6 Months Later: Late Afternoon
It's been six months since Buffy and Graham had become parents. And it's been quite the rollercoaster challenge trying to balance parenthood and their jobs at the Council.
Ryder Matthew Miller was a good baby. He was surprisingly easy-going and he hardly ever cried. The small child was filled with an abundance of happy smiles that filled the large apartment with a enjoyment that hadn't been there before.
Even more so than before, it didn't seem possible that either Buffy or Graham had lived very separate lives nearly one year ago. It had certainly felt as if they had been together for ages and Ryder was just a new addition to their long relationship.
Buffy had recently returned back to the Council and into the training room the past two months. She came tired on most days but remained very present in her young son's life.
Usually the one to leave the Council early, Graham picked up Ryder from the nursery and brought him home while Buffy worked and trained for a few more hours. Graham took care of Ryder; changing his diapers, feeding him, and played with him until Buffy came home and took over.
West Side of Cleveland: DeLuca Luxury Apartments: 11th Floor: Apartment #314: Kitchen
Gurgling happily as he put his hand into the baby food in a bowl in front of him, Ryder rubbed his messy hair over the highchair tabletop with a toothy smile. Ryder was beginning to get small little white teeth, which made him cranky on most days and uncomfortable with pain. Buffy and Graham did their very best to sooth the baby's hurt with various teething toys and gels to put on his gums.
Graham turned from the sink to Ryder and chuckled as he dried his hands with a towel. Ryder had gotten his food everywhere; all over his chubby face, in his sandy coloured hair, and his clothing.
"Jeez, kid, did you eat any of it?" Graham smirked and walked over to him, taking the spoon thrown on the tabletop and helped his son eat the green baby food. "I turn my back for two minutes."
Ryder's bright eyes were on his father and gave him a mischievous smile.
Stepping into the kitchen from entering the apartment, Buffy placed her pocketbook and her oversized tote bag that was overstuffed with her work clothes, shoes, paperwork, and a laptop on the stool.
"Hi," she said, looking flushed from her rigorous workout session with Giles. "Oh my, what happened?" asked Buffy walking over to Ryder. She gently smiled at him, finding it silly that he was messy with the food.
"Ry got into a fight with the mushed peas again," explained Graham as he wiped the highchair tabletop clean with a sponge. He stood up tall from his crouched position and kissed Buffy's mouth.
"Again!" Buffy smiled down at the six month old and ran her fingers through Ryder's soft hair.
Graham turned to the sink, rinsing off of the sponge and glanced at his girlfriend. "How was your day?"
Buffy shrugged, wiping Ryder's face with a damp napkin. "Fine."
Turning off the faucet, Graham faced Buffy, leaning back against the sink eyeing her carefully for a moment. Rolling his eyes over her, he smirked finding her unbelievably beautiful in her black yoga pants leggings and a matching black tank top. Her blonde hair was piled on the top of her head in a messy bun.
Smiling at her, Graham asked himself for the hundredth time, how he had ever gotten so lucky? He was with the woman he loved and they have a beautiful little boy that makes them so happy.
If there was one thing he learned in the jungles of Brazil it was that everything can be taken away from you in a single moment. You can be stripped of your dignity and be alone and naked. You can witness death and beg for it.
For some reason he was one of the few lucky ones. He survived.
"Marry me." Suddenly said Graham, unaware of his words before they left his mouth. But he held no regret in them. He wanted to marry her. He has been figuring the right moment to ask her for the last year and a half.
Buffy turned to him, unsure if she had heard him correctly. "What?"
With more confidence, Graham tossed the towel on the countertop and stepped closer to her. He put the bowl and spoon in her hand on the highchair tabletop and took her hands into his own. Staring deeply into her ears, a small tugging smile slanted across his face.
"Marry me." He said again. "I wanna marry you, Buffy." Graham watched her green eyes glisten with emotion. He could tell that she didn't quite believe that this was really happening.
"You have to kneel and everything or I won't believe it," she said, unable to stop the smile taking over her entire face.
Graham rolled his eyes and knelt down to one knee, holding her hand in his own. "Will you marry me?"
"Yes," she says.
He stands back to his feet, wrapping his arms around her, covering her mouth with his own. Tearfully, Buffy smiled into the kiss, feeling swept up in the romance.
The sounds of Ryder babbling to himself gently broke their kiss.
Pressing his forehead against hers, Graham nuzzled her nose with his own, not wanting at all to let her go.
Sharing a few more kisses, they slowly unraveled from each other's arms and turned their attention back to the six month old, looking up at them with big round eyes.
Buffy picked Ryder up from the highchair, carrying the baby in her arms. "You are a messy, messy boy. Bath time." She bounced the child on her hip and began to walk out of the kitchen when Graham held his hands at her hips, pulling her back to him.
Breaking out into a laugh, Buffy accepted his kiss. She wanted to bathe Ryder quickly and put him to bed and spend the rest of the night celebrating the engagement with Graham.
Taking his time to thoroughly kiss her, Graham slid the top of his tongue along her lips and enclosed his arms around his new fiancée and son.
"I love you," he said, tucking a piece of her wispy strands of hair behind her ear.
Opening her eyes, Buffy touched her forehead against his. "I love you," she whispered, sharing a smile with him before walking away to give their son a quick bath.
Grinning to himself, Graham began to whistle a jaunty tune as he turned back to the sink to finish washing the dishes and clean up the mess Ryder had made with his food.
