TITLE: “One Thing Leads to Another”

AUTHOR: Alessandra “Pamela”

EMAIL: destructo-girl@...

RATING: NC17 overall

DISTRIBUTION:  My sites… anyone else, just ask.

PREVIOUS PARTS: Can be found at my site - http://destructo-girl.com

FEEDBACK:  I would love it if you were so inclined. :)

SPOILERS:  This takes place after “The Gift” except Buffy didn’t die.

SUMMARY:  Buffy and Graham run into each other and find out they get along *really* well.  But will their loyalty to Riley keep them apart?

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” characters or situations (I will even give my story ideas to Joss in exchange for a day on the set).  I am borrowing them, without permission, and I mean no harm to them.  They all belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Fox, and Warner Brothers.  I wrote this purely for entertainment and not at all for profit.

NOTE: This has not been beta read, so please excuse any mistakes. 

***

“Where’s Riley?” Dawn asked, upon entering the kitchen after Lisa’s mom had dropped her off.

Buffy frowned at her as she put dishes away, “Hello to you too.”

“Sorry, hi.  I just expected him to be around annoying me.”

“He’s not here.  Why did you think he would be?”

“Uh, because he’s back?”

“Yes, but he has a job.  Besides, it’s not like he’s living here,” Buffy replied.

“Well, I figured he would be,” Dawn told her, setting her backpack down on one of the chairs and getting a can of soda out of the refrigerator.

Surprised, Buffy asked, “Why would you think that?”

Her younger sister shrugged, “Mom’s gone, you’re in charge.  If you wanted, you could have your boytoy move in.”

“He’s not going to move in, Dawn.  He’s not my boytoy!”

“Fine, boyfriend.”

Buffy sighed, “We broke up.  We had big problems, and Riley left town.”

“So  you’re just friends now?”

“Not exactly.  I mean, right now we have agreed not to jump back into our relationship.  For a while, we will be just friends and spend time together.  See if we want to be a couple again.”

“I see,” said Dawn coolly.  She had serious doubts that they would stay friends for long.

“Dawn, I thought you liked Riley?”

“He doesn’t like that you were more focused on Mom and me so he goes and cheats on you… or something.  You never tell me everything, but I know he was doing something with chicks behind your back and Spike showed you.  And then he runs out on you and makes you sad after I told him how much better he was for you than Angel because he didn’t make you cry all the time!”

“Oh, Dawn, it’s not simple,” Buffy said sadly, “There are a lot of things that you don’t know.”

“That’s true.  I know I’ve never had a boyfriend or been in love, but I do know some stuff.  And I know that you’re special and Riley was so lucky to have ever gotten to be with you and he blew it – he isn’t good enough for you.”

Buffy smiled, despite the fact that she didn’t agree with her sister, pulling her into a hug, “I love you.”

Dawn hugged her back.  “I love you too.  Does this mean you’ll dump Riley?”

“Nope.”

“That’s what I figured.”

***

“This sucks.  Buffy finally leaves me alone to do something besides work, thus showing trust in me.  And it’s just so she can go out with *him*,” Dawn complained to Lisa on the phone.

“Well, are we sure Riley is so bad?  If Graham had never entered the picture, would you mind Buffy dating Riley again?”

Dawn bit her lip and replied honestly, “I’m not sure.  I honestly am mad at him for what he did to her, but if I couldn’t wish she were with Graham instead, I might be more accepting about her being with Riley.  But Graham is way better!”

“Well, why is Buffy with Riley, then?  I mean, if she likes Graham and Graham likes her, why is she dating Riley?”

“Guilt.”

“She is going to date a guy out of guilt?” Lisa asked incredulously.

“Absolutely, Buffy is big with guilt.”

“Well then maybe you should change your mind about not interfering.  If you really want to help Buffy because she won’t help yourself, you might have to start manipulating.”

Dawn had been spending a lot of time thinking about the situation since her talk with Buffy earlier that week, and she had already admitted to herself that if she didn’t want her sister to make a huge mistake, she would probably have to start getting sneaky.  Especially since Riley had been calling daily.  It was getting on her nerves big time.

“So what are your ideas?” she asked reluctantly.

Lisa grinned; the fun was about to begin!

“Okay, well there are a few things we need to keep in mind.  We need to get to Buffy from several different angles, make her doubt what she has with Riley, make her see what she could have with Graham.  And maybe cause a little friction between Buffy and Riley.  Oh, not the good kind.”

“Well right now, they’re acting like the happiest couple in the world – thankfully without any kissing or groping.  And Graham hasn’t even called since Riley got back.  He and Buffy used to hang out and talk on the phone all the time before,” Dawn frowned.

“Hmmm,” Lisa bit her lip, as the wheels started turning in her head.  That wasn’t good, not at all.

***

“Hey Dawn, we’re back!” Buffy called as she and Riley came in the front door.

“We’re in the kitchen,” was Dawn’s muffled reply.

Buffy frowned as she walked to the kitchen, wondering who was ‘we’.  She had made it clear that Dawn wasn’t to have friends over when she wasn’t there, but it could just be one of the gang had come over.

As she and Riley came into the room, they found Dawn sitting at the kitchen table with Spike, both holding cups of hot cocoa.  As Riley’s eyes widened in shock, Buffy smiled.

“Hey, we brought ice cream.  Do you two want some?”

“Ooh, what kind?” Dawn grinned.

“Don’t ask me how, but we managed to find Peppermint Stick in August,” Buffy replied, opening up a cabinet and retrieving some bowls.  “Did you want some, Spike?”

“Oh, sure.  I don’t have anywhere else to be,” he smirked at Riley.

As Buffy told Dawn about the movie, the two males continued to stare at one another, Riley’s face a mixture of resentment, anger and confusion, while Spike’s was one of amusement… and just a touch of jealousy.  After all, he’d been the one to stick by Buffy through all that had happened, helping fight evil and protect Dawn while Riley had run off like Spike’s pansy-ass sire, yet the boy was the one going to the movies with the Slayer, probably spending his nights between her thighs.

Well, maybe not.  Spike thought about how Buffy had been sleeping with Riley’s friend, which he obviously wasn’t aware of, and grinned widely.

Dawn suggested they eat in the living room so that they could watch ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’ and Spike went with her while Buffy put the ice cream away.  Riley took the opportunity to talk privately with Buffy.

“What is going on?”

“We’re going to eat ice cream and watch TV?”

Riley sighed, “I mean, why is Spike here, hanging out and being friends with you.”

“Oh, that.  Well, since you left, Spike’s changed.  He helped out with Glory and protected Dawn and even my mother when she was still alive.  He proved to be worthy of trust and we got to be friends.”

“I can’t believe this,” Riley shook his head.

“I know, I know… but he’s changed Riley, really.  You’ll see,” Buffy insisted.

“Buffy, he’s fooling you!  God, he’s…  You probably won’t believe me, but Spike is in love with you.”

Buffy bit her bottom lip before giving him a small smile, “Actually, I do know that.  He told me back in February, but I made it clear that I did not feel the same way.”

“And he just took ‘no’ for an answer?” Riley asked incredulously.  That didn’t sound like the Spike he knew.

“Well, no.  He got together with Drusilla, knocked me out and chained me up,” Buffy replied, before noticing the look on Riley’s face and decided it would be better if she left out the part where Spike threatened to let Dru kill her if she didn’t admit that she had feelings for him.  “He did it so that he could show me how much he loved me.  I know it was twisted and sick but, well, it’s *Spike*!  Anyway, he was going to kill Drusilla for me.”

“I’m not going to even pretend to understand that or the fact that you allow him into your home, alone with your sister, after all that he’s done.”

“He’s changed, Riley.  I don’t expect you to just see it right away, because I had months to witness him doing good deeds, but I do expect you to trust my judgment.”

Riley took a deep breath.  He didn’t trust Spike for a millisecond, but Buffy did and she really did have final say.  He could forbid her from seeing Spike, but Buffy wasn’t one to accept being forbidden from doing anything.  It would definitely put him on her bad side.  And considering the fact that they had only just had their second date since his return, he should keep his mouth shut… for the time being.

Nodding slowly, Riley said, “If that’s what you want.  But don’t expect *me* to be friends with him.”

Buffy smiled and rolled her eyes, taking her bowl of ice cream and heading out to the living room.  Mentally preparing himself for an evening with Spike, Riley grabbed his bowl as well and followed.

***

“Okay, I’m all ready, I’m going to bed,” Dawn announced, coming into the living room and walking over to the couch to kiss Spike’s cheek.  “Thanks for coming over.”

“Anytime, Luv,” Spike replied.

“We’ll have to do it again sometime, you and me and Buffy and Riley.”

“You do know that I am completely aware of the fact that you invited me over to torment Soldier Boy, right?”

Dawn grimaced, “You figured it out?”

Spike laughed, “Of course!”

“Spike, I’m sorry!  I really do love hanging out with you, you know that, it’s just…”

“Riley is bloody wrong for your sister and he can’t stand me being around, but Buffy’s not about to let him tell her who she can and can’t be friends with so you’re hoping to cause trouble?”

“Yeah,” she admitted.

“Great plan!” he grinned, “Don’t worry, I’m not offended.  Quite flattered, as a matter of fact.  And glad to be of service.  I’ll be hurt if you don’t plan on repeating this evening many times.”

Dawn bent down and hugged him tightly, “Thank you!  You’re the best!”

“Well, it’s for a good cause,” he shrugged.  “Now you’d better get to bed before your sister gets home.”

“Are you going to stick around until she does?”

Spike nodded, “I’d actually like to have a talk with her.  Do a little manipulating of my own.”

“Cool!” Dawn replied, pleased to have another ally in her plight.  “See you later, Spike!”

“G’night Niblet,” he called after her as the girl happily climbed up the stairs.

By the time Buffy returned home a few moments later, Spike was all ready to play his part in the plot.

“Did everything go okay dropping Riley off?  Did you have to walk him to his door and check all the closets and under the beds for monsters?” he asked sarcastically.

Buffy sighed and flopped down in a chair, “Not this again!”

“Sorry, Pet, it’s just that I can’t stand watching you glued to his side when we both very well know that you prefer his friend.”

“I don’t prefer Graham!” Buffy retorted, earning a knowing look from Spike before admitting, “Okay, I don’t know who I prefer, but it really doesn’t matter.”

“Why not?  You never promised to sit around and wait for Riley to return.  He left, you found someone else, so why are you acting like it was nothing and not allowing yourself happiness?”

“Because I feel bad.  Riley doesn’t deserve that.”

“I think you know how I feel about Riley.  Bloody prick doesn’t deserve *you*.  And even if he did, you shouldn’t end a relationship with the guy you want to be with because you don’t want to hurt someone else!  What about you getting hurt?  Or what about this Graham bloke?  You mean to tell me that it doesn’t hurt him to see you dating his best friend again?”

“Graham doesn’t care, remember?”

“No, I believe I had my doubts about that, you just insisted it was true.”

Buffy sighed and shook her head, “You don’t understand.  Spike.  Even if I was to tell Riley what happened and not be with him, I could never be with Graham.  The guilt would just sour the whole relationship.”

“Buffy, I know you won’t believe me, but I am telling you now – in the long run, you’re not going to make Riley happy.  You won’t be happy yourself, always wishing you could be with his friend, wondering what life would be like if you had ended up with Graham.  Do you really think Riley will have this perfect life you seem to think he deserves if you’re miserable?  It won’t work, Luv.”

“I think Riley could make me happy.  It’s just hard right now.  We’re working through stuff.  But in the end, I think we’ll be an even better couple.”

Spike sighed and shook his head before standing up, “Well, I have things to do.  Gotta make a trip to Willy’s.”

“Okay,” Buffy replied, standing as well.

“Just promise me that you’ll think about what I said?” he asked, looking her in the eye.

Buffy nodded reluctantly, “I’ll think about it.”

“Good,” Spike replied, walking to the front door and opening it, “Oh, will you be spending tomorrow evening with Riley again?”

She shook her head, “He has to work.”

“Darn.”

As Spike left her standing alone at the door, Buffy frowned.  The last thing she needed was Spike deciding to be Scheming Guy again.

***

“So Riley, does that girlfriend of yours have a sister?”

Riley frowned at his friend, “Yeah… why?”

“I was just thinking that Graham here needs to get himself a girl,” Tom grinned.

“Well, she’s fifteen, so I think that’s out of the question,” Riley laughed.

Graham rolled his eyes, “I don’t need a girl.”

“Yes, you do.  All you ever do is work and sit at home,” Matt piped in.

A group of guys had gathered in Graham’s apartment for a night of poker.  Unfortunately for Graham, it was quickly turning into an analysis of his love life… or his lack of one.

“Actually, Graham was hanging out with Buffy, pretty often from what I can tell.  But you guys haven’t really spent time together since I got back, have you?” Riley asked Graham.

“No, we haven’t really had a chance,” Graham answered.  In fact, they hadn’t even seen each other since Riley’s return a week and a half earlier.  It was inevitable that they would have to come face to face sooner or later… and it would no doubt be awkward as Hell.

“What a friend.  Keeping Riley’s girl warm for him,” Matt joked.

Riley playfully smacked his arm, “A girl and a guy can be friends, you know.”

“With a girl like that, you’d better be careful.  Guys gotta be all over her,” Tom said, turning to Matt, “I ran into them at a restaurant the other night… she’s definitely easy on the eyes.”

“Do you mind not talking about my girlfriend like that?”  Riley grinned, and then sighed, “Actually, this is a problem.  She’s got this new boss that’s sort of been hitting on her.”

“Maybe you should go visit her at work?” Matt suggested.

“Buffy would never go for that.  She’s very independent… she wouldn’t agree to any male posturing, would she, Graham?”

Graham was about to agree, because Riley was absolutely right.  But then he got a wicked idea.  It was wrong, Riley was his friend, but if he had to sit by and watch his best friend be happy with the girl *he* was in love with, wasn’t he entitled to a little fun?

“Actually, I think it’s a great idea, Ri.”

***

Buffy walked into the small room in the back of the diner and sat down in one of the chairs.  She looked up as Larry, Mr. Markerson’s nephew that had taken over as manager of the diner two weeks earlier, closed the door and sat down in his chair on the other side of the desk.  She eyed him suspiciously, wondering what he was up to.  He’d always given her the creeps, and since she had repeatedly spurned his advances, she was curious to see what this was all about.

“Buffy, I called you back here because we have a situation with scheduling.  I know that my uncle had given you the five to one shift, Monday through Friday, as your regular schedule.”

“Yeah…” she said slowly.

“Well, with my management, I am changing some things.  I want this place to run more efficiently.  My uncle is a good man, but he doesn’t have a head for business like I do.  One of the changes I am implementing is that nobody has a regular shift anymore, and we will all have to take turns working different shifts.  That means that everyone will have to work weekends, mornings, days, nights and graveyard.  Including you.”

“But I have to take care of my sister!”  Buffy protested.

Larry shrugged, “I’m sorry, Buffy.  Not to sound insensitive, but my concern is this diner, not your personal life.”

“I don’t understand how this is supposed to make things more efficient!”

“I have too many people working certain shifts.  Rather than cutting hours, I am redistributing.  Would you rather less shifts or shorter ones?”

Buffy sighed and shook her head, knowing that she needed all the money she could get.

***

At long last, the clock on the wall read one o’clock.  Buffy finished wiping down the table with a rag and headed to the kitchen.  She had spent the past few hours mulling over her situation.  She hated the thought of being gone in the evening and leaving Dawn alone, but quitting was out of the question.  Until she got a new job, she would have to make it work.

Resolving to search the want ads as soon as she got home, Buffy took off her apron and grabbed her purse before punching out on the time clock and walking back out into the dining room.

Larry smiled at her, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Buffy.  The schedule for next week should be done, so make sure you pick a copy of it up.”

“Right,” Buffy replied, annoyed, and then surprised when she saw Riley enter the diner.

Smiling at his girlfriend, Riley greeted, “Hi baby.”

“Hi.  Is everything okay?”

“Sure.  Just thought I would come see my girl,” Riley replied.

Buffy’s eyebrow was quirked, until she caught the look on Larry’s face.  Smiling warmly at Riley, she replied, “Good, I missed you.”

Riley’s arm slid around her waist as he kissed the top of her head and the two of them headed out the door.

Once out of Larry’s earshot, Buffy said, “I know you just came because I told you my boss was hitting on me.”

“You mad?”

“Nah.  I would be, but the bastard really pissed me off today.”

Riley frowned and looked down at her.  “What happened?”

“He’s decided to make us all work different shifts.  That means I’ll have to work on the weekends and at night and everything.  I’m going to have to leave Dawn alone at all hours.”

“God, what a jerk.”

“Yeah, no kidding,” Buffy sighed.

“I’d like to go have a ‘talk’ with him,” Riley added, shooting a look in the direction of the diner’s door only a few yards away.

“You can’t.  I am unable to recall why just now, but I know that you can’t,” she replied with a half smile, “I just have to start looking for a new job.”

“Yes, good idea.  Maybe you can get an office job.  Dawn will be back in school in less than two weeks, and then if you are working until five, she’ll only be alone for two hours or so.”

“That’s true.  Have I mentioned how much I hate looking for a job?  Especially interviews.  They’re nerve-wracking.”

“I know, but just think about once you get a new job and you won’t have to deal with Larry anymore,” Riley pointed out as he put his arm around her again and walked her the rest of the way to her car.

She smiled, “That’s true.  Okay, now I feel better!”

“Good,” he replied, opening her door for her.  “So, I’m picking you up at five?”

Buffy nodded, “Yeah, the play starts at six, so that should be early enough.”

Dawn’s play was that night and Buffy had invited Riley to be her date.  Dawn had begrudgingly kept her mouth shut… and with Lisa’s help, come up with a little surprise for Buffy.

“All right, I’ll see you in a few hours,” Riley told her.

“Bye,” she said, climbing into the driver’s seat.

As the girl he adored more than anything started her car and drove off with a wave, Riley sighed happily.  He hadn’t yet felt it was time to kiss her again yet, but he still knew that they would work through everything and be a full-blown couple once again.  And he felt like the luckiest guy in the world.