COUPLING: Buffy/Riley
SUMMARY: A/U - Riley has left Buffy, and this is 10 years into the future.
DISCLAIMER: All BtVS characters belong to the wonderfully talented
mind of Joss Whedon. However I do own Riley's daughters and Sam the
nanny.
FEEDBACK: Pretty pretty please! I really hate to beg, but will .
SPOILERS: All of Season 5, and my own little universe.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Part 1: This will be the last part till after Christmas as
I'm taking a little break to celebrate, as I'm sure all of you are! Wishing
you all a very Merry Christmas, and Happy New Years! Take care, and
remember Santa's watching!
AUTHOR' S NOTES: Part 2: Ladies and Gentlemen I would love you to give a
warm round of applause to my wonderful Beta Reader Anne Marie who makes each
one of these stories better. To Amy, Nicole and Ace thank you so much for
your kind words, and wonderful own talent that makes me want to write. And
to Andra thank you so much with all your wonderful help writing this. Chris
I called the therapists and it seems Buffy will be joining our little group
therapy sessions.
Buffy sat in Riley's library in his leather wing back chair with the phone
in her hand. She sat listening to the ringing and hoped someone would be in
the office on a Sunday. It was silly to worry really because she knew
someone would be in the office.
"Good morning, MacDonald and Summers," answered a decidedly female voice
"Hi Darla!" Buffy said smiling at the familiar voice.
"Buffy! How's Evan? We've been so worried about him, since you left."
Buffy could hear the concern clearly in the vampire's voice.
"He's fine. Right this minute he's out in the backyard playing with his
sisters in the snow."
Hearing herself say the words, Buffy smiled. Her son was out playing with
his sisters. This was something she had wished for and now it was a
reality. Evan was an accepted part of the Finn family.
"So it's gone well then?" Darla asked happily.
"As best as it can, considering the situation," Buffy sighed, aware that
they still had several huge mountains to climb.
"I'm so glad to hear that. Just remember we're all here for you."
"Thanks Darla. Is that gorgeous boyfriend of yours around?" Buffy asked,
trying to figure out how she was going to explain everything to Lindsay.
She'd promised him when she'd left that she would protect her heart, and now
she knew she hadn't. She'd fallen in love with Riley all over again, and
she didn't know how she was going to break the news to her dear friend.
"He's in the law library, let me get him."
Buffy pulled her knees up and rested her chin on them as she waited for
Lindsay to pick up. They had hashed and rehashed the Riley situation for
years, and he'd always encouraged her to move on with her life, find someone
new. In the early days Buffy knew he would have liked that someone to have
been him, but as the years passed and Darla came back into his life, he'd
let go of that dream. Buffy had always loved Lindsay, but not the way he'd
wanted her too.
"MacDonald."
"How about something a little more friendly, I may have to send you to
Cordelia for some coaching."
Buffy snickered at her own joke. She was constantly teasing Lindsay about
his phone manners. She often asked him how someone with the sophistication
and charm that he had could answer the phone that way.
"That would be a fate worse than death, and you know it, Summers! How's my
favourite partner?"
"He's fine. He's out playing in the snow," Buffy answered. She knew how
much Evan meant to Lindsay, the two were buddies and they did everything
together that a father and son would normally do.
"I know. Darla couldn't wait to tell me."
Buffy could hear the pride in his voice.
"How goes it with the millionaire?" Lindsay quipped.
"Things are great. Riley accepted Evan immediately. You should see them
together. It would even warm Spike's heart," Buffy laughed at the thought.
"I'm glad to hear that, but I was referring to you and Riley," Lindsay said
gently.
Over the years Lindsay had made his opinion known rather loudly where Riley
Finn was concerned. First of all, he couldn't imagine anyone walking away
from someone as special as Buffy. Secondly he had turned his back on his
son. It was true that Finn didn't know about the boy, but that was
irrelevant according to Lindsey. It might have been Spike's influence, but
Lindsey had grown to dislike a man he'd never met.
"Things are fine. He still loves me Lindsay. I can see it in his eyes
every time he looks at me."
Lindsay could hear the dreamy sound in her voice and rolled his eyes at
Darla.
"Get your head out of the clouds, Summers. This is about Evan," Lindsay
snapped at her. "Have you two decided on how you're going to deal with the
issue of custody?"
"Lindsey, you're out of line, and right now that's the last thing I need
from you,' buffy returned his nasty tone of voice.
"I'm sorry. I'm just worried about my best friend, okay? I love you, and I
don't want to see that man hurt you again," Lindsay replied, trying to
apologise to Buffy.
"I love you too Lindsay, and please don't worry," Buffy smiled, fingering
the phone cord.
"Okay, now that we both know we love each other, when are you coming home?"
"We've made arrangements to have Riley and his girls tested on Tuesday."
"So you'll be back for court on Thursday then."
Lindsay had his fingers crossed, hoping that this was the case. He knew
that the longer she and Evan stayed in Boston with Riley, the harder it
would be for him to keep the two of them with him. Even though he was with
Darla now, Buffy and Evan were a very important part of his life, and he
wasn't prepared to give them up yet.
"That's why I'm calling, Lindsey. I'm going to stay until next Sunday.
They'll need someone to take care of them after the tests, and Riley's
invited us to attend a party with him on Friday."
"Oh. So a party's more important than our practice then."
The hurt in Lindsay's voice was very clear to Buffy.
"I didn't say that, you did. Look, Riley and his daughters are doing this
for Evan and I can't just go running back to L.A. after we have the
results," Buffy said, trying to reason with him.
"Why not?"
Lindsay knew what Buffy was really trying to say, even though she hadn't
said it.
"Because it's not right. I'm doing this for Evan. Remember that. He's the
only reason I'm doing this."
<And maybe a little bit for me too. > She thought
"You love him don't you?" Lindsay asked, sounding like he'd just accused her
of killing someone
"Yes Lindsay, I love him and I'm not prepared to lose him again! You can
let everyone in L.A. know it if you feel like it! I don't care!"
She could feel herself growing angry with the one person who'd been by her
side through thick and thin.
"I'll back off, but just remember I'm not too happy about this."
"Like I wasn't happy about you and Darla?" Buffy countered.
"That was different."
"How?"
"It was the whole undead thing."
"No, it's not. You're afraid that Riley is going to hurt Evan and I, aren't
you? Well don't worry Lindsey. He loves us and at least I don't have to
worry about him draining me if we have a fight!"
"Low blow, even for you Summers," Lindsay said, laughing at Buffy's attempt
to lighten up the conversation.
"I know, that's why you love me. It's my vamp humour."
"You're a sick little puppy."
"So are you MacDonald, that's why we make such great partners," she told
him, smiling into the phone.
"What time are you due in court," he sighed, knowing he'd just lost the
fight with her.
"10:30. Judge Haskell's chambers. I owe you big, partner."
"Don't go trying to selling your soul to anyone, I already own it."
"I'll fax you the brief in the morning. I love you to death! Bye,
MacDonald."
"Bye, Summers and give my favourite partner a hair ruffling for me will ya?"
"Sure thing."
With that, Buffy hung up the phone.
____________________________________________________________________
Riley had said good bye to Steve at the front door and floated down the hall
towards the library. She'd agreed to stay for the party Friday night, which
meant he'd have more time with her. More time to hold her and kiss her.
Smiling to himself, Riley used every ounce of his control to stop himself
from racing into the library and throwing her onto his desk and having his
way with her.
He wandered slowly down the hall; stopping outside the door to the library
Riley could hear her on the phone. He started to turn away when he heard
her tell whomever she was talking to that she loved him. Riley didn't move a
muscle as her words hit him.
<She loves someone else, not me. >
As the next few seconds of the conversation drifted over him he felt his
heart break. He should have known that this was all about Evan, that she
hadn't come back because of him. Evan was what was paramount in her mind,
nothing else mattered and Riley was just a fringe benefit.
Turning away from the library dejectedly, he walked down the hall towards
the family room. He found himself stopping in front of Claire's picture and
he laughed bitterly.
"So you made your point. You brought her back here for a laugh. Did you
want to hurt me, Claire? Is this your revenge from beyond the grave?"
"Or was it yours, Maggie? Did you think to have Buffy betray me, like you
felt I betrayed you?"
Why had he gotten his hopes up that this would work out for the two of them
this time? Buffy was only here because she needed him and his girls to save
Evan. She'd never really answered his question when he'd asked her if Evan
hadn't been sick would he have ever met his son. It seemed that now he had
his answer. In his hurt and his anger Riley wanted to tell Buffy to shove
it up her ass, but this was his son too and he didn't have the heart to do
it. Maybe Graham was right about his seeking a little legal advice from Bob
before Buffy whisked Evan out of his life forever.
Riley stood contemplating his options when he felt Buffy's arms slip around
his waist. He tried to hold himself stiff in her arms, but he felt his body
reacting to hers, betraying him.
"Everything's set. I can stay till next Sunday," she said, rubbing her
cheek against his back.
"That's great. I appreciate your giving me the chance to get to spend more
time with Evan," Riley replied coolly, extracting himself from Buffy's
embrace and walking away from her.
"Riley?" She called confused by his reaction to her hug.
"What?" He answered, not stopping or turning around to face her.
"That's what I want to know," Buffy muttered, racing after him.
"What?" He said again, the irritation evident in his voice this time.
She grabbed his arm as he reached the doorway into the large family room.
"What is wrong with you?"
"I heard you on the phone."
"You were eavesdropping?" She asked, shocked that Riley would do such a
thing, but she couldn't understand why he would be upset by what he'd heard…
unless of course he didn't hear the whole conversation.
"Yeah I was. It's my house! I can do whatever I want," he barked at her,
shaking off her hand.
Buffy froze, surprised at his response to her and watched as he stalked off
into the family room. Following him into the room she saw him standing with
his back to her and she could tell from his body language that he was very
angry with her.
"What the hell did you think you heard?" She demanded, walking up to stand
directly behind him.
"You told whoever you were talking to that you loved them. You said that
the only reason you came here was because of Evan, that everything you did
here was for Evan," Riley said, his tone accusing and bitter. "So my
question to you, Buffy, is did you kiss me for Evan's sake as well?"
Riley whirled around glaring at her as he spit out his question. The anger
in his eyes forced her to take a step back. In all the time she'd known
him, she'd never seen him this angry.
"That's not what I said," she answered weakly, turning away from him to
leave the room
"Oh. Sorry for paraphrasing your conversation," he said sarcastically.
"You didn't hear the whole conversation, Riley. Yes, I did come here
because of Evan. It took the possibility of losing my son to force me to
contact you again. Having you reject me in the past hurt like hell and
believe me when I tell you that I wasn't keen to have you reject me again.
All those times in the past that I'd wanted to call you, I stopped myself,
remembering the last time we spoke, and all the other times you had Graham
do your dirty work!" Buffy's eyes filled with tears. "All I ever wanted was
for you to be part of Evan's and my life! What do I have to do to convince
you Riley Finn? Do I have to get down on one knee and ask you to marry me?
Will that convince you?"
By the time she'd finished this last sentence she was half way down the
hall. She didn't care who heard her, she was so angry with him. He'd only
heard part of the conversation and then reconstructed the rest to fit his
needs. It seemed like every time she turned around he was in the hallway
staring at the picture of his dead wife. Buffy had decided that maybe he
was just using Hope's feelings to mask his own fear of moving on.
<Okay be fair. One trip down memory lane does not mean he's constantly
taking that walk! He'd found you staring at the picture and that's why
he'd been in the hallway yesterday. Grow up Buffy, you're being irrational.
>
"That's right, Buffy! Run away from me! That's the only thing you and I
seem any good at in this relationship," Riley yelled, coming out in the
hallway after her.
"Run up and hide in your room until you leave! I'm sure Lindsay would want
you to do that. God forbid you flirt with me any more than you have to!
Lindsay wouldn't like that!"
Upon finishing his tirade, Riley turned on his heel and stormed back into
the family room.
Hearing him sling his last arrow Buffy stopped short in the hallway.
"He thinks I love Lindsay?"
Suddenly all the past fights about Angel and Spike came roaring back to her.
She could understand why in the past Riley could never full accept that
she loved him, but she had told him several times on this trip.
<That's true but he thinks you'd say anything to save Evan.> Buffy's
subconscious screamed at her.
Turning around she stalked back down the hall to the family room.
"Don't you dare tell me what to do! And don't you ever tell me who I love
Riley Finn! You are such an ass! Do you know that?" She said, launching
herself across that room at him.
"How dare you call me an ass!" He responded to her attack.
"She can call you an ass all she wants, because you are one!" Graham
hollered from the doorway.
Buffy and Riley stopped yelling at each other and turned to stare at Graham
open mouthed.
"The two of you are going to wake Willow, and if that happens, I'll knock
your two heads together!" He fumed at them.
Standing in the centre of the room side by side the two looked at Graham
sheepishly, and then started to giggle. The giggle quickly turned into a
roar. Suddenly it was Graham's turn to stare at the laughing fools who a
minute ago, wanted to kill each other.
"Yes Dad," Riley managed to squeak out before he and Buffy broke into a fit
of giggles again, falling into each others arms.
Staring at them in disgust, Graham turned on his heels and put his nose up
in the air, leaving them giggling, neither aware that he had left the room.
Pulling her head out of his chest, Buffy and Riley's eyes met and they both
sobered quickly.
"I'm sorry," she said, almost jumping out of his arms, and turning toward
the door.
"No, I am. I should have respected your privacy. I just wish you had just
been honest with me about Lindsay from the very beginning," Riley said,
crossing the room to block Buffy's exit. "Evan is still my son Buffy, and
there's nothing I would ever deny him, you should know that."
"Riley, I am being honest with you. There is nothing between Lindsay and
me. There could have been a long time ago, but he's been with Darla for the
last 6 years. They're very happy together, and I'm happy for him and
that's it. He's one of my best friends, and he's been like a dad to Evan."
As she said these last words, she noticed the pained look that crossed
Riley's face. Quickly she threw her arms around him and embraced him
trying to give him something of her.
"I didn't mean it that way! I didn't mean to hurt you or accuse you of
anything," she stammered, trying to apologise for her big mouth.
"No, it's okay. I'm glad there was someone there to teach him all the manly
things I missed out on," Riley joked, hugging her to him tightly.
"Look, I owe you a huge apology for the eavesdropping thing, but when I
heard you on the phone my insecurities took over again. Every time I look
at you, I can't imagine that you really want to be with me. There's this
part of me that's positive your still in love with Angel or Spike and it's
this irrational part that keep rearing its ugly head. I'm sorry."
"How do you think I feel every time I look at Hope? I keep seeing Claire,
and I wonder what the hell you want with me? Am I just your second choice?"
She asked, shuddering as the thoughts that had been plaguing her for the
last day were finally voiced.
"You… you will never in a million years be my second choice. You were my
first choice Buffy. Don't you understand that you own my heart? That for
the 6 years I was married to Claire you were the woman I dreamed about at
night, not my wife?"
Buffy pulled back and looked into his bright blue eyes and she could see he
was telling the truth. Even married to another woman, he'd loved her. She
was speechless.
<What am I suppose to say now?!> She thought, staring into his eyes.
And then it came to her out of the blue. Reaching up on tiptoes she
claimed his lips with hers. The passion that her kiss held left no doubt as
to her feeling for him. As her tongue made it's way into his mouth she
devoured him, conquered him. She pulled back briefly and smiled at him.
"Do you get it yet farm boy? I've felt the same way since the day you
left."
With a smile still on her lips she claimed him again. This time Riley let
go of the shock and took an active part in the seduction. Scooping her up
in his arms, he walked them over to the couch and sat down with her in his
arms. Quickly changing positions, she straddled his lap, taking his face
between both of her hands.
"Don't every do that again," she demanded of him.
"What?"
"Think that I don't love you,' she whispered, smiling into his blue eyes.
"Daddy! I have to go pee!" Tristan screamed from the mud room doorway.
"Okay, we are definitely locking them out next time," he sighed, lifting
Buffy off his lap to rescue his four year old daughter. Buffy laughed as he
raced out of the room.
"4 kids, no wonder we can't find any alone time."
She laughed up at the ceiling.
___________________________________________________________________
Buffy was in the kitchen when Graham decided to show his face again. She
smiled sheepishly at him and walked across the kitchen and gave him a hug.
"I know you're having a hell of a day, and I'm sorry for my and Riley's part
in it. The last thing you needed was hearing us screaming at each other
like children. I'm so sorry."
"Don't worry about it, I overreacted," he said, hugging her back. Human
contact was exactly what he needed right now. Watching Willow sleep for the
last few hours wasn't very stimulating.
"I was just going to make Wills some soup. I thought that maybe some
chicken noodle might help. Has she been sick again?"
"No, but maybe just a little broth would be good for her," he said sitting
down on the stool behind the breakfast nook to watch Buffy.
"Is she okay to be by herself?'
"No, but she's currently awake. Riley and Evan are with her. Little guy
really cares about her."
"Yeah, and so does Evan," she joked, turning to see Graham smile.
"Thanks, I needed that."
"Smiles are free here. Why don't you go play with the girls or have a
shower? If Riley's up there with her now you can take a break. I'll take
this up to her when it's ready."
"That would be great. I think I'll just go for a quick run and work some of
this stress off," he sighed, getting up from the stool.
"Actually I was thinking maybe more of a nap or something," Buffy said with
a shrug as she watched him leave the kitchen.
_____________________________________________________________________
"Viola! Dinner is served!" Buffy said, kicking open the bedroom door.
"Yeah!" Willow clapped, watching as Riley went to take the tray off of
Buffy.
"How are you feeling?" Buffy asked, sitting down on the bed next to her son.
"Stupid, dumb, clumsy," Willow said, blushing.
"I hate to say I told you so,'' Riley smirked from his seat on the edge of
the bed.
"I know, but you just have to, don't you?" Willow said, as Riley placed the
tray on her lap.
"Is that okay?" He asked, afraid to cause her any pain.
"Perfect," she smiled her famous smile up at him.
"Where's Gray gone?" Riley asked as he sat in Graham's chair.
"Went for a run. He didn't come up here to change?" Buffy asked, puzzled.
"Ah, no. I have a full workout room with a change room down by the pool.
He probably went there to change," Riley said, hoping that he didn't sound
like he was bragging.
"What doesn't this house have?" Willow laughed as their eyes looked to him
for an answer.
"I don't know," Riley said, slightly embarrassed when forced to answer
"I know!" Evan said, excitedly.
His parents and aunt's eyes turned to him to hear his answer.
"What?"
"My own room. I want to spend a lot of time here when I'm better. Can I,
Dad? Mom?" He said looking back and forth between his parents.
"Any time you want to buddy, the door is always open for you. I have a
feeling that your sisters aren't going to take your leaving easily next
weekend," Riley said, swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat at
his son's request.
"We're staying until next weekend?" He asked excitedly looking at his mother
for verification.
"If that's okay with you? We'll have to call your school and tell…"
Evan jumped off the bed before his mother could finish her thought.
"Hey guys! We're not leaving till next weekend!" He yelled to his sister as
he raced down the stairs.
"I don't think I've seen that kid any happier," Willow smiled, turning to
look at Riley.
"I second that! It's like you gave him the best Christmas gift ever!" Buffy
smiled lovingly at the blonde man sitting opposite her in the chair.
"No, you two bringing him here, that was the best gift anyone has ever given
me. Thank you."
His smile took in both the women sitting in front of him.
"So we're not going home till next weekend, huh?" Willow said, looking at
Buffy.
"Well, after you get that cast on, I'd be surprised if Graham ever lets you
out of his sight again," Riley laughed.
"At least not in an icy parking lot!"
"Oh you think you're so funny!" Willow cracked, watching Buffy and Riley
kill themselves laughing.
"Yeah, usually," Riley snorted, getting up from the chair.
"I'm going to tell the girls about the test on Tuesday tonight. Evan's
going to help me,"
Riley said looking at the two women on the bed.
"Want me to come?" Buffy asked, starting to crawl across the bed to the end
of it.
"No, it's okay. I think having Evan there will be enough. And I don't think
we need to upset Hope anymore than is necessary. Sorry, Buffy," he said,
caressing her face.
"It's okay," Buffy said, leaning into his touch.
"Oh, one question before you go?" Buffy asked.
"Sure," he said, turning around to face the women.
"Why does Graham's room have such a big bed?" Buffy said, indicating the
king size bed that she and Willow were sharing.
"It used to be in the old house. It was Clarie's idea of a joke. You know,
for Graham and his harem," he said simply, watching the look on both women's
faces.
"You're wife encouraged him to bring strange women to stay here?" Willow
said, suddenly not liking Riley's former wife much.
"Oh, God no! I'm talking about the girls. When Graham's here, they all
usually end up in bed with him. Don't ask me why. Supposedly I snore," he
said in mock disbelief.
"You do," Buffy said, smiling apologetically at him.
"Hey, I've been sleeping alone for 2 years, nobody's reminded me of that for
a long time."
With that he left them alone.
"God! He's so cute!" Willow gushed as he left the room.
"I think so," Buffy smiled at her friend.
"I should speak to Roger. See if we can get him a gig in Hollywood."
"Over my dead body! I've just got him back! There's no way I'm letting the
rest of the women in the world drool over my man."
Riley sat in the family room with the kids all around him. He'd spent the
last two hours preparing to tell the girls about Evan and the tests and now
was the time. Tristan sat on his lap and he smiled. She was such a
cuddler.
"Okay this is a Finn family pow-wow, and it's really serious," Riley looked
over at Jordan and he could tell she already knew something was wrong.
<She's psychic! >
Riley looked to Evan who was sitting next to him on the couch.
"Evan has come into our lives for a very special reason. He and Buffy need
our help right now."
"What do we have to help them with, Daddy?" Hope asked, looking at her big
brother. Even she had noticed that Daddy had been on edge lately.
"I'm sick, and I need your help to make me better," Evan said simply to his
little sister.
"Like a cold? Because we can ask Sam to give you some cough syrup." Tristan
said excited that she had the answer.
"No, honey. Evan hasn't got a cold. He's much sicker," Riley said, hugging
his little girl to him.
"He's going to die isn't he Daddy?" Jordan asked her bottom lip quivering
"I could," Evan said, sliding off the couch to sit on the floor with his
younger sister.
"But that's why their here, honey. We need to take a test that could keep
Evan from dying," Riley said, trying to stop himself from joining his
daughter in her tears.
"I hope it's not a spelling test, because I failed my last one," Hope said
miserably, afraid she might not be able to help her brother.
"No, Hope it's a special medical test," Riley told her, holding her hand in
his.
"What type of test?" Jordan asked looking up at Riley with big blue eyes
that were just like his own.
"Well, the doctor will put you all to sleep to do it. That way it won't
hurt," Riley said, knowing that the girls would feel some pain afterwards.
"What does the doctor do?" Jordan asked again.
"He takes a giant needle and he sticks it in and draws some marrow out of
your bones," Riley said trying to explain the procedure as best as he could
without upsetting any of them.
"I don't like needles," Tristan said, burrowing into her father's chest.
"I don't either, Tristan but you won't feel a thing, you'll be asleep,"
Jordan said, getting up off the floor to sit on the couch next to her dad
and her sisters.
"When Jenny Adamson went to the hospital, she got to eat all the ice cream
she wanted," Hope said.
"I think Jenny had her tonsils out, Hope but we can have ice cream too,"
Riley said, smiling at his daughter.
"Will it hurt?" Tristan asked, looking up at her father then at her brother
who was kneeling in front of them.
"Only for a little while afterwards. You can ask my mom and Grandma, they
both had the test already," Evan said, answering Tristan.
"Are you having the test, Daddy?" Hope asked looking at her father.
"Yup," he said squeezing her hand.
"Uncle Graham too?" Jordan asked.
"No, honey. You see they need the filling from our bones to make Evan
better. Since I'm Evan's dad, and you're his sisters, we have a better
chance of fixing him, because our stuff matches his better," Riley said,
struggling with how to explain genetics to an 8 year old.
"Cool! So because we're his sisters we can fix him?" Hope asked.
"Maybe. We have to check to see if it will work," Riley said, hoping they
wouldn't ask him what would happen if it didn't.
"When do we go for the tests?" Jordan asked quickly and Riley was sure she
could read his mind.
"Tuesday. And I've called your headmaster, no school till January. How's
that?" He said to the girls, hoping the time off would work as an
incentive.
"Cool!" Hope said.
"What about homework?" Jordan asked. Riley knew his straight-A student
daughter wouldn't want to miss a class.
"Mrs. Bartley will send your homework here."
"Okay, let's do it then," Jordan said, looking at each of her little
sisters.
"Yes," Hope said, smiling at Jordan.
"Only if you hold my hand," Tristan said, smiling at Graham who stood in the
doorway.
"You got it Trist-tie." Graham said, returning his niece's smile.
_______________________________________________________________
The house was quiet that night after the kids went to bed and Riley excused
himself early as well, explaining that he was exhausted. Seeing the dark
circles under his eyes, no one was surprised. Buffy had gone to bed a
couple of hours later, after watching a movie with Willow who was still
curled up in Graham's bed. Graham sat up reading on the couch in the room,
looking up occasionally to watch his beautiful red head sleep. She looked
so peaceful when she slept, her colour had returned and his heart had
stopped racing. He was glad she'd be okay, that it was nothing a cast
couldn't fix. Drifting off to sleep he smiled to himself and wondered if
the producers of her movie would have to re-cast the role now that she was
injured.
Willow woke up an hour later with a start.
<Where the hell am I? >
It appeared that her short-term memory was being affected by the concussion.
Willow looked around the room, deciding that it had a very masculine feel
to it and then remembered it was Graham's room at Riley's. Her eyes finally
found him asleep on the couch. He looked so peaceful, but very
uncomfortable.
Uncomfortable could also be the word to currently describe her bladder
situation. She needed to get up, but the pain in her ankle reminded her of
the break.
<Great! I'm going to wet the bed! >
She needed to wake Graham up or face total embarrassment.
"Graham." Nothing.
"Graham," she whispered a little louder.
"Graham!" She called louder causing him to nearly jump out of his skin.
"What?" He said as he rushed across the room, smashing his toe into the
bedpost.
"Shit!" He yelled jumping around holding his foot.
Willow tried to surpress the urge to laugh because she was afraid she'd wet
the bed. Biting the inside of her cheek, she tried to speak.
"You okay?" She asked, her voice muffled.
"Fine, just a broken toe," he cracked, hobbling over to her.
"I have to go to the bathroom."
"The bathroom?"
"Must have drank too much herbal tea," she said, smiling shyly at him
"Do you want me get Buffy?" He asked, not sure what she wanted from him.
"No, I want you to carry me to the bathroom. You're a big, strong,
strapping man. I'm sure you can handle it. Since Buff had Evan, she's lost
the Slayer's strength," Willow said playfully.
"Oh you're so funny," Graham replied sarcastically and feeling suddenly
stupid.
"Must be a lot of that going around. I accused Riley of that earlier," she
said, placing her arms around his neck as he lifted her off the bed.
"Must be contagious. He accused me of it yesterday," Graham told her,
kissing her nose.
"I like that."
"What? Me kissing your nose?" He asked because he was more than happy to do
it again if she liked it.
"No, getting something contagious from you," she said, before leaning in to
kissing him on the lips.
Pulling back Graham licked his lips.
"Not while I'm carrying you. With my luck, I'll drop you," he laughed,
butting open the bathroom door.
"Oh, another good use for that magnificent ass of yours."
Willow didn't care what she said, she knew she could blame it on the drugs.
Graham blushed at Willow's sudden forwardness.
<Must be the drugs. >
"I'll wait outside," he said, backing out of the room as soon as her butt
hit the toilet seat.
"I'll call when I need you," she smiled sweetly at his blushing face.
<Look at him blush! He's gone down on more women than Casanova, than he
has money, and here he is blushing at my need to go pee. >
"Okay."
Graham waited outside that bathroom door until he heard Willow curse, and
what sounded like someone falling. Opening the bathroom door he found
Willow in a heap, with her bare bum smiling up at him.
"I forgot about the ankle for a minute. Thank the Goddess they gave me this
pain to remind me," she grinned at him sheepishly.
<Well, this is embarrassing. >
"Here let me help," Graham said, squatting down beside her to pull her into
his arms.
"Thanks."
She smiled as she felt herself safely encased in his powerful arms.
"Don't mention it," he whispered into her ear as he deposited her back on
the bed. He helped her get comfortable and then returned to the couch.
He was just drifting off when he heard her call his name again.
"Graham?"
"Yeah, Will?"
"Can you come here?"
"Sure," he said, covering the space between them in four strides.
"What's up?"
She pulled back the covers and slid over. He looked down at her, totally
confused.
"Get in here! And don't think you're getting lucky tonight, mister! I just
want to feel your arms around me."
He laughed at her remark and slid into the big bed next to her.
"However…" Willow began imperiously, "when they finally do put this cast on
and I invite you into my bed, it will not be to hold me, got it?"
"Got it," Graham replied smartly.
"Good," she said, snuggling into his arms before turning her head to kiss
him goodnight.
The story continues in chapter 18