The Lansbury Flats

Knightsbridge, London

10th Floor, Flat #7

Standing tall and out of uniform, Riley stood at the doorstep wearing a friendly smile, "Hey buddy." He said wrapping his arms around his old friend then stepped into the flat.

"Uh, hey Ry," was all Graham could manage to say. He closed the front door and watched Riley roam around the luxurious flat with curiosity.

"You're doing well for yourself, man." Riley smiled noting the wealth his old friend must have earned nowadays.

"What are you doing here?"

Riley went to the fireplace mantel and eyed the photographs in the frames carefully. He picked up a photo that caught his eye. It was Graham and a blonde woman. The woman's face was hidden behind her hair, as she kissed Graham's cheek lovingly. Riley smiled at the happiness the couple seemed to have. "This your girl?" Riley looked across the flat to Graham.

Silently, Graham nodded his head.

"I can't see her face but I bet she's beautiful." Riley grinned putting the photo back down.

"Yeah… she is." Graham agreed.

Sounds of cries came from down the hallway before anyone could react, the bedroom door opened and Ryder ran out. He ran right past Riley and straight into Graham's arms.

Graham picked the three-year-old up and held him tightly, "What's wrong bud?" Graham wiped away Ryder's fallen tears. "Did you have a bad dream?"

Ryder nodded his head sniffling and rubbed his tired eyes with his tiny fists. "The b—bad men t-twied to get me, Daddy!" He buried his little face into Graham's shoulder, hugging his arms around his father's neck tightly.

"Oh," Graham kissed the top of Ryder's head and said, "you know Mommy and Daddy will never ever let anythin' or anyone ever hurt you. We will always protect you." He soothed his sons' fears and ran a hand through his messy hair.

"I want Mommy," Ryder whined wiggling out from Graham's protective embrace.

Graham gently placed the toddler down onto his bare feet and nodded with a soft smile, "She's in the bedroom."

"My bedroom?" Ryder pointed to himself.

"No," Graham chuckled, "the big bedroom."

With a nod, Ryder ran past Riley again, oblivious to the stranger and disappeared into the master bedroom.

"Whoa, Graham, you're a father?" Riley could not keep the surprise from his voice. "I can't believe it." He had watched the interaction of the father and son with utter fascination. Riley never thought he'd see the day when Graham would be a father. He assumed by the ring around Graham's finger he was married as well and probably to the blonde in the photo. "When did you get hitched? Hey, when do I get to meet the little wife?" Riley grinned excitedly to meet the woman who captured his best friends heart.

As if on cue, Buffy's voice called out to Graham from behind the partially closed bedroom door. "Graham, could you warm up some milk?" Riley's heart jumped to his throat instantly recognizing the soft lispy voice from the other room. "Graham?" Buffy called out again wondering where he was. "Graham could you— " The words died on her lips as she stepped out from the bedroom and turned eyes to see Riley standing in the middle of the living area in complete shock. "Riley?" She said his name unable to mask her own surprise.

Riley eyed his former love up and down noting the oversized men's T-shirt that read, UC Sunnydale across it and her bare tanned legs. His eyes went back up to her face unable to blink. Her hair haloed around her head in waves. She looked as if she was rolling around in bed. It was a look Riley remembered all too well.

"Buffy?" Riley said her name, "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I, uh, live here." She said carefully then looked at Graham for some sort of answers.

"You—Pardon? You live here?" Riley pointed at the floor.

"Yes," Buffy answered.

"But I..." Riley turned his head back to Graham. "I got your address from your mother and she never said... Is that boy… is he yours?"

Graham nodded his head silently.

"You had the kid with someone else…" Riley stated with relief and pointed at Graham, "…that has to be it. You were married to another woman, had a kid, got divorced but it… still doesn't explain why you're here." Riley looked at Buffy. "Nor the reason why you're wearing a man's T-shirt in the middle of the night." Riley struggled to piece the puzzle together. He knew the real explanation but it was too painful to say aloud.

Graham shook his head, "Riley—"

"— No, that can't be it." Riley began to rationalize another scenario. "You're having an affair or something…"

"Mommy!" Ryder whined running out of the bedroom and hugged Buffy's legs.

"Ryder had a nightmare," Buffy said staring at Graham trying to avoid Riley's harsh glare.

Graham nodded his head, "I know. He wanted you."

"Okay, I'm going to put him back to bed." She bent down picking up her sleepy child. Ryder's head laid down on Buffy's shoulder.

Riley watched Buffy and the child turn away. His hands went to his hips, "Graham, what the hell is going on? And did that kid just call Buffy, mommy?"

There was a time what felt like lifetimes ago, he would've avoided confrontation with Riley. He's always been too passive but since being with Buffy, Graham learned to stand up for himself and take no apologies.

"Yes, 'that kid' called Buffy, mommy. Yes, Buffy lives here. Yes, I live here. Yes, the boy is my son. No, Ryder isn't someone else's. No, this is not an affair. Yes, I'm married. I'm married to Buffy and we have a three-year-old son named, Ryder."

Riley turned away back to the fireplace mantel. He noticed a photo of Buffy standing outside in the sunshine. The long sundress she wore did not hide the nine-month pregnant belly. Riley picked up another photo of Graham and Buffy on the day of their wedding. Just like Riley always knew she would be, Buffy was a stunning bride. Her face wore a gleaming smile that he's never seen before. It was of pure and genuine happiness. In another photograph, Graham's arm lazily hooked around Buffy's neck, pressing his mouth against her hair. In his other arm, he cradled a newborn baby. The small family grinned at the camera.

"Married?" The hurt and sadness in Riley's voice struck deep with Graham. "She's the mother of your son?"

"Yes."

"Are you serious? That can't be!" Riley ran a hand through his sandy blonde hair.

"Graham is very serious," Buffy said standing behind Riley closing the bedroom door. She crossed the flat and stepped beside her husband. She held out her hand showing off the delicate wedding band. "He's my husband," Buffy announced with a small shrug.

"That kid is… You had a baby?" Riley looked at her flat stomach imagining her pregnant with a child. It was the vision he had millions of times. In all of his fantasies, he always imagined a whole litter of children with the love of his life.

Buffy nodded her head and softly smiled, "I did."

Riley's face softened in a slow realisation that the child that ran out from the bedroom crying for his mother was apart of Buffy. His heart ached to know the woman he was once so madly in love with had a child with another man. She loved another man in a way, she had never loved him.

"How—when did this all happen?"

"After my discharge, I boarded a plane and I came here." Graham began to explain. "I asked Buffy if she would accept me as apart of her team and she did. We began to live together as roommates for a while but… I fell in love with her. You were always right about somethin', Ry, she's an easy woman to love." He turned his blue eyes in Buffy's direction.

"Let me get this straight," Riley processed the brief explanation then looked between Graham and Buffy with an angered expression. "You quit your sworn duty, flew across the world to fuck my girlfriend into giving you a job?" Riley glared at Buffy. "Did you tell him about Spike? How were you screwing around with a vampire? Or how about Angel, your one true love? Did you tell him about that?" Riley turned his eyes to Graham. "Angel was a vampire you know. She sleeps with demons; evil, evil demons!"

Graham knew all about her past. She had told him every sordid detail. And not once had his love forever changing, if anything he fell harder for her.

"Why do you care?" Graham suddenly asked shifting his eyes from Buffy's face to Riley. "Why do you care what Buffy does? You lost any right to her the day you left. What did you think was gonna happen? That Buffy was gonna long for you like a lovesick puppy? Cry every night wishin' that she had you?" He snidely curled his lip with disgust. "She didn't even shed a tear when you left." Gaining confidence, Graham took a step forward challenging Riley's stand-off. "You moved on Riley. You got married then showed up at her doorstep to throw it back in her face. You gotta a lot of nerve. You treated her like shit because she what? She didn't cuddle with you? 'Cause she didn't rely on you? Buffy never needed a protector. You had your chance and you fucked it up—And that's on you."

"You told me to go!" Riley shouted recalling their helicopter exit. "You told me that being with Buffy was making me lose who I was. Remember the Mission?"

"And you were the idiot who listened." Graham fired back. "Don't blame me for your fuck up, Riley. It wouldn't've worked out anyway 'cause you weren't the man she needed."

Riley stared at his former best-friend and ex-girlfriend a moment longer than silently pushed past them to the door and walked out.

"Well, that went well." Buffy sarcastically muttered.

"Could've been worse," Graham shrugged.