2010: 2 Years Later
Within two years everything about Graham Miller's life had changed. He had come home from the Brazilian jungles a broken man, in need of a new beginning. He had found that 'new beginning' in Cleveland, Ohio, the home of the biggest and most active Hellmouth on the planet and the home base of the new Council.
Buffy Summers, the head of the Council had taken a chance on him—Despite their once checkered past working together in Sunnydale. She had even gone a step further and offered him a place to stay until he settled on his own.
After months of functioning as roommates and developing a friendship that only deepened with time, Graham fell in love with the blonde Vampire Slayer. He tried his damndest to fight the feelings he felt for Buffy Summers but he couldn't stop them. What shocked him the most was that she had fallen in love with him as well.
Soon after they decided to take the next step in their relationship, Buffy became pregnant with their son named Ryder. Ryder was everything and more than they could have ever asked for. A funny and easy-going child with a sharp mind has made the new parents so happy.
The birth of Ryder had only strengthened Graham and Buffy's relationship and cemented their love for one another. Six months after Ryder's birth, Graham asked Buffy to marry him and she, of course, accepted. They were married only two months later in a very small ceremony with Buffy's chosen family. Graham's parents, Nick and Melissa had flown in from Chicago to witness the wedding and meet their grandchild. Also in attendance was Graham's younger brother, Nicky Jr.
Buffy had quickly realised that Graham had not at all been exaggerating when he spoke about his father. Nick is a balding weathered looking man with creases over his forehead, between his brows, and along his narrow cheekbones. He is handsome like Graham with a similar squared jaw, bright blue eyes, and darkish brown hair. Nick didn't seem to smile often, unless directed at the six month old that he grew quickly fond of. Nick's eyes are always moving about the room, quietly observing everyone and everything in a way that was eerily similar to Graham. Buffy was positive that Nick did not like her. He was not at all directly rude towards her but she was positive that Nick simply thought of her as Graham's wife and the mother of their son.
Melissa is a quiet and soft spoken woman with dark brown hair, porcelain white skin, and bright blue eyes. Sweet and tolerant, she easily let Nick's off handed comments roll off of her. She seemed oblivious to people's dark sides. She is a woman that loved her husband and sons very much and easily accepted Buffy into their quaint family.
Nicky Jr is a piece of work as Graham would frequently describe him as. A proud member of Delta Psi Beta fraternity, Nicky was the optimity of the 'bro culture'. Very handsome like Nick and Graham, Nicky also had the family's trait of piercing bright blue eyes. Naturally charming and flirtatious with everyone he came across, the youngest Miller didn't rub Buffy the right way. Nor did she like how Nicky not only made eyes at her, but at Dawn.
Much to Graham's dread they were coming back to Ohio to celebrate Ryder's second birthday. He was going to pick them up from the airport in two days.
Since the wedding, Buffy and Graham decided to move into a bigger place. They very much loved the luxury apartment complex they were in and chose to move to a different floor which now had five bedrooms and three full bathrooms. Enjoying the city life, they were not quite ready to find a house in the suburbs.
The giant apartment now had an office room, which was rarely ever used since Buffy mostly did any extra work at the kitchen's counter island. There is a playroom, Ryder's bedroom, a second guestroom, a magnificent master bedroom, and a rooftop access patio, that looks over the city of Cleveland.
West Side of Cleveland: DeLuca Luxury Apartments: 14th Floor: Apartment #510: Kitchen
Standing at the sink, the frown on Graham's face was deep as he tried to ignore Buffy talking to him as she sat with Ryder at the kitchen table watching him eat the spaghetti in front of him.
"Graham, you can't keep lying to them." said Buffy, staring at his back.
When he did not respond, Buffy rolled her eyes and gave him a look that Graham didn't need to see to feel strike through his entire body.
"Honey, it's time that we need to be honest with them. I'm pretty sure they think I'm just… I dunno, aloof. Your father certainly does."
Turning off the faucet, Graham turned to her and said, "No, he doesn't. No one thinks you're aloof. They know you have a big job."
"But they don't know what your big job is."
"There's no reason for 'em to know. They wouldn't understand."
Knowing she was not going to win this argument at this moment, Buffy decided to drop the subject and turn her attention back to Ryder.
Releasing a deep breath, Graham turned off the water faucet and crossed the short distance from the sink to Buffy at the kitchen table. Placing his hands on her shoulders, Graham kissed the back of her head.
"I know that you don't want any secrets but please, let me tell them in my own time and in my own way."
Giving a short nod of acceptance, Buffy looked at him and asked, "And what about Riley? Does he know you have a son now? That you're married? Anything from the last two years?"
Silent, Graham knew that Buffy had a very valid point. He hasn't been truthful to his oldest friend. They've spoken only a few times in the last two years and the conversations were quick. Graham passed on every opportunity whenever Riley asked, 'What's new with you?' or 'Where are you?' or 'Are you happy?'
Graham was frightened of Riley's response if he told him the truth.
"Not yet. It's not a good time."
"Graham," Buffy said his name with a heavy breath. "When is it a good time then? When Ryder's eighteen? Why are you so afraid?"
"Riley won't take it well."
"That's ridiculous—"
"—It's not." argued Graham. "Buffy, everythin' that we have together—a marriage and a kid—he wanted that with you. If he knew… he'll hate me. He'll think I took advantage of your or… I dunno, did some voodoo magic on you to be with me."
Buffy stared at him quietly for what felt like ages. She could see the troubled weight on his shoulders about this, still unsure whether to take the risk or not. "He's your best friend and he deserves to know the truth."
She was right and Graham knew it. Releasing a heavy breath, Graham nodded his head. "Let me tell my folks the truth about our lives then I'll tell Riley the truth about us."
Buffy nodded, "I just don't want you to lose him as your friend."
"If I tell him this, I might." He shrugged with a heavy sigh. "But I guess that's just a risk I'm gonna have to take." He squeezed his hand on her shoulder and leaned down, pressing his mouth to her forehead before stepping away to have a moment to themselves alone in the bedroom to collect his thoughts.
Buffy watched him walk away for a moment then turned her attention back to Ryder. She tossed him a tender smile and ran her fingers loving through his sandy coloured hair.
Later
Master Bedroom
Leaning back against the backboard of the bed, Graham sat with his long legs outstretched and crossed at the ankle. His mind still on the conversation in the kitchen, everything inside of Graham told him that his father won't understand about his lifestyle and Riley won't understand his relationship with Buffy.
Nick was somewhat a hard man to have as a father. He expected even more from Graham when the realistion hit that Nicky Jr wasn't going to be anything like the man Nick envisioned. Graham was the closest thing to the 'ideal son'. The 'Golden Boy', Nicky would frequently tease him about.
Despite Graham's status as a decorated officer in the military after years of service, Nick did not hold back his disappointment when Graham announced that he was leaving the Army.
Nick did not hide his puzzlement when Graham had given them his new address in Cleveland, Ohio of all places. Nor why he was wasting his potential and his valuable time working in a private school. He didn't have a clue what his son was doing there. He figured that the woman he was with had something to do with it.
Nick at least slept easy knowing that his son faced his mistakes head on and married the woman he had impregnated and they were doing seemingly well—at least she was.
The bathroom door opened and Buffy stepped out, rubbing the lotion on her arms as she flicked the light off.
Graham tore his mind from his wandering thoughts of his disappointing relationship with his father and ran his gaze over Buffy, taking a moment to admire his wife's beauty.
"I'm sorry for putting pressure on you," she said, turning off the bedroom light and stepped around to the vacant side of the large bed and climbed under the covers to sit beside him. "I just want you to be happy."
Taking her hand on her lap into his own, Graham brought it to his lips and kissed the back of her hand. "I am happy, Summers."
"You know what I mean."
"You're right, I do know what you mean and I am happy. I'm the luckiest guy in the world. I got a wife that's a total knockout. I got a kid I still can't believe we have. I got everythin' I need, right here." Draping his arm around her neck, Graham pulled her close against him. "I am very happy."
Resting the back of her head against his chest, Buffy tilted her head back just as he leaned in close, brushing his mouth over hers in a tender kiss that quickly grew passionate and filled with need.
Shifting to lay over her, Graham pushed the oversized t-shirt covering her slender frame higher up her torso, until it was all the way off and thrown carelessly to the side.
Breaking their kiss, Buffy and Graham briefly parted to remove their underwear and then resumed their previous position.
Their mouths fused together, Graham laced his fingers through her hands and held them above her head as he slipped his cock into her welcoming body with a single thrust.
Releasing a loud moan, Buffy had forgotten herself and their son asleep in the next room down the hall. Graham smiled as he kissed her neck. He had always loved that she was vocal in the throws of her passion.
Her head tilted back and her back arched. Graham covered her neck with wet and open kisses.
Using a bit of her strength, Buffy rolled him onto his back and grinded her center over him. Moaning, Graham held his hands around her hips, guiding the frenzied rhythm. Using the rough pads of his thumbs to tease her hardened nipples. Buffy gasped as waves of pleasure crashed throughout her entire body. Feeling himself nearing his own climax, Graham moved a hand between their bodies and found her clit, distended and begging to be touched.
Buffy cried out his name as her body was wracked with orgasm. He let himself go, pumping furiously as he spilled his seed deep inside her womb.
Breathless, Buffy laid over him and smiled as she kissed his mouth for a few more minutes. Her heart still pounded in her chest.
Shifting off of him, Buffy found her place close into his side and tucked under his arm. Hovering her face over his, Buffy held his rough cheek in her hand then gently traced the lines of his handsome face with the pad of her forefinger.
"I feel like, I gotta remind myself every time I look at you that you're mine," said Graham, pushing a piece of her long golden hair behind her ear. "I can't believe that you're my wife."
"I feel the same way," admitted Buffy.
Picking his head slightly off of the pillow, Graham kissed her. His eyes closed, basking in the feel of her perfect soft lips kissing him and the minty taste of her mouth.
Knock! Knock!
Breaking the kiss, Graham and Buffy exchanged a frowning look. Turning to the nightstand, Graham glanced at his watch and pinched his brows together. "Who the hell is comin' here this late?" He asked, getting out of the bed.
Buffy sat up against the backboard, holding the bed sheet over her naked body and frowned, "Maybe it's the end of the world."
"It should frighten me of how callous that sounds." Graham teased, as he pulled on a pair of black jogger sweatpants and a t-shirt.
Snorting into laughter, Buffy rolled her eyes and reached over the side of the bed to pick up the t-shirt she had been previously wearing as Graham stepped out of the master bedroom and headed for the door.
Opening the door, Graham's brose rose high up his forehead with surprise. "Mom? Pop? I, uh, thought you were comin' in a few days."
"We were but the airline asked if we wanted to upgrade on our flight, so we did," explained Melissa. "I don't know how we'll ever sit in Economy again."
"I like Economy," grunted Nick, standing behind his wife with a frown. "There is nothin' wrong with Economy."
Rolling her eyes, Melissa smiled at her son, "Your father the pragmatist."
"Come in, come in," Graham opened the door wider for his parents to enter and took the large suitcase from his mother. "I could've picked you guys up from the airport."
"We didn't want to disturb…" Nick ran his eyes over his eldest son for a minute having a good idea what Graham had been up to based on his short tousled hair, "... whatever you were doing." Closing the door behind him, Nick took off his coat and took Melissa's coat then hung it up on the hooks by the door.
"Where's Nicky?" asked Graham.
"Finals…" Nick's frown deepened, "... or so he tells us. Probably jumping off a cliff in the name of Delta Psi Beta and PBR."
"He's studying," said Melissa, not at all wanting to picture her youngest son drinking himself into a stupor after a night of a wild party.
Nick released a heavy breath, "Yes, keep telling yourself that. Thirty thousand a year to pay for beer kegs and trips to the emergency room for a stomach pump."
Graham looked at his mother, unsure what to say. Melissa shook her head and decided to just ignore her husband's pessimism.
"Nick, Melissa," said Buffy coming from down the hallway, dressed in a pair of loose fitting yoga pants and a sweater, covering the t-shirt underneath. "We weren't supposed to pick you up today were we? Did I get the dates wrong?"
"No, no, dear." smiled Melissa, "we had an opportunity we just couldn't pass up."
"I prefer Economy," grunted Nick.
Raising her brows, confused by Nick's statement, Buffy looked at Graham. He shook his head and silently promised to explain it to her later.
"Well, it's very late. I think we'll just go to bed and we can all catch up in the morning," said Nick, picking up the large suitcase.
Graham nodded, "Alright. I'll show you to the guest room."
"What's the square footage of this place?" asked Nick as he and Graham walked down the hallway.
Buffy looked at Melissa with a smile, trying her best to hide the awkwardness she felt inside.
"In the morning, you will have to tell me your plans for Ryder's birthday. I would love to help you in any way I can."
"Thank you," Buffy smiled. "It's gonna be a bash."
Morning
Kitchen
The morning sunshine streamed into the large apartment windows. Nick, Melissa, and Graham had been up for hours talking quietly in the kitchen over cups of coffee.
The pitter patter of little feet running across the wooden floor, turned the adults attention to find a toothy grinning boy sprint straight towards his grandparents with his arms extended out wide.
"Grand-poppy!" Ryder beamed, leaping up into the air to be caught by the aging man.
A large smile tugged across Nick's entire face as he tightly hugged his grandson. He planted a kiss on the side of the boy's head.
"How's my boy?" Nick asked and lifted his eyes to see Buffy entering the room holding Ryder's brown furry stuffed bear in her hand. "Being good for your mother?"
"He's a little angel," Buffy sarcastically teased as she placed the stuffed toy on the counter and walked over to Graham to accept the coffee being handed to her.
Rubbing a hand on Ryder's small back, Melissa looked at her son and daughter-in-law and asked, "Do you have to work today?"
"We do." answered Graham, sipping the hot coffee in his hand.
Nick frowned, still not convinced that Graham had made the right decision about his new choice of employment. He was on the fast track to be a great commander in the Army before he decided to carelessly throw it away. "You look like you run a basic training camp. These are just a bunch of girls, right? They don't care about physical education."
Graham shot Buffy a quick glance.
She raised her brows, silently conversing with her husband.
Nick with a gruff as he passed Ryder to Melissa to hold. "Is this job really something worth giving up your entire career for?"
"Pop," Graham tightened his jaw.
Nick frowned, "You could've been a General." He turned his gaze to Buffy as he pointed at Graham beside her. "Did you know your husband was a born leader?"
"I did." said Buffy with a nod.
"Right. So you agree that he could've been one of the greats like… Patton or Westmoreland. You had real strength and talent." said Nick with a look of disappointment on his face. "And now you're a… phys ed teacher at a private school in Cleveland."
Graham's eyes landed on Buffy for a moment as he leaned on the counter land with his hands. "We have to talk." He stood up tall and stepped around the counter to sit at the kitchen table across from his parents and Ryder, still sitting in Melissa's arms. "There's somethin' I need to tell you both."
"Tell us both what?" asked Melissa with an abundance of patience.
"The truth," ominously said Graham. "I haven't been honest with you for a long time."
Buffy also moved around the counter island and sat down beside Graham, placing a supportive hand on his knee.
Holding his fingers together on the kitchen table, Graham searched his brain for a way to say what he needed to say and for them to understand it. "Well, um, I'll start by sayin' that I'm not a phys ed teacher at a private school. That's just the cover."
Nick and Melissa frowned at their son.
"The private school we work at isn't even a private school at all."
"Are you in some kind of trouble, Graham?" asked Nick, tossing his gaze between Graham and Buffy. "Have you fallen into the wrong crowd, son?"
"No, no," Graham shook his head, "it's nothin' like that. It's not the mafia or anythin'."
Nick's brows furrowed over his eyes, "But you were in the Army?"
"Yes, I was, but, uh, straight after basic I was recruited into a special force unit that specialised in the supernatural."
Confused, Nick looked at Graham, trying his best to understand. "Like aliens? Were you Area 51?"
"It's more…" Buffy sat up in the chair, "... um, Hellish then that."
"Were you there with him?" Nick pointed at her accusingly.
Shaking her head, Buffy said, "No, no, um, I was never military."
"Buffy is what's called a Vampire Slayer." said Graham, finally admitting the entire truth to his parents. "She fights vampires… demons… things that horror movies are made of."
Nick and Melissa stared unblinkingly at the couple sitting across from them, terribly confused.
Growing annoyed with this 'nonsense', Nick's frown deepened as his eyes pierced angrily at his son. "You expect us to believe this? Then what's this secret force you were in and why a private school—or a cover… What's it covering up?"
"The private school is really what's called the Council," patiently explained Buffy to Graham's baffled parents. "The Council nurtures and trains Vampire Slayers, witches, warlocks, and even Watchers—which are guides for the Slayers. There are thousands of Councils across the world but here is the main headquarters."
Sitting back in the chair, Nick crossed his arms over his chest and turned his hardened gaze to Graham. "What does he do at this Council?" Nick pointed a finger at Graham.
Buffy explained, "Graham is the head Drill Instructor at the Council. He trains these Slayers in warfare, discipline, and military-esque education. He's an essential piece to my institution. Without him, the mortality rate of the Slayers being sent to various Hellmouths around the globe would be catastrophic. He's really fantastic." She caught Graham looking at her and squeezed her hand that was on his knee, reassuringly.
Graham placed his hand over hers and tossed a small smile that did not make his entire face.
"I've recently made the decision to promote Graham to be the director of the new special operations force called the Chosen Squad." Buffy frowned as she said the name aloud and shrugged, "We're still thinking of names. I personally like the Shadows, but we at the Council like to be 'on the nose'."
Buffy's small tangent did nothing but put Nick and Melissa further into the spiral of confusion.
"Anyway, it's an elite organisation that will combine the Slayers and specially picked elite soldiers from countries around the world. We will work together to stop evil."
"We already have forces stopping evil," Nick challenged.
Buffy smirked, "Yes, but in my world, I'm dealing with the reason evil exists."
"And all of this falls into your hands? You will command these soldiers and… Slayers?" asked Nick, not entirely sure his daughter-in-law had the military intelligence or strength to command a special force like this.
"Yes," Buffy nodded. "This new special force will have no allegiances towards whatever country they're in. Think of it as NATO. Their objective is to kill demons and avert apocalypses."
"And you can avert an apocalypse." Nick raised a skeptical brow, eying the slender framed blonde.
Unoffended, it was not the first time Buffy had been met with prejudice. She smirked, "One of these days, Nick, you and I will exchange war stories."
Melissa turned her eyes to Graham, "And you train these Slayers to be like Buffy?"
Graham looked at Buffy then shrugged with a nod, "Uh, yeah, somethin' like that."
Nick stood from the table and held his hands together. "Can we see this… Council?"
Graham looked at Buffy for a reply, unsure whether she wanted them to be fully exposed to their world.
Standing with a nod, Buffy lowered her eyes to Ryder then looked at Nick, "Let me get Ryder's coat."
