Riley smiled watching his son in the batters cage. Evan was a athlete and being the typical father Riley was proud of his son. Riley stood outside the cage watching Evan take crack after crack at the ball, and with each good hit he’d turn to his father for approval. Was Evan trying to make up for all the doubles, triples and homeruns that Riley had missed over the years.
"Where did you learn to hit like that?" Riley asked his son, shocked at the accuracy that the 9 year old had. True by the time Riley was 9 he'd been sunken baskets and scoring goals without really thinking, so why was he so surprised by his son's athletic ability.
"The uncles."
"Uncles?'
"Yeah, Xander and Lindsay. Did you know that Uncle Lindsay won a baseball scholarship to UCLA? What he didn't teach me, Uncle Xander did." Evan said proudly. Riley was positive his son grew six inches when he spoke of either man.
"You are close with them both?" He knew he was digging for information, but he wanted to know what Lindsay's true roll had been in Evan's and Buffy's lives.
"Oh yeah! And with Uncle Angel and Spike too. Their vampires, do you know that?" he finished in a hushed voice, knowing this wasn't something he was to tell everyone, but he figured his dad was okay.
"Yes, buddy I know them both."
<Yeah! And I wonder what slanderous things the two undead bookends have told
you about me?>
"They're both so cool. When mom use to work a lot of nights with Uncle Lindsay either Uncle Angel or Spike would stay with me till mom got home. Those were fun nights." Smiled the young boy remembering happier days.
"You mom use to work a lot of late nights with Lindsay?"
<Why am I asking my 9 year old son these questions, I should be asking Buffy!>
"Yeah until last year. She realised that I was more important than her work, so she started getting home at 5:00 instead. And the nights that I had baseball or soccer she'd always be at the games, unless she was in court, then Aunt Willow or Uncle Xander would take me. When I was younger I'd hate it when Aunt Willow would take me. Everyone would be all over her, and I knew she didn't like it, she'd get frighten sometimes."
"Really?" Riley asked interested in Willow's life, and how her celebrity had affected her.
"Oh yeah! For awhile there she wouldn't leave the house unless Uncle Angel or Zander were with her. Mom said that she was busy doing other things, but I knew she was frighten of people. They can do and say nasty things to her."
"I know buddy."
<I'm glad you don't know the half of it Evan.>
"Do you want at shot?" Evan said holding the bat out to his father.
"Sure why not." Riley said coming through the gate taking the bat from Evan.
Finally noticing Evan’s flushed cheeks, Riley became the concerned father and reached to check his son’s temperature.
"Are you okay?" he asked the concern clear in his voice.
"You’re starting to sound like mom. Don’t worry dad I’m fine, just worked up a sweat hitting the ball, I’m okay. Guess I’m a little out of shape, mom hasn’t let me play since the Chemo." Evan said ducking his head so his father’s hand fell.
"Are you telling me your mom would freak if she knew what we were doing?"
"Yeah. I’m suppose to rest." Evan replied looking totally guilty..
"Ev, I thought we agreed that you weren’t going to try and pull any fast ones on me with your mom." Riley said looking down at his son slumped figure.
"I know, but I really wanted you to see me bat and pitch. This was important to me dad. Everywhere I look around the house I see what the girls can do. Jordan’s dancing and gymnastic awards, Hopes music ribbons and even Tristan has a skating ribbon up. I wanted to show you what I could do. I want you to be proud of me too." Evan said looking up at his father
"Ev, buddy I’m proud of you just because of who you are."
"Yeah, don’t let the sick kid tire himself out." Evan quipped looking away from his father.
"That’s not what I’m saying Evan, and you know that."
"Sorry, but I’m just sick of being told what I can’t do." He said shoving his hands in his pocket mirroring the stance of his father without thinking.
"I think I know how you’re feeling, but kiddo your mom is only doing that to protect you."
"I know." Evan sighed, "But dad if I’m going to die in the next 6 months I want you to see who I was before I got sick. I want you to love me for what I could do, not because I’m sick and you have too."
Riley was shocked by his son’s statement. What could have made his son think such a thing? Had he said anything that would have made Evan think this.
"Evan I love you. What would make you say that?" Riley rasped trying to control himself and his fear that Evan didn't think he loved him for the right reasons.
"Well, until I got sick you wanted nothing to do with me, then mom asks you for help and there you are. Why didn’t you want anything to do with me when I was well?" Evan would look up at his father, instead watched as he scuffed his shoe through the dirt.
Okay you could have knocked Riley over with a feather after that comment. His son thought he only loved him because he was dying.
"Evan your mom told me she told you what happened when you were little, is that true?"
"Yes sir." He said shaking his head. Riley placed his arm over his son’s shoulders and lead him to the bench at the back of the cage. How was he going to explain all this to his son, when he himself didn’t understand what really had happened.
"Evan if I had known that your mom had been pregnant with you, I would have moved heaven and earth to have been by her side. I loved your mom so much, that it hurt loving her."
"Special when you thought she didn’t love you." Evan finished for his father.
"You really do know the story." Riley sighed sadly as he pulled his son closer to him.
"Yeah." Evan said patting his father’s hand
"Do you have any idea how much I love you? When your mom told me on the phone that I had a son, well, I wanted to shout from the rooftops, I was so happy. You see Evan, I've always wanted a son. Don't get me wrong I love your sisters with every beat of my heart, but I've always wanted a son. Some one to teach things to, someone to do the things I did with my dad." Riley finished with a soft smile on his face, thinking about his father and the times the two had spent together.
"And now you have me." Evan smiled up at his dad.
"Now I have you." Riley said hugging his son to him.
"Don't ever think that again okay? You are an important part of my life Evan, and you will be for the rest of my days."
"So Uncle Lindsay was wrong then?"
"Uncle Lindsay?"
"Yeah I heard him and mom arguing about us coming here. He said, you shouldn’t get the satisfaction of knowing me, since you've never been there for me growing up. That you were just trying to elevate the guilt you felt for leaving mom and me." Evan said looking up at him trying to figure out why Uncle Lindsay would say such things if they weren't true.
"Did your mom agree with him?" Riley hoped and prayed that Evan would say no, he need to hear him say this.
"No, she said that you would have loved me from day one, if she'd given you half a chance. I didn't get that part though."
"I don't either buddy, but your mom must have had a good reason to say that. I guess it goes back to me not thinking she loved me."
The two sat in silence for a few seconds before Evan finally spoke again.
"But she did love you, she was just afraid to tell you. She’s not afraid to tell you now dad." He said turning to look his father in the eye.
"I know she’s not." Riley smiled remembering when she’d finally admitted the other day that she’d always loved him.
"Do you still love her?" Evan asked crossing his fingers behind his back so that his wish would come true. Maybe it was a girlie thing to do, but right now he needed all the help he could.
"Yeah, I love your mom."
"Then can I ask you a favour?"
"Sure buddy. What is it?" Riley almost laughed when he noticed the serious look on his son’s face. The look was so out of place on a child this ages face, but then he remember that his sister Jordan was famous for that look.
"If I die, will you take care of mom." Evan was trying really hard to hold his trembling jaw still. Uncle Spike had told him to never show fear if you wanted to win something, whether it was a fight or a game of cards. Evan would miss Uncle Spike, he was the only adult who had always been completely honest with him about his illness. Uncle Spike would help him break his mother’s rules whenever possible, Evan knew Uncle Spike had a special spot in his heart for his mother, so he loved to help Evan frustrate her.
"Evan you’re not going to die, so let’s not talk about stuff like this." Riley said getting up from the bench to kneel in front of his son.
True Riley had always been the king of the realists in the world, but the last thing he wanted to deal with right now was this conversation with his son. Part of him kept thinking if he held his breath and closed his eyes it would all go away, the other part was yelling at him to be realistic and live every moment he had left with his son, .as though it was his last. Evan was the only thing that mattered to him at this moment in time, and to loss him, like he'd lost Claire would kill him. So instead of pushing on with the conversation he pushed it away.
"I promise that I will take care of her if, when the time is right." Riley couldn't ever bring himself to say the words dead or die.
"Will you marry her?" he asked hopefully.
"Honestly I don't know Ev, it will all depend on Hope. I do promise you though that your mother will always be an important part of my life, whether I marry her or not. I love her, always remember that."
"I love you dad." He said throwing his arms around his father's neck.
"I love you too." He said hugging his son back.
"I just wanted you to know in case I don't get a chance to tell you later."
"No more talk like that! Evan, I promise you one thing. That I will use all my money, power and influence to ensure that we find a cure for you. I will turn every stone over until I do."
"You don't have to do that dad, but I do have a request that maybe you can make come true then." Evan pulled back to look his father in the eye.
"Okay what do you want?"
"I want to spend Christmas here with you, my sisters and mom. I want a white Christmas, just once in my life."
"What about Willow."
"Oh Aunt Willow will stay, because of Uncle Graham." He smiled knowingly at his father.
"What about your grandparents or Aunt Dawn. Then there Xander and Anya."
"They could all come here! The house is big enough. You and mom could share a room, like Uncle Graham and Aunt Willow did last night."
"Excuse me?" Riley was shocked that his son had noticed Graham and Willow's sleeping arrangements. He'd have to speak to them about being more discreet.
"I know she slept in his room last night, and Uncle Graham slept on the couch. Couldn't you and mom do that?"
"Well…" Riley sighed realising that Evan was still innocent to the ways of adults.
"Please dad? This is all I want for Christmas." He said pleading with his father.
Riley was about as excited as his son was by the idea. He'd love to spend Christmas with Evan and Buffy. His parents and brothers where coming, they could met Evan. He'd even love to have Buffy's family and Xander here, Riley had actually missed the crew over the years. Riley would even open up the invitation to the whole group if it meant he'd get to spend more time with Buffy and Evan.
"Why don't we head home, so I can run this past your mother, and we'll see. I'd love to have you both here for Christmas, but to tell you the truth Evan, I already had my Christmas the day you stepped off that plan." Riley got up and pulled his son up from the bench
"Me too, but Santa wasn’t there!" he giggled.
"Oh so you think you've been good do you?" Riley laughed back throwing his arm over his son's shoulder as they headed out of the batting cage towards the exit.
________________________________________________________________________
"Where is everyone?" Graham asked as he carried Willow in from the car.
"I'm not sure the place is like a morgue. Maybe we can go up stairs then and take a nap." Wiggling her eyebrows suggestively at Graham.
"I think one of us should have a nap, while I go home and grab some new clothes. Besides I have to drop my tux into the cleaners for Friday. You do have something to wear Friday, don't you?" he teased knowing that she had nothing of the sort in her luggage.
"I was thinking about going nude, with just this wonderful cast. What do you think?" she teased as he sat her on the chair and helped her take her coat off and one boat.
"I don’t think I'd like anyone else seeing that remarkable body of yours."
"Don't let all those nude scenes in my movies fool you, I usually use a body double."
"Remember I haven't seen any of your movies, but I did see your glorious body in the tub this morning? Have you forgotten who put you in and then washed your magnificent back after you pulled him in?"
"Oh was that you?" Leaning over she kissed his lips lingering there to taste the sweetness from the ice cream cone he'd eaten on his way home in the car.
"Hmmm. Chocolate." She smile licking his lips again.
"You like chocolate do you?" he mumbled against her lips.
"Only when it's on your lips. You are the sweetest man in the world." She pulled back to smile at him.
"Well next time I can roll in it for you."
"I didn't mean sweet that way. You make me smile Graham, I mean… you make my heart smile and it's been a long time since it's done that."
"I know what you mean." He leaned in to kiss her lips again.
"None of that in the front hallway unless it's under the mistletoe." Riley said coming in through the front door with Evan hot on his heels.
"Finn hasn't anyone told you, that you have incredible timing?" Graham smirked at getting caught by Riley.
"Oh what's the saying, turn around is fair play, my dear friend?" Riley cracked.
"So how was lunch?" Willow asked her nephew.
"Great! Aunt Will would you stay here in Boston with me for Christmas?"
Willow was caught off guard by Evan's question and looked to Riley for clarification.
"Evan has asked to spend Christmas here with me and the girls. And of course Buffy too. He want to have a white Christmas." Riley quickly explained smiling like a damn fool.
"Yeah will you?" Graham asked just as excited at the prospect of sharing the holidays with her.
"I'd have to call my agent, but I think that can be arranged.
"Cool!" Evan yelled and raced through the house looking for his mother with is father close on his heels.
"He's so excited." Willow smiled watching the father and son's departing backs.
"Yeah Evan seems to be." Graham said leaning into to finish off the kiss he'd been planning on giving his new girlfriend before they'd been interrupted.
"I meant Riley." Willow giggled.
"Yeah? Well I know he'd love to spend the holidays with the two of them. Just like I'd love to spend them with you."
"I know what you mean. Walking up in your arms for another two weeks would be the greatest Christmas gift this girl could ever ask for."
"Or this little boy." He leaned in to kiss her.
"We could stay at my place…"
"Do you too ever take a break." Riley said picking up his coat and heading towards the door.
"It would give us more privacy." Graham finished with a mock glare in his friend's direction.
"Where are you going?"
" Back to the office, Buffy told me Hal called, looks like they've broken the translation."
"I'm coming with you."
"No you're not, your staying here in case Willow needs to be carried up those stairs. I'll call you when I know what the scoop is." Riley said closing the door behind him, leaving Graham to glare after him.
Then the door opened again and Riley stuck his head back in the room.
"Oh and by the way Gray, nice hair cut. I always preferred the crew cut myself."
________________________________________________________________
When Riley came back the house was once again quiet, yet this time he could smell something wonderful coming from his kitchen. Obviously Buffy was at it again. Since she'd arrived she'd cooked dinner the last three nights, and boy could she cook. Following his nose he headed to the kitchen to find her staring out the patio doors, totally lost in her own thoughts. Riley snuck up behind her and wrapped her tiny frame in his arms and kissed the back of her neck.
"Graham I told you no more of that! Riley could walk in any minute."
"Excuse me?"
"Oh Riley it's you!" she pretended to shocked.
"If you'd rather have Graham I can go find him for you . Maybe Willow would appreciate my attention." He said starting to leave her.
"If you know what's good for you, you won't take your arms from around my waist." She threatened smiling at his reflection in the window.
"Okay, okay! I know when I'm being threatened!
"How was your day with Evan? I didn't get a chance to ask before you went flying out the door again." she asked watching his face the whole time.
<God! His housekeeper must do these windows every day!>
"It was great having him to myself for a change, not that I mind sharing him with his sisters, but it's still nice to have some guy time." Riley wasn't sure what to tell her about the batting cages when she spoke up.
"Evan told me about going to the batting cages, he didn't want me getting mad at you. Seems my son is good at forgetting certain things I tell him."
"Yeah, he informed me just as we were finishing. He reminds me of you when he does things like that." He smiled at her in the window.
"Me?"
"Yeah you!" he leaned in and kissed the back of her neck again.
"Hmmm! I like that."
"I know."
Buffy knew he was smiling because his lips were still resting on the sensitive spot at the back of her neck. She could feel his soft breath blowing the little hairs that had escaped from his French twist.
"Have I ever told you how I use to love it when you wore your hair this way. I love your neck, it's so graceful and sexy at the same time." This time he didn't kiss it, but licked it instead.
"Mr. Finn!" she smiled wishing she could push aside the dishes she'd just set on the table and have him right here, but common sense took over.
"It's true, and it's still that way today. You have the type of neck that should be draped in diamonds." This time he blow on her neck sending shivers down her spine.
"Well if that's an offer, I'm all prepared to be draped in diamonds." She turned around in his arms to face the man she loved and prepared to kiss him when they heard Evan voice.
"Mom when's dinner ready, we're starving." Upon turning around, they found Evan and Tristan standing just inside the kitchen door. The look on his youngest's face was priceless.
"Were you going to kiss her daddy?" Tristan asked him.
"Yes I was. Is that okay with you?" He asked crouching down so he could pick her up.
"Yeah, I want a baby brother or sister." She said shaking her head so her curls bounced.
"What!" Riley said his eyes nearly popping out of his head.
"Well if you love someone you kiss them and a baby comes." Tristan told him simply like she was explaining it to an idiot.
Buffy had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at her and Riley. Riley had just been slapped upside the head by his daughter's early concepts of sex, and from the look on his face he wasn't ready for it yet.
"Tristan, honey it's more complicated than that. When your older I'm sure your daddy will explain it to you." Buffy said tapping her on the nose.
"So I'm not getting a baby?"
"No!" Riley said still in shock at her statement.
"So when's dinner?" Evan asking coming to his parent's combined rescue.
"Whenever Uncle Graham gets back." Buffy said.
"Okay. Come on Tristan let's go tell the others."
"'kay!" she said racing after her brother after Riley had put her down.
"Okay the other two have let this whole sex thing slide, but not little miss smarty pants." Riley sighed plopping down on the stool by the breakfast nook.
"You mean you haven't had a talk with Jordan yet?" She asked coming to stand between his open legs.
"She's only 8! She's not ready for that yet." He said shocked that Buffy would ask such a question.
"Well don't wait to long, you don't want to be having the conversation in the birthing room with her." Buffy smirked.
"You're enjoying this aren't you?"
"Loving it, actually. I love watching the usually in control Riley Finn panic."
"Have you talked to Evan yet?'
"Sure when he was 6. Anya was pregnant and he started asking questions, so I had Xander tell him the truth."
"Ah! The truth comes out! You didn't tell him, you had Xander do it."
"Yes, of course." She said shrugging her shoulders.
"Wait, Xander told my son about the birds and the bees? He's definitely going to need therapy, isn't he?"
Riley said with mocked seriousness.
"Ha! Ha!" she said draping both arms around his neck. "Wanna make a baby?"
"With you. Any time." And in his heart he knew he was telling her the truth, another child with Buffy would be a dream come true. Evan had turned out to be a wonderful child. As their lips meet all thought of having a child disappeared from his head, actually all thoughts of the 4 kids down the hall disappeared from his head as well.
"Have you been practising? Cause that kiss was almost better than yesterday." He smiled tracing her lips with his finger.
"Yeah Graham's been wonderful."
"So where is boy wonder?'
"He went back to his place and then down to the police station."
"Police station?"
"L.A.P.D. were faxing him a copy of the police and forensic reports."
"Xander had Angel get his friend Kate do it for him." She replied on seeing Riley's eyebrows raise.
"He wants to make sure he has all the information available to him before he tells her tonight. He wants us there with him when he tells us."
"Is he sure he wants to do this?"
"You can ask him when he come in, maybe offer to tell her instead. I think he's gonna have a real hard time telling her, that if she'd been home that night instead of here, she'd be dead." Buffy said resting her forehead against his shoulder and shaking her head to clear the image of Willow dead.
"Maybe you're right, I'll talk to him later."
"Why not go check on her majesty before dinner, she may want to come down."
"Sure."
"Oh and she's in Graham's room. Seems Willow has taken a liking to his bed." Buffy snickered
"Good Lord!" Riley said shaking his head leaving the kitchen.
<Boy still has a great ass.>
Riley took the stairs two at a time and walked down the hall to Graham's room
and knocked.
"Come in." came her sweet voice.
"Hey beautiful. Thought I'd check to see if you wanted to come downstairs. Dinner will be ready as soon as Gray walks in the door." He said crossing to the couch were Willow sat with her foot up.
"Sure that would be great, but I'll need some help with the stairs." She smile at him shifting on the couch so he could join her.
"Are you okay Will, I mean really okay?" Riley asked sitting down
beside her.
"I've never been happier. I only wish that you and Buffy can find the
happiness that I have with Graham. We're going to take it slow, but Riley it
just feels so right, I can't imagine spending my life with any once else."
She gushed reminding him of the girl who had once helped him woo Buffy's.
"So everythings fine then." He smiled taking her hand in his.
"Smashing. I spoke with my agent Roger earlier this afternoon, and he’s encouraged me to stay in Boston, says I'm due a holiday. Ridley Scott isn't planning on going into production with Casablanca till February, so I have enough time for this sucker to heal. Roger's going to send me the script here, so I gave him the address. That's okay isn't it?" she asked hoping she hadn't compromised his or the girls privacy, considering the security system around the house.
"It's just my address Will, you didn't give away one of my daughters." He laughed at her.
"You know I missed hearing your laugh. You have the best laugh of anyone I know Riley, it’s contagious. I've missed you my friend, and I'm glad you're back in my life again." She smiled looking him in eye.
"I've missed you to Will. I missed our late night talks when I show up to meet Buffy."
"Me too." She use to live for those talks, and any small detail he'd drop regard Graham.
"Will can I ask you a question. If you don't want to answer you don't have too."
"Sure. You can ask me any question, my life is an open book, or at least that what the tabliods think." She smirked trying to hid the pain that these invasions into her personal life had cost her. Could she protect Graham and her relationship from them?
"What's Lindsay's and Buffy's relationship really all about? Were they ever together? Is there some curse, like Angel had, that keeps them apart? Because if there is I'm not sure I want to be part of something like this again."
Willow looked at Riley for a minute and wondered if she should break her friends confidences, but seeing the desperate look on his face she knew she had no choice but to answer him truthfully.
"Yes there is a curse. It's the curse of loving ex-commandos and never being truly free to love another man the way they need to be loved. Lindsay has always loved Buffy, but he realised that he didn't stand a chance with her as long as she still loved you. I think sometimes, he'd love to blame Evan for this, because your son is a constant reminder of you. Seeing Evan day in and day out reminds her of what she'd lost, and it killed what little bit of herself she had left to give."
"So he blames me and Evan, because Buffy can't love him."
"Don't get me wrong Riley, Lindsay love Evan like his own, but I think he'd prefer it if Evan was."
"It's not Evan he's been trying to keep from me, it's been Buffy?"
"Yup. He loves her and he can't have her, simple as that."
"So he feels just like I did 10 years ago."
"No there's a major difference here, Buffy was in love with you, she only loves Lindsay."
"Oooh! And I know what a hard pill that one is to swallow."