Revive
We are connected
by the thinnest lines
often unseen and unfelt,
but they are of tungsten steel
so many and strong.
Our stupidity insists we ignore them all.
What demon in us
demands only lies,
demands we are alone?
Paradox' by Joseph Lisowski
Buffy knelt by her mother's side, her hands numb as she tried to take a pulse, but she couldn't feel anything. Her fingers wandered over the two puncture wounds on her mom's neck and her stomach gave a heave. No, she needed to stay focused.
Quickly she pulled her mother up into a sitting position and clamped a hand over the wounds. She slid one arm around the small of her mother's back, and the other under her knees. Joyce's skirt road up a little and Buffy saw something else.
Scrawled into her mother's thigh with a knife was one word that wept blood; SOON.
This time Buffy couldn't stop herself. She turned away and emptied the contents of her stomach onto the floor. Once the nausea had subsided and all that was left was the taste of bile in her throat, she made her was shakily with her mother down the stairs. All that she could think about was getting her mother to the safety of a hospital and then killing the person who did this.
Not a person. A thing.
It didn't occur to her to ring 911, that was just for emergencies, and this wasn't one. Her mother was going to be fine.
When she reached the bottom of the stairs, carefully avoiding books and pencils, there was a knock on the door. She stared in the direction of the sound without really registering it. More knocks. And these were more urgent.
Buffy stepped forward, her mother still cradled in her arms, even if she was getting heavy, and pulled the door open. Standing on the front steps was Spike, pacing back and forth.
Buffy said weakly.
Spike took in the scene before him for a split second before stepping forward to help. He banged against the barrier and looked at Buffy pleadingly.
Buffy stared at the Vampire blankly, not because she didn't know what he wanted, but because she didn't know why he was helping. Hadn't his kind done this?
Come on, Slayer, we can take her to the hospital in my car... Spike said urgently, gesturing behind him to the blacked out DeSoto.
Buffy began to question, but she was already moving forward. Hospital sounded like a good idea after all. Once she'd stepped out of the house Spike pulled the door shut and started to help her with Joyce. He found her placing more on him until she was left with free arms and he was sagging under the woman's full weight.
Buffy hurried forward and pulled open once of the back doors to the car. Spike, as gently as he could, placed the Slayer's mom in the back seat. He was already regretting saying that he'd help, but he couldn't very well take it back now.
Buffy leapt into the front passenger seat glared at Spike until he climbed into the drivers side. Buffy turned dangerously in her seat and leant forward to keep a hand on her mother's neck. The gesture was only an afterthought, no blood was escaping from the wound anymore.
Spike only looked at the Slayer once through the whole journey, consoling wasn't his forte and he had no words of comfort to offer the distraught young girl. Instead he concentrated on the road and dodging traffic to get to the hospital. Several cars had honked at them only to be flipped off by Spike before he continued to plough through the rows of vehicles.
Once they reached the emergency entrance to the hospital Buffy was breathing strangely and her hands were shaking. Still she jumped out of the car and grabbed her mother under the arms. Spike got out quickly to help her, taking the woman's legs and helping Buffy carry her into the hospital. Forgetting about his car almost instantly.
Three people burst out of the doors, from the looks of it a doctor and two nurses, wheeling a gurney with them.
What's wrong with her?
Sh-She's lost a lot of blood... was all that Buffy could say as she placed her mother down on the bed. The three men looked at each other knowingly before beginning to wheel the limp woman inside. Buffy followed, distraught suddenly as the hospital surroundings pushed their way into her consciousness.
Uh, miss, you're going to have to let us work... You can wait over there...
Miss! You really can't come in here.
Please, miss, you're going to have to stay out here...
Spike watched as the three men tried desperately to pry Buffy away from her mother before they entered the trauma room. Slayer strength won every time. Finally he stepped forward and clamped his hands onto her shoulders forcefully.
Slayer! You can't help you mom like that... Let them do their jobs...
The men hurried away after shooting Spike a grateful look, they disappeared behind two sets of doors and then around a corner. After a moment of just staring Buffy turned towards Spike. Her eyes were filling steadily with tears.
She stepped forward and Spike took a panicked step backwards. Either she was going to beat him up or cry on his shoulder, and he didn't want either. He still didn't know why he was here. Dru had been steadfast in her convictions to stay with Angelus, so why didn't he just snap the girl's neck and leave Sunnyhell for somewhere less... complicated?
Buffy felt the moisture trickling down her face but couldn't even gather the strength to wipe it away. She was conflicted, should she stay or should she take revenge. On top of that she'd just tried to cry on a Vampire's shoulder. Things were so confusing.
Look.. uh... Why don't you call your mates... I'll wait over here... Spike gestured to a few empty chairs and Buffy nodded. He didn't know why he had bothered to tell the Slayer where he would be, or more to the point why she would care. But as she walked away he felt compelled to sit down and wait for her return.
***
Willow chewed on the end of her pencil as she read through the final Math problem again. It wasn't as if it was hard, but was it something that Buffy would put? She knew that her friend wanted all of the problems done right, but Willow really didn't want to be caught out by using too complex language or anything.
Not that Buffy was stupid.
Willow bit down harder on the wood until the little rubber broke off in her mouth. Ugh. She should be out with her boyfriend, not in doing someone else's Math homework. But said boyfriend was AWOL still, and it was worrying. Perhaps he'd found someone else, someone blond and curvy. No. Her and Oz had something, but she wasn't sure what it was. Or even if she was feeling the same thing that he was. Maybe it was more serious for her than it was for him.
She sighed and closed the book, Buffy would just have to live with the consequences of Willow doing her homework. She stretched and stood up, reaching for the glass of water that lived beside her bed.
The telephone rang.
Sighing again, more dramatically this time, she reached for the receiver.
Oh... Hi Buffy... I'm doing your--
Willow's eyes widened and her mouth was suspended open as she listened to her best friend speak.
***
By the time Buffy had walked back into the waiting room Xander and Cordelia had already arrived. They both hugged Buffy but had no words to say that were comforting, their presence would have to be enough.
Do you know anything yet, Buff?
No... They won't tell me, anything...
I'm sure she'll be fine. Both friends looked at each others and knew that wasn't the case, but Buffy nodded anyway.
Cordelia, uncomfortable in the silence, glanced around the waiting room. She took in white furnishings to match the walls, a small pile of magazines and plastic plants. As she turned around she noted the only other person in the room--
Holy crap!
What the HELL is he doing here?
Xander had spotted Spike at the exact same moment and begun storming forward, his face a mask of anger for the Vampire, or just Vampire's in general. Spike barely had time to straighten up against the wall before Buffy's hand grabbed Xander's shoulder and held him back.
He helped me get mom here, Xander.
That's great. Why is he here?
What? I just--
I know. I know. He helped, but why is he still here? Hanging around and gloating?
The last question was directed straight at Spike, but the Vampire seemed to be totally ignoring Xander and was instead staring at Buffy. The Slayer racked her brain for an excuse, though she wasn't sure why.
I... He's here just in case, that thing comes by and attacks.. us.
Xander paused and then turned away from Spike, ignoring his presence once more, You think we'll need him? And do you think Angel will come?
I don't-- I'm not sure. I just want to be careful..
At that moment Willow rushed in, she flung herself first into Buffy's arms and then Xander's. After pulling back she began to ask,
Do you...
No, Will, nothing yet..
Willow nodded and glanced around the room, Hey Cordelia. she offered quietly to the brunette who nodded in return. The she saw Spike. Her eyes darted quickly from Buffy then back to Spike. Slowly her mouth turned down and her brow furrowed.
What's he...
Apparently we need him. Xander butted in, he explained before looking at the Vampire, Silent protection.
Spike gave Xander the finger, causing Buffy to stalk over to him. She lowered her voice dangerously until only a Vampire could have heard what she said. Surprisingly her words weren't as angry as her face suggested to her friends.
Spike. Please. Behave. I want you to stay. But if you can't restrain yourself I'm gonna kick your ass out of here myself.
Spike nodded and to show his obedience restrained' himself from smirking,
Right, Slayer.
Buffy was having a strange sense of deja vu, back to the previous year when she'd found the bleeding body of her mother in Angel's arms. She'd not staked him then, and at the time it was apparently the right thing to do. But now she wished she had. She wished that she had seen what everyone else had, that Angel was a Vampire, and not to be trusted. Soul or no soul. It kinda put a new spin on the things she'd just said to Spike, but she was too angry to correct herself.
Giles pushed his way into the waiting room. He looked dishevelled, hair sticking up in inappropriate places and an unshaved look to his face. But still he grabbed Buffy as soon as he spotted her and pulled her into a hug. She hugged back, ignoring the smell of alcohol on his clothes.
He nodded and his eyes immediately settled on Spike.
Buffy yelled at the same time, already seeing the question coming, He's here because I ask--told him to be. In case Angel arrives. End of discussion.
Buffy. We don't need him.
I SAID--
The door opened an a slightly nervous doctor walked in, stopping Buffy's words in her throat even as they formed. Her mouth hung open for a moment before shutting and she turned her body fully towards the young man. He was too young to be a doctor, she decided, far too young.
Uh, Miss Summers? The man questioned, his voice even more nervous than his appearance.
Yes. Is--IS my mother all right? She's all right, right?
Uh, your mother came in with extensive neck wounds.. She had lost a lot of blood--
I KNOW what was wrong with her. Just tell me she's all right. Tell me... Just, tell me.
We were able to repair the damage to her throat...
What is this, some kind of game to you? I ask how my mother is, if she's dead or alive, and all you can do is pretend like you're on ER or something. WHAT HAPPENED?
The man took a few steps back, I wasn't aware no-one had.. Uh.. Your mother is going to be fine. She'll have to stay in hospital for a while to replenish her blood, but other than that there should be no other complications.
Thank God..
Can I see her?
She's sleeping at the moment. I'm sorry, I really have to... The man gestured to the door before rushing out.
Buffy turned to her friends, the smile on her face mixed with tears. One by one they hugged her and were crushed by Slayer-strength happiness.
She's going to be all right.
And you'll be able to see her soon.
Soon but not now, Buffy's face fell for a moment before taking on a grim look, That's good. In fact that's great.
It'll give me a chance to kill that bastard before my mother even wakes up..
(Author's Note: La la la *sings a little song* Oh God. I'm sorry for the last two chapters. I'm planning on wrapping this story up around chapter twenty-five. But that really doesn't mean anything. Another thank you to all of my reviewers, I love you all. Kisses and such.)