At that, they all rushed out of the room, Spike picking up the bag with essentials for Xander first, and raced down the corridor.
Spike reached the door first, and took a deep - if unneeded breath, with Willow not two steps behind him.
They walked slowly up to the bed, with more than a little trepidation. However, Buffy and Giles, who still felt incredibly guilty, stood in the doorway, just inside the room.
Spike was the first to step up to the bed. Placing the bag at the foot of the bed, he took one of Xander's hands in both of his, and whispered, "Xan? Xander? It's Spike. Are you awake?"
At that, Xander's hand squeezed Spike's, and slowly, his eyes opened, and, with a raspy voice, whispered, "Spike? Is that you?"
Spike squeezed back, and replied, "Yes Xan-pet. It's me. 'ow are you feelin'?"
Xander smiled at that, and said "Apart from being in hospital, I'm fine."
Then he quickly changed the subject, before Spike could ask him another question. "What's in the bag? Presents?" he asked, a hopeful grin starting to cross his face.
Spike grinned back, glad to see the bit of the normal Xander back already. "Sorry Xan-pet, no presents. Clothes mainly, an' your toothbrush an' stuff."
However, at the look that crossed Xander's face, Spike was quick to add - "However, I also have in here some……….chocolate!" and passed Xander a mars bar, and a rare and favoured luxury for Xander - three bars of Cadbury's chocolate. As it was English, it was imported, much better chocolate than the American kind, but also a luxury way out of Xander's price range. At the look of surprised delight that crossed Xander's face, Spike's smile softened. However, when Xander looked at him in puzzlement, he was quick to explain - "I bought them for you today - and note I said bought, not nicked! I thought you seemed in need in of a little pick me up of your favourite form. Guess I didn't know how right I was did I?" By this time, Spike's smile had long departed, to be replaced with a look that only Xander would be able to tell was guilt.
Xander was quick to spot it, and squeezed Spike's hand and whispered, "Thanks. But it wasn't your fault - any of it. Did you even read my note?"
Spike, head bowed, just nodded, unable to look at him for fear of bursting into tears, and just squeezed his hand.
Xander just squeezed right back as he said - "Well then, you know that you were the only thing that was holding me together! It was nothing that you did or didn't do that put me in here. OK?"
Spike looked at him then, his eyes filled with unshed tears.
They had both long forgotten about the other three, who had stood silently throughout their entire conversation.
However, when Xander - who was sitting up by this time, pulled Spike into his arms (careful not to knock any tubes out) and started to rub his back and whispered softly and comfortingly in his ear as Spike's tears started to fall, Buffy and Giles just gaped in shock. However, Willow just smiled knowingly at the pair, glad to see that Xander finally had someone to make him happy.
Once Spike's tears had subsided, Spike sat up and, hands still over Xander's, said, "The other's are gonna say I'm monopolising ya in a minute, anyways, I know Red really wants t' talk t' ya."
At that Willow walked over slowly, the urge to cry increasing with every step closer to the best friend that she had failed.
Spike reached the door first, and took a deep - if unneeded breath, with Willow not two steps behind him.
They walked slowly up to the bed, with more than a little trepidation. However, Buffy and Giles, who still felt incredibly guilty, stood in the doorway, just inside the room.
Spike was the first to step up to the bed. Placing the bag at the foot of the bed, he took one of Xander's hands in both of his, and whispered, "Xan? Xander? It's Spike. Are you awake?"
At that, Xander's hand squeezed Spike's, and slowly, his eyes opened, and, with a raspy voice, whispered, "Spike? Is that you?"
Spike squeezed back, and replied, "Yes Xan-pet. It's me. 'ow are you feelin'?"
Xander smiled at that, and said "Apart from being in hospital, I'm fine."
Then he quickly changed the subject, before Spike could ask him another question. "What's in the bag? Presents?" he asked, a hopeful grin starting to cross his face.
Spike grinned back, glad to see the bit of the normal Xander back already. "Sorry Xan-pet, no presents. Clothes mainly, an' your toothbrush an' stuff."
However, at the look that crossed Xander's face, Spike was quick to add - "However, I also have in here some……….chocolate!" and passed Xander a mars bar, and a rare and favoured luxury for Xander - three bars of Cadbury's chocolate. As it was English, it was imported, much better chocolate than the American kind, but also a luxury way out of Xander's price range. At the look of surprised delight that crossed Xander's face, Spike's smile softened. However, when Xander looked at him in puzzlement, he was quick to explain - "I bought them for you today - and note I said bought, not nicked! I thought you seemed in need in of a little pick me up of your favourite form. Guess I didn't know how right I was did I?" By this time, Spike's smile had long departed, to be replaced with a look that only Xander would be able to tell was guilt.
Xander was quick to spot it, and squeezed Spike's hand and whispered, "Thanks. But it wasn't your fault - any of it. Did you even read my note?"
Spike, head bowed, just nodded, unable to look at him for fear of bursting into tears, and just squeezed his hand.
Xander just squeezed right back as he said - "Well then, you know that you were the only thing that was holding me together! It was nothing that you did or didn't do that put me in here. OK?"
Spike looked at him then, his eyes filled with unshed tears.
They had both long forgotten about the other three, who had stood silently throughout their entire conversation.
However, when Xander - who was sitting up by this time, pulled Spike into his arms (careful not to knock any tubes out) and started to rub his back and whispered softly and comfortingly in his ear as Spike's tears started to fall, Buffy and Giles just gaped in shock. However, Willow just smiled knowingly at the pair, glad to see that Xander finally had someone to make him happy.
Once Spike's tears had subsided, Spike sat up and, hands still over Xander's, said, "The other's are gonna say I'm monopolising ya in a minute, anyways, I know Red really wants t' talk t' ya."
At that Willow walked over slowly, the urge to cry increasing with every step closer to the best friend that she had failed.