Normal Again
By Buddi
Summary: What if the series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" really was a schizophrenic delusion of Buffy Summers? In the episode "Normal Again", Buffy's doctor mentioned a breakthrough they had correlating with her death in Season 5. What happened during those three months when Buffy came out of her delusion? What made her regress back to her psychotic self and return to Sunnydale?
Characters:
Buffy Summers
Joyce Summers
Hank Summers
Dr. Michaels
Also:
Rupert Giles
Dawn Summers
Willow Rosenberg
Xander Harris
Tara Maclay
Spike
Anya
Before I start, I'd just like you to know I really know nothing about psychology and I've tried my hardest to research things and make things seem logical speaking in medical terms. Also, the dialogue from the beginning are lines directly from Buffy Season 5 Episode 22 "The Gift"
Teaser/Prologue:
Dr. Michaels ran down the hall toward the room of Buffy Summers. 1630. Something was happening. He came to a sudden halt at her window and peered inside. Buffy was standing in the back left-hand corner of her small room. To the right of her was a bed, mostly taken up by leg and arm restraints. Dr. Michaels quietly opened the door and walked into Buffy's room. She was muttering. The doctor looked behind him in a corner to check her video camera, just to make sure so they can record the episode later. After listening for a moment, he realized that she was talking to her fantasy sister, Dawn.
"Dawn listen to me, listen. I love you. I will always love you," she said. To Dr. Michaels, this sounded like a death. He feared that if Dawn died in Buffy's fantasy, there may be some problems in the future. A few months before when her mother 'died', Buffy became very stressed, solemn, and overall even more mentally unhealthy.
"This is the work that I have to do. Tell Giles- tell Giles I figured it out… and I'm okay. Give my love to my friends. You have to take care of them now. You have to take care of each other," Buffy said. Dr. Michaels was in awe. What would happen to Buffy if she died in her own delusion? Would she become completely inactive? Like an empty body neither living nor dead? Perhaps there was really something wrong with her. What if she was actually going to die? Or maybe even it was the end to her five year delusion and a start of a new fantasy. Buffy kept speaking.
"You have to be strong. The hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me," she finished. After, she slid to the ground, grabbing the neck to her gown. She acted as if she were in pain; as if something horrible was happening. Dr. Michaels came closer to her and knelt down beside her, ready to give her a sedative if needed, but he waited. After a moment, Buffy became silent. She stared off into space resembling her behavior on a normal day. Dr. Michaels had his hand around Buffy's wrist, making sure she still had a pulse. After realizing there was nothing wrong with her physically, he pulled out his light and checked her eyes for a response. To his great surprise, after shining the light in her eyes she blinked, and looked straight at him.
/End Teaser Chapter
