Author: Holli
Email: summersfinn@hotmail.com

She couldn't recall when they'd started, but they only happened in her sleep. In her last dream, she had dreamt that her dad had been hurt. The next night, he'd come home with a broken arm. It was healed now and he was fine.

But yet they still came...

Emily sat in her bed, holding her stuffed teddy bear, Otis tightly, trying to fight sleep. She didn't want to go to sleep. The dreams were too powerful. She wanted to tell someone, but she was afraid her mom and dad wouldn't love her like they loved Logan and Kennedy.

Her brother and sister were normal, she wasn't.

No longer able to put off sleep, Emily climbed beneath the sheets, cuddling Otis, tightly to her chest.

Emily had just closed her eyes when images bombarded her. Her grandpa clutched his chest tightly, then fell onto the floor. Next, she saw a coffin being lowered into the ground.

Her eyes flew open suddenly. Clutching Otis tightly, Emily began softly sobbing.

Buffy watched over her daughter carefully. Emily sat at the table, staring into her bowl of Fruit Loops. She knew something was wrong with Emily because lately the child had been quiet and reserved.

Since she'd been born, Emily had been a happy baby. Always laughing, always smiling, forever talking. In the last few months, Buffy had seen her child go through a dramatic change. Emily wasn't at all happy and she rarely smiled. She kept to herself and didn't even interact with Willow and Graham's kids when they visited.

Emily would distance herself from everyone except a green teddy bear that she called Otis. The bear was her best friend and she never parted from him. Buffy even caught Emily talking to him every now and then. That's what was beginning to scare her.

"Em, Mommy was thinking about going down to the pet store? Daddy wants us to get some more fish. You wanna come with me?" Buffy asked her daughter.

Emily shook her head, her blonde curls bouncing. Buffy rounded the table and squatted down beside her daughter. "Is there something that you want to talk about, honey? You know if something's wrong you can tell me. You know that, right?" Buffy asked her.

The child nodded her head in understanding. Emily bit her bottom lip as if she was in silent contemplation. She opened her mouth to say something, then snapped it back shut. She jumped out of her chair and wrapped her arms around Buffy's neck. "I love you, Mommy."

Buffy wrapped her arms around her daughter, holding the tiny child tightly to her chest. "I love you, Princess." As a tear fell from Buffy's eye, Emily pulled away from her, and, with Otis in hand, ran out of the room.

Knowing that her daughter was in turmoil, Buffy lay on the floor and cried.

Riley knew something was wrong the moment Nancy buzzed him in, informing him that his wife was there to see him. Buffy hardly ever visited him. Riley wrapped up the paperwork he was doing, then stood up as his wife entered his office.

Dressed in form fitting jeans and a red shirt tied at the waist, she looked very alluring, yet also very upset. "Hey sweetie," he greeted her. She met him behind the desk, wrapping her arms around his waist. She stayed quiet. "Buffy? Baby, is something wrong?"

Buffy sighed deeply. "I'm worried about her, Riley. Something is wrong and she's shutting everyone out...especially me," Buffy said, her voice cracking.

Riley held Buffy tight. "Who, honey? Who's shutting you out?" he asked. Whoever it was, he would beat them with a large hammer for making her feel so bad.

"Emily. She's so distant." In the midst of the situation, Riley found the chance to laugh. He was laughing at her! Buffy pushed away from him, putting a few feet between her and Riley. "What the hell is so funny?" She didn't like being laughed at. Especially in spite of the current situation.

Riley minimalized his laughing seeing that Buffy was serious. "I'm sorry, Buffy, but she's only two. She's trying to fit in with her older brother and sister. I don't think there's anything to worry about."

Buffy digested Riley's information. Maybe he was right. She was overstepping her bounds. It was typical behavior for a child Emily's age, she reasoned as her eyes flittered around the little office. She pushed her concern for her daughter to the back of her mind, for the moment.

"I haven't been in here since before you repainted and refurnished it. It looks really nice," she commented. She turned around to face Riley, placing her hands on her hips. "So, how long before your next appointment?" she asked, eyeing him with a practiced ease.

He'd long since taken off his jacket and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. The first two buttons on his white oxford shirt were unbuttoned, giving her stimulating peeks of his chest.

Riley stared down at his book. Miss Carruthers wasn't due until noon, fortunately for him. "Um, not for another hour and a half. I was going to take a lunch break," he said, catching the glint in her eye. "Where are the kids?" he asked, hoping to bring conversation back to safe ground for he guessed where her mind was headed.

"With Graham," she said, walking to his door. She turned the lock, then walked back to him, climbing on his lap in the chair. "So, what do you say?" she asked, running her fingers through his hair.

Buffy watched as his eyes widened, glazing with desire at the same time. "Here? Now?"

Buffy looked around. "Why not? We're alone and I will say I've always had a fantasy of having sex in your office," she said, sliding off his lap.

"Oh really?" Now, there was a fantasy he hadn't heard before. And he'd heard each one.

Buffy nodded as she braced her arms on his desk. "Right here on the desk..."

Riley jumped out of his chair, threw everything off his desk, then rounded the desk to where Buffy was standing. Lifting her by the waist, he placed her on the desk, then climbed over her. "We haven't been alone in weeks, Riley. Please?" How could he say no to her after that?

As he started kissing her, he realized that everytime he'd sit at his desk, he'd be bombarded by memories of their lovemaking. At least that would save him from having to listen to the psychotic people that he saw during his days at work...

He untied her shirt, lifting it over her head. It had been so long since they'd been together like this. He'd been working overtime nearly every night and by the time he'd get home, everyone would be in bed. And usually Buffy looked too peaceful to disturb...

He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips, running his fingertips across her cheeks. "I've missed you," he whispered in her ear.

"Mmm," she sighed as he began delivering kisses to her body. "Me, too, Riley."

He tugged his shirt out of the waistband of his pants and immediately shucked it off, letting it float onto the floor.

He slipped the straps of Buffy's black bra from her shoulder, then reaching behind her, undid the clasp. He pushed the bra down her arms and off the desk. He smiled inwardly when he took Buffy's left nipple into his mouth, and she arched into his mouth. He repeated his actions on its sister then moved down her stomach.

When he reached her jeans, he paused, looking up at her. "I want you so bad right now, Buff," he told her, his breathing ragged.

Buffy sat up on her elbows. "Me, too, Riley," Buffy said, her fingers flying to the waistband of his pants. She quickly unfastened the button, then, slowly, slid down the zipper. "I need to feel you, Riley."

Her plea hit his heart. He wanted her, needed her just as badly as she did him. But he didn't want to go too fast. They may not have a chance for this opportunity for a long time. So, he wanted to take his time and refamiliarize himself with her body.

He slid down her body so that he was eyelevel with her jeans. His enthusiastic fingers quickly found the snap of her jeans and quickly slid down the zipper. He pushed her jeans down her hips, continuing down her thighs, down her legs, then finally pulled them off in haste.

He stretched out on top of her after drinking in her semi-nude body. "You look beautiful."

She blushed, but said, "No, I don't."

"Yes, you are. I can't remember a time when you were more beautiful."

Buffy looped her arms around his neck saying, "You're just saying that."

She was trying! The woman would not take a compliment seriously. He slid up her body once more, making sure that she felt the evidence of his arousal. He brought his lips to her ear, whispering, "Just know that if you weren't beautiful, I wouldn't be as hard as I am right now."

Buffy could only blink up at him, not believing that he'd spoken so crudely to her. It wasn't as if Riley didn't speak his mind during sex. Because he did. Fluently and directly.

Reaching between them, Riley slipped Buffy's panties away and delighted when she told him to get out of his boxers. She helped him shrug them off and once they were gone, he slid into her, inch by inch.

Buffy was about to scream out with glee at the rightness of him when Riley sealed her scream with a deep kiss. He began moving in her fluidly, slowly. He wanted to savor the moment because he didn't know when he'd be able to make love to her again.

She met each of Riley's thrusts head on and shuddered at the exact same time as he did when their climaxes approached. He fell onto her chest, his respiration hoarse and throaty. He kissed her perspired forehead and made no move to lift off her.

She held him tighter, accepting his weight on top of her. Then, as something occurred to her, she began giggling. Riley pulled back to look at her. "What's so funny?"

"I was just thinking...we christened your desk and when you'll be here working you'll be thinking of the fantastic sex we had rather than your clients and your paperwork." Buffy exploded into another fit of giggles her chest vibrating against Riley's. "Maybe we should get up," Buffy suggested.

Riley shook his head. "No, I wanna enjoy being with you. Let's just cuddle. Okay?" Riley got no arguments from Buffy. He turned on his side, Buffy resting her head on his chest. "I love you," he whispered.

"Love you, too," Buffy whispered back before sleep overtook her.

After some glorious lovemaking, they tucked themselves back into their clothes and Buffy helped him replace everything on his desk. As much as they hated to part, Buffy left the office to go pick up their kids.

The moment Buffy walked out his door, his secretary walked in. "So, have fun with your wife?" Nancy asked as she handed him a file on his next client.

Riley could feel the blush crawling up his neck.

Nancy laughed softly. "Relax, Riley. You're entitled to a little...fun. You two are hopelessly in love, why not let people know it?"

Riley stared at Nancy. "It's that obvious, huh?" Riley said as he walked to the window and stared outside.

She laughed softly. "Very much. How's Emily? I haven't seen her in a while. How come Buffy doesn't bring her by more often?"

Riley's shoulders sagged. "Well, Buffy is having problems with Emily right now."

"Oh? What's wrong?" Nancy asked, alarmed.

Riley just smiled at his secretary. "Oh, you know toddlers. Same old, same old. No biggie."

Nancy returned his smile. "Well, bring her by one day. Okay?" Nancy said, walking toward the door.

"Will do." After Nancy was gone, Riley twirled in his chair, thinking about his daughter and his wife. He wondered if Buffy had a reason to worry. He wasn't at home as often as she was so he wasn't sure just how Emily was reacting. But he was going to delve deeper into it. He buzzed Nancy and called her back into the office.

"Something wrong, Riley?"

Riley spun around in his chair to face Nancy. "No, not really. I want to take some time off. How hard would it hurt?"

"Financially it wouldn't hurt at all. Neither one of us. However, you have two new clients next week. It depends on how many days, or weeks, you plan on taking off."

"A few days. I have some family business that I want to tend to. You can take the time off too. Forward my patients to Doctor Janet for the next seven days. How does a seven day vacation sound to you?"

Nancy didn't miss a beat. "Like heaven!"

Riley stood up. "It's settled then. After tonight we both start our vacations."

Nancy turned and left the office immediately so as to set everything up for their business departures. While he waited for his next client, Riley thought about his daughter. Maybe if he was home more, Emily would open up. Maybe that was the problem. Maybe his child was missing her daddy. He seriously doubted it, but hopefully his spending more time at home would help her open up.

Riley pushed Emily to the edge of his mind as his client walked through the doors. Just a few more hours, he thought, and then on to vacation!

Graham sat at the kitchen table staring at the bottle sitting in front of him. It seemed like a bad dream, but it was all true. The lies. Everything she'd told him had all been lies. She'd passed up everything that they'd gained, everything they'd worked for, she'd thrown it away for a werewolf.

Correction. A werewolf who happened to be her first love.

He didn't blame Oz in any of it, though. He fully blamed Willow. None of their friends knew about the conflictions in their marriage. None of them knew about Willow's indiscretion. Their kids didn't suspect a thing, either. Thank God.

However, it was upon them. The "D" word was looming over them like a raincloud. He loved Willow with every inch of his being, but it seemed like she didn't return that love. She had told him the night before that she loved Oz. She wasn't sure how it happened or why or when, but it did and she couldn't change it. Maybe it had been his reappearance in Sunnydale, maybe the old feelings had returned...neither of them knew. All they knew was that things had happened that they couldn't change.

If she wanted a divorce, he wouldn't fight her. He could accept defeat.

And he would.

Buffy was sitting at the kitchen table balancing her checkbook when Emily walked into the kitchen and started pulling on her shirtsleeve. Buffy put down her pen and turned to her daughter. "Hey baby, can I help you with something?" Buffy asked.

Emily climbed onto her lap, resting her head against Buffy's chest. "Mommy, I'm scared."

Buffy kissed her daughter on the top of her head. "Scared of what, honey?" Buffy asked shakily as she realized how cold Emily's body was.

Emily swallowed hard. "That grandpa is gonna die."

Buffy held her daughter tight. "Where would you get an idea like that?"

"I saw it happen. He had a heartattack. Grandpa Hank did."

Buffy pushed Emily back, staring into her eyes. "What do you mean you saw it? Emily, what is going on? Tell Mommy the truth."

Emily's blue eyes stayed the same sky blue color. "That is the truth. Grandpa Hank is gonna die."

Buffy didn't know what to do with the information she'd just received. "How do you know, though, Emily? How do you know?" she asked frantically.

"I saw it. I dreamed it. Like I dreamed that Daddy had gotten hurt. I know it's gonna come true, Mommy. I know."

Buffy remained calm. There was a reasonable explanation. Right? Buffy kissed Emily's cheek. "It's okay, honey. You don't have to worry. Grandpa Hank will be fine. Don't you worry." With that said, Emily jumped down after returning Buffy's kiss and headed into the living room.

The next morning Buffy woke to the ringing of the phone. Glancing at her clock, she realized it wasn't even past seven. She reached for the phone so as not to wake up Riley who was sleeping soundlessly beside her.

"Hello?" she answered.

Riley woke to the sound of Buffy talking on the phone. "Wait, wait, calm down, Beth. What happened?" Her voice quivered. "A what? No, it can't be. He's in perfect health. Tell me, please tell me this is some cruel joke..." The phone slipped out of her grasp, onto the floor.

Her whole body was numb. Emily's words rang in her ear. <"Grandpa Hank is gonna die."> She shook her head as she began to cry. "No, no, no..." she cried. She felt Riley's arms circle her, bringing her into the circle of his arms.

"He's dead, Riley. Gone. Not of the living. My dad...he...he...he died this morning. She told me, but I didn't believe her. I told her that he'd be fine. What can I tell her? How did she know?"

"Shh, baby. Shh, calm down. Everything will be fine."

Buffy pushed away from Riley. "Goddamnit, Riley, no it won't. Our daughter foresaw my father's death. Nothing will be fine!"

Buffy jumped off the bed and started pacing the floor. She needed some answers. How did Emily know that her grandfather was going to die? She'd even known that Hank was dying of a heartattack. She needed answers. And right away.

There was only one person that could give them to her.

"Giles, she's scaring me. How could she see this? How is it possible?" Buffy asked her the man that she'd called dad since the day he'd married her mother.

Giles took off his glasses and squeezed the bridge of his nose. "Buffy, when you first became Slayer I delved into your family history and there were...your family, it seems were very supernatural."

"Supernatural?" Buffy repeated soundlessly.

Giles nodded, lowering his voice so that his wife wouldn't hear their conversation. "It seems that this particular gifts skips two generations of Summers women. Your grandmother Blare had the gift. She was able to see when marriages wouldn't last or when people would get expelled or when--"

"...people died. My daughter inherited this gene, then. God, Giles, I had hoped to protect my children from all this supernatural hoopla!"

Giles laid a hand on Buffy's shoulder. "You could use this to your advantage, Buffy. Emily could be your saving grace. Think about it."

Buffy ran her fingers through her hair, encountering tangles every which way. "Giles, I know that this could be used to my advantage, but some things...some things you just don't want to know beforehand."

Glancing at the clock on the wall, Buffy jumped to her feet. "I got to get going. I don't Riley to start worrying."

"Keep me posted with this, Buffy. If she sees anyone else dying..." Giles swallowed, hoping that he wouldn't be involved with any of his granddaughter's visions.

Buffy nodded, then hugged him briefly. "Thank you for putting this into perspective for me. I just don't know how to react around her now. And all she's been doing since the funeral is apologizing. And it's not her fault. She just tapped into God's plans. Tell Mom I said bye."

With that, Buffy walked out the door. Giles could tell Buffy wasn't taking the news lightly and he didn't blame her. It was hard news to swallow. He only hoped Emily's newfound power worked to Buffy's advantage rather than to a disadvantage.

Willow was standing in the living room when Graham descended the stairs, another box in his arms. "Where will you go?" she asked, regretfully. She'd hurt Graham so much. She hadn't planned on it and she would forever regret it.

Graham dropped the box at his feet. "Not sure yet. I'll find somewhere, though."

"Buffy and Riley's?" she offered, thinking that he'd go directly to their respective best friends.

"No!" Graham spat at her. "I don't want Buffy and Riley knowing anything about this. They'll look down upon me, saying that I didn't fight. That I just let you go..." He took a deep breath. "I am leaving of my own free will."

He picked the box back up and headed for the door. "After I figure out what I'm going to do, I'll let you know. I was offered a position to head up the new base in Seattle," he told her.

Willow swallowed hard. "Are you going to take it?"

"I honestly don't know yet. I'm up for a promotion soon. Besides, I don't think I could stand being away from Nick and Georgie. They're my children, Will. I hope you don't think you can keep me from seeing them," Graham told her, his voice starting to crack, signaling that his emotions were overwhelming him.

He felt Willow behind him. Her breath was hot on his neck, her touch was warm and caressing. "Can't you stay a little bit longer? I don't want you to go.." she pleaded with him.

A silent tear fell from his eye. "I don't want to go, Will, but it's the honorable thing to do...you love someone else. How could I live with you knowing that? Maybe you never stopped loving him..." he let the words just hang in the air. Without a response from Willow, he turned and left.

Buffy sat by the window in Emily's room, watching over her child. Why her daughter? Why couldn't her cousin Brandy's daughter or one of her sons be given this gift? Why did it have to be her child? Why was she cursed by the supernatural?

Since Giles had given her the news, she had been slipping out of bed after Riley was asleep and would sneak into Emily's room and watch her sleep. The last few nights, her child had slept peacefully. Thank heavens.

As sleep began to overtake her, Buffy decided that she needed at least one goodnight's sleep. As she was walking out the door, she heard Emily begin to stir in her sleep.

"No, Ashley. Don't! Stop! Stop! Aunt Emmy! Aunt Emmy!"

Buffy ran to Emily and began shaking her daughter violently. "Emily! Emily, baby wake up."

Emily sprung awake and immediately threw her arms around Buffy's neck, sobbing into her chest. "Ashley's gonna die, Mom," Emily sobbed.

Buffy held Emily tight against her chest as her daughter cried out her frustration and fear. Is this all her daughter would see? Their friends and family's deaths? Then, Emily's words sunk in...Ashley Webster. Matt and Emmy's youngest daughter.

Down the hall, Riley stirred awake, reaching out for Buffy. Sitting up, he called out her night, finding that he was alone in bed. Sliding out of bed, he padded down the hall on bare feet and stopped just outside Emily's bedroom where he heard people talking.

"...she was in a boat and then she fell out. She was splashing in the water and then she didn't come back up," he heard Emily say.

He watched from the doorway as Buffy reached out to stroke their child's hair. "It's gonna be okay, baby. We'll try to make sure that doesn't happen."

Emily reached a tiny hand up to touch Buffy's cheek. "You can't change it, Mom. It's all in his plan. They're all for him."

Buffy looked at her daughter, perplexed and speechless. "Him? Him who, honey?"

"The same guy that chose you to fight evil, Mom. God. He chose me, too."

God. Was God responsible for the gifts, the pain-in-the-ass gifts, that both of them had inherited? What kind of sense of humor did The Man have? Because she didn't think that it was at all funny.

"Em, how long has this been going on?" Buffy asked the child in her arms.

Emily shrugged her shoulders. "Ever since I can 'member." Emily leaned back and met her mother's gaze. "Mom, who's Oz?" she asked. The man had kept appearing in her dreams and she didn't know who he was, but he had been with her Aunt Willow every single time.

Buffy was surprised by the question. Oz. Where had he come from? Had the children broke out her old photo albums? She hadn't heard from Oz in years...neither had Willow as far as she knew.

"I knew a guy named Oz a long time ago. He was Aunt Willow's first boyfriend and her first love."

Emily frowned. "I always thought Uncle Graham was Aunt Willow's first love."

Buffy shook her head. "No, darling. Graham came after Oz." Buffy turned toward her daughter and asked, "How do you know about Oz?"

Emily slid off the bed and walked to her play desk and picked up a photo of Willow and Graham. "I saw him with Aunt Willow," Emily said flatly.

Buffy's eyes widened. "You saw him with Aunt Willow? When?"

"I dreamed about them..."

Emily's words began to sink in. "Where was Uncle Graham while Aunt Willow was with Oz?" Buffy asked, not sure she wanted to know.

Emily climbed back into bed beside Buffy, her head falling into her mother's lap. "I'm not sure. He wasn't with Aunt Willow. I did see them arguing, though."

"In your dream?"

Emily shook her head. "No. Last week when they came for dinner...they were talking in the den and I o'erheard them."

Buffy chewed on her bottom lip. "What were they talking about?"

"Uncle Graham told Aunt Willow that he was through. That he wouldn't live with the lies and that's when he left. They didn't see me though."

Buffy took in the information, taking a deep breath. She put a smile on her face for her daughter. "Come on, honey. You need to get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow."

Obediently, Emily climbed underneath the sheets, hugging Otis tightly to her chest. "What are we doing tomorrow, Mom?" Emily asked Buffy.

Buffy pulled the sheets around the child, then sat down beside her, tucking the loose tendrils of her blonde hair behind her tiny ears. "Well, first of all we're going visit Uncle Spike in the morning and we'll probably go visit Uncle Xander. He has some important stuff to tell us."

Buffy watched a smile spread across Emily's lips. "Yeah, I know what it is."

"You do, do you?"

Emily nodded her head. "Aunt Anya is having another baby."

Buffy kept quiet. "Well, I certainly hope so, darling." She bent down and planted a quick kiss on her daughter's forehead. "Now, you go to sleep, Sweet Pea." As Buffy headed for the door, Emily called out to her. She turned back toward Emily's bed asking, "Yeah?"

"Am I weird?"

Buffy was slightly taken aback by the question. How could she answer that? At least when she'd been aware of her powers, she'd been a teenager. How did a child so young, so innocent, cope with a gift like this? "Heavens no, darling. You could never be weird. You are gifted. Do you know that Grandma Blare had this same gift?"

"Really?" Buffy nodded her head. "Does Grandma Joyce have this gift?"

Buffy shook her head. "I'm afraid not, honey." Buffy watched as Emily yawned. "Come on, we'll talk about this tomorrow. It's time for you to sleep."

"Mom, does Daddy know? About my gift?"

Buffy hadn't even thought about telling Riley what Giles had told her. She supposed she should tell him, though. He deserved to know what marrying her had caused him, their daughter. "I'm afraid not. Why? Do you want me to tell him?" Emily shook her head. Buffy kneeled beside the bed, eye level with her child. "Tell you what: How about we keep this between the two of us. It'll be our little secret."

Emily smiled. "I'd like that." She threw her arms around Buffy's neck, whispering, "I love you," into Buffy's ear. With one last quick peck on the cheek, Buffy retired to her own room.

"What's going on?" Buffy heard from somewhere in the darkened hallway, realizing right away who the voice belonged to. She just wondered why he wasn't sleeping.

She spun around searching for his voice. Suddenly the hall light flipped on, Riley coming into view, leaning against the oak panelling, obviously not happy. "Wha-What are you talking about?"

He pushed away from the hall. "What I'm talking about, Buffy, is that something is wrong."

Buffy pushed past him so that she could enter the bedroom, yelling, "I have no idea what you're talking about," over her shoulder.

"No? I think you know *exactly* what I'm talking about," he told her as she climbed back into bed.

She was ignoring him. That much he was sure of. "Look, Riley, I'm tired and really don't have the energy to argue with you about anything right now."

She flipped off the light, hoping that he wouldn't continue. However, he flipped back on the light. "You're not getting off that easily, Buffy."

Knowing that he wasn't going to give up so easily, Buffy kicked back the blankets dramatically. "Fine, Riley. You wanna talk? What about?"

Riley sat on the bed beside her, his head falling into his hands. "Whatever the hell is going on with Emily. I overheard you two talking and..."

"You were *SPYING*?" she asked incredulously.

He shook his head. "No, I wasn't. I woke up reaching out for you and you weren't there so I got up to go look for you...I heard you and Emily talking." He paused for a moment. "Is there something that I should know? You two looked as if you were having a pretty serious conversation, which was why I didn't intervene, but I feel like...I feel like I'm being kept in the dark." Buffy stayed silent. "You're keeping something from me, aren't you?"

Buffy let a deep, harrowed sigh. "I would tell you, Riley, but it's better that you not know."

Riley swallowed hard. "Why? Why can't I know?" he asked, turning to look at her, a million thoughts, none of them good, running through his head.

"I promised Emily. This is her secret, Riley. She doesn't want you to know."

Buffy couldn't know how hard that hit his heart. To know that his daughter purposefully wanted to keep something from him hurt like hell. Buffy was close to each one of their kids, but they put up an emotional wall for him. Especially the girls. Especially Emily.

Buffy could sense the hurt in his eyes. She reached out and took his hand. "I'm sorry, honey. She made me promise. She just opened up to me. I want to respect her privacy, her loyalty. You understand, don't you?" she asked him.

He shook his head. "I feel like they aren't even mine, Buffy," he said sadly.

Buffy couldn't believe her ears. "What?" she asked, hoping, praying, that her ears were betraying her.

Riley moved away from her. He walked around the bed and climbed in on his side, throwing the covers over his body. "You heard what I said," he told her as she moved across the bed on her knees toward him.

"Yeah, I did hear you, I just can't believe the words came out of your mouth," she said as she pushed back the blankets and climbed underneath them. She tried to snuggle close to Riley, but he pulled away. "Don't do that," she said, hurt twinging her voice.

Riley looked at his wife, seeing the hurt and disappointment in her eyes. It wasn't her fault. She didn't deserve to be treated so coldly by him. Riley grabbed her wrist, pulling her to him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that," he said planting a chaste kiss on the top of her head.

Buffy wanted to tell him so bad what was wrong with their daughter, what she had cursed their daughter with...she moved out of Riley's embrace. She turned on her side, facing away from him. She felt him stretch out beside her, nestling his warmth against her. "If you didn't mean to do it, why did you? And why did you say that you feel like the kids aren't yours?" she asked.

"That's the way I feel, Buffy. You're here with them more than I am. They're used to you, they share things with you. I'm just that guy that sleeps with Mommy."

"That's so not true!"

Riley leaned back against the headboard. "It's not? Logan went to you when he wanted to play baseball. He didn't ask me. You are the one he throws the ball around with. Kennedy begs you to go to her dance classes. Does she ever beg me? Hardly. And Emily..."

"...loves you dearly," Buffy filled in for him. She sat up, turning around to face him. "They all love you. So you're not around as often as I am, who's fault is that?"

His eyes widened, flashing with fury. "So the reason my kids push me away is because of *ME*?"

Buffy jumped off the bed. "Can you blame them for pushing you away, Riley? Your work takes up all your time. You're always stuck at the office. When we plan family gatherings you always have your beeper and your cell phone with you...you're never Riley the daddy or Riley the husband...you're always Riley the pyschologist."

All her emotions had hit the surface. She was being honest. There was no turning back from here. "We would like to see you home early enough to at least eat dinner as a family. Spike stops by for dinner...you'd think I was married to him. Maybe I should just invite Spike to live here!" she shouted.

"Buffy..."

"No, Riley. Goddammit, don't you realize that we miss you when you aren't here. The kids love you, but they hardly know you. Yeah you're home on the weekends, in the flesh that's about it. Can't you just be here for us...can't you see that we need you, that *I* need you, and want you?"

Seeing the tears falling from her eyes, Riley hopped off the bed and walked to meet her. He wrapped his arms around her, and she was offstandish at first, unwilling to let him cradle her in his arms. "I'm sorry, Riley. I didn't mean what I said...I'm just scared for Emily..." she whispered to him.

He tipped her chin up and pressed his lips softly to hers after wiping her tears away. "Come to bed with me?"

Buffy stared up at him, a question in her eyes. "Will you make love to me if I do?" she asked him.

"If you want me to I will."

It was Saturday when they received the news of Ashley's death. Like Emily had explained, the child had fallen out of the boat, and because she hadn't been wearing a life jacket, had drowned.

The funeral was held on the following Monday. Matt and Emmy were both dressed in black, Emmy still in shock over her daughter's death.

Buffy tried to offer some sort of sympathy to her friend, but Emmy would just stare at her and say, "You don't know what it's like to lose a child, Buffy." Then she'd gazed at Buffy's children for a few seconds and added, "Enjoy your perfect little life while it lasts..."

Buffy tried to do just that. However, her world crumbled when she found out what had happened between Willow and Graham. She had found out by accident. She'd been passing the Shady Hill Hotel complex when she'd seen Graham walk out of one its room. She had Spike investigate and he'd informed her that Graham was living in Room #480. He and Willow were splitsville no thanks to the reappearance of a particular first love on Willow's part.

Willow had explained in no uncertain terms that the fire reignited between she and Oz during one of his habitual Sunnydale visitings. They'd bumped into one another and they'd got to talking and somehow she'd wound back at Oz's hotel room. One thing had led to another...and she'd stopped Willow before she'd gone into detail about their sordid interlude.

She hadn't been able to keep the lie from Graham, though.

The Marine had taken the news in stride. He had forgiven her for that one time. Until the time came when she confessed that she was having an affair with Oz and that she loved her former werewolf lover, but she still loved him, too.

Obviously Graham being the noble person he is, stepped back. He gave Willow the chance to move on. He didn't hold onto her when he knew he had no right to. He moved out, though stayed within the city limits so that he could see his kids whenever he pleased.

Buffy kept her nose out of her friend's business, though. Instead, she focused herself on her own home life.

Buffy was setting the table for supper when Riley breezed in, bellowing her name. She wiped her hands on a dishtowel and met her husband in the foyer at the same time their children ran in from the living room. "Riley? What are you doing home?" she asked, glancing at the clock behind his head.

It was seven-thirty. Riley never made it home before eleven.

He dropped his briefcase onto the floor, then crossed to Buffy, enveloping her in his arms. "Meet the new and improved Riley Finn, Buffy."

Buffy glanced sideways at their kids who were all standing to the side, listening attentively. "I don't understand."

"I quit."

He watched as Buffy's eyes widened. "You what?!" she half yelled. "Why? How? Riley, you can't quit. That's the best job you've ever had and..."

He pulled Buffy against his chest as he said, "...and it keeps me away from you and them." He planted a brief kiss on her lips. "I have to confess this: Graham got me a job on the naval base. I'll be starting at the bottom, but at least I'll be home more."

"You're going from not home hardly ever to a career that could get you killed? No, I can't let you do that." She turned her back on him and walked back into the kitchen.

Riley was quick at her heels, their children quick at his. "Why can't you let me do that, Buffy?" he asked her, staring at her slumped shoulders.

She turned around and he saw a wispy smile on her face. "Because if you're around *ALL* the time, chances are I'll get tired of you..."

He returned her smile and took her in his arms as his kids heralded around him. Buffy ordered them to go clean up for dinner, stealing a few more minutes with him. She untied his tie without looking at him saying, "Since you're home early tonight we can get to know each other again.."

Confusion flashed in Riley's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by desire. He pushed his desire away for the time being. "Is supper done? I'm starved. I don't know what it's like to eat a decent home cooked meal anymore."

"Well, you go wash up and dinner will be on the table by the time you get back." As Riley left the room, the twins and Emily ran into the room and quickly took their places around the table.

After dinner was over and after the kitchen had been cleaned and bath had been taken, the entire family gathered in the living room to unwind. Buffy lay on the sofa with Kennedy while Logan lay on the floor with the dogs. Riley happily lay in the recliner with Emily, both fast asleep.

Buffy whispered for Kennedy to run upstairs to her room since she was falling asleep. As she made her way toward Riley, she told Logan to head up to bed also. She turned off the TV, then tapped Riley softly. "C'mon, honey, it's time for bed."

He looked down at the sleeping child in his arms and frowned. "What about Em?"

"I'll put her in her bed," Buffy said as she started to lift her away from Riley.

Emily chose that moment to wake. "No, I want Daddy to carry me." Riley's wide smile didn't go unnoticed by Buffy. As Riley carried Emily to her bed, she followed. She watched as Riley tucked their daughter in and tears formed in her eyes when Emily told him that she loved him.

Riley met her at the door, wrapping her in his arms. "Think maybe one day she'll trust me enough to tell me her secret?" Riley asked his wife as they walked to their room.

"I think you can count on it," she told him as they walked into the bedroom.

The End

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