Chapter Four
Buffy walked back to the house on Revello Drive. She took her keys out of her purse and unlocked the door. It was Thursday, which meant her mother would be working until at least five. Buffy made herself a sandwich and sat at the kitchen island. Her house was so silent.
Once finished with her lunch, Buffy placed the plate in the dishwasher and made her way to the living room. She peered out the window. The sun shone high in the bright blue sky. There were no clouds in the sky. It was a gorgeous spring day. Everything looked so green, so beautiful, and so full of life. She laid on the couch and stared out of the window until she feel asleep.
"Buffy, Buffy? Are you all right?" Joyce Summers yelled to her daughter as she woke up.
"Mom." Was all she managed to say as she sat up still a little sleepy.
Joyce hugged her daughter, then just held her. Buffy started talking. "Mom, I'm sorry about last night. I had to leave, it was really important. I didn't mean to hurt you like I did last night."
"It's all right sweetheart. It's over and done with. We both said things last night that we regret and it's over. You're going to stop fighting vampires and-"
Buffy pulled away from here mother and looked at her. "Mom, don't you understand anything about hat happened last night? I don't just get to wake up and change my mind about this. This is my destiny, this is who I am. I can not change this, this is who I am, I can't quit."
"I'm sure if we-"
Buffy shock her head. "Mom, there is no way of changing this. The only way that a new slayer can be called is if I die, again."
Joyce didn't like the answers that her daughter was giving her. She also didn't like the idea that her daughter had died and she was never told about it. She thought that Buffy was certainly not a child any more but she wasn't an adult yet either. "Maybe I could talk to Mr. Giles and ge….get more information on what you are doing."
"Mom, they don't make a little informational pamphlet that says, 'how to deal with your child and her slayer duties.' Most slayers don't live with their families anyways. They go and train with their watchers."
"Well, if I can't get information on this, please tell me everything you know about this. Please quit pushing me out of your life and just tell me what you have been doing."
Buffy began to explain everything. She explained the occurrences in Los Angeles and talked about her first watcher, Merrick. She explained every up to the night before and that Angel was good again. "That's it mom, that's everything."
"Buffy that sounds like a horror movie. Are you sure you can't resign or elect someone else?"
"Buffy smiled at her mother. "If it were only that easy."
"And Angel-"
Buffy angrily interrupted her mother as she stood up. "He is alive and good now. Yes, I did sleep with him, once, just once. I'm sorry I did it because he changed and became evil, literally. He wasn't himself any more. He tried sucking the world into Hell and he hurt my friends. Please don't give me the safe sex talk now mom. I don't think I could handle that right now. "
Joyce stood up and put her arms around her daughter. "I was going to say he's back?"
Buffy wiped her eyes. " Yes and I don't know what to do. I don't want to think about that right now. I have to go out and do some errands now."
"Like patrolling?"
Buffy shock her head as a smile formed on her face. "I don't know how I feel about you knowing all of this. No, I don't think I am going to patrol tonight. I want to go to the hospital to see Willow and Giles and the butcher shop and then-"
"Butcher shop? Buffy I can pick up whatever you want to eat. You don't have to pick up your own groceries."
It took Buffy a minute to realize what her mother was talking about. She had been to the butcher shop so many times with Angel to get blood for him that she didn't realize her mother was actually talking about meat. "Mom, I need to get blood, for Angel."
"Right." Joyce said, pretending she knew what she was talking about. "Well, why don't we go to the hospital to see Willow and Mr. Giles and then-"
"Mom, I appreciate what you are trying to do, but I have to go by myself."
"Why? Are you just so used to doing everything on your own that you just don't want other people around?"
Buffy felt bad for her mother. She knew she wanted to help. "I'll compromise with you. You can come with me to the butcher shop and to the hospital but I have to see Angel on my own."
Joyce wasn't expecting Buffy to cave in that easily so she jumped on the opportunity. "All right Buffy, that is fair."
Both Summers women climbed into the hunter green Jeep Cherokee and headed towards the butcher shop before heading to the hospital.
After buying a few pints of blood, they beaded to the hospital next. Buffy stopped in the gift shop to buy balloons for Willow. She had six latex balloons and two foil ones that said, "Get Well Soon" with little flowers and butterflies and another one that had a dog that simply said, "I'm Sorry." Buffy was sorry for the way that she acted earlier that day with Xander.
As she and Joyce approached Willow's room, Buffy spotted Oz outside the door. The door was shut.
"Hey Oz," Buffy said as she introduced him to her mother. "What's going on? What's with the shut door?"
"It's all right, just medical talk with her parents. They are talking about releasing her tomorrow and the insurance and stuff."
The three stood in silence until Buffy talked. "You know, this afternoon was uncalled for. Willow is my best friend and the last thing I ever want to do is hurt her, especially as she is lying in a hospital room. Oz, I'm glad you cared enough for her and zapped me back to reality."
Before Oz could say anything, the door opened and the doctor walked out of the room. Willow was a little surprised to see Joyce with Buffy. Willow's parents and Joyce all went to the coffee shop.
"Thanks for the balloons Buffy, they're cute."
"Wil, I'm sorry about earlier with Xander, he just didn't let me explain. I understand-"
"Buffy, don't worry about it, it's over. Xander came by this afternoon and he also apologized. Look! He even brought me a stuffed Snoopy." Willow said as she smiled. She loved Snoopy. She and Xander used to watch the Peanuts specials on all the holidays. They still meet to watch at Xander's house every Christmas and watched "A Charlie Brown Christmas."
"That's nice Wil."
"It seems that you and Xander are the only people left to apologize to each other," Oz added.
"Yea but Buf, I'd give him a few days to get over his crankiness." Willow added.
"Your right but I'm not even going to think about it right now." Buffy paused before continuing. "So you are definitely going home tomorrow?"
Willow nodded. "Yea, at noon. The doctor said since I know what year it is and I know the president and I know my friends and family I have no real head trauma. I'm good to go, although my head feels kind of big but Oz tells me its head sized."
Oz kissed Willow's head. "It's a beautiful head size."
Buffy smiled at the pair. It was plain to see that Oz loved Willow.
"Buffy, do you mind if we go and see Giles? I would like to see him."
"Okay Wil but he wasn't looking to good when I saw him earlier."
"Why don't you two go and I'll wait here for your parental units." Oz suggested.
"Great, I'll call the nurse for a wheelchair."
"Wheelchair?" Buffy asked.
"Yea, don't worry, they just don't want me to walk around. It shouldn't take too long."
Within five minutes a nurse came with a wheelchair. Buffy pushed Willow to the elevator and began explaining in detail about how Giles' condition that morning. She also said how the nurse said he was going to be all right but he was in a lot of pain.
They got off of the elevator and made their way towards Giles' room. From the outside of the door they heard some stuffy classical music.
"Yep, this is Giles's room," Buffy commented as she opened the door.
When she opened the door, they noticed the light on as well Giles sitting up and reading a newspaper.
"Giles? Wow, what a difference from this morning." Buffy commented. She was very confused. Giles looked like death earlier that day and now he was sitting up and reading? She thought she was visiting with a completely different person from earlier that day. He looked so much better.
Giles put the paper down. "Yes, my doctor was completely amazed by my progress. He can't figure out how I improved so quickly."
"Do you know when you'll go home?"
"Oh, hello Willow. I could go home as early as Monday. How are you doing? When will you be released?"
"Tomorrow."
The three continued to chat. Both Giles and Willow looked and felt so much better in the short twenty-four hours time frame.
The three talked like nothing was wrong and that they were just chatting like old times.
"I'm sorry but visiting hours ended ten minutes ago. You two must leave now and let Mr. Giles get his rest." A cold nurse told them.
"Well, you heard the warrant officer, we have to go." Buffy commented.
"But we'll be back tomorrow." Will added.
"Yes, well then, I'll see you both tomorrow. Goodnight Willow, Buffy."
" Goodnight Giles." Both girls said in unison as they exited his room.
"Buffy, I didn't think he looked that bad."
"Wil, he didn't look like that when I left this morning. He had an oxygen mask on and had trouble breathing. It is so weird how much he has improved in just a little while." Buffy explained.
"Just be thankful he's going to be all right."
Buffy and Willow continued to discuss how fast Giles had been recovering as they entered her room. Mr. And Mrs. Rosenberg and Joyce waited in the room with OZ while the girls visited with Giles.
Joyce, Buffy and Oz said goodnight to Willow and her family and then walked out of the hospital together.