DISCLAIMERS ETC IN PART 1.
TIMELINE: AFTER "ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN" AND BEFORE "FIRST IMPRESSIONS"
ONCE UPON A TIME... NOT SO LONG AGO - PART 4
"God... I thought I was gonna be the next Helen Keller..." Buffy moaned as she took a glass of water in the Hotel's kitchen.
"We were worried sick about you. Why did you run?" Xander asked.
"Who's Helen Keller?" riley asked, confused.
"I'm sorry I didn't contact you sooner... I was so afraid... I thought I'd hurt you." Buffy said, looking at riley's bandaged hand.
"We can't let you stay here. You need to be home, we'll help you." Xander said.
"I really think we should wait for Angel... I can't just leave without at least thanking him," Buffy said.
"Leave a note." riley said, looking over at Xander.
"Why did you come here anyway?" Xander shrugged.
"Guys..." Buffy was getting impatient.
"Buffy, come on, let's go home." riley took her hand leading her out of the hotel.
"That's really a cool place." Xander said, giving the Hyperion one last admiring look.
They walked to riley's car that was parked nearby. Buffy suddenly crouched. "No..." She whispered.
"What's wrong?" riley stopped and grabbed her. Buffy rubbed her eyes.
"It's all fuzzy... I can't see..." She tried looking around.
"Buffy, stop fooling around, let's go..." riley gripped her hand.
"riley..." Buffy clung onto him.
"Hey, look out!" She heard Xander yell, then she felt the big claws ripping through her back, throwing her away from riley.
She felt her body hitting the ground and rolled. She looked up, but everything was black again.
She scouted around with her hands. She heard Xander or riley calling her name.
She could still feel the claws of the demon in her back. .
"riley..." She whispered. Xander and riley had no chance without her. She got up.
"Buffy!" She heard Angel's voice from afar.
She wasn't ready for the blow she then received from the demon, sending her to the ground again. She felt the demon's slick and slimy hands on her chest, crushing her lungs with heavy pressure. Suddenly the weight of the demon was lifted from her. She heard Angel's roar.
She closed her eyes, trying to take a deep breath and ignore the pain in her ribs.
She didn't know how long it was until she heard the demon screeching in pain.
"Buffy..." She heard Angel's getting closer. "Are you okay?"
She shook her head, and wiped her eyes that started welling. Her vision was now blurry again, but not all black. She saw Angel's figure sending a hand to her and reached for his hand. He helped her get up.
"Are you okay?" He asked again, she felt his hand touching her face, cleaning the dirt from her skin.
"Where's Xander and riley?" She tried to look around as her vision returned.
"They're over there... they'll be fine." He said quietly, leading her back to the Hotel.
"You're hurt." Buffy said, noticing he was limping and bleeding too.
"I'm fine." He said quietly. "Just got my knee screwed a little..."
She touched his torn shirt, feeling the cold liquid that soaked his shirt from the wound. "You got a nasty cut there."
"It will close soon. I heal fast."
Buffy smiled, leaning her head into the crook of his arm. "We have that in common."
Cordelia finished bandaging Angel's wounds and his leg. She looked over at Xander and riley as they slowly started to wake up.
"How's Buffy?" He asked when she clapped her hands, admiring her nursing job.
"She's okay. She has a few cuts and bruises... but luckily she didn't break anything."
"You better see if those idiots broke anything." Angel looked over at Xander and riley and got up, limping away.
"Angel," He heard riley calling him and turned around. The ex-soldier faced him, his face all wounded and bruised.
"What right do you have, doing this?" The boy gritted his teeth.
"I just saved your life." Angel folded his arms, looking at riley.
"I meant holding Buffy here."
"You better watch your mouth, boy. This is *my* house here." Angel said coldly.
"I'm taking her back."
"If you take her you'll get her killed."
"What is it to you? She's no longer your girlfriend."
"I left her so she could live, I will not let her die."
"I won't let her die either." riley raised his voice.
"Like you did with the demon out there?"
"I was trying to protect her!"
"And she nearly died!" Angel yelled back at him.
"Boys... calm down..." Cordelia said, while bandaging Xander's head.
"I'm taking her with me." riley pushed Angel.
Angel grabbed his arm and twisted it. "You're not taking her. She needs a cure. And until we find it, she's safer here."
riley drew out a stake and pointed it at Angel's chest.
"Hey!" Cordelia got up and ran over to stop riley from staking Angel.
Angel smirked down at riley. "Are you going to stake me?"
"I don't see why not. You're a vampire."
"Get away from him!" Cordy called and broke a wine bottle she grabbed from the desk on riley's head. He turned to her surprised and Angel quickly knocked the stake away from his hand.
"You're leaving now. You're not welcome here!" Cordelia pointed at the door.
"I'm taking Buffy with me." riley folded his arms and stood still.
Cordelia turned to Xander. "Xander, is that a friend of yours?" She asked in a tone equivalent to mockery.
Xander pointed at his bandage. "Severe brain damage here."
"Well, yeah, I've been saying that for years."
Xander smirked. "Good ole Cordy. I missed you."
Cordy smirked back and pointed at riley. "Now go and take this clown with you."
Xander got up, looking at riley. "Come on, riley. We better go."
"I'm not going without Buffy."
"Look..." Cordy searched for a nice word, then sighed and waved her hand. "Just look. Buffy is our client now. We're helping her because she's dying..."
"Dying?" Xander's expression turned serious.
"Cordelia..." They all turned to see Buffy standing on the stairs.
She walked down the steps slowly.
"Is it true?" riley asked.
"She's not gonna die." Angel said, clenching his teeth.
"riley, it's sweet that you came, and that you're worried about me," Buffy said quietly when she reached Angel and riley.
She took riley's hands, looking at him.
"Is that your *boyfriend*?" Cordelia asked surprised.
"Go home with Xander," Buffy asked him, ignoring Cordelia. "I don't need you here, I need you at home taking care of mom and Dawn."
"You sure?"
"Yes." She said, glancing over at Angel. She pulled back her hands.
"Why don't you go home and let Giles cure you from... whatever you have?" riley asked.
"Because I'm here now. Angel and Wesley are helping me." She looked over at Cordelia. "And Cordelia."
"But we can help you a lot better at home. He's a vampire-" riley pointed at Angel. Buffy rolled her eyes. "God, riley, don't be such a retard! Just go, okay??" She got impatient.
"Okay, we're going, but you're gonna be fine, okay?" Xander said walking toward Buffy, then turned to Angel. "If you need anything, call Giles." He said calmly. "And take care of her." He said.
Angel was a little surprised but didn't say a word.
Xander pulled Buffy into a hug. "Don't leave us alone on the Hellmouth," He whispered in her ear and then walked away. riley pecked a kiss on her lips before walking away. "I still think I can protect you just the same." He insisted.
"Go." Buffy asked him again.
"How's your leg?" Buffy turned to Angel.
"How's your back?"
"It'll be fine, I heal fast." She smiled at him softly.
He smiled back, "Well, we have that in common."
Her smile widened, but then she looked at the door and got serious again. "I'm so sorry for all these troubles."
"Don't worry about it, you should go back to sleep."
"Angel, I-" She started saying but silenced. "Never mind..." She walked up the stairs and disappeared.
"Some things never change." Cordelia hummed.
"What?" He turned to her.
"You two lovebirds for one thing."
"We're not, she has a boyfriend."
"Oh puh-lease. And out of the two of you who's left with her now?"
"You really think she still loves me?" He asked looking up at where Buffy disappeared.
"I don't think, I know. It's obvious. That's not the problem."
He looked back at her, waiting for more.
"The problem is that she needs to realize she can't have you *and* save the world. I mean, you two get groiny and it's the end of the world as we know it." Cordelia said matter of factly.
Angel sighed looking down. "I know... Believe me, I know."
Cordelia's features softened. "I know you do. The problem is her. I think she came here to die and I don't want you to do something stupid like granting her wish to be with you one last time before she dies or something like that."
"Cordelia, she's *not* gonna die." He gripped her arm.
Cordelia looked down at his hand. "Denial is a nice place, isn't it? And you're hurting me." She waved him off her.
"Sorry..." He whispered and walked away.
She tapped on the desk. "Buffy is going to a dark place..." She whispered to herself.
TBC....
TIMELINE: AFTER "ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN" AND BEFORE "FIRST IMPRESSIONS"
ONCE UPON A TIME... NOT SO LONG AGO - PART 4
"God... I thought I was gonna be the next Helen Keller..." Buffy moaned as she took a glass of water in the Hotel's kitchen.
"We were worried sick about you. Why did you run?" Xander asked.
"Who's Helen Keller?" riley asked, confused.
"I'm sorry I didn't contact you sooner... I was so afraid... I thought I'd hurt you." Buffy said, looking at riley's bandaged hand.
"We can't let you stay here. You need to be home, we'll help you." Xander said.
"I really think we should wait for Angel... I can't just leave without at least thanking him," Buffy said.
"Leave a note." riley said, looking over at Xander.
"Why did you come here anyway?" Xander shrugged.
"Guys..." Buffy was getting impatient.
"Buffy, come on, let's go home." riley took her hand leading her out of the hotel.
"That's really a cool place." Xander said, giving the Hyperion one last admiring look.
They walked to riley's car that was parked nearby. Buffy suddenly crouched. "No..." She whispered.
"What's wrong?" riley stopped and grabbed her. Buffy rubbed her eyes.
"It's all fuzzy... I can't see..." She tried looking around.
"Buffy, stop fooling around, let's go..." riley gripped her hand.
"riley..." Buffy clung onto him.
"Hey, look out!" She heard Xander yell, then she felt the big claws ripping through her back, throwing her away from riley.
She felt her body hitting the ground and rolled. She looked up, but everything was black again.
She scouted around with her hands. She heard Xander or riley calling her name.
She could still feel the claws of the demon in her back. .
"riley..." She whispered. Xander and riley had no chance without her. She got up.
"Buffy!" She heard Angel's voice from afar.
She wasn't ready for the blow she then received from the demon, sending her to the ground again. She felt the demon's slick and slimy hands on her chest, crushing her lungs with heavy pressure. Suddenly the weight of the demon was lifted from her. She heard Angel's roar.
She closed her eyes, trying to take a deep breath and ignore the pain in her ribs.
She didn't know how long it was until she heard the demon screeching in pain.
"Buffy..." She heard Angel's getting closer. "Are you okay?"
She shook her head, and wiped her eyes that started welling. Her vision was now blurry again, but not all black. She saw Angel's figure sending a hand to her and reached for his hand. He helped her get up.
"Are you okay?" He asked again, she felt his hand touching her face, cleaning the dirt from her skin.
"Where's Xander and riley?" She tried to look around as her vision returned.
"They're over there... they'll be fine." He said quietly, leading her back to the Hotel.
"You're hurt." Buffy said, noticing he was limping and bleeding too.
"I'm fine." He said quietly. "Just got my knee screwed a little..."
She touched his torn shirt, feeling the cold liquid that soaked his shirt from the wound. "You got a nasty cut there."
"It will close soon. I heal fast."
Buffy smiled, leaning her head into the crook of his arm. "We have that in common."
Cordelia finished bandaging Angel's wounds and his leg. She looked over at Xander and riley as they slowly started to wake up.
"How's Buffy?" He asked when she clapped her hands, admiring her nursing job.
"She's okay. She has a few cuts and bruises... but luckily she didn't break anything."
"You better see if those idiots broke anything." Angel looked over at Xander and riley and got up, limping away.
"Angel," He heard riley calling him and turned around. The ex-soldier faced him, his face all wounded and bruised.
"What right do you have, doing this?" The boy gritted his teeth.
"I just saved your life." Angel folded his arms, looking at riley.
"I meant holding Buffy here."
"You better watch your mouth, boy. This is *my* house here." Angel said coldly.
"I'm taking her back."
"If you take her you'll get her killed."
"What is it to you? She's no longer your girlfriend."
"I left her so she could live, I will not let her die."
"I won't let her die either." riley raised his voice.
"Like you did with the demon out there?"
"I was trying to protect her!"
"And she nearly died!" Angel yelled back at him.
"Boys... calm down..." Cordelia said, while bandaging Xander's head.
"I'm taking her with me." riley pushed Angel.
Angel grabbed his arm and twisted it. "You're not taking her. She needs a cure. And until we find it, she's safer here."
riley drew out a stake and pointed it at Angel's chest.
"Hey!" Cordelia got up and ran over to stop riley from staking Angel.
Angel smirked down at riley. "Are you going to stake me?"
"I don't see why not. You're a vampire."
"Get away from him!" Cordy called and broke a wine bottle she grabbed from the desk on riley's head. He turned to her surprised and Angel quickly knocked the stake away from his hand.
"You're leaving now. You're not welcome here!" Cordelia pointed at the door.
"I'm taking Buffy with me." riley folded his arms and stood still.
Cordelia turned to Xander. "Xander, is that a friend of yours?" She asked in a tone equivalent to mockery.
Xander pointed at his bandage. "Severe brain damage here."
"Well, yeah, I've been saying that for years."
Xander smirked. "Good ole Cordy. I missed you."
Cordy smirked back and pointed at riley. "Now go and take this clown with you."
Xander got up, looking at riley. "Come on, riley. We better go."
"I'm not going without Buffy."
"Look..." Cordy searched for a nice word, then sighed and waved her hand. "Just look. Buffy is our client now. We're helping her because she's dying..."
"Dying?" Xander's expression turned serious.
"Cordelia..." They all turned to see Buffy standing on the stairs.
She walked down the steps slowly.
"Is it true?" riley asked.
"She's not gonna die." Angel said, clenching his teeth.
"riley, it's sweet that you came, and that you're worried about me," Buffy said quietly when she reached Angel and riley.
She took riley's hands, looking at him.
"Is that your *boyfriend*?" Cordelia asked surprised.
"Go home with Xander," Buffy asked him, ignoring Cordelia. "I don't need you here, I need you at home taking care of mom and Dawn."
"You sure?"
"Yes." She said, glancing over at Angel. She pulled back her hands.
"Why don't you go home and let Giles cure you from... whatever you have?" riley asked.
"Because I'm here now. Angel and Wesley are helping me." She looked over at Cordelia. "And Cordelia."
"But we can help you a lot better at home. He's a vampire-" riley pointed at Angel. Buffy rolled her eyes. "God, riley, don't be such a retard! Just go, okay??" She got impatient.
"Okay, we're going, but you're gonna be fine, okay?" Xander said walking toward Buffy, then turned to Angel. "If you need anything, call Giles." He said calmly. "And take care of her." He said.
Angel was a little surprised but didn't say a word.
Xander pulled Buffy into a hug. "Don't leave us alone on the Hellmouth," He whispered in her ear and then walked away. riley pecked a kiss on her lips before walking away. "I still think I can protect you just the same." He insisted.
"Go." Buffy asked him again.
"How's your leg?" Buffy turned to Angel.
"How's your back?"
"It'll be fine, I heal fast." She smiled at him softly.
He smiled back, "Well, we have that in common."
Her smile widened, but then she looked at the door and got serious again. "I'm so sorry for all these troubles."
"Don't worry about it, you should go back to sleep."
"Angel, I-" She started saying but silenced. "Never mind..." She walked up the stairs and disappeared.
"Some things never change." Cordelia hummed.
"What?" He turned to her.
"You two lovebirds for one thing."
"We're not, she has a boyfriend."
"Oh puh-lease. And out of the two of you who's left with her now?"
"You really think she still loves me?" He asked looking up at where Buffy disappeared.
"I don't think, I know. It's obvious. That's not the problem."
He looked back at her, waiting for more.
"The problem is that she needs to realize she can't have you *and* save the world. I mean, you two get groiny and it's the end of the world as we know it." Cordelia said matter of factly.
Angel sighed looking down. "I know... Believe me, I know."
Cordelia's features softened. "I know you do. The problem is her. I think she came here to die and I don't want you to do something stupid like granting her wish to be with you one last time before she dies or something like that."
"Cordelia, she's *not* gonna die." He gripped her arm.
Cordelia looked down at his hand. "Denial is a nice place, isn't it? And you're hurting me." She waved him off her.
"Sorry..." He whispered and walked away.
She tapped on the desk. "Buffy is going to a dark place..." She whispered to herself.
TBC....