Riley Finn grabbed his two bags and got out of the helicopter, looking out at the town ahead that was full of memories, both happy and painful. He hadn't planned on coming back here to this town. To the town with Buffy Summers in it. Just the mere thought of seeing her again caused his heart to ache painfully. However, the leader of his unit had given him orders to keep an eye on Sunnydale's Hellmouth, and Riley Finn was not one to reject orders. Fortunately, his friend Sam was here alongside him. At least he wasn't facing this alone.
Once Sam got out of the helicopter and it flew off, she looked over at Riley. "Are you sure you can do this?" She knew better than anyone how hung up on his ex girlfriend he was. He still loved her to this day, no matter how things had ended between them.
"Honestly? No, but orders are orders. I can keep an eye on things and help take care of hostiles. I just don't know how it will go when I eventually run into her" Riley admitted.
"Maybe you could go visit her. Either way it will be hard, but at least she won't find out in the middle of a hunt that you are back. It could get you both seriously hurt" Sam said, not wanting anything to happen to Riley if she could help it.
"As well as you or any civilian in the area" Riley said as he continued walking, not wanting anyone to get hurt. The goal was for no civilians to be in the area, but that wasn't always a guarantee. "I'll talk to her soon."
Sam nodded a little, remaining silent as they walked to the home the military provided them while they were in the town. They had permanent housing set up in Sunnydale due to its beacon for supernatural creatures for whenever they felt it needed to be monitored. Riley unlocked the house once they arrived, and he looked around the two story house, taking in the building they would be stationed in until they were relocated.
He walked over to the kitchen, Sam following after him. "We should discuss patrolling. Something is coming this way, and we need to make sure we are ready to spot it."
"This town always has something coming. You'll never know if it's a big something or a smaller something until you're dealing with it." Riley said. "Sunnydale has 12 cemeteries. We should scope them and surrounding areas out every night."
"Alright. You're the one familiar with the territory" Sam said. "Any other familiar hot spots in this town?"
"University of Sunnydale and the Bronze are frequent target locations. The highschool used to be as well, from what I gather, but after an explosion a few years ago, there is not much activity there." Riley explained as he opened up the cupboard to see what cans they were supplied with.
"I'm going to check out the rest of the house, but I'll talk to you later" Sam said. Riley nodded once, and Sam headed upstairs.
They were good friends, but the lines between work and friendship were a little blurry. Riley wasn't always entirely sure when to be formal and professional and when to relax. Especially since one of the recent times he had let himself ease up, he and Sam had kissed, something that had shifted things between them into something strange. He wanted to go back to how simple things had been when he was just friends and co workers with her with no romantic strings attached. He had made it clear how he felt, and Sam had agreed, but things were still strange between them at times. He hopes that things could get back to normal soon enough.
Sam was the only friend he consistently still has. He talked to Graham, but Graham wasn't always in the same unit as he was, especially not now when it was just him and Sam back in Sunnydale where the Initiative had been when it was still existing.
Riley headed upstairs and saw Sam in one of the bedrooms. He stood in the hallway, hesitating to speak.
"Are you just going to stand there or ask me for advice?" Sam questioned, turning to face him.
Riley took a step inside her room. "I am not sure what to say to her."
"You are not proposing to her. You aren't even asking for her forgiveness. Are you?" She looked at him curiously.
"I- I don't know what good it would do. I left her. We could be relocated at any point. I don't see a way it could work even if she did choose to forgive me."
"You never know" Sam said. "But the question is if you want to risk going through that again. We both know how being with her hurt you just like not being with her is hurting you"
Riley was quiet for a moment before he said "I guess we'll see what happens"
"Go on then" Sam said. "Set your bags down and go see her"
"Alright" Riley agreed and headed out of her room.
He went into one of the other bedrooms and set his bag down. He changed into civilian attire, and slipped on his jacket, putting his pager in his pocket. He looked at himself in the mirror and took a deep breath before heading out of his current house.