The Song Remembers When
Chapter Forty-One
RATING: NC-17 for sexual content and language.
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 Karin does own Riley's daughters and Sam the
nanny, Nicole and Steve Bishop.
FEEDBACK: Pretty pretty please! We really hate to beg, but will.
SPOILERS: All of Season 5, and our own little universe.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: 1) Thank you Amy who is Beta'ing this for us.
2) To all the wonderful authors out there who inspire us, thank you for challenging us everyday. Thank everyone who finds the time to send us feedback!
“Riley, wake up." He could hear Buffy’s voice calling to him, as he fought his way up through the heavy layers of sleep.
"Whaaa." He answered, confused.
"Come on let’s go out to the barn for a ride. I need to blow off some steam, before I see Evan. I don't want him knowing how nervous I am." Buffy said, standing next to Riley's bed, wearing jeans and a heavy sweater.
"Honey it's..." Riley looked at the clock, "4:30 and pitch black out."
"Riley please?" She begged, crawling onto his bed and straddling him.
"You'll freeze to death out there on a horse." He said, shivering slightly as her hands brushed his chest.
"I wasn't talking about horses." She smiled deviously, as she climbed off of him and headed towards the door.
"Bring a big blanket and I'll do the same thing." She winked at him, as she pranced out of his room.
Riley smiled. *She remembered my comment about the hayloft.*
Climbing out of bed, he grabbed his jeans and sweater, *who needs underwear?* and he pulled them on. Riley headed for the door, but went back to his closet and pulled the extra comforter off the shelf.
"Riding sounds like an amazing idea." He laughed before exiting the room.
Looking down the hall, he moved quickly toward the stairs, the last thing he needed was to run into his dad, the farmer. Bryan Finn was infamous for his being an early riser, and running into him before he sneaked out to meet Buffy could definitely put a damper on the mood. Taking the stairs two at a time, he kept looking over his shoulder.
“Am I 12, or what?” He muttered to himself, as he took one last look over his shoulder before he stepped into the kitchen to find Buffy waiting by the mud room door.
“I can’t believe we’re doing this when we have two perfectly good, and may I add warm, beds upstairs.” He laughed quietly, as she handed him his jacket.
“Shut your mouth and hurry up.” She teased, leaning over to pull on her boots.
“But we could just….”
“And worry about being heard by your father or the kids, no go, buddy. I personally feel a good scream coming on .” She whispered, looking back at him, as she laced up her last boot.
“Oh, I’m gonna make ya scream, am I?” He whispered, running his hand along her bent over butt.
“Most certainly, but wait till you see what I have planned for you.” She said, standing.
“Promise?” Suddenly, he felt anything but tired.
“Hurry up.” She hissed when she heard the floor creak somewhere up above them.
Picking up the blankets, Riley reached for Buffy’s hand and led her out the mud room’s back door.
The two of them trudged hand in hand across the back yard and slipped into the barn, and climbed the stairs to the loft. They didn’t need to turn on a light because the moon illuminated the barn’s interior.
Spreading a blanket over the straw, they laid down and snuggled in each other’s arms.
"Are you ready for that ride?" Riley asked, bending down and nuzzling the base of her neck. He wanted her and he wanted her now.
"Looks like somebody’s already anxious to break through the gate." She said, slipping a hand down to squeeze the hard bulge that already protruded from between his legs.
"Oh yeah, baby, let it out." He groaned.
"All in due time." She whispered seductively. "Little man needs to learn patience if he’s to get what he wants.
Slipping her hands under his sweater, she slowly ran her nails up and down his back as he raised his head to kiss her mouth.
"See, I told you there was always the hayloft." He chuckled. "Brings back memories of my teenage years."
She stopped caressing him and pulled back in disbelief.
"Brings back memories? Tell me, have you visited many haylofts in your past life?"
Still chuckling, he answered her by pressing his mouth to hers.
*I may have been going into the priesthood, but I was far from being a saint.*
The kiss quickly became heated and noisy, each groaning passionately as they pressed their tongues in each other’s mouths to be sucked.
"Fuck me, Riley." She said, pulling away from the hot passionate kiss.
"What?"
"I want you to fuck this body and fuck it hard." She said, as he peeled off her sweater to reveal her firm naked breasts.
He answered her request by squeezing and kneading those perfect mounds.
"Too weak, I want it harder!" She commanded.
He complied to her wishes and pinched her pebbled nipples until she bit her lip in pain.
"Even harder!"
"You sure? You want me to be this rough, baby? You’ve never wanted sex this way before."
"Yeah, real rough. I want to fuck." She answered, looking down at him like a tigress eyeing her prey. "That is, if you think your man enough for it."
Unbuttoning the waistband, she pulled his jeans down his long muscular legs, then slunk back up while Riley watched in rapt fascination. He spread his legs to cradle her body as she crawled up and took command of his manhood. Slowly and methodically, she licked every square inch of him. When she
reached his weeping head, Riley was gasping for breath and begging her to stop.
"Then be a man and take me." She growled, pressed Riley’s cock into the folds of her entrance.
*Well, two can play at this game.*
"If that’s what you want, then baby that’s what you’ll get." He growled back, lifting her off his hips and tossing her down into the blanketed straw.
Riley plunged deep inside her; no gentle pressing, no light touching and caressing. He hadn’t performed rough sex since before Claire had died and then he only did it when she demanded it of him. This wasn’t him at all, nor would he have guessed it was Buffy. It seemed as if both of them had a sexual past that they may need to discuss, but now was not the time.
She wrapped her legs around his waist and helped shove him deep inside her. He pounded so hard that her body rocked with each thrust.
He buried his face into her breasts and noisily sucked them as his thrusts grew in intensity.
"Fuck me. Take me as hard as you can, Riley. Fuck me like it’s our last time, baby." She yelled into his ear.
"That’s it, baby, you’re doing it...come on...you’re almost there." He said, watching the beads of sweat form on her face, causing her hair to stick to her forehead and neck. When she came, she threw her head back and cried out her release. Riley soon followed her, thrusting hard and fast and groaning loudly. Riley collapsed on top of her as he came down from his sexual high.
"Don’t tell me you’re done." She said from under his heavy sweaty body.
Rolling off, he could only lay there and pant from exhaustion.
"You’re not tired?" He asked, looking back towards her.
"Baby, I’ve only just begun." She answered with eyes flashing. "So get up, stud muffin, we’re going for round two."
He could only swallow and look at her in disbelief. Maybe she was more upset about Evan than she’d been letting on, and all this was just nerves.
"Buff, you can’t possibly mean it. We can lie here and talk if you want, just let me catch my breath. Babe, you’re killin this old man." He chuckled. He was willing to have sex again but he needed time to recover. After all, he wasn’t 23 anymore and couldn’t perform marathon sex like he had back in college.
"Yes, I mean it. I don’t wanna talk! Get up!" She demanded, pulling him up by the hand.
Gulping, he sat up. "H-how...do you want it?" Buffy had never been this forceful before, even as the slayer, she wanted sex slow and tender.
"Come on, Riley, you know how I like it." She answered mischievously, turning around on her hands and knees and backing up until her ass pressed against his drooping cock.
"Buff, we never did it this way." He said, startled.
"Oh, yes we have. Think about all those times we didn’t want me ending up getting pregnant. I never could understand why you never let me use birth control. Was it because of your big ego? Cause honey, it wasn’t the Catholic school boy thing."
Riley backed off. *No, this wasn’t happening..*
"Claire?" He asked, slowly backing away from Buffy's body.
"Who else, darling. No one brings the stallion out in you like I do. Has Buffy ever made you as hot as I have tonight?" She purred, crawling across the blanket to him.
Riley cringed as he thought about the earth shattering orgasm he'd just had, but he could have done that to himself with the use of his own hand. With Claire in this mood that what’s it was like, no love, just slapping of body parts. Sex with Buffy was different, it wasn’t about power or control, it was about love and wanting to please each other. No, with Buffy it was making love.
"I knew I had to make it up to you after what I did to you last night." She said, reaching out to push the sweat soaked hair off his forehead. "I'd hate to have my pooh bear angry with me and little Miss Perfect gave me the perfect idea how."
"Okay Claire, this is enough." He said, knocking her hand away from him. Looking in her eyes, he noticed for the first time that night that it was Claire's eyes not Buffy's he was staring into.
“Oh come on, Riley, lets have another romp in the hay. Making love to you in her body took me a little time to get used to, but this little compact body isn’t so bad. Girl could get use to it, I guess, but the voice is kind of on the whiney side.” Claire complained, stretching out beside Riley.
Riley just lay there, staring in shock at the woman beside him. How had this happened? It was like he was reliving the whole Faith experience over again, except this time it was his wife’s ghost. Riley sat up to look down at the smug satisfied look on Buffy’s face, or was it Claire’s? Scooting to the edge of the blanket, he moved away from her.
“Claire, this is Buffy’s body. You have to leave it.” Riley’s shock was registered on his face, which Claire could see paling in the early morning twilight.
“Why?” She purred, crawling across the blanket that separated them.
“Cause you’re dead, Claire…you’re dead and Buffy’s alive. Baby, you need to let go, honey, move on. Go on into the light or whatever spirits do."
*Shit I should have listened to Chris. Chris! I need Chris.*
"Why, cause you have Buffy now?" She cried out, burying her face in his chest.
"No, that's not why, you need to find peace is all. Find the peace that you weren’t allowed in life.” He spoke as he stroked her hair.
“But, I can’t leave you… just like I couldn’t when I was with you.” She cried, her head snapping up so she could look him in the eye.
“Claire, I was never good enough for you. You should have had someone who loved you the day he married you, not someone who only learned when it was too late. I'm sorry I caused you so much pain and uncertainty during our marriage." He said, caressing Buffy's face, but in his mind he saw Claire's.
"I was always just so scared I'd lose you. In the beginning, I was so shocked when you came home for dinner every night. I knew you didn’t want to be there, that you felt trapped. I offered you the divorce and all, but you never took it. Riley, I just kept thinking, one day she'd come back to claim you." Claire said, looking up at him.
"Claire, I made you a promise the day I married you that I would never leave you, and I meant it. Sure, in the beginning it was her memory that kept me going, but I did fall in love with you. I loved you, Claire. I don’t know if you’ll ever believe me, and that’s my fault for not making you feel that the day we got married." He said, taking her in his arms. It felt so strange being with Claire in Buffy's body, but in some way it seemed to make sense.
"I couldn't bring myself to believe you. Riley, I didn't trust her, and I didn't even know her." Claire buried her head in his chest.
"Baby, I loved you." Riley rocked her.
“I trapped you in a marriage you didn’t want.” She sniffled, enjoying the heat his body gave her. Ever since she‘d died, she’d never been able to get warm again.
“It took two of us to do this, Claire, and I don’t regret it.” His voice soothed her damaged soul.
"And my temper, all those times I directed my rage at you because of my jealousy. Every time you went to California, I was positive it was her you were going to see. Every whispered phone call you made, I thought it was her. I was just so certain Buffy was in your life again."
"She wasn't."
"Claire, you need to let go of your anger towards Buffy. Baby, you're only hurting yourself and me." He said pulling back so he could look in her eyes.
“I don’t want to be dead. I want to be the one alive lying here with you, not her.” He could feel her getting angry again.
“Do you really think the girls or I wanted you dead? I mourned your death for far too long, Claire, it wasn’t right for the girls to lose both parents. Baby, I need to move on.” He said, catching her chin between his fingers, forcing her to meet his gaze.
“It’s not fair. Nobody asked me if I was ready to go yet. I was just really starting to love my life with you, and now she’s here living a life that was meant for me.”
“Claire, you’re dead, you have to.” He said, watching her bottom lip quiver.
"I can't, Riley, but I promise you I'll keep my distance. No more spying on the two of you."
"No more inhabiting her body?"
"I promise, no more. I just saw it as my chance.” She smiled sadly.
“I’ll stay away, but if she hurts my girls I'll haunt her till the day she dies." Claire said venomously.
"She never would, I promise you that. Buffy's wonderful with them."
"Okay, I'll give you that." She said grudgingly, from watching Buffy with Evan and now the girls, she knew Riley spoke the truth.
Riley leaned in to kiss Claire one last time.
"I love you, Claire." He whispered, as he pulled back.
"What?" Buffy asked, looking at Riley with a strange look.
"Did you just call me Claire?" Buffy asked.
"No." He stammered, startled by how suddenly Claire was gone. Again.
"It's okay, Riley, mistakes happen." She yawned snuggling close to him, her body feeling like she'd been ridden hard and put away wet.
"Tired?"
"Nope, just happy."
Grinning, Riley couldn't help but ask why.
“Because we just had the most incredible sex. God, Riley, I've never felt so...*filled*." She purred, pulling her sweater over her head. "I felt you touch every part of me and I've *never* come so hard as I did then, you were absolutely perfect."
"Ah, right." Riley said confused, as he slipped on his boot.
Riley laughed to himself. *Must've been Forrest, the guy did brag about his sexual prowess.*
The more Riley thought of Forrest and his sexual exploits, the louder he laughed. At times he really did miss Forrest.
*Yeah, the guys at Lowell had several names for him; The Black Stallion, Bam Bam, Rambo, but Riley's favorite was The Pneumatic Hammer because he claimed he could pound hard and long, and never needed to take a break.*
The man was a true legend in his own mind. The bragging about his conquests was the worst part. "Rye, you’ll never guess in a million years who I banged last night." Forrest once told him smirking. It must’ve been someone he’d never suspect because Riley kept guessing, and guessing wrong. "Told you buddy, you’ll never guess who she is. Let me just say, she was amazing, better than I could have ever imagined."
"Honey, what are you laughing about?" Buffy asked, stopping as she bent over to pull her jeans on.
"Nothing, just something Forrest..." He stopped when he saw a disgusted look flash across her face. Riley had almost forgotten the how much Buffy and Forrest had hated each other, and it appeared that neither time nor death had soften her feelings toward him any.
"Never mind, you wouldn't understand, it was an inside joke."
"Riley?" She asked, as they finished dressing and were kneeling to fold the blankets.
"Hmmm?"
"What did you mean when you said, 'If only Maggie could see me now'?"
Riley's mouth dropped open.
*No, there's *no* way!*
"No I said, 'Maybe I can believe it now’."
"Believe what?"
"How incredibly wonderful it is to be with you."
"Ah, you’re sweet." She said, stopping and turning around to give him a kiss.
"Buffy, what are you..." He stopped as he saw her pull her sweater back over her head.
"We still have time, right?" She asked, knocking a crouched Riley over onto his back.
"Yeah, at least an hour before anyone's up." He answered.
"Good, cause I've decided I'm not ready to go back inside yet." She purred, reaching to unzip his pants.
"Buffy?" He asked cautiously.
"Yeah? Is there something wrong, Riley?" She asked, giving him a funny look.
"No, nothing." He said, knowing the woman he was making love to his time, was indeed his Buffy.
"Hey, can you do to me the exact same thing again?" She asked, helping him pull his sweater off.
"What?!" Came his muffled voice from under the sweater. As his head popped out, his eyes were bulging out of his head.
"Well it's just that, wow is all I can say. Take me there again, can you?" She leaned in to capture his nipple between her teeth.
"Ah.... yeah." He groaned, as she nipped him lightly.
He wanted to make this time really mean something for her because he knew in a couple of hours they were going to be confronted by Lindsey.
*And there's no way I'm going to let him horn in on this.* Riley vowed to himself.
Lying Buffy back down on the blanket, he pulled her into his arms and slowly started to nibble the base of her neck
"God, Riley, that turns me on." She moaned out loud.
"Hoped it would." He whispered, kissing and nipping her silky soft skin.
"Yeah, it does." She answered, pulling her hair away so that he had much better access to her skin.
Riley slowly and methodically moved down her shoulder, kissing as he went.
Buffy lulled her head back to enjoy the sensation of his lips, as they travelled further along her body.
"Oh, baby, it feels so good." She groaned happily.
Riley travelled down her shoulder, down her arm, until he reached the end of her fingertips.
Buffy reached up and started running her fingers through his hair, soothing him. Riley laid his head down on her stomach while she continued her touching. He relaxed at the feel of her touch, for it was always gentle, always loving. Never in his life had there been another woman whose touch had been as loving as Buffy's.
Riley lay there a few minutes then remembered that this wasn't all for him, not by a long shot. Turning over, he started kissing and licking just below her navel, causing a soft mew to rise up in her throat.
Buffy gently started raising her hips and squirming around as she began to pant lightly.
"Do you want me to take this all the way?" He asked, looking up into her blissful face.
"Oh, yes." She groaned. “I want to feel your tongue, I want you to taste me."
Riley took his hand and gently parted her legs. Slipping his tongue between her soft silky folds, he started lapping up her sweet honeyed juices.
"Mmmm, baby, you taste like heaven." He murmured.
She moaned softly. "You feel like heaven."
Riley continued to explore her recesses, not wanting to miss any part of her. One minute he'd plunge his tongue deep inside of her then the next, he'd pull out and start nipping at her clit, the sensation causing her hips to thrust upward.
Riley continued with his ministrations of her. The plunging in and pulling out was driving her insane. She grabbed his head and held him over her.
"Don't stop, Riley, I need to feel you." She whimpered, reaching for her climax.
Riley complied, plunging his tongue as deep as he could. He saw that she was straining for that high. He watched until he could tell that she was just on the brink. At that moment, he brushed his thumb across her clit. Buffy screamed out her release, it was so intense.
*Take that, McDonald.* Riley grinned to himself.
Buffy panted loudly, trying to catch her breath, as she slowly came down from her high.
Riley pulled out and crawled back up next to her and kissed her.
"Good morning, sunshine." He said, looking down at her and grinning.
She looked up and saw the rays from a slowly rising sun filtering up through the windows, haloing him in a soft luminous glow. He looked like Apollo to her. That's when Buffy knew that nothing else mattered to her, only this moment and their love for each other.
“God, that was amazing.” She gasped, rolling her sweat soaked hair across his chest, tickling him slightly.
“Understatement.” He agreed, his arms wrapped around her.
“I love you.” She said, lifting her head to look at him.
*She really was the most beautiful thing in the world.*
“Me, too.” He said, his eyes still closed, trying to remember everything that had taken place between them just then.
“Open your eyes and look at me, Riley.” She demanded, sliding up his chest so they were forehead to forehead, nose to nose.
“I want you looking me in the eye when I tell you I love you. Never again will you doubt my feelings for you.” She promised, her eyes blazing into his.
“Never.” He agreed, shaking his head.
“Good.” She said, dropping her head back to his shoulder.
They lay in each others arms for what seemed like forever, until they heard the barn door open.
“Hey Rye, breakfast.” Called a voice from below.
“Marc?” Riley called, climbing over the straw so he could look down over the railing.
“Morning Rye, Buffy.” Marc smiled knowingly up at his brother.
“How’d you know?” Riley asked. Looking at his watch, he was shocked to see it was 6:30.
“Two sets of foot prints leading to the barn, and the fact that Dad saw ya.” Marc laughed, as he walked out of the barn, leaving the door wide open.
<><><>
Standing alone in the elevator together, Riley looked down at the petite woman at his side, his lifeline for the next four days, God how he hated hospitals. Place made he feel helpless and sick to his stomach. He wasn’t the type of guy who did helpless well, look at the mess he’d gotten himself into years before. This time around she was at his side, together they would pull Evan through this.
“We can do this.” Riley said loudly, holding Buffy’s hand firmly in his. He had no doubt in his heart that she loved him, hadn’t she just confirmed that for him hours before? The love he had for her in his own heart could see them through anything, and knowing it was reciprocated only made their love stronger.
“We can.” She nodded, squeezing his hand in answer.
“Yup, this time next year Evan will be perfectly healthy and this will have just been a bad dream.” He nodded his head, praying to God that he spoke the truth.
The family had understood that Buffy and Riley needed some time alone with the kids, before they were taken off to start the procedure. Joyce and Kate promised they’d all see them later at the hospital, and to kiss the children for them. Both their mothers understood that some alone time with their children was important to them, it would be those brief moments that would pull them through the next few hours.
“I hope Jordan slept well, she doesn’t sleep well in strange places.” Riley said, stepping off of the elevator.
“Riley, remember you carried her to bed last night after she fell asleep in Evan’s room?” Buffy knew he was nervous, she could feel the tension in his body.
“She could have woken up. I’m just really worried about her…them.” He said, shrugging his shoulders. He hated the idea that this procedure was going to cause Jordan a great deal of pain, but he knew that it would be nothing compared to the pain that Evan could endure over the next couple months.
“We’ll take care of her, don’t worry. She’ll be fine and so will Evan… he has to.” Buffy replied bravely.
“Yeah, he’ll be fine.” Lindsey agreed, suddenly appearing in front of them.
“Lindsey!” Buffy cried, moving quickly to hug him.
“When did you get here?” She demanded, pulling back.
“Oh around 6:00 this morning.” Lindsey said, leaning in to kiss her check.
Riley smiled.
“Was the flight fine? Did they let you see Evan?” Buffy gushed, not waiting for Lindsey to answer, as she pushed forward toward the nurses’ station.
“Not yet, I only saw him through the window. They didn’t want him awakened.” Lindsey answered as Buffy tugged him along with her.
“Oh, that’s good, he’s still sleeping. Did you hear that, Riley?” Buffy knew she was babbling, but couldn’t stop herself, suddenly she felt very uncomfortable.
“Oh wait, you two haven’t met. Lindsey, this is Riley Finn. Riley, this is Lindsey McDonald.” Buffy said, introducing the two men. She knew she should have made Riley write his promise to be good in blood, maybe there was still time.
“McDonald." Riley said, sticking his hand out to shake Lindsey’s. He'd promised Buffy he'd be well behaved when it came to Lindsey, but seeing the smug smile on his face made Riley wanna rub it off.
"Finn." Lindsey said, looking at the outstretched hand Finn offered and then looked away.
*I'm not shaking your hand, corn boy, so you better put it down, or I'll bite it off.*
The tension in the hallway was so thick it was smothering, and Buffy knew that if she didn't do something soon they'd be at each other throats in a second, but she didn't get a chance as Lindsey opened his mouth and spoke.
"I don't know what you've done to my girl here, but Buffy and Evan belong in L.A. with their family and friends. You can't keep them here, I won't let you hurt either of them." Lindsey erupted, glaring at the man standing next to Buffy...his Buffy.
*Great, the gauntlet has been thrown down. Riley, you promised me.* Buffy looked at Riley and held her breath.
"You don't have any say here, McDonald, none...at...all. This is my son we're talking about here, and the woman who *I* love and who *loves* me, so back off. I would back you off permanently myself, but I promised Buffy I’d be well behaved, do you understand what I’m saying here?" Riley spoke so quietly, that Lindsey had to take a step forward to hear him.
"You can't do this."
"And you won't cause trouble or upset Evan, because if you do, I'll have your sorry ass out of this hospital so fast your head'll spin. This is about *Evan*, not you." Riley stepped forward to jam his finger into Lindsey's chest.
"Do you get that?" Riley glared.
"I get it, but this isn't over between us, Finn." Lindsey said, taking a step back.
Buffy almost swallowed her gum, she'd never seen Lindsey back down from anyone, but then again, she'd never seen anyone as angry as Riley was at that moment. His anger was directed totally at Lindsey, and she knew if she hadn't asked him to behave, Riley would have hit him.
"Can I see Evan?" Lindsey asked, looking at Buffy for an answer.
"Sure I'll see if he's awake..."
"What if he's still asleep?" Riley interrupted, his whole body seeming to ripple with open hostility.
"Riley, honey, why don't you go check on Jordan, while Lindsey and I check on Evan?" Buffy said, placing her hand on Riley's arm, feeling the muscles totally flexed ready for battle.
"Sure..." He said, slowly, his gaze flickering between Buffy and Lindsey.
"And if he so much as...." Riley continued to whisper.
"Don't worry, I'll deal with him." Buffy said, kissing his lips softly "Kiss Jordan good morning for me, and tell her I’ll be down to see her in a minute."
“I’ll do just that. Say hi to Ev for me…tell him I’ll be in to see him soon.” Riley said stiffly, his eyes not once leaving McDonald.
“Relax, will you.” Buffy ordered, smacking him playfully in the chest.
“I’ll try.” He said gruffly.
“No you’re not. You be good or no more hayloft.” She whispered the last part so that only Riley could hear.
“Okay, okay….” He said, holding his hands up as he smiled at her, remembering their morning.
“Go.” She said, pushing Riley down the hall to Jordan’s room.
Lindsey stood watching the playful exchange, and it made his blood boil. How could Buffy be so naïve and forgiving after everything Finn had done to her and Evan? The little scene played out before him was all the proof he needed that she’d gone mad. He knew in that instant that his worst nightmares were coming true, he was losing Buffy to Finn.
*Time to put plan A into action.*
Buffy entered the dressing room just outside Evan’s room and was preparing to change into a sterile gown and mask when a nurse came out of Evan’s room.
“Mrs. Finn?”
“Actually it’s Ms. Summers.” Lindsey said, quickly correcting the nurse on Buffy’s behalf.
“I’m sorry, I just figured that you and Mr. Finn were married.”
“Don’t worry, it’s an honest mistake.” Buffy smiled at the nurse, while she elbowed Lindsey in the ribs to shut him up.
“My name‘s Melissa, and I’ll be Evan’s charge nurse, anything you need, I’m your girl. Right now we’re just prepping him, so could you please wait out here for a bit? We need to do some work on Evan, and it’s just easier if you’re not around to see it.”
“S…sure. Will he be okay?” She asked, her voice trembling slightly.
“Oh yeah, he’ll be fine, it’s just easier not have a group of people in there is all.” She smiled. “Just give us 20 minutes and he’s all yours.”
“Come on, Buffy, we’ll wait outside. Besides I have something I want to give you, and well, a little privacy would be nice.” Lindsey said, placing his hand on the small of her back to usher her out of the room.
Moving back to the waiting area, Lindsey pulled something out of his suitcase and handed it to her.
“Merry Christmas, Summers.” He said, watching her eyes light up at the brightly wrapped box that now sat on her knee.
“Ah, McDonald, I left yours in L.A.” She pouted.
“That’s okay, I’ll get it when we get home.” Lindsey reassured her.
“But, I feel bad.” She groaned. Lindsey was always so thoughtful.
“Open the damn thing, will you, or I’ll take it back.” He grumbled.
“Okay, don’t have to threaten to take my presents away more than once.” She beamed, as she started pulling at the wrapping paper. Pulling off the lid of the box, she found a smaller box nestled in red tissue paper. Holding her breath, Buffy lifted the little box out of the larger one.
“McDonald….” She warned. Lindsey was always too generous.
“Stop giving me grief, Summers, cause you won’t know what it is unless you open it.”
Opening the little box, her breath caught, as she saw a black and cream cameo staring up at her.
"Oh Lindsey, you remembered." She gushed, staring at the antique cameo.
“Remembered what?” Riley asked, pretending to be interested in what was going on. He’d been watching this little scene for awhile now, waiting to know what Lindsey was up to. Buffy looked up at Riley and smiled at him, while Lindsey totally ignored his question.
"Of course I remembered, I remember everything you tell me." He said, looking at Riley who now stood behind Buffy.
*Get my point! Everything she's ever told me I remember, buddy!*
"When did you get a chance to go back and get it, we were so busy closing that deal." She said, running her fingers over the front of the pin.
"I called the Antique Store once we got back to hotel, and had them send it over to the hotel. Don't you remember the package that was waiting for me when we got back to the hotel that night?"
"You creep! You left that sitting on the table right under my nose the rest of the night, as we ate dinner!" She said playfully smacking his arm.
"You're fun to tease." He smiled.
"Well thank you for such a sweet and thoughtful gift." Buffy said, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tight, as she place a little kiss on his lips.
"You’re welcome." He said, as she pulled away.
*See, big boy, she's all mine.*
"Look, Riley." She spun away from Lindsey to show Riley. Slipping her arm around his waist she held the pin up for him to see.
"My grandmother use to have one identical to this when I was a little girl, but it was taken when her house was broken into. She use to tell me it would be mine some day, but it was stolen."
"That's beautiful, Buffy, and you should be grateful to have a FRIEND like Lindsey who remembers such conversations." He said, looking pointedly at Lindsey.
"I am." She beamed pulling Riley down for a kiss.
Lindsey was crushed. Sure she'd been happy about receiving the cameo, but Finn had gotten a bigger kiss from her for doing nothing...
Pulling back from the kiss, Buffy smiled apologetically at Lindsey. “Sorry, I forget myself sometimes.”
“Obviously.” Lindsey replied, trying to sound light, but it was killing him to do so.
“So how’s Jordan?” Buffy asked Riley.
“She wants to see you. Sent me down here to find you.” Riley explained.
“Lindsey, I need to do this, I’ll be right back. If the nurse comes out, please feel free to go in.” Buffy said, slipping her hand in Riley’s as they wandered down the hall.
“Have I just been dismissed?” Lindsey frowned.
Walking down the hall hand in hand, with Riley like this, Buffy felt like her whole life was changing for the better. Evan had a second chance at life, and had his father and sisters he’d always dreamed about, and Buffy had the love of her life back. Yes, there was a light at the end of the tunnel.
As they reached Jordan’s room Riley pulled Buffy past it, to an empty room two doors over. Pulling her into his arms, he kissed within an inch of her life, putting everything he felt for her into one passionate, mind numbing kiss. Pulling back to catch his breath, his hand slipped down her back to cup her behind, pulling her flush up against him, startling her.
“Riley!” She giggled like the college girl she’d been when they’d first met all those years ago. Buffy smiled, Riley Finn made her giggle again, something she’d forgotten how to do.
“I miss you.” He said, before his lips sought hers again.
“I thought Jordan wanted me?” She said pulling back to look in his hazel eyes that twinkled mischievously.
“She’s asleep, the nurse kicked me out. So I came back looking for you, and found you with him. I couldn’t stand the idea of sharing you with him, so I lied.” He said, tracing her jaw line with his index finger.
“His name is Lindsey.”
“I know, I just refuse to call him that.” He smiled, his eyes locked on hers.
“You have the most amazing eyes. Have I ever told you that.” She loved it when they darkened with passion.
“I don’t remember.”
“Kiss me.” She ordered, her hands slipping from between them, up his chest and over his shoulders to wrap them around his neck.
“You only have to ask once.” He said, loving the shivers that ran down his back, that her hands caused as they touched his bare skin on the back of his neck. It surprised him how only Buffy’s touch back there could do this to him.
As his lips covered hers, he felt her press herself fully against him, causing him to groan. And when her tongue stroked his, he had to fight the urge to throw her onto the nearby bed. He wanted her so badly he could taste it.
“I was wondering if you two would like me to close the door?” Steve said, standing in the hall, his hands shoved into the pockets of his lab coat.
Giggling slightly, Buffy pressed her face into Riley’s neck. “Busted!”
“Jordy’s awake, looking for her dad, should I tell her you’re both busy?” Steve asked, with a raised eyebrow
“No, we’re on our way.” Riley said, wondering how Buffy had managed to pull his shirt out of the back of his pants. Shoving the shirttails back in his jeans, he smiled down at her, as he slipped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to his side as they left the room.
*Yes, today was a good day.*
Riley was still sitting with Jordan when his mother and Graham showed up an hour later. Buffy had received word that Evan was awake and looking for her, so she’d excused herself to see to him. Sitting in the room alone, Jordan held her father’s hand, snuggled against his side, listening to his rich voice as he read to her. Having time like this, just the two of them was Jordan’s favorite thing. Sitting cuddled next to him, watching tv or listening to him read, was all she needed to feel safe or loved. He was her world.
“Grandma!” Jordan said excitedly, as Kate Finn walked in the room, with Graham close behind.
“How’s my baby girl.” She asked, placing a kiss on Jordan’s forehead.
“Fine, but I’d like to see Evan first.” She said, fiddling with the sheet.
“They won’t let her?” Kate said, looking up at Riley for an explanation.
“Mom, he’s in isolation, remember? Steve just feels she should wait till it’s all done.” Riley said, taking the coffee Graham handed him.
“Oh. How about you write Evan a note and I’ll see he gets it. I’ll be your personal courier service.” Graham offered, going off in search of a pad of paper.
“Look honey, if you want to go check on Evan,, I’ll stay here with Jordan.” Kate said, looking at Riley. She could feel his nerves on the other side of the room.
“Thanks Mom. Jordy, I’ll be back in a few minutes.” Riley said, kissing his daughter’s forehead, but was stopped by Buffy’s appearance in the doorway.
“Evan okay?” Riley asked, at her sudden appearance.
“Fine, Mom and Giles are in there with him. Seems Grandparents have the right to kick parents out of a child’s room at anytime. You and I have no power here.” Buffy said, coming to sit in the empty chair next to Jordan’s bed.
“Didn’t know that one. I’ll have to read my rule book over again.” Riley said, placing his hands on her shoulders. For someone who seemed fine and relaxed an hour ago, her shoulders felt tense.
“You sure you’re fine?” He asked again.
“So Dani, are you ready for your adventure?” Buffy asked, choosing to ignore Riley’s question. How could she tell him that Steve had just told her Evan’s test results showed Evan’s condition had slipped again? That if it weren’t for Dani’s match, their son’s days would be numbered. Even now, the chances of this taking were about 60%, and if they had waited another few days, it might not work at all.
“Yup. Just think Evan’s gonna be part girl when all this is done. When this is all done, Mason and I are so gonna tease him about this.” She laughed.
*Please, God.*
“You scared?” Buffy asked gently. She knew this was Jordan’s first time in a hospital since her mother’s accident.
“I’m okay, just a little nervous.” Dani smiled. Okay, so she was scared, but telling everyone wasn’t going to change that. Her mother had died in a place like this, right next door actually, and she was afraid that maybe Evan was gonna die, too.
"Remember sweetheart, you'll only be asleep for a little while then after you wake up, I'll have a big surprise for you."
"What is it, Daddy?" She asked excitedly. Jordan knew, if she pressed Riley even slightly, he'd cave into her demands. He always did. This was one thing her little sisters couldn't get him to do, just her.
"Well let's just say, it's bigger than a breadbox." He answered mischievously.
"Ah, Daddy, what's a breadbox?" Jordan asked with a very confused look on her face. Bread came in wrappers, not a box.
"Let's just say its big, fun, your sisters don't have it, and you'll end up loving it."
Jordan clapped loudly, and jumped up and down on the bed.
"Ooh, then let's go. I want to go to sleep *right now*. She said, smiling up to her father.
Buffy turned to Riley and whispered into his ear. "You're going to spoil that girl."
"I spoil all my girls." Riley flashed Buffy a seductive smile that made her blush.
"You're horrible." She shot back.
“Look Jordy, we’re gonna go check on Evan, okay?” Riley said, kissing her again. Buffy noticed how affectionate Riley was with his kids, he was forever kissing or hugging his daughters and Evan, often telling them how much he loved them. He really was an amazing father.
“What we show up and you all leave?” Marc asked, as he and Dawn entered the room. Tucked under his arms was a large teddy bear dressed in a kilt and tam.
“We‘re going to check on Evan.” Buffy said, kissing Dani.
“Mom, you wanna come? Marc and Dawn, you’ll stay with Jordan till they come for her?” Riley asked, knowing his mother had probably come straight here, so she could allow Joyce and Giles time with Evan.
“I’d like that.” She said, getting to her feet.
“I’d be honored.” Marc said, sticking his tongue out at Jordan.
“Okay baby, when you wake up I’m gonna be sitting right here waiting for you, so don’t keep me waiting okay?” Riley said, stroking her hair out of her eyes.
“I promise. I’ll be quick as they’ll let me. Bye, Dad. Tell Evan I love him.” Her smile trembled slightly as she tried to hold back her tears.
Jordan liked having Uncle Marc. He was perfect to have around when a joke was needed to chase away all sorts of fears. They talked and Jordan was getting excited, and wanted to get the transplant over with because she knew the sooner Evan was treated, the sooner he’d start feeling better.
The room door soon opened and two surgically masked orderlies walked in pushing a gurney.
"Mr. Finn, is Jordan ready?" One orderly asked as he approached the child’s bed.
"Yes." Marc answered looking at the smiling little girl. It was time for her to give Evan the chance he needed to live a normal life again and she was anxious to begin.
"We’re here to take Jordan down to O.R." The orderly said.
"I’m ready." Jordan answered, jumping quickly out of bed and walking toward the gurney.
"All right, honey." The orderly said, picking up the pajama clad little girl. "We need to have you lie down on the gurney while we give you a shot to put you asleep."
Lying down on the gurney, the orderlies gave her an inoculation to put her asleep.
"Ouch, that hurts." Jordan said, as the orderly pulled out the needle.
Marc noticed the orderly’s hand shook from nervousness.
"You don’t have a great deal of experience with giving someone a shot, do you?" Marc asked.
"No, I only do it when a nurse isn’t available." The orderly answered while never taking his eyes off the little girl, who lay before him.
The medication worked very quickly and Jordan started to fall asleep within minutes. The orderlies covered her up to her chin with a sheet and started to pull the gurney out of the room.
"You can stay here if you’d like, Mr. Finn, we should be bringing her back fairly soon. The procedure is very quick." The orderly said, as Marc and Dawn started to get up and follow them out of the room.
"All right, thanks." Marc said, shoving his hand nervously into his jean pockets.
“She’s gonna be fine Marc, I promise.” Dawn said, hugging him.
“I know, but I keep having this strange feeling.”
"I’m going down to the waiting room to talk to Buffy, are you coming?" Dawn asked.
"Nah. I think I’ll stay here and grab 20 winks." He answered the very disappointed Dawn, as she walked out and closed the door behind her.
"Good, I can get some shut eye while everyone’s gone." Marc said, sitting in the guest chair and propping his feet up on the bed while he snuggled down to get comfortable.
<><><>
As the orderlies departed the room, they pushed the gurney past the nurses station where staff members were busy preparing charts for grand rounds. They took the sleeping little girl aboard the staff elevator and pressed a button to take them to ground floor level. The doors closed and the elevator descended, not a single staff member bothered to look up.
As the elevator door closed, the two men couldn’t help but laugh at how easy it was to sneak the girl past hospital staff.
"Taking her during grand rounds worked perfectly, I swear no one even noticed us." The first orderly said as he took the sheet off Jordan and folded it in half while the second orderly picked up the little girl then laid her on top of the folded sheet after the first orderly had placed it back on the gurney, length wise.
"Is everything all set up?" The first orderly said, taking off his mask and scrubs while the second orderly rolled Jordan tightly in the sheet and taped it and her mouth before slipping her little body into a large cloth laundry bag.
"Yeah, there’s a laundry truck waiting at the service entrance." The second orderly said while removing his scrubs and stuffing both sets around the sleeping child’s body, so the bag appeared to be full of dirty linen.
"Everything has been planned and set up. We’ll be hiding out for a couple of days, then she’s going to be disguised and flown to England. Her new father has some very big plans for her. Riley Finn in his wildest dreams couldn’t fathom what’s in store for his precious daughter."
<><><>
Twenty minutes later, a dozing Marc was rudely awakened by a scrub clad Steve bounding noisily through the door, followed close behind by two orderlies pulling a gurney.
"Hey Marc, where’s Jordan, in the bathroom?" Steve asked, looking at the empty hospital bed.
"What?" Marc said with a start, pulling his long legs off the empty mattress as he reclined back in the guest chair.
"Jordan. Where is she?" Steve asked again. "Time to go, Evan’s waiting."
Marc, shaking his head to try and wake up, said. "They already came for her, man. You know that."
"I didn’t authorise anyone to come for her. I promised her last night I’d come myself to get her." Steve jumped in. "Besides, I wanted to explain what we’re going to be doing so she wouldn’t be scared."
Marc looked up at Steve and the waiting orderlies in disbelief. He knew he didn’t imagine it. The orderlies had already taken her to O.R.
"I’m not kidding Steve, two orderlies came 20 minutes ago, put her asleep and took her to the O.R."
"Marc, orderlies don’t administer anaesthesia, only Anaesthesiologists." Steve exclaimed, with a worried tone in his voice. "Whoever’s doing this is going to be severely reprimanded after I get through with him."
"But she’s down in O.R., right?" Marc asked.
"I hope." Steve said honestly. If it were anyone but Riley’s child, he’d be sure that’s where she was. But Riley had pissed off too many powerful people over the past several years, so Steve’s mind automatically moved on to worst case scenarios.
Shoving open the door, Steve literally ran to the nurses’ station and picked up a centralised hospital phone.
"Mary, has anyone brought Jordan Finn down to O.R. in the last 20 minutes?" Steve asked anxiously, looking back toward Marc who followed him out of the hospital room. Waiting a few minutes, Steve received his answer and it wasn’t encouraging.
Punching in several numbers on the phone’s keypad, Steve started barking orders to the hospital’s security staff.
"I want you to station someone at every door, no one’s to leave here unless they show you staff id’s, understand? Good. Now call the police and the FBI, and start a floor by floor search. If they’re anywhere in the building, I want them found before they do any harm to that little girl."
"What do you think happened?" Marc asked, now very frightened as he thought of how Riley was going to react when he heard some madmen held his daughter prisoner.
"We don’t know yet. We’ll start searching the building immediately, room by room. All I know is she’s been taken by someone who obviously isn’t a hospital employee. I just hope they’re still in the building somewhere. Even so, they could hide out for hours because the hospital is so huge and there are storage rooms and closets everywhere."
“How the hell do I tell Riley?” Steve said, leaning against the nurses‘ station, suddenly feeling a 100 years old.
<><><>
A very somber Steve and Marc walked into the O.R.’s waiting room where Buffy, Riley, Giles, Joyce, Dawn, Kate, Bryan, Graham, Willow and Lindsey waited in anticipation of news that Jordan was out of surgery, and Steve was about to proceed with the transplant.
“Wow, that was quicker than I thought it would be.” Joyce said, to her husband.
“Steve, is everything okay?” Riley asked, not liking the look on Steve’s face.
"Rye, can I talk to you for a moment?" Steve asked, not exactly sure what he was going to say.
Everyone looked at Steve, something was wrong, they could tell by the look on his and Marc’s face.
Riley got up and quickly walked over to where his brother and friend stood.
No one could hear for sure what was being said, only a few words here and there.
"Masked orderlies."
"Nobody saw."
"How it could have happened?"
“Searching the hospital."
"Police and the FBI called."
"Security searching every room."
Everyone saw Riley pale drastically as his knees buckled under his weight, causing Steve and Marc to quickly grab for him. The tears started cascading down his cheeks, while Steve and Marc backed him into a chair to sit down.
Seeing this, Buffy became very alarmed...Dani. Something was terribly wrong and she was determined to find out what it was. Getting up from her own chair, she quickly crossed the room and knelt next to a very distraught Riley.
"Riley, what is it? Sweetheart, please tell me." She begged, pulling him into her arms, but all she got was his uncontrollable sobbing.
Holding Riley against her, she looked over her shoulder at a very shaken Marc and Steve.
"Dear God, Steve, what happened? Is Dani okay?" She asked, turning to them for answers. She’d heard horror stories of children dying as a result of anesthesia, but no, this couldn’t have happened to Dani.
"Jordan’s been kidnapped right from under our noses," Steve answered truthfully "and we haven’t a clue who did it."
"Oh, God!" Riley’s pain now tearing into her as well. Now they had two children’s lives in serious jeopardy.
To Be Contined
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