Mending Wounds

Darla noticed that Riley seemed a bit down. She could tell because he wanted his wife to come home and she just wasn't ready. So as the friendly nurse, she'd give Riley some love and affection.

"Hello, Mr. Finn. So how's your wife doing? Are you ready to her home?"

"Not really. She just seems to be distant. I don't know how to convince her into coming."

"There, there. Everything will be alright," she said patting his back.

Angel was passing by and noticed how Darla was being so friendly with Buffy's husband. 'Things never change with her.'

~*~*~*~*~*

Willow kept her promise and stopped by to see Buffy.

"Buffy, how have you been?" she said hugging her best friend.

"I'm holding up as much as I can. I'm really glad that you're here. I missed seeing my best friend."

"I miss you, too. I noticed Xander has kept you in such great comfort."

"You know Xander, he just doesn't want me to leave and stay here eating this dreaded hospital food."

"So do you have any idea, who'd want to hurt you?"

"I have no clue, Willow. All I know is when I find out who did this to me, they're going to regret it."

Before Willow had a chance to interject, Angel knocked on Buffy's door.

"Is this a bad time? I could come back later." Buffy looked up at handsome doctor and smiled.

"No, it's not. Willow I'd like you to meet Doctor McCallister. He's my OB/GYN."

"Nice to meet you, Willow." She smiled at him. 'I can see why Buffy isn't too crazy about going home. He sure is a looker.'

"I have to get going, Buffy. I'll see you soon."

"But Willow you just got here not to long ago."

"I know, but the handsome doctor here wants to talk to you." Angel couldn't help, but blush at the comment that Willow rose. Willow left the room leaving Angel and Buffy alone.

"Sorry about Willow. She tends to be shy, but I don't know what's gotten into her today."

"It's alright. So do you feel ready to go home today?" 'As much as I enjoy looking at your pretty face.'

"No, I'm not. I feel if I go home, Riley won't want to be near me. I'll think that he won't find me attractive like when we first got married."

"You shouldn't think that. Riley seems like a supportive husband. He's been by your side. You should give him the benefit of doubt." Angel checked her vitals signs and noticed that everything was well.

"But I just think that he won't want to make love me."

"If Riley is the nice man, that you say he is, he'll understand if you won't want to make love." 'Hell I'd understand. I would just want to hold you in my arms and comfort you.'

"Thanks. You know you're so sweet," she said smiling.

~*~*~*~*~*

Riley had missed his wife so much, but couldn't understand as to why she just didn't want to come home. He loved her, but he missed having her near and making love to her. So he chose to go a different route. In his bed with him, was a beautiful blonde with blue eyes.

"So how do you feel?"

"Great, but miserable. I feel that Buffy's going to know about us. If she does, it'll hurt her."

"Don't worry that pretty little head of yours."

~*~*~*~*~*

Buffy went back to at her law firm in Sunnydale. She wasn't ready to head back to Wolfram & Hart yet. Parts of her felt completely disoriented. She had been avoiding Riley in more ways than one. Buffy knew that he noticed, but he disregarded it. What she needed was a nice bath and a book.

~*~*~*~*~*

The week had already passed by and Angel couldn't get the pretty blonde out his mind. He needed to stop thinking about her. Buffy had the prettiest smile that he's ever seen. He started having those feelings of happiness, but the problem was the woman he's in love with is married. Happily married. 'Why am I even wasting my time thinking about her? It's not as if she's having trouble sleeping at night.'

Darla appeared and noticed Angel was far off and had a smile on his face. 'He's in love, but with who? It can't be Buffy Summers-Finn, because it's obvious that she's married. Oh, I'll make sure he doesn't fall for that little girl. Angel will always be mine.'

"Angel, who's on your mind? Is it that pretty blonde that you were helping out?"

"Darla, mind your own business. Don't you have somewhere to be? I'm busy." She left the room.

'Was it that easy for her to realize that I'm falling for Buffy? I have to be able to control my emotions when it comes to Buffy. She doesn't feel the same way about me.'

~*~*~*~*~*

Things around the Finn household weren't going to well. Buffy had slept in the same bed with Riley, but he kept on wondering when she'd make the move to start on having a family again.

"Buffy, honey it's been a while since we've been together. Do you want to right now?" His hands went around and traveled up to cup her breasts. She flinched at his touch. She couldn't believe that he was taking things so lightly. She just thought that losing their child meant nothing to him.

"I can't Riley. I don't know when I'll be able to. I just can't do this now."

Riley couldn't believe how she was reacting. She didn't want him touching her intimately. He had this feeling that she was cheating on him.

"Buffy, are you seeing someone?" She turned around and looked at him.

"How could you think that? I love you Riley. I thought you'd understand since this was our first child that passed away."

"I'm sorry, honey. I didn't mean to sound like a jerk. Take all the time you need. I'll be there for you every step of the way," he said hugging her to him. Though the thought that haunted him was that Buffy finding out about his affair with Darla.

~*~*~*~*~*

Angel was sleeping in only his boxers, tossing and turning throughout the night. He couldn't get Buffy out of his mind, that it driving him insane. He envisioned himself kissing her endlessly and never letting her leave his embrace. Somehow his dream almost seemed so real to the point that he could smell vanilla permeating from her delicate skin.

He woke up in a sweat and headed over to his table and turned his lamp on. As he looked at the clock and it read two forty-eight a.m. He definitely has to change some things in his life. The first one being was getting rid of Buffy Summers out of his mind. Angel made a promise to himself that starting tomorrow morning, no more thoughts of Buffy.

~*~*~*~*~*

Buffy was starting to feel a bit better. She'd let Riley hold her at night and kiss her, but that's as far as it went. She still felt that if they tried for another child, the same situation would occur. Those thoughts have plagued her for quite a while. The only thought that brought a smile to her face was her doctor, Angel. She clearly remembered what he said that Riley would understand. 'I guess the good doctor was right. He does understand.'

~*~*~*~*~*

Buffy had cases right and left. Her workload had increased drastically from the time of the accident. She was grateful that she had help. It looked like as if she was never going to stop working. So Buffy decided to take the cases home with her and Riley would give her a back rub.

As she made it to the driveway of their home, she spotted Riley's car. 'Great! I can surprise him.' She made her way up the stairs and was about to open the bedroom door, but instead she heard moaning. 'What's that?' Buffy opened the door and it revealed a blonde haired woman moaning on top of Riley.

"Oh!" Buffy said loud enough for the couple to disentangle themselves. Both of them turned and saw Buffy's face turned completely white.

Buffy ran down the stairs, out the door and sat on the porch. She was in a state of shock. Total shock. She just couldn't believe the sight she'd seen with her own eyes. That's when it really hit her and the tears were flowing down her cheeks. Her eyes were all puffy and red. She kept on crying, but stopped to wipe her tears away and heard the door open. Riley placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't," she said not facing him.

"Buffy, let me…"

"I told you I don't want to hear it. I can't believe that you'd do this to me. What did I do? Since when did you stop loving me that you had to sleep with that slut? How could you do this to me? To us?" she said raising her hands up in the air. She felt such betrayal from a man that made vows to cherish her and to love her.

Riley had no idea what to say to Buffy. It was true though; she hadn't done anything to harm him. He harmed her. This could be the end of their marriage. That's the last thing he wanted. He still loved Buffy dearly.

"So what are we going to do?" he asked.

"Well, I for one am not spending the night here. I'll just get a couple things from upstairs and I'll be out of your way," Buffy said without even making any eye contact.