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Part 15: Spilt Milk
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Part 15a
[Upstairs, 7:38 p.m.]
"Grampa Giles?"
"Alex, is everything okay?"
"Mom just went downstairs, she told me to call you and tell you to come here, Auntie too… I think my dad's hurt."
"Okay, we're on our way. Are you okay?"
A muffled 'hmm-mm' was heard over the phone.
"Okay, Alex, stay where you are at. I'm going to hang up and your Aunt Willow is going to call you right back on her cell phone, okay?"
"Okay."
Alex put the phone down, as told. A second later the phone rang again.
"Alex? Tell me what happened?"
"Mommy was pouring me more milk and then she dropped the milk. And then she looked at me. She look scared, then says to me to call you and Grampa Giles. She said that dad's going to be hurt... Then tells me to remember what she said, and then she said she'll be back, and went downstairs after closing the door."
"Okay, Alex, we're almost there…"
[In the backyard, 7:38p.m.]
"Spike, oh god Spike," Buffy said, as she saw his eyes close. "Spike just stay with me, don't leave me, you hear?"
"I hear…" Came the mumbled reply.
Bufffy smiled through her silent tears as his eyes open again. Buffy stroked his hair. "You're gonna be fine." Buffy assured him, but she was just as scared. She didn't know what the hell was going on. She didn't know why Spike couldn't move unless she moved him. She didn't know, but she held onto the fact that he was still with her.
When she had first got to his side, she found that he was warm, and getting hotter by the second. She didn't know what to make of it. When she tore open his t-shirt, to assess the wound, she realized that the arrow that had struck Spike was not your ordinary arrow.
She took off her collared shirt, leaving her in just a chemise, and used it to try and stop the flow of the blood. But the blood didn't seem to slow with pressure. Her white shirt quickly turned into a heavy, blood soaked rag.
"What's happening, the blood won't stop? Why is he hot? What's happening?" Buffy asked, not taking her eyes from Spike, but directing her questions towards Angel. She didn't know what was going on and that she couldn't trust Angel, but she didn't know what else she could do.
"The arrow's poisoned."
When Angel didn't say anything further: "That's it? Well, I figured as much! If it weren't, this wouldn't be happening, now would it?" Buffy asked. Her voice breaking, as she was on the brink of falling apart. "Tell me how to fix it." Then upon seeing Spike closing his eyes again and grimacing, "Baby, keep your eyes open, just look at me. I know it hurts, but just hold on for me..."
"I don't know how to fix it." Angel was looking at the scene in front of him, and didn't know the first thing to do or say. He honestly didn't know what could be done. Making a move to get closer, he was met with a glower. If looks could kill. He put his hands up. "I won't try anything."
"Like I trust that," Buffy said, but made no other move to stop him from getting closer. She really did need the help, she just couldn't risk being stubborn at a time like this.
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After telling Alex that they were almost there, Willow handed the phone to Giles, not wanting to hang up and leave Alex out of contact. She then tried to contact Buffy, telepathically. 'Buffy.'
'Wills! it's bad!'
'I know, we're on the way, do you need-'
'No the vamps are gone, I just need-Spike's hurt and Band-Aids aren't going to be of help.'
[7:39 p.m.]
"Oh, no..." Willow gasped, when she arrived.
"Willow... he's... he's burning up…" Buffy said as she pulled the leather coat off of Spike's arm. She then moved to pull off the other sleeve, hoping to cool him down.
When Giles stepped onto the lawn with cell phone in hand, he told Alex that they were there, and one of them will come up in a minute. He followed Willow, who had gone through the backyard gate. "Dear lord, what could do this?" Giles asked, genuinely concerned for Spike.
It had been a long time since he thought Spike as just a vampire. He had come to think of him as friend, an ally, a great father to Alex, a loving husband to Buffy. It had been ages since he last thought of vampires in general in matters of black and white, he had learned that there isn't just grey, but full living color with high definition. And most of his added knowledge of vampires were supplied from the vampire lying on the floor, looking like death.
"The arrow..." Angel started, as he handed Giles the tip of the broken arrow. "It's laced with Anpanaea demon blood, I don't know of a cure."
Giles took hold of the broken arrow without looking up. "I see, let's get him inside. Better in than out in the open."
[7:40p.m.]
Buffy watched Angel and Giles move Spike to the guestroom, which was located just passed the staircase on the floor level. Buffy grabbed the first-aid kit on the way. "Alex, I have to-"
"I'll check on him if you want to stay, I mean…"
Buffy nodded.
And Willow ran up the stairs.
Buffy kept a close eye on Angel's movements, ready to intervene at any given moment.
As they put him down on the bed, she went to Spike's side and started to patch the wound up, hoping to seal it. She was scared for him. His blood felt hot, and it just kept flowing out of the wound, and she didnt know what could be done about it, or what to make of it. Buffy looked up at Giles, hoping he had an answer.
"I…" Giles began, but he didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry..."
"Just tell it straight, Rupert… what's happening…to me… Feels like my insides are bubblin'... you know of a cure?" Spike asked. He hated how just talking made his lungs feel like they were melting with each breath it took to talk.
"I'm not sure what we could do. The blood of Anpanaea is lethal to humans. I have no idea what it could do to you. In a human, it'll slowly burn up your insides, and it won't let you heal the puncture. The blood will just keep flowing. I…I'm not sure that vampiric healing will be fast enough to stop it." Giles looked at the broken arrow. "However, what if…" Giles looked at Angel who was now standing by the doorway. "Nothing we can test?"
Angel just shook his head.