because God has some personal grudge against me, I think. Gotta be. It's the only possible answer.

That's just the bitter resentment talking. Spike's still here, but he's not pitching in to help cover things while everyone's gone. Knowing him, he's kicking back in his crypt, drinking his way through a case of whisky, and laughing his bleached head off.

Time someone go by and let him know if he's not gonna earn his keep, he can just be dust in the wind. After all, without Buffy here to tell me how helpless he is...there's really nothing stopping me from staking his ass once and for all.

Current Mood: determined

Post-mortem report: The Hannibal Stone Affair
( Stone report )

Now, that's done. I should call Buffy...see if she got any rest at all. After all, Stone and his goons got in the way of my plans for her birthday...if she's up for it, shopping and dinner tonight, on me.

Current Mood: busy

Stun-gun, check.

Stakes, and spares, check.

Wonder if Anya knows how to use a pistol. Couldn't hurt to bring an extra, and tell her to aim for the heads. It'll take a little while to prep a clip of anti-vamp bullets, injecting holy water into the hollow-point heads...but it's worth it, in case she decides to come along for the ride.

Hold on, Dawn...we're coming.

And you better save me a spot on your dance-card Stone. I owe you pain, from me, and for touching my girlfriend.

Current Mood: determined

There are times when my faith in the system is shaken to it's core.

Mostly, every time I have to deal with the Sunnydale police force.

There are moments when I really miss Professor Walsh. These people who stonewall me, and complain under their breath when I flash my governmental clearance and identification wouldn't be pulling this crap with Maggie.

Probably she'd have 'em all killed or something.

The Crime Scene team here sure isn't CSI caliber, that's for sure.

I've got photos, I've got footprint castings, I've got physical evidence...what there is of it, at least. Most of that amounts to dirt with Maddie's blood in it, at least...we're assuming that it's Maddie's blood.

There's this unidentified powder. I'm forwarding a sample of it to Giles to see what he can make of it, because I've got a whole lot of nothing to go on, outside of it. Looks like as close to a normal ritualized murder as we get here.

Current Mood: busy

Something tells me that the Christmas presents may end up waiting in my closet until just this side of New Years.

Leave it to this town. Xander finally finds someone that seems really suited to him, not like Anya, which was a relationship I never understood...and, that rotten bastard Stone barely leaves enough of her for us to bury.

Thankfully, at least Sunnydale's finest managed to keep the crime scene relatively uncontaminated.

Never thought I'd be playing Gil Grissom, and walking the scene at the murder of someone I know. Hell, I'm not a crime scene tech. What could I miss that might be pivotal? Anything. That's your answer, Mr. Trebek. Now, I just gotta find the question...

Current Mood: working

No one has any idea how frustrating it is to try and type reports when your smart hand is in a cast because some nutjob messiah-complex vampire jackass takes it upon himself to break it to emphasize his little recruitment speech.

Angel didn't break my hand.

I can not believe I'd rather have Buffy's ex in town than this guy. At least, Angel I know I could take. Ok, maybe not know, but I'm reasonably sure.

Stone's got the same training as I do. Gonna be a little tougher. He'll be able to anticipate any tactical move I can make. Chances are pretty good he's got a copy of Maggie's psych-profile on Buffy, too.

I think, as much as it galls me to say it, that our best bet might be letting the least predictable person we have regular access to plan out our activity against Stone.

I can't believe I'm thinking about asking Spike for help. Better run this by Buffy.</a>

Current Mood: cranky

Bureaucracy.

Gotta hate it.

Never realized exactly how much of the military was paperwork. It's not like I don't have the head for it...I mean, hello, minor in accounting on my degree here, but it's a pain in the ass.

Never thought I'd be glad mom talked me into getting into the accountancy classes.

Wonder if I could talk Willow or Anya into doing the heavy stuff for me.

Popped by the Magic Box to meet Buffy for a late dinner. We ended up working out together afterward, which, y'know...hell on the digestion, but it's good to fight at her side, even if it's just a training exercise.

Nothing wrong with getting hot and sweaty with Buffy and I had so better nip that line of thought in the bud.

Anyone for a steaming cup of cold shower?

Current Mood: restless

I guess my biggest failing in my line of work is, I just simply don't understand the way demons think. If some of 'em even do, that is.

I mean...take vampires. If this new breed that's stalking Sunnydale gets what they want, we'll be an afterthought. And what'll they eat once we're all gone? That's what I don't get: If they win, they drive out their own primary food source.

I usually don't take all this time trying to understand the bad guys. I'm more of a smash, kill destroy type when it comes to the things that go slither and bump in the night. But I think it might be beneficial to figure out where their heads are at...I mean, they're prepared, they're proactive, they're organized...everything typical vamps aren't...

It's a military operation. I recognize the tactical training necessary to be pulling some of this stuff off. I just hope that, whoever the CO of this army from Hell is, I get to be the guy who puts the stake in his ass.

Current Mood: determined
Current Music: AC/DC - "For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)"

I'm well-aware I'm getting my over-protective boyfriend on, and my girl doesn't need someone to look out for her.

Well aware.

Doesn't mean I can put those impulses down, not entirely. She's my girl, and, maybe it's old fashioned, but when I see her all lumped up by something, it makes me want to crack heads.

She's asked me not to patrol alone, and, for the most part, I haven't. When I have, I've been armed to the freaking TEETH.

Xander was able to go out with me, driving in one of the base's Humvees, hunting for whatever did it's work to Buffy. He tried gently reminding me that she was well able to take care of herself, and that there's every chance that in a day or two, she won't feel anything but an ache or two from the beating, thanks to Slayer-healing.

He's a good friend, Xander is. Once this mess is all taken care of, Buffy and I will have to go out someplace with him and his new girl...

Until then, I'm still scouring the streets. I want this guy. Whoever he is. I know he's military. I recognize the tactics. Until he makes it more personal, I don't know if I'm gonna be able to figure out why this is all so damned familiar, though...

Current Mood: cranky

Never thought I'd say it, but thank God for Faith. Without her, those vamps at the high school would have flanked us easily, and either I'd be dead, or my body would be walking around with a bumpier forehead, and I'd be someplace wishing someone would just stake it.

Even typing that gave me a chill.

I suppose it's too much to hope that whatever's got the vampires motivated and organized like this is Tony Robbins, right?

I should ask Anya if he's a demon. I mean, nobody's hands are that big naturally. Nobody human, anyway.

Yeah, that's it, Finn. Make jokes. Don't think about the fact that someone's finally twigged the vamps to the idea of body armor, and flanking moves in combat situations. And patience. They held back while the strongest ones engaged Buffy, watching...like fight masters on a movie set, or a drill sargeant, critiquing form...

Oh...hell...

Current Mood: worried

Y'know, I'm not the world's biggest fan of vampires, but I think I'd rather play X-Box with Spike than have to go to another military funeral.

Two of the men were ambushed and slaughtered. We had to have a closed casket ceremony, because they were practically torn to ribbons.

...according to the autopsy report, they were low almost their entire blood volume.

Vampires.

Of course.

I'm wondering two things:

First, where were their sidearms? They were stripped of weaponry. Didn't find any discharged shells, either. They were ambushed, completely. I think I said that. But it's obvious that they had no chance to react.

Second thing is, why would the vampires take their ID cards?

That's particularly troubling. We're going to be all day changing access codes on the base.

Thankfully, Mr. Giles is back. I'm going to speak to him about whether or not this is typical vampiric behavior.

It's a little...off-putting.

Current Mood: worried

Nothing will make you feel all warm and fuzzy and happy like a good home-cooked meal, and some quality snuggle time on the couch to a good movie.

Especially when you have a girl you really like alongside you.

It was really nice of Willow and Tara to kind of leave us the house for the night. Not sure where they went, and I'm not sure I care all that much.

At the moment, all I care about is being here...with Buffy. It's a nice enough night, we're gonna sit outside and have a cup of cocoa together, and watch the night go by.

Current Mood: happy

Been busy as hell lately.

Funding's being shuffled around, and I had to take a week's time to go to D.C. and talk to a subcommittee about extending our budget here in Sunnydale.

I hate the bureaocracy. Paperwork sucks.

That, and I've never been that good at it. I'd have let Mr. Giles take a look at it, but he's not around.

And then there's things with me and Buffy...they're...

...hell, I dunno what they are. I made a colossal mistake leaving her when I did, and I know the quickest way to push her away would be to try and rush her into making a decision to be "dating" again.

But that might be what we're doing. We've spent a lot of time together lately, after all. Movies, dinners...

Nothing super-romantic, mind you. But fun.

So, are we a couple again?

You'd have to ask her, I suppose. But I'd like to be.

Current Mood: contemplative

Apparently Mr. Giles has gone back to England. Something to do with getting his head straight after the whole possessed-by-the-dark-side thing.

Buffy isn't taking it well. I found her on the porch, crying her eyes out.

I sat with her. She let me hold her. Hell, I think she needed someone to.

I've never seen her that shaken.

She could barely speak through the tears. I did my best to comfort her, and she let me. It was...it was almost like I'd wished things had been before.

She blames herself for him leaving, of course. Buffy always takes the weight of the world onto her shoulders.

She's the strongest person I know. I just wish she didn't feel like she always had to be, if that makes any sense.

I held her until she got a little calmer. Stuck around for a while. Even made dinner, which, when dealing with Buffy's fridge contents, is a challenge.

She'll be ok. I know it. I believe in her.

Current Mood: hopeful

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