RATING: PG
COUPLING: Buffy/Riley Willow/Graham
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: Ladies and gentleman please put your hands together for my wonderful Beta reader, Anne-Marie, without who I'd be lost!! Chris, thanks so much for all your wonderful feedback, you're such a good buddy! To all the wonderful authors out there who inspire me - Ace, Sam, Amy, Chelle, Jesmin, Ginger, Holli, Nicole- thank you for challenging me everyday. Thank everyone who finds the time to send me feedback!
Buffy lay in bed, trying to recall the wonderful dream she’d had. In it, she could feel his warm breath on her cheek, his strong arms wrapped around her holding her against his hard chest and he whispered sweet, loving words to her between each kiss. Yes it had been a beautiful dream but as she opened her eyes, Buffy realised that what she had believed to be a dream was in fact, reality. Lying beside her, still wrapping her safely in his embrace, she came face to face with the love of her life. Blinking repeatedly Buffy struggled through the heavy layers of sleep to him. She reached up to touch his beautiful face and as her hand met his cheek her bottom lip started to tremble.
"What’s wrong?" Riley asked her softly, startling her as she had thought he was still asleep. He was so in tune with her that he could sense the change in her mood from last night without even opening his eyes. Last night they had pledged their undying love to each other, promising to be together until the end of time, and yet this morning she was clearly upset.
"Your real," she exclaimed in quiet awe as she buried her face in his solid chest.
"Of course I’m real," he replied, wanting desperately to know what was going on in her beautiful brain.
"I thought this was all a dream! That when I opened my eyes I’d be back
in California alone in my own bed, but here you are."
Her hand ran across his chest absently making contact with his nipple. Riley hissed at her mere touch and was amazed at the way his body cried out to hers.
"No sweetheart, it’s all real and you’re here in Boston with Evan and I," he whispered to her as he brushed her tousled hair out of her eyes with the back of his hand. Buffy reached for his hand and held it against her cheek, searching his eyes for the truth. Gradually her sleep-addled brain processed the fact that she was awake and had been the night before as well. Last night’s events came back to her full force and her eyes filled with tears.
"Oh Riley!" She cried happily through her tears.
"Yes it’s me," he smiled down at her kissing her forehead.
"What time is it?"
"Six o’clock."
"What time are the tests?"
"We have to be there for nine."
"Oh. What time did you wake up?" She asked, sensing that he’d been up for hours.
"I don’t think I really slept last night. Between worrying about today’s tests and having you lying in my arms, I was a little overwhelmed by everything," Riley yawned. "Just sort of drifted in and out."
"Do I overwhelm you?"
"Oh, you totally overwhelm me," he told her, lifting her palm to his lips and kissing it.
"Oh, my."
Buffy gulped seeing his need for her in his eyes. She wished she could let go and follow her own desire for him but the kids would be up soon and the last thing she needed was Hope finding her in her father’s bed. It seemed that Riley had other plans for her though as he ran his tongue down her palm and kissed the inside of her wrist, never once taking his eyes form hers.
"I thought you were mine," he said roughly, reaching to pull her closer to him.
"I am, but Riley we can’t do this now!" She begged pushing away from him and into a sitting position opposite him.
"Why not?" He asked with his playful, sexy, boy-next-door look. Buffy pushed the hair off his forehead and shook her head at him.
"You are so bad, Mr. Finn. Our children will coming running in here any second…"
"So you think of them as our children, do you?" He asked her as he attempted to pull her back down beside him one more time.
"No, I meant our son and your daughters but I’d love to think of them that way someday. I already do actually but I’m trying to convince myself that I don’t just in case this doesn’t work out."
Buffy eluded his hands again and tried to climb out of bed but he caught her around the waist and pulled her against him, pinning her with one heavy leg.
"Don’t go," he mumbled against her neck. He blew gently on the spot that he knew drove her crazy, making it clear to her how much he really wanted her. Riley didn’t make any comment about what she'd said about the children, as he was more interested in getting her to stay with him a few more minutes. There would be time to deal with their other issues later.
"You’re not playing fair," she hissed, trying to control her own need to have him as well. It was damn difficult but she knew that one of them needed to be the responsible adult.
"I love you," he whispered into her ear and kissing the ticklish spot right behind it.
"You really aren’t playing fair!" She said, struggling to pull away from him.
"Where are you going?" he asked as he watched her walk towards the bedroom door.
"Back to my own room. This way no one will know about us," she said, smiling fondly at him.
"But we didn’t do anything here!" Riley was becoming totally frustrated by their current situation.
"And we won’t be, not when the kids are going to be up any minute. What would happen if Hope walked in again?"
Hearing Buffy say those words quickly killed any desire that Riley had coursing through him. It was like being doused with a bucket of ice water.
"You’re right, Buffy. I’m sorry for being such an ass."
"Oh no Riley, that’s not what I was implying," she said as she rushed across the room to throw her arms around his neck. "You could never be an ass, but you do have a cute one!"
She kissed him in the exact same spot behind his left ear that he’d just kissed her, then turned around and headed back to the door but before she disappeared she stopped to blow him a kiss.
"I suggest you take a cold shower Riley. I think you need it!"
And with that she breezed out of his room and closed the door.
"No kidding!" He said to no one in particular before he climbed out of bed and headed to the bathroom.
<How many cold showers can I take in my life?>
An hour and a half later the Finn house was in full swing. Gone was the quiet that Buffy and Evan were normally used to. Instead it was controlled chaos with Riley in the middle of it. The girls were fighting about who's turn it was in the bathroom as Buffy stood in the doorway watching Riley put a French braid in Jordan’s hair.
"Hope, take your toothbrush down to my bathroom and brush your teeth there," Riley said, watching his two youngest children fight.
"But Daddy…"
"Don’t Daddy me Hope, get moving! Tristan, you get in there and brush
your teeth."
"So… are mornings always like this?" Buffy asked, coming up behind him to inspect his braiding.
"Yeah, controlled chaos! Good morning," he said as he leaned back to place a kiss on her cheek.
"Morning yourself," she replied, remembering the kiss he’d given her earlier that morning.
"Morning Buffy," Jordan said from her seat on the floor in front of her father.
"Morning Dani sweetheart," she said to the child before turning her attention back to Riley.
"Where’d you learn to do this?" She asked, studying his braid.
"Watching you," he smiled up at her as he remembered the mornings he would lie in bed and watch her braid her hair before class.
"He’s better than Sam," Dani said, trying to see Buffy in the mirror.
"There you go, all done," Riley said, giving his daughter a quick hug.
"Thanks Dad! You’re the best!" She said climbing on to her knees and kissing him on the cheek.
Buffy smiled as she saw Riley blush slightly from his daughter’s compliment.
"Now hurry up. Sam has breakfast waiting for you," he said returning her kiss before she raced out of the room.
"Tristan, you better not be playing in the water in there young lady!" Riley yelled at his youngest as he started to get off the bed to check on her.
"Nope!" She said as she appeared in the doorway with toothpaste all over her face and clothes.
"Tristan…" he sighed, throwing his hands up in the air. Now he was going to have to find her something else to wear, which meant he’d have to redo her hair. Today was not the day he needed this, and at that exact moment his stomach decided to remind him of the importance of today as he raced for the bathroom. Buffy flew in behind him as he gagged and empty the contents of his stomach into the toilet. Rubbing his back Buffy glanced over her shoulder to see Tristan and Hope watching them.
"Hey guys, why don’t you both go and see what Sam’s got for breakfast," Buffy suggested as she attempted to block the girls’ view of their father as he threw up again.
"Is Daddy okay?" Hope asked, frightened by her father’s sudden illness.
"He’s fine Hope. It’s just an upset tummy. Now why don’t you go eat and we’ll be down soon." She smiled encouragingly at the girls, trying to keep her own concern for Riley out of her voice.
"You promise?" Hope asked, not quite believing Buffy.
"Yeah sweetie, I’ll be fine," Riley managed to rasp out as he retched again.
"But he doesn’t sound good," Tristan said, craning her neck so she could see around Buffy.
"So what’s going on here?" Graham asked from the doorway where the two younger Finns were staring up at Buffy as she blocked the bathroom door.
"Daddy’s throwing up," Tristan said, turning to look up at her uncle. "Maybe he needs some flat gingerale, like Sam gives me when my tummy’s upset."
"Really?" Graham asked shooting Buffy a questioning look which she answered with a slight nod of her head.
"Okay, ladies, why don’t we leave your dad in Buffy’s care and we’ll go have some French toast." Graham said, steering the girls toward the door. Once the girls were out in the hallway Graham returned to Buffy.
"Nervous?" He asked her.
"Think so. He seemed pretty high strung when I came in here earlier," she answered, looking back to the bathroom as she heard Riley retch again..
"Take care of him, and I’ll get the girls settled down with breakfast."
"Thanks Gray," she said using Riley’s nickname for Graham as he left the room.
Stepping back into the bathroom, Buffy noted that Riley was know sitting on the bathroom floor wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. He looked horrible! He was pale and sweaty and his hair was plastered to his forehead. Going to the sink, Buffy ran a face cloth under the cold tap and filled a glass full of water for him. Turning the water off she went to him and sat on the floor.
"You okay?" She asked wiping off his face with the cool cloth.
"I’ve never done that in front of the kids," he said softly, obviously ashamed that his nerves had gotten the better of him this morning.
"They’re both okay, don’t worry. Graham took them down for breakfast. You know, he’s a handy guy to have around," she tried to joke with him, to take his mind off what was on her’s as well.
"God send," Riley agreed.
"Here drink this and rinse your mouth out, it’ll help," she said as she reached around to place the cool cloth on the back of his neck.
"Thanks. You’re a God send as well," he said taking the glass from her with shaky hands.
"I’m always here for you."
"I hate this. Hospitals, Evan being sick, having to make the girls go through this. It makes me crazy! I’m so sorry you had to see this," he said motioning to the bathroom and trying to apologize to her for what she’d just seen.
"Don’t worry about it, Riley. If I had a dime for every time I had my head stuck in a toilet bowl…" she said letting the rest of the sentence drop off as she kiss his forehead.
"Go have another shower and get cleaned up. I’ll go down and check on Graham and the girls."
"Thanks," he said smiling meekly at her.
"Don’t worry about it," she said lightly as she pulled him to his feet. She supported him by placing her arm around his waist. "Think you’re going to be okay?"
"Yeah, just nerves."
Riley felt a heavy weight on his chest and something tickling the back of his hand as he fought to open his eyes. He could feel someone stir near him and he felt the weight shift on top of his chest as his eyes fluttered open.
"Hey sleephead," said the voice of an angel.
"Hey yourself," he rasped as Buffy’s face came into focus. She was resting her chin on his chest but she cocked her head sideways in order to see him better.
"How you feeling?"
"Like someone’s used a huge needle to take out half my hip," he said, trying to make a joke.
"Yeah, I know it hurts. They gave you something for the pain. It must have been what knocked you out. Either that or you’re just making up for the sleep you’ve missed the last couple days."
Her fingers traced a heart shape over his heart as she felt his chest rise and fall.
"How are the girls?" He asked, licking his dry lips.
"Dani’s in right now having the procedure done. Last time I saw Tristan, she and Graham were cuddling together in recovery. Seems the nurses didn’t mind him climbing into bed with her when she woke up. She was crying because it hurt at first and calling for you but when she saw Graham she calmed right down. They’ve given her something for the pain and she’s fallen asleep again. Willow’s with Hope but she hasn’t woken up yet. Everything went well."
"Oh," Riley said lamely, feeling lousy because he couldn’t be with his daughters to comfort them.
"Maybe I should go be with Hope, she’ll be scared if she doesn’t know where she is," Riley said trying to sit up but the weight of Buffy’s head kept him in place.
"Willow’s with her and Graham’s right there too. You need to rest right now. I don’t want to hear another thing about you getting up, do you understand me? Or do I have to sick nurse Cratchett on you?" Buffy asked, lifting her head up so that she could send a threateing glare in his direction. "Go back to sleep he-man, and we’ll get you all home as soon as Steve says we can."
"Okay," Riley said closing his eyes again. His eyes drifted shut as the drugs began to overtake him again and as sleep came Riley could feel her stoking his hair and whispering that she loved him.
From the doorway a nurse stood watching the two of them and she smiled as Buffy glanced over at her.
"You and your husband really love each other," she smiled at Buffy with a hit of envy in her voice. "And your little girls are so sweet. I’d give up my eye teeth to have what you have."
"So would I," Buffy sighed as the nurse walked away. "So would I."
_____________________________________________________________________
Buffy walked out of Riley’s recovery room and straight into Graham.
"How are the girls? I was just going to check on them," Buffy asked resting her arm on his for balance.
"They're both fine. Tristan is asleep again and Hope's with Willow. She just woke up and was complaining about it hurting so the nurse just gave her something for the pain. She'll be asleep soon. I just thought I'd make a quick trip to the little boys room," he said, indicating to the door behind her.
"Any word on Dani?" Buffy asked suddenly wondering why they were taking so long with her. She'd been gone for a while.
"No there hasn’t been actually," he said wondering himself why they were taking so long with her.
"I'll go check," she said nodding towards the surgical nurses station.
"How's Rye?"
"In pain, but sleeping. He should get all the sleep he can now. It’ll help when we get home."
"Yeah, you're probably right," He said looking through the recovery room doors at Willow and the girls.
"You really love those girls, don't you?" she said following his gaze.
"With all my heart. Part of me feels like their mine, I guess," Graham said shrugging his shoulders and pulling his gaze away from the door to look at Buffy.
"I can understand that. You spend so much time with them."
"Maybe, but I think it was Tristan's birth that did it for me. Being there when we almost lost her."
"She almost died?"
"Yeah, she was 2 months premature. But she's my beautiful little fighter. I use to come down to this place everyday to give Riley and Claire a break, so they could go home and be with Jordan and Hope. I'd sit here at night and talk to her. I think she knew my voice before she knew Claire's or Riley's. I used to tell her everything because I knew she'd never judge me," he said shrugging his shoulders again and realising that he'd told Buffy maybe too much.
"Judge you about what?"
"Leaving the woman I loved behind, not wanting to fall in love again ‘cause it hurt too much, afraid to trust woman with my heart again, stuff like that," Graham said looking at the bathroom door behind Buffy and shifting from foot to foot. It was offical now. He had shared far too much information with her.
"Oh you really have to go!" she said as she remembered his purpose for being in the hall and noticing his uneasy movements..
"Not really," he sighed. "I just didn't want to look you in the eye, afraid you'd judge me too. Most people do."
"I told you in the airport that all is forgiven between us, Graham. And let the rest of the world wonder why a handsome, intelligent, multi-millionaire like yourself isn't married. I know that you lost your heart like I did years ago and there's never been anyone else for us. It’s okay, you know," Buffy said as she reached up to give Graham a peck on the cheek before gliding down the hall towards the nurses station. He stared after her in silent comtemplation and decided that maybe Buffy was right. Neither of them had ever found anyone else who could hold a candle to Willow and Riley.
__________________________________________________________________
Evan was sitting with Sam and staring out the window. He was trying to wait patiently for his parents and sisters to get home from the hospital but he was getting anxious. His parents had decided that because of his frail immune system and given all the germs and bugs the hospital had to offer, it would be best for him to wait at home.
"Evan are you sure you don't want anything for lunch?" Sam asked him. She was as anxious as Evan was for them to get home. Sam thought of the Finn’s as her family and sitting her on her hands was hard for her. She would rather be at the hospital holding one of the girls' hands but when Riley asked her to stay home and watch over his son, she had relented knowing that Evan needed her too. Sam found it hard to believe that this charming boy bore any resemblence to his shrew of a California bitch monster mother. She still wasn’t sure what Riley saw in her!
"No thanks Sam. I'll eat when they all come home. I'm too worried about them to eat."
"About the results?"
"No, about my father and my sisters. I know they won't find a match for me so I'm preparing to die in my own way. It would be great if one of them was a match but I’m not holding my breath. I'd rather they were here with me," Evan said to her and smiled. Sam sighed and decided that it would be a shame if he died. He had more light and more love in him than most of the state of Massasscheutts.
"Do you know how much like your father you are? He's always worrying about everyone else but himself."
"You think?' Evan asked proudly.
"I do."
"My Dad's pretty cool, isn't he?" Evan said, climbing down from his chair and joining her on the couch.
"Yeah he is," she agreed, thinking about her employer. Sam thought of Riley as more than just her employer. He was also her friend. He was a handsome, sweet, intelligent, and generous to a fault after all the man had given her a trip home and spending money as a Christmas gift. How many other nanny’s could say that?
"Did you know Claire?" Evan asked quietly, tracing the floral pattern on the couch with his index finger.
"I knew of her, but I didn't meet her before she died. People I know who knew her said she was a wonderful woman and that your dad loved her. I was hired after she died because the girls needed someone to look after them."
"Oh," he said going back over to the window to stare out. He wasn't really sure why he wanted to know about his Dad's first wife but it seemed like something he had to do.
<Maybe Uncle Graham could tell me more.>
As he sat pondering this he saw the front gates slowly swing open and the truck start up the driveway.
"Sam! They're home!" He yelled rushing to front door and pulling it open.
"Evan! Honey when the alarm’s on you can't just pull doors open! You’ll have the entire sherriff’s department banging down the door in 10 minutes!" Sam said as she rushed to the panel to punch in the code to deactivate the alarm.
"I'm sorry Sam, I'm not use to having to think before I open the door. I'll think next time. Just don't tell Dad! He kept telling us not to forget about the alarms," Evan said as his shoulders slumped.
Seeing how bad the young man felt, Sam placed her arm around his slight frame and squeezed him gently. Living in Fort Knox would take some getting use to for all of them but Sam understood Riley's need to protect his family. She just wished this newest addition would disappear.
<Send her back to L.A. where she'll have studio bodyguards to take care of little Miss Oscar.>
"It's okay Evan, it'll just take some getting use to. I forget sometimes too."
"No you don’t Sam, but thanks. You're as careful as Dad and Uncle Graham. I wish someone would tell me why everyone is acting so freaky."
"Honey, I think sometime you're lucky not to know. I know I wish sometime I was still a kid and could let the adults do all the worrying. What do you say we just concentrate on getting this crew into bed fo now?" She asked, stepping out the door onto the front porch.
"Okay," Evan said, moving out of the way as he saw Graham carrying Hope from the car.
"Here let me take her," Sam said, reaching for the sleeping child. "You go get the other girls."
"Thanks, Sam," Graham said letting her take Hope from him. Before she could turn to go into the house, Graham place a hand on her arm to stop her. Sam turned to him, hoping he was going to say something to her but instead he leaned in and kissed Hope's forehead before turning to walk away. Sam was crushed. As always she'd hoped for too much.
"Here Buffy let me take Tristan," Graham said, rushing to her side.
"No, she's not heavy. You get Dani," Buffy answered, pushing past him towards the house.
Going to the other vehicle Graham opened the back door to find Dani asleep with her head in Riley's lap.
"Let me take Dani and you and Willow stay here. Buffy and I will be back to help the two of you," he said taking Dani from Riley and heading towards the front door.
"I really hate it when he dismisses me like that," Riley complained glaring at his departing friend's back.
"I know what you mean. Already it's driving me crazy! He thinks he knows what's best for everyone," Willow fumed, turning to face Riley from the front seat.
"Sad thing is, he ususally does," Riley said as he leaned his head against the Landrover's head rest.
"Well, not this time. Once I get up on these I'm okay," she said referring to her crutches. She winked at Riley. "What about you?"
"I think I can manage the front door," he smiled, liking where her mind was headed.
"He can't keep us prisoners in this lousy SUV! Oh, I'm sorry! I meant this lovely SUV!" She smiled at Riley.
"He'll be so pissed!" Riley laughed as he opened his door.
"Yeah, but it'll be worth seeing the look on his face," Willow returned and laughed as she opened her own door.
"Riley you'll have to help me with the crutches and point out the ice. That's if your eyes are open enough!"
"I can see Rosenberg, just make sure you can manuever on those crutches! I don't think I could move quick enough to catch you, everything seems to be in slow motion. Stupid drugs!" He grumbled.
"Ew Ew! Just like the Six Million Dollar Man!" she laughed as she stood up testing her crutches.
"Yeah, just call me Sixy"
"I thought it was Sexy?"
"That's what Buffy usually calls me."
The two were in stitches by the time they reached the front hallway but all the laughing stopped as they met the angry gazes of Buffy and Graham.
"I thought I told you two to sit still!" Graham snapped stomping down the stairs towards them.
"You could have fallen and really hurt yourself!" He yelled, stopping in front of the pair. Willow and Riley tried to look properly chastised but once they looked at each other they broke out laughing.
"This isn't funny! You both could have been hurt! Willow, you could have slipped on the ice and done more damaged to your already broken foot! And you could have become dizzy or something and smashed your head on the ground or worse!" Buffy said, pointing her finger at a still giggling Riley.
"Stop laughing! It isn't that funny," Graham growled at them, getting angerier by the minute at their behaviour.
The more their partners growled at them the funnier Willow and Riley found it. Leaning on each other for support they limped their way down the hall towards the family room leaving their yelling loved ones behind them.
"That was fun… did you see the look on Gray's face… thought he was going to blow that vein in his forehead," Riley howled as he and Willow flopped onto the couch.
"Oh and did you see the look on Buffy's face! Her eyes nearly popped right out of her head when we started laughing at them," Willow snickered as she rested her head on Riley’s shoulder.
"Do you think we were wrong, Willow?" Riley asked sobering slightly.
"Nah, they're just not used to having their orders ignored. I think the two of them will have to get used to you and I out to get them," she said still giggling.
"Think you're right. Those two are such control freaks."
"You should talk," Graham's cool voice came from the doorway.
"Think they found us," Willow said and a new bout of giggles started.