Part 11
Sunnydale Hospital
Two hours later
"How long does it take to stitch up a cut?" Buffy asked the others,
as she stopped her pacing momentarily.
"Buffy, perhaps you should sit down and try to--"
"Giles, don't end that sentence with 'remain calm', because I really
don't want to have to scream at you," Buffy warned him.
Giles shut his mouth with a click, and muttered something about going
in search of coffee before wandering down the hallway. Buffy watched
him, an apologetic look on her face. "I didn't mean to snap at him,"
she sighed.
"I'm sure he didn't take it badly," Willow said, putting a supporting
arm around Buffy's shoulders. "He knows you're upset. We all do, but
I'm sure that Angel's going to be okay."
"How?" Buffy looked up at Willow to ask. "How do you know that?"
"Because Angel loves you too much to go out without a fight," Willow
replied gently. "Besides, Buffy, when has Spike ever done _anything_
right?"
Buffy couldn't help agreeing with Willow on that one. "But still...."
she trailed off as the doctor who had come over earlier walked
up. "Well?" she asked him.
"He's doing better," the doctor told her, and was about to say more
when Buffy interrupted him again.
"I need to see him," she insisted.
"He needs to rest," the doctor protested with a frown.
Buffy just responded by giving him her best, "You think you've seen
annoying people, but you haven't seen anything until you've seen me
when I'm kept away from my man" look.
It worked.
"Fine," the doctor shrugged and sighed. "But only for a few minutes."
"Whatever," Buffy nodded. "What room?"
"113, down the hall," the doctor gestured behind himself, but Buffy
was down the hall before he could say anything further.
She threw the door open, but stopped short and held to the doorknob
for support when she saw him. He was lying in bed asleep, with an IV
blood transfusion hooked up to his left arm. Even though he was
asleep, she could sense his pain. His skin was pale, with no sign of
the tan he'd managed to acquire in the last couple of months. He was
breathing, but not very easily. She hadn't seen him looking so weak
since ... *since Faith poisoned him* she remembered darkly. Not
memories she wanted to dredge up at the moment.
His eyes opened then, sensing she was there. His expression softened
in a smile, and she smiled back. "I almost thought I lost you for a
minute," she said, walking over to his bedside. He patted the bed
next to him, and she sat, taking his hands in hers. "How are you
feeling?" she asked.
"I've been worse," Angel replied. "How's your hand?"
"Bandaged up, and soon to be good as new," Buffy replied, showing him
the bandage on her right hand.
"And Spike?"
"Unfortunately, not a pile of dust yet. We heard Drusilla's voice,
and he ran away to head her off before she found us," Buffy
replied. "Which doesn't make any sense."
"Sure it does," Angel said. "He's probably kept her from finding out
anything about me being human until now. He wouldn't want her to
know, it would push her over the edge."
"Well, it doesn't matter anyway, neither of them are going to get a
chance to hurt you again," Buffy said. "You're out of this, Angel."
"Buffy-" Angel tried to protest.
"You think I'm kidding but I'm not," Buffy interrupted him with a
look that dared him to argue. "I won't lose you, not again--" Her
voice caught and she looked away, trying to compose herself.
"Hey," Angel pulled her into his arms, and said, "I'm not going
anywhere," stroking her hair gently. "But please don't ask me to stay
out of it. I can't. I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to
you."
"Well," Buffy looked at him, stroking his cheek. "If I'm not budging
on this, and neither are you... what does that mean?"
"It means we deal with Spike and Drusilla together," Angel said. "And
together is how we do things best anyway," he added with a smile.
"No argument there," Buffy replied, kissing him gently. "Now, as much
as I hate to, I should leave and let you get some rest."
"I am tired," Angel admitted.
"So sleep," Buffy said, standing. "I'll be back as soon as they let
me. And don't worry, I won't go after Spike yet. We do need to have a
better plan, anyway."
That seemed to satisfy Angel as to her not being in immediate danger,
and he closed his eyes. Buffy watched him for a few more moments
before slipping out of the room without waking him.
******
End 11
Sunnydale Hospital
Two hours later
"How long does it take to stitch up a cut?" Buffy asked the others,
as she stopped her pacing momentarily.
"Buffy, perhaps you should sit down and try to--"
"Giles, don't end that sentence with 'remain calm', because I really
don't want to have to scream at you," Buffy warned him.
Giles shut his mouth with a click, and muttered something about going
in search of coffee before wandering down the hallway. Buffy watched
him, an apologetic look on her face. "I didn't mean to snap at him,"
she sighed.
"I'm sure he didn't take it badly," Willow said, putting a supporting
arm around Buffy's shoulders. "He knows you're upset. We all do, but
I'm sure that Angel's going to be okay."
"How?" Buffy looked up at Willow to ask. "How do you know that?"
"Because Angel loves you too much to go out without a fight," Willow
replied gently. "Besides, Buffy, when has Spike ever done _anything_
right?"
Buffy couldn't help agreeing with Willow on that one. "But still...."
she trailed off as the doctor who had come over earlier walked
up. "Well?" she asked him.
"He's doing better," the doctor told her, and was about to say more
when Buffy interrupted him again.
"I need to see him," she insisted.
"He needs to rest," the doctor protested with a frown.
Buffy just responded by giving him her best, "You think you've seen
annoying people, but you haven't seen anything until you've seen me
when I'm kept away from my man" look.
It worked.
"Fine," the doctor shrugged and sighed. "But only for a few minutes."
"Whatever," Buffy nodded. "What room?"
"113, down the hall," the doctor gestured behind himself, but Buffy
was down the hall before he could say anything further.
She threw the door open, but stopped short and held to the doorknob
for support when she saw him. He was lying in bed asleep, with an IV
blood transfusion hooked up to his left arm. Even though he was
asleep, she could sense his pain. His skin was pale, with no sign of
the tan he'd managed to acquire in the last couple of months. He was
breathing, but not very easily. She hadn't seen him looking so weak
since ... *since Faith poisoned him* she remembered darkly. Not
memories she wanted to dredge up at the moment.
His eyes opened then, sensing she was there. His expression softened
in a smile, and she smiled back. "I almost thought I lost you for a
minute," she said, walking over to his bedside. He patted the bed
next to him, and she sat, taking his hands in hers. "How are you
feeling?" she asked.
"I've been worse," Angel replied. "How's your hand?"
"Bandaged up, and soon to be good as new," Buffy replied, showing him
the bandage on her right hand.
"And Spike?"
"Unfortunately, not a pile of dust yet. We heard Drusilla's voice,
and he ran away to head her off before she found us," Buffy
replied. "Which doesn't make any sense."
"Sure it does," Angel said. "He's probably kept her from finding out
anything about me being human until now. He wouldn't want her to
know, it would push her over the edge."
"Well, it doesn't matter anyway, neither of them are going to get a
chance to hurt you again," Buffy said. "You're out of this, Angel."
"Buffy-" Angel tried to protest.
"You think I'm kidding but I'm not," Buffy interrupted him with a
look that dared him to argue. "I won't lose you, not again--" Her
voice caught and she looked away, trying to compose herself.
"Hey," Angel pulled her into his arms, and said, "I'm not going
anywhere," stroking her hair gently. "But please don't ask me to stay
out of it. I can't. I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to
you."
"Well," Buffy looked at him, stroking his cheek. "If I'm not budging
on this, and neither are you... what does that mean?"
"It means we deal with Spike and Drusilla together," Angel said. "And
together is how we do things best anyway," he added with a smile.
"No argument there," Buffy replied, kissing him gently. "Now, as much
as I hate to, I should leave and let you get some rest."
"I am tired," Angel admitted.
"So sleep," Buffy said, standing. "I'll be back as soon as they let
me. And don't worry, I won't go after Spike yet. We do need to have a
better plan, anyway."
That seemed to satisfy Angel as to her not being in immediate danger,
and he closed his eyes. Buffy watched him for a few more moments
before slipping out of the room without waking him.
******
End 11