Title: Bring Me Into the Light (3/?)
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?
Also, to everyone who has asked, Angel will not be making an appearance in this fic other than by mention. These three have enough issues to work through.
DEDICATION: From Ace: Well, to Em of course for bringing this Riley to the fore. For her lovely Buffy and for giving me the chance to get to know Sam. To Jenf'r for the original pairing idea and to our betas – you rock.
From Em: To my talented co-author for bringing her Riley, because we all know Em doesn't write Riley well. To Jenfr, for her comment "Now someone must write the AR where Riley and Sam take Buffy with them" after the episode "As You Were" - we deviated quite a bit but you put the plot bunny in my head. And to our betas - you're the best!

 
Bring Me Into the Light

Chapter 3

So easy to get lost in Sam, to let her take the pain and fear away. But not now, not in this place. Riley wanted to be as far away from it before giving in to the need that was rising up so swiftly. Far away from the ashes of his former life. He pushed Sam away, breath fast and pulse even faster. "Not here."

"I know. Not here." She looked down at the dust eddying around their feet. He didn't need to say anything further. Besides, Buffy was waiting. "Let's go, Ry."

Riley looked over the edge, judging the distance to the ground. Not too far of a drop. No need for a test line or any other sophisticated equipment. Hand on the edge and one quick swing of his body, falling into the darkness below.

Slowly, slowly, Buffy managed to slow the thoughts whirling in her mind. Her agitation slowly eased and she was able to relax somewhat; her heart rate beginning to slow as well. A thumping noise from the other room drew her attention, and when it was followed shortly after by a second, softer sound, she assumed Riley and Sam had come down from the platform. She opened her eyes, watched the doorway and waited for them to join her.

First on the ground, Riley reached up and steadied Sam, his hands around her waist. She slid down the length of his body, their eyes locked, never wavering. When her feet touched ground, he leaned in for a kiss and stopped.

Buffy was nowhere to be seen. Scanning the room, Riley felt panic nip away at him, the same panic he always felt when Sam was out of sight after a battle. In his arms, Sam stiffened, her attention darting around the room, coming up with the same conclusion.

They broke apart. Riley went left; Sam went right, staying low as they moved toward the exit. Calling out would alert an enemy to their presence, but Buffy was missing and they had to move quickly. Had to find her. Alpha Company never left one of their own behind.

Buffy heard two sets of footsteps, walking in what sounded like separate directions. **One on either side of the door?** she hazarded a guess. Still in military mindset, then... or perhaps back in it. In a way, she was grateful. It would be easier on her hard-won peace of mind if she didn't have to watch them snuggling together.

She let her hands drop to her sides, her palms pressed to the wall to ease herself away from it. From her spot, Buffy could see faint movement on either side of the doorway and wondered if she should tell them to relax. But there was no guarantee the place was empty. Speaking up could bring whatever might still be hidden down around their heads.

Riley moved through the doorway first, searching the shadows for a body. For the body he prayed he wouldn't find. It was always a risk; Buffy had died twice already. First the drowning when she was only sixteen and now... well, she might have been joking about the second time. Hard to tell with her.

No matter, it wasn't gonna happen. It wasn't going to happen on his watch. Not on his watch. A thin shaft of moonlight filtered in from shattered windows further down the hallway, glinting off something in the deepest part of the shadows.

When Buffy moved, Riley identified her and without thinking, gave in to the blind urge that had ridden him since running into her in the cemetery. Three steps and the distance between them was cleared. One more step and he was looming over her, pulling Buffy into his arms. "Thank God," he breathed in her ear.

Buffy stood still for a moment, startled, then slowly raised her arms to wrap around his waist. It felt so good to be in his arms, so natural and it... hurt. The good kinda hurt, the ache you didn't mind because it came with something warm and honest. She leaned her head on his chest and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good. We both are." Overstepped his bounds but it felt wonderful to hold her for a minute. Riley managed to resist the next urge, the one that told him to kiss the top of her head. He ranked it right beside the one that told him to never let her go.

At his elbow Sam stood, her hand on his shoulder. She smiled at Buffy, teeth flashing white in the sparse moonlight. "Got them all, didn't we?" There was no sign that Riley holding Buffy bothered her. No sign at all.

Buffy lifted her head to smile back at Sam, the faint light glinting off her pale hair as she moved. "Yep, we did. Can't remember the last fight like this one; I'm glad I came along." She tried not to get too comfortable in Riley's arms, but she couldn't quite make herself pull away. Buffy hadn't felt this warm and comforted since before he'd left... it was yet another thing missing from her life.

She closed her eyes briefly, startled by the sharp flare of pain that accompanied the thought. Then she put on another smile and opened her eyes to look up at her partners-in-slayage. Two people she hoped she could be friends with... two people who she wanted, but she didn't dare allow herself to even think about that.

"Been awhile since we've had a clean one like that. They usually get a whole lot messier." She felt so right in his arms. Where she belonged and if Sam was to be believed... who knows, maybe there was room for her there. Riley dipped down, brushed his lips across her hair before letting go with one arm. That arm went around Sam's waist and he hugged her to him. "I think this calls for a celebration. Bronze? Drinks on me?"

"Could be fun. What do you say, Buffy? You up for it?" Not exactly the most private of places but in a social atmosphere, maybe the tension between them would ease a little. They had a lot to talk to Buffy about. After watching her and Riley in action, Sam was itching to get Drummond's proposal out on the table. And maybe another proposal or two...

Buffy smiled. "Sure. Haven't been to the Bronze in ages..." And it was true, she hadn't. Willow and Dawn had been a few times, but Buffy hadn't gone with them. And it would be nice to spend some time with the Finns on a purely social level. **Plus,** she told herself, **it's public enough to keep me from making an idiot out of myself. Even if I do have to watch them sit together.**

"C'mon. Let's get outta this derelict." Reluctantly pulling out of Riley's embrace, she held out her hand to him in a silent offer to lead the way. Buffy knew her night-vision was better than a normal human's, and there wasn't much light in the hallway at all. Better she take up rear-position in case they'd missed something.

Riley obeyed her unspoken offer, letting go of Sam as well as he took point. His usual position in the squad anyway, always out in front. "Think we could talk to City Hall about getting this place torn down?" No need to mention that recommendation would be the top of his report to the brass. Black Ops could have the place leveled over the course of a night. One less place to nest.

"Probably should." Sam squeezed past Buffy, brushing up against her. Hand along her thigh, quick full body press before moving on. So fast it appeared totally casual, totally unplanned. She heard Buffy gasp, caught sight of white teeth on a lower lip and the Slayer's eyes going wide for a second.

Good reaction, positive reaction. Sam wasn't on the ground, hadn't been slapped or even reprimanded for getting too close, so maybe... Maybe the near kiss hadn't been a fluke after all.

Buffy was glad of the darkness that hid her flushed cheeks. After a moment to collect herself, she followed along behind them. "City Hall's still a mess since the Mayor Wilkins incident in 99. It's probably somewhere on their 'To Do' list." She answered his question with only part of her mind. The rest was throwing intimate images and suggestions at her again.

**It was just an accident,** she told herself furiously. There wasn't much room in the hallway, and Sam probably hadn't wanted to knock her over. The whole touching her leg and the soft breast pressed into her arm hadn't been intentional. Her imagination working overtime. Just like the almost-kiss.

"Maybe a voice in the right ear will get it to the top of the To Do list." Riley's voice was harsh, grim as he looked into one of the rooms that branched off from the hallway. Not your average suck-house. There were bodies in there, dead ones. Relatively fresh which meant one more duty to perform.

Sam caught the tilt of his head toward that doorway and followed the silent command. She slipped through the doorway, kneeling beside the first victim. After a moment, she shook her head. "This one's gone."

There were only a few and none of them had died within the past few hours. Riley estimated the newest one might have been gone a day at most. While Buffy stood in the hall, Riley joined his wife and they did what had to be done. Checked pulses, closed unseeing eyes, said prayers for the dead and drove stakes. Four of the five exploded into dust, the last one hadn't been vamped and the dull thock of the stake was enough to turn the stomach.

Not pretty but it had to be done.

Shaking her head slowly, Buffy walked a few paces down the hall. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't save them all; she'd never been able to, even at the best of times. And she was currently far from the best of times. Moving carefully, she opened another door and looked inside. Empty, except for a few chains and a couple pieces of furniture. She swept through it, just to be sure, then returned to the hall and closed the door behind her.

Systematically, the trio moved through the building, checking for more victims or vamps still in hiding. It proved to be a fruitless search and by the end of it, Riley was intensely grateful to step out of the charnel house and breathe fresh air again.

Tempted. He was so tempted to simply lob a few grenades into the center of the place. Obliterate it from the face of the Earth.

Satisfied they'd done a thorough job, Sam unhooked the right shoulder of her vest and then the left. It peeled away from her body as she walked toward the SUV. She had clothes in the back. Civilian stuff that wouldn't make her stand out like the uniform did.

They made her stand out in a totally different way. Garnering looks from both men and women and right now… Sam was good with that. She could stand getting some of those looks from her companions. It was a given Riley would look at her that way – hopefully Buffy would do the same?

Buffy stood gazing at the house for a long moment. She wished she had a torch, or even a lighter. It wouldn't be her first act of arson, by any means. But she finally turned her back on it and began to walk away. She joined Sam at the back of the SUV, asking, "Did you stash my clothes back there somewhere? If we're going to the Bronze, we probably ought to be a little less-obviously battle-ready..."

And, if she was being honest with herself, the Kevlar was great protection but it felt strange and uncomfortable to her. She wanted her skirt, shirt and jacket back. Wanted to look like a normal girl and not like Jane Bond or what was it Xander called Riley and Sam? Nick and Nora Fury...

"Sure. Here they are." Sam presented Buffy with her clothes and sat down on the open tailgate. She stripped off the rest of her armor. While Buffy watched, Sam proceeded to stow an arsenal of weapons into the compartments lining the walls.

She had no idea Sam had been carrying that kind of firepower.

*******

Buffy and Sam were by the car, probably changing clothes. He wavered for a moment more, silently assessing how much trouble he'd be in with the brass for doing what Riley knew he was going to do.

Not much.

His orders were pretty open about such things. Drummond would understand and smooth things over if someone squawked. Not that anybody was likely to.

Decision made, no need to gather supplies, he carried everything he needed in his belt. Riley strode back into the place, slapping plastique charges onto support beams. He moved quickly, stepping over debris and piles of dust, making sure that he got the critical points so the place would collapse inward. In the charge closest to the outer door, Riley stuck an electronic detonator. He'd trigger it when they drove away.

*******

Buffy quickly changed into her street clothes, noticed Sam doing the same when she was done stowing their weapons. Deciding that she could spend an evening without her usual supply of hidden stakes, she put just one into her jacket pocket. Using the back window as a reflective surface - the closest thing to a mirror that she knew about - she ran her fingers through her hair in an attempt to smooth away some of the wildness.

She frowned at her reflection in the window. It wasn't the first time, of late, but she was again noticing the changes in her appearance that had happened over the past year. Older, more tired, washed out and quite possibly broken inside. Slayer tough on the outside, shattered on the inside. Little jagged edges lurking beneath the surface of her skin.

Finally, she sighed and shrugged. Fixing her hair wasn't really going to improve her appearance much anyway.

*******

Beautiful, she was beautiful... even without makeup and with a smudge of vamp dust on one cheek. Sam stood there, clean shirt in hand, reaching out to wipe away that smudge. The mark that marred perfection. Buffy turned toward her, looked at Sam's hand and then into her eyes. Neither of them spoke, neither of them moved.

Caught like insects in amber, frozen in the moment.

Riley rounded the corner of the SUV and came to a halt himself. His wife was half-undressed, boots off, pants replaced by a skirt, turtleneck rucked up in preparation for removal. The look of hunger was in her eyes again, her right hand poised close to Buffy's cheek.

He should probably say something. Not that he knew what to say. But instead he waited and he watched and he wondered what would happen.

Buffy tensed slightly when Riley moved into view, unsure of what he would think of the current scene. When he just stood there silently, watching, she relaxed again. Her eyes met Sam's fully and they stared for another moment. Then Buffy nodded her head and closed her eyes.

Motivated by her own curiosity and the part of her mind that wanted to give in and see what would happen, she placed her trust in the other woman. Gave her assent to the arrested motion. Then waited to see what Sam intended to do.

Fingers lighter than butterfly wings smoothed over her skin. Sam's fingertips were rough, not surprising given her career, but she kept the touch as tender as possible. The dust rubbed away on the first pass but she allowed herself a second and then a third, soaking up the feel of Buffy's skin.

So soft, like warm satin. Beside her, she heard Riley draw in a quick breath, one that echoed Buffy's own. For a second, Buffy pressed her cheek against Sam's fingers before stepping back. A silent thank you for the touch, gratitude for someone caring enough to touch her without hitting her first. Either physically or emotionally... the relationship with Spike had taken a heavy toll.

Sam's eyes met Riley's and she nodded. That talk couldn't come soon enough.

"Hey," His voice broke the silence and was remarkably steady considering the fact his thoughts were anything but. "Want to hand me my things? I'll change up front." If he changed back here, Riley was pretty sure he'd end up throwing the back seat down and dragging both of his companions into the interior of the SUV. It wasn't the first time tonight he'd considered doing that.

Buffy's mind was still reeling from Sam's touch. She'd forgotten what it was like to be touched by someone who truly cared. Sam's fingers had been so soft, so tender that Buffy wanted to cry. Sex she'd had, but Spike had never touched her so reverently... As if being allowed to touch was a gift from God.

Her eyes filled with tears as that thought sent her memory skittering back to the last time she'd felt completely loved. Before she'd been torn from her haven, her reward, to return to her work. Brought back from Heaven to toil in Hell. Brought there by her friends. And before that, the last person who touched her with love and trust and need had been Riley.

Someone she could never have again.

Never.

Buffy gave Sam and Riley a soft smile, blinking away the tears, sending them somewhere else. She'd cry later. When she was alone. Sam handed Riley his clothes, and then turned away, seeking something else in the back of the car. In turn Riley nodded to Buffy, it looked like he wanted to speak but stopped short of it.

After a long moment he moved, disappearing into the night, probably headed for the front of the vehicle to give them privacy. Buffy took a few steps away and then paused, trying to calm herself. Her hands shook visibly until she clenched them into tight fists. One lifted to press against her mouth, and she managed to keep herself silent.

Sam skinned the turtleneck off her body, her back turned toward Buffy. Long, slim back with broad shoulders and a scar a few inches from the center of her spine. Otherwise, her skin was unmarred and to Buffy's eyes, flawless. Glowing in the faint illumination given off by the dome light.

A deep red silk shirt settled around Sam's shoulders, blocking the rest of her from view. She buttoned it, turning back to face Buffy once it was closed. Tone casual and light, bleeding the tension away with her calm curiosity. "So, tell me about the Bronze. I've heard it's quite the place."

*****

Riley opened the passenger door and hauled himself up into the seat. He was taking a minute to catch his breath, to force the adrenaline zinging through his veins to dissipate. This evening was not going to end up in a tangle of bodies, no matter how much he might want it to. He was a gentleman, Sam was his wife and Buffy was his ex and they weren't gonna go there.

The little devil in his head, the one that usually sat on his shoulder and took potshots at his conscience was in full swing tonight. Poking hole in his arguments and mocking his morality like it always did. The split with Spike was fresh and Buffy was vulnerable. Easy pickings, Finn.

Hard shake of his head, mental backslap at the devil, who in his mind's eye, looked remarkably like Spike. Sounded like him too, all smoky and slithery, like something you wanted to stomp on but didn't because it would ruin the bottom of your shoes. No way was he going to take advantage of her.

Just no way.

Once more in complete control, the devil locked back up in his cage, Riley stripped off his shirt. The moonlight spilled across his chest, highlighting the almost imperceptible scar above his heart. He rubbed his fingers over it. Another souvenir from Maggie, another place where he'd been cut by glass, only that time Riley had been the one wielding it.

The one from Singapore? Whole different story. A few more months and it would be gone as well. Just like the one on his thigh, on his back, along his ribs. All fading from sight, if not memory.

Cool air washed over him and he shivered, pulling on his clean sweater. The pants didn't need changing, just a quick dusting off and the boots were good enough for the Bronze. It wasn't like he was going to be dancing anyway.

*****

Calmer now, Buffy summoned a smile and nodded at Sam. She spoke softly, but in a calm, cool voice. "It's about the only real club in town, and it's open to teenagers too. It was our main hangout, when I was in high school. They have live music and dancing, and food and coffee and a bar. It's usually really crowded, though." There, that sounded almost normal. She wondered idly if Sam could tell the difference.

Perhaps they just hadn't known each other long enough, yet.

"Sounds like fun. Not that we've got a chance of getting Finn to dance." Sam's smile went from friendly to sly as she cast a glance toward the front of the vehicle. Sidling closer, she winked at Buffy, drawing her into a possible conspiracy. "Hey, maybe we could... He keeps saying he can't dance but with the right motivation..."

Buffy glanced into the SUV and smothered a giggle. She leaned in close to Sam and whispered, "There's a bit of a trick to it... you have to literally drag him onto the dance floor and start dancing. He might feel a little silly, but he catches on."

She smiled a bit and straightened up again. "If Riley won't dance with you, I will. I've spent more time at the Bronze dancing with my girl friends than I ever did with a guy." The second part had been in a normal voice, and she was pretty sure Riley had heard her. Which was fine as far as she was concerned.

"I heard that." Riley's voice was muffled but amused as he dug through the glove compartment. Ignoring the vast array of esoteric weapons and toys tucked in the cavernous storage area; his fingers finally found what he sought. A tiny bottle of cologne, the scent one Buffy had given him for his birthday, which luckily Sam liked too. He splashed a little on his face and neck, washing away the telltale odor of dust and death.

"She meant you to hear that. Finn, if you won't dance, at least tonight I'll have a partner." His amusement was mirrored in Sam's response. She smiled and winked at Buffy, which had the tiny Slayer giggling despite herself. "And she's a lot prettier than you, too."

"Well, I'd hope so," Buffy continued to giggle. "Riley's not the least bit 'pretty'. Drop-dead gorgeous I'll give him, but pretty... no, not at all." She shook her head slightly and winked back at Sam. "I'd bet all the girls ask how you caught him, don't they? Well, until they hear that he won't dance with you, at least."

Buffy was glad that her sense of humor remained intact, at least. She might not be able to get rid of the ache in her heart or her mind. But she could hide behind quips and jokes and hopefully keep herself together.

Not many girls in the unit but I've noticed he gets lots of looks wherever we go. He thinks it's because of this." Sam ran a finger down along the line of her left brow and in between her nose and her eye, marking out where Riley's scar was. "I keep telling him no one notices that. They're too busy looking at the rest of him. Especially his butt."

That comment garnered another giggle from Buffy. Good to hear her laugh. Tucking her shirt into the waistband of her skirt, Sam sat down on the tailgate and pulled on a pair of very fashionable shoes.

"You're biased. Both of you." Riley's voice was a lot closer than before. When Buffy looked up from her study of Sam's shoes and well, her legs, she found him leaning against the open door. No longer all in black. He'd changed into a dark blue sweater; broad hands tucked into his pockets and hair artfully mussed. Which, knowing Riley, had been more a result of his pulling the sweater over his head than any conscious effort on his part.

"Maybe we are, but you love us anyway," Buffy commented. It had been meant as a joke, but it hung in the air like lightning about to strike. The three stood, silent, for a few moments. The air around them, heavy and thick. Buffy desperately searched for a way to break the silence and finally found one.

"I love your shoes, Sam. Where'd you find them?" Buffy's own shoes were heeled boots, sturdy and stable enough for patrol but fashionable enough to wear out - or with her skirt. The mid-calf boots accented the leg shown between them and the hem of her skirt. Which wasn't short by her standards, but perhaps to some it might have been.

"Little place in Hong Kong. Incredibly cheap." Pointing her toe, Sam held the shoe up a little. Black and strappy, it hugged her ankles and barely covered her toes. The movement accentuated the smooth line of her leg and it was all Riley could do to keep from running his hand along it.

**And I do... love both of you, Buffy. I do.** The words in his head were almost on his tongue. It was getting deeper by the minute, deeper by the second. Post-slayage tension, that's what it was. The need to burn the adrenaline out of the system, best way to do that was physical activity. Horizontal was out so they'd have to settle for vertical. "Not the best for dancing but they'll do. You two ready to go?" Voice steady as rock, no hint that other things about him were damned close to rock status.

"Yeah. Wish I had a brush, but I'll live." Buffy ran her fingers through her hair once more. It still felt a little odd to her, being shorter than she'd ever had it before, but she was getting used to it.

Buffy could tell that Riley, at least, was picking up on her tension and she tried to make herself relax. She thought Sam might suspect she still had feelings for him, but she was doing everything she possibly could to keep her feelings and thoughts to herself. So far, Sam hadn't been anything other than friendly, but the Slayer knew Sam could be deadly if she stepped out of bounds.

"Easy enough to fix." Sam twisted and reached into another compartment. Rooted around for a minute and came up smiling with a brush in her hand. Which she gave to Buffy while undoing the clip that held her own hair in place.

"I'll let you two finish up," Riley laughed, shaking his head as he pushed off from the open door. "Just holler when you're ready." He brushed past Buffy, moving close enough that she caught a whiff of the cologne he wore. Caught it and started to close her eyes.

Buffy's eyes fluttered completely closed and her hand paused mid-stroke. There was absolutely no way the cologne he wore could have gone unrecognized. The fragrance, earthy and rich, brought back memories for her. Memories of him, of buying it for him, of smelling it on his clothes after they took them off and on his sheets mingling with the scent of sex...

She trembled for a few seconds before resuming her brushing. Buffy let the soft scrape of the brush through her hair soothe her, the rhythmic motion giving her something to focus on. Something real, more so than the elusive memories that had haunted her all night.

After a deep calming moment, Buffy opened her eyes to use the window of the SUV as a mirror again. She took a barrette out of her pocket and pulled back a section of hair from above her temples, clipping the strands at the back of her head. Turned her head from side to side, trying to determine if it looked all right or if she should just let her hair drift over her shoulders.

Finally she finished, handing the brush back to Sam with a smile. "Thank you so much. You're a lifesaver!"

"Happy to help." Taking the brush from Buffy, Sam ran it through her own hair. The thick locks framed her face perfectly, granting the line of her jaw more feminine grace than it normally had. She leaned her head toward the front. "We better climb in before he takes off without us. It wouldn't be the first time."

From the cab, they heard a bark of laughter. "Hey, not my fault you and Graham were late getting to the chopper. You snooze, you lose." Riley wound the last of the detonator wires into place while he waited, ready to blow the Stevens' place to kingdom come.

Buffy was a little curious about the story behind their comments. Riley had never left her anywhere... until the day he got on the 'copter to Belize, at least. But she kept her mouth shut, not knowing whether or not it would be a good thing to say. Instead, she walked around to the side door of the SUV and opened it. She left shotgun to Sam this time, climbing into the back seat for the drive to the Bronze.

"Still not my fault, Ry. Remember? Graham plus bar plus pretty girl equals trouble. I had to haul him out of there by his ear. Ended up taking the second chopper since Captain Can Do couldn't wait." Sam's laughter followed her as she shut the back door, securing it. Said laughter was echoed by Riley who shook his head then turned back to watch his wife walk around the car. He handed her the detonator when she climbed up into the seat.

"Gray always was a sucker for the ladies." He passed the keycard through the slot again and the vehicle started up. It rolled smoothly down the street and as they turned the corner, Sam triggered the device.

Very satisfying explosion...

*****

 
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