Title: Bring Me Into the Light (19/?)
AUTHOR: Mistress Ace & Em
E-MAIL: rosewood@inreach.com & slayerbuffy@aol.com
FEEDBACK: Is the butter on our bread. We write because the story begs to be told. Feedback lets us know if we struck a chord with you.
DISTRIBUTION: Our site, Fandom Writers (http://www.fandomwriters.com), of course. FINNatics, Vamps-N-Slayers, the other list archives as well. Anyone else interested, we'll be happy to share.
RATING: NC-17
CATEGORY: Story: Romance, Angst
SPOILERS: As You Were
PAIRINGS: B/R/Sam, m/f, f/f
DISCLAIMER: Don't own the characters at all. (More's the pity) They belong to the Great God Joss Whedon et al. We are just borrowing them for a little bit. That's all. No BtVS characters were harmed in the writing of this fic. Well, maybe just a little.
SUMMARY: Not back for long enough. Not nearly long enough and there were too many things left up in the air. But isn't that the purpose of fan-fiction?
DEDICATION: To Sharon for opening our eyes to Graham Miller.
 

Chapter 19

Buffy reached out and ran her fingertips down Sam's side, tracing the utter lack of tan-lines with no particular destination in mind. In her mind's eye, she followed the line where the bra strap had been around Sam's back to below her breasts; her fingertips followed, tracing the skin lightly. She was unaware of her unintentional teasing until Sam's breath hitched. Buffy looked up into Sam's eyes and was suddenly caught there, unable to move.

Without speaking, Sam took Buffy's hand in hers and pressed it to her breast, guided her on how to touch. Such little hands, with calluses in odd places, calluses much like Sam's own. A fighter's hands, deft and sure and deadly. But not now... Now they were gentle, tentative as Buffy explored and listened to Sam's instructions. "Yes, honey... tug a little there... oh... so good."

His breathing was pretty close to normal as Riley rolled over to look at them. Gorgeous, both of them and too far away. "Hey," a soft syllable that brought their attention immediately away from one another. He smiled and patted the spot next to him. "Big bed here. Lots of room. More comfortable than the floor."

Buffy looked back at Sam with a bit of a grin. "What do you think? Should we pick our little butts up off the floor and join him?" She laughed lightly, both at Sam's answering smile and Riley's carefully eager expression. "He's probably got a point about the comfort thing. And carpet burn sucks."

Sam laughed at the last comment even as she was getting to her feet and drawing Buffy along with her. She led the way toward the bed, dodging a small table before taking a seat at the foot. "Gotta agree with you there. They are the worst even though it can be fun getting them."

Now there was a memory that wasn't going to fade anytime soon.

Seattle - great coffee - awful hotel. The bed already broken from earlier, dresser too unsteady to take the pounding they were going to mete out which left nothing but rough, faded carpet under her knees. And Riley on his back, raw wound on his chest barely healed, a souvenir he'd end up wearing for a few weeks, broad hands gripping her hips as he drove repeatedly up into her. Both of them breathless, frantic because he'd nearly died... again.

Riley caught the reference instantly and rather than elaborate on it, he laughed. That sound was followed by a wry grin, "Hey, you're the one who insisted on the floor. At least you only got them on your knees. The ones on my back took hours to heal." They could tell Buffy the rest of the story some other time when this wasn't so new and she wasn't quite so fragile.

She'd probably be able to identify the demon that got its claws into him that night. Or Willow could, she was the research gal after all. It'd be nice to know in case they ran into another one of them. He'd been too busy blowing the thing away to ask questions.

"Aww, poor baby." Buffy climbed up onto the foot of the bed beside Sam. Still teasing Riley, she leaned over and brushed a kiss on the small of his back. A kiss that he rose up into to prolong the contact. "There, all better now." Not like it hadn't been better for a while, but it was fun to play.

"Mmmm... do that again and I'll be your slave for life," he teased back, smiling broadly as he reached for a tissue from the box on the nightstand. Sam moved faster than he did and startled, Riley found himself on his back in the pile of pillows, staring up then down at his wife. Who was kissing his stomach and licking and oh yeah... "Ummm... help yourself, Sam."

"Planned on it," she shot back before flicking her tongue over one of the wet spots. Took him in, rolled his taste round and round in her mouth and decided she liked the combination. Buffy and Riley, lover and husband... perfect. One of the many perks of this arrangement.

Buffy laughed softly at the look of surprise on Riley's face when Sam pounced on him. That was Sam for ya, though Buffy might have done the same thing had Sam not beaten her to it. But she wouldn't argue... it was fun to watch, too. Especially when he started to blush like that.

Shifting to sit further up on the bed for a better view, she settled herself beside Riley. She picked up Riley's hand and wrapped her own hands around it, absently beginning a gentle massage while she watched Sam. Couldn't have him overworking his hands, now could they? She could think of too many good things he might want to do with them later.

Riley laid back and enjoyed the attention, even basked in it. Buffy's strong fingers worked over his hand and then down his wrist and Sam's warm mouth skated along his skin. Her tongue in his navel earned a muffled groan.

His heart skipped a beat when she moved to the side and licked up another spot, dragging her mouth across the old bite scar that straddled his hip-bone. The sudden rush of sensation seared the air out of his lungs and he growled at her. "Dammit, Sam. Unless you want me to fuck you right now, steer clear of those. It's too much."

A soft sound from Buffy followed Riley's outburst while Sam shivered in response to those sharp words. She was used to them and used to the dark sensual edge behind them. Lifting her head, Sam smiled up at Riley, she liked it when he lost that iron control. "Promises, promises, Finn. Think you can take me? You can try."

"Can take you with one hand tied behind my back, remember?" Riley turned toward Buffy. Her gasp concerned him and when he looked up at her, he found her cheeks tinged with pink. Enough of a reminder that she didn't respond the same as Sam did to strong language. "Sorry, Buffy. Didn't mean to offend you by talking that way... Sam likes it."

"I'm not offended... it's just going to take some getting used to," Buffy told him softly. She wondered if she should tell him that the only person who'd ever sworn in her hearing during sex was Spike... And though Riley didn't sound at all like him, the words themselves in that context brought things to mind she would really rather leave buried. She hoped she could learn to get used to it over time, but Buffy honestly wasn't sure.

It was just too soon to tell.

Returning her attention to his hand, she tried to lighten the mood again. "But if you want to 'take' Sam, or try to, then I'll hold onto your hand for you." She knew that they would probably quite easily see that there was more to it than what she said, but she was hoping they wouldn't push it. At least, not now; it would take all the fun out of this.

Riley kept looking at her and after a moment or two, he cupped her chin. Granted he didn't like to push the issue but he knew something was wrong. Underneath her light comment lay a whole new world of pain. Pain he hated to see. This was far from over.

Just when he opened his mouth to say something, Sam nipped his thigh and his jaw snapped shut. Riley glared down at Sam who was stalking her way up his body. As usual - the Riley Finn stare - the one that made his men quail and run for cover, did absolutely nothing where his wife was concerned. Which was part of the reason they got along so well. He didn't intimidate her at all.

"Why don't you do that, Buffy? Better yet, hold both hands down... We'll have him completely at our mercy." Playful and seductive tone, her eyes twinkled as Sam tried to diffuse the somberness threatening to intrude. There would be time enough for this kind of thing when they weren't naked. God knows Riley was serious enough without any outside influence.

Buffy had never been more grateful for an interruption. Riley had been about to ask her what was wrong, she just knew it. Smiling at Sam for her well-timed suggestion, Buffy moved to sit on the pillows next to Riley's shoulder and grabbed his other hand. She laced her fingers with his and held tightly. Then she winked at Sam and said, "He's all yours... for now, anyway." She knew Sam would know what she meant.

"We can do this as a tag team," Grinning, Sam straddled her husband's chest and watched as his eyes closed and he shuddered. His fists clenched but he didn't try to break out of the hold. Riley arched upward, not fighting this, not fighting any of it. Looking over her shoulder, her smile got broader. Oh yeah, that was the result she was looking for.

"That's it, Buffy. Hold him down." This was one of his hot and heavy fantasies, one Sam happily catered to. Being held down, restrained so when his control broke no one got hurt was guaranteed to drive Riley wild. The only real difference here was the addition of Buffy and the obvious lack of proper equipment. Pity the handcuffs were still in the SUV.

Next time.

Riley rose into those words, his body reacted independent of rational thought. His clenched jaw stemmed the loud groan as the visual played out in behind closed lids. This was exquisite and immediate torture, being pinned to the bed by the one woman in the world powerful enough to actually keep him there. Hard, the rise instantaneous and bordering on painful considering just how recently he'd come. The feel of Buffy's slim, strong fingers holding him in place, Sam perched on his chest... so close he could almost taste her. His voice broke around the words, "Sam... please... please."

The sight of Riley, her 6'-plus lover laying on the bed beneath his wife, completely at their mercy, was a sight to behold. They had him trapped, pinned, and it roused something fiercely possessive within her. Something that had made itself known the night before. The Slayer looked out through passion-darkened eyes and her grip tightened slightly when her mate groaned. But she was secure in the knowledge of her place in the scheme of things and ceded control back to her counterpart when Riley's words reached something in Buffy as well.

Buffy had never heard Riley plead quite like that, before... Though she could tell he didn't really want her to let him go. So she didn't; she held his hands tightly, resting them on her knees. "I've got him," she told Sam. "He won't get loose." Buffy returned Sam's grin, rather enjoying this.

"Good. I'm trusting you with that." Sam leaned over until her breast brushed Riley's mouth. When he tried to latch onto the nipple, she rose up out of range. Time to remind him how this worked. "Not how the game is played, Finn, and you know it. In fact, I think you invented it. Play by the rules. Tell me what you want."

His response was immediate and only Sam knew how toned down it was. He had a pretty clear idea what was wrong with Buffy and didn't want a repeat of the earlier awkwardness. If they'd been alone, he would have been telling her exactly what he wanted in great detail and in several languages. "Want to taste you. Please?" Riley's voice was soft and low, gravel over velvet as he added. "Want to make you come."

"Mmmm..." Buffy shivered delicately at the tone. She'd forgotten just how his voice affected her. This sounded like a fun game, and maybe she could play too, later. It wasn't entirely unfamiliar to her... There had been times when Riley continually asked her what she wanted, and wouldn't give it to her until she told him.

Even though it was hard for her to put her desires into words, she'd managed enough to satisfy him. This time, though, she just wanted to watch for a bit. To see how they played together. She could already tell that hers and Riley's past sex life was pretty tame compared to his sex life with Sam... Buffy felt she really had a lot to learn. But perhaps this was a way to start.

Sam's eyes went dark and wide, the teasing light swallowed up by something much wilder as she considered his request. "I think we can do that." And while Buffy watched, Sam shifted further up the bed. She tucked her knees up around his shoulders and Riley slid down to give her more room. When Sam sat down, he rose to meet her, the two of them moving in perfect unison. The whole thing too smooth not to have been practiced time and time again.

Warm and wet and right there. Perfect tight grip on his hands and the scent of her, the slick slide across his chin as she settled in the closest thing to paradise he could imagine. Riley's mouth opened and took her in, tongue darting out to taste and tease and lick. Fingers almost as strong as Buffy's threaded through his hair, pulling him in tight while her back arched.

The first touch of his breath seared her. The first touch of his mouth torture, a serpent's kiss that led the way to madness. Too slow, too much delay until he finally opened to her. With the first touch of his tongue, angels wept and the heavens fell. Love and life and ecstasy all bound up in a single carnal kiss. Unable to remain silent, Sam sobbed his name.

And he responded with an even deeper caress.

Good, he was so damned good at this. No one, not even Katja had a mouth like Riley's. Sam could spend hours like this, had spent hours and hours and hours right like this. Riley was infinitely patient and he loved what he did to her and for her. Loved bringing her to the brink and back again, time after time after time until she was the one begging him.

**How did they do it?** Buffy wondered. Riley and Sam, both of them were way too good at what they did. She knew from experience, and could see Riley had Sam melting into his mouth in such a short time. Sam was better at it, but probably mostly because she knew what felt good to herself. Buffy knew what made her feel good, but didn't know what actions produced the feelings she especially liked.

She would have to pay more attention, or at least try to. Especially with a ringside seat like this. It was hard to try to figure out what exactly they were doing when her body was rocked with pleasure inside and out. Time to take advantage of what was being offered for study.

But she'd never one to sit idly by so after watching for several minutes, Buffy shifted her grip on Riley's hands, and her position beside him. She got to her knees and moved nearer to Sam, ducking her head and catching a nipple between her lips. The tender furl slipped easily into her mouth as if it belonged there. She sucked gently, pleased by the startled expression that briefly lit Sam's eyes.

Using one hand for balance on the headboard, Sam smoothed the other over Buffy's hair, pulling her in close. She moaned, biting her lower lip as wave upon wave of sensation coursed through her. Two mouths, one at her breast, one at her sex. One tentative and sweet, the other knowing and God, so talented.

No way she'd ever go back to having only one of them.

Just no way.

Buffy moved a little closer, switching to the other breast. She still had Riley's hands pinned but had lost track of exactly were they were until she felt a broad fingertip brush through her tight curls. Riley was still intent on Sam, sucking lightly but as Buffy moved back, that fingertip followed her.

Pinned?

Yes.

Helpless?

Not on your life.

Riley strained a little against her hold and managed to slip not one but two fingers into Buffy. Swirled them around a little and hummed to himself which had Sam gasping and clutching the headboard even tighter. Slick and welcoming, two sets of gorgeous thighs opening further over him while Buffy slid even closer and Sam keened in pleasure.

Considering what he was making her feel, Buffy wasn't really fighting him. Compromising she shifted her hold down to his wrist - the rules said he had to play 'nice' with Sam, but until she actually was part of the game, she could give him some leeway. And she definitely wanted to, as his fingers moved inside her, rubbing against her slick inner walls and making her shiver. He really was good at what he did. Who was she to complain if he wanted her to participate too?

Fingers imitated tongue and his own hips moved as well, rising into empty air. Riley ached, deep down in his bones. He'd had more sex in the past day than he and Sam had managed in the past week, but still he wanted more. Positions and logistics rattled through his head as he sought to bring his wife to a climax. Sam could stay where she was and he could hook his fingers under the headboard, lock his hands in place which would leave Buffy free to...

Oh yeah, that was a good plan.

One-on-one was all he'd ever known but Riley was adaptable, he could figure things out given enough incentive. And right now the thought of his dick buried in Buffy while having bringing Sam to another sobbing orgasm was really appealing. Especially since the first sobbing orgasm was about to commence.

"Yes... yes... oh Ry... Buffy." Dark hair tumbling over her brow, lower lip caught in her teeth, Sam let go. Felt it sweep up through her, pleasure knife-sharp and almost painful. Riley was sucking harder, flicking at just the right tempo, drawing it out until she was ready to scream. He bit down gently, so gently, and it was enough.

She was flying. Breaking. Tears streaming down as the force of release washed over her. Crying out to a God she never believed existed until she met Riley Finn. Until he made her that non-existent deity's face almost every single night.

As tenderly as she could, Buffy nipped at Sam's breast, at the same time Riley's tongue sent Sam over the edge. As her lover shook with the force of her climax, Buffy released Sam's nipple and found her mouth. They kissed, long and deep, Buffy swallowing Sam's cries. The temptation to hold her became too great and Buffy released Riley's wrist to wrap an arm around Sam's waist, cradling her.

To his credit, Riley didn't move... much. He kept his hands in place as he lapped quietly, enjoying the taste and the sound of her coming. As Sam had pointed out, Riley invented this game. He had the rules down. First rule, don't use your hands. So without them, Riley eased Sam through the last of the tremors with careful kisses and the lightest touch of his breath over sensitized skin.

It took a few minutes before she stopped shaking. Sam leaned her forehead against Buffy's and took a deep breath. "Thank you," she said quietly, her voice breaking on the last word. Reaching between them, Sam smoothed her fingertips along Riley's cheek and he finally stopped licking.

It was time to give Sam a breather.

Given that Riley hadn't moved the hands she'd released, Buffy decided that it was safe to let him be for the moment. Instead, she wrapped her arms completely around Sam and held her gently. She whispered, "You're welcome," even though she truly didn't know who Sam's words had been directed at. Honestly, it was hard to think too much with Riley's fingers still inside of her. But she knew instinctively Sam needed a little down time, and so just cradled her.

Sam nodded, unnoticed tears wetting Buffy's hair as she fought for some semblance of control. Breathing, breathing would be good right about now. Moving was a whole different story. Sam leaned against Buffy and was thankful her husband took direction so well. Even the simplest touch would be too much, at least until her body stopped humming. He lay there, silent and still while she panted. Probably beaming to himself; he really liked reducing her to a helpless state.

The only thing moving at the moment was his hand, fingers to be precise. In and out, in and out, separate the upper folds and press one fingertip against the tender rise... Buffy moaned and Riley smiled, then turned his head to place a kiss on Sam's trembling thigh. Time to indulge in a moment of sheer male triumph.

Funny how good this was for his ego. When he'd left Sunnydale, he'd been at his lowest point. Ready to die. Hell, eager to, rushing in where angels feared to tread. Guns blazing, no care for his own safety, kill-or-be-killed his only objective.

An attitude which netted him exactly one thing.

One very pissed off Graham Miller.

Gray had gone out on a limb to bring him back into the Corps and Riley's descent into utter stupidity on his first day back didn't sit well with him at all. After the mission was over and he managed to come back alive, Graham slapped him around. Literally. Tracked him down in a bar, grabbed him by the arm and throat and shoved him up against a wall. Demanded to know just what the fuck Riley thought he was trying to prove.

That went on for a good solid twenty minutes before Graham dragged Riley's sorry ass back to base camp and followed him into the showers. The lecture didn't stop even then, it continued while Riley stripped off his uniform and washed the detritus from the mission off his body. He tried to ignore Graham, tune him out when a hand clamped down on his arm.

The lecture came to a grinding halt as Graham stared at the tracks on his arm. He looked up at Riley's face, down at his arm and then back up again in disbelief. While Riley scrambled for an explanation, Graham went off, calling him a junkie and a disgrace to the Corps. The sheer flow of invective from his usually stoic buddy would've stunned anybody who knew Graham. Cold grey eyes bored into his own right up until the minute Riley's chin got shoved to the side.

That movement led to another breathless moment where Riley wondered if his old buddy was about to make a pass. At least until he felt a feathery touch on one of the bites that still marred his skin. Anybody who'd spent time in Sunnydale knew what those marks were.

That's when all holy hell broke loose.

That night he gained a companion who dogged his every step for months. Who pitched his tent next to Riley's at every landfall and stood silent watch over him, even cuffed him to his cot when they bivouacked too close to a vampire nest. Graham was his shadow until Sam joined the squad. She provided the catalyst that healed the rift between him and Graham. She listened to both of them, brought coffee to Graham while he kept his silent vigils and somehow brought them around to a point where there was trust again.

After that, between Sam and Graham, Riley hadn't had much time to feel sorry for himself. They each pushed him in their own way. Graham with quiet sarcasm and Sam with tact first and then blunt honesty. They were good for him, they kept him sane. When he'd taken Sam as his lover, it only got better from there.

The only thing left unresolved in his life had been Buffy. When the Suvolte headed north, he welcomed the chance to be stateside again. When it skirted around L.A., apparently intent on nesting in Sunnydale, he'd been elated and scared as hell. Here was his chance. His chance to come back and lay those skeletons to rest.

Finding her working in a dead-end job was... disturbing. He'd expected her to still be in college, sailing through with ease because, along with everything else, Buffy was bright. Finding out her mom had died cut him to the bone. Joyce had been getting better, was expected to make a full recovery. Sam had been right behind him, trailing the demon so there hadn't been any time to talk. No time to tell Buffy how sorry he was or even to fill her in on the objective, let alone tell her about Sam.

Riley knew he'd botched their first meeting. The second meeting had gone much better. Much better...

Though she still held Sam up, Buffy started to tremble. Softly moaning, her eyes fell closed and she tried to concentrate on keeping herself upright as much as on what Riley was doing to her. God, the things he did to her... the way he made her feel... the way they both made her feel, truly; Buffy hadn't felt this loved in a long time.

Despite the underlying issues, moments like this she could almost believe that everything was just perfect. No problems, no monsters, nothing but them together in bed. It was a dream come true, but better than any dream her mind had previously come up with. Her dreams were usually prophetic, not miraculous.

Sam felt the tremble and the moan and knew what Riley was up to. She could see the subtle shifts in his wrist and felt an answering tingle in her spine. He was breaking the rules but oh, well... what fun were rules if you couldn't break them?

Besides, it was fun watching Buffy's eyelids flutter and the way her mouth opened, lips ready for a kiss. A kiss Sam was happy to provide. Soft, light brush of her tongue along that sweet lower lip, quiet tease as she muffled Buffy's tiny cry of pleasure. Sam knew she'd never find a more responsive lover than these two.

A warm talented tongue licked at her again, parting crisp curls and flicked in all the right places. Still sensitive, Sam pulled away from Buffy and out of their kiss, shuddering as Riley started in on her in earnest. Deep thrust inside, strong jaw working along her leg. When she looked down his eyes were closed, a tiny line marred his brow as he concentrated on pleasing both of his lovers.

Riley lost himself in the details, ignoring the impatient signals from certain neglected parts of his anatomy. The bone-deep ache was still there. But it didn't matter, it just didn't matter. He had other things to focus on right now. His needs could wait.

"Buffy," Sam whispered in between fevered kisses. "Is he making you feel good? Do you want him to stop or keep going?" Reasserting control was part of the game. If Riley was held down then Sam was in control. He had to ask for what he wanted and he hadn't asked for what he was doing to Buffy.

A soft whimper before she answered, her voice quivering much the way her whole body did, "Feels so good, Sam. Don't ever want him - or you - to stop touching me. Makes me feel so good... so special, the way you touch..." She wasn't the most coherent, but it was enough of an answer. And it was all the answer she could piece together, at the moment.

Thumb in the right place now, rubbing circles and feeling Buffy tighten around the ones inside her. Riley kept licking, determined not to shirk one lover for the other. Buffy was trembling, he could feel it against his wrist and despite the complexity of what he was doing, Riley smiled. Then bared his teeth and nipped an admonishment into Sam's thigh, who yelped. That sharp sound trailing off into a breathy cry when he immediately went back to sucking on soft folds. That cry became a keen and her trembling matched Buffy's.

Hovering between the urge to smack him and another which was screaming for her to slide down his body and take him in, Sam did neither. Instead, she balanced herself with one hand on the headboard, the other massaging Buffy's neck and then her shoulder. Answering the request for her to touch. Buffy continued to cling to Sam, whimpering as Riley's hand continued to push her towards the brink of madness.

"Honey," her lips brushing the soft lobe of Buffy's ear, soft hair tickling Sam's nose. "Do you want him inside you? I know that's what he wants." And it was what she wanted too. She wanted to watched Buffy riding her husband, pale legs bent and braced around his bronzed hips, both of them grinding together... driving each other onward.

Buffy spent a moment savoring the warm, soft body held against hers before she answered. "Yes," she whispered softly. "Please..." But before she could receive an answer, Buffy tilted her head back and kissed Sam's lips, long and sweet. When the kiss finally broke, she looked up at Sam for an answer. She might not technically be the one who had to ask, according to the rules, but she would do so anyway. No matter how much she might want it, she would ask first.

Riley was a little startled when he heard Sam ask Buffy. He was pretty sure Sam was beyond conscious thought at this point but apparently not. What she was asking and Buffy's answer was enough to make him groan, buck upward into empty air and silently curse his lack of control.

Tucking a stray lock of hair behind Buffy's ear, Sam smiled and rode through that buck. Enjoyed how his shoulders shifted and the vibrations his deep groan sent through her own body. Oh yeah, Riley liked that idea. "You can have anything you want from us. Both of us... or either. All you have to do is ask."

When Buffy nodded silently, pressing in close, Sam cupped her breast and tugged lightly on the nipple. Felt her arch into the touch and the breathy little sound from her was enough to send another shiver through Sam's entire body. That and the fact Riley was steadily sucking on her clit. Sucking and nipping and trying to send her over the edge.

It was then Sam remembered the problem inherent with Buffy and Riley together. She hadn't grabbed any of her way out and she was pretty sure Riley hadn't either. "Dammit," Sam muttered, stiffening and pulling back from the warm haven of her husband's mouth. Of course he followed her, not ready to stop, nor had he been given the command to stop.

The single soft curse cut through Buffy's consciousness and she opened her eyes, lifting her head quickly. "What..?" she breathed, concerned. Sam was stiff, pulling away, and Buffy didn't understand. What had happened? Was something wrong? Did she do something?

Sam saw it instantly, saw the fear in Buffy's eyes. Skittish, looking like a colt ready to dash away from a cruel harness. More damage had been done than Buffy had admitted to and if Sam ever got her hands on Spike, getting dusted was going to be the least of his worries.

Immediately Sam soothed her, pressed her forehead against Buffy's and whispered. "It's all right, Buffy. Nothing you did. Just something we forgot."

Riley's groan of comprehension was muffled against her clit. Sam felt him pull away, turn his head to the side and when she spared him a glance, his eyes were closed, brow furrowed. Cursing himself for being unprepared. Captain Can Do actually left home without everything necessary for a mission. It was actually kinda funny if it weren't for the disappointment and delay factor. They needed to add drug-store trip to the grocery shopping outing.

Buffy blinked, wondering what might have been forgotten... until it occurred to her. "Oh. Oh!" She suddenly remembered and was relieved she could resolve this problem easily. Gently pulling away from Riley and Sam, she jumped off the bed and dashed into her room.

Stash, where was that stash? Riley had always had condoms on him, but she'd started to keep a box hidden in her room after one particularly enthusiastic night when they'd been here and used almost all the ones he carried. She shuffled through her drawer and came up with an almost-full box. Taking the whole thing with her, she almost flew back to the bedroom. Though objectively she'd only been gone for two minutes, it felt like forever to her.

"Riley, is there something you didn't tell me about?" Sam teased gently. She'd moved from her earlier perch and was sprawled beside her husband. He was in the same position, his hands resting on the pillow without being held down and calmly watching the doorway. Sam's hand was on him, gently stripping his cock, wrist turning on every stroke to bring her palm over the head and then back down.

His eyes lit up at the sight of the box. She hadn't thrown it away. That had been quite a night, both of them stripped down to nothing and ready to go for a third round when he realized he was out of supplies. They'd had a busy week and a trip to the drug-store kept getting missed.

He was reaching for his jeans, intent on making a midnight run when Buffy giggled at him and pulled an unopened box out of the bottom of her dresser. She'd bought it weeks ago, hid it under the clothes only he got to see, and waited for the right moment. For once she'd been more prepared than he was.

"I thought you would have thrown that away." A shiver followed those quiet words as Buffy crawled up onto the bed with them. She'd kept it. Riley wondered what else she'd kept. Did she still have the pictures they'd had taken? Or the clothes he'd left behind in his exodus for Sunnydale? Since the night he left, he'd been certain she was happy to see the last of him. Had been certain of it until last night and her tearful confession.

"No." Buffy shook her head. "I put some things away... it was too hard for a while, and then there was no time. But I kept it all. And Mr. Gordo is wrapped up in your brown sweater, sitting on my headboard." A small smile accompanied that admission, a gentle look sparkled in her eyes. "I guess in some way, part of me always hoped you would come back. Even if it was only to get your things."

Like the sweatpants in her bottom dresser drawer. His brown sweater, which she'd mentioned. The couple of shirts hanging in her closet. The bracelet he'd bought her, the one she'd thrown across the room when her whole world fell apart. The pictures she had were still in their frames - a few still scattered around her room, the rest put away in another drawer.

For when it didn't hurt so much to remember.

Go back to the UC-Sunnydale Library.