Chapter 11
Having lost her best friend to the world 6 months ago, Willow was beginning to wonder if she would ever see Buffy again. One part of her said, of course you will, she's your best friend, she wouldn't leave without saying good bye. Don't worry, she'll be back, you just wait. But the other, smaller part was saying, you may as well forget about her now. She's skipped over this town; she never wants to see it or the people it held again. Willow was confused, angered, and upset at the same time. She was confused about whether or not she would see Buffy again. She was angry that Buffy left without saying good bye. And she was upset that Buffy had left in the first place. These feelings left her disoriented, unfocused and distant. She rarely talked to her friends anymore; she just sat with the group staring at the table with a far away look in her eyes. Her grades started to slip, for the first time in her life, and she didn't care. Sometimes she skipped her classes for days at a time, never getting out of bed, not eating, not sleeping, she lay staring at the ceiling, and when she did sleep, it wasn't pleasant. She would twist and turn, never slumbering for more than 10 minutes. The result was disheveled hair, bags under her eyes, and time periods where she didn't move, didn't blink, barely breathed. When her friends noticed she was too thin to be healthy, her clothes hanging off her bony figure, they really began to worry. Tara was doing all she could to convince Willow to get up, to eat something, holding her in the night, trying to soothe her to sleep. Giles and Xander would drop by periodically, bringing with them, Willows favorite snacks, her studies, even little plush animals that used to please her tremendously, but they would stay where they were placed, untouched. Soon, Willow completely gave up on her classes, not getting out of bed, unless it was toward the kitchen, which was rare, or toward the bathroom, which happened maybe once a day. After this happened, she never so much as uttered a word, ignored everyone and everything around her, and began to lost weight rapidly. When she looked no heavier than a 10-year-old, Tara and Dawn called Xander, telling him that they should get Willow to a hospital. Xander called Giles, who picked up Xander and Anya, then Tara, stationing Willow carefully in the back seat with Dawn by her side, and sped to the hospital. Once she was administered, the doctors got to work immediately. The rest of the gang was in the waiting room for what seemed like days until a doctor came into the hall, removing his glasses and tucking them into a pocket. He explained that Willow was severely dehydrated, and needed to be kept at the hospital until she came out of her catatonic state. Tara began to sob; Anya was glared at Xander as he tried to comfort Tara, while Giles sat dumbfounded. Dawn had gone to visit her mother while they waited for the news. Xander found her and told her what happened. Dawn didn't say a word, just stared at her sleeping mother while tears slid down her cheeks.
Near the end of August, Buffy was irritated and began bickering at her stomach, which swelled in front of her.
"Why are you such a pain? You kick me all the time, demand to be fed at all hours, and you're heavier than hell!" she was complaining one day, to Spikes amusement. He watched as the mother of his unborn child muttered to herself. Buffy felt his eyes on her and looked up at him, where he lounged against the doorframe to the living room, where she sat on the couch. He smirked when the blush crept over her cheeks.
"Now, now. That's no way to treat my son," he reprimanded her.
"Your son? What if it's a girl?" she looked at him, her eyes dancing.
"No, it's a boy. No doubt about it, luv," he replied calmly, "Now all we have to decide is a manly name."
Buffy snorted with laughter. Then an idea came to her.
"If it's a boy, you get to choose the name, but only if it's acceptable. If it's a girl, I get to choose the name."
Spike agreed and shook her hand, confirming it. It was the last Monday of the month, and it was time for him to go out, collect and post this months letters. As he was about to leave, he heard Buffy softly speaking to the baby growing inside of her.
"I hope it's good news this month."
Having read the letter on his way home, Spike dropped the envelope next to Buffy and walked away. When she heard the sound of water running, she dismissed it as nothing. She picked up the envelope and discovered it was already open. Figuring that he already read it, she remembered the look on his face and began to worry. She read the letter as her hands slightly shook:
Dear Buffy,
With all the things that happened last month, I didn't want to tell you, but we're really starting to worry. You see, it's Willow. She's totally cracked. At first it was little things, like skipping a meal once every few days and missing a day of school. But then it grew. This month, she stopped talking to us. She would just sit there, staring at nothing and not listening to us. It was like she was there, but she wasn't, you know? Anyway, then, one day, she didn't get out of bed, and stayed there. She hardly ever ate, and never went to school. After awhile, we all got scared and took her to the hospital. She's been there, just lying there, staring out into space, not talking to anyone, and with a needle sticking out of her arm. She's still pretty thin, even though they're feeding her through an IV. She took it the worst when you left, convinced it was her fault. I guess she just couldn't take it any longer, and broke down. She really misses you, at least that's what she always talked about when she did talk. I come in a close second. Every one else is tied for third. Except maybe Anya, I think she misses you a little, but I think she's kinda glad that she has one less person to compete with. But, that'll change, once you come home, right? I don't mean, you'll be competing with Anya for Xander (that'd be the day!), but you will be coming home, right? We all really miss you, and Willow needs you. Please come home.
Love always,
Dawn
Having lost her best friend to the world 6 months ago, Willow was beginning to wonder if she would ever see Buffy again. One part of her said, of course you will, she's your best friend, she wouldn't leave without saying good bye. Don't worry, she'll be back, you just wait. But the other, smaller part was saying, you may as well forget about her now. She's skipped over this town; she never wants to see it or the people it held again. Willow was confused, angered, and upset at the same time. She was confused about whether or not she would see Buffy again. She was angry that Buffy left without saying good bye. And she was upset that Buffy had left in the first place. These feelings left her disoriented, unfocused and distant. She rarely talked to her friends anymore; she just sat with the group staring at the table with a far away look in her eyes. Her grades started to slip, for the first time in her life, and she didn't care. Sometimes she skipped her classes for days at a time, never getting out of bed, not eating, not sleeping, she lay staring at the ceiling, and when she did sleep, it wasn't pleasant. She would twist and turn, never slumbering for more than 10 minutes. The result was disheveled hair, bags under her eyes, and time periods where she didn't move, didn't blink, barely breathed. When her friends noticed she was too thin to be healthy, her clothes hanging off her bony figure, they really began to worry. Tara was doing all she could to convince Willow to get up, to eat something, holding her in the night, trying to soothe her to sleep. Giles and Xander would drop by periodically, bringing with them, Willows favorite snacks, her studies, even little plush animals that used to please her tremendously, but they would stay where they were placed, untouched. Soon, Willow completely gave up on her classes, not getting out of bed, unless it was toward the kitchen, which was rare, or toward the bathroom, which happened maybe once a day. After this happened, she never so much as uttered a word, ignored everyone and everything around her, and began to lost weight rapidly. When she looked no heavier than a 10-year-old, Tara and Dawn called Xander, telling him that they should get Willow to a hospital. Xander called Giles, who picked up Xander and Anya, then Tara, stationing Willow carefully in the back seat with Dawn by her side, and sped to the hospital. Once she was administered, the doctors got to work immediately. The rest of the gang was in the waiting room for what seemed like days until a doctor came into the hall, removing his glasses and tucking them into a pocket. He explained that Willow was severely dehydrated, and needed to be kept at the hospital until she came out of her catatonic state. Tara began to sob; Anya was glared at Xander as he tried to comfort Tara, while Giles sat dumbfounded. Dawn had gone to visit her mother while they waited for the news. Xander found her and told her what happened. Dawn didn't say a word, just stared at her sleeping mother while tears slid down her cheeks.
Near the end of August, Buffy was irritated and began bickering at her stomach, which swelled in front of her.
"Why are you such a pain? You kick me all the time, demand to be fed at all hours, and you're heavier than hell!" she was complaining one day, to Spikes amusement. He watched as the mother of his unborn child muttered to herself. Buffy felt his eyes on her and looked up at him, where he lounged against the doorframe to the living room, where she sat on the couch. He smirked when the blush crept over her cheeks.
"Now, now. That's no way to treat my son," he reprimanded her.
"Your son? What if it's a girl?" she looked at him, her eyes dancing.
"No, it's a boy. No doubt about it, luv," he replied calmly, "Now all we have to decide is a manly name."
Buffy snorted with laughter. Then an idea came to her.
"If it's a boy, you get to choose the name, but only if it's acceptable. If it's a girl, I get to choose the name."
Spike agreed and shook her hand, confirming it. It was the last Monday of the month, and it was time for him to go out, collect and post this months letters. As he was about to leave, he heard Buffy softly speaking to the baby growing inside of her.
"I hope it's good news this month."
Having read the letter on his way home, Spike dropped the envelope next to Buffy and walked away. When she heard the sound of water running, she dismissed it as nothing. She picked up the envelope and discovered it was already open. Figuring that he already read it, she remembered the look on his face and began to worry. She read the letter as her hands slightly shook:
Dear Buffy,
With all the things that happened last month, I didn't want to tell you, but we're really starting to worry. You see, it's Willow. She's totally cracked. At first it was little things, like skipping a meal once every few days and missing a day of school. But then it grew. This month, she stopped talking to us. She would just sit there, staring at nothing and not listening to us. It was like she was there, but she wasn't, you know? Anyway, then, one day, she didn't get out of bed, and stayed there. She hardly ever ate, and never went to school. After awhile, we all got scared and took her to the hospital. She's been there, just lying there, staring out into space, not talking to anyone, and with a needle sticking out of her arm. She's still pretty thin, even though they're feeding her through an IV. She took it the worst when you left, convinced it was her fault. I guess she just couldn't take it any longer, and broke down. She really misses you, at least that's what she always talked about when she did talk. I come in a close second. Every one else is tied for third. Except maybe Anya, I think she misses you a little, but I think she's kinda glad that she has one less person to compete with. But, that'll change, once you come home, right? I don't mean, you'll be competing with Anya for Xander (that'd be the day!), but you will be coming home, right? We all really miss you, and Willow needs you. Please come home.
Love always,
Dawn