The Song Remembers When
Chapter Four
DISCLAIMER: All BtVS characters belong to the wonderfully talented
mind of Joss Whedon. However I do own Riley's daughters and Sam the
nanny.
RATING: PG
COUPLING: Buffy/Riley
SUMMARY: A/U - Riley has left Buffy, and this is 10 years into the
future.
FEEDBACK: Pretty pretty please! I really hate to beg,but will .
SPOILERS: All of Season 5, and my own little universe.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Okay I went up to the cottage Friday night, but this
damn story has been rolling around my brain all weekend, so I came
back early to add a couple of chapters. For some reason this story
seems to have a life of it's own.
Riley sat in the silent kitchen by himself. He had a son.
<A son!>
The words kept echoing through his heart and head.
<A son!>
He had to admit, as much as he loved and cherished his daughters,
he'd long to have a son. Someone to take care of his of his daughters
when he wasn't around. Someone to shoot baskets in the driveway with.
Someone to take fishing or do other guy things with. Instead the
Powers That Be had blessed him with three beautiful daughters. True,
he threw baskets with his oldest Jordan, but something was missing.
Instead of talking about sports and cars, they talked about boys and
her dance classes. Riley would not give these moments up, but he'd
missed something being the man in the house.
Now adays he not only was he the girls father, but their mother as
well. He'd learned to braid hair and listen to Brittany Spears. He
could even name all the Spice girls and Backstreet Boys. He knew the
difference between a Barbie doll and a regular doll. He'd even read
up on how to talk to his daughters about sex, though this was one
conversation he was not looking forward to having with them. When
he'd voiced his concerns to Graham, he'd been met with the offer to
sell tickets that day. He loved his daughters, but now he had a son.
The phone rang breaking him from his thoughts. Reaching for the
phone he expected to hear Willow's voice, but instead he was met with
Graham's.
"Well? What happened?" Graham demanded.
Riley could hear the nervousness and anxiety in Graham's voice.
Riley was touched to his core by his best friends concern for him.
"I have a son. A son, Graham." As he said this aloud he felt
himself smile.
"You what!?!?!" Graham's voice exploded down the phone line.
"I have an 10 year old son named Sean Evan Riley Summers, but Buffy
says he prefers Evan. They're coming here tomorrow."
"What the hell is she talking about!" Graham exploded again, as he
paced around his hotel room. Suddenly the phone went flying out of
his hand as he'd paced further than the cord would allow him to.
Riley heard the ruckus as the receiver went flying across the room.
He smiled as he knew Graham would be pacing, he always did this when
he was upset about something. Hell, he'd worn enough holes in their
office carpet over the years.
As Graham picked up the phone he could hear Riley laughing at his
expense. The phone flying across the room was not a new thing to
Riley.
"Gray, man! You've got to stop pacing when you're on the phone,
unless it's cordless. Your killing phones is starting to cost the
company big bucks."
"How can you laugh at a time like this!" Roared Graham.
"I have an honest to God son Graham! A living breathing son! Be
happy for me."
"She's probably read the piece on us Time magazine did and she's
after her share of your millions."
"You think?" Riley suddenly stopped smiling and sat back down to
think about what Graham had just said. It did make sense. Nothing
for 10 years and then two weeks after the article she calls. Riley
and Graham's company had made them millionaires several times over.
Could Buffy actually be after child support?"
"Nah? She would have had me served with papers if that was the case.
No Gray, you didn't hear her. That's not it." Riley tried to
explain what had just happened with Buffy, but the words failed him.
"To be safe, I think you should call Bob and let him know the score.
He could draw something up, just in case. Make her an offer to go
away."
"Gray! This is my son were talking about here. I'm not calling a
lawyer."
"Are you sure he's even yours."
"You're starting to sound like Forrest, when it comes to Buffy."
"I like Buffy, Riley. Right now, I'm more concerned about you and
the girls. You're just back on your feet after Claire's death, I'm
not prepared to let that Slayer come in here and blow it to peices."
" Look I know he's mine. The time frames fit perfectly. He was born
April 12th."
"Call a lawyer."
"Not yet." Riley said sighing as he mulled over Graham's point.
They sat in silence for a few seconds.
"What time does your flight get in again?" Riley suddenly had the
need for his best friend to be by his side when he saw Buffy again
and met his son.
"Noon tomorrow."
"Want the girls and me to pick you up. You know how the girls like
the airport. Claire was positive, that with all the time she spent
there with them dropping and picking us up, that the girls would end
up flight attendants."
"Not my little beauties. I have plans for my nieces. No need to
pick me up, I'm parked at the Park and Fly place. Besides, Tristan
has a party tomorrow, and you need to drop her off. Something about
the Ice Capades."
"How do you know?" Riley asked as he frowned in confusion, tonight
was the first time he'd heard any of this.
"Because she'd answered the phone when I called this afternoon."
"Someone is in serious trouble." Riley said getting upset that his 4
year old was answering the phone again.
"Don't yell at her, Sam already smacked her hand. Believe me, Sam
was none to happy with her answering the phone either."
"Good." Riley was happy to hear that Sam was enforcing his rules
when he was not around. Sam was a definite good addition in his and
the girls' lives. With Riley's line of work, he'd always worried
about the girls safety and now he had Sam to take care of them when
he wasn't there. Sam wasn't just any nanny, she'd been trained
throught the company. It was Graham's gift to Riley.
"How'd Buffy sound?" Graham asked changing the subject cautiously.
The topic of Buffy had been off limits for years, but now it seemed a
fair question.
"The same, different. I don't know. Once she dropped the bomb shell
in my lap I was pretty speechless and so was she. We didn't play
catch up Gray!"
"Sorry man."
"No. I'm sorry for taking your head off. I just feel like my whole
world had been shaken up like one of those snow globes." Riley sat
at the table holding the phone against his shoulder pulling the label
off the beer bottle.
"It has Riley." Graham replied to his friend simply.
"Yeah, I guess it has. Look, I'm tired, and I have a lot to think
about. I'm gonna hang up now."
"Sure thing. I'll come over straight from the airport. Try and get
some sleep Riley."
"See ya then Gray."
"Yeah, later Rye." And the line went dead.
Riley sat quietly looking at the phone and thanking God for Graham's
presence in his and the girls' lives. In the last 10 years, Graham
had been the only constant steady force in his life. He knew Graham
loved him and the girls like family, and he'd do whatever was in his
power to protect them. Riley often wished that Graham would settle
down and find a nice woman. Gray had so much love to offer someone.
Sighing he dragged himself up out of the chair, and considered taking
Graham's advice about getting some sleep. Walking across the kitchen
he'd just turned the light out when the phone rang again. Turning
the light back on, he walked back to the breakfast counter to pick up
the phone.
"Look Graham, I'm going to bed. Done talking..."
"Riley?" and Riley stopped short as he heard Willow's soft voice.
"Willow? I'm sorry, I thought it was Graham again."
"Obviously." She said and he could hear the smile in her voice.
"Look, I'm just calling with our flight arrangements for tomorrow."
"You're coming too?"
"Yeah." She stuttered at Riley's reaction to her coming.
"Good! I look forward to seeing you Will. I've missed you."
"Me too." She replied smiling into the phone. She'd missed Riley
terrible in the beginning, but she got use to his being gone in time.
"We arrive on American, flight 625, from Los Angeles at 2:00."
"Okay, I'll see you at the airport then."
"Good."
"I look forward to seeing you again Willow."
"Me too. Bye Riley." And she hung up.
The story continues in chapter 5
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