"I can't believe this!" Xander cried frantically. "We just left her there!"
Buffy put a hand on his shoulder. "Xander, the crowd was too big, you couldn't reach her."
"Yes, I could have!" he shouted back in her face.
Spike stepped between the two. "Harris, for all you know, Red's probably out somewhere looking for us. There's no way you could have checked the whole student body."
"He's right," agreed Buffy.
"No, he's not," Xander retorted. "I've known Willow practically forever! She's not okay! I can feel it."
"Are you sure it's not just you? You're pretty freaked-out right now."
"Of course I am! I just left my best friend to die in a fire!"
Buffy gritted her teeth. "Xander, I'm not saying this aga-"
"There's someone in there!" someone cried. "A girl!"
Three firemen who had come with the trucks took huge axes and started chopping at the door.
Xander looked up at Buffy with wide eyes. "She's in there. By herself." He looked at the ground. "And we just got through saying we'd stick together through anything."
Buffy put a hand on his shoulder. "Xander, it's not your-"
She was cut off yet again by another voice shouting, "They got her!"
Xander's head shot up.
A firemen in a huge yellow suit came out with a limp Willow in his arms. Her face was wet and had soot from the smoke smeared on her face.
The three ran over to the ambulance.
"Stay back," ordered a paramedic to the gathering crowd. "She needs air."
The paramedic laid her on a stretcher in the ambulance and promptly placed a mask over her mouth and nose.
"Her arm is injured," another paramedic stated. "Fracture, possibly broken."
Just then, Willow's eyes shot open and she started to cough.
"Willow!" Xander cried, reaching over the medic to grab her.
"Son, stay back," he ordered.
"Xander," she coughed.
Willow tried to sit up, but the medic pushed her back down.
"Whoa, miss. You're not going anywhere."
"Xander," she whispered weakly.
The medic looked back at the frantic teen, then to the injured one. Sighing, he motioned for Xander to get in.
"You can ride with us to the hospital."
Xander quickly jumped on and took a seat next to Willow. Tears started streaming down his face.
"Oh, God, Will, I'm so sorry. I just left you. I should have went back. We promised we wouldn't do anything alone and I broke that promise. . ."
Willow smiled gently. "It's okay, Xan. You did your best. Maybe they'll even let us out of school a day early."
Xander took a seep shaky breath and smiled.
"Okay, Son, you're going to have to move and let us do our job," the medic told him.
Xander moved to the stretcher opposite of Willow and watched the medics start to clean her up.
Once they reached the hospital, the doctors made Xander stay in the waiting room while they took x-rays of Willow's arm and ankle. Xander took a seat on the couch and put his head in his hands.
"Xander!" he heard someone call. He looked up in time to see Buffy wrap him in a big hug, making him fall back on the couch. Though slightly stunned, he slowly hugged her back.
Anya, Spike, and Joyce both came in after her.
"How is she?" Joyce asked calmly.
"I don't know," Xander told her. "They're getting her x-rays done."
"Have you called Oz?" Anya asked.
"God, I completely forgot."
"I'll give 'im a call," Spike offered, walking to the nearest payphone.
Buffy moved from Xander and sat back on the couch. "You were right."
Xander looked over. "I was?"
She nodded. Tears started to sting the back of her eyes. "We should have never left her."
He put a hand on her arm. "It's okay, Buff. I saw her. She's okay."
Just then, a doctor came into the room.
"Willow Rosenburg?" he questioned.
Xander nodded.
"How is she?" Joyce asked.
"Well, she has a minor fracture in her arm. She'll have to wear a cast for a couple of weeks. Her ankle is little more serious. She broke it in three places. She'll have to wear that cast. . . just about all summer. I recommend her to ride in a wheelchair, just because of the plain fact that you can't use crutches with a cast on your arm. Are her parents here?"
"No," Buffy answered.
"They're out of town," explained Xander.
"I see. Well, then. She'll have to stay with someone until her parents arrive."
"What about Oz?" Buffy asked Xander.
Xander looked down. "That would probably be the best."
"He should be here in a bit," Spike said, coming back over.
"I'll take care of the paperwork," Joyce offered.
"Can we see her?" Buffy asked.
The doctor thought for a moment before nodding. "Sure. She should be back in her room right now. Come on, I'll lead you there."
They followed the doctor through the starch white halls and past several rooms.
"Here we are," the doctor said finally, stopping in front of a door.
The gang filed into Willow's room. She looked up as they came in and smiled brightly.
"Hey guys! Look! I got a cast for everyone to sign!" She waved her arm in the air. "Well, actually, I got two, but I can't really move that one right now."
Xander leaned over and gave Willow a hug. "How you doing?"
Willow shrugged as he moved back. "I'm good. Except for the big bruise on my back and the two casts on my arm and foot."
This time Buffy gave her a hug. "Do you need anything? Can we make you comfortable?"
"I think I'm pretty comfortable right now."
Xander gave Anya a nudge. Anya sighed before giving her a small and brief hug.
Buffy kicked Spike, who was behind her, in the shin. He grunted and glared at her.
"Oh, come on," Willow said playfully, holding out her arms. "Don't I get a hug from you, too?"
He shook his head and gave her a hug.
"That's better," Willow observed.
Just then, Oz appeared at the door.
"Oz!" Willow cried.
He was at her side in a second. "Hey, baby. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Look," she held up her arm, "I got a cool new cast for everyone to sign."
"How bad is it?"
"Just a fracture. But, my ankle is broken in three places. I have to wear this cast all summer," Willow pouted. Then her face brightened. "I get to ride in a wheelchair! You can push me around and everything."
He smiled. "That's great."
"Hey, Oz," Xander spoke. "She needs a place to stay until her parents get back in town. We were thinking you could-"
"I'll do it."
"Great. That's settled."
"Are you sure you won't need any help?" Buffy asked. "Cause I can always cancel my trip to LA."
"You had better not," Willow protested. "You go have a good summer. Oz'll take care of poor ol' me."
Buffy smiled.
"They canceled the last day of school," Anya pointed out. "I heard Snyder talking."
"Oh," Willow said in a disappointed tone. "Now I can't make sure everyone signs my cast."
"Don't worry," Oz assured. "We can get you some signatures."
Just then, a doctor came in. "Well, Miss Rosenburg, you are free to go. Not much we can do except see you in six weeks."
Joyce did any paperwork while Oz pushed Willow out to his van. Buffy, Spike, Xander, and Anya followed behind him.
"You sure you'll be okay this summer?" Buffy asked as Spike lifted Willow into the passenger seat and Oz put the wheelchair in the back.
"I'll be fine," Willow smiled. "I've got all these big manly guys to help me if I need it."
"And me," Anya added.
"And Anya."
"Well, I don't know if I'll get to see you tomorrow, so let's go ahead and say good-bye now."
Buffy gave Willow a huge hug.
"I'll miss you," Willow said.
"Me, too."
"Send postcards."
"Will do."
Oz slammed the back door closed. "Ready?"
"Yep," Willow replied. "Let's roll."
Buffy closed Willow's door. "Bye, Will. See you in a couple of months."
"Bye!"
Buffy watched as they drove off. She turned back to Spike, Anya, and Xander.
"You guys gonna miss me, too?" she asked.
"Of course, Buff," Xander said. "We'll always miss you."
"I'll miss you, I guess," Anya added.
Buffy rolled her eyes and turned to Spike. "What about you? You've been Mr. Quiet Guy all afternoon. What's on your mind?"
He grinned. "Just thinking of how bored I'll be over the summer knowing you're two hours away."
"Only a phone call."
He touched her cheek. "But I can't touch you." Then he leaned down and kissed her soundly. "Or taste you."
Anya and Xander walked off.
Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck in a limp hug. "I'll be back after summer's over."
"I'll count down the days," he said, grinning.
She smiled back. "Come on. Let's go get Mom and go home. It's been a long day."
"That it has."
))))))))))~*End Sophomore Year*~((((((((((
TBC...
Buffy put a hand on his shoulder. "Xander, the crowd was too big, you couldn't reach her."
"Yes, I could have!" he shouted back in her face.
Spike stepped between the two. "Harris, for all you know, Red's probably out somewhere looking for us. There's no way you could have checked the whole student body."
"He's right," agreed Buffy.
"No, he's not," Xander retorted. "I've known Willow practically forever! She's not okay! I can feel it."
"Are you sure it's not just you? You're pretty freaked-out right now."
"Of course I am! I just left my best friend to die in a fire!"
Buffy gritted her teeth. "Xander, I'm not saying this aga-"
"There's someone in there!" someone cried. "A girl!"
Three firemen who had come with the trucks took huge axes and started chopping at the door.
Xander looked up at Buffy with wide eyes. "She's in there. By herself." He looked at the ground. "And we just got through saying we'd stick together through anything."
Buffy put a hand on his shoulder. "Xander, it's not your-"
She was cut off yet again by another voice shouting, "They got her!"
Xander's head shot up.
A firemen in a huge yellow suit came out with a limp Willow in his arms. Her face was wet and had soot from the smoke smeared on her face.
The three ran over to the ambulance.
"Stay back," ordered a paramedic to the gathering crowd. "She needs air."
The paramedic laid her on a stretcher in the ambulance and promptly placed a mask over her mouth and nose.
"Her arm is injured," another paramedic stated. "Fracture, possibly broken."
Just then, Willow's eyes shot open and she started to cough.
"Willow!" Xander cried, reaching over the medic to grab her.
"Son, stay back," he ordered.
"Xander," she coughed.
Willow tried to sit up, but the medic pushed her back down.
"Whoa, miss. You're not going anywhere."
"Xander," she whispered weakly.
The medic looked back at the frantic teen, then to the injured one. Sighing, he motioned for Xander to get in.
"You can ride with us to the hospital."
Xander quickly jumped on and took a seat next to Willow. Tears started streaming down his face.
"Oh, God, Will, I'm so sorry. I just left you. I should have went back. We promised we wouldn't do anything alone and I broke that promise. . ."
Willow smiled gently. "It's okay, Xan. You did your best. Maybe they'll even let us out of school a day early."
Xander took a seep shaky breath and smiled.
"Okay, Son, you're going to have to move and let us do our job," the medic told him.
Xander moved to the stretcher opposite of Willow and watched the medics start to clean her up.
Once they reached the hospital, the doctors made Xander stay in the waiting room while they took x-rays of Willow's arm and ankle. Xander took a seat on the couch and put his head in his hands.
"Xander!" he heard someone call. He looked up in time to see Buffy wrap him in a big hug, making him fall back on the couch. Though slightly stunned, he slowly hugged her back.
Anya, Spike, and Joyce both came in after her.
"How is she?" Joyce asked calmly.
"I don't know," Xander told her. "They're getting her x-rays done."
"Have you called Oz?" Anya asked.
"God, I completely forgot."
"I'll give 'im a call," Spike offered, walking to the nearest payphone.
Buffy moved from Xander and sat back on the couch. "You were right."
Xander looked over. "I was?"
She nodded. Tears started to sting the back of her eyes. "We should have never left her."
He put a hand on her arm. "It's okay, Buff. I saw her. She's okay."
Just then, a doctor came into the room.
"Willow Rosenburg?" he questioned.
Xander nodded.
"How is she?" Joyce asked.
"Well, she has a minor fracture in her arm. She'll have to wear a cast for a couple of weeks. Her ankle is little more serious. She broke it in three places. She'll have to wear that cast. . . just about all summer. I recommend her to ride in a wheelchair, just because of the plain fact that you can't use crutches with a cast on your arm. Are her parents here?"
"No," Buffy answered.
"They're out of town," explained Xander.
"I see. Well, then. She'll have to stay with someone until her parents arrive."
"What about Oz?" Buffy asked Xander.
Xander looked down. "That would probably be the best."
"He should be here in a bit," Spike said, coming back over.
"I'll take care of the paperwork," Joyce offered.
"Can we see her?" Buffy asked.
The doctor thought for a moment before nodding. "Sure. She should be back in her room right now. Come on, I'll lead you there."
They followed the doctor through the starch white halls and past several rooms.
"Here we are," the doctor said finally, stopping in front of a door.
The gang filed into Willow's room. She looked up as they came in and smiled brightly.
"Hey guys! Look! I got a cast for everyone to sign!" She waved her arm in the air. "Well, actually, I got two, but I can't really move that one right now."
Xander leaned over and gave Willow a hug. "How you doing?"
Willow shrugged as he moved back. "I'm good. Except for the big bruise on my back and the two casts on my arm and foot."
This time Buffy gave her a hug. "Do you need anything? Can we make you comfortable?"
"I think I'm pretty comfortable right now."
Xander gave Anya a nudge. Anya sighed before giving her a small and brief hug.
Buffy kicked Spike, who was behind her, in the shin. He grunted and glared at her.
"Oh, come on," Willow said playfully, holding out her arms. "Don't I get a hug from you, too?"
He shook his head and gave her a hug.
"That's better," Willow observed.
Just then, Oz appeared at the door.
"Oz!" Willow cried.
He was at her side in a second. "Hey, baby. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Look," she held up her arm, "I got a cool new cast for everyone to sign."
"How bad is it?"
"Just a fracture. But, my ankle is broken in three places. I have to wear this cast all summer," Willow pouted. Then her face brightened. "I get to ride in a wheelchair! You can push me around and everything."
He smiled. "That's great."
"Hey, Oz," Xander spoke. "She needs a place to stay until her parents get back in town. We were thinking you could-"
"I'll do it."
"Great. That's settled."
"Are you sure you won't need any help?" Buffy asked. "Cause I can always cancel my trip to LA."
"You had better not," Willow protested. "You go have a good summer. Oz'll take care of poor ol' me."
Buffy smiled.
"They canceled the last day of school," Anya pointed out. "I heard Snyder talking."
"Oh," Willow said in a disappointed tone. "Now I can't make sure everyone signs my cast."
"Don't worry," Oz assured. "We can get you some signatures."
Just then, a doctor came in. "Well, Miss Rosenburg, you are free to go. Not much we can do except see you in six weeks."
Joyce did any paperwork while Oz pushed Willow out to his van. Buffy, Spike, Xander, and Anya followed behind him.
"You sure you'll be okay this summer?" Buffy asked as Spike lifted Willow into the passenger seat and Oz put the wheelchair in the back.
"I'll be fine," Willow smiled. "I've got all these big manly guys to help me if I need it."
"And me," Anya added.
"And Anya."
"Well, I don't know if I'll get to see you tomorrow, so let's go ahead and say good-bye now."
Buffy gave Willow a huge hug.
"I'll miss you," Willow said.
"Me, too."
"Send postcards."
"Will do."
Oz slammed the back door closed. "Ready?"
"Yep," Willow replied. "Let's roll."
Buffy closed Willow's door. "Bye, Will. See you in a couple of months."
"Bye!"
Buffy watched as they drove off. She turned back to Spike, Anya, and Xander.
"You guys gonna miss me, too?" she asked.
"Of course, Buff," Xander said. "We'll always miss you."
"I'll miss you, I guess," Anya added.
Buffy rolled her eyes and turned to Spike. "What about you? You've been Mr. Quiet Guy all afternoon. What's on your mind?"
He grinned. "Just thinking of how bored I'll be over the summer knowing you're two hours away."
"Only a phone call."
He touched her cheek. "But I can't touch you." Then he leaned down and kissed her soundly. "Or taste you."
Anya and Xander walked off.
Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck in a limp hug. "I'll be back after summer's over."
"I'll count down the days," he said, grinning.
She smiled back. "Come on. Let's go get Mom and go home. It's been a long day."
"That it has."
))))))))))~*End Sophomore Year*~((((((((((
TBC...