It was ten thirty in the morning, a time when most shops were open and were
being bombarded with costumers. The magic shop on the other hand was
surprisingly closed. Anya sat at the main table, surrounded by books and
coffee cups. She had spent the whole night desperately searching through
the books for a cause for Xander's psychological problem. She knew that if
there was no medical or mental cause there had to be only one other:
Supernatural.
At around one thirty in the morning she had fallen asleep at the table with her head lodged in a book. She awoke at dawn, bought herself cup of coffee at an all-night coffee shop and continued with her search. She had been so busy that she completely forgot to open up the shop. She was only reminded when Buffy knocked on the window. Anya let her and Willow in. but went straight back to the books.
"Should you have opened up two hours ago?" Buffy asked. Anya didn't look up from her book, but gestured with her right hand for them to sit down.
"I'm too busy, can you take over" Willow took a seat beside Anya.
"You mean run the store," Buffy said, a shiver running through her entire body as she was reminded of the last time she worked in the magic shop.
"No, I mean look through these books while I open up" She said while pushing her exhausted body up off the chair with the aid of her weak arms. "You have to find a cause for Xander's mental disorder"
Willow and Buffy shared a look, they both knew what the other was thinking, but neither one wanted to tell Anya.
"What if there is no supernatural cause" Willow said nervously. Anya unlocked the front door, but glanced back at Willow to glare at her.
"I won't except that" Willow picked up the book Anya had been reading and sighed.
"Did Xander ever tell you about his grandfather Pete?" Willow asked. Anya shook her head.
"He suffered from Schizophrenia too" Anya's face drained of nearly all colour. She slowly sat back down on her chair.
"Did they ever cure him?' She asked. Willow lowered her head. She was not pleased with her answer and wished she hadn't said anything.
"They can't cure schizophrenia. There are ways to suppress the symptoms, but that's all" Anya snatched the book in Willow's hand and opened it back up to her page.
"Well I spoke to the nurse she said they said they couldn't find any ways of suppressing the symptoms" Willow frowned. "That means it's not schizophrenia and I believe there is a supernatural cause and I will find it" Buffy sighed and took a book from the pile.
"Well I got nothing to do at the moment I guess I'll help"
"I got nothing either, I'll help" Willow said, grabbing a large, thick book from the pile.
"I have something else for you to do" Anya said. "I want you to visit Xander and ask him what happened while we were away. I'd do it my self, but..." She paused, to bury her head in her book. "He doesn't want to see me" Willow had seen the pain in Anya's eyes and knew this whole situation must be hard on her. Willow understood what she was going through, she felt it too, but unlike Anya she had not visited Xander yet.
"Okay, I'll go, but do you really think he'll respond to me" Anya shrugged, her eyes fixed on her page.
"You're his best friend" Willow took that as the best answer she was going to get.
"I'll give it a try"
**************
Willow hated hospitals, she always had. No matter how many times she entered them she never got used to the smell or the atmosphere. She always kept her eyes focused on the floor whenever she entered so she wouldn't have to look at the sick people, or the machines that were usually littered around.
The last time she had been in a hospital to visit Xander was after he had been beaten to a pulp by Olaf the Troll. Of course that had not been so bad, a broken wrist and some bruising, nothing serious, but this was.
She visited Dawn for a few minutes to explain to her what was happening with Xander. Dawn was being released later in the day, but she before she did she wanted to visit Xander. Willow advised against it, after the incident in the living room Willow wanted to keep Dawn away from Xander, at least until he was better. That was if he ever got better, but Willow didn't want to think about that.
Willow left Dawn to grumble about being stuck in bed while she left to finally visit Xander. She felt her heart beat like made in her chest as she approached Xander's door. She had no idea what to expect, Anya had said nothing about her visit. The nurse unlocked the door and smiled.
"Whenever you're ready," She said sweetly. Willow hesitated, she had tried preparing herself every since she left the magic box, but nothing she tried calmed her. She had been friends with Xander for all her life and she had seen him through all the good times and bad times, but nothing like this.
She finally built up all the courage she could and entered the room. The room was empty. She was about to call for the nurse when she heard the sound of light breathing coming from behind the door. She closed the door and found Xander curled up asleep in the corner. She smiled; he looked so cute and peaceful. She crouched down beside him and bit her lip. She knew she had to wake him up, but she didn't have the heart to do it.
Suddenly he shot up on to his knees, his eyes wide with fear. Willow instinctively placed a hand on his shoulder to help calm him.
"Hey, it's all right, it's only me" Willow said in a soothing voice. Xander stared at her for a second as if he didn't know here.
"Are you going to yell at me too?" Willow asked. Xander lowered his head and his body began to tremble.
"No, the voices are quiet" Willow allowed herself to smile. She ran her fingers down his arm to take hold of his hand.
"It's funny, you told me you'd end up getting committed one day" Xander actually smiled, which surprised Xander more than Willow.
"My father predicted it when I was nine" Willow giggled. She had missed that, she had been so afraid that Xander would yell at her, like he had when Anya had visited, but she had for a moment she managed to forget where she was.
"I need to ask you a question" Willow said. Xander nodded.
"Don't listen to her, she doesn't want to help you, she'll poison your mind with magic" Xander covered his ears.
"She's my friend," He yelled. Willow jumped back at his sudden change.
"You have to stay with me," She said desperately. "I have to ask you if anything strange happened the other night"
"She's evil, she's a witch. If she's capable of using it on her girlfriend she's capable of using it on you" Xander jumped to his feet and bolted for the opposite room.
"Leave me along" He yelled as he curled up into a ball. Willow watched him with tears welling up in her eyes, but she wiped them away and stood up.
"I remember you telling me about your grandfather. You hated the way he let himself go crazy and now your doing the same thing. If you want to prove you're not like him then fight. Fight the voices, please" Xand looked at her, his eyes also welling up with tears, but he closed his eyes and banged his head once against the wall.
"She went mad on magic and hurt Dawn, she's evil"
Willow approached Xand and squatted down in front of him. She ran her fingers over his pale face, but he pulled back.
"Go away" He said, his voice low and harsh. Willow didn't move.
"I'm not leaving" Xand grabbed her by the shoulder and pushed her away.
"I don't want to hurt you, so go away" Willow fell on her back, her hair covering the tears that were no running down her face.
"What happened to you?" Willow sobbed. She pushed her hair back so he could see her face. Xander closed his eyes and banged his head against the wall. Willow grabbed his arm and shook him.
"Please stop that," She pleaded. Xander didn't stop; he repeatedly hit his head against the wall, harder and harder. Willow shook him harder, but he wouldn't stop.
"NURSE" She yelled. The door swung open and the nurse and two orderlies entered. The nurse was by Xander's side while one of the orderlies moved Willow aside. Xander stopped banging his head and violently pushed the nurse away from him.
"GET AWAY FROM ME" He yelled. He jumped to his feet, but swayed to his left almost dropping back to the floor. The nurse was back on her feet, grabbed his arms to steady him, but he pushed her away, knocking her back to the ground. The orderlies left Willow at the door and took Xander by the arms, but he struggled against them.
"GET OFF" He yelled. The orderlies dragged the struggling Xander over to the bed and laid him down on it, pinning his hands to his sides. The nurse produced a syringe from her pocket.
"Give him this, then strap him to the bed" Willow turned her head away and blocked her ears with her hands. She couldn't stand to see her friend in his condition. She wanted to cry, but not matter what she didn't. She turned back long enough to witness the syringe plunge into Xander's trembling arm. She winced.
"Leave me along" Xander said, but his words began to slur and his body relaxed involuntarily. His eyes rolled back in his head and his lids closed. The orderlies released his arms and began to strap his wrists to the bed. The nurse took the syringe and turned to Willow.
"Are you all right?" She asked. Willow didn't speak; she just stared blankly at her unconscious best friend. The tears were flowing from her eyes against her own will.
"He'll be out for a while, would you like to wait?" Willow approached the bed and ran shaky fingers through Xander's sweaty hair. She tried to speak, but she couldn't think of a thing to say. There was nothing for her to say.
The nurse and the orderlies left Willow to sit on Xander's bed and cry herself to sleep beside her friend.
TBC
A long chapter, but hopefully a good one. If you like please let me know.
At around one thirty in the morning she had fallen asleep at the table with her head lodged in a book. She awoke at dawn, bought herself cup of coffee at an all-night coffee shop and continued with her search. She had been so busy that she completely forgot to open up the shop. She was only reminded when Buffy knocked on the window. Anya let her and Willow in. but went straight back to the books.
"Should you have opened up two hours ago?" Buffy asked. Anya didn't look up from her book, but gestured with her right hand for them to sit down.
"I'm too busy, can you take over" Willow took a seat beside Anya.
"You mean run the store," Buffy said, a shiver running through her entire body as she was reminded of the last time she worked in the magic shop.
"No, I mean look through these books while I open up" She said while pushing her exhausted body up off the chair with the aid of her weak arms. "You have to find a cause for Xander's mental disorder"
Willow and Buffy shared a look, they both knew what the other was thinking, but neither one wanted to tell Anya.
"What if there is no supernatural cause" Willow said nervously. Anya unlocked the front door, but glanced back at Willow to glare at her.
"I won't except that" Willow picked up the book Anya had been reading and sighed.
"Did Xander ever tell you about his grandfather Pete?" Willow asked. Anya shook her head.
"He suffered from Schizophrenia too" Anya's face drained of nearly all colour. She slowly sat back down on her chair.
"Did they ever cure him?' She asked. Willow lowered her head. She was not pleased with her answer and wished she hadn't said anything.
"They can't cure schizophrenia. There are ways to suppress the symptoms, but that's all" Anya snatched the book in Willow's hand and opened it back up to her page.
"Well I spoke to the nurse she said they said they couldn't find any ways of suppressing the symptoms" Willow frowned. "That means it's not schizophrenia and I believe there is a supernatural cause and I will find it" Buffy sighed and took a book from the pile.
"Well I got nothing to do at the moment I guess I'll help"
"I got nothing either, I'll help" Willow said, grabbing a large, thick book from the pile.
"I have something else for you to do" Anya said. "I want you to visit Xander and ask him what happened while we were away. I'd do it my self, but..." She paused, to bury her head in her book. "He doesn't want to see me" Willow had seen the pain in Anya's eyes and knew this whole situation must be hard on her. Willow understood what she was going through, she felt it too, but unlike Anya she had not visited Xander yet.
"Okay, I'll go, but do you really think he'll respond to me" Anya shrugged, her eyes fixed on her page.
"You're his best friend" Willow took that as the best answer she was going to get.
"I'll give it a try"
**************
Willow hated hospitals, she always had. No matter how many times she entered them she never got used to the smell or the atmosphere. She always kept her eyes focused on the floor whenever she entered so she wouldn't have to look at the sick people, or the machines that were usually littered around.
The last time she had been in a hospital to visit Xander was after he had been beaten to a pulp by Olaf the Troll. Of course that had not been so bad, a broken wrist and some bruising, nothing serious, but this was.
She visited Dawn for a few minutes to explain to her what was happening with Xander. Dawn was being released later in the day, but she before she did she wanted to visit Xander. Willow advised against it, after the incident in the living room Willow wanted to keep Dawn away from Xander, at least until he was better. That was if he ever got better, but Willow didn't want to think about that.
Willow left Dawn to grumble about being stuck in bed while she left to finally visit Xander. She felt her heart beat like made in her chest as she approached Xander's door. She had no idea what to expect, Anya had said nothing about her visit. The nurse unlocked the door and smiled.
"Whenever you're ready," She said sweetly. Willow hesitated, she had tried preparing herself every since she left the magic box, but nothing she tried calmed her. She had been friends with Xander for all her life and she had seen him through all the good times and bad times, but nothing like this.
She finally built up all the courage she could and entered the room. The room was empty. She was about to call for the nurse when she heard the sound of light breathing coming from behind the door. She closed the door and found Xander curled up asleep in the corner. She smiled; he looked so cute and peaceful. She crouched down beside him and bit her lip. She knew she had to wake him up, but she didn't have the heart to do it.
Suddenly he shot up on to his knees, his eyes wide with fear. Willow instinctively placed a hand on his shoulder to help calm him.
"Hey, it's all right, it's only me" Willow said in a soothing voice. Xander stared at her for a second as if he didn't know here.
"Are you going to yell at me too?" Willow asked. Xander lowered his head and his body began to tremble.
"No, the voices are quiet" Willow allowed herself to smile. She ran her fingers down his arm to take hold of his hand.
"It's funny, you told me you'd end up getting committed one day" Xander actually smiled, which surprised Xander more than Willow.
"My father predicted it when I was nine" Willow giggled. She had missed that, she had been so afraid that Xander would yell at her, like he had when Anya had visited, but she had for a moment she managed to forget where she was.
"I need to ask you a question" Willow said. Xander nodded.
"Don't listen to her, she doesn't want to help you, she'll poison your mind with magic" Xander covered his ears.
"She's my friend," He yelled. Willow jumped back at his sudden change.
"You have to stay with me," She said desperately. "I have to ask you if anything strange happened the other night"
"She's evil, she's a witch. If she's capable of using it on her girlfriend she's capable of using it on you" Xander jumped to his feet and bolted for the opposite room.
"Leave me along" He yelled as he curled up into a ball. Willow watched him with tears welling up in her eyes, but she wiped them away and stood up.
"I remember you telling me about your grandfather. You hated the way he let himself go crazy and now your doing the same thing. If you want to prove you're not like him then fight. Fight the voices, please" Xand looked at her, his eyes also welling up with tears, but he closed his eyes and banged his head once against the wall.
"She went mad on magic and hurt Dawn, she's evil"
Willow approached Xand and squatted down in front of him. She ran her fingers over his pale face, but he pulled back.
"Go away" He said, his voice low and harsh. Willow didn't move.
"I'm not leaving" Xand grabbed her by the shoulder and pushed her away.
"I don't want to hurt you, so go away" Willow fell on her back, her hair covering the tears that were no running down her face.
"What happened to you?" Willow sobbed. She pushed her hair back so he could see her face. Xander closed his eyes and banged his head against the wall. Willow grabbed his arm and shook him.
"Please stop that," She pleaded. Xander didn't stop; he repeatedly hit his head against the wall, harder and harder. Willow shook him harder, but he wouldn't stop.
"NURSE" She yelled. The door swung open and the nurse and two orderlies entered. The nurse was by Xander's side while one of the orderlies moved Willow aside. Xander stopped banging his head and violently pushed the nurse away from him.
"GET AWAY FROM ME" He yelled. He jumped to his feet, but swayed to his left almost dropping back to the floor. The nurse was back on her feet, grabbed his arms to steady him, but he pushed her away, knocking her back to the ground. The orderlies left Willow at the door and took Xander by the arms, but he struggled against them.
"GET OFF" He yelled. The orderlies dragged the struggling Xander over to the bed and laid him down on it, pinning his hands to his sides. The nurse produced a syringe from her pocket.
"Give him this, then strap him to the bed" Willow turned her head away and blocked her ears with her hands. She couldn't stand to see her friend in his condition. She wanted to cry, but not matter what she didn't. She turned back long enough to witness the syringe plunge into Xander's trembling arm. She winced.
"Leave me along" Xander said, but his words began to slur and his body relaxed involuntarily. His eyes rolled back in his head and his lids closed. The orderlies released his arms and began to strap his wrists to the bed. The nurse took the syringe and turned to Willow.
"Are you all right?" She asked. Willow didn't speak; she just stared blankly at her unconscious best friend. The tears were flowing from her eyes against her own will.
"He'll be out for a while, would you like to wait?" Willow approached the bed and ran shaky fingers through Xander's sweaty hair. She tried to speak, but she couldn't think of a thing to say. There was nothing for her to say.
The nurse and the orderlies left Willow to sit on Xander's bed and cry herself to sleep beside her friend.
TBC
A long chapter, but hopefully a good one. If you like please let me know.
