The Elements Series is set immediately after 'And It Rained…' So you must read that first! Also, this fic isn't pure Buffy/Spike - Willow/Kennedy, Willow/Tara, Xander/Anya and hints of Dawn/Andrew are also included. Others will appear later on too, and I'm open to ANY suggestions to improve the fic! (though I completely draw the line at B/A or Riley returning - lol)
Distribution: Just let me know please! Disclaimer: Joss Whedon owns all the characters, and so does ME, Fox, etc
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After she pulled her tear-stained top over her head, Spike helped Buffy stand up, and supported her as they made their way downstairs.
"Luv, I don't understand. What happened last night?" he helped her with her tan leather coat and wiped a tear from her cheek. "I know that…I mean…Faith…" He paused seeing the pained expression on Buffy's face. "But it was more than that. More than just her. After I left…others were hurt..." Spike tilted Buffy's head so she would make eye contact with him. Her eyes were bloodshot with all the crying. "Weren't they?" God, he bloody hated seeing her this upset. He needed to know if he could help her...
Buffy picked up some papers from the table in the living room and mumbled softly, "We have to go to the hospital."
Spike frowned, but opened the door for her and followed her to his motorbike. She wasn't ready to tell him all about what had happened just yet, she needed space. People had died last night that much was bloody obvious. Just who and how many was a different matter.
Spike got onto the motorcycle in front of Buffy, and she held onto his coat tightly as they set off into the night towards Sunnydale General Hospital.
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In the waiting area, Dawn shifted uncomfortably in her chair. The hospital was buzzing, doctors and nurses rushing about everywhere. There had been a lot of casualties last night.
But she was really worried about Buffy. Her sister had left the hospital over two and a half hours ago, and her cell phone was switched off. Dawn knew she probably was okay, she maybe ran into a demon or had trouble finding the papers. But she was still worried.
She glanced at her watch. 3:30am. Dawn sighed. She was exhausted.
She looked to her left at the person sitting next to her. It was Andrew, and past him was Amanda. Neither of them were talking, all three had been waiting in silence for 3 hours. They couldn't put words to what they were all feeling right now.
Andrew was pretty badly beaten, but overall he had come out of the battle unhurt. Amanda…she didn't seem to be hurt at all. She had turned out to be one of the strongest potentials, and she had fought a good fight last night. Dawn herself hadn't broken any bones, but had a slight twinge in her foot she might get looked at. But not right now, the doctors were dealing with more important things.
"Hey"
Dawn jumped at the voice right next to her ear, and spun around. Andrew and Amanda turned around as well, and their faces lit up at the sight of the owner of the voice.
"Buffy!" She got to her feet, embraced her sister and over her shoulder saw Spike, looking slightly confused about the whole situation. She turned back to her sister. "I thought…" her voice caught. "You left nearly 3 hours ago…"
"I know, I know," Buffy brushed Dawn's long brown hair away from her face and behind her ear. "I'm sorry. But I'm here now. I got the papers we needed, I'll just go and give them to the doctor. Wait here." Buffy walked towards a doctor in the corridor, who recognized her and went to meet her.
Dawn turned to Spike. "Where have you been? After…after Faith…" she couldn't say it. "I didn't see you."
"I was…" he paused. "I nearly made a bloody huge mistake, bit, but I'm back now."
Dawn nodded, and looked at her feet. "You don't know do you? Where everyone is?"
"I'm not sure if I do want to know, nibblet." He sat down on a worn leather seat, and Dawn sat beside him. Spike held his head in his hands and sighed. "If I'd had stayed long enough…maybe I could have helped…"
She shook her head. "It's not your fault. They were hurt in the battle, not afterwards."
Spike leaned back and looked at her. "Who, nibblet? Who's hurt?"
Dawn didn't get a chance to reply, as Buffy returned from speaking with the doctor. She sat on the other side of Spike, and sighed deeply.
"They don't have any news yet. But we can go and see Willow. The doctor said a brunette had already gone in to talk to her, which I'm assuming was Kennedy."
Dawn nodded to confirm this. "I thought it would be better to wait for you before I went in, so Kennedy could have some time alone with Willow."
Spike frowned. "Red's hurt? Why didn't you tell me?" He turned to Buffy. "What happened? Is she okay?"
Buffy shook her head sadly. "No, Spike. She's not okay."
A tear rolled down her cheek.
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Kennedy grasped Willow's lifeless hand and listened in pain to the slow beeping of her life support machine. She shut her eyes, not wanting to face that her girlfriend really was unconscious, lying almost dead on a hospital bed. It was unreal.
All this craziness. Being a potential, saving the world. But, this time last year she was just a regular girl. Well, except for the huge house with several wings. She sighed. Willow was shocked when she heard she used to live in a house with wings. But Kennedy hadn't yet found out where Willow had lived, what her childhood was like, what flavor milkshake was her favorite. So much she didn't know. And if…the potential slayer paused, if she doesn't wake up…I may never get the chance to find out…There was so much unsaid, things they hadn't discussed, and things they hadn't done. She wanted to live her live to the full with Willow…she had just found her and now…now she was gone.
She leaned forward in her chair and put her head in her hands. There was so much pain going round at the moment, and she definitely had her fair share. Kennedy couldn't imagine what she'd feel if she was told…if she was told that Willow would never wake up…
The door creaking open interrupted her thoughts, and she turned around to be greeted by nearly everyone who survived. Each smiling sadly at her in turn were Buffy, Dawn, Spike, Andrew and Amanda. They walked over to her and surrounded Willow's bed, Buffy and Dawn both sitting on two black leather chairs next to Willow's bedside table.
"How are you doing?" Buffy looked at Kennedy's tear-streaked face and regretted the question.
"Not good…" Kennedy sighed and shifted in her chair. "Not good."
"And your leg?" Dawn asked, brushing her hair away from her face. "Did you get that looked at?"
Kennedy nodded. "While they were…while the doctors were looking at her…another doctor bandaged it up. He said I should stay here for a few hours, don't put any weight on it. They think I might have broken it, so I have to go back later and they'll put it in plaster." She wiped a tear away from her cheek, and scraped her hair back into a ponytail, securing it with a black hair tie.
Buffy frowned, turned her head and stared down at her best friend's expressionless face. Spike placed a hand on her shoulder.
"What did the doctors say?" she asked Kennedy softly, as she felt tears welling up in her own eyes. She was tired of crying. There was too much pain. "About Will?"
Kennedy inhaled deeply. "They have no idea if…when she'll wake up." She looked down at her fingernails and began to nervously pick the scarlet red nail varnish off them. "The doctors can't tell us much about her condition yet, but the blow to her head was really bad. Possibly brain damage, but hopefully…" She leant against the chair arm and rested her head on her left hand. Her eyes began to water, and a tear fell to the ground. "Hopefully it's not that serious. She might…she will wake up." She said, determined. "Willow will wake up and she'll be fine."
The room fell quiet. Then suddenly, Kennedy collapsed, sobbing and crying for her lover. She shook with pain and devastation, as Buffy slid her chair backwards and rushed to her side, taking her in her arms. "Kennedy…ssh…she'll be okay…" She glanced at her friend lying motionless in the bed and joined Kennedy, crying. She let the tears fall, and repeated that it would be okay, if not just to comfort Kennedy, but to convince herself that her best friend would survive.
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AN: You know the drill…review etc. Cuz if you don't, who knows what might happen? Maybe Willow won't survive, maybe everyone will get Jello poisoning and maybe, just maybe, Dawn will tell everyone to get out, get out, get OUT. Now, I wouldn't put you through that torture now would I? So review, my pretties.