Title: Bring Me Into the Light (29/?)
AUTHOR: Mistress Ace & Em
E-MAIL: rosewood@inreach.com & vicedragonv@msn.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, for the moment. When we post fully edited chapters, those can be posted elsewhere. 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?
 

Chapter 29

"Low blood sugar. Right. Buffy, you want me to warm your plate up for you?" Riley waited for her to answer. Buffy was watching them with an expression of amused bewilderment on her face. She'd just been treated to FinnSpeak. Graham had made up the term right after he and Sam had gotten together, when he noticed how in-synch they actually were with each other.

"Um... yeah, sure. Probably better that way." Buffy shook herself to clear her confusion. She took the fork off the plate and set it aside, letting him take their food over to the microwave. Cold Chinese food was only good under the right circumstances. These weren't them.

While she waited, she wondered if she would ever be with Sam and Riley long enough to know them the way they knew each other. She doubted it, because they'd always be several steps ahead of her. And they were much more like each other than she was like either of them. But it didn't really matter much, as long as they were all happy and could eventually be taught to let her in on whatever they were talking about.

Rolling her eyes at herself, Buffy realized that she really ought to be used to cryptic by now. But she kept that particular thought to herself.

Her plate was set back in front of her, piping hot. Riley opened the fridge and stared. Dawn hadn't been exaggerating; there really was nothing in it. Just a few condiments, a couple of cans of soda and a pizza box. Which, when he opened it, had one lone slice sitting in the middle of it.

Best not to make a fuss. This was something else they could fix. Fresh vegetables and lots of them. Fruit, meat, cheese, bread... He ran through the list in his head as he retrieved one of the soda cans. Had it almost completed when he turned around and Sam handed him a piece of paper.

Riley whistled, quite the list there and a step ahead of him. Again. Part of the reason he loved her. She thought on her feet which made her the best back up in the world. Skirting around the edge of the island, he set the list down in front of Buffy. "Look this over. Add whatever you want."

With a nod, Buffy began to look the list over. "You guys are list-shoppers, then? Never quite my style. But if you prefer...” She reached over to grab a pen and added a few fun things that she and Dawn were particularly fond of: cookies, their soda preferences - diet for Buffy, if Sam would let her get away with it, chocolate chips for Dawn's pancakes, powdered sugar for waffles and French toast. "There... that should do it, I think."

Buffy began to eat her lunch, enjoying the taste and the feeling of having real food in her stomach again. She really was hungry, too.

Sam looked up from where she was loading her own plate. Content, she was so content that any minute she expected to find herself humming. It was like being in a Disney cartoon... with vampires. "A list is just a jumping off point. Helps us make sure nothing gets missed."

She was halfway to the microwave before Riley took the plate from her. Even gave her a quick kiss as he slid the plate in. Punched the right sequence of numbers while Sam sidled in closer, her hand resting on his hip. "Uh-uh... Don't start something you can't finish," he warned.

"Oh, I could finish. Trust me. Just not sure that you could start." Laughter in her eyes, laughter in her voice. Soldier gone, woman in her place. Sam pressed up against him and smiled when she felt him stir. "Then again... maybe you could."

Buffy giggled softly. "Given a brief rest, he's kinda like an Energizer Bunny. Even when not possessed by poltergeists." Softly teasing, it was rather fun. She didn't really think any of them was going to start anything at the moment, though. They were all pretty worn out, and they had shopping to do, clothes to pick up and sheets to change before 3:00.

"No need for batteries either," his smile deepened before Riley kissed Sam again. Kissed her hard, left her breathless and a little bit stunned. "Later... Miles to go." Verbal shorthand, great stuff. They used it in the field all the time. Why use fifteen words when three would do?

Sam nodded, stepped back and shook herself. Willed her racing heart to slow down and accept the necessity as well as the wisdom of his decision. They had a lot to accomplish in a limited amount of time and they could do this later. "Affirmative. Miles to go."

Buffy looked from Riley to Sam and back again. Deciding that they weren't about to elaborate on what they meant, she sighed and shrugged and turned her attention to finishing her lunch. They were going to do this, she realized. Whether or not she complained about it, it was going to happen. They were going to forget to let her in on things. No reason to let it upset her. But despite that, it nagged.

She hated being in the dark and three steps behind the two of them. But it was always going to be that way because no matter how close she got to them, they'd always be closer. They were too much alike. It was just a fact that she was going to have to learn to live with.

The look did not go unnoticed. Sam took her plate from Riley once it was done and she joined Buffy at the kitchen island. Pulled up a chair next to her, set down her plate and brushed one hand through Buffy's hair. When Buffy looked up, Sam smiled and murmured. "Miles to go. Too many things to do and not enough time. Duty must be fulfilled before anything personal can be enjoyed. Welcome to Finnspeak."

Riley retrieved his own plate, now hot from the microwave before making his way over to them. He sat down on Buffy's other side, glad that Sam started the explanation. "We came up with this in the field. Catch phrases. Words. Not a lot of time to talk when you're fighting for your life. Gray's the one who invented with the name."

"Mmm. I see. Guess I never really got used to that kind of pressure. Though," she added, a little sadly, "I don't think I get to use 'Finnspeak'... I'm not a Finn. Won't ever be able to change my name. Not that it really matters... but in a way, it kind of does. You know?" Buffy glanced at Riley, then at Sam, a strained look in her eyes. "I... I'm sorry. Look, I'm not hungry anymore. I'm gonna go get dressed."

She pushed her plate away and quickly left the kitchen before she got upset again. She needed to come to terms with everything; she needed a few minutes alone. She almost ran up the stairs and closed her bedroom door behind her.

Riley looked at Sam, then at the empty doorway where Buffy had just left. Fragile, she was still so fragile. She'd hardly eaten anything and was almost in tears when she left. He debated following her, wondered what it would look like to Sam if he did.

Luckily, Sam took the decision out of his hands. She leaned across the countertop and said, "If you don't go after her, I will. There's no reason why she can't change her name. I don't mind and you don't, do you?"

"No," one word and he was off the seat and halfway across the room. "You go ahead and eat. I'll take care of this." With that, Riley was gone. Moving quickly through the dining room and up the stairs, two at a time. In a matter of a minute or two, he was at Buffy's door, knocking. "Buffy? Can I come in?"

"Yes," she answered softly. She wasn't sure she'd been loud enough for him to hear until the door slowly opened. She sat on her bed, just below her pillows. Mr. Gordo, still wrapped up in Riley's brown sweater, was in her arms; her head was bowed and hidden against the head of the pig, and she struggled with tears. She wasn't crying... but she was close.

Slow turn of the knob and an even slower push on the door itself, revealed Buffy on her bed. Curled up and looking like she was on the brink of crying. Riley wasn't surprised to find her like this. Sometimes after a rough patrol, one that he'd missed, he found her in the same position. Being the Slayer was a tough proposition at best and after all she'd been through in the past year, it was a miracle that she was stable at all.

Riley closed the door behind him, crossed the room and pulled the desk chair over to the bed. Sitting down on the bed itself might be too intimate, so he sat next to it. Sat there in silence and waited for her to speak.

"I'm sorry," Buffy whispered after a long silence. She stayed where she was, partially closed in on herself again. Fighting the pain. "I shouldn't let it get to me... but sometimes I can't help it. It hurts." She knew they weren't intentionally shoving their closeness in her face. But it did hurt to know all she'd lost out on. All the ways that they were so close that she'd never be able to catch up with.

"I know. I've been there." And he did, but in ways she never suspected. His friendship with most of her crew had been cursory at best. The closest he'd been was with Xander and that was because the male Scooby was desperate to bond with anything that didn't look good in a dress. Buffy's relationship with her friends was deep, they'd had her for many years and he was... Well, he'd been the boyfriend. Useful - most of the time. Decorative - occasionally, not that he really believed he was anything special in the looks department. Convenient... but not someone you confided in.

Part of the reason he'd gotten so close to Sam was because she was an open person. There was nothing hidden with her, it was all out there for anyone to see. He hadn't bonded with her right away but once they did, it all clicked. Riley understood why Buffy was jealous of that, understood it at the most basic level. He had been there.

"Maybe you have," she conceded, thinking back to him trying to integrate with her Scoobies. "But this is different. To be so hopelessly in love and have to realize that I'll never be able to be as close to either of you as you are to each other... I'll never be able to catch up, and you'll always be so far ahead of me... it's so hard. You two have so many things that I'll never be able to have, because you had each other first..."

He'd always had his own friends, and even though he'd distanced himself from them as he tried to become a part of her group, they were still always there for him the way her friends were there for her. This... this was completely different from that. In this, there was only the three of them. And she was the odd one out, always.

The chair was kicked aside, crashing into the desk on the far side of the room. When Buffy looked up, startled by his action, there was no anger in his eyes. Riley looked stunned, almost disbelieving as he sat down on the bed and reached for her.

Pulled her into his arms, ignored any protest she might make and kissed her. Hard and desperate and there might have been tears, Riley wasn't sure. Hearing that she was hopelessly in love, hearing her say that without hesitation broke whatever resolve he had to not touch her during this conversation.

It was all he'd ever wanted to hear from her. All he'd ever needed. Riley only pulled back when the need for air outweighed the need for her. "I love you, hopelessly and completely. You don't need to catch up, you're already there. In my heart, in my head, in my prayers every single night. Yes, I love Sam and she loves me and she loves you... but you were always first. Always."

"But I'm not," Buffy whispered, trying desperately not to cry even though her voice was choked from holding back tears. "She's closer to you, knows you better... you talk in shorthand and finish each other's sentences! I can't compete with that, Riley, I know I can't. I don't even know how to begin trying, and I wouldn't if I could because Sam doesn't deserve that. But it's so hard to accept."

Mind and body sending conflicting signals, she clung to him even as she bowed her head and struggled to accept a secondary place. She might have been first in his heart, but she wasn't first in his life. Not anymore.

Not much he could say to that and really nothing he could do to fix it. Buffy was right, Sam was closer to him. They'd lived, breathed and slept each other for over six months. And even before that, they'd fought side-by-side together, shared miserable rations and been in incredibly hostile situation together, almost died together on more than one occasion. The verbal shorthand had been a result of those situations, so had finishing each other's sentences.

Riley held her close, smoothed down her hair but didn't kiss her any more. It took a long time before he spoke again. "This isn't going to be easy. None of this is. But nothing worth having is easy. The shorthand? You'll pick it up. Finishing my sentences or me doing the same for you, that'll happen too. We used to do it all the time. I can't change the past, Buffy."

When she flinched, he pulled back a little and looked down into her eyes. "All I can do is offer you a future. It's all I ever could do. All I'll ever be able to do."

"I know. It's all I'll ever be able to have, and no one will ever recognize it but our friends and us. Not even your family or Sam's... I haven't missed the fact that neither of you has mentioned them. If... if I have to stay here when you go visit your family or hers, then I… I don't know if I can do this. I want to, but I don't know if I can. I don't really belong, do I? I don't really belong anywhere... I never really have." Her voice trailed off on a whisper.

She was scared, so scared. Part of her wanted to pull away and another part of her couldn't let go. She glanced up at him, afraid she'd said too much, and her fear colored her expression. Her eyes were dark, not hopeless but not confident either. She'd lost track of her spark again... didn't know where to find it.

"My family won't have a problem with it," Both of them were startled by those words. Riley turned, looking over his shoulder at Sam. She stood in the doorway, leaning against the jamb with her arms folded across her chest. "They've been wondering how long Ry and I would last, you know?" No bitterness in her voice, none at all.

"Yeah, I know," Riley confirmed, the corner of his mouth turning up in a smile. "I think your mom and your sister have a bet going on how long it was going to take before you came to your senses." His first visit to Sam's home had been very interesting. She'd had a few boyfriends in high school, nothing serious. Her only serious relationships had been with women and his mother-in-law had been quick to point that out. Not the thing one normally expected to her upon meeting your wife's folks.

"Why don't I call them right now?" Sam pushed off from the wall, clearly headed for the phone in Willow's bedroom.

"Sam," Buffy's soft voice called, and she watched her lover stop in her tracks. "You don't have to call them just to prove a point to me. That's not what this is about. Listen, I'm sorry I'm so screwed up. I'm sorry I hurt easily, and I'm sorry I let it get to me. I just... I don't know how to cope. I could repress, I'm good at that... but that wouldn't really solve anything. And I'm trying to be adult enough to deal with all this."

Failing, probably, but she was trying. She was so mixed up, happy one moment and upset the next. She couldn't stop swinging, even though she knew it hurt them. And it hurt her, too.

"Coping is never easy," There was another hand in her hair now as Sam sat down beside both of them. "You've coped for too long. Repressed for too long. Anything you have to say to Ry or to me or to both of us, you can say. We won't judge you and we know it hurts. We know you hurt."

Riley lifted Buffy's chin until his eyes met hers. "Sam's not lying. Her family will accept it. They're... unconventional. It's gonna take longer with mine but... I will tell them. I promise."

"Okay." Soft whisper, but she did believe him. She bit her lip and nodded. "And I know you don't mean to hurt me, but I can't help that it happens. I'm only human...” Only human, with human failings and human emotions. Sometimes emotions were her failing; she struggled with them day by day. But she knew, deep down, that they didn't mean to hurt her.

"Long as you talk to us about it, we can work things out." Tears, there were tears on her face and Sam wiped them away with a soft brush of her hand. "We all get hurt sometimes. And we'll have jealousy problems and there will be days when we can't stand the sight of each other. Ask Finn about the times I've made him sleep on the couch."

"Let's not. Thing's too short for me and there's this spring in the middle that digs into my back." And that was a memory he really didn't need. Their first big fight, over tactics no less and Sam's firecracker temper had shown up. Things escalated; ended up in a shouting match and he'd been the one who opted for the couch, no matter what Sam claimed.

Three hours after he'd beaten the recalcitrant spring into submission and curled up into position that was going to leave him sore for weeks, Sam joined him in the living room. Sat on the floor next to the couch and looked at him. Didn't say anything, just looked at him for the longest time. Finally took his hand, led him back to bed and they never talked about it again.

That tactic probably wouldn't work with Buffy but they would find something that did work. They had to. Riley had no intention of living without her again... not now.

Buffy closed her eyes and leaned briefly against Sam's hand. "I'll try," she answered Sam's first statement, about talking things out. "I'm not good at it... but I'll try. I promise. Right now, I guess... I'm just so mixed up inside. Things seem hopeful and hopeless all at the same time..."

"It will get better. Everything's so new. We're gonna make mistakes... each of us." Warm breath on Buffy's cheek, followed by a brush of Sam's hair and then a kiss. "Just remember that we all love each other and we can work through this."

It wasn't going to be a perfect relationship; Sam was pragmatic enough to realize that. Their feelings for each other was not a panacea and there would be very few easy answers. But what they felt was the glue that would hold them together. Through thick and through thin... for better and for worse.

**Buffy, I would give him to you. For your very own if I could. But I can't... I can't.** Sam kissed her again, this time on the lips. Soft and gentle with tears of her own flavoring that kiss. She hadn't heard all of their conversation but she'd heard enough.

Buffy tasted Sam's tears and pulled her close. As the kiss broke, she leaned forward, cheeks brushing, and hugged Sam tightly. In a nearly inaudible whisper, she told her lover, "I won't take him from you, Sam. I swore that the day we met. If I had to, I would walk away right now... he is yours first and foremost. And I love you too much to be the cause of your heartbreak." All jealousy aside, Buffy meant every word.

**I could never do that to you, my Sam. Never.** She would rather die. Again. She didn't know how much of their conversation Sam had heard, but she knew sorrow when she felt it. She didn't want Sam to regret anything in her life, not at all. And especially not about her.

"No walking away. I-I can't..." Frustrated by the lump in her throat and the stinging in her eyes; Sam dashed the tears away with the back of her hand. She whispered back to Buffy, her lips barely moving and voice low, "Can't live without him. Can't live without you."

Watching them cling together stirred a pang on jealousy in Riley's own heart, one which he tamped down quickly. Each of them would be closer to one another in subtle ways. Sam and Buffy had the common ground of their sex, which while Riley loved and appreciated women, he knew he'd never understand them. He and Buffy were closer because they'd been together first and had taught each other things. Fighting techniques, battle strategy and he'd been the first lover she'd had who taught her the mouth was meant for more than just kisses.

With Sam, he had the camaraderie that went with their profession and he trusted her with his life and the lives of his men. Eventually Buffy would have that too. Riley had every faith in her on that score.

"I know," Buffy whispered back. "Me too. I'm not leaving, honestly... I won't leave you. For as long as I live and beyond. We'll make this work, right?" It wouldn't be easy, but nothing worth doing ever was. And this time, they weren't doomed from the outset. They all went into it with open eyes and honesty about their pasts. There would be rough spots, but they would work through it.

They had to.

At this point, Buffy knew her life depended on it. She wouldn't survive another heartbreak; the darkness would take over and the monsters in the dark would kill her. She knew she would never tell them that... she would not tell them that her life hung in the balance, because then that shadow would affect everything. But she knew it was true. They were her reason to keep living, to keep fighting.

Without them, she wouldn't have the heart to continue to fight. And then the next vamp that came along would find a Slayer who was ready to die.

"We'll make it work," quiet agreement from not just Sam but Riley too as he slid his arms around both of them. Held them close, kissed cheeks and hair and anything he could reach. Precious to him, they were precious to him. He would do whatever it took to keep them together.

Keep them together, all three of them together. If it meant losing his family because his life choice didn't agree with them, so be it. If it meant bucking the brass all the way up the line so they'd stay in the same squad, so be it. He'd even give up his commission if that's what it would take. Nothing would be held back. Absolutely nothing.

Wasn't his way to hold anything back from the people he loved.

Never had been.

Never would be.

Buffy nodded and sighed, snuggling closer to both of them. She closed her eyes, trying to find the feelings of peace and contentment that she'd felt earlier, in their arms. It was slow in coming, but she did manage to catch a bit of it and began to relax.

"Did you guys finish eating?" she asked after several minutes of quiet. "If we're going to get everything done before Dawn gets home, we probably need to get to it." Recalling people to the real world was not something Buffy did very often, but things did need to get done. It was important that they be here when Dawn got home and equally important that they clean up Willow's bedroom before she got back.

Reality called, even if she didn't particularly enjoy it.

"I did," Sam volunteered even as she started to slide out of their embrace. "Riley's is getting cold and so's yours. Why don't you two go down and eat? There's some things that need taking care of up here."

"Like the bed?" Not entirely happy with losing Sam from within the circle of his arms, Riley let her go and finally noticed the stuffed pig sitting beside Buffy. A pig that was wearing his sweater. "Fashion statement for Mr. Gordo, Buffy?"

"Yep," Buffy nodded and picked up her pig. "He was cold, and it smelled like you for quite a while. Besides, I kinda like it. It's cute." She hugged Mr. Gordo and set him back in his place on the headboard. She knew she ought to get up, but she was having a hard time making herself move off of Riley's lap. It was too comfortable, and too comforting.

"Yeah, it is cute." Such a simple thing, keeping his clothes but it made Riley feel great. He hugged her again, kissed the top of her head before catching Sam's eye. Still no jealousy to be seen, his wife was beaming at both of them although he knew orders were about to commence. Better to head them off at the pass. "Buffy, food. C'mon."

Satisfied, Sam's smile deepened. Riley was really good at catching non-verbal clues. Always had been. "I'll strip the bed. Buffy, are there clean sheets somewhere?"

"Yeah, in the linen closet, two shelves below the towels. The ones for the big bed are on the left." Buffy tilted her head and looked at Sam. She was sure being gung-ho about getting things done today. Not that Buffy wasn't incredibly grateful to her... but she felt guilty leaving her to do more. "You sure you don't mind doing it? I can help..."

"You know how you can help me the most, sweetheart?" Sam was almost out of the room but she paused long enough to turn at look back at both of them. "By eating."

Riley unwound himself from Buffy, giving her a rueful smile. "There's no arguing with Sam when she makes up her mind. We better go eat or she'll do something drastic." There was serious cause for concern about Buffy's weight. Riley couldn't remember a time when she'd been this light in his arms. Gossamer light and when the sun hit her skin, the paleness was that much more evident.

"Alright, alright. I get it. Back downstairs we go." With a wry smile back at Riley, Buffy slid off his lap and stood up. She took his hands and pulled him to his feet, then followed Sam out the bedroom door and headed downstairs. Back to the kitchen, where she took their plates back to the microwave to heat them up again. She did his first, since he'd done them earlier.

In a matter of minutes, they both had hot food in front of them again. Surprising herself, Buffy ate most of what was on her plate. When she'd eaten as much as she wanted, she nibbled half-heartedly at the bit that was left.

Grateful there had been no fuss, Sam found the sheets and efficiently stripped the bed down to the mattress cover. The scent of sex was heavy in the air which sent her over to the windows. No need for Willow to come home to full evidence of their relationship. Given the state of her own romantic life, that would be a real slap in the face.

She opened the drapes and then the windows, letting in both light and fresh air. Sam piled the used sheets in the hallway before returning to her task. Setting rights to Willow's bedroom. Fresh sheets, fresh comforter and fresh pillowcases as well. Sam retrieved obvious debris that would never be found in Willow's room, namely strips of foil and the box of condoms. That she returned to Buffy's room.

Riley ate his food as well, keeping a close eye on Buffy. She did finish most of what was on her plate, a sight that did his heart good. Even when he was half a world away, he'd never stopped worrying about her or wondering how she was. Buffy wasn't known for taking care of herself. That usually fell under the duties of the Scooby Corps.

And they hadn't done that good a job of it lately. He and Sam would have to remedy that.

Unable to eat another bite, Buffy picked up her plate and rinsed it in the sink. Then she closed up the cardboard containers that still had food in them and put them in the refrigerator. Filling the sink with water and soap, she washed her plate and Sam's, their silverware and the spoons they'd used to dish out the food. That done, she leaned against the sink and waited for Riley to finish eating so she could finish up.

With the kitchen as clean as it was, thanks to Sam, cleaning up from lunch was easy.

It did take Riley a little longer to finish. He was really hungry and had loaded his plate down with twice as much food as Buffy had. Considering how much exercise he'd gotten in the past twenty-four hours and the amount he was anticipating having, stocking up was a really good idea. He did stop long enough to steal a kiss from Buffy before reaching for one of the fortune cookies she'd left on the counter. "Which one do you want?"

Back in the bedroom again, Sam found Buffy's scattered clothing and added it to the bundle of sheets along with the towel Riley had left on Buffy's floor. His sweater, t-shirt and sweat-pants was still clean, so she folded them up, laid them on the end of Buffy's bed before grabbing the bundle from the hallway.

Once the sheets were in the washer, they could probably take off for the store. They still had about two hours before Willow or Dawn were due back. Not a lot of time to get things done, but enough.

Watching him with a soft smile, Buffy replied, "Whichever. Pick one for me?" Not that she really believed in fortune cookies. They seemed rather silly in comparison to prophecies of doom. But they could be amusing, especially since Xander always insisted on adding "in bed" to the end of everyone's fortune.

Riley chose the middle one and handed it to her before picking up his own. He cracked it open, palmed the fortune and munched contentedly on the cookie. His older brother insisted that if you read the fortune first, it wouldn't come true so Riley always ate the cookie and then read the fortune.

Plastic crinkled as Buffy opened her own cookie. She broke it in half and pulled out the paper, curling it into her hand. Then she broke one side off of one half of her cookie. The way they were shaped, each half easily broke into three pieces and Buffy had always broken them and nibbled slowly. She loved the way they tasted and wanted to make it last, always had.

The fortune was secondary to the cookie, so she always saved it for when she was done.

Behind him, he heard Sam come down the stairs. A minute later, she appeared with an armload of laundry. "Hey, can you get the door?"

"Sure, honey," Riley was on his feet, the basement door open and ready for Sam to go downstairs. "Want me to take care of that? Fortune cookie's still waiting for you."

"Mmm... Think I'll wait for a minute. You two finish eating, I'll take care of this." Sam leaned forward, kissed her husband lightly before sliding past him. Slightly sweet, not surprising since he'd already eaten his cookie. Buffy was leaning against the counter, cheerfully eating her own which made Sam smile even more. It was good to see her eat.

Riley watched Sam walk down the steps and when she disappeared from sight, he turned back toward Buffy. Had to hide a grin when he saw her nip the last little bite in two. There was a crumb lingering on her lower lip which she didn't notice. But he did and it was driving him crazy. The good kind of crazy.

Three steps and he was in front of Buffy. In front of her, lifting her chin with one hand and kissing the crumb away. His tongue lingered for a second or two, traced the line of her lower lip before he stepped back.

Buffy looked up at him with wide, surprised eyes. Then amusement colored them and she asked softly, "That was fun. What'd I do to get that?" She smiled, eyes glinting; she was half-teasing him, though she had been startled by the sudden kiss. She certainly wasn't complaining, though. She lifted the last tiny piece of cookie to her lips and used her tongue to snag it from her fingers, thoroughly enjoying it as she waited for him to answer.

"Dunno. You being you, I guess. Plus there was a crumb... right there." Riley touched her lower lip with his thumb. Rubbed it, petal-soft as always and begging for another kiss. Which he gave gladly, his breath warm on her cheek, tongue warm in her mouth. Not as gentle this time although there was restraint still.

Buffy smiled as she returned his kiss. Her tongue teased his, touched gently, warm and soft. She lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck; curled up against him, but was careful not to press too close. She could do restraint, really she could.

Felt good to hold her in this familiar room with the sun warm on his back. Any minute now, Riley expected her mother to come through the kitchen door with her arms full of groceries. Catching them in an embrace like she'd done so many times before.

But instead of Joyce, when Riley pulled back he spotted Sam leaning against the basement door. She pushed off from it, crossed the distance between them and reached up to cup his cheek. Looked into his eyes for a minute before turning to kiss Buffy thoroughly, all the while with her hand still on his cheek.

Buffy's arm slid from Riley's neck; the little Slayer wasn't tall enough to keep it there without him holding her close. Instead she wrapped one arm around his waist and one around Sam's as she kissed the other woman deeply. "Thank you, Sam," she murmured when their lips parted. "For everything, and for all the help you've been around here today. Really."

"You're welcome. If I'm out of line here, feel free to tell me." Sam hesitated, not sure if she should criticize. But the memory of the sink piled with dirty dishes bothered her a lot. When someone was in charge of saving the world, Sam felt doing the dishes wasn't included in that duty. "You shouldn't have to take care of these things. Neither Willow nor Dawn work, do they?"

Riley knew where this was going and he had to agree with Sam. Buffy had enough on her plate without having to deal with household chores. Dawn was a great kid and he loved Willow to death but they needed to pull their own weight.

Buffy shook her head, smothering a sigh. "No, they don't. Dawn used to do chores when mom was still alive, and I know someone had to have been doing all summer... but it's like they expected me to take over everything again when I came back. It wasn't so bad when Tara was still living with us," Buffy paused, a faint smile touching her lips as she remembered.

"She's quite the domesticated one, of all of us. She used to take care of a lot of the chores: cooking, laundry, getting Dawn and Willow to help pick up. But I don't have the energy to persuade them to help me out, and they don't think of it on their own. It's like I'm supposed to be mom. They did the same thing with our financial situation. I hadn't been back for more than a day or two when they told me that we were basically broke." Soft sigh, slight shrug of the shoulders.

Buffy was tired of it all, so tired. They wanted her to save the world and take care of their lives. But Buffy hadn't been prepared to have to be a parent; her mom had died so suddenly, and Buffy had never before realized everything Joyce did to make sure their lives were easy and comfortable.

"Want me to talk to them? I do a pretty good impression of my dad." Riley's offer was soft, his head tilted down do he could look her in the eye. Sorrow there again, sorrow and exhaustion and he was going to fix it. This he could fix.

Sam nodded, giving him support and Buffy a quick squeeze. "The money thing will work itself out. Our line of work pays pretty well. And if Riley's fatherly impression doesn't work... I think I can come up with something."

"I..." Buffy started to tell them that they didn't have to do that, but she gazed back into Riley's eyes and reconsidered. He needed something tangible to do, some way to feel that he was helping. They were both helping her immeasurably, but it wasn't completely visible and emotionally healing was harder to equate with doing something.

So she nodded and half-smiled at them. "If you want to talk to them, I'd appreciate it. Might go over better from you than me, anyway. There have been some issues with me and Dawn, and I'm starting to wonder if she really is listening anymore when I talk..."

"Happy to help." Riley beamed at the prospect of something he could do that would make a real difference in her life. He'd noticed some tension between Buffy and Dawn, knew there was something not right there. Having Buffy's permission to deal with the problem meant he might be able to get to the root of it. Find out what was making Dawn tick.

He had a degree in human psychology, he should be able to handle a fifteen-year-old girl. And if he couldn't, Riley always had Sam for back up. His wife never took any crap off his men, she certainly wouldn't take it from Dawn.

Buffy smiled back. She had been right; judging from the way he was glowing, Riley really needed this. His instincts mirrored hers in this - they both always wanted to fix things, and got frustrated when there was nothing they could do. Helping talk some sense into Willow and Dawn would be as good for him as it would be for her and the household.

"Sounds great. Thanks." Another smile, then she pulled away from them gently. "So, shopping? We need to be back before Dawnie gets home..."

"Yep. Shopping and what did your fortune say?" Sam reached for her own cookie, broke it open and devoured it. Gone in three bites which drew incredulous looks from her companions. She ignored them, read her fortune instead and laughed. "Your life is going to change... in bed?"

Riley found himself snickering as he pulled out his own fortune. "Think that one's a day late." He held up his slip of paper and read it. Laughed as well. "All the love you'll ever need is right in front of you..."

Buffy couldn't help but chuckle as she opened her hand and unfolded her fortune. Her eyes went wide and she began to wonder if fortune cookie fortunes might actually mean something after all. "The hope you need has found you... embrace it." After a pause to let that sink in, she followed Sam's lead and quipped in a dry voice, "..in bed." She couldn't help it, when her eyes met theirs, she grinned.

"God, yes," Riley's voice dropped a full octave and the look he gave Buffy left nothing to the imagination. If they had time, if they only had time...

"Finn, focus." Ever the voice of reason, Sam patted him on butt, drawing his immediate attention. "Store. Groceries. Dawn. Ring a bell? Come on."

*****

 
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