Chapter 1
"Rupert Giles." Giles snapped at whoever was calling him at 3:30 in the morning. "G..Giles it's Willow I'm sorry it's so late but I need to talk to you. Willow said softly. Giles sighed and sat up. He hadn't even been gone 48 hours yet and they were already calling him. "What is it Willow you can't possibly miss me already." Giles stated lightly and he heard Willow sigh on the other end. "Actually we do miss you but that's not why I called. I called because of Buffy." Giles sighed and rolled his eyes. "What did the bloody bot do now?" Giles refused to call that thing Buffy. It wasn't Buffy. His Buffy was gone.
That thought alone caused Giles to reach for his bottle of scotch and take a long swig. "No... No Giles not the bot, Buffy she's back." Giles dropped the bottle of scotch letting it shatter on the floor and started choking on the sip he had just taken. "Giles?" Willow questioned after a few moments of quiet on Giles's side. "What? Oh yes I'll be back on the earliest flight I can catch but until then let me talk to her." Giles stated and Willow hesitated looking over at Buffy still form on her bed. "Willow?" Giles questioned. "I'll see if she'll talk. She hasn't talked to anyone but Dawn and that's only because it's Dawn." Willow said softly although she knew Buffy could hear her. "Just try Willow please." Giles said desperately.
"Buffy?" Willow said gently as if she were talking to a small child. Buffy turned and looked at her best friend. "It's Giles he wants to talk to you." Willow said watching to see if she would notice a difference in Buffy and got her answer immediately. Buffy's whole face lit up at the mention of Giles's name and she reached out for the phone. "Hang on Giles she wants to talk to you." Willow then handed Buffy the phone and left the room to give them a few minutes.
"Buffy?" Giles questioned hesitantly. "Yeah it's me." Buffy said in a shaky voice. "Oh dear lord." Giles muttered and Buffy smiled for the first time since she came back. "How are you?" Giles asked knowing that it was a stupid question to ask. "It hurts here. Everything hurts so bad." Buffy said so softly Giles had to strain to hear. "Oh Buffy. I'm so sorry I'm not there. I'll be back as soon as I can." Giles assured her. "So you didn't know?" Buffy asked after a few seconds. "Know what Buffy?" Buffy took a deep breath before answering so that she wouldn't start crying. "That Willow and the gang planned to bring me back?" Giles sighed and removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "No luv I didn't know. I promise we'll talk more when I get there but for now you should try and rest and I'll see you as soon as I can." Giles said as he started packing his things. "Alright I'll see you soon." Buffy said softly. "Yes I'll be there soon hang on until I get there." Giles said knowing that she was falling apart. "I'll try. It's just so hard." Buffy stated letting the tears finally fall. "I know and I'm sorry it's so hard I'll be there soon." Giles said then hung up. Buffy sighed and hung up as well. At least Giles is on his way now. Hopefully it will get better. Buffy thought to herself as Willow walked back into the room.
"Is he on his way back?" Willow questioned however all Buffy did was nod. "Alright well I'll just let you rest and see you in the morning ok." Willow said getting tired of trying to talk to Buffy. "Ok." Buffy whispered so softly Willow wasn't sure she heard it but the look on Buffy's face said that she had said it.
After Willow left Buffy laid down to try and sleep but every time she closed her eyes she saw the coffin and felt as if she couldn't breath. After a few times of trying Buffy sat up and pulled her knees to her chest and tried to remember something good, anything that would take her mind off of digging her way out of the coffin.