Title: No place like a new home
Author: Kirsty Dalziel
Rating:G
Distribution: Ask please
Feedback: Please, lots of it: kirstydalziel@hotmail.com
Summary: Buffy/ER Crossover What if Dr Weaver Moved to Sunnydale and became Friends with the gang?
Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Buffy or ER just my wild imagination and I'm not in control of it either, oh and the Docs at the new ER are mine, all mine Ha Ha Ha!
Notes:thanks to all the people of Fanficiton.net for there helpful comments
Chapter 1: Meeting and Greeting
Dr Weaver walked into the ER of Sunnydale Memorial Hospital and looked around her, taking in the sights of the people. It was quieter than County back home in Chicago she thought to herself, then quickly hushed the small voice. She tried to push thoughts of home to the back of her mind having decided that since news was out about her personal life and the loss of Sandy she needed a new start. It wasn't that her old friends weren't understanding, and they never said anything to her about it, at least not to her face, but she had spent so long with a certain person and now they where gone and she felt that her collages were uncomfortable with the new person she had become. This time though, she was going to start afresh, she would be the same tough hardworking Dr Weaver but this time her sexuality would be a part of who she was, part of the new chief of Sunnydale Memorial ER, California.
Dr Weaver walked towards the reception area and saw two doctors and a nurse standing chatting. She fixed her casual clothes and her crutch then walked towards them, the authority of her position evident in every step. She coughed as she approached them. "Excuse me, I'm Dr Weaver - you were expecting me I hope?"
***
The first week past as Dr Weaver expected it to, with quiet spells and more busy ones, but what did seem strange was the number of the patients that came with unusual marks and could not explain what happened to them. In fact, a lot of the 'fang' marks on people's necks and the blood loss was all put down to a gang and something about their calling card but Dr Weaver found it all very strange and it went a small way of explaining why the job she had just taken had a high turnover rate for such a good position, and why the pay was so high. Something else was wrong as well; a niggling feeling that pressed at the back of her mind whenever she saw the wounds. Something like a memory half hidden in the back of her psyche, but she tried not to think to much about it, her job was to treat the patients that came in not protect them from the things that might hurt them out there, she had no control over that. She just did her job and she did it well, she was earning the respect of her co-workers and fitting in fine despite with her obvious disability.
Of course the rumors of what was wrong with her leg circulated and speculation was high but as usual no one bothered to ask her so she never volunteered the information. It was on her seventh day in Sunnydale that she met a group of people she was to become quite familiar with.
It was Saturday night and the ER was unusually quiet, then a group of young people came rushing in. There was a blonde girl carrying a red headed girl, as soon as Dr Weaver saw this she shouted for a gurney and rushed behind it as the blonde girl placed her unconscious friend down on it. These first two were followed by a young man and woman who where obviously a couple and another young woman and a teenage girl. They all huddled around the gurney where the redhead lay. Dr Weaver took charge as she always did when people's lives depended on it.
"What's her name?" Dr Weaver demanded.
The blonde caught Dr Weaver's eye. "Willow," She looked down at the injured girl and spoke again. "Help her."
Dr Weaver was momentarily startled by the authority and strength in the young woman's voice but shook it off as the gurney was pushed into a vacant cubicle.
After fifteen minutes or so the girl had regained consciousness and as Dr Weaver evaluated her,the red head spoke in a quiet voice. "Where am I? What's happened?"
"Hello Willow, I'm Dr Weaver and you're at Sunnydale Memorial. I was hoping you could tell me what happened."
Willow took a second to familiarize herself with her surroundings then her face clouded with concern. "My friends! Where are they? Are they ok?"
Dr Weaver looked out towards the waiting area and smiled "You mean the gang of fans you have waiting ?"
"Yeah, are they all there?"
Dr Weaver looked back at the girl. "I don't know, how many should there be?"
The red headed Witch looked at Dr Weaver properly for the first time. You're new."
It was a statement, not a question.
"Yes, I started here last week."
Willow looked the Doctor up and down. "My friends?"
Dr Weaver looked at the attractive young woman on the bed and decided that she liked her. "Yes, your friends, how many should there be?"
"Five. Four girls and a guy."
"Well they're all there."
The red head sighed. "Great." Then she looked down at herself. "So, what's the damage?"
It amazed Dr Weaver that the girl would worried about her friends more than herself, it was a rare quality in a person. "Well you have minor abrasions, you'll need a few stitches on that cut above your eye and you have a slight concussion. I would like to keep you in overnight for observation okay? So how did this happen?"
The Hacker seemed to falter at that point, then when she spoke it was quick and faulting and Dr Weaver did not believe one word. "Well you see I'm a a. member of a group that re-enacts historical battles. And during practice I got a bit hurt. Yeah but you can't come to see it sorry it's private and we don't show in Sunnydale we just train here but we show at a place that's not here."
Dr Weaver nodded politely. "Should I go tell your fellow members that you're ok?"
"Yes please Tara must be worried." Dr Weaver looked again towards the door.
"Your sister?"
"No, my girlfriends, and she worries about me, so do the others. Could you let her in to see me?"
"Sure. Tara is the blond girl who managed to carry you in?"
Willow looked puzzled then something dawned on her. "No that's Buffy she's my best friend, she works out a lot. Don't worry you'll work out all our names soon enough we visit the hospital a lot. You know because of all the re-enacting and stuff you had better tell them I'm ok.
"I'll take care of them."
Dr Weaver walked out of the room and towards the waiting area, as soon as she was in sight, The Hurt Girl's group of friends advanced on her. They where lead by the blond and Dr Weaver got the distinct impression that she was the leader of the group so she addressed her. "Buffy"
"Summers, Buffy Summers. How is she?"
Dr Weaver could see that Buffy had a few cuts on her arm and forehead as well. "Well Buffy, Willow will be just fine. I'm keeping her in over night for observation because of her concussion and to give her a few stitches but she'll be fine."
Before the slayer could say anything more, the shyest girl Dr Weaver had ever seen spoke up. "Can I see her?"
"And you are?"
"My name is Tara Maclay I'm Willow's-"
Dr Weaver stopped her before she could finish. "Yes Tara of course you can, Willow asked for you. She's in cubicle five. Do you want me to show you?"
Tara shook her head. "I know thanks." She walked from the group,
The small blond patted her on the shoulder as she passed. "I'll wait for you?"
Tara looked back. "Thanks Buffy."
The Slayer looked around at the rest of the group. "She's going to be fine. Xander, will you and Anya take Dawn home? I'll wait for Tara and meet you there."
Xander put his arms around the woman Dr Weaver assumed to be Anya, his girlfriend and then around the teenage girl that was presumably Dawn.
"Sure thing Buff, but are you sure you don't want us to wait?"
"No it's ok just get my sister home safe, and Dawn? Behave!"
The three walked out and Buffy turned, realizing that Dr Weaver had not moved. "Was there something else?"
Dr Weaver looked again at the girl's wounds. "Do you want me to have a look at these cuts for you? Some look as if they may need stitches."
The blond woman touched one of the cuts that was still bleeding lightly. "Na, I'm fine I heal quickly.
But Dr Weaver was not going to give in that easily. "I really would like to look at them and I told your friend Willow I would look after you."
Her last words seemed to have an effect. "Oh, ok then, but just a quick look, then can I peek in to see Will?"
Will? Oh Willow, fine if she's not too tired."
In the examination room, Dr Weaver cleaned The small blonde's wounds and to her surprise they were not as bad as she first thought. Dr Weaver also noticed a deep worry in the young woman's eyes. "So Buffy was it a fierce battle then?"
"Battle Battle, what battle? Was Willow talking in her sleep, because she was hit kind of bad you should probably not listen to her ranting
"Buffy, stop." Dr Weaver cut her off.
"Willow was telling me that you and your friends visit the ER a lot because you re-enact historical battles as a hobby."
The Slayer thought for a moment. "Oh yeah, well that's true we love history! History is a-ok! Can't get enough of the past!"
They both fell into an awkward silence. Dr Weaver wanted to ask more questions but knew that if you pushed people they generally clammed up altogether. Buffy still had a sadness about her though and Dr Weaver found herself drawn to these people and uncharacteristically she felt her maternal instincts kick in. She wanted to protect these kids they seemed so genuinely unselfish and the only word she could think of was good, so she took special care in bandaging the girl's head and arms.
"All done."
"It's been a while since an actual doctor fixed me up, usually they just leave me to the nurse."
Dr Weaver nodded understanding. "Well I did tell your friends that I would look after you." The words seemed to cause the young woman pain but the feelings were quickly shielded from view. Dr Weaver being a master of suppressing feelings saw it , and what she saw was guilt deeply imbedded in sadness and worry. Again Dr Weaver let it go and the rapidly healing young woman jumped off the bed and they walked down the corridor towards Her fallen friend.
They stopped short of the door and looked into the cubicle. Tara lay on the bed next to her girlfriend and started gently stroking her hair. They were talking quietly to each other. Dr Weaver looked at the young blond and saw tears rim her eyes and this time Dr Weaver spoke. "Buffy is there something wrong?"
The slayer quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. "No I'm fine, as long as she's fine."
Dr Weaver looked again at the couple. "She is.
the Skeptical Girl seemed unconvinced. "What about the next time she gets hurt? What if she dies? I could never forgive myself and my friends would never forgive me either!"
"Buffy she's a grown woman it's not your job to protect her."
Buffy quickly looked away and whispered. "But it is."
Dr Weaver heard her but looked back into the room, confusion issuing more questions than there were answers to.
"Maybe we should give them a few more minutes, do you want to call her parents?"
Buffy shook her head, "They don't much bother with her, we're her family."
"What about your parents, won't they be worried?"
The slayer looked away again. "My mother is dead and my father is nowhere in sight. It's just me and Dawn, and the gang."
Dr Weaver mentally kicked herself for assuming. "I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault you weren't here, right? You seem new to Sunnydale."
Dr Weaver laughed quietly. "Do I have a sign on my back? Willow said the same thing!"
The long time Sunnydale resident did not join her laughter but looked into Dr Weaver's eyes as if she was trying to capture something in her that would disappear, much like a parent looking at their teenage children and trying to savor the innocence of youth before it's stripped from them by the hands of adulthood. It made Dr Weaver feel very uncomfortable.
"I'm sorry Dr Weaver its just Sunnydale does something to people. It makes them older."
Dr Weaver looked at the young woman and estimated her age to be about twenty, but her eyes showed a much greater age and Dr Weaver believed her, she looked again at her patient and her partner.
"Maybe we should see you friend. I need to do her stitches and she needs rest."
Buffy nodded and looked into the room. "Yeah and I need to get back to my sister."
"Will you make sure Tara's ok before you leave her?"
The slayer smiled again. "Don't worry Dr Weaver, Tara lives with us, her and Willow."
"Oh, that must be nice for you?"
"Yeah it is. They're both wonderful with Dawn, you would think they were her sisters and not me."
Dr Weaver smiled. "Maybe we should break this up? She needs those stitches and a good nights rest."
Buffy nodded sadly and walked into the room. "Hey Wills, how are you?"
Tara looked up and reluctantly got of the bed, still stroking Willows hair. the red head took the hand in hers and looked up at Tara, smiling. With the smile still on her face she looked at her best Friend. "Much better thanks." She noticed Buffy's bandages and concern flashed across her face. "Buff are you all right?"
The Slayer lightly touched the bandage on her head. "I'm fine. Dr Weaver insisted on looking at them but you know me, I'll be better in no time. It's you I'm worried about. At the sound of her name Dr Weaver, walked into the room.
"she will be fine after some rest. I'll sign her out tomorrow morning."
Buffy looked from Dr Weaver to her two friends. "I think that's our cue to leave Tara. We'll come back first thing in the morning to collect you."
Tara nodded and kissed Willow softly on the lips then walked towards the door. The blond Slayer stepped forward to gave Willow a brief hug and spoke softly to her friend. "I'm glad you're all right."
The Slayers long time Friend smiled. "I'm fine."
The blond Slayer returned the smile. You were great tonight. The best re-enacting I have ever seen!"
The wiccan blushed. "I was good!"
They both giggled simultaneously. "Goodnight friend."
"Goodnight Buff, she looked at Tara, "Goodnight Honey."
Tara blew her girlfriend a kiss, Sweet Dreams!"
Then Tara was gone and Buffy followed but stopped before Dr Weaver.
"Thank you Dr Weaver, keep looking after her."
Dr Weaver was touched by the girl's acknowledgment of her and the confidence she had in her abilities. From the young woman it seemed like a big compliment.
The Slayer caught up with Tara in the hall. The older girl was shaking as Buffy rushed to her. "Tara, are you OK?"
Tara nodded and tried to compose herself. "Iwas so scscared Buffy! What if we, llost her?"
Buffy hugged the blond witch, the guilt she felt almost daily for putting her friends old and new in danger came rising from the pit of her stomach and burned her heart but she pushed past the pain. Tara needed her. But we didn't and she'll be fine."
Tara stepped back. "How can you be so sure? They wwouldn't have kept her in if they weren't wworried."
The blond woman looked back toward her injured Friend's room. Dr Weaver had not left yet. The Slayer somehow felt a connection to the Doctor, a closeness she had not felt since her mother passed away.
"Dr Weaver will look after her, I have a good feeling about her, maybe it's a slayer thing? It's almost as strong as the feeling I got when I met Willow for the first time like we where meant to be friends."
Tara looked from Willows room to Buffy and she visibly calmed.
"Thanks Buffy I feel much better. We should get home, Dawn will be worried, and the quicker I get to sleep the quicker morning will come."
The blond Slayer nodded and they walked out of the hospital. She would have spoken but she was overwhelmed with emotion, she often forgot how much faith and trust her friends put in her, how even Tara who had only been part of the group for just over a year believed in her and Buffy was pretty sure she would give up her life for anyone of the gang. It amazed her that she was the leader of this group of wonderful, brave, smart and selfless people but she put the feeling aside knowing that their loyalty came at a price, sometimes one that was almost to much for them to bear. A life, sometimes the life of one of there own, Jenny Calendar for example. And sometimes that of an innocent who had to be sacrificed because The Slayer had to chose the life of friends over that of a stranger and Buffy was no longer sure which held the more guilt for her.
The only thing she knew was how hard it was to attend the funeral of someone you love or watch the pain in the faces of the people who loved them. On second thoughts The blond Slayer knew it was easier to bear the guilt of the faceless few than it was to watch the man you think of as a Father crumble into sobs and know it was your fault, always your fault.
***
Dr Weaver watched as Buffy and Tara left, then walked over to her patients bed. "Hey, how are you?"
The red head stretched on the bed and winced in pain. A bit sore." She gently touched the cut on her head and when she removed her hand she noticed some blood on her fingertips.
"And bleeding," Dr Weaver picked up a swab from the tray and placed it on the cut. "I can sort both those things out in two minutes," she dabbed the wound then looked at it again; she was again surprised at how quickly the cut seemed to have healed. "This is better than I thought, maybe you and Buffy should tell us where you get this healing ability, it would be useful in my line of work!" Dr Weaver looked from the wound to catch Willow's eye, The Wicca returned the look then smiled. Her next word made Dr Weaver laugh.
"Magic."
Dr Weaver continued to chuckle (another unusual trait) but when she spoke she did so in her usual professional manner. "Well Willow, taking another look at that cut I'm thinking maybe I'll just use this special glue. Its less messy and will leave less of a scar, will that be ok?"
Willow took the change of tone in her stride. "What ever you think is best Dr Weaver, I heard what Buffy said to you, she trusts you, not many people get that from Buffy, especially after knowing her only half an hour."
Dr Weaver smiled at the compliment and felt she wanted to know everything about all of them. "How long did it take you to earn her trust?"
The young woman's eyes shone with pride. "I'm one of the lucky ones. Buffy trusted me as soon as we met, something we have in common."
Dr Weaver nodded and walked out of the room to the store room she cam back with a tray containing all the equipment she would need and a syringe and a small vile of liquid. She took the vile of a painkiller and measured the amount she wanted into the new syringe and walked towards Willow. "I'm going to give you a painkiller, it shouldn't make you drowsy but it will take away the pain, then I'll fix your cut and with a little bit of sleep you should be ready to go home tomorrow, how does that sound?"
Willow held up her arm. You're the doctor, Doc, do what you have too!"
Dr Weaver gave the injection and after she was done she patted The young woman on the arm. All done. I'll come back and check on you later."
the Hacker shook her head. "You don't have to, I understand if you're busy or whatever."
Dr Weaver started to walk out of the room then stopped at the door and turned. "I will check on you later, it's no trouble." Mentally she added 'and I want Buffy's trust in me to be deserved.' Dr Weaver was not sure why she wanted The slayer's trust but there was something about the girls aura that was familiar to her, she was sure she had never meet the girl before but something in Buffy's presence and being reminded her of someone she had met a long time ago.
Dr Weaver attended to a few more patients that night, but nothing major happened and after a few hours she checked up on her number one patient , who to her surprise was still awake as she walked softly into the room. "Can't you sleep?"
Willow was startled out of her thoughts. "Huh?"
Dr Weaver smiled and walked further into the room. "I said are you having trouble sleeping?"
The hurt girl awkwardly pulled herself up in the bed. "Yes, I don't sleep in hospitals very well."
Dr Weaver nodded. A lot of people have that trouble, would you like some tea?"
The red head nodded. "Yes please, if it's not too much trouble, are you very busy?"
Dr Weaver shook her head as she made her way to the door. "Not at all, this is the quietest it's been all week. I even managed to catch up on all of my paperwork! How do you take your tea?
"Milk and two sugars thanks. If you have time you could join me?"
Dr Weaver smiled. "Sure I would love to, Ill be back in a few minutes."
Willow sat fully up in her bed and fixed her blankets and true to her word Dr Weaver walked back into the room followed by a porter who carried two cups of tea. He put them on the table beside the bed then promptly left. Dr Weaver smiled apologetically. Carrying more than one tea can be messy!"
"I noticed that. In Sunnydale a week and already you're on crutches."
Dr Weaver looked down at her crutch then took one of the cups of tea. She lowered herself onto the chair meant for visitors. "I had the crutch a long time before I even heard of Sunnydale."
The embarrass girl was sorry she was so presumptuous and apologized quickly. "I'm so sorry, I never meant to ask a personal question."
Dr Weaver smiled and with a wave of her hand dismissed the young girl's apology. "Don't worry about it Willow, in fact, it's a welcome change. I've had this crutch since I was seventeen and only a handful of people have ever asked me what's wrong with me, most just gossip about it, you should hear some of the things people come up with! Anything from a birth defect to cancer."
They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, then Willow's curiosity got the better of her, she would never have asked but she felt comfortable around Dr Weaver so she bit the bullet and asked, "So Dr Weaver, what's wrong with you?"
Dr Weaver laughed out loud at that, then smiled warmly at the apprehensive patient. "Well when I was seventeen, which was not that long ago! Ok it was about 25 years ago give or take a bit. Anyway I was mugged, my memories are all a bit mixed up as to what happened but I remember walking home from the school library, it was dark and I was carrying some books. Then I got hit on the head from behind and fell to the ground. I felt something sharp press into my shoulder, the pain was terrible and I started to hallucinate from the pain and the loss of blood, because I could have sworn he was trying to eat me. Anyway he also punctured other places in my back and one of them permanently damaged the nerve in my leg."
The young Slayerette was shocked by the story Dr Weaver was telling her, it sounded to her expert ears like Dr Weaver had survived a Vampire attack but just didn't know it. When Dr Weaver noticed the look on Wallow's face she stood up. I'm so sorry Willow, I've upset you."
Willow shook herself from her shock and allowed her face to appear relaxed again. "No Dr Weaver, not at all, how did you get away from the mugger?"
"No Willow you really should rest."
The red head shook her head and tried to look sad. "But it'll keep me awake all night wondering!"
Dr Weaver sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. "Ok, well obviously I was saved! A girl around my age appeared out of nowhere - remember I was hallucinating, I had lost a lot of blood - and they fought, then the man who attacked me just disappeared, like he vanished into thin air, he was gone. The girl rushed over to me and asked if I was ok, she kept asking me and telling me not to sleep, that I needed to stay awake, then just before I slipped into unconsciousness I looked into her eyes and I knew that she would save me. Her eyes held a strange mixture of power, sadness, guilt and most of all loneliness. It was so deep and painful it reached out to me and I felt that by living I would save her. As I slipped into darkness I trusted her that I would wake up again and I did a few days later. I stirred in the hospital bed and felt movement beside me, then a soft voice saying 'Nurse she's coming around'. I opened my eyes to see the girl who had saved me she turned and smiled then said you'll be all right, never the same, but all right. We can't ask more than that'. I asked her who she was but she shook her head 'It's not important Kerry, Good-bye'. I called for her to wait and she did, standing, looking at me, waiting for what I wanted to say. I couldn't think of anything to express how I felt, so I just said 'Thank you'. She smiled again. You don't need to thank me it's my job.' And then she left. I often wonder what happened to her, I would love to thank her properly."
Willow let out a breath she was not aware she was holding. That's such an amazing story, did you have no idea who she was?"
Dr Weaver shook her head. "No, she gave a false name to the nurses and told them we were friends so she could be at my bedside. I looked around all the local high schools and colleges but there was no trace."
"How sad." Normally the shy wicca would try to be optimistic and say there's always hope', but if she had been saved by a slayer then she was very sure that the girl was dead. Nevertheless, she placed all the information in the back of her mind; she could look into it later. It occurred to her then that she had never put much thought into the slayers before her best Friend because it had always bought thoughts of the slayers after and that upset her. The feelings must have showed on her face because Dr Weaver looked concerned.
"Willow are you ok, are you in pain?"
Once again the red head shook her head and quickly wiped a tear from her eye. "It's okay, I'm fine. Tell me more about your recovery."
Dr Weaver seemed uncertain but continued. She realized shortly after beginning her story that she had never told anyone all of it before and maybe that was why she had never related to people as well as she could. Maybe that was the reason she was the way she was, so she continued. "Well I was lucky, it all happened a few weeks before the summer vacation so I had enough time to get back to a physical state where I could walk. At that time it was on two crutches, I did the exercises I was told to everyday, spent hours walking and eventually I got to one crutch but there was no way for me to lose that one, I can only hold my own weight on it for a few minutes and even then I can't walk. So, I made up my mind not to let it stop me, I didn't need to be physically perfect I just had to survive."
The red head listened carefully to all Dr Weaver said and stored anything that seemed like a clue in her mind, she wanted to ask more things about the girl, but she held her tongue, Dr Weaver seemed to be on a role.
"It's amazing how that one piece of advice she gave me got me through the end of high school. After my illness, my friends looked at me as if they had never seen me before and I spent a lot of time alone, but every time I felt I couldn't go on I would remember those words; 'you'll survive, we can't ask more than that'. Well Willow, you survived too, so count your blessings and get some rest!"
Dr Weaver stood up and closed her eyes briefly but the observant red head still noticed. "Does it still give you pain?"
Dr Weaver smiled at her concern. "I can't complain."
The hacker put out her hand and caught her jacket sleeve. Dr Weaver stopped and turned back to her, waiting. "So that's a yes then?"
Dr Weaver's eyes rimmed with tears, no one had ever asked her if she was in pain. No one ever noticed the brief pauses in her speech or in her stride. No one ever cared that much at all, so she decided honesty was the best policy. "Sometimes it hurts so much I don't think I can take another step."
Willows eye's also filled with tears. "But you do?"
As she answered, a single tear ran down Dr Weaver's cheek. "Yes, Because of people like you."
"Me?"
"People that need my help. During my recovery I realized that I couldn't do what that girl did; I couldn't protect people, but I could help them survive, I could work with the people like her and Buffy."
"People like Buffy?" the young woman was surprised that Dr Weaver would put Buffy in the same table as her rescuer. Maybe somehow Dr Weaver's sixth sense had recognized the blond for who she was, a slayer, a protector.
Dr Weaver herself was also having trouble knowing why she had grouped Buffy in with her rescuer. She knew the answer was hidden in her mind somewhere but it eluded her so she said the only reason she could think of. "She found the strength to carry you into this hospital, the least I could do was make it worth her while".
Both woman knew that was not the real reason but they did not have anything better so they left it at that. Dr Weaver looked down at Willow's hand, which was still holding onto her sleeve. "I'm sorry Willow I really need to go."
The red headed Wiccan nodded and withdrew her hand. "Goodnight Dr Weaver."
Dr Weaver stood at the door and Willow could not see her face but her voice was clear and sad as she replied, "Goodnight Willow."
As she turned to go the young Wiccan spoke again as she settled back down into the bed. "Dr Weaver?"
"Yes Willow?"
"You don't have to be alone anymore."
Hope sprung up in Dr Weaver's chest. "Really?"
"You have us."
Dr Weaver's pride came rampaging to her mouth before anything else. "Willow, I didn't tell you that story for your sympathy or to bargain for your friendship." Dr Weaver was angry with herself before she had finished the sentence. It was so typical for her pride to ruin everything, but the young woman seemed undaunted by her outburst.
"You don't need sympathy Dr Weaver, and my friendship can't be bought with one little story."
Dr Weaver left quickly before she said anything else, more tears spilling down her cheeks, but they were happy tears. She really felt like she had connected with somebody and it felt good after so long.
***
Willow drifted off to sleep. She didn't know why she had offered Dr Weaver the friendship of the group but after she seen Buffy talking to the doctor and how much faith she had shown, The red head was sure she would not be hard to convince and Willow herself was so very sure Dr Weaver would be good for them. She drifted off knowing also what danger she had put the doctor in and wondered whether it was selfish on her part to invite anyone into such a dangerous lifestyle without their permission. She decided to talk to her Friend about it the next time they had a few minutes alone. Until then she allowed herself to be engulfed into a world filled with dreams and nightmares.