Chapter 38 - Medical School
My heart is hammering in my chest as I drive. It's another one of those funny things that's left over from my 'military' experience. I'm driving and I know I'm doing my best to avoid pursuit. I'm glad Willow and Jenna managed some mojo on the van, because if they hadn't, I reckon it'd be riddled with holes by now. As it is, we've got two men in that state, and a woman in labour in the back of the van instead.
When I'm reasonably sure we're not being followed, I head into town, and out the other side. Willow tells me she's done a glamour on the van, so it doesn't still match any description that's been circulated. I'm really glad she's on our side.
Now, I've just got to find my way to Dr. Chan. After Willow got the call from Riley, she contacted the good doctor. I think she was thinking in terms of getting Buffy checked out after her ordeal, but it looks like the need is rather more urgent than that.
I've tried to see what's happening in the back a couple of times, but I just get yelled at to keep my eyes on the road. I know Willow's busy, and I've had quite a few demands to keep the van steady, but sometimes you can have fast and sneaky, or you can have steady, and I'm going for fast and sneaky.
The directions Dr. Chan gave us take us out of town of a road that's obviously not often used. The house, when we get there, seems too small to accommodate our group, let alone the others we've been told are there. A number of - I don't know - demons, I suppose, file out of the house, and within moments, Buffy and the wounded are unloaded and taken inside. Another one, and I'd swear he's a relative of Clem, has taken the keys to the van, insisting that he needs to hide it. I follow everyone inside, and I'm in for another surprise.
The single-roomed shack is a cover for something rather larger. No, it's not on the scale of the Initiative, or the Defenders, but it's surprising, just the same. Now's not the time for questions, though. Dr. Chan meets us with a worried look as Buffy is helped down into the basement where there's a makeshift surgery She's closely following whoever's carrying an unconscious Spike, and holding onto Giles for support. The doctor was expecting Buffy, and I suppose the others are not really in her line. Despite that, she's soon shouting orders and two further makeshift beds appear, and the wounded are laid on them. Willow takes that as her cue, and approaches Riley. I can see Buffy's reaction to that, and she's obviously not happy, but logically, Riley's the more likely to die from a gunshot wound.
I won't even pretend to understand what she does then. Even Jenna looks impressed, but then again, that could be worried. She's removed the bullet from Riley's back, and then left the good doctor's army of helpers to dress the remaining wound, small as it is.
Buffy refused to lie down, hovering instead over Spike. Once she's assured herself that Willow was dealing with the others, Dr. Chan started trying to check Buffy over, although that can't be easy when Buffy won't sit down. As Willow approaches Spike's bed, Buffy is forced to bend over the bed for support as another contraction overtakes her. The doctor gives up on the examination, and places a hand on Buffy's back.
"How long between contractions?" she asks. Buffy doesn't answer, but Giles does.
"That's three minutes," he says, checking his watch.
"Ok, Buffy, as soon as this contraction passes, I'm going to get you into bed. I want to see how far along you are. Your friend seems to know what she's doing, although I have to admit I haven't got a clue. She'll see to Spike. You've got to concentrate on you and the baby."
As the contraction passes, Buffy is dragged reluctantly away from Spike. Willow continues her work, and after a few minutes, she has finished. Spike's obviously lost quite a lot of blood, and I notice that someone is setting up a transfusion for Riley.
Once that's done, they go to Spike, ready to do the same thing. I realise that's not the best way to get blood into him, and tell them so.
"He'd be better drinking it," I offer.
They look up at me in surprise. One calls over to the doctor, who takes one glance at me and tells them to do as I ask. With what I assume is a shrug of the shoulder, I'm handed a blood bag. Well, I understand body language as well as the next man, but I don't speak demon.
Now, it's all very well knowing that he can drink it, but it's another to get the blood into him. I remember how Buffy did it last time, and do I have to comment on how often it seems someone is having to save Spike's life? I find some scissors and cut open a corner of the bag, allowing a small amount of blood to trickle onto my finger. As if that's not bad enough, I then offer said finger to the ex-vampire on the bed. Visions of my hand, minus a finger flit across my mind. Now, why did I have to remember his previous status right now? Probably because, emotionally, to me, that's what he'll always be.
After a few seconds, his mouth moves around my finger, his tongue rough as it removes every last bit. I repeat the exercise, and by the time he's had a half-dozen fingersfull, he's opening his eyes. That's enough for me. I motion to one of my surprised-looking spectators, and they help me to pull him to a sitting position. He downs the rest of the bag under his own steam in less time than I'd have believed possible. When it's empty, his face changes. No, it's not a vampire type change, just the change from semi-consciousness to full consciousness. As soon as it's complete, he's off the bed, gasping as the pain from a couple of bullet holes makes itself known.
"Buffy?" he asks, and I point over to the other bed where she's being examined. There's a makeshift screen been pulled around the bed, but that's not going to stop the expectant father. Giles is standing just my side of the screens, so I join him.
"How's she doing?" I ask.
"I have no idea," Giles replies. "I've studied a great many things, from science, and languages to literature, to say nothing of the arcane, but the mechanics of childbirth is one subject I'm afraid to say, about which I know next to nothing."
So, there is a subject on which I have more knowledge than Giles. I always thought there'd be one that didn't involve television in some way. Not that I'm an expert, of course, but I've done the human biology at school. Not that I routinely paid that much attention in biology class, but that part, following on so quickly after sex education, well that's pretty much ingrained on my mind. And does watching a video mean that it's also something that involves watching TV?
After a few minutes, the screens are parted, and Buffy is revealed, sitting on a bed, apparently well, and with Spike beside her, holding her hand. She's looking relieved.
"Well?" I ask.
"Everything's going as it should, and the baby should be born fairly soon," she answers, before her expression changes and I can see that another contraction has hit her.
The doctor then goes to check on Riley. She seems happy with what she's seen, so I ask her about this place.
"It's a medical school," she answers.
Now, I didn't expect to hear that.
"Local demons need to be able to have treatment for injury just like humans do. Unfortunately, local hospitals won't admit them. I started treating a few who had human-like physiology, but soon that wasn't enough. I managed to put together a group of the most knowledgeable of the non-aggressive species in the area, and we set up this place, to teach others how to treat the injured. It's grown over the few years since I started it, and I've been able to put together a team that can treat most eventualities. I came here when my office was raided so I didn't have to let down my most vulnerable patients. Of course, the completely human have alternative recourse to treatment. Others don't. After the raid, we've instituted a security system of sorts. It pretty much involves having all the roads in the area watched, but it's the best we can do."
The way she describes it, it's so simple, so obvious, that I can't help but wonder why I never considered the existence of medical facilities for demons before now. I guess I'm still learning just how complex the creatures I'd always dismissed as 'demons' really are.
The screens around Buffy have been re-instated, and Giles and I spot Jenna waiting just outside the main room. We go to join her, and I'm hit with a strange sort of déjà vu.
You know the old films, where the husband is banished out of the ward while his wife is having the baby - well, that's how I feel. Not that I really want to be in there - she's not my partner, and it's not my child, and eughhh. I remember enough of the video we saw to convince me I don't want to be there.
After a couple of minutes, Willow stops hovering too and joins us. There are some chairs - I suppose it's intended as a waiting room, and we sit there in a row, waiting to hear the news. Within a few moments, Willow's head is on my shoulder, and she's falling asleep. I guess bullet removal must be pretty exhausting.
