Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Part 1: phone calls
Buffy sat at the dining room table with her friends Willow and Xander and her sister Dawn. They ate and laughed. Buffy was content things hadn't been this good in a long time. Ever sense her husband William Giles went missing in action a year and a half ago things had been hard.
Everyone had tried to be optimistic Spike was a fighter he could take care of himself he wouldn't just leave her alone; no. Buffy knew that Spike would never willing leave her, something had happen to him. She had been optimistic for a while too but it had now been seventeen months sense he disappeared and Buffy's hope was dieing. She knew her beloved husband of just three years (one and a half years if you discount how long he'd been missing) would not be returning. "Hey Buffy wake up.what you thinking about?" Willow shook Buffy who had zoned out as they were all discussing the new Colin Feral movie. "Nothing just.nothing." "Oh well don't think to hard we don't want you hurting yourself." Dawn tried to be funny but no one else laughed. Then the phone rang. "I'll get it." Buffy started to get up. "Let the machine get it Buffy." Willow suggested. "No I'll get it." And Buffy went into the kitchen to answer it.
"Is she ever going to be ok?" Dawn whispered to the other two. "Give her some more time Dawnie. I think it's really starting to sink in that he.he really isn't coming home." Sad looks were shared between the three they missed their friend and they missed happybuffy. "I think we just need to be supportive she'll get better with time it's only been a little over a ye-" Xander stopped short when Buffy came running back into the Dinning. She stopped and looked at her friends and Dawn "they, they found him." then her eyes rolled back and she fainted dead on the floor. "Buffy!"
"Buffy?" Dawn said softly as her sister started to come around. "Guys she's awake" Willow and Xander came into the living room. "How you feeling Buffy?" Dawn held her hand. "What happened?" Buffy asked. Xander felt his heart in his throat "Well you went and answered the phone and they came running back into the dinning room saying "they found him" then pasted out."
Willow eased herself down on the couch next to Buffy "who did they find Buffy?" "They found him." Buffy looked at her friends blank faces. "They found Spike" all in the room gasp when heard; letting go the breath they didn't know they were holding. Then Xander asked the question on ever one's mind "Buffy is he alive?" Buffy choked back a sob "yes" Dawn squealed and grabbed her sister into a big hug. Buffy just sat there in shock. "Did they say where he's been?" Willow took Buffy's hand.
"Spike. He was being held prisoner by a group of terrorists for the last year and a half. They were.they tortured him." Xander looked sick "oh God." Buffy continued "the man on the phone Agent Finn said that Spike would be at Los Angles memorial hospital the day after tomorrow. Agent Finn also said that he's not well; that they" Buffy sobbed "broke him" Willow squeezed her hand and all eye's in the room teared. "He's coming home. My God I've been dreaming of this for so long." Tears streamed down Buffy's face "I'm so scared. Willow I'm so scared." With that Buffy through herself at Willow's shoulder and sobbed uncontrollable. Willow just rubbed her back "it's going to be ok everything will be ok he's coming home and he's going to be fine you'll see everything will work out."
.
Buffy's sleep had been filed with dreams some of her and Spike's happy tearful reunion with kissing and hugging and running towards each other with open arms out stretched. The more prevalent ones though were of a Spike that wasn't Spike he was scary and twisted and he frightened her.
Right now Buffy was sitting in the Kitchen waiting for Dawn to get up and her friends to come over. She needed to pack a suit case she didn't know what would happen when they got to LA tomorrow it was best to be prepared. She'd even realized that she should pack a bag for Spike. That felt so strange; she hadn't moved any of his things all his clothes still hung in their closet and all his toiletries were still in their Bathroom.
Of course first things first she had to get in touch with Spike's family and tell them that he'd been found. Buffy had always likes Spike's dad Rupert Giles even though he was a little eccentric, He and Buffy had kept in touch even when Spike didn't and his older brother Angle was a nice guy too.
Sadly the Giles weren't very close. After Spike's mother had died seven years ago Spike and his Father had a falling out. Mr. Giles had always been disappointed with the fact that Spike had gone into the military; the American Military after high school instead of going back to England to his father old University.
William had been raised in England but his mother was American so he had dull citizenship. The Giles moved to California William's freshman year of high school. Anyway the Giles hadn't talked much sense Buffy had known them. She had met Rupert and Angle after she and Spike had gotten engaged he wanted her to know what she was marrying into. Mr. Giles was very much a Hippie and Angle kind of quiet. Nothing like wild, spontaneous, expressive, brave, handsome, dashing, loving, her husband Spike. She had to call them, had to tell them.
Buffy decided she would just do it on the count of three 1.2. "What ya doing Buffy?"
Dawn had come in and Buffy had been so deep in memories and anxiety that she didn't even hear her. "Aggg you scared me" Buffy's heart was racing and she had dropped the phone. "So what are you doing?" Dawn put some bread in the toaster. "I'm trying to make a phone call." Buffy stared at the phone in her hand like it was an alien object. "Really to who?" "Mr. Giles." "OH! I can leave you alone if you want." "No I'll take the phone in the living room."
Buffy sat down on the couch and dialed the number the phone rang four times and Buffy was about to hang up when some one picked up. "Hello Rupert Giles Speaking." "Hi Giles it's Buffy."
"OH Buffy how nice to hear from you. How have you been I haven't heard from you in a good month."
"I'm Fine Mr. Giles. I've got some news."
"News? What kind of news?"
"It's William" she couldn't hear it but she knew he was holding his breath. "They've found him he's alive."
"Oh my. OH my." She knew that he had now sit down and trying to polish his glasses while holding the phone. "They found him.is he ok.is he home?"
"they found him I don't think he's fine they told me that he was being held prisoner by a group of terrorists they told me he's not .umm well." There was silence on the other end of the line "Mr. Giles?"
"Umm yes I'm still here."
"They told me he's going to be at LA memorial hospital tomorrow. Mr. Giles I don't know what your feelings are towards your son I don't fully understand what the problem was but please come.I think he's going to need you. I think I'm going to need you. I'm scared, scared he's not going to be my William."
"Buffy I'll be there He's my son and he's.he's alive. Nothing could keep me away certainly not some foolish quarreling long past. Whatever William is going through we'll get through together the three of us."
"Thank you. So I guess we should meet there. I think that will be for the best. When do you think you can be there?"
"I'll get in touch with Angel and we'll leave straight away we should be in LA by noon tomorrow."
"OK good so I'll see you there." "Yes" "OK then" "Alright good bye. and Buffy." "Yes?" "Everything is going to be alright.he's alive." With that they both hung up. Buffy wish that the clock would both speed up and just stop all together. "Please God let him be ok."
She didn't think she'd sleep at all that night. She'd tried to keep busy during the day and tried to keep calm. Her emotions were going wacky. She had lived in fear for so long that one day she would wake up and they would tell her he was really dead. Lived with the fear that he would never come home. Now he was he was coming home. She was feeling relief, excitement, and a happiness she hadn't felt sense she found out he was missing. But she was in a constant battle to keep the other emotions she was feeling hidden. The fear and anxiety of not knowing what was going to be waiting for her at the hospital.
She had always known his job was dangerous that was one of the things that attracted her to him in the first place. A creature of the night with his motorcycle, black leather, and bad boy attitude and then she found out he was a special agent for the US government. She had fallen in love with him first glance and so had he. After they were married she had asked him to quit; knowing full well that he couldn't not just because of his contract with the government but because the work was him. To ask him to change would have been like putting a wild animal in a cage. And caging the man would have been no way to start their life together. Of course now she wished she had locked him in their basement and thrown away the key so no one would have gone through the pain everyone had been through in the past year.
And now she was there. Willow and Xander and Dawn stood with her out side of the hospital waiting for the Giles in was now eleven forty five. Time seemed to be crawling and flying as Buffy's conflicting emotions struggled for dominance. She bounced on the balls of her feet unable to stay still. The other's milled around in similar states of excitement and dread. When Mr. Giles and his eldest son rounded the far corner Buffy jumped and ran to hug them. After tearful hellos and smiling frowns they worked up the courage to enter the hospital probably the most feared and loathed of all mans institutions.
Surprisingly Agent Finn was at the entrance to meet them. "Mrs. Elizabeth Giles?" "Yes" "I'm Agent Finn. We've been waiting for you." "I'm sorry I was waiting for my father in law to get here and he had to come a long way oh and this is my father in law my husband's father." "Yes that's quite alright you don't need to apologize we understand. If the family members would come with me the doctor is waiting." So Buffy, Giles, and Angle left with Agent Finn to go meet with the doctor leaving Xander, Willow and Dawn in the waiting room.
The Doctor greeted his new patient's family "Good day I am Dr. Wyndem Price." "Doctor this Mrs. Elizabeth Giles; Special Agent William Giles's wife; Mr. Rupert Giles his father and Mr. Angelus Giles his older brother." Agent Finn introduced. The doctor shook hands and asked that they all had a seat. They did with the exception of Agent Finn who stood next to the doctor's desk. "I've asked to meet with you in order to discuss William's condition." Mr. Giles took Buffy's hand "how is he Doctor?" the doctor looked at the three family members.
"Physically he's exhausted, dehydrated, and mal nourished. He's body has multiple lacerations, welts, and x-rays have shown that his right leg was broken in multiple places and has not been allowed to heal properly. But we can fix all that with time. What worries me the most is William's mental state. Something he saw or something that happen back in that prison had a dramatic effect on him. So much so that he has entered a Fugue state." "What does that mean Doctor will he be alright?"
"A fugue state means that he's shut himself off from the world it's like being in a waking coma. He appears to be awake he may or may not be able to hear or see anything. But he doesn't respond to anything his mind is in another place."
"Will he come out of it?"
"That's all up to William. He could wake up any time on his own but it could take days or years. I think that the presence of family and friends will help bring him around faster. Of course if and when he does wake up he will have other issues to address. He's been under more stress then most people can imagine.
He most likely wouldn't be the William you remember nor can you blame him for that. He will probably be suffering from serve Post Stress disorder like many soldiers in his situation. Just remember that no matter how bad things look or get he is your William and he is alive and with time and patience he can be the man you knew again." Every one was looking a little teary eyed now; Buffy was ringing a tissue trying to hold back the flood. "Can we see him?"
"Yes you may see him. Some things I want you to know before you go in though. When you see him he will look very thin. We have cleaned him up cut his hair and shaved his face. You will see tubes in his arms those are just IVs. There will be a tube up his nose that's the feeding tube. Thankfully he is breathing on his own so we don't have to worry about giving him oxygen or putting him on a respirator. When you go in his eyes will be opened and staring that is the way he's been since he was found, don't let that alarm you. When you go in I would ask that you keep from any strong emotions like distress or sadness they could disturb William. Try to keep your feelings neutral or happy. Don't be afraid to touch him contact is good make him feel you there. Hold his hands touch his face. Alright I think that's everything for now. Let walk you down to his room."
Following the Doctor and Agent Finn; Giles held Buffy close. "Are you ready for this my dear?" "Ready as I'll ever be." They stopped out side a door.the door "this is it. Would the three of you follow me inside." Buffy, Giles, and Angel walked into the room after the doctor who went straight to the bed side. The others hung back almost afraid to look at the bed. Giles stepped forward and they all move toward the bed together.
"William" Buffy said softly letting her fingers brush his Hand.
"My God." Was all Giles could get out.
"It's him guys it's really him I thought maybe it was a dream or they had the wrong guy but it's him." "I can't believe it. My Brother! some one must have be looking out for him. Kid always makes everything by the skin of his teeth." "Angel would you go tell the others in the waiting room the news?" "Yeah.I'll go." Angel hesitated for a second giving his family one more glance before leaving the room and going to tell the others.
Willow and Dawn sat playing rock paper scissors while Xander paced. They all stop and stood up when they saw Angel coming down the hall.
"So?" Xander asked him
"It's him!" Dawn squealed and hugged everyone as she jumped up and down. She had always had a great love and special friendship with her Brother in law.
"How is he?" Willow asked.
"Well it's not good he's hurt, he looks like a famine victim and he's not awake. The doctor says he's worked himself into some kind of waking coma to escape what was going on around him. It's really kind of creepy his eyes are open and staring but he's not seeing or responding to anything. The doctor says he'll come out of it and that everyone can help by talking to him touching him letting him know that you're there." "My goddess" "can we see him?" Dawn was not phased by Angel's account; if her friend was in this hospital in a coma or not she see was going to see him. They all walked back down the hall way to Spike's room. The doctor had come out of the room and was checking charts in the hall way. He saw the others coming "you must be Agent Giles's friends; you can go in but don't stay long. I assume you've been informed of William's condition." "Yes Doctor." They walked into the room.
All eyes were teary. Buffy sat in a chair next to the bed holding Spike's hand. Giles stood at the foot of the bed. They all crowded around "It really is him." "Oh Buffy." Willow hugged Buffy and Dawn help her other hand. "Did they say what happened to him while he was a prisoner?" "He was tortured. But that is all that is being disclosed at this moment." Agent Finn entered. And stood looking at Agent Giles's family and thinking that things just got a lot more complicated. He would have to call Agent Forrest, things were going to have to be taken care of.
Part 1: phone calls
Buffy sat at the dining room table with her friends Willow and Xander and her sister Dawn. They ate and laughed. Buffy was content things hadn't been this good in a long time. Ever sense her husband William Giles went missing in action a year and a half ago things had been hard.
Everyone had tried to be optimistic Spike was a fighter he could take care of himself he wouldn't just leave her alone; no. Buffy knew that Spike would never willing leave her, something had happen to him. She had been optimistic for a while too but it had now been seventeen months sense he disappeared and Buffy's hope was dieing. She knew her beloved husband of just three years (one and a half years if you discount how long he'd been missing) would not be returning. "Hey Buffy wake up.what you thinking about?" Willow shook Buffy who had zoned out as they were all discussing the new Colin Feral movie. "Nothing just.nothing." "Oh well don't think to hard we don't want you hurting yourself." Dawn tried to be funny but no one else laughed. Then the phone rang. "I'll get it." Buffy started to get up. "Let the machine get it Buffy." Willow suggested. "No I'll get it." And Buffy went into the kitchen to answer it.
"Is she ever going to be ok?" Dawn whispered to the other two. "Give her some more time Dawnie. I think it's really starting to sink in that he.he really isn't coming home." Sad looks were shared between the three they missed their friend and they missed happybuffy. "I think we just need to be supportive she'll get better with time it's only been a little over a ye-" Xander stopped short when Buffy came running back into the Dinning. She stopped and looked at her friends and Dawn "they, they found him." then her eyes rolled back and she fainted dead on the floor. "Buffy!"
"Buffy?" Dawn said softly as her sister started to come around. "Guys she's awake" Willow and Xander came into the living room. "How you feeling Buffy?" Dawn held her hand. "What happened?" Buffy asked. Xander felt his heart in his throat "Well you went and answered the phone and they came running back into the dinning room saying "they found him" then pasted out."
Willow eased herself down on the couch next to Buffy "who did they find Buffy?" "They found him." Buffy looked at her friends blank faces. "They found Spike" all in the room gasp when heard; letting go the breath they didn't know they were holding. Then Xander asked the question on ever one's mind "Buffy is he alive?" Buffy choked back a sob "yes" Dawn squealed and grabbed her sister into a big hug. Buffy just sat there in shock. "Did they say where he's been?" Willow took Buffy's hand.
"Spike. He was being held prisoner by a group of terrorists for the last year and a half. They were.they tortured him." Xander looked sick "oh God." Buffy continued "the man on the phone Agent Finn said that Spike would be at Los Angles memorial hospital the day after tomorrow. Agent Finn also said that he's not well; that they" Buffy sobbed "broke him" Willow squeezed her hand and all eye's in the room teared. "He's coming home. My God I've been dreaming of this for so long." Tears streamed down Buffy's face "I'm so scared. Willow I'm so scared." With that Buffy through herself at Willow's shoulder and sobbed uncontrollable. Willow just rubbed her back "it's going to be ok everything will be ok he's coming home and he's going to be fine you'll see everything will work out."
.
Buffy's sleep had been filed with dreams some of her and Spike's happy tearful reunion with kissing and hugging and running towards each other with open arms out stretched. The more prevalent ones though were of a Spike that wasn't Spike he was scary and twisted and he frightened her.
Right now Buffy was sitting in the Kitchen waiting for Dawn to get up and her friends to come over. She needed to pack a suit case she didn't know what would happen when they got to LA tomorrow it was best to be prepared. She'd even realized that she should pack a bag for Spike. That felt so strange; she hadn't moved any of his things all his clothes still hung in their closet and all his toiletries were still in their Bathroom.
Of course first things first she had to get in touch with Spike's family and tell them that he'd been found. Buffy had always likes Spike's dad Rupert Giles even though he was a little eccentric, He and Buffy had kept in touch even when Spike didn't and his older brother Angle was a nice guy too.
Sadly the Giles weren't very close. After Spike's mother had died seven years ago Spike and his Father had a falling out. Mr. Giles had always been disappointed with the fact that Spike had gone into the military; the American Military after high school instead of going back to England to his father old University.
William had been raised in England but his mother was American so he had dull citizenship. The Giles moved to California William's freshman year of high school. Anyway the Giles hadn't talked much sense Buffy had known them. She had met Rupert and Angle after she and Spike had gotten engaged he wanted her to know what she was marrying into. Mr. Giles was very much a Hippie and Angle kind of quiet. Nothing like wild, spontaneous, expressive, brave, handsome, dashing, loving, her husband Spike. She had to call them, had to tell them.
Buffy decided she would just do it on the count of three 1.2. "What ya doing Buffy?"
Dawn had come in and Buffy had been so deep in memories and anxiety that she didn't even hear her. "Aggg you scared me" Buffy's heart was racing and she had dropped the phone. "So what are you doing?" Dawn put some bread in the toaster. "I'm trying to make a phone call." Buffy stared at the phone in her hand like it was an alien object. "Really to who?" "Mr. Giles." "OH! I can leave you alone if you want." "No I'll take the phone in the living room."
Buffy sat down on the couch and dialed the number the phone rang four times and Buffy was about to hang up when some one picked up. "Hello Rupert Giles Speaking." "Hi Giles it's Buffy."
"OH Buffy how nice to hear from you. How have you been I haven't heard from you in a good month."
"I'm Fine Mr. Giles. I've got some news."
"News? What kind of news?"
"It's William" she couldn't hear it but she knew he was holding his breath. "They've found him he's alive."
"Oh my. OH my." She knew that he had now sit down and trying to polish his glasses while holding the phone. "They found him.is he ok.is he home?"
"they found him I don't think he's fine they told me that he was being held prisoner by a group of terrorists they told me he's not .umm well." There was silence on the other end of the line "Mr. Giles?"
"Umm yes I'm still here."
"They told me he's going to be at LA memorial hospital tomorrow. Mr. Giles I don't know what your feelings are towards your son I don't fully understand what the problem was but please come.I think he's going to need you. I think I'm going to need you. I'm scared, scared he's not going to be my William."
"Buffy I'll be there He's my son and he's.he's alive. Nothing could keep me away certainly not some foolish quarreling long past. Whatever William is going through we'll get through together the three of us."
"Thank you. So I guess we should meet there. I think that will be for the best. When do you think you can be there?"
"I'll get in touch with Angel and we'll leave straight away we should be in LA by noon tomorrow."
"OK good so I'll see you there." "Yes" "OK then" "Alright good bye. and Buffy." "Yes?" "Everything is going to be alright.he's alive." With that they both hung up. Buffy wish that the clock would both speed up and just stop all together. "Please God let him be ok."
She didn't think she'd sleep at all that night. She'd tried to keep busy during the day and tried to keep calm. Her emotions were going wacky. She had lived in fear for so long that one day she would wake up and they would tell her he was really dead. Lived with the fear that he would never come home. Now he was he was coming home. She was feeling relief, excitement, and a happiness she hadn't felt sense she found out he was missing. But she was in a constant battle to keep the other emotions she was feeling hidden. The fear and anxiety of not knowing what was going to be waiting for her at the hospital.
She had always known his job was dangerous that was one of the things that attracted her to him in the first place. A creature of the night with his motorcycle, black leather, and bad boy attitude and then she found out he was a special agent for the US government. She had fallen in love with him first glance and so had he. After they were married she had asked him to quit; knowing full well that he couldn't not just because of his contract with the government but because the work was him. To ask him to change would have been like putting a wild animal in a cage. And caging the man would have been no way to start their life together. Of course now she wished she had locked him in their basement and thrown away the key so no one would have gone through the pain everyone had been through in the past year.
And now she was there. Willow and Xander and Dawn stood with her out side of the hospital waiting for the Giles in was now eleven forty five. Time seemed to be crawling and flying as Buffy's conflicting emotions struggled for dominance. She bounced on the balls of her feet unable to stay still. The other's milled around in similar states of excitement and dread. When Mr. Giles and his eldest son rounded the far corner Buffy jumped and ran to hug them. After tearful hellos and smiling frowns they worked up the courage to enter the hospital probably the most feared and loathed of all mans institutions.
Surprisingly Agent Finn was at the entrance to meet them. "Mrs. Elizabeth Giles?" "Yes" "I'm Agent Finn. We've been waiting for you." "I'm sorry I was waiting for my father in law to get here and he had to come a long way oh and this is my father in law my husband's father." "Yes that's quite alright you don't need to apologize we understand. If the family members would come with me the doctor is waiting." So Buffy, Giles, and Angle left with Agent Finn to go meet with the doctor leaving Xander, Willow and Dawn in the waiting room.
The Doctor greeted his new patient's family "Good day I am Dr. Wyndem Price." "Doctor this Mrs. Elizabeth Giles; Special Agent William Giles's wife; Mr. Rupert Giles his father and Mr. Angelus Giles his older brother." Agent Finn introduced. The doctor shook hands and asked that they all had a seat. They did with the exception of Agent Finn who stood next to the doctor's desk. "I've asked to meet with you in order to discuss William's condition." Mr. Giles took Buffy's hand "how is he Doctor?" the doctor looked at the three family members.
"Physically he's exhausted, dehydrated, and mal nourished. He's body has multiple lacerations, welts, and x-rays have shown that his right leg was broken in multiple places and has not been allowed to heal properly. But we can fix all that with time. What worries me the most is William's mental state. Something he saw or something that happen back in that prison had a dramatic effect on him. So much so that he has entered a Fugue state." "What does that mean Doctor will he be alright?"
"A fugue state means that he's shut himself off from the world it's like being in a waking coma. He appears to be awake he may or may not be able to hear or see anything. But he doesn't respond to anything his mind is in another place."
"Will he come out of it?"
"That's all up to William. He could wake up any time on his own but it could take days or years. I think that the presence of family and friends will help bring him around faster. Of course if and when he does wake up he will have other issues to address. He's been under more stress then most people can imagine.
He most likely wouldn't be the William you remember nor can you blame him for that. He will probably be suffering from serve Post Stress disorder like many soldiers in his situation. Just remember that no matter how bad things look or get he is your William and he is alive and with time and patience he can be the man you knew again." Every one was looking a little teary eyed now; Buffy was ringing a tissue trying to hold back the flood. "Can we see him?"
"Yes you may see him. Some things I want you to know before you go in though. When you see him he will look very thin. We have cleaned him up cut his hair and shaved his face. You will see tubes in his arms those are just IVs. There will be a tube up his nose that's the feeding tube. Thankfully he is breathing on his own so we don't have to worry about giving him oxygen or putting him on a respirator. When you go in his eyes will be opened and staring that is the way he's been since he was found, don't let that alarm you. When you go in I would ask that you keep from any strong emotions like distress or sadness they could disturb William. Try to keep your feelings neutral or happy. Don't be afraid to touch him contact is good make him feel you there. Hold his hands touch his face. Alright I think that's everything for now. Let walk you down to his room."
Following the Doctor and Agent Finn; Giles held Buffy close. "Are you ready for this my dear?" "Ready as I'll ever be." They stopped out side a door.the door "this is it. Would the three of you follow me inside." Buffy, Giles, and Angel walked into the room after the doctor who went straight to the bed side. The others hung back almost afraid to look at the bed. Giles stepped forward and they all move toward the bed together.
"William" Buffy said softly letting her fingers brush his Hand.
"My God." Was all Giles could get out.
"It's him guys it's really him I thought maybe it was a dream or they had the wrong guy but it's him." "I can't believe it. My Brother! some one must have be looking out for him. Kid always makes everything by the skin of his teeth." "Angel would you go tell the others in the waiting room the news?" "Yeah.I'll go." Angel hesitated for a second giving his family one more glance before leaving the room and going to tell the others.
Willow and Dawn sat playing rock paper scissors while Xander paced. They all stop and stood up when they saw Angel coming down the hall.
"So?" Xander asked him
"It's him!" Dawn squealed and hugged everyone as she jumped up and down. She had always had a great love and special friendship with her Brother in law.
"How is he?" Willow asked.
"Well it's not good he's hurt, he looks like a famine victim and he's not awake. The doctor says he's worked himself into some kind of waking coma to escape what was going on around him. It's really kind of creepy his eyes are open and staring but he's not seeing or responding to anything. The doctor says he'll come out of it and that everyone can help by talking to him touching him letting him know that you're there." "My goddess" "can we see him?" Dawn was not phased by Angel's account; if her friend was in this hospital in a coma or not she see was going to see him. They all walked back down the hall way to Spike's room. The doctor had come out of the room and was checking charts in the hall way. He saw the others coming "you must be Agent Giles's friends; you can go in but don't stay long. I assume you've been informed of William's condition." "Yes Doctor." They walked into the room.
All eyes were teary. Buffy sat in a chair next to the bed holding Spike's hand. Giles stood at the foot of the bed. They all crowded around "It really is him." "Oh Buffy." Willow hugged Buffy and Dawn help her other hand. "Did they say what happened to him while he was a prisoner?" "He was tortured. But that is all that is being disclosed at this moment." Agent Finn entered. And stood looking at Agent Giles's family and thinking that things just got a lot more complicated. He would have to call Agent Forrest, things were going to have to be taken care of.
