16 CH.16

Back in Sunnydale, the gang was still reeling at the way Ryan just handled it. Xander exclaimed:" You didn't happen to mention me on the no-kill list did you?"

Sighing Ryan sat down and said:" It was a one-off. If I mentioned more people the demons would have taken it as a challenge. As it is I'll probably be getting messages from those in power swearing to keep their people away from Willow. There are bound to be those that take it as a challenge anyway but most will be killed off by the stronger demons trying to preserve the status quo or curry favor. They have an idea now of who I am. If the masses try for a power-play they'll keep away for now but if I mentioned more they would try to kill a few of you and blame their enemies. As it is they can at least assume I'll find out the truth if I'm only openly protecting one person."

Buffy spoke up:" At least we no longer have to worry about Will getting killed. The demons will probably flee at the sight of her now."

Giles helped Miss Calendar up saying:" Yes quite right. I'll be taking Jenny home. Do I have to worry about the mark coming back?"

At this Ethan perked up to listen to an answer as well. Ryan shook his head:" Eyghon is completely gone, even the trace that tried to hop into Jenny was wiped out when I erased the demon itself. The dimension it was hiding in collapsed and killed quite a few other demons as well. I don't like taking chances with Willow's safety, any connection that Eyghon had to this plane was destroyed and the demon vanquished."

Nodding with a grateful smile Giles said: "Good, I'm glad to hear it. I'll sleep better now that it's gone. Come, Jenny, let's get you home to rest."

Watching them leave Willow sat down on Ryan's lap saying:" They make a beautiful couple don't they?"

Ryan answered:" That reminds me! I got you something from LA I thought you might like."

Pulling out a charm bracelet with a little witch flying on a broom and some children charms on each side he said:" For my beautiful and stunning witch I got you a cauldron and diamond-encrusted visage of a flying witch of her own."

He smiled when he saw the tears starting to form in her eyes and her whispering" Beautiful." At that point, he knew he did well.

He turned to the rest of the gang and tossed Buffy the keys saying:" Your gifts are in the back seat well except yours Buffy yours is in the trunk."

At this, they all took off leaving him alone with his girl. Willow gave him the best gift he could imagine. A half-hour later they were interrupted by the sound of the rest of the Scooby gang coming back in bragging about who got the better gift.

Xander's loud voice carried:" I do believe an all-expense-paid trip to the Bahamas beats some silly gift card to Tiffany's."

Buffy was next:" It still doesn't beat an original Honjo Masamune samurai sword. These things are priceless he must have paid an arm and a leg for it."

Cordelia spoke up:" You both are crazy there's a least several million on this card. I can shop there till I'm too old to care what I look like. The odds of me being a fashion model just shot up like a gazillion fold!"

When Willow heard them she stopped her bobbing and stood up to find her clothes. Trying to be as quiet as possible so that she doesn't attract their attention.

When he saw his girlfriends hurried flustered look he took pity on her and moved at superhuman speed and dressed them both.

Xander yelled out:" So tell us which one do you like better the trip to the Bahamas, the gift card or the samurai sword Wills?"

Sitting back down across Ryan's lap she said as calmly as possible:" The bracelet that cost two hundred million at auction because it was had crafted by Theodor Fahrner and gifted to me by the best boyfriend ever!"

Hearing her answer the rest of the group collectively dropped their jaws. " That's So not fair why don't I have a rich boyfriend who gives me expensive jewelry every now and then?" Cordelia complained.

Laughing a little Willow answered:" Because I have the rich boyfriend that buys everyone expensive things instead of just for me. If you don't like it, Cordy, you could always give Buffy the card to Tiffany's I'm sure she wouldn't mind a trip to one of the world's best jewelry sellers!"

When she heard this Cordelia shut up and sat down. Buffy turned to her expectantly. Seeing this Ryan said:" That reminds me. The patents should be completely filled by the beginning of next week so a month from then both Buffy and Willow can expect around 2.5 million apiece every year or so. And by the way Cordy your company is officially off the ground. Your dads taking care of it till your eighteenth birthday or until you finish college. So you might want to study up on business and law as your college courses. I won't be dealing with any of it myself as it's all yours now. If you run it into the ground it's on you."

She regained her chipper demeanor at the prospect of running a health care company. "I just hope daddy pays the taxes this time or I'm going to be so screwed. I'll probably go to school in LA and start my career as a model/ health care business owner, and do online college courses there." she finished in a dazed dreamily hopeful voice.

Ignoring her Xander said:" I'm almost halfway through the training and I can now do most electrical installments and repairs I'll be going to get my license as an electrician soon then I'll be starting on plumbing and cement laying."

Smiling Ryan replied:" You'll make a fine foreman yet. Most don't even learn that they usually subcontract the work out to other businesses. I know I'm putting a lot of work on you but it'll make you a better foreman and person I swear. If nothing else you'll be able to build your own house and do repairs on almost anything without having to pay someone else to do it."

Xander laughed:" Then I guess it's a good thing I worked out a deal with your uncle to include all my college expenses and full-ride paid by you. Jesus with the amount of money and effort your putting into helping me I should be the one sitting on your lap.....Forget I said that it did not come out right."

Everyone broke out into laughter. Willow wiggled in Ryan's lap saying:" You wish!"

Later that night, not wanting to ruin a perfectly good weekend, Ryan and Willow spent it going back to what they were doing before the rest of the group interrupted them.

When they were both exhausted and spent while presently numb Willow said:" Oz approached me after band practice last Friday. He said he'd like to try so long as you meant what you told him."

Nodding Ryan said:" So long as it doesn't hinder my Willow time I'll leave it up to your discretion. I told you before and meant it, so long as I have a place in your heart it's enough for me. I won't hold you hostage, you're a very sensual woman and you have your needs. Just remember that I love you."

Smiling she nodded:" I think I'll try it out. But I won't go too far if it starts to change how I feel about you."

Smiling they nodded off into peaceful bliss.

One week later

​

" It's career day and you can't be here? This sucks so bad! Don't you want to know what you could be doing a few years from now?"

" As long as I'm with you, it doesn't matter to me. I'll see you when I get back into town Willow. I have to find Lyndsey before the Immortal tries to banish him to another dimension. I love Willow."

" I love you too, Ryan. And be careful for me please."

" I will Willow. See you soon, hopefully."

After hanging up, Ryan headed to the last known location of Lyndsey, before he disappeared. - The little Immortal sure has done well for himself over the eons.-

When he got inside the building, he was greeted by the sight of Lyndsey chained to the floor next to the Immortals chair. " It's been a while. What? You can't be at least a little civilized? I thought I knew you better little Adrian!" Smirked Ryan.

Walking to where Lyndsey was chained he continued. " You have the power to channel all my strength and you couldn't even break a few spelled chain? Disappointing! You'll be starting over on your magic training at this rate." Smiling now Ryan sat down across from the Immortal.

" Ryn, it's been too long! I figured I might teach your new disciple some manners in your stead. I meant no offense! I just thought it would be easier to have you come to me since the last time I saw you, you told me to get out of your site and never to darken your doorstep again! And you know I don't like that name!" Adrian calmly explained.

Shaking his head Ryan taunted. " You very well know what you did was wrong Adrian! If the next words out of your mouth aren't a proper apology, I might get annoyed with you. And you should remember by now what happens when I start to feel cross with traitors!"

Adrian sighed knowing what he had to do next. He stood up and crossed the distance between them. When he was close enough, he kneeled down. " I am truly sorry that I wasn't able to complete my task master! I failed you on a tremendous level and I can only ask that you forgive my past actions. Because of my carelessness I ended up delaying you to long, giving the shadow men the time they needed to make the slayer line. For this I apologize."

" And?" Ryan cajoled.

" While I do regret taking the Gods side against you in this, I cannot lie. So I won't apologize for the actions I took to make myself immortal." Sighed Adrian.

" You very well know I didn't care about those little gods you devoured in your haste to get stronger! All that mattered at the time was that you convinced those idiots to attack me for your own gain. You should not have betrayed me like that Adrian!" Shaking his head Ryan continued." It all water under the bridge now , as they say. The reason I sent Lyndsey to get you is because I felt that it was time to let bygones be bygones. While I'll never teach you again, I may send you a gift every now and then to keep you on your toes! Lynsey was a piece offering. I want you to train him in the ways off channeling power from me so that situations like this never occur again." Ryan said motioning towards Lyndsey's trust up form.

Smiling Adrian said knowing he was forgiven. " You know how much time and effort I had to put into channeling your power! There's no way I have the time to teach him anything but the basics right now!"

Looking him square in the eye Ryan threatened." You will do this for me or I'll walk away knowing that the gods are going learn of your past schemes!"

Sweating now Adrian replies." You know I won't survive if they find out I was the reason for their downfall! Fine! I'll teach him as much as he can learn so long as you never use that against me again! You have my word."

Standing up saying." And you have my word that you experience what I did to the little godling Zeus if you break your word on this."

Turning to Lyndsey, Ryan said. " I expect you back home as soon as you finish your training here. Learn as much as you can, as quickly as possible. We still have a lot of work to do."

Watching his former master speak to his fellow disciple Adrian informed him." Your first lesson is to break those chains as fast as possible."

Lyndsey looked like a kicked puppy when he replied. "How to I do that when you've blocked my connection with him?"

Sighing for the umpteenth time today Adrian answered simply." A connection like that cannot a broken except for by the willing cooperation of one or both parties involved in its initiation. Seeing as how neither of you cooperated, what do you imagine I did?"

Leaving them to their devices, Ryan left to find a good motel and a hot shower. He hadn't had any piece an quiet since he got to Italy! Wishing for a little alone time and a lot of alcohol Ryan spent the rest of the evening getting some sleep he missed out on.

The plane ride back was a little hectic. One of the passengers was a middle class demon trying to bring down the plane in the name of Allah. What Ryan assumes was a deity. When the demon saw him he sat down and waited for the air martial to read him his rights.

The demon turned out to be an Ifrit. A fire demand that would have fed on the burning corpses of the passengers when he crashed the plane. Seeing that his future would be very bleak he thought better than to tempt fate in such a way.

After that little excitement, Ryan went to sleep, setting his phone to silent for the ride.