[Note:As always Vamped Buffy will be referred to as V-Buffy.]


Chapter 26: What's that Dripping?



Scene: The library, thirty minutes later



Willow, and Oz were hovered over Buffy as Giles checked her bite marks.

"How is she?" Ms. Calendar asked coming in the library with a first aid kit and handing it to Giles.

"I don't know. She seems to be okay, but she's still unconscious." Giles said as he took the first aid kit from her.

"Shouldn't we take her to the hospital?" Willow asked, glued to Buffy's side as much as Giles was.

"No, we haven't time. Since Xander..." after saying his name Giles stopped mid-sentence as he seemed to lose his concentration for a minute before continuing, "We haven't the time for that."

"Besides, didn't that Reed guy say that we should meet him here?" Ms. Calendar said beside Giles.

"Yes, well, that's another manner entirely." Giles said as he made a cloth like bandage around Buffy's neck.

"You don't trust him?" Oz asked speaking up for the first time since they'd entered the library.

"Uhhh, I rather think not." Giles said putting the finishing touches on Buffy's bandage.

"He did save our lives Rupert, I think that's pretty good. Don't you?" Ms. Calendar said.

"What about Xander?" Willow asked Giles in a manner that broke his heart.

"Willow." Giles said lightly as he got up and took a step towards her, only to have her turn her back on him as Oz grabbed ahold of her.

"Willow, we...we have to let him go." Giles said again, clearly with pain in his voice before continuing, "That's not Xander anymore, you must understand that. He'll come after us and show no mercy just as any vampire would."

"It's not just Xander you have to worry about." A familar voice said coming into the library, getting everyones attention.

Willow ran up to Reed and without warning started beating on him, "ARRGGHHHH! You don't even say his name! You have no right!" she screamed as Oz quickly grabbed a hold of her while all of the others stood stunned at Willow's outburst.

Reed was surprised at first by her outburst, but he understood it as he stood there and took Willow's assult. After all he was the one to tell her to forget Xander, someone who was her lifelong friend. That's something you can't forget no matter how hard you try and now a perfect stranger was telling her to forget him as if he was nothing. No, Reed didn't blame her one bit.

After a minute Reed continued, "Both of them, they'll stop at nothing until all of you are dead." he said. Then, looking at Buffy on the table unconscious, Reed started to make a move towards her only to have Giles stand in his way.

"You're not going anywhere near her until you give us some answers, and fast!" Giles said standing in Reed's face.

Reed didn't back down, "I'm the only one who can save her, so if you want to help her get out of my face." Reed said in a quiet, yet stern manner before continuing, "She may not be your Buffy, but I know you care for her just the same."

Oz had been quiet the whole time, but with neither backing down he spoke up, "How did you know where to look for us?" he asked Reed.

Reed looked away from Giles towards Oz as he seemed to back down a little, "What?"

"How did you know we would be at that house?" Oz asked as he took a step forward letting go of Willow's hand.

Reed knew that they wouldn't like the answer, but he felt like he had to tell them anyway. He owed it to them, "Because Xander was there and I knew that all of you wouldn't stop until you found him, especially Buffy." he said once again looking at her.

Reed's answer got Willow's attention, "You mean you knew they had Xander and you didn't try to save him?" she said starting to get agitated again as she moved infront of Oz, "Answer me!" she said, angry while she looked at Reed who was staring at Buffy with a worried expression.

Willow felt another outburst coming until she heard Reed say something under his breath and run quickly towards Buffy.

As Reed reached her he felt for a pulse from her wrist, "I can't get a pulse." he said looking up at Giles and the others.

"What?" Giles said as he joined Reed by Buffy's side. He looked down at the bandage that was now soaked in blood, "Oh God."

Before Giles could blink Reed pulled Buffy off of the table, laying her on the floor and started performing CPR.


One...two...three


One...two...three


One...two...three


Giles and the others watched in horror as Reed pumped on Buffy's chest before pulling her head back and lowering his mouth to hers.

As Reed tried to give her the breath of life time seemed to stand still for Giles and the others.

Reed went back to her chest and started again, but this time Willow noticed that there was something different about the man now down on his knees. Just a minute ago there was this strong, confident, almost arrogant man. Now, well, now Willow wasn't sure, but as Reed continued to push on Buffy's chest she could've sworn she saw a few tears go down his face.

"Come on! Come on!" Reed yelled as he continued, just when he was about to go to her mouth again Buffy jerked up and let out a gasp as she starting coming around.

"Thank God." Reed heard Giles say a few feet from him just as Buffy's eyes slowly came open.

"Xan...der." she said looking up into Reed's eyes before unconsciousness overcome her once again.

"What are you doing?" Giles asked as Reed removed his jacket and started rolling up his sleeve.

"She's lost alot of blood so I'm giving her a transfusion." Reed said and then continued before Giles could inturrept him, "Trust me." he said grabbing some things out of the first aid kit on the table.
============================================================


Scene:Four hours later, inside the master bedroom of the two story house



V-Buffy and V-Xander are lying in bed with the sheets up against them. V-Buffy is lying almost ontop of Xander as he has his arms around her.


Two lying in the arms of the ones they love. That is what everyone dreams of. It is just the way it is supposed to be.


"That wasn't the way it was supposed to be." V-Buffy said in a rejected manner as she rests her head against Xander's shoulder.

"I know, I'm sorry honey." Xander said as he stared up at the ceiling while stroking her blond hair.

They had been lying here for about ten minutes now. Just the two of them taking in each other.

V-Buffy grumbled beside him, "It's just...I wanted it to be special. Willow with her necked slashed over there in the corner, Giles chained up against the wall. That *bitch* drained at my feet. You know, special."

"Don't worry it'll all get better." Xander said as he continued to stare up at the ceiling.

V-Buffy sits up with a smile on her face. As she sits up the sheet falls down exposing her flesh, but just enough to make Xander want to howl as she leans in towards his face, "You promise?" she says in a honey laced voice.

"I promise." he said just as she leans in and kisses him roughly. Xander returns the kiss with more passion as his momentum pushes them down to the other end of the bed as V-Buffy is now under him. Somehow they are still wrapped up in the sheets, except for Xander's back which is slightly exposed, as he lays on top of her while they continue to kiss. You can hear the growls of passion throughout the house as they start to lose themselves in each other's arms, until...


Drip

Drip

Drip

Drip


"Xaaaander...mmmm...Xander." V-Buffy says in between passionate kisses.

Xander continues his rampage on her as he nips at her neck with his fangs, drawing blood and a gasp from V-Buffy. Despite this, V-Buffy somehow manages to get Xander's attention, "Xander, honey you have to stop. Xander!" she screams as her vamp visage comes to the surface.

Xander stops, but only to growl at her playfully, "I like it when you scream." he says until he sees the look on her face. Even through the vamp visage he can see her pouty expression, "What?"

"He's dripping again." V-Buffy says in a frustrated manner.

Xander felt something cold hit his back and roll down it "Damnit! I thought you drained him the last time." he said looking at her for an answer.

"Well, I would have, but he's cold now and I don't do cold." She said with a pout as her face changed back into her human visage before smiling up at him in a playful way, "Well, I didn't use to." she said grabbing Xander's head and forcing him down to her lips as she continued where they left off.

As the howls of passion start up once again, we descend towards the ceiling as we see the man that was fighting them earlier hung upside down as the last drop of blood left in his body drops from his neck wounds down to Xander's back, but it's still not enough to distract him from his duty to his sire.
====================================