The Song Remembers When
Chapter Seven
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: Anne-Marie thank you so much for proofing this for
me, I appreciate it. Also thank you everyone who has kindly sent me
their feedback, it makes my day. To those of you celebrating
Thanksgiving, Happy Thanksgiving to you all
Graham sat watching Riley pace back and forth in front of the
terminal glass at gate 12. Sitting in the chairs opposite Riley,
Graham tried to will himself to relax. All his life he'd been a
pacer, and right now he wanted to join Riley, but he figured the
sight of two huge white man stalking around the terminal might
warrant Security's attention. With their luck they'd get hauled in
for questioning or something. Buffy's flight was due to land any
minute,and from the looks of Riley the sooner the better. He had
that deer in the headlight look, or that any moment he might bolt for
the door.
Riley turned around and started pacing back the opposite direction
towards Graham. Really looking at his friend for the first time since
his return from Columbia, Riley noticed dark circles under Graham's
eyes. A closer look notice how jittery he was, and the 3rd cup of
coffee he'd just finished wasn't helping matters.
"You haven't slept. Have you?" Riley said stopping directly in
front of Graham.
Looking up at him from under lowered lashes he smirked.
"That obvious huh?" Graham laughed shakily running his hand though
his hair.
"Duh? Yeah."
Graham smiled slightly at his friend's response. The man had to
start dating soon, he was spending way too much time with the kids.
Maybe this visit would be a jumping off point.
"So are you going to tell me why?" Riley asked dropping down in the
chair next to Graham.
Fiddling with his empty coffee cup, Graham stared at the floor in
front of him. After the day he'd had yesterday it was no wonder he
hadn't been able to sleep. First there was the assassination attempt
on the Colombian President, which took place right under his nose.
Losing a man on such a mission always made sleeping difficult.
Lastly there had been Riley's phone call. He'd tried to sleep but
his conscience got the best of him. He berated himself for being so
hard on Riley, and playing the devils advocate. Of course there was
no chance that Buffy's son was anyone's, but Riley's. Maybe it was
true what Riley had said, maybe he was becoming just like Forrest.
Remembering his own part in this relationship fiasco had been what
had kept him awake.
"Guess my guilty conscience kept me awake last night."
"What are you talking about?" Riley asked turning sideways in his
seat to get a better view of Graham's face as he spoke.
"It's my fault. I kept you away from your son. I should have given
her your phone number, or forced you to talk to her!"
"Gray, you only did what I asked you to do. I made the decision to
leave Buffy on my own. I was the one who asked you to run
interference for me with her. It was me. You were just being the
loyal friend I knew you'd be. I knew you'd protect me from her, and
that was wrong of me to have asked you that. I see that now."
Riley knew that what he was saying was the truth. Yet there was this
little part of him that did blame Graham. Why did he have to be such
a good friend? Why couldn't he have listened to her! No he wouldn't
because he'd done what Riley had asked him to do. Hell Graham had
asked him to speak to Buffy for him, to call her. Yet Riley had
refused, telling his friend to mind his own business. Graham
couldn't take listening to Buffy's pain anymore, so the next day
after her last call he'd had their number changed to an unlisted one.
"Christ Riley! She was my friend too. I feel like I've let her
down. Why didn't she tell me, I would have made you talk to her, if
I'd known." He finished quietly.
"I don't know Graham, guess you can ask her." Riley said indicating
with a nod of his head to the plane that was docking against the
terminal.
"You ready for this?" Graham asked getting to his feet.
"Not sure." Riley replied watching as the ground crew, propped open
the arrivals door.
"By the way, to change the topic. Did I tell you want your favourite
niece asked me for Christmas this morning?"
"Ah Trist-tie! What has she asked for now?'' she said smiling as he
remembered his mischievous little niece.
"You'll never guess. A brother." Riley chuckled
"Out of the mouth of babes. Hey you thought Jordan was the psychic."
"Really."
_________________________________________________
Buffy looked over at Willow as she felt the plane come to a complete
stop next to the terminal. Her stomach was doing backhand springs
and she felt slightly nauseous. Willow gave her hand a reassuring
squeeze across the aisle.
"Let's wait till everyone off before we move. I don't think today is
the type of day that we want my appearance to cause a scene or
anything." Willow said knowing that her appearance in an airport
could cause. Buffy merely nodded having had several first-hand
experiences with Willow more exuberant fans. Regardless how famous
Willow became she was still the same shy insecure girl that Buffy had
always known. Willow hated the crush of the crowds, and always had
the studio hire Angel as her personal bodyguard for premiers and
such. Fame did have it price tag.
"Ms. Rosenberg?" The flight attendant said bending down so that she
could have a private conversation with the actress, "We will have a
representative at the gate to help you and your party up to the VIP
holding area while your luggage is seen to. We suggest that you stay
seated until we have completely off loaded all the other passengers."
"Thank you Carol, but please let them know we wouldn't need the reps
services. We have a friend meeting us. However we will wait for the
other passengers to leave the plane."
"You're welcome Ms. Rosenberg. I know I speak for the rest of the
flight crew when I say it was a pleasure having you and Evan fly with
us today." And Carol had meant it. Willow Rosenberg was a gem to
have as a passenger. She was as sweet as she'd appeared to be on
Oprah. She couldn't wait to tell husband. And her nephew was
adorable, it was too bad his mother seemed so sad though.
"Bye Carol. And thank you for my wings." Evan said waving at the
attendent with his wings.
"Good bye Evan."
"You ready to do this?" Willow asked Buffy, totally unaware that
Graham had just asked Riley the very same question.
"I don't think I have much of a choice now do I? I can't sneak past
him." She whined looking over at her son who was bouncing in his seat.
"No. But we could always stay on the plane. Pay them to tell him we
missed the flight or something?" Willow said with a conspirators
wink in Evan's direction.
"You really think you're funny don't you? Good thing you don't do
comedy."
"I did until like 2 seconds ago." Cracked Willow.
"Ready to go met your dad Tiger?" Willow said turning to give her
nephew a hug.
"I've been ready to met him for the last nine years. I just hope
he'll like me." Hearing her son say this Buffy was across the aisle
in a flash taking her son in her arms. She was so caught up in her
own head about meeting Riley, that it hadn't even entered her mind
that Evan may be nervous.
"He's going to love you sweetheart. He's your dad."
__________________________________________________________
Up in the terminal the guys waited as the other passengers filed
passed them. Graham kept looking from the crowd then to Riley
inorder to make sure he was still standing upright. It wasn't'
everyday a guy gets to meet his son that until last night he knew
nothing about.
"Where are they?" Graham asked as he scanned the passing passengers.
"Probably have to wait for everyone to get off. VIP Security
measures." Riley mumbled not taking his eyes off the tunnel.
"VIP Security measures? Is there something you have forgotten to
tell me Finn?" Graham asked feeling a sick feeling coming over him.
"Oops! I guess with all the stuff that's happening I forgot to tell
you that Willow's coming with Buffy and Evan." Riley replied taking
a step away from Graham incase he decide on doing some bodily damage.
"Willow's coming with Buffy, and it totally slipped your mind."
Graham said shaking his head at his friend.
"Yup. Sorry man, but I figured if I'd told you last night you would
have found an excuse to have stayed in Columbia. And don't try and
argue the point with me Gray, I know how your mind works."
"You're a bastard. I have told you recently?" Graham said taking a
deep breath.
"I think so." Riley said smiling enjoying his friends discomfort.
As he turned around to face the tunnel he saw three shadows walking
up it together. Even in the distance he knew it was them. He felt
his palms start to sweat and his knees grow weak
"Hold on Rye. Just breath." Graham whispered into his ear.
"I can do this." Riley closed his eyes breathing out slowly. When
he opened them Buffy was standing about 10 feet from him.
They stood looking at each other for a few seconds, as the rest of
the world fell away.
<God! He was as handsome as ever! I wished he'd taken his coat off,
I want to see his body.>
<She was more beautiful than I'd ever remembered her being>
Finally realising that one of them had to do something she smiled at
him
"Hello Riley.''
It was like he couldn't help himself or he was possessed or
something, because he felt his legs carry himself across the room and
pull her into his arms for a hug.
"Hello Buffy." He said into her ear. Pulling back he looked down
into her hazel eyes and smiled.
"Long time no see."
<Did I just say that out loud!> he berated himself for sounding so
stupid.
"I know." She said turning her 100 watt smile at him. Over his
shoulder she saw Graham trying to blend into the woodwork it seemed.
Pulling away for Riley she crossed the ground that separated her and
Graham. Reaching him she pulled him into her arms and held him close.
"Hello Graham."
"Hello Buffy." He said feeling all the tension he'd been walking
around with leave his body. He would never have admitted it to
anyone but Riley, but he'd been frighten about being here to meet
her. He'd been afraid that Buffy blamed him for the whole thing.
"It's okay, I don't blame you,. You were just being yourself." Here
they stood in the airport having one of the most important
conversations in either one of their lives.
Evan stood watching his mother greet both the men before him, but his
attention was drawn to the tall blonde man that was obviously his
father. The man had his back to him, watching his mother greet the
other man. Evan looked up at his Aunt Willow and say that she had
tears in her pretty green eyes. Letting go of her hand he step up
behind the blonde man.
"Excuse me sir."
Riley turned around and looked down at the blonde haired boy that
stood before him with his hand extended. Like with the birth of each
of his girls, he fell instantly in love with his son. Staring into a
pair of blue eyes that matched his own, Riley tried to remember ever
second of this meeting.
"My name is Sean Evan Riley Summers. I think you're my dad."
Taking the young man's hand in his trembling one Riley tried to smile
through his own tears.
"Yes I am your dad Evan."
The other grown ups stood watching as the young boy and his father
stood holding hands, staring into each others eyes. You could have
heard a pin drop if it hadn't been for the sniffles. There wasn't a
dry eye in the terminal.
"You really do look like me." Evan said in awe looking up at Riley.
"Your right I do." Smiled Riley wanting desperately to hold his son
in his arms, but afraid the suddenness of the move would frighten the
Evan. Instead he was happy to go on holding his hand. He must have
been swaying or something, because he felt Graham place his hand on
Riley's arm and guide him to the chair behind him. Evan turned to
look at the man behind his father. Letting go of Riley's hand he
held his own out again to Graham.
Graham squatted down in front of Evan and put his own hand out
looking the Evan in the eye.
"Hello. My name's Sean Evan Riley Summers."
"Graham Miller at your service sir." Evan looked at the large man
and smiled back at the man, He decided that he like the man, since no
one had ever bent down to talk to him eye to eye.
"Nice to meet you Mr. Miller."
"How about you call me Uncle Graham?"
"I think I'd like that." Evan smiled then turned back to his father
and sat down next to him.
Riley was an absolute mess. Tears rolled freely down his face and he
could only pull his eyes away from his son long enough to smile at
Buffy. He knew his legs were still shaking slightly and his heart
was pounding through his chest.
<If this is what a heart attack feels like, I can die happy.>
Buffy stood watching her son and his father meet for the first time.
She was move to tears as she watched her son hold his father's large
hand and she wanted to throw her head back and scream out to the
world in happiness. Looking over at Willow she saw her own
happiness mirrored there. She watched as Willow watch Evan greet
Graham, and saw the twinkle appear in Willow's beautiful green eyes.
Buffy had always known that Willow cared about Graham, and seeing her
reaction to Graham only confirmed it.
"Willow." Buffy said trying to draw her into the circle.
Hearing Willow's name both men turned towards the red head, who until
now had stood forgotten in the tunnels shadow. Riley stood up to his
full height and walked over to Willow. He stood in front of her for
a second to take in her beauty and then he pulled her into a hug.
"It's so good to see you Willow." He whispered into her ear. Over
the years there were so many times that he'd been tempted to pick up
the phone and call her, but he'd always stopped himself. Now having
her in his arms he couldn't help but smile.
"You too Riley." She said smiling into his neck.
Letting her go so she could straighten her clothing Riley looked over
at Graham. He saw the same look of adoration on Graham's face in the
past. Smitten is the word that his grandmother would have used.
"Hello Willow" he said walking over to take the carry on off her
shoulder.
"Hi yourself Graham." Willow replied blushing prettily under his
gaze.
<And why was I with Tara, when it obvious I had a thing for Graham
and I do?>
"Hey buddy why don't we go find the luggage, and let your dad and mom
catch up." Graham said putting his hand out to Evan.
"Okay." He said placing his hand in Graham's, and as they turned to
walk away with Willow they heard Evan say.
"Is it true you and my dad were Marines?"
Buffy stood staring at Riley feeling very ackward. Was she expected
to jump right in and tell him the reason for the trip, or do they get
to know each other again. Though she didn't have to because Riley
broke the silence.
"He's beautiful Buffy." He said looking down at her.
"I know, he looks just like you. Are all your children as beautiful."
she said smiling up at him through her tears.
"I think so."
"I can definitely see you in him." He said watching his son and
friends walk ahead of them.
"No. He's all you. Anyone who knows you agrees."
"Maybe. I can see his sisters in him. Wait till you meet them."
With out realising it he took her hand in his and kept walking and
talking. Buffy briefly looked down at their entwined fingers and
smiled.
<It did feel right.>
The story continues in chapter 8
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