Title: Bring Me Into the Light (9/?)
AUTHOR: Mistress Ace & Em
E-MAIL: rosewood@inreach.com & slayerbuffy@aol.com
FEEDBACK: Is the butter on our bread. We write because the story begs to be told. Feedback lets us know if we struck a chord with you.
DISTRIBUTION: Our site, Fandom Writers (http://www.fandomwriters.com), of course. FINNatics, Vamps-N-Slayers, the other list archives as well. Anyone else interested, we'll be happy to share.
RATING: NC-17 (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? For those of you who are curious, the song mentioned is called 'Silence', the signer is Sarah MacLachlan and it's on the Delerium's Karma CD.
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!

 
Chapter 9

Buffy pretended to consider, a glint of mischief in her eyes. "Oh, I suppose we probably should," she teased with her offhand tone. "You know he'll never actually ask for help about something like this."

Moving like a cat, all lithe grace and deceptive softness, she removed herself from Sam's lap. Crawling around so she was behind him, she caught Sam's eye again. "I'll hold him still if you want to strip him down?" Her voice still held a teasing note and she almost purred with amusement.

"Shouldn't be too hard, he's halfway there already." Sam grinned at Buffy; this was going to be fun. Ignoring Riley's half-hearted protests, she unlaced his boots and pulled them off. They landed against the door, two solid thumps, followed by a moan as Buffy leaned around, catching his mouth in a kiss.

Oh yeah, that did it. He was lost to the world now. Completely and utterly lost.

There were hands unbuckling his belt and pulling it off. It landed with an even louder thump. Riley wasn't fighting this, he'd have to be crazy to fight this. The only thing that worried him was their location. Middle of the night, parked under a busy freeway... cars speeding overhead and the road thumping as they passed by. Music blaring from every speaker... prime target for a cop to stop and shine a light in to see what was going on. Which would be a very bad thing...

Given his current condition and everything else that had already happened tonight... if they got interrupted, he was going to kill someone.

That concern and just about everything else except breathing was immediately forgotten when he felt Sam kiss the inside of his right elbow. The shock of it, the rush of heat when she pressed her tongue and then her teeth against one of the scars, seared right through him. Jesus. Desire so sharp it was just this side of pain.

And with that desire came the rest of it... the memory of teeth buried in his arm. Thin little body curled up in his lap, vamp so starved the best she could do was suck weakly and that wasn't what he was looking for. He needed the pain. He sought the darkness. There was no room for him in Buffy's heart and the only thing that needed him was this memory of a girl, a shadow on the wall... just like he was a shadow of his former life.

Vamp in his lap, him telling her to bite harder when the door creaked open and his eyes rose from staring at the mouth on his arm to meet Buffy's shocked gaze. He didn't even see Spike standing there until Buffy fled from the room. A sickening crack echoed as the demon/girl/dead thing in his lap hit the wall, tossed there in his haste to follow the woman he loved beyond reason. The woman he loved and lost.

Fuck.

Game over.

Life over...

Gone in a moment. Just like that. How could he have been so damned stupid?

Buffy was looking in his eyes and in them, she caught a flash of desperation, saw the same mix of isolation, disillusionment and hazy fear she'd caught in his eyes that fateful night. The night when Spike pushed open the door that led into her own personal hell. When it happened, she didn't know which one of them she hated more.

Riley for doing it...

Or Spike for showing it to her.

It was there for a moment and then it was gone. Riley's eyes darkened, whisky and honey voice flowed out of his mouth as he begged. "Buffy... Sam... please. Dear God, please." Another change from the man she'd known. One Buffy would never have expected.

Riley never begged.

Her Riley never begged and yet here he was, pleading. With those words came the realization that she wasn't the only one who had been broken by the last year. Not the only one who walked around with insides made of jagged glass. Not the only one who wore a mask. He was just better at hiding it.

Buffy's reaction was instantaneous: still kneeling behind him, she wrapped her arms around him, cradling his body against her own. From this position, his head rested on her chest, just below her shoulder, and her hands settled on his own chest. She bent her head and began scattering gentle kisses on his cheeks, forehead, nose, lips.

She gave him the contact he needed and returned the comfort he had given to her when she'd needed it so badly. The fear and anguish in his eyes put a check on her passion and her teasing; this wasn't the time for it. She simply let him know she was there in the most thorough way that she could.

Sam looked up, letting go of Riley's arm. She ran a hand up the inside of his leg, soothing him. Playing with the scars was a dangerous proposition. Toss of the coin odds with them. Sometimes he reacted with passion, sometimes with pain and fear. This time it seemed to be a little bit of everything.

Riley shook for a moment, then wrapped an arm around Buffy and pulled her out from behind him. His hand tangled in her hair as he dragged her in for a kiss that coming from Riley Finn bordered on brutal. Hard crush of his lips against hers, tongue invading her mouth, sweeping through in an effort to wipe away his own pain and the bitter memories.

It was nowhere near what she received from Spike, didn't even come close to touching that darkness. But it was surprising... Eventually hardness gave way to passion and by the end of the kiss, he was pleading again. Voice barely audible above the music, his mouth brushing against hers. "Please... want you. Both of you... please."

There were gentle hands undoing fastenings, loosening the painful restraint of his remaining clothes. Riley sighed in relief when he felt Sam's fingers hooking into the waistband on his pants, felt her dragging them down along with the rest. He laid back against the reclined seat, lifted his hips and shivered when the cool air hit his fevered skin.

Buffy slid her hands over his chest, mapping his body once again. Her fingers found his nipples and rubbed gently. She continued to pepper his face with soft kisses, not knowing exactly what he wanted but doing what she could for the moment.

Under her, Riley stiffened for a moment and then melted into the seat. He kissed Buffy, long and deep, tiny sounds of pleasure breaking free every few seconds. Slow rise of his hips and equally slow drop back down. That was a familiar movement... When she lifted her head and looked down, Buffy understood why everything had shifted.

Sam was curled up next to them, her dark head in his lap – sable spill across his stomach and the curve of one thigh. In a world made of light and shadow, her mouth a silhouette as it moved slowly, taking him in and then releasing again. Glimpse of another silhouette when she pulled back - thick and long and so familiar – swallowed up again by a slow sweep down that brought another bitten off moan and a coordinated push upward to get deeper still.

They both looked down the length of his body. Riley's eyes bright and fevered, Buffy's curious. She'd never actually watched someone else doing this. Never considered that it might be interesting to watch. It was certainly that...

Warm and wet, familiar. Sam was good at this, really good at this. Mouth soft, full lips drawing him in, tongue pressed hard underneath. No hesitation as she took him almost all the way in. One hand on his hip, the other on his thigh, a thumb pushing on a nerve center that sent pleasant shocks through his system.

Buffy sat and watched for a few moments, a shiver washing through her. Then she bent down and captured one of his nipples between her lips, sucking softly. She listened to the sounds he made, enjoying them.

One of her hands found one of his and she twined their fingers together. Her thumb caressed his palm softly, gently.

It wasn't going to take long. He'd been on edge since he'd first seen Sam looking at Buffy. Since he saw her interest and wondered where it might lead. Kept under pressure for that many hours, any guy's stamina was going to be shot to hell. Even his.

Add to it the second mouth on his nipple and the remembered sight of his wife and their lover kissing - his fate was sealed. Riley took a deep breath, tried to calm himself and then Sam did that thing with her tongue. The one that always made him feel like he was being turned inside out. "Sam... slow down, honey. Slow down... Not yet."

A dark head rose from his lap, deeply amused green eyes captured his entire attention. Or what few brain cells that weren't currently taking up residence in his dick. "Are you telling me to take it easy on you, Agent?"

The laughter in Sam's voice was unmistakable, reminding Buffy of all the times she'd teased Riley in bed. Teased him and pushed him and finally set him tumbling over the edge, gasping out her name. Head thrown back, eyes closed, mouth open and silently reaching for release.

Buffy smiled at the memories Sam's voice gave rise to. She, too, lifted her head and tilted her head, looking down at Riley. "Why not yet?" she teased gently. "Aren't you having a good time?" She was a little confused by his reactions. It was obvious that he'd been through a lot, just as she had. She only wished she knew how to help.

"Like you would not believe. Which is why I want it to last." Looking like a little kid in a candy store, Riley fixed her with a steady look and then gave one to Sam. The one he gave Sam was returned with a laugh and an irreverent smile. Yep... he didn't stand a chance in hell now.

"Deal with it, Ry." She dipped her head down, taking him into her mouth again. Riley groaned in both frustration and grudging satisfaction. Telling Sam what to do was always a lost cause. Rising up to meet her, he gave in to the inevitable. No use fighting her, not when she was a woman with a mission.

Warm in her mouth, slick and moving. She loved how he tasted - clean and masculine - even after a rough patrol. Hint of salt, little bit of bitter and Sam knew he was close to coming. Knew it without the tightening of his fingers in her hair. Knew it without the muttered curse that obviously shocked Buffy, considering the way she was looking at him.

Bet those words never left his mouth when he was with her. Amazing what a year's stint in Black Ops would do to widen one's vocabulary. Especially if it was cussing.

Ry rarely did it outside of bed. Their crew only heard it when they'd royally screwed up. But Sam heard it all the time. Fevered words whispered right before he came, torn from his throat. Words that would make him blush if they were repeated in public. Getting him to talk dirty had been one of her prime missions in life. His voice was perfect for it, velvet and warm with a hint of roughness that melted something inside her every time Riley indulged in this particular game.

Buffy stared at Riley for a few moments, suddenly feeling lost. Pain and a touch of fear bloomed in her chest as she remembered similar words in a totally different voice. As much as had seemed to be the same, now seemed very different. It was outside her experience completely, and she didn't know what to do.

Riley felt her stiffen in his arms and he opened his eyes. In their hazel depths she found the familiarity she was missing. Yes, some things had changed, but the man holding her was still Riley Finn. "I love you," he whispered, cupping Buffy's cheek, pulling her back down for a kiss. When their mouths touched, he shuddered, curling in on himself and taking her with him.

Sudden flood, followed by a taste she adored - salt and sweet and bitter all mixed into one. Sam accepted his offering, stroked his thigh and Buffy's hip as he came. Ry was not this silent normally but maybe that's the way he'd been with Buffy and that was all right too. Some things about him were going to change; some were going to stay the same and they were all going to explore this together.

Sam could live with that...

Buffy curled up with them, relaxing again as the pain subsided. She should have known some things would really be different, but that one had caught her by surprise. She leaned up to Riley's ear, whispering back, "I love you too."

She then leaned down and kissed Sam. Buffy tasted Riley in the other woman's mouth, enjoyed the mix of tastes, much like she assumed Sam had when she'd kissed Riley earlier. This was something she could easily get used to.

Sam rose up into that kiss, appreciating her openness and acceptance. When their kiss ended, Riley pulled her in for one of his own, fully exploring her mouth, catching the last hints of himself there. Unusual for a guy, most of the ones Sam had been with before Riley, and there hadn't been that many, avoided kissing after oral sex. But Riley sought it avidly, always pulling her up for a long, slow kiss that left both of them trembling.

The three of them curled up together, Riley's fully nude body in between theirs. He smiled, kissing the top of Buffy's head and then the top of Sam's. Post-orgasmic euphoria – very good thing. This was perfect, right where he wanted to be. Well, not precisely where he wanted to be, but it would do.

"Mmmm... Honey, do you think we can continue this back at the hotel? It's getting a little cold in here." Sam sat up, rubbing her arms briskly. Now that they were no longer moving, the temperature has dropped substantially, or at least that's how it felt. "The cold doesn't bother Iowa boy here but it does get to me. Too much time spent in the tropics."

Buffy sat up and stretched, then moved over Riley to settle down beside Sam and wrapped her arms around her. "Better?" she asked softly. Buffy was comfortably warm and happy to share.

"Little bit," Sam admitted and when Riley rolled toward her, pressing his warm body up against hers as well, she laughed. "Okay, okay, much better. I was just thinking that we'd be more comfortable in... a king size bed. You know, bathroom next door. Towels..." She looked at Buffy over her shoulder then met Riley's steady gaze, finally coming to the real point of her argument. "Condoms."

She was on the pill, so there was no need for those things but Riley still kept a supply in his travel bag. It was more a case of precaution for his men. Riley liked to be prepared, he kept a supply on hand for those people who didn't. Down-time in-country was usually signaled by Riley tossing a handful down on the communal table before he and Sam disappeared to engage in their own pursuits.

Neither of them knew Buffy's situation for sure. Considering her last boyfriend had been of the undead variety, there was no guarantee that she was using birth control of any kind. Riley had always used condoms with her. Warning after warning from Giles echoed in his head whenever he'd considered going bare. Her getting pregnant would be a disaster of epic proportions. A pregnant Slayer would be a dead Slayer, very quickly.

Until that moment, Buffy hadn't really thought about birth control. There'd been no need with Spike, for obvious reasons. She was glad Sam had thought of it; it seemed consistent with what she knew about the other woman. Since Sam and Riley were married, she assumed that they had other means of protection. Maybe Buffy could look into those options, assuming that this was a permanent thing.

And she really hoped that they would stay together. She needed them... and she thought they needed her, too.

"Unless you're using something else, Buffy?" Sam's jade-green eyes were fixed on hers, one eyebrow lifted. "We're both clean, get tested every six months. When Ry signed back up he got tested monthly because of the blood-borne pathogen thing."

That said, her gaze flicked downward. Sam's fingertips caressed the mark on Buffy's neck, it was the first time she'd touched it. "Impressive scar," was all she said, knowing what it was and what it meant. Vampire. Big one if the spread of the jaw and the depth of the wound were anything to go by. Amazing that Buffy survived it.

Riley chuckled, drawing the attention away from that simple touch. "Gray insisted on it. He's Sunnydale trained, knows what vamp bites look like. You shoulda heard him when he spotted them. I didn't know he knew words like that."

Buffy giggled at the image in Riley's words, then returned to the previous topic. "No, I don't use anything else... there hasn't been a need to. But perhaps I should..? I just had my annual a few weeks ago, so I know I'm good." She shrugged lightly. "As for the blood-borne pathogen thing, I'm clear on that too. Something would've happened in the last three years, I'm sure. And I'm honestly not sure Slayers can be vamped anyway... I've never heard of a Slayer-turned-vampire before."

Riley shuddered hard at the thought, his imagination had just brought up the image of a vamped Buffy. Forehead ridges, golden eyes, fangs and his scars burned, ached. "Let's not go there, okay? A Slayer fully trained turned vampire. The world wouldn't survive."

Shouldn't be erotic, oh God, that shouldn't be erotic but it was. And he had to stop thinking about it. Had to stop thinking about baring his neck to her, baring his dick to her and letting her take him into the darkness.

Forever.

"I can write you a prescription, Buffy. Get you on the pill... For now, we can use the old stand-bys." The tension had eased a little, eased enough that Sam was ready to make the drive back to Sunnydale. As she sat up, she caught Riley's fevered look and chuckled at him. "Riley, you know what you want and I want that too. Want to watch the two of you and for that we need to get back to the hotel."

Buffy nodded her agreement with Sam's simple solution. If she remembered correctly, it would only take two weeks for the pill to be effective, and they could live with condoms for a couple of weeks.

Her thoughts turned to the other part of what Sam had said, about wanting to watch the two of them. She supposed it would be kind of neat to see the man they loved making love from the third-person perspective... and in their case, there would be no jealousy or hurt feelings afterwards, which was of the good. The look in Buffy's eyes turned inward as she continued to think quietly.

She wondered what it would be like making love with Sam, assuming that the other woman really wanted her that way. They'd touched and kissed and teased, but nothing further had happened so far. She knew it wasn't a game, and that Sam wouldn't play with her feelings, but she also had no idea if she'd ever done anything like this before. Buffy herself hadn't, but she was open to the idea.

"Just like I want to see you with Buffy," Riley commented, propping himself up on his elbows. His smile was brilliant, deep dimples flirting while he regarded his beautiful wife. Sam leaned forward, touching his fingertips to his face before looking at Buffy who was watching her intently. Looking at her as if a question had just been answered. "I know you've been missing a woman in your life, Sam."

"I have," she stated simply, her gaze locked with Buffy's. Time to come completely clean, 'don't ask, don't tell' tucked away to be examined at another time. "Finn's the first man I've been with in years, Buffy. He used to joke we were the two token lesbians on the squad. Before him, there was Katja in med school. My taste usually runs towards women..."

Buffy smiled as she began to understand. "That's cool. You've met Willow, and she and her girlfriend were living with Dawn and I after mom died. Tara moved out when she and Wills had problems over magick, but I think she'll be back. Or Willow will go to her. I, myself, have never been attracted to a woman before... but my taste seems to run to strength, and I've never met a woman before that would've been able to stand up to me. Heck, I intimidate most guys."

At both points in her confession, Buffy put a subtle emphasis on the word 'before'... because she was truly attracted to Sam, and while their strengths may be different, she knew that Sam was probably her match when it came down to it. Buffy would probably always have the physical strength advantage, but that didn't necessarily make her stronger overall.

If it had been physical strength alone that attracted her, then she and Faith might have had a totally different relationship. And Buffy did not want to go there.

"I've had the same problem. I scare them. Ry's the only one that kept up with me." Reaching out, Sam brushed a stray lock of hair out of Buffy's eyes. So beautiful, fragile looking. But she'd seen Buffy fight, watched her break the neck of a Suvolte demon and that was no mean feat. "I hope your friends get back together, it's terrible losing someone that you love because of something stupid... No offense."

She looked at her husband and then at their lover, afraid she'd stepped over a boundary. Riley set Sam at ease by wrapping his arm around her and pulling her in close. "It's okay, honey. I was the stupid one and we've come a long way toward fixing things. Now, tell Buffy what you really want to tell her and let's get back to the hotel, okay?"

Sam ducked her head and blushed before looking up at Buffy. That look told Buffy all she needed to know. The hunger she'd seen in Riley's eyes when he looked at her was reflected in Sam's. It burned bright and fierce and had she been with anyone else, the depth of that desire might have frightened the little Slayer.

Buffy gasped softly, startled by the blatant need in Sam's blazing green eyes. She was even more startled by the fire it kindled deep inside her until, after a few moments of those eyes boring into hers, her own hazel eyes began to shine softly in response.

She wasn't entirely sure what to do with the feelings suddenly built within her, so she did the only thing she knew to do: she leaned into Sam, curling herself into the other woman's arms, and kissed her. Buffy gave in to it, putting absolute trust in the woman who held her. She might not know what to do, but she wasn't alone.

Soft-rough hands on her throat, cupping her chin, skimming down her back. Warm, full lips against hers, pressing lightly and then harder as Buffy's mouth opened under hers. She'd always thought that Riley was a good kisser. He was nothing compared to Sam.

Whatever Buffy didn't know, Sam would teach her. Just like Buffy would teach Sam how to fight, Sam would teach Buffy how to love. There was an openness, an honesty about Sam that was so much like Riley. Perfectly matched, the two of them - like peas in a pod. Deadly in the field, ruthless when it was warranted, and here, in the intimacy afforded by love - they were generous and kind. Made a place for her when Buffy had been certain she belonged nowhere and with no one.

Buffy had never before felt anything so intense and yet still so gentle, so tender. She felt that she was beginning to catch a glimpse of what Sam had missed until now. Riley was incredible, loving and tender, with a generosity that would stun a saint. But there was something intrinsically different about the softness she was curled up against, the lips on hers and the hands and arms around her.

Like Buffy herself, Sam's strength in no way lessened her feminine softness. Instead, the contrast heightened the sensations. Sam's fingertips were rough in a way that Buffy's weren't, but she suspected that was a result of all the training Sam had gone through. Buffy had slayer abilities to back her up; Sam had to do it on her own, and that only increased Buffy's respect for her.

Riley felt his breath catch in his throat and even though his immediate needs had been met, he felt himself rising to the challenge again. The sight of two beautiful women kissing, compounded with his own intimate knowledge of them was enough to make his mouth dry and other parts of his body very, very hard. The only thing that would make this better would be for all of them to be as naked as he was right now.

Pulling out of that kiss was hard, probably the hardest thing Sam could remember doing. She finally understood what had left Riley hollow-eyed and broken during those first months that she'd known him. For having had this woman in your arms, having had the privilege of kissing her and being kissed in return... how could anyone leave? Sam never wanted to let her go.

Never.

Buffy gave Sam a soft smile and a soft kiss before pulling back and sitting up. "Did someone mention something about going back to the hotel? 'Cause if we're going to, we should go before things get out of hand again. Not that it isn't fun, but I don't think we want to spend the night in the middle of nowhere."

She glanced at Riley and winked at him. "I am perfectly capable of getting us back, if you two need some time. See?" Buffy leaned over, fished through the discarded clothes, then pulled her drivers' license out of her jacket pocket and held it up.

The driver's license was a surprise. A real surprise. When he first started dating Buffy, she was adamant about her and driving not going together at all. And the first time he coaxed her behind a wheel, he got a real education as to why she felt that way. As a protector of Sunnydale, she served its populace much better on foot. Riley took the license from her and grinned. "Good for you. I knew you could do it. Who got to teach you?"

As Riley looked at the license, Sam ran her hands through her hair and regained her composure. Even though she was tempted to kiss Buffy again, she refrained. "I know where we are. It shouldn't take more than fifteen minutes. Ten if I ignore the speed limit." She slid back into the front seat, starting the vehicle up again before looking over her shoulder at them. "And I intend on breaking every one of them."

Buffy tipped her head back and laughed. "Sounds good to me. Are we working on speed records?" She glanced at Riley studying her license and answered him, "Xander taught me, believe it or not. Much to Anya's dismay, but he taught me. And I didn't actually hit anything."

"Gotta hand it to Xander, he's a brave guy. I remember trying... but we were more into the slaying thing than the driving thing." Riley looked at the license again, rubbing his thumb over the picture. He hadn't taken any of her pictures with him and that was something he regretted. It would have been nice to have something to pull out and look at during those months. When he looked up at Buffy, the light in his eyes had dimmed a little.

From the front seat, Sam laughed. "I'm lucky that he lets me drive. This is his baby. Worst fight we ever had was over whether or not he'd let me behind the wheel." They were on the entrance ramp to the freeway now, moving smoothly into light traffic. Time to kick it into gear. "Hang on... here we go."

Buffy saw the look in his eyes and her heart went out to him. Again. She sat beside him, facing him, with her legs curled up to one side. She leaned her upper body against his and rested her head on his shoulder so that her body was slanted across his own. Her arms wrapped around him as she cuddled close. "It's okay, Riley. It really is. We're all here now, right?" she whispered to him, soothing him with her gentle voice and her presence.

"We are. The past is the past." he pressed up against her, drinking in the feel of her. Determined to get drunk on it, to get so high that he never cam back down. "I love you," Riley whispered in her ear, mouth moving against her skin. "I never stopped. I can never stop. I love you and I love Sam and I can't believe this is happening."

Smooth acceleration, the feel of the road under the wheels, the roar of the powerful engine. Sam set the radar detectors, punched the cruise control up to 90 MPH and changed the disc in the stereo. The music went from the pounding baseline they'd been listening to something that started with a Gregorian chant, supported by a guitar. Someone, a woman, was singing about seeking release and being outside of love.

It fit what had happened to her husband and to Buffy. No wonder that particular track usually brought a sad turn to his mouth and a quick look off into the distance before he'd flick it over to something else. Pity. She really liked it. Maybe now he could listen without it being painful.

Buffy listened to the music, finding it familiar. As she truly listened to the words, though, it hit very close to home. A little too close, perhaps. She closed her eyes and leaned a little more into Riley's embrace.

"I love you too, Riley, and I can't believe this is happening, myself. But I think... no, I know that very soon I will love Sam as much as I love you. Different, but the same. I hope that doesn't bother you." Her voice softened as she spoke, and she truly hoped that it wouldn't be a problem. She didn't think she could help it.

"No. It would never bother me. Never. I can't imagine life without either of you." Fierce words, spoken in a harsh whisper, breath warm against her cheek. Riley wrapped himself around her, his heartbeat strong against her own. "The world changes on a dime, Buffy. Ours changed tonight and I don't regret it. I don't want you to regret it either."

They were halfway there and the road was now deserted. Sam checked the screen and smiled. Riley was doing the protective thing, there had been many nights when he shielded her from the elements with that big body of his. Curling around her to keep off the rain, or the snow, or blinding sleet. Keeping her warm, keeping her safe... holding onto her like a drowning man who'd found the only rock in the middle of a torrent. Each of them providing solace for the other.

Buffy took comfort in his fierce protectiveness and relaxed in his arms. "I don't regret tonight. Not any of it, and I never will. Not ever. I can't imagine my life without either of you, either. You've given me something to hold on to, made my life worth living again. I'm happier than I can remember being in a long time." Her voice was quiet, calm, but projected enough for Sam to have heard her as well.

If anything, Sam's smile got broader. She'd been terrified of meeting Buffy, of not measuring up. Once they'd met, she'd hoped they'd be friends and now... now they were more than friends. The shadows were gone from behind Riley's eyes and for the first time since she'd met him, he looked completely happy.

Riley combed her hair out of her eyes, his smile flashing for a moment as she turned her face into that touch and kissed his palm. There were so many other things they needed to talk about - more about Drummond's proposal, ironing out the details, letting her know how the squad and the missions went... But that could wait. The only thing that mattered now was this, being close. Touching her, kissing her, spending as much time as they could with Buffy before getting called up for the next drop.

Speaking of kissing her...

"Finn, you might want to get some clothes on." Sam called from the front seat as the SUV started to slow down. The sound of her voice jolted them both out of a profoundly deep kiss. One where breathing had ceased to be important and the only thing that mattered was each other. "Unless you really want to run bare-assed into the hotel. We're almost there."

 
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