6.15 As You Were
Buffy: Riley.Riley: Sorry to just drop in on you like this, Buffy.
Buffy: It's you.
Riley: It's me.
Buffy: You're here.
Riley: I know.
Buffy: And ... were you always this tall?
Riley: Look, this isn't the way I wanted it. But something's come up, something big. We don't have much time. You understand?
Buffy: Not a work you've said so far.
Buffy: Well, just counter, not grill any more.
Riley: I want to explain, I just don't have time. I've been up for 48 hours straight tracking something bad, and now it's come to Sunnydale.
Buffy: My hat has a cow.
Riley: I know that I'm putting you on the spot, showing up like this, but ... but you know, here we are. I need the best. I need you, Buffy. Can you help me?
Buffy: Sorry. It's just ... you still carry around all that James Bond stuff. It's so cute! I forgot.
Buffy: Sorry. Carry on.
Riley: We've been tear-assing through every jungle from Paraguay up, taking out nests. As soon as we put one Suvolte down, a dozen take its place. They're breeders, Buffy. One turns into ten, ten becomes a hundred. This gets out of hand and there's a war with humans? Humans are gonna lose.
Buffy: So they're like really mean tribbles. Sorry, I've been dealing with these, these geeks, it's, it's a whole thing.
Buffy: Nice wheels.
Riley: Came with the car.
Buffy: How's your arm?
Riley: It'll heal. How you doin'?
Buffy: Complicated question.
Riley: I just meant-
Buffy: I know.
Riley: I hear ya. Got some, uh ... big stories to tell you to. If we ever get half a second.
Buffy: Did you die?
Riley: No.
Buffy: I'm gonna win.
Riley: Here. No offense, but this is black ops, and you look like a pylon.
Buffy: Ninja wear?
Riley: Battle gear. Lightweight Kevlar, state of the art.
Buffy: What a surprise.
Riley: Boys like toys. Put it on, thank me later.
Buffy: You won't look?
Riley: I'm a gentleman.
Buffy: Okay. So ... the black-ops life, it's workin' out for ya?
Riley: Don't suck.
Buffy: They got dental?
Riley: Yeah, we're covered.
Riley: You know, there's not many people I'd ask to risk their life for me, Buffy. It's really good to see you.
Buffy: Thanks.
Riley: You're welcome. And Buffy ... love the hair.
Buffy: Down we go?
Riley: Looks that way.
Buffy: That's a big first step. So, Mr. Finn, got an extra jet-pack for a girl like me?
Riley: Sorry, fresh out of jet-packs. Looks like we'll have to share.
Riley: This test line's built for one, so if we go together, we're not hauling any gear. Just be you and me.
Buffy: I was never big on the hardware anyway.
Riley: You hold onto me?
Buffy: If that's what it takes.
Riley: Come on.
Sam: Hey there. What exactly are you doing with my husband?
Buffy: Husband?
Buffy: Wife.
Buffy: And ... those aren't code names like Big Dog or Falcon or... I didn't think so.
Riley: Buffy, meet Sam. Sam, Buffy.
Sam: Pleasure.
Buffy: She's good.
Riley: She's a special one.
Buffy: How long have you been married?
Riley: Four months almost.
Buffy: Mazel tov. Any children?
Riley: Buffy, I meant to tell you. When the time was right. She caught up to us a hell of a lot faster than I would've guessed possible. She does that.
Buffy: So, you-you guys do this often, you know, the whole ... husband-and-wife tag-team demon fighting thing?
Riley: Yeah, it's what brought us together. I almost feel sorry for the Suvolte.
Sam: Let me guess. Captain Can-Do over here forgot to mention that this was a homing operation. But it's nice to finally meet you, by the way.
Sam: We're too late. Finn ... how could you recruit the Slayer without filling her in on the objective?
Buffy: That'd be my question.
Sam: If we weren't under severe time constraints I'd seriously think about ripping you a new one.
Riley: Stand down, soldier.
Buffy: He's your boss, too?
Sam: Oh, he wishes. We better regroup. Buffy, I hate to impose further, but ... you got a safe house?
Buffy: I, I have a house. I-I think it's safe. Sometimes you can't even leave.
Riley: Hey.
Dawn: Agent Finn returns.
Riley: Dawn. Geez, look at you. I think you grew a foot and a half.
Dawn: A lot can happen in a year.
Riley: Well, it's good to see you.
Xander: Hey, there's the man! Life taker, heartbreaker. (shakes Riley's hand) You know, figuratively speaking.
Riley: Xander, Sam. Willow...
Sam: Hi.
Riley: Hi.
Willow: We got your call.
Xander: We're here to help. Just like old times. Except, with you being all big with the married life.
Riley: Hear you're getting hitched yourself. Believe me, you're gonna love it.
Willow: Congratulations, really, both of you.
Willow: Just so you know? I'm prepared to hate this woman any way you want.
Buffy: Thanks, but no. I don't wanna seem all petty.
Willow: Well, that's the beauty! You can't, but I can. Please. Let me carry the hate for the both of us.
Buffy: Me and Sam together?
Riley: You come across a Suvolte nest, you're gonna want backup.
Sam: You know, I don't wanna be dragging down the Slayer. You've got speed, and power I can't even-
Sam: Maybe not for you. I gotta tell you, Buffy, I'm a little bit intimidated. I mean, patrolling with the real live Slayer, you're like ... Santa Claus, or Buddha, or something.
Buffy: Fat and jolly?
Sam: Legendary. And it's not just slayer status I'm talking about. It's you.
Buffy: Riley talks about me?
Sam: He didn't say anything for a long time, but I could tell. He was ripped up inside.
Buffy: Good thing he has you.
Sam: More like miraculous. I went down to Central America with the Peace Corps. One night, my entire infirmary got slaughtered by... I didn't know what they were. I got saved, quit the Corps, joined the squad. My first firefight, I met Riley. We started talking, you know, first about tactics, missions, stuff like that. And then about you.
Buffy: He thinks ... I let him go.
Sam: Do you wish you hadn't.
Buffy: I wish things were different. I-I'm not trying to ... I don't ... uh, you know.
Sam: I didn't mean to put you on the spot, Buffy. There's no bad guys in this one. The only thing that could ... help Riley work it out was time. Lots of time. Took him a year to get over you.
Buffy: I'm glad he's over me.
Sam: So, you seeing anyone new? Someone special?
Buffy: You know, I just take my time, you know, I don't ... I don't wanna jump right into anything, don't wanna ... you know ... be defined by who I'm with.
Sam: Yeah, better no guy than the wrong guy, that's for sure.
Spike: Well, looky here. I don't usually use the word delicious... but I've gotta wager this little tableau must sting a bit, eh? Me and your former? Must kill. What can I say? Girl just needs a little monster in her man.
Riley: That's not why I'm here ... Doctor.
Buffy: Look, i-it can't be, okay? He-he's too incompetent. It's just Spike, Riley.
Riley: Right. Deadly ... amoral ... opportunistic. Or have you forgotten?
Riley: Buffy-
Buffy: Riley-
Riley: By mission parameters I'm done here. But I have authorization to take the Doctor out. Do you want me to do that?
Buffy: Do I want you to... How can you ask me ... I'm sleeping with hi-him. I'm sleeping with Spike.
Riley: I had actually noticed that.
Buffy: And then you come back ... and did you wait until your life was absolutely perfect and then send that demon here so you could throw it in my face?
Riley: Look ... you think this was easy for me?
Buffy: Yeah! I think it was a rollicking adventure, fun for the whole family.
Riley: I was terrified about seeing you again.
Buffy: Well, I'm sure my incredible patheticness softened the blow for you.
Riley: I don't know what you're talking about.
Buffy: Riley, please don't patronize-
Riley: Hey! You want me to say that I liked seeing you in bed with that idiot? Or that blinding orange is your very best color? Or that that ... burger smell is appealing?
Buffy: You smelled the smell?
Riley: Buffy, none of that means anything. It doesn't touch you. You're still the first woman I ever loved ... and the strongest woman I've ever known. And I'm not advertising this to the missus ... but you're still quite the hottie.
Buffy: You know, it goes away after many bathings.
Riley: This isn't about who's on top. I know how lucky I am right now. I love my work, and I love my wife.
Buffy: I know. And I kinda love her too.
Riley: So you're not in the greatest place right now. And maybe I made it worse.
Buffy: No.
Riley: Wheel never stops turning, Buffy. You're up, you're down ... it doesn't change what you are. And you are a hell of a woman.
Buffy: Riley, that night... I never got the chance ... to tell you ... how sorry I was. About what happened between us.
Riley: And you never have to.
Spike: So she's back. Thought you'd be off snogging with soldier-boy.
Buffy: He's gone.
Spike: So, you come for a bit of cold comfort? (sighs, gestures) The bed's a bit blown up, but then, that was never our-
Buffy: I'm not here to-
Buffy: I can't love you. I'm just ... being weak, and selfish...
Spike: Really not complaining here.
Buffy: ...and it's killing me.