Title: Bring Me Into the Light (2/?)
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: FINNatics, Vamps-N-Slayers, the other list archives as well. Anyone else interested, we'll be happy to share.
RATING: NC-17 (eventually – or maybe quickly depending on the whim of the muses)
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: From Ace: Well, to Em of course for bringing this Riley to the fore. Nice to know I can still write him fairly straight. For her lovely Buffy and for giving me the chance to get to know Sam. To our betas - without you, the semi-colon would be something used as an emoticon only... ;)
From Em: To all of the wonderful feedbackers out there - the world needs more of you, and I will not hesitate to express my appreciation. You rock! And to Ace and her Sam!muse, because without her our fic wouldn't be what it is.

 
Bring Me Into the Light

Chapter 2

Riley hauled himself into the front seat, passing the key card through the ignition. His smile deepened as the vehicle started up immediately. Gotta love those government toys.

They got full sanction for the Sunnydale trip once he'd brought it up with the CO. Not only did they get sanction but Colonel Drummond pulled Riley aside after the briefing. Asked if Riley seriously thought Buffy could be recruited. Drum had listened to all the old Initiative members' stories about her. Thought she'd make a great addition to the team.

Which she would, or she might. Once you got past the not-following-orders thing and the always-questioning-what-was-going-on thing, Buffy would make one hell of an operative. Riley promised to broach the subject if the opportunity arose. And he meant for the opportunity to arise.

Joining up would certainly fix some of Buffy's current difficulties. He and Sam weren't blind or deaf. Dawn's comment about the ice cubes struck a chord as well as the barely subsistence level job Buffy had at the Double Meat Palace were dead give-aways. It looked like money was a problem for Buffy. A severe problem.

After recovering from her surprise, Buffy climbed into the front passenger seat and picked up the Kevlar clothing. "So I'm changing in the car again, huh? Promise not to peek?" she teased lightly, a near repeat of their conversation last week.

Recalling Riley was married and Sam was in the backseat, she sent a guilty look Sam's way for her teasing. But Sam just grinned at her, eyes snapping with humor, then turned to look at Riley as if waiting for his answer.

"I'm a gentleman." Same reply, spoken with a good deal more humor than before. Sidelong glance followed by a grin that matched Sam's. He caught his wife's gaze in the mirror, saw her smile. Thought he knew the edge behind it and hoped he wasn't reading the signals wrong.

God, but they needed to talk.

Stepping in to create a distraction, Sam spoke up, leaning in between them. Her cheek brushed Riley's and then her hair, causing him to close his eyes for a second. Close his eyes, take in her scent and really try to not think about grabbing Buffy who was getting naked in the seat next to him. Not grabbing her and not crawling in the back with her and his wife for one hell of a free-for-all. Post-slayage hornies, which were a lot like post pot munchies – not at he'd had any experience with the latter.

And oops, Sam was saying something. The last of which he caught while wrestling with a bunch of very naked and naughty internal demons. "So, Buffy... How's Dawn and Willow?"

Snapping his eyes open, Riley fixed them on the road and kept on not thinking about his ex changing clothes next to him while she chatted with his wife. While his wife took discarded articles of clothing and folded them up, her head tilted to one side, intent on Buffy's every word. Buffy's perfume lingering on those clothes. Apparently the burger smell did go away after many washings.

Handing clothes to Sam as she removed them, Buffy answered, "They're both good. Dawn and I spent the last few afternoons together, after school. Willow is enjoying her classes and trying to help me think of where else I might get a job, since I kind of lost mine the other night."

Buffy didn't blame Riley for that, though. She'd willingly left to help him, and she'd always known her Calling would eventually screw any normal job she had. "Not much luck so far, though. Not enough college, I'm afraid. Oh, Riley," she changed the subject. "Did Xander tell you that he and Anya are going to be married soon, like really soon?"

As she changed, she noticed Riley pointedly not looking at her. Still a gentleman, through and through. She also noticed Sam's curious glances, but those didn't bother her. It was like girls comparing sizes in the locker room after gym. She had to drop her eyes when Sam's gaze found the circular scar on her abdomen, though. It was fading, thanks to her Slayer powers, but it was still quite visible. Caused by her own stake, vamp gloating at her and coming in for the kill - Riley finding her – saving her, taking her home and patching her up.

Taking care of her – she missed that.

"Yep. Knew that. Got a invitation from him plus an e-mail from Willow." His attention was focused on the road. Had to be to keep from getting into a wreck. If he let his mind drift, that's what would happen. So no thinking about an almost naked Buffy and Sam leaning over her, close enough for them to kiss. No thinking about that at all. "Wills wanted us to come so we could laugh at the dresses."

"Wait a minute. Buffy... you lost your job?" Sam met his eyes in the mirror again, quick glance that asked volumes. Riley shook his head; this wasn't the time to make the offer. After they wiped out the nest, they could broach it then.

"Yeah. Not that it was much of a job, but it was the only one I could find. Hopefully I'll find something, though. If I don't, social services will take Dawn from me. I don't think either of us could take that." Buffy answered honestly, but then immediately changed the subject. Her situation was desperate, dire even, but she wouldn't ask for help. And really, how could they help?

She knew Riley would help her steer Sam away from the topic, at least for now. So she returned to the previous topic. "And Riley, you really should laugh at the dresses. Preferably in front of Anya, so she'll change them before the ceremony. They're just awful! At least Wills looks good in green, but it's so not my color..."

"Frills or bows? My sisters have gotten stuck in some terrible ones." Riley's gaze caught Sam's again and he mouthed a single word, 'Soon'.

"Isn't the wedding the day after tomorrow? Little late to change the dresses now." As she spoke, Sam nodded, acknowledged his request for patience. She took the last garment from Buffy and let it trail over his arm before she stowed all of them in the back seat. Caught the flare in his eyes, the way his jaw tightened. Oh yeah, Finn was up to a proposition or at least he was seriously considering making one himself. And not just about the offer to join the squad.

Missing the by-play, mostly because she couldn't read their minds, Buffy continued to talk. "Well, I could always get out the dress I wore for mom's cousin's wedding, back in high school. I'm still the same size. But you're right, it's too late." Buffy sighed, tucking a stray lock a hair behind one ear. She grimaced, undid the knot that held it all in place and twirled it around to get a little more control. "Frills, mostly. And design. The way it drapes, and the shape of it. And it's really not my color at all."

After a slight pause, Buffy giggled softly, finishing with the re-pinning of her hair. "I'm rather looking forward to seeing Xander in a tux, though. He hasn't been that dressed up since Prom, and I think he looks rather cute that way."

"I'm not one to judge that. I'll leave that up to you ladies. He's not my type." Riley's smile spread across his face as he heard Sam laugh behind them. No doubts on that score, he didn't swing that way. Really didn't.

First time a guy hit on him, he'd almost decked him while Sam sat back and watched and grinned through it all. Told him it wouldn't happen if he didn't have such a cute ass. That comment resulted in Graham spewing half his beer over the scarred table and Riley clapped him on the back in order to hide his own dark blush.

Not that Gray liked him that way. Gray was straight as an arrow too. Tolerant and willing to turn a blind eye to some of the antics that occurred while the squad was on leave. But there were things he drew the line on. Discussing Riley's ass appeared to be one of them.

Riley's own hetero bent was part of the reason why seeing Spike in the all together hadn't done anything other than piss him off. Guy had a nice body but under the physical shell lay a heart as cold and hard as ice. He'd told Sam all about that, told her about finding Buffy in the vamp's bed, naked and vulnerable. How it made him angry – not at her but for her. Angry because Spike took his sleeping with her and turned it into a weapon. Any guy who really cared about her, about her presence with him, wouldn't do a thing like that.

Sam listened to him, listened to the quiet rage and anguish in his voice. Held him while he went over every detail and didn't tease him like she normally would. Spike was a sore spot. Always had been, always would be.

Buffy chuckled softly, catching Riley's drift but none of the subtext. "He's not my type either. He's just... well, he's Xander. The guy Scooby. One of the girls, in a way. He's my friend and I love him, but I'll never be in love with him. I'm single gal, probably for the rest of my life. However long that is this time."

She caught the look of surprise that briefly crossed Riley's face, and answered the question she knew was on his mind without him even having to ask. "Yes, Riley, I broke up with Spike. The morning after we blew up his hideout. I finally figured a few things out, and I realized that I was just being weak to go to him. Because he made me forget for a little while, and because he was the only one there for me."

"But I realized that it was killing me. So I broke it off. Permanently." She fell silent, watched him for a moment more and then turned to stare out the window. Couldn't look at him, didn't want to see the triumph in his eyes or possible contempt because of her weakness.

"Good." Riley's voice broke for a second and he did the unthinkable. He reached for her, set his hand on her knee for a moment. Just long enough to leave an impression of warmth, warmth she'd never felt with Spike. "Strongest woman I've ever known. Proud of you."

"We both are." Sam's hand was on her shoulder, squeezing lightly. "If there's anything we can do for you or Dawn... you let us know. It's part of the reason why we're here." She resisted the urge to hug Buffy, to hold her and let the tears lurking in her voice fall. There was such a sense of quiet desperation about her, it permeated Buffy's skin, leeched out into the air she breathed. Sam wanted to make that go away, just like she'd wanted to help Riley heal.

Buffy looked back at them both, a trace of a smile on her face. She settled a hand on top of each of theirs and pressed gently. "Thank you. I..." she cut herself off as she noticed where they were. "Oops, we're here. We can talk later, hopefully?" Something in her eyes spoke volumes to both of them, telling them just how bad she needed an understanding ear and a little support.

She might never outright ask for it, but it was there for them to see; it spoke to their hearts, loud and clear.

Bringing the vehicle to a halt, Riley looked up into the mirror at Sam and nodded. Without a word, she eased the back door open, disappearing into the night. "We'll talk. Lots of things to say." Riley commented even as he opened his door and pulled the crossbow out from behind his seat. "Slay first?"

Buffy nodded, grabbing up her stakes and wishing that she had her sword with her. "Slay first, talk later. I'm good." She opened her door and hopped out, all her senses instantly on alert. True to form, she was always better at slaying that talking anyway. Talking led to tears and then pain and then people went away. Her dad, Angel, Riley, her mom, Giles – anybody she ever really talked to, left her. And she was tired of being left.

Shifting the shoulders of her all black armor, Buffy moved forward into the unknown. The Kevlar suit felt little funny, as it had before, but she knew it was good protection and so didn't argue. It took away some of her stake hiding places, but she could deal with that. Between the three of them, they ought to have more than enough weapons. Buffy was glad she had so much practice stilling her thoughts during the hunt.

She fell deeply into her senses and instincts, her errant thoughts tucked away for the duration.

Sam was twenty yards away, crouched down, hidden in the middle of a pile of debris. She lifted her right hand; fingers spread outward and steady. A moment later, she turned her wrist and Riley followed the signal, flanking left, weapon at the ready. As he'd said; slay first – talk later.

The first vampire didn't even have a chance to make a sound when Riley's crossbow bolt found its mark. Silence reigned but for their three heartbeats. Riley could hear Buffy's, she was close enough. Slightly elevated, adrenaline peaking though her system. Just like his.

Sam's hand came up again, a closed fist pumped twice and Riley spun on his left foot, snagging another vampire with his next bolt. Things would fall apart soon but for now, they were doing well. Two down, God knows how many to go.

Buffy stood back, waiting and watching for her chance to play. Their system worked well, she noted, or would until there were too many for them to cope with. Then it would turn into a free-for-all, like the one in the cemetery earlier.

Knowing Riley better and knowing he could handle himself, Buffy kept watch around Sam. The other woman was playing lookout, targeting vamps for Riley. But she watched regardless, just in case they came from elsewhere. Just because there was a nest didn't mean that all the vamps were in it, and if one came up from the street they would see her.

Another signal, three fingers up, hand sweeping across the front of the building. In response, Riley was on the move, firing as he went. A vampire exploded from the shadows of a doorway, bolt square in the center of its chest. As it faded away another took its place, only to be shot down. The third vampire got within five feet of Riley before disintegrating.

Behind Sam rose a shadow, spectral hands reaching for her throat. Intent on guiding her partner, she neither heard nor saw its approach.

Buffy saw the shape behind Sam and took off running. She halted her forward motion just behind Sam, using her momentum to lash out a vicious spin kick followed by a swing of her hand, stake bared. The vamp never hit the ground.

Pausing with her back to Sam, her eyes raked the area, finding no more movement. Then she spun on her heel, her senses alert for her next target and assessing the fight beginning at the front of the house. No comment from Sam other than a quick inward drawn breath and an equally quick touch on Buffy's arm. Reassurance of her reality, there and gone like the brush of a butterfly's wing.

Riley's attention was split between the two of them and the house. As he shouldered the crossbow, all hell broke loose. They'd been spotted and it was time to wade in. Vamps poured out of the building, scrambling over each other in their eagerness to either defend their lair and escape. It was hard to tell which.

"Finn, delta pattern." Sam's sharp bark was not acknowledged, not verbally anyway. A stake appeared in his hand and left it just as quickly, catching the leading vamp in the chest. The crossbow was up again; he kept firing even as he rolled out to the right.

Buffy kept one eye on Riley and his crossbow bolts, but otherwise dove straight into the center of the crowd. Whirlwind of motion again, bodies and dust fanning out around her as she pushed her way inward. Buffy slowly made headway towards the building. She knew she'd be beset from both sides once she got into the middle. But she thought if she could get into the doorway of the interior hall, she would be able to slow the tide spilling out into the ruined yard.

She couldn't coordinate with a pre-planned attack pattern she didn't know, so she went with what she did know. Direct and to the point, and preferably where she could do the most harm to the vamps. Buffy kicked, punched, staked and tossed with a fluidity of motion that displayed her predator's skills. She didn't even feel the minor hits the vamps had scored on her thus far.

After a few minutes, there was a solid presence beside her. One Buffy knew and trusted with her life. Riley's crossbow was gone; he had a stake in one hand, keeping the other free to grab whatever came close.

One of the vamps got a grip on his collar, pulling him in for a bite and Riley shook himself. Slid out of the iron grip, using the vamp's own momentum to over-balance him. As the vampire came down, his chest ended up meeting Buffy's stake.

Crouching again, Riley let Buffy roll over his back. The vamps didn't expect him to stand up halfway through the move. Any more than they expected the Slayer to flip over their heads, raining down death as she landed in the middle of them.

Sam held her own, plucking off stragglers and keeping an eye on Riley's back. When she saw a vamp pull him in for a bite, she raced into the fight. Grabbed lank, greasy hair and drove a stake through a broad back into the dead heart beneath it. Territory defended, husband and partner safe. Other partner dealing out death with both hands. Just the kind of fight she loved.

Buffy made her way through the group of vamps she'd landed in the middle of. Then continued to move forward. She was conscious of the Finns following her as they fought their way through the crowd of undead. It had never been this good, even when she'd had Angel beside her. The damage they could do together was staggering.

As she moved through the steps of the deadly dance that was slaying, she continued to feel Riley's presence just a bit behind her. She took courage from his faith in her, knew he would follow her as long as she continued to lead the way. And she knew Sam would too, though whether Sam followed Riley or herself she wasn't sure. But it was enough that the three of them were a team.

A deadly team, if the amount of dust in the air and on the floor behind them was any clue.

The group came to a doorway and Buffy slowed. A little ahead, she felt vampire presence above, and she looked back to catch Riley's eye. Her hand moved up, level with her ear and fisted, and as she dropped her hand, her fingers uncurled. A very old sign they'd made up to signal a possible ambush ahead.

Nodding, he faded to the right, back hugging the wall. Sam guarded their rear as Buffy moved cautiously through the doorway. Sure enough, several vamps dropped down from the floor above, saffron eyes glowing in the darkness.

Riley caught the first one square in the chest with a drop kick. It went down like a ton of bricks, Riley's momentum breaking bones before he staked it. A grim smile of satisfaction turned up the corners of his mouth even as he regained his feet. Good to be back in the killing fields. Really good.

As Riley stood again, Buffy kicked a vamp in his direction before turning to stake the one who'd grabbed hold of her free arm. As if that would stop her? "You know, that wasn't really a smart thing to do," she told the vamp who grabbed her stake arm while she pulled back from the one dusting in front of her. It never had a chance to reply as she flipped it over her body and followed it down, her stake meeting its heart.

The crowd of vampires began to thin, and the Slayer stood back briefly to take stock of the situation. Three well-armed humans against what looked to be about half a dozen vamps left standing. Two tossed stakes later - one from Buffy and one from Sam - the odds were suddenly much closer to "even".

"Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in." Sardonic tone, equally sardonic words from above them. Looking up, Riley's eyes narrowed, he knew that voice. What with Willy's eagerness to send him to this place, that particular voice was pretty much a given. "Finn, thought you'd be dead by now, given your habit."

One of the first vamps he'd ever paid, the only male he'd ever let bite him. Riley glared at the half-ruined landing, calculating what it would take to get up there. A quick run and a jump and he could probably use the overhang to swing up onto the platform. "Thought you blew town with the rest of your crew. Heard you got burned out that night."

Sam moved in closer, her attention split between her husband and the vampire taunting him. She knew the look on Riley's face. He'd just gone into full hunt mode and nothing would shut it down until his target was dust. Or he was dead.

Which was not going to happen here. Not on her watch.

"What, and miss the chance to suck the citizens of this lovely burg dry? Not a chance, Finn." Dark purr of a voice, deep and seductive, oozing suggestion from overhead. "Love to watch them beg, just like you did. Want to beg me some more? You know you do..."

Buffy's eyes hardened as she realized just how this vamp knew Riley. And she immediately understood his reaction. While the vamp was distracted with taunting Riley, she slowly circled around until she was standing under and in front of the landing. Buffy looked at Riley and laced her fingers together in the classic "stirrup" position.

She could give him the edge he needed to get up to the platform before the vamp could get away. Riley could clean up above; she and Sam could handle the rest down here. An imperceptible nod and Riley was running. His hands hit her shoulders, right foot into the cradle of her hands. Putting her Slayer powers to the test, she boosted him into the air.

His fingers caught the edge and, before the vamp could get out of reach, Riley swung himself up onto the platform. He caught the vampire by the throat, slammed it into a wall. Heavy body pinning it in place. There was no contest here, not when one took into consideration Riley's vastly superior height and weight. No more taunts, no more words, just a grunt of pain to keep them company.

Below them, Sam and Buffy took on their own opponents, fighting back-to-back. At one point, the two women locked elbows and Sam bent forward, lifting Buffy so she could kick. A vampire spun away from them, clutching a broken shoulder.

Buffy grinned as they continued to fight. Fighting with Sam was almost as much fun as fighting with Riley. They had similar strengths and, despite her Slayer enhanced abilities, she was still a light, tiny person. Either of them could pick her up, or support her for a concerted attack. The two women circled slowly, seeming to automatically compensate for the other's motion.

She tapped Sam's leg and brushed her fingers upwards, hoping that she and Riley used a similar signal. Simple enough, she was going to try to sweep the two nearest vamps off their feet. As if they had been fighting together for years instead of just that night, Sam jumped as Buffy crouched and her leg swung out. The two vamps landed on the floor and Sam staked one as she landed. Buffy shifted her weight to stake the other before regaining her feet.

******

Bones broke; Riley heard every one as they snapped. Ribs, clavicle, humerus, ulna, radius, femur, tibia. With each one, his smile got wider and his eyes wilder. This was the vamp who found him outside of Willy's the night after he'd dusted Sandy. The vamp who touched his throat and watched him shudder. Whispered sibilant promises that flowed coldly into his ears like oil and rain and sorrow.

The vamp who led him to the suck-house, enticed him into the place. Had bitten him on the neck, inside his left elbow, behind his right knee. Bit him whenever he protested or whimpered or tried to get away. Taunted Riley, told him how fucked up he was and how much he loved fucking him up. Tried to fight his way back to sanity only to wake up on a filthy mattress, drained and lethargic and yeah... addicted.

He came back the next night and the next. Always asked for girls and usually got them. Until one night, the night, the night he led Graham's squad to Buffy's house only to find a dead demon and Spike taunting him about missing a good time. That night he'd ended up with this one again and gave himself over to the pain. To the ecstasy. To the darkness.

Woke up from his stupor when he felt cool fingers fumble with his belt, fangs pressed against his stomach. Felt a hand on his dick.

No biting there, no touching there. No one other than Buffy was allowed to touch him there. He'd flung the nameless one against the wall, grabbed him by the throat and the only thing, the only thing that had saved his miserable existence had been the knowledge that if Riley killed him, Riley couldn't come back.

Tonight, there was nothing to stop him.

Nothing at all.

******

Buffy glanced up at the two males on the landing, wanting to make sure Riley was safe. An almost sickening crunch of another bone breaking was followed by a cry of pain. Not Riley's voice so all was good. She returned her attention to the two remaining vamps. One had a broken shoulder from being kicked earlier, but was making a show of being unconcerned about it. The other was still whole, but obviously now more wary.

The women shared a glance and then nodded at the same time. Sam moved forward first, almost pouncing on the undamaged demon in front of her. Buffy circled around the other, noticing how he favored his injured side as he turned to keep her in front of him. Finally, Buffy went for him. She jumped up high and landed a kick on his injured shoulder, hearing more cracking as she compounded the break.

He was barely an effort to stake as he crumpled to the ground in pain. Buffy watched him dust, then turned to see Sam finish off the last vampire on the ground floor.

Buffy couldn't wipe the smile off her face for a few moments, feeling energized by the thrill of a successful hunt and incredible fighting partners. She watched Sam, noticing her elevated breathing and the way her hair was coming unbound from all the fighting. How her mouth was open, glistening in the moonlight as she panted, rising to her feet.

******

"Tell me, Finn." The words were squeezed out between broken coughs, bright blood appearing on the vampire's lips. Bright, borrowed blood - probably sucked out of the arm or neck of some kid who'd heard about the thrill. Who'd come here, heart beating fast and money grubby and streaked with nervous sweat as he paid to find out what everyone was whispering about in the shadows. Bared his throat or maybe even his dick in hopes of finding a whole new meaning to being high. "Which one of them is sucking you off now? Spike's bit of fluff or the dark one?"

If the thought of where that blood came from made him sick, those words made him furious. The muscle in his jaw jumped as he ground out. "She's not Spike's. She's the Slayer. Her. Name. Is. Buffy." Nobody talked about Buffy that way. Nobody. Leaning over his prey, Riley saw nothing but a sea of red. His grip on the vampire's shirt tightened, pulling him in until they were face to face.

"She l-lost that title the first time she let him in." Another cough, followed by more blood, drying as it hit the air. He was due to be dust in a matter of seconds, no doubts on that score. The only thing he wished for was the chance to drag Finn down with him. "She's nothing but a vamp slut. Like you were."

"No, she's not. Never. Not like I was." The stake was in his hand, he held it pressed against the vampire's heart. "She's better than me. Better than any of us..." Wood bit through cloth, inched its way through dead flesh.

******

Sam moved closer to Buffy, her hand reaching up to tuck a stray lock behind Buffy's ear. Close enough that she could feel warm breath on her cheek, could almost feel the rise and fall of Buffy's chest against her own. The draw she'd felt in the cemetery was stronger, pulling her in. Leaning forward, lips parted, close enough... close enough to kiss.

Buffy's eyes locked on Sam's. She was startled by her own reaction; never before had she been attracted to another woman. Not even her sister Slayers, either of them. And Sam was standing so close... so close.

Her eyes fluttered gently and she ever so slightly lifted her chin. It was an automatic reaction to the feelings she was having, and the look in Sam's eyes that pinned her down so completely... Soft looking mouth, would she taste like Riley? Would she kiss like him?

Above them came a strangled cry and the spell was broken. Sam whirled around, her gaze seeking out her missing husband. How could she have forgotten he was in the same room with them? And that he was still fighting?

*****

Riley drove the stake home, dust exploding around him as one of more the demons that haunted his nightmares was terminated. It swirled around him, filling his lungs, the grit causing his eyes to tear up. That had to be it; there couldn't be any other reason why his eyes were watering.

No reason at all.

"Ry, you all right up there?" Looking for a way up to the landing, Sam paced underneath it. He wasn't moving, something had to be wrong. Bad wrong... "Finn, answer me. Agent Finn, answer me!"

Buffy walked over to Sam and stood in front of her. She laced her fingers together again, "C'mon, up you go. He needs you..." Held out her hands to the other woman and braced herself, ready to lift Sam up into the haven of Riley's arms. If the only thing she could do for Riley was to get his wife to him, she would do it. No matter how bitterly her heart complained.

Sam accepted the boost, hands touching Buffy's shoulders briefly before being lifted into the air. Like her husband before her, she caught the leading edge of the landing, pulling herself up and over it. She found Riley crouched over a pile of dust, a stake held in nerveless fingers. "Riley... Riley, come back to me."

Shaking his head to clear it, Riley looked up at her. The haze faded away, leaving his eyes sharp and unshadowed. His tone was just as clear, precise as he tucked the stake into his belt. "Situation?"

"Targets destroyed, sir." Words clipped but actions not. She cupped his cheek, thumb brushing over his lower lip. Pulled it down, looking at it like she wanted to devour its generous curve. "Are you a hundred percent?"

"I am. Buffy?" He rose to his feet, dust falling all around him. His hands were cut, knuckles bleeding from the beating he'd given the vampire before dusting it. His eyes were on her mouth, adrenaline singing through his entire body. It was now or never. Time to find out if what he'd been seeing was what he'd thought he'd been seeing.

**Here goes nothing.** Either he was right and things were about to get a whole lot more interesting. Or he was wrong and there was a marriage counselor in his future. Never one to back down from a risky situation, Riley took the bull by the horns. Stepping closer to his wife, he tilted her chin up and their eyes locked. "Sam, do you want her?" His voice was barely more than a whisper.

She nodded, moving into his embrace, into his kiss. Arms wrapped around his waist, holding him close as his lips grazed hers. There was promise in that kiss, promise and confusion and fear. "Do you, Ry?"

"Yes. God help me, I want you both." His breath warmed her cheek, warmed her lips as Riley gave in to what he'd been feeling all night. The tension between the three of them was bordering on unbearable. Not certain Buffy felt it at all, he was grateful Sam did. That he wasn't alone in this. His mouth came down again, invading her warmth while they clung to each other.

Buffy could clearly feel the tension in the room, and it was growing. Something monumental was happening up there and it wasn't right for her to listen in. Whatever it was, it was private.

She shook her head slowly as she silently left the enclosed space. Buffy waited in the hallway outside for them to either come out or call to her. Her back was to the wall and her arms wrapped around herself again. She willed herself to calm down. Despite the almost-kiss with Sam, their focus wasn't really on her. It was on each other, and she was the intruder.

The kiss ended slowly, their hearts racing even as Sam pulled back. She looked up at Riley, her hand sliding into his hair. "We'll make this work. We always do. Have faith, Finn."

"I don't want to cheat on you, Sam. I won't cheat on you. It's not me, not what I do." Quiet desperation, almost as desperate as Buffy sounded earlier when she changed the subject about her job, her life. Clear sign that Riley was thrown by all of this. "I love you. I'm yours, heart and soul."

"Shh, Ry... We'll make it work. I love you, too. Want you, want both of you. Let's get out of here, out of this place and we'll talk." Another kiss, harder this time, crushing her mouth against his. Not soft, Riley wasn't soft. His body was hard and strong and just the way she liked her men. He loved her until she ached, moved with her until their bodies were exhausted night after night.

But something was missing in Sam's life. She missed the press of a soft body against her own, the feel of another woman's breasts in her hands and in her mouth. Missed the soft sighs, the sounds Riley could never and would never make. Dove-like cries, slender fingers in her hair and the taste...

*****

Out in the hallway, Buffy's head tipped back and thumped lightly against the wall. Her eyes closed as her mind tortured her with daydreams of what she wished for and would never be. In startling clarity, she saw herself in bed with Riley and Sam; the three of them twined together, fingers and mouths moving and exploring. She wondered just how it would feel to have a softer, feminine body curled against hers and shivered.

A soft cry escaped her lips: a cry of regret over what would never happen. Tears stung behind her closed eyelids as she tried to will her traitorous mind to stop the flow of images and wonderings. Never happen, it would never happen.

Sam was with Riley and Riley was with Sam and she was... alone. Slayers walked a lonely path. A short and lonely path, they never walked it with anyone else. Even their Watchers, the only real companion most Slayers ever knew, were distant. **Couldn't get any more distant, could you, Giles? You're in England and I'm here and I'm lost... I'm lost.**

*****

 
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