Spike stood motionless in the doorway, staring with disbelieving eyes at the tiny form lying in the bed in front of him. She looked so… broken. Her hair hung limply, her skin was pale and her lips blue. The tubes running through her nose bothered him, but the one running down her throat almost made him vomit. He remembered vaguely that one of the doctors said that if they took her off the respirators she most likely wouldn't be able to breath on her own.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he took a step in, the heavy sound of his boots on the tile merging with the endless beeping machines surrounding the fragile Slayer. He approached the bed, careful not to touch any of the machines. His shoulder brushed against the I.V. bag and he squinted at the label. Morphine. Great, not only had he nearly killed her, he had made her a druggie too.

Drawing his attention from the I.V., he looked down at her. He felt his eyes well up once more and it took all of his energy not to curl up and start crying again. God, what had she done to him? Nothing but a nancy boy like Peaches…

Silently, he grabbed one of the two metal chairs from along the wall and pulled it up to the side of the bed. He set it backwards, swinging his legs over the sides and resting his arms on the back of it. For a few moments he just sat there, staring at her motionless form.

"I'm sorry, Buffy…" he finally mumbled, reaching over and running a hand softly over her hair. "I'm so sorry…"

He partially expected her to wake up and yell at him for apologizing. She always hated when he apologized to her. But not this time. She just lay there, all the life drained from her. Sniffling, Spike pushed the chair he was sitting in to the side and spun himself around. Wrapping his hand around hers, he laid his head down on the side of the bed and closed his eyes.

---------

"The longer she's asleep, the less chance we have of getting her back."

Willow held Dawn's hand tightly as they listened to the doctor speak. Hope was sitting a few chairs down, curled up, with her head resting against the wall. She was listening, her eyes locked vacantly on the wall opposite of her.

"If she's not awake by tomorrow, we're going to try to take her off of the respirators. That might shock her system enough to wake her up." The doctor continued, his face emotionless.

"And if it doesn't?" Dawn asked, suddenly sounding a bit frantic.

"It's the only option we have, Ms. Summers. As of now, the chances of her pulling out of this on her own are slim to none. If we don't try something soon, she may never come out of her coma…"

"But what if it doesn't work? What if she doesn't wake up when you take her off of the machines?" the young Summers demanded, her grip on Willow's hand tightening.

"Isn't there any other way?" Willow asked hopefully.

"I'm sorry, but it's the only option we have. I'll let you know if there are any changes in her condition. Until then, you'd be best to get some sleep, there's nothing else you can do." He said, his voice barely holding a touch of sympathy. Giving the girls a halfhearted smile, he turned and walked back down the hallway, leaving them in the gloomy waiting room.

----------

"… you'll get through this. I know you will. I love you, Buffy. I love you so much…" Spike was mumbling absently, his head still resting alongside the Slayer's arm as he brushed his thumb over her hand. "Please don't leave me. I need you, Summers…"

"Sir?"

"God, I need you…"

"Sir."

Spike jumped when he felt the hand on his shoulder, his head shooting up. He found the doctor staring down at him, his eyebrows raised.

"You have to leave now, sir."

Spike shook his head numbly, returning his gaze to the small blonde on the bed. "Can't. I can't leave her alone again…"

"Sir, you really need to…"

"Please?" He pleaded, turning to look at the doctor with red eyes.

For a moment he just stared at the blonde, his face sour. Then he sighed, glancing down at his watch. "You have five minutes..." He said quietly, turning to make his way out of the room.

Five minutes? That was it? That wasn't enough time. He couldn't leave her alone. Not again. Looking back down at the Slayer, Spike sniffled, tightening his hold on her hand. "Please luv, please. Wake up. Oh God, please wake up…" He trailed off, his head sinking down as tears began to stream from his eyes once more. "Please, pet, please…" He mumbled, burying his head into her shoulder.

----------

"We have a code red in room 203! Someone call the doctor!"

Willow and Dawn both looked up as the nurse poked her head around the corner of the hallway, shouting orders to the receptionist before quickly dashing away again.

"That's Buffy's room…" Dawn mumbled, shooting up from her seat. "Oh God…"

"Someone get the doctor!" another nurse shouted, cutting through the waiting room and heading towards the hallway. She noticed Dawn and Willow rising to their feet and pointed at them warningly. "If you want us to help her, stay here!"

They both froze, watching as the stout woman disappeared down the corridor. Willow sank slowly back down into her seat, wrapping her arms tightly around her chest. Dawn just stood there, tears running unnoticed down her face.

Hope took off down the hallway.