Title: Up Over Everything (2d/?)
Author: Brooke
Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders' from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show.
Summary: Part 2 in my "Romeverse". Can the Buffy, Xander and Willow put personal issues aside to fight and survive against a growing evil – one that can strike too close to home?
Distribution: I don't know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure.
Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!
Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage.
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Xander was near tears, but brimming with determination when he walked out of Buffy's room…until he headed down the hall and saw Joyce sitting in the hall alone with her head bowed towards the floor. The bright lights in the hall made her red rimmed eyes visible even from her profile and his bravado disappeared. His hopefulness crumpled down to the bright linoleum tile and he was reminded that he was withholding information from her. That he knew exactly what had happened to her daughter and was saying nothing. And when Hank turned the corner and locked eyes with him his self-loathing was joined by a hint of fear – but Xander was quick to remind himself that should Buffy's father decide to kick his ass for this, he was well deserving. If he wasn't himself, he would have already punched him in the face.
Hank kept his stride for his wife while locking eyes with Xander, not saying anything, but instead leaving an opening for the teen to approach them. Xander had never been shy around them…not ever once acted the way he was acting now. That was the aspect of the situation that Hank didn't trust.
Xander shuffled up to Buffy's parents and kept his eyes downcast. "I…I haveta…go back to school," he finished and glanced up, finding both Joyce's and Hank's eyes on him, and he shifted on the balls of his feet.
"Alright," Hank nodded and pulled his wife into a tighter hug for a moment. "I'll take you," he stood and glanced back down to Joyce. "I'll pick up Dawnie on the way back. I told her that I'd be there within the hour."
Joyce nodded and then turned back to Xander, hope flickering in her red and slightly watery eyes. Her shoulders were still hunched and, despite her already petite stature, Xander had never seen the woman whom he considered a second mother look smaller. "Was there any change, Sweetie? Did she…was she…"
"She's still sleeping." Xander's eyes fell to the floor again. He was a bad liar. His guilt always shone through, but for some reason – probably the shock of the situation the Summers' were letting him slide by. Maybe they realized that he loved Buffy too…that seeing her like that was hurting him too. "I…" his head shot up and he momentarily flicked his eyes between Buffy's parents. "There's a man," he said unsteadily, "at school…the new librarian." Oh God Xander hated what he was about to do, but he couldn't stand there and face anybody else and offer nothing by way of help. "The new librarian. He's an expert."
Joyce looked at him excitedly, "An expert on what?" she asked before Hank's skepticism could escape his features and be voiced aloud.
Demons and evil Xander scoffed bitterly in his mind. "Bites…animals... You said that's what happened to her. Something bit her." Buffy's father nodded and stood up straighter, his eyes suddenly sparking with anticipation at another helpful avenue possibly being opened. "I could ask him about it. Show him a picture of the bite…maybe he can come here and figure out what to do." Xander watched Hank tilt his head to Joyce and then gesture down the hall – silently telling her to get the photo that Xander had requested. "He has all sorts of books about this type of stuff…and contacts."
"Then I need to talk to him." Hank stated clearly, his eyes darting between Xander and his wife as she jogged back down the hall, a series of Polaroids grasped in her hand as she approached them. "We'll go now."
"I got them," Joyce smiled. She was breathing hard from the jog and the excitement of Xander's news. "They took so many because they've never seen anything like this before," she told Xander before pressing them into his hand.
Hank watched Xander's breath hitch when he glanced down and caught sight of one of the photos. It was the same reaction he had – a queasy shock at the gruesome sight of the bruised and infected skin on Buffy's back. "Let's go Xander," he said sternly and turned down the hall.
Xander nodded and forced his eyes up from the pictures and to Hank's retreating form, then turned briefly to a hopeful Joyce. She smiled at him and nodded, her hands clasped under her chin as if in a constant silent prayer. "I'll fix this Mrs. Summers. I promise," Xander's voice barely above a rough whisper. She nodded at him and he watched as tears welled up in her eyes. "I won't let anything happen to Buffy…"
"Go," she smiled and gave him a gentle nudge down the hall after her husband. "Go keep your word." The boy gave her a labored smile. "She'll be fine until you get back," she assured him, noting his remaining hesitance. She had faith in the fact that no matter what she would at least have until Xander got back…her daughter would never go anywhere without Xander. Joyce's heart clenched momentarily – she didn't want her daughter to go anywhere. She watched Xander jog down the hall and out of the automatic doors that Hank had exited through previously. "I told him that you only want to her," she whisper to herself before turning and making her way, almost numbly, back to Buffy's room to sit with her. "Prove me right Xander. Please prove me right."
~*~*~
Willow squinted at the computer screen and then glanced back down at her note pad. The boy Oz, who wasn't even in her English class, had slipped into the room and waved her over to him from the door – completely ignoring the confused stares from both her teacher and her fellow students as she walked to him. She had fought down a wave of butterflies at his seeking her out, but while she had been in the hall talking to him he had received a page over the loud speaker and the teacher had slipped out into the hall to excuse her without question. As soon as she left Oz, who seemed oddly nervous and unable to meet her eyes, while he explained that he had just driven Xander to the hospital to see Buffy, and turned the corner toward the principals office her worry skyrocketed straight into sheer terror as she ran right into Giles. He looked flustered and scared and was speaking more brokenly than normal while he offered a more confusing explanation to what the problem was while they headed back to the library.
She hadn't been able to pick up much more than a demon attacked last night and Buffy and Xander went to the hospital, which did nothing to calm her nerves. But, unexpectedly, once they reached their destination, Angel stood and calmly explained everything. Oh yeah, she was still uber-worried, but at least now she understood the reality of the situation. Angel had handed her a ruined cloth and told her that it was what remained of Buffy's shirt and had been soaked in a serum that they needed identified. That Buffy had been poisoned and that they hoped that once they knew what was on the shirt that they could find an antidote.
She stared at the shirt which had obviously been cut open and the large dark stain on the back…it was a lot of whatever that stuff was. Poor Buffy she remembered thinking initially. Now she was back at terror. Willow taught herself in the fly from old tombs that Giles had thrust into her arms in her way out of the library while she worked in a vacant class room, testing scrapings from the dried substance on the shirt for acidity.
She knew that Angel and Giles were working on the literature portion of the research for obvious reasons…Angel wasn't free to walk around the school, and Giles probably couldn't find his way around a chemistry lab any better than he could find a Jessica MacClintock in the mall. So the science and computer part were up to her, since Xander had left campus to be with Buffy. Between her various tests and speed reading photocopies of other tests for poisons that Giles occasionally rushed to her, she almost felt jealous that Xander had rushed so quickly to Buffy's side. But then she kept reminding herself that, not only would he probably do the same for her…both he and Buffy, but Buffy was more than best friend to him now. Of course he would be blind to everything but getting to her. Willow wanted that for herself. She was forcing herself to give up on Xander, but she wouldn't be opposed to something identical to what her two new friends shared for herself with somebody different.
But Willow was quick to dispel wavering thoughts as she jotted down the mixed the appropriate chemicals to set off reactions. There were more important matters at hand than petty jealousy. Her best friend's life was hanging in the balance.
"Hey guys," Willow glanced up briefly from and beckoned to the two men who were quiet heated discussion across the room. "I found some things." Angel jogged over to her side and leant over her shoulder and focused on the screen, forcing Willow to lean over to the side to keep a comfortable distance between herself and the vampire.
"Yes Willow?" Giles asked, equally as urgent in his tone, but choosing to lean on the edge of the table and await the answer.
"The stuff in the shirt," she darted her eyes between Angel and Giles before scooping up her note book and pushing herself up from the table. "It's…it's more like bacteria…"
"So an infection?" Angel's monotone question earned a nod.
"A serious high grade infection," Willow specified.
"So antibiotics possibly?" Giles offered hopefully. He removed his glasses and wiped them clean before slipping the ear piece between his teeth and holding them there while he retrieved another text from the table. "Maybe we can find an alternate solution to…"
"Not likely." Willow shook her head. "This is like…" she mined her thoughts for an example, but Angel spoke, already seeming to know what she was searching for.
"We already know the antidote," his voice didn't waiver. "We're not dealing with something from this plane. Nothing naturally from Earth will do anything against this."
Willow nodded. "You know how we have Ebola…it eats the outside? Well," she set into answering her own question, "This is the opposite…it's all inside until there's nothing left." All three pairs of sad eyes dropped to the floor.
"Angel," Giles swallowed and the vampire looked up. "Would you be so kind as to scower your sources," the Watcher hesitated and spoke in a low voice. "We must find out who summoned this demon and retrieve what we need to cure Buffy."
The vampire nodded and took a small step back to the stacks and nodded. "I'm on it."
Willow looked up, "How many evil sects are there that would want Buffy dead?" Both men looked at her and she gulped at the skeptical expression on their faces. "Ok…" the red head swallowed, "So there're probably a few…"
"Angel." Giles prompted the vampire's leave.
"BUT…" Willow spoke up and all movement ceased again. "How many do we know…I mean, what? We've dealt with, like, two, right? The Master and…" she hated the second one more than anything. The boy who's place she had taken. Buffy and Xander's lost best friend. "Jesse."
Angel nodded. "So we narrow down our search."
"Yes. Drastically." Giles turned a proud gaze to Willow. "Good thinking."
The young girl beamed. "Thanks…" She was cut off as the swinging door of the library burst open, but not with the expected familiar face behind them.
"Mr. Giles," the new man said, not asking, but more beginning a statement. "I'm Hank Summers; one of the students, Buffy's, father."
"Yes, Buffy…"Giles offered his hand to the man, but kept his eyes focused on Xander who trudged in behind him with his hands in his pockets, eyes locked on the floor. "Pleasure to meet you," the Englishman offered, unsure of just how much Xander had revealed about the situation at hand.
"I wish it were under better circumstances," Hank didn't even grin. "Willow?" he offered his daughter's friend with a surprised tone, finally seeming to notice other people in the room. What's she doing here?
She offered him a feeble wave and a weak smile. "Hi Mr. Summers." Willow locked eyes with Xander over the man's shoulder and he answered with a wide eyed shrug at how to handle the situation before she saw his eyes dart to Angel, who stood nervously in the back of the room.
"Xander, here, told me that you were an expert on animal bites," Hank started immediately, reaching behind him for Xander to give him the photos, which he did dutifully. He handed them over to the other man, "Buffy was attacked by something last night," he glanced briefly back to Xander, who wilted and slipped from behind him to the table. "The doctors have never seen this and its all they have to go on."
Giles studied the pictures of the wound that Xander had described to him earlier and soon found himself shadowed on his sides by both Willow and Angel. He heard the young girl inhale a sharp breath and a low growl from the demon at the images. Giles shut his eyes before forcing them up to meet those of Buffy's father. Verbal depictions and written accounts did little justice to what the poison…bacteria, which the Vardilus injected into its victim. He could only imagine what it must feel like to be the one inflicted with something like that…he was almost glad, for Buffy's sake, that she wasn't conscious to have to suffer too much.
"Have you ever seen anything like that before?" Hank's voice broke into his inner monologue. "In your books? Xander said that you had contacts that might be able to help…that you could call…"
"Yes," Giles was briefly upset that Xander had moved from behind Mr. Summers so that he could not glare at him anymore. "I…I may have seen something," he turned back to Willow, absently handing the pictures to Angel as he stepped back to the computer and her idle notebook. "I shall make some calls. Check my books." Giles
Hank nodded and took a step to follow the other man, his eyes falling to the table in the center of the room. "Lugenstien's Demonology Annals?" He was looking at the pencil drawing on the open page of the large book, and missed both Xander and Willow's eyes going wide – frozen in place and unsure of how to react. Giles glanced up worriedly from his reading, his next statement lost in horror at Hank's question.
Angel jumped into action and reached around Buffy's father and slammed the book shut. "That's mine," he picked up the book and hid it away from his view.
Hank looked up at him with slit eyes and Angel fidgeted under his gaze…he heard Xander laugh under his breath too. "Are you a student?" his voice was skeptical while he eyed the older looking man.
"No," Angel answered quickly. "I…I'm a friend…of Buffy's."
"Tutor." Willow corrected quickly when Hank's mouth opened to question him. "He's a tutor of Buffy's."
"Yeah," Angel nodded quickly. "Tutor Buffy…a friend of Giles'…Mr. Giles. I'm Angel."
"The children call me Giles." The Watcher added from behind the action.
Hank's brow furrowed at the rise in tension in the room. It was almost as if he had stepped into a private world…as if his presence were disturbing a previously existing universe.
"Angel goes to the college, don't you?" Xander added, and the vampire nodded. "Work study right?"
"Yeah…from the college."
"He tutor's Buffy in history." Xander continued. "They've gotten so close over it, it's like they're friends." He finished with a smile, but when Buffy's father frowned at his statement, he realized that it needed amendment. "Not close close…friend close. Cuz he's too old. Right Angel."
The vampire shot the boy a glare, but was met with a sickeningly sweet grin. "Yeah…"
"I mean," Xander smirked and traced his fingers over the oak table he stood beside. "It'd be illegal for somebody your age to involve yourself with a high schooler…a sixteen year old, at that. You'd be loc…"
"Xander?" Giles interrupted the teenager from behind. The enjoyment that Buffy's dark haired friend was getting from seeing her demon helper squirm could wait until the task at hand was handled. "Angel was just about to make a run for me," he glanced between all the occupants in the room. "I could use your help finding this information for Mr. Summers."
"Have you found anything?" Hank asked, forgetting about Buffy's too old friend completely.
Giles swallowed. "Not yet, no."
"I can go," Angel spoke the true meaning of the statement with his eyes.
"Yes." Giles nodded. "You go…and do hurry, please."
"Go where?" Xander perked up, narrowing his eyes at Buffy's Watcher.
Giles stuttered for an answer. "Supply run," Willow piped up, trying not to meet Hank's eyes. "New history books…for the tutoring."
Xander's suspicious gaze never faltered. "Do you know where the…books…are?"
Angel met his eyes. "We have a couple ideas."
"Well," Xander stepped towards Angel. "we'll need those books, like, yesterday…"
"I'm well aware." Angel bit out. The tension spread out beyond himself and Buffy's boyfriend, to include everybody in the room.
"Are we getting a deal on them?" Xander asked next, his eyes darting from Giles to Angel. "From a friend." They both caught the venom in his voice when he bit the last work out.
Hank shook his head, "Does this person know about animal bites?" he asked, "Because if not, I'm going to have to ask that this argument be put on hold until…"
"If it's the right guy, I know he knows." Xander said coldly. His eyes telling Angel that he knew exactly what was being planned, as well as letting him know that he would not sit idly by while the souled vamp went on fighting to save Buffy's life without him.
"Then by all means, go." Hank took a step up towards Giles. "I'll stay here with Willow and Mr. Giles and… research…this." He turned his gaze to the computer screen, but this time didn't speak his question aloud. Oxford University Mythology Department? But he saw the same picture as was in the book that the man…Angel…had tried to hide from him. "A Vardilus?"
This time Willow jumped towards the machine, her hand slamming down on the keyboard and closing the window she had been studying. "Angel's teaching me about mythology," she offered meekly.
"Mr. Summers is right," Xander spoke up, now standing shoulder to shoulder with his vampire counterpart. "I'm going with you."
"Xander," three separate voices spoke in warning, almost in unison.
"I'm going." The teen spoke sternly to the room. "This guy knows what did it Mr. Summers," he assured. "And he's going to tell us." Xander fixed Angel with a steady look, leaving no room for further discussion. "Let's go." He walked out of the library ahead of the vampire.
Angel set his jaw and glanced to Giles, but was offered no more than a shrug. "Keep an eye on him," the Watcher pleaded with a stern tone and set eyes.
"As always," the demon mumbled and turned to follow the boy's path.
"Mr. Summers," Giles spoke, as he handed the notebook back to Willow. "I appreciate your offer, but I think that we have everything under control here."
"I want to help," Hank told him, his voice wavering for the first time since he stepped into the room. "My little girl…" He took a long blink, "Do you have any children, Mr. Giles?"
Giles' eyes flicked away and he briefly thought of how, since he came to this town, there were three children whom he felt dedicated to. This man's child for one, held his top priority. Buffy, Xander, and Willow had come to mean more to him than he had every expressed aloud. "No," he answered instead. "But I have been working here for the past few months…"
"Well then," Hank interrupted him, "then you've never been in the room when your first daughter was born and promised her that you'd protect her always. Buffy…she's my baby, Mr. Giles," he gulped and forced down a tear. "I can't just sit at that hospital and…"
Giles nodded. "I hope to never understand what you're going through, so I cannot pretend to completely understand…" he thought for a moment. He needed to get Buffy's father out of his library so that further research into the demon responsible could be carried out. "But for the sake of your wife…for Buffy…don't you think it more poignant for you to be with them? By Buffy's side?"
"A…and Dawn?" Willow spoke up quietly.
Hank's eyes widened and he nodded a little. "Dawn," he shook his head as if he were clearing it. "I forgot about…" he was already heading back to the swinging doors.
"I will keep looking…"
"And I have yours and Mrs. Summers' numbers." Willow tried to be upbeat, "I can call as soon as we know something."
"Sooner than that," Hank pleaded. "Please sooner than that. The doctors…they don't know how much longer…"
"We will find out how to fix this," Giles spoke steadily. "I've come to know your daughter…she's a lovely child and I would not see anything happen to her. I assure you."
Hank nodded and placed a shaky hand on the door, pushing it slightly ajar. "You'll call, Willow?" It wasn't a question. He was telling her to call and she nodded in agreement. He returned the gesture and walked out of the room.
Giles watched him disappear through the glass portal and let his eyes fall shut momentarily. "We'll work until we hear from Angel and Xander." He slid into the seat next to Willow and pulled a book towards himself.
She nodded and assumed that he didn't want to discuss what had just happened until later. There was already too much to deal with as is. But one lingering thought shot through her mind as she restarted the computer. "Are they going after Jesse?"
Giles didn't look up but offered a sound that was a semi-grunt. "I'm assuming so."
Willow nodded. "You think they'll get what they need?" She remembered Angel saying something about a demon brain and Buffy having to ingest it in passing to Giles. "The...y'know…"
"The brain of the Vardilus?" Giles stayed focused. "We can only hope. For Buffy's sake."
Willow nodded again. "Do you…do you think that Angel and Xander…" she faltered and bit her lip. "You think they'll kill each other?" she settled.
"For Buffy's sake…We can only hope that civility will rule their higher mind…"
"So you think they'll be fine together?" Willow's lip turned up in disbelief. She had never seen Xander physically hate anybody, not even Cordelia, until she witnessed his interactions with Buffy's self-appointed undead follower.
Giles glanced back up from his book and fixed his eyes to the opposite wall. His mind ran through various scenarios based on Xander's relationship with Angel, and he could not think of one thing to say.
~*~*~
Joyce watched with wide wet eyes while Buffy's doctor shook his head briefly at the nurse-aid from the cradle of his stethoscope. He set the unconscious girl's arm back down at her side. "Pulse is 36 beats a minute," he reported quietly. "Blood pressure is stabilized at 85/52."
"Isn't that low?" Joyce's voice trembled. She had always remembered something higher during all the trips to the pediatrician she had taken since Buffy was born. Never that low.
"Yes," Dr. Griffon nodded and removed the beeping thermometer from Buffy's mouth. "But not fatal," he added confidently. "I've seen plenty lower in patients that have walked in here on their own." He caught the disbelieving look that the nurse shot him and sent her a short glare that sent her back to work checking the various drips surrounding the bed. "She's still running a fever," he spoke to the nurse who stopped to record the new information in the chart that sat next to Buffy's thigh. "It's up to 106.3…getting close to crunch time" he didn't turn to meet the mother's gaze when he mumbled the after thought.
"We're waiting for the results from the infection unit," He fixed Joyce with a hopeful smile. "They should be here shortly.
The 'unit' consisting of two twenty something med students had come in shortly after Hank had left to take Xander back to school and drawn more blood from her daughter, before morosely wandering back down the hall in the direction that they had arrived from. Joyce despised the monotony in which they carried out their job, as if they weren't handling the most precious thing in her life. "Well…thank you." She had said that repeatedly since she had gotten to the hospital. It seemed that it was the only thing to say – and once again she received a nod in acceptance. It was, after all, the doctor's job to do all he could for his patients.
"I'd hate to jump to any conclusions," Dr. Griffon let his smile die without his, now customary 'all in a days work' response to her gratitude. "But when your husband returns we should discuss some precautions…"
Joyce wandered out of the conversation momentarily…out of her body and floated away from the room. Out of the dark place where she was holding onto her little girl's motionless hand for dear life. She had, all of the sudden, never wanted Hank to return more in her life – as if it would delay whatever the doctor wanted to talk to her about.
But he was still talking. Still watching her and relaying whatever gut wrenching message that he felt she just had to know.
"Buffy's fever…her general condition isn't improving." Dr. Griffon spoke steadily and saw Joyce's eyes fixed on the relaxed face of the young girl in the bed. "And I think that there are some options to consider…"
Her voice cracked and sounded so far away in her own ears. "Can you just tell me? I don't see how you can start this conversation and then ask me to wait." Impatience and anger bubbling through the heartache and the helplessness. Telling this man what she wanted to hear and when gave her back some of the control.
The doctor simply nodded. "Of course…" He swallowed and motioned Joyce to one of the leather padded chairs by the wall of the featureless room. "As a last resort, I've scheduled a spinal tap," he only spoke when he was sure that the woman in front of him was paying complete attention. "I would like to keep track of the spread of the venom into her brain stem…uhm…I'm going to keep her on the antibiotics until the end…"
"Until the end?!" Joyce's head snapped around and her eyes sparked with anger at the very concept. "The end of what exactly?! And don't you dare say that all you can do now is make her comfortable! Don't you dare say that to me…"
"Until we hear from the infection team, that's all I can offer you." Dr. Griffon shook his head.
Joyce's voice shook. "No," she stood on wobbly legs and pushed herself to Buffy's side, talking her hand again and holding on tight.
"I've alerted the staff priest." Dr. Griffon continued quietly and speaking to her back. "I've told him the situation and I think…" Joyce glanced over her shoulder at the man who had just stood up from his seat. "I…" he wanted to apologize again, he really did. "I recommend that you have her Final Rites read, before hand…"
"No," Joyce broke down. Loud sobs racking her body as she bend over her prone daughter's form. Dr. Griffon, moved closer behind her and lifted his hand to place it on the now bawling woman's back, but he stopped and withdrew. "I'm sorry about the situation," he reiterated. "When your husband returns, I can suggest a hospital counselor to talk to you…Grief counseling…"
Joyce shut her eyes against the tears…hoping vaguely that they could block out his words as well. But that's not what did it. Her heart beat pounding in her ears and the sounds of her own choked sobs turned her deaf to the news that she least wanted to hear.
~*~*~
Angel was walking two steps ahead of him and Xander kept his suspicious gaze locked on the vampires back. He was slightly wigged that Angel seemed to know the ins and outs of ever sewer in the school – giving him free access to any number of the student population at any time of day. Xander hadn't known before how easy it was for vampires to prey on them, but was thankful that they, with the exception of Angel, were mostly only out at night. He didn't know what he would do if he had to worry about passing Algebra and dodging undead on the way to class…he'd probably just pick dealing with the undead.
Angel had led him to the boys' locker room and lifted up a grate in the rear of the room, that besides the naked factor, Xander had always considered safe. That was their ticket into the sewer and that's where they were now. Xander assumed that Angel knew where he was going because he hadn't even looked at him so far to revel a location.
"So…" Xander said after a while, his voice echoing off of the damp brick walls. "Are we gonna split up?"
Angel chuckled out loud at the question and noted the slight hesitance in the boy's voice. "Not likely," Angel huffed out. "I have expressed orders to be on foolish teenager watch until this whole situation blows over." His back was turned and he didn't see Xander sneer at the back of his head. "We're going to go check out to see what the Master's working with. I think that they would want her dead the most…foiling the Harvest and all."
"Good," Xander nodded shortly and took some jogging steps to walk at Angel's side when he heard a tapping noise echoing behind him. "Stay together…we'll be like…"
"Batman and Robin," Angel cut his eyes to his cohort.
"Alright." Xander agreed while casting his eyes behind them once more. He could hear something…like steps…or…something.
Angel stopped suddenly and held his hand out to his side, stopping Xander when it collided with his stomach.
"What?" the teenager asked worriedly. "Is there something there?"
Angel's face split into more of a smile than Xander had ever seen the demon wear. "No," the vampire's grin infected his voice. "I just wanted to see you jump."
"Ha Ha, Deadboy," Xander pushed his arm from in front of him and took a step ahead. "Don't do that anymore, or I'll…"
"You'll what?" Angel challenged pushing past him. "Tell Buffy on me?"
Xander pointed at the vampire's back again. "Yeah! She'll let me stake you, you know."
"Sure," Angel nodded sarcastically and pressed forward. He slipped into his demonic vestige and let, his now glowing, eyes scan the dark tunnel. "You must ask yourself that if she wanted me dead so much, how come I'm still around. Ever think about that?"
Xander fell silent and shifted his eyes over surroundings that he couldn't see clearly. "She says that you two want the same thing. That you want to see them all dead."
"True." Angel nodded. "But," Angel kept his voice casual, "your friend does an awful good job of fighting down her instinct. Buffy was born to kill me. It seems to me that, at least half the time now, she's not even thinking about that…"
"And the other half of the time Giles is justifying her not running a pike through your ass." Xander saw Angel's stride falter. "Didn't know that did you, huh Deadboy?"
"Don't call me that," Angel demanded over his shoulder.
"Or what?" Xander repeated his earlier taunt, following him blindly further into the darkness. His anger was quiet and seething. "You'll kill me? Rip my throat out, like your instinct is telling you to do? You'd be dust before I'd even hit the ground."
Angel growled and was about to turn to face the arrogant boy when he picked up a slight scent in the air. He had caught it before, but assumed that it was just lingering odor from the demons that frequented this path, but it was stronger now. It was getting closer.
"You don't know her," Xander continued oblivious as he stopped behind the vampire. "You keep thinking that you have all the ups on the Slayer, and that may be true. I've never met one. But I've know Buffy my whole life, so don't get so high on yourself th…"
"Shut up." Angel barked in a quiet whisper over his shoulder.
"Don't pull that crap with me aga…"
Angel turned quickly and fastened his open palm over Xander's mouth His grip loosened, however, when Xander pushed him away violently and stumbled back into the brick wall opposite him.
"Never touch me!" Xander shouted and jumped back towards the vampire. "You don't eve…"
"Would you shut the hell up!" Angel yelled and stood, snarling in the teenagers face. "We're being followed."
Xander eyes widened and he turned his head left then right in search of possible threats. "What? How do you know? Are we close…is it the Master?"
"I can smell it," Angel spoke in a harsh whisper and briefly caught Xander's intense worried expression through his peripheral when he slipped into his vampire face again. "My 'eww' trait." Xander nodded. "And there're no more rats."
Xander looked down at the floor and noticed that Angel's observation was correct. "You guys eat rats too?"
"If necessary."
"You guys are real winners, you know that?" Xander said disgustedly.
Angel ignored him and took a step back in the direction that they had come from, putting Xander behind him. He could hear footfalls…about four of them approaching at a leisurely pace. What the hell? It doesn't sound like an attack… He reached under his long duster and pulled a short dagger from his sheaf sewn into the lining. "Here," he turned and handed the blade to the boy behind him. Xander took it was a shaky hand, his eyes wide and flicking between the weapon and the direction that Angel assumed that the danger was coming from. "Stay behind me."
"That's the plan," Xander whispered and gripped the dagger tightly. His palms were already sweating while he braced himself for a possible attack. He knew running wasn't an option, and that when it came down to it, it would be himself and Angel against whatever was making it's way…slowly…towards them.
Angel tensed suddenly and Xander followed his lead when the threat came into sight. "Are they vampires?" Xander whispered roughly into Angel's ear, and received a nod, although he did not tearing his eyes away from the three 'men' that stopped a good distance away from them. He watched as the last remaining member, the one in the lead, a little boy, pointed at himself and Angel and then stepped to the side and allowed his followers to pass. "What are they doing? What's going on?"
"Let's save the Sunnydale Inquisition until after we kill things, okay." Angel replied while stepping into a fighting stance and not breaking his focus ahead. He could feel Xander nodding vigorously behind him and mentally shook his head – he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe that the boy hadn't run screaming back to the high school since he had been able to literally taste his fear since they had walked out of the library. "What do you want?" Angel barked out. Xander jumped slightly at the vampires tone, having never heard him speak that loud in the past, and having never heard that distinct a growl in his voice.
"To help you," the vampire in front of the group spoke steadily – almost a bit reluctantly.
"Help us what?" Angel continued to try to feel them out.
"Save her." He stopped short and in the face of the vampire and his human companion. "We're here to save the Slayer."
~*~*~
"I spoke to the librarian at the high school," Hank spoke solemnly as he led Dawn by the shoulder into Buffy's room. "He's looking into it. He said that he'd seen…"
"They want to read her Final Rites!" Joyce interrupted with tears still in her eyes when Hank arrived back at the hospital with Dawn. A part of her realized that she probably shouldn't be so vocal about her insistent nagging terror at the bleak situation for the benefit of her youngest daughter, but she just couldn't hold back anymore. She all but collapsed into her husband's arms trapping a crying Dawn between them. And all Hank could do was warp his arms around his family.
He forgot what he had intended to say, and his wife's grip around his waist didn't force the air out of his lungs, the sheer shock of what she had said did. "When was that decided?"
Joyce sniffled and shook her head. "I don't know. Dr. Griffon did a spinal tap a few minutes ago…and the fever…he's getting the results from the infection unit now." Hank nodded and she felt Dawn's thin arms wrap around her just below her husbands. She could here the ten year old sniffle and feel the slightly damp spot on her shirt from where the girl's tears were saturating through the fabric. "Oh Dawnie," she tried to smile, but what actually showed was a sad imitation as she pulled away from Hank and hugged the small girl to her chest. "Are you alright baby?"
Dawn kept her face buried in her mother's stomach and willed for nobody to see her chin tremble. "I don't want Buffy to die," her already small voice a choked whisper.
"Oh baby," Hank cut in when he saw Joyce's face contort with a fresh wave of tears. "Buffy's not going anywhere. You know how stubborn you big sister is." His younger daughter nodded but didn't pull away from her mother, so Hank settled for running his hand through her long brown hair. "She's going to be ok, the doctors are going to get her to wake up and…"
"Glad to see you back, Mr. Summers," The now familiar voice of Dr. Griffon broke into his reassurance speech. "I spoke to Joyce while you were gone," he hesitated and glanced down at the newer younger occupant of the room.
"This is my other daughter, Dawn," Hank told him, but crossed his arms across his chest, belaying any sense of comfort.
"Hello Dawn," Dr. Griffon titled his head to try to catch her eyes, but Dawn turned her face away.
Normally she would have been scolded for being rude and disrespectful, but this time her mother just held her tighter. "She's just worried about her big sister," Joyce offered, catching a wave of strength for a split second while running her hand over Dawn's hair, and the doctor nodded.
"Rightfully so. Well, I'm sure that your being here will only help here, Dawn." The doctor offered a one sided smile again. "I have the results from the tests," he faced Buffy's parents again.
"Do you now what we're dealing with?" Hank asked urgently. "I spoke to one of Buffy's teachers, who studies bites, at the high school. He said that he had seen something like the wound on her back. He's going to make some calls and get back to me ASAP about what it might be."
"Well we'll definitely be using that information. Maybe you can even get him down here. I'd like to meet the man who knows how to deal with the thing that caused that." Dr. Griffon nodded hopefully, accepting any further help that was offered at this point. "But as of now, from a medical standpoint, her symptoms and reactions are resembling bacterial meningitis." Joyce and Hank tipped their heads to him and he continued, "Now, I'm not recording that as her primary aliment that is just a possibility that we're working to combat. But," he sifted through some papers and produced yet another report. "The infection unit tested the secretion and her blood and the closest they could find was some sort of mutant strain of a neurotoxin called Oxyuranus s. scutlellatus."
"So we know what it is?" Joyce spoke with a shaky voice. "If we know then you can administer something against that too."
"It's not exactly on point. There were slight variations that make this something entirely different. New. Buffy is a president – under the worst possible circumstances."
"So we're back at square one?!" Hank's disbelief made his voice boom and Dawn flinch further into her mother's arms, even though his back was to the both of them. "What exactly is the point here. You're pumping her full of every drug known to man, and nothing is helping…"
"It's just another avenue we're looking at. The neurotoxin the in its regular form can kill a healthy adult male in fifteen minutes. The fact that Buffy, here, is still fighting…"
"What you're making sound like a losing battle," Hank bit out, arms still crossed.
"Is still fighting," Dr. Griffon insisted, "Is giving us hope that we can get the antivenin shipped here, hopefully with in the half hour." He saw the questioning looks on both of the parents' faces and swallowed deeply at, yet another confusing piece to the puzzle. "We don't have any on hand, simply because the venom is that of a group of vipers known as Elapids…inherent to Australia."
"Where would Buffy have gotten one of them from?" Dawn squeaked her question to her mother.
"That's my question exactly," the doctor nodded. "And I suggest that no matter the outcome the authorities be alerted as to the possible threat of somebody in the area being in possession of such an animal." Hank nodded tightly and tried to ignore the question of the, so called, 'outcome'. "But," Dr. Griffon took a deep breath and prepared for more tears, "As I spoke to Joyce about, in the worst case scenario…"
"The Last Rites," Hank nodded, his lips pursed, and received a nod in response.
"Precautionary measure in case of the worst," the doctor offered in a low voice. "I brought Father Morton up with me, he's waiting in the hall…uhm…he'd do the reading now, if you'd like."
"No," Joyce spoke quietly. "I don't want anybody to…It's like giving in. I can't do that to Buffy, Henry. I won't." She let go of Dawn and approached Buffy's bedside again, perching herself on the side and grasping her hand. She refused to meet the eyes of the two men in the room and Dawn came to her side, tilting her head and examining her sister laying still under the white sheets and blanket. "We're not even religious."
Hank nodded to her but kept his hard front up. His eyes clenched shut and he turned back to the doctor as he stood unsure of what to do.
"It can be a non-denominational reading," Dr. Griffon spoke lowly to Buffy's father. "It's simply a recommendation that we make at this point."
What was he supposed to do in this situation? He had cursed that there were no handbooks on how to raise children, no matter how many 'Psychology Today' magazines his wife returned from the supermarket with. What was he supposed to do when you had to give permission for one to leave you?
"Why don't you send him in, if you think that it's best at this juncture." The doctor nodded to him and moved to step back out of the room, waving for the hospital priest to enter the room behind him. "This by no means, means that we're giving up hope."
"Of course not," the doctor nodded. "She can still wake up."
Hank nodded. "Alright," he extended his hand to the priest. He set his jaw and turned to Joyce and Dawn, "This is Father Morton."
"I said no, Hank!" Joyce faced him with fire in her eyes. "Just no!"
"It's what they do, Honey," Hank kept his voice even, the ping of the machines hooked to his daughter sounding deafening loud in his ears. "They're still going to do everything that they can to help her."
"I don't want…" Joyce choked on her sobs and her breath hitched. "I'm not going to listen to this." She pushed herself up strongly from the bed and stormed out of the room. Hank moved to grab her arm as she passed but Joyce jerked herself away from his grasp, holding her hands up to tell him that she would hear no further discussion on the matter.
"Mommy…" tears broke Dawn's façade as well and she glared briefly at her father before running out after Joyce.
Hank clenched his eyes shut and the muscles in his jaw flexed, but he did not follow his family. He simple raised his gaze and locked it with Buffy. Motionless and pale – slightly hazy gray in the light, and drawing in slow ragged breaths to the delayed ping of the monitors, "Oh, Sweetheart," he pursed his lips to keep the tears back. He walked to the side of the bed and took the seat that Joyce had abandoned, running his hand over her forehead and noting that her skin was clammy cold over searing heat, and brushed her hair back from her face. "I'm not giving up on you," he spoke quietly, even though the clarity wavered. "I…I just want what's best for you…not ever giving up though. Please know that, baby. I…I love you so much Buffy, so please know that."
Father Morton had seen scenes like this countless times and didn't speak until Hank had been quiet for a few moments. "Would you like to be in the room?" his voice was unobtrusive and quiet, but Hank shook his head.
"I'll wait outside…" he swallowed. "I need to…I just need to be outside." He hated that now, even he, was abandoning Buffy now. Not because of a lack of caring, but because it was too hard to see with his own eyes…hear with his own ears; and he walked numbly to the door at the Father's nod of acceptance.
"Heal, O Redeemer, the infirmities of the sick person; heal her wounds and forgive him her sins. Make all the infirmities of her body and soul disappear." The prayer had started before he could even touch the door knob and Hank turned to watch the priest, his head bowed over Buffy's prone form as he spoke, and he could hardly turn away.
"And by Thy Mercy, give her full spiritual and corporal health, that re-established by the effect of Your goodness, she can resume the fulfillment of his duties.... Grant that Thy servant, freed
from sickness and restored to health, may be re-established by Thy Name and given back to Thy Holy Church."
Hank dropped his gaze and pushed the door open as quietly as he could, slipping out into the hall, and leaving his little girl alone. Father Morton paused at the swooshing sound of the door shutting but then set back to work blessing the sick child in front of him, and hoping that it wouldn't, in the end, be necessary.
He pulled out a small vile of oils, "We implore Thee, O Lord, look with kindness on Thy servant, Buffy, who is growing weak as her body fails." Dipped his finger into the oil and smeared a small cross on Buffy's slick forehead before he shut his eyes again in prayer. "Cherish and revive the soul which Thou didst create, so that, purified and made whole by her sufferings, she may find herself restored by Thy healing through Christ Our Lord. Amen."
**
"How could you do that?!" Joyce screamed, standing firm and toe to toe with her husband when he reemerged from Buffy's room. She had been hugging Dawn, but when she locked eyes with Hank her grief channeled into anger and she had snapped. "How could you let them…"
"I'm doing what's best." Hank tried to keep his voice level, while he noticed Dawn drop her head to her hands and her shoulder shook with tears. "Somebody has to be rational…"
"Is it rational to let them give up on your first born!"
"Nobody is giving up!"
**
"O Lord, Father Almighty,...free Thy servant from sickness. Restore to her health." Father Morton continued his reading despite the muffled shouts leaking into the room from the hallway. He knew the fight that was taking place, but it wasn't his place to interfere. It was his place to assure that no matter if their child survived this experience or not, she would be anointed in the eyes of the Lord.
"Raise her up by Thy right hand, strengthen her by Thy power, protect her by Thy might, and give her back to Thy Holy Church with all that is needed for her welfare through Christ Our Lord. Amen." He closed his eyes and raised his hand starting at the top of Buffy's head and making a cross over her body, "Pray that this may serve to give renewed strength to God's temple...that all who are anointed with the heavenly remedy of this oil may find it a medicine for body and soul, quick to remove all suffering and to drive away all sickness and infirmity of soul and body."
Father Morton nodded down at the small girl and offered her a small smile that she couldn't see. "Pull through child," he whispered and turned to the door. He stepped back into the hall and her arguing parents stopped and faced him with wide eyes – as if he were going to deliver the worst possible news they would ever receive. "Go in and sit with her," he tired to keep his smile happily sincere, but his sympathy shone through. "If Buffy is meant to pull through, she will be just fine."
~*~*~
"Are we just supposed to trust these guys?" Xander whispered from his hunched position beside Angel. "They said that the Master sent them…why would he do that?"
Angel shook his head and shrugged. "I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth on this one."
Xander nodded in agreement and looked out into the expanse of the cavern the three vampires, who had introduced themselves as Martin, Randall and Jeremy, had led them to. They were hidden behind a collection of high rocks and looking the demon that had injured Buffy head on. Jeremy had given Xander a fairly large bottle for the 'cargo' that he had to rush to Buffy, and told him and Angel to be ready to be ready to go in for the kill at the first opening. They all would be fighting today, should the situation call for it, but Angel had made it clear that Xander should stay in the background until it was absolutely necessary for him to make an appearance.
But now, surveying the odds of their five member team against the eight vampires, including Jesse, already milling around the cave, Xander knew that the absolute was going to come sooner than later. They just had to wait for the signal that Martin had assured would come once all the teams of two were in place.
"Once we're done with this," Angel spoke over his shoulder. "I'm sure we'll find out why the Master is so keen on keeping Buffy around."
"Almost afraid to find out the why and wherefore about that," Xander spoke in the same emotionless tone that Angel always held.
"Be afraid about this first," Angel offered. "Fearing one thing at a time'll center you." Xander smirked at him, but then was deterred from response when Angel caught sight of the flash of light from their right that was the signal for the attack. "Ready?" he asked suddenly, but didn't wait for a response before he stood and made the short jump, perfectly choreographed from all directions, into the floor of the cave.
"Yeah," Xander swallowed and jammed the jar into his cargo pocket quickly with one hand while still gripping the dagger that Angel had given him earlier in the other. He pushed himself off of the dirt floor and hopped over the rock he was hiding behind. Buffy had taught him to fight, and now was his time to see just how much he remembered.
The attack seemed to be a surprise and he saw Angel use that to his advantage as he rushed towards the Vardilus' cage. Xander tried to follow him, but found himself grabbed from behind and flung back to the dirt floor.
Jesse seethed when the five vampires landed in the middle of his lair, but he couldn't help but notice how right Darla had been. Angel had shown. He pulled himself away from Darla and pushed her from his lap as he stood from his chair. "Get them!" His initial order boomed in the room just as he saw Xander jump from the same location that Angel had come from. Everything had played right into his plan – with the exception of the back up that this former team had come with; but that was only a minimal concern. Jesse turned to his left and spoke into Darla's ear, "Don't let you lover take the demon." He pulled away and his demonic vestige twisted his smile, but he quickly jumped away from her and into the fight. He pushed past one of his guys and through various fights, headed for Xander while he tried to approach the demon's cage and reached out to grab his shoulder hard; flinging the mortal boy to the ground. "Looking for something?"
Xander scramble to his feet and saw Martin punching one of Jesse's men in the face hard, before the other vampire fell to the ground. "Yeah," Xander breathed out hard. "You." His fist shot out and connected solidly with Jesse's face, snapping his head back with the surprise movement. Xander followed it up with a reverse backhand that whipped Jesse's face to the right and spun him to the ground with the force of the blow. Xander looked up briefly and saw Angel grab a vampire by the shoulders and toss him into a jagged stone wall opposite his destination, while he used Jesse's prone position to drop kick him in the ribs. "What?!" his voice was ragged with anger. "You don't want to fight now?!"
Jesse smiled a twisted bloody smirk and turned his face up to his former friend. He saw Xander's concentration waiver and turned to see Darla engaged in an even handed fist fight with Angel in front of the cage, but he was snapped back to reality when the toe of Xander's shoe connected with his ribs again. He knew that had he not been undead already, his ribs would be broken…maybe some were. Jesse rolled away out of the way of another kick. "You really," he caught Xander's ankle and turned it, making the other boy loose his footing and turn crashing into the dirt, "want to spend the night wrestling with me in the dirt…" he crawled over Xander and punched at him, striking him in the side of the head, "while Buffy rots alive?"
Xander kicked out at Jesse's evil grin, his foot on the vampire's hip and sent him stumbling off of him and onto his back. Soon both were staring at each other – Xander breathing hard while Jesse kept grinning.
"So I killed her," Jesse shrugged and made no movement as Xander was tackled from the side by another one of his minions. "Big fucking deal," he laughed while he watched Xander struggle. "She was gonna di…" His own rant was cut off as he was taken down from behind, his arms locked to his side. "And who do you think you are?" he asked his attacker, slamming his head back and hearing his captors nose crunch under the impact.
Angel saw Xander be taken down and turned his attention from Darla, who sneered and punched him hard in the face. His vampire form slipped out from the force of the blow and Angel made no attempt to control it – reveling in the rush of power that came with the transformation. The vampire attacking Xander had him pinned to the ground and Angel called out "Use the dagger!" as he, himself rocked Darla with a hard uppercut that sent the female vampire flying back through the air.
Xander gulped when he heard the muffled advice, his heart was pounding in his ears, and he forced the hand holding the dagger up through, the vampire on top of him, chest. No dice. He panicked and slammed his head up – his forehead connecting solidly with the vampire's eye and sent him tumbling back off of him.
"Here kid!" the Master's minion, Jeremy, called and tossed Xander a stake.
He caught it in mid air and turned, his previous attacker already charging again and thrusting it hard through his chest. He was hoping he got the heart, this time, when it counted, but knew he did when the dust settled in front of him. Sweet! He congratulated just as he saw Jesse twist the neck of Randall sharply, the loud snap echoing through the cave.
"He's out," the teenaged vampire smirked as he stood and dusted himself off and faced Xander again. "You up to be next?"
"Xander!" Angel called. He saw Buffy's friend facing off with the teenaged demon that he wanted nothing more than to rip apart himself. But they were at the cage now, and down to four men. They had to get the cure for Buffy and they needed it now before things slipped further downhill. "We need that dagger!" Martin had unlatched the cage and the Vardilus was quick to push thought its restraints in a last ditch attempt for freedom, but was pushed back by the two vampires flanking him.
Xander didn't even cut his eyes to give away his movement, but simply ran towards Angel as hard as he could, Jesse right behind him. He stopped short of the demon and reached past Angel and Martin, jamming the dagger into the surprised monster's chest. Xander smirked at Angel's wide eyes, but soon lost sight of his partner as he was grabbed from behind again and tossed through the air. He prepared to hit the ground but instead found his impact broken by the feel of another body behind him.
Angel watched Xander collide with Darla and send them body back to the ground, but was relieved that the boy was quick to his feet again. He pulled the dagger out of the howling Vardilus' chest and wasted no time jamming it into the monster's throat. "The jar Xander!" Martin held the monster still and its struggles ceased when Angel yanked the dagger had to the left until it broke free from the thick spiny neck.
"No!" Jesse shouted and lunged for Angel, pulling him away from the twitching corpse of the demon. Angel punched the undead child and saw Martin working to finish sawing off the demons head. He front snap kicked Jesse in the stomach and sent him flying across the room before hurrying back to the Vardilus.
"How do we get the brain out?" he was breathing heavily for no reason and Martin smirked at him.
"Get the kid over here."
Xander shook his head to clear it and scowled at the familiar female vampire that had broken his fall. "You killed my best friend," his voice was eerily low while he eyed Darla.
"I helped him," she amended and got slowly to her feet. "He was going nowhere and I saved him."
Xander's jaw twitched and he fell into a fighting stance against the vampire, and she laughed at him. Smiled in his face and laughed.
"Xander! The jar!"
"Tick tock," Darla sang. "You're time is running out, Alexander. What ever will the hero do? Or…" she trailed off and her fist shot out, aimed at his nose, but he blocked it. "Is Angel the lady's hero?"
"XANDER!!"
The teenager jumped up from his fighting stance, bring is leg up in a jumping front kick that connected squarely with the startled vampire's chin. Darla's head snapped back before she fell to the ground and Xander's smile, all but beamed in the darkness of the cave. "The lady's my hero," he whispered, not caring if Darla was even conscious to hear his response before he rushed back to Angel's…Martin's side. Angel was now busy trying to keep the remainder Jesse's men at bay while they finished their task.
"This is the ugly part, Mortal," Martin sneered at Xander and picked up the decapitated head of the Vardilus over a jagged rock between them. He smirked at the boy's grimace when he slammed the skull down on the rock; the puncture wound now seeping with a bright pink liquid. "The jar," Martin ordered and Xander moved quickly to catch the sometimes chunky outflow.
"Get that to the Slayer, boy," Martin told him. "Make sure she drinks it all."
Xander nodded and ducked as Angel was thrown over his head and slammed into the metal bars of the cage. "Go Xander," the vampire growled and pushed himself to his feet. "Take the sewers to the surface and run."
Xander hopped to his feet and clutched the jar to his chest as he dodged the various hands grabbing at him while he ran to the mouth of the cave. He didn't glance back as he hopped over rocks and moved with blind determination back into the main sewer system – trying to recall the path that he and Angel had taken to get there. He slipped the jar carefully back into his side pocket when he reached the first ladder to the surface that he saw small slivers of sunlight streaming though. Xander jumped at the ladder and pulled himself up, trying not to focus on the hurried footfalls behind him.
"He's up ahead!" a deep voice called.
"MOVE!" Jesse's call followed. "DON"T LET HIM OUT!"
The glowing eyes preceded the more shouting while Xander pushed at the man hole cover and tried to balance himself on the ladder. The heavy steel lid creaked up and Xander bit is lip and pushed it away: up into the street. "Later Jess," he breathed and pulled himself up, surveying the sidewalk he was on and the people who stopped their strides to look at him with confusion. "Nice to kick your ass again."
"DAMMIT!"
The curse followed him into the street while Xander jumped to his feet, trying to offer polite smiles to the pedestrians around him and took off in a sprint down the street.
~*~*~
Xander was heaving but refused to let his fatigue slow him down when he slid through the opening automatic doors of the hospital. His heart was pounding and he pulled the jar out of his pocket, only momentarily breaking his stride down the hall to Buffy's room.
"Xander?" Dawn's voice beside him when he passed didn't fault his stride; and neither did the similar calls from Mr. and Mrs. Summers.
"Xander?! Wait!" Hank called just before Xander ran into Buffy's room. The consecutive outbursts drawing the attention of several doctors and nurses at the desk just to the right of Buffy's room.
"Son?" One of them called as he rushed to Buffy's door, just before Xander slammed it shut. "SON!"
"XANDER!" Hank shouted, trying the door knob. "It's locked."
"Get security up here!" one of the doctors called back over his shoulder to the desk.
"Xander, honey?!" Joyce called, but was interrupted by her husband's more commanding voice.
"Open the goddamned door, Xander! This isn't a joke!"
Xander was physically shaking as he stepped back from the door; able to see the wood shake under the pounding fists outside. He only hoped that Joyce and Hank would forgive him one day. As long as Buffy lived, it would all be worth it in the end.
"Hey Buff," he spoke quietly. "Told you I'd be back." Xander approached the bed quickly and tilted his head to look down at her. "I don't have a lot of time," he unscrewed the jar. Xander slid his hand under Buffy's head and lifted it slightly. "Don't hate me for this when you find out what this stuff is," he frowned and tilted it to her mouth, nudging it open with the edge of the jar. He tried to tilt Buffy's head forward more and keep the neon pink fluid flowing past her lips, every so often letting her head drop back and making sure that it slid down her throat. "That's it Buff," he encouraged his unconscious friend. "You gotta drink the whole thing…"
Another loud thud followed by the scraping metal sound of the door unlocking and he poured faster. "C'mon Buff…c'mon…" Xander shifted nervously, but couldn't fight it when his frightened frown turned up into a hopeful smile. Buffy's previously relaxed features scrunching slightly and he felt her pushing back against his hand – trying to escape the trap of his hand holding her to the foul liquid in the jar. Buffy grunted when the jar was empty and Xander tried to set her head down softly, smiling at her frown, as the door burst open.
"Get him out of here!" a deep male voice shouted and Xander was grabbed from behind with two pairs of arms.
"Buffy!" he called back into the room, hoping against hope that she would move before he was dragged out. "Buffy, wake up….please! Buffy!" his feet dragged backwards into the hall and he briefly saw the frightened look on Dawn's face, matched with the angry glare on Hank's as Buffy's father pushed his way into the room. "I didn't hurt her," he pleaded with Joyce, who was standing at Dawn's side. "I didn't…I love her…" his voice rose to a shout before he was pulled around the corner and into a side office, the door slamming closed behind him.
"Just what in the hell do you think you're doing son?!" a loud voice drew his attention away from the door that was separating him from seeing if Buffy was alright. A door that was flung open before he could answer the angry question posed to him.
"She's waking up!" an excited young male nurse exclaimed in the office. "That girl with the snake bite is moving!"
Xander shot out of the chair that he had been forced into and pushed himself past the man in the doorway. He was running again as if his legs weren't numb from his initial sprint. Xander turned the corner and pushed roughly past the droves of onlookers still milling in the hallway. "MOVE!" he ordered and stumbled into the room. He stopped dead under Hank's glare, but shook off his wave of fear and fixed his eyes on Buffy as he walked cautiously to the bed. He could feel Dawn and Joyce's eyes on him as well, while nobody spoke to him…he didn't care. He wasn't there for them.
Xander's mouth cracked into a grin when he saw Buffy's frown increase and her eyes fluttered slightly against the light.
"…breakfast…" Buffy's gruff and groggy voice broke through the room and Joyce's unbridled laughter followed. Her eyes squinted against the light and tried to focus on the shapes surrounding her. "Xan…" she called for the first thing that she remembered from the night that…when was that, anyway? "Xander?"
His eyes were watering again and he leant over the head of the bed, not caring about the fact that her whole family was watching the scene in awe. "Buffy…"
Her eyes slit dazedly. And she saw his watery smile mere inches from her face. Buffy's arms hurt and her hands tingled. She couldn't remember how she got where she was, or even falling asleep, but now she saw the last face she remembered seeing. Her best friend's worried eyes shinning down on her and she ignored the pain, bringing her hands up and cupping them over his cheeks. Xander leant into her grasp and let her pull him down. And she kissed him. One lingering kiss that Xander melted into with a grateful teary smile, and he vowed not to let her go.
One statement broke through his haze and an uttered whisper against his lips, through a dry scraping of hers. "I love you, Xander."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The End Part 2d