Chapter 10 ~ Follow the Light
*********************************************************************
"A lone pair of watchful eyes, oversee the living. Feel the presence all
around, a tortured soul, a wound un-healing."
"You can still be Free" Savage Garden
*********************************************************************
Willow finally moved after what seemed like an eternity. Aura had barely
dared to breathe but she jumped to her feet when Willow moved. She didn't
know what to do but she felt more helpful standing.
"Phone." Willow said after a moment moving away from the bed and out of
Buffy's room,
"Phone," Dawn heard her repeat as she heard the stairs creak under her
weight. Dawn frowned and went back to dabbing the cloth on Giles forehead.
She had wiped the blood away from his chin as well, but he looked as if he
would threaten to throw up again even though he was unconscious. She removed
the warm cloth; dipping it back in the bowl and discovering that the water
was beginning warm as well. She left the cloth where it was as she heard the
door open downstairs,
"They're back." She said, not really to anyone in particular. She got up
from the edge of the bed and Aura almost immediately took her place. Aura
would take care of him until someone else came back upstairs Dawn thought as
she ran down them,
"Xander we -" her sentence stopped dead as she did too. She could see Willow
in the living room the phone still to her ear in the same position.
"Dawn." Buffy said, moving towards her sister,
"Are you - Are you real?" Buffy nodded at her sister before she threw her
arms round her,
"How?" she asked in a strangled whisper as tears started to stream down her
face.
"I don't have time to explain just now." Buffy said pulling away and going
up the stairs. There was a silence between the group that was broke by the
clatter of Willow dropping the phone. Xander picked it up as Tara went to
comfort her crying girlfriend,
"Hello?" Xander asked into the phone,
"Hello this is the emergency services, do you need some assistance?" Xander
eyes widened, 'What had happened to Giles?' he thought,
"Hello?"
"Yes - yes we do." He said before giving the address.
"It's really her?" Willow whispered into Tara's ear,
"It's really her sweetie."
*********************************************************************
Buffy walked down the familiar corridor and opened the door to what had once
been her room. She stepped into the room, closing the door quietly behind
her before her eyes cast to the form lying on the bed. She faltered by the
door as she took in the battered body of the man who had once been her
Watcher.
Was she too late already? God, it looked so much like it.
If only they had sent her to the house instead of to her grave.
She crossed the room to the bed and settled herself on the edge of it,
placing a cold hand on Giles forehead. As she did so she felt a pang of
guilt. She hadn't been able to pull him away from the portal.
She was supposed to keep him safe.
She was supposed to keep them all safe.
She had been left to look after him and what had happened wasn't supposed
to. He was supposed to be back at his flat in Bath, Aura trying to talk him
into coming to Sunnydale right now, not already here and in pieces.
She had failed him.
*********************************************************************
Lamppost.
Tree.
Car.
Wall.
It was making Willow sick watching everything rush by the car window,
'Look into the distance Will,' she heard Xander saying to her all those
years ago when they had gone to camp together. She couldn't really look into
the distance as the wall was so high, nor could she bring herself to look
out the front windscreen. The siren of the ambulance drilling a hole in her
head was enough to make her sick as well. She couldn't think about anything
at the moment, even though her mind was a whirl of thoughts.
She remembered arguing over who was coming to the hospital. She knew they
wouldn't have all fitted in the car, but that didn't stop them from trying.
In the end they had left Tara, Anya and Spike behind, with a promise that
they would call as soon as they had any news.
Good or Bad.
Buffy was back. She remembered that too. She didn't care why at the moment,
Buffy was back, and that was enough. One big happy family reunited.
Correction, one big family who was going to loose one of their members after
just getting them back.
She glanced in the rear-view mirror, watching Aura staring out the window,
transfixed by the passing countryside. Dawn was beside her, huddled in the
far corner, fidgeting with her hair, running her hands through it
constantly, trying to take her mind of Giles. She had been babbling
constantly about nothing in particular since they had got in the car. Xander
had done the same for a while but he had given up,
"Dawn you'll make your hair greasy."
"What - Oh - yeah. Well it won't matter it's bath night and I fancy a long
soak in the bath. Plus I've got my art folio paper to do for tomorrow so I
could do that - yah know." She paused for a moment staring out the window,
suddenly remembering she had hoped Giles would help her with it,
"He won't now." She whispered to herself. No one commented on the words that
came from her mouth, or questioned what she was talking about. They were
scared. They didn't want to know. 'He' was obviously Giles, but what he
wouldn't do was nothing they wanted to hear.
*********************************************************************
The oppressive silence that surrounded the small group as they sat in the
waiting room was almost killing Xander. Dawn had finally stopped talking,
taking to staring at the form of her once dead sister instead. He wished
someone would say something, say anything. He knew why everyone was so quiet
though, it was a lot to digest.
Giles and Buffy back both in the same day.
Giles back looking like he had been to hell and Buffy looking more beautiful
than he had ever remembered her. Almost glowing.
It was just too much to get your head around, but what was making it worse
he realized was the fact that he didn't know why either of them were here.
Or more importantly where they had been.
Buffy had traded hugs with everyone, saying how happy she was to see them
again, but she had yet to tell them why she was back. Why she had been sent
back to them. She had been introduced to Aura. They had looked at each other
with a knowing smile, as if they shared some secret that the rest of the
world was not in on. And obviously, Xander thought, would never get in on.
A doctor appeared before them as if by magic,
"Are you the group that came in with Mr. Giles?" Buffy brought herself to
her feet automatically. Willow struggling to stand beside her,
"How is he?" Willow said, obvious panic in her voice,
"We've got him stable for the moment and up in a room. But what I fail to
understand how he got in such a state. Many of his cuts and bruises are
days, if not weeks old, and that knife wound -" he paused, placing a pen
inside his jacket pocket,
"Perhaps if I could talk to one of you?" The doctor asked, looking between
Buffy and Willow,
"Can we see him?" Willow asked, not answering the doctor's question. He
sighed before nodding,
"One at a time though, please. He's still in a critical condition, but I
really do need to speak with one of you."
*********************************************************************
Buffy's hand moved over Giles still head.
She had left Aura and Willow to try and convince the hospital that Giles was
in the country legally, knowing that the problem would not be solved without
a little help from magic.
She knew why she was back, she also knew she would have trouble explaining
to the other's why she was back. She had meet Aura, formally now, and she
somehow seemed to know. She seemed close to Giles. As close as she had been,
as close as she would always be.
The machines beeped rhythmically around her. She could hear his slow
deliberate breathing above them all though. It gave her hope. Hope that she
had not screwed up big time like she always did. She had screwed up so many
times in life and now she was screwing things up in the after life. One
simple job she had been given. Look after her friends. She highly doubted
that the Powers That Be would be congratulating her at this moment in time.
She had a second chance though.
To put things right.
To make sure Giles didn't die.
*********************************************************************
Giles tried to use his arms to shield himself from the sun. The hotness of
it searing into him like a dozen pokers that had been left in the fire too
long. It was hopeless though. He could feel his skin drying out, baking in
the sun, moisture draining from it, sucking the life out of him,
"You'll be all right."
There it was again, her voice. The hope in it. The salvation.
He felt a hand close around his and pull his arms from his eyes,
"You have to be strong."
Giles found himself being pulled to his feet. He didn't want to stand, could
barely stand. He stopped his knees from shaking though as the sun still beat
down on him. The hand that clasped his hand had no face, but the voice and
the words he recognized.
The hand pulled at his, leading him on through the desert. He followed
willingly; knowing it would lead him to a better place. He knew that while
the hand held him he was safe and nothing could break him.
The sun seemed to get hotter, and he continued to sweat profusely. He wanted
to take the clothes he was wearing off, but he couldn't. Each jumper he
removed was replaced by a new one and still the hand lead him on.
He felt water on his feet, like he was splashing through puddles as a child.
The hand let him stop to drink, to wash and it felt good, it all felt so
good. That was until things became clear, delusions passed and he was just
left with the numbing pain. He felt himself collapse again, but someone was
there, holding him, keeping him safe.
His guardian Angel.
They stroked his hair in a loving gesture, comforting him,
"Giles?"
He knew that name. It was his. The voice was closer, less distant. The water
was gone from round him yet he felt much cooler. The warmth of the sun was
no longer on him. The hand was still there though, clutching at his,
"Giles?"
He fought to open his eyes, screwing them up at first as if an automatic
reaction, as he expected sun. He licked his still dry lips, but he didn't
feel so dry anymore,
"Buf -" His voice was hoarse and he didn't finish the word. He didn't need
to. It was enough clarification to the hand that he was alive. He let his
eyes open a little more, searching for the voice of the hand, finding
comfort when he found it.
*********************************************************************
"A lone pair of watchful eyes, oversee the living. Feel the presence all
around, a tortured soul, a wound un-healing."
"You can still be Free" Savage Garden
*********************************************************************
Willow finally moved after what seemed like an eternity. Aura had barely
dared to breathe but she jumped to her feet when Willow moved. She didn't
know what to do but she felt more helpful standing.
"Phone." Willow said after a moment moving away from the bed and out of
Buffy's room,
"Phone," Dawn heard her repeat as she heard the stairs creak under her
weight. Dawn frowned and went back to dabbing the cloth on Giles forehead.
She had wiped the blood away from his chin as well, but he looked as if he
would threaten to throw up again even though he was unconscious. She removed
the warm cloth; dipping it back in the bowl and discovering that the water
was beginning warm as well. She left the cloth where it was as she heard the
door open downstairs,
"They're back." She said, not really to anyone in particular. She got up
from the edge of the bed and Aura almost immediately took her place. Aura
would take care of him until someone else came back upstairs Dawn thought as
she ran down them,
"Xander we -" her sentence stopped dead as she did too. She could see Willow
in the living room the phone still to her ear in the same position.
"Dawn." Buffy said, moving towards her sister,
"Are you - Are you real?" Buffy nodded at her sister before she threw her
arms round her,
"How?" she asked in a strangled whisper as tears started to stream down her
face.
"I don't have time to explain just now." Buffy said pulling away and going
up the stairs. There was a silence between the group that was broke by the
clatter of Willow dropping the phone. Xander picked it up as Tara went to
comfort her crying girlfriend,
"Hello?" Xander asked into the phone,
"Hello this is the emergency services, do you need some assistance?" Xander
eyes widened, 'What had happened to Giles?' he thought,
"Hello?"
"Yes - yes we do." He said before giving the address.
"It's really her?" Willow whispered into Tara's ear,
"It's really her sweetie."
*********************************************************************
Buffy walked down the familiar corridor and opened the door to what had once
been her room. She stepped into the room, closing the door quietly behind
her before her eyes cast to the form lying on the bed. She faltered by the
door as she took in the battered body of the man who had once been her
Watcher.
Was she too late already? God, it looked so much like it.
If only they had sent her to the house instead of to her grave.
She crossed the room to the bed and settled herself on the edge of it,
placing a cold hand on Giles forehead. As she did so she felt a pang of
guilt. She hadn't been able to pull him away from the portal.
She was supposed to keep him safe.
She was supposed to keep them all safe.
She had been left to look after him and what had happened wasn't supposed
to. He was supposed to be back at his flat in Bath, Aura trying to talk him
into coming to Sunnydale right now, not already here and in pieces.
She had failed him.
*********************************************************************
Lamppost.
Tree.
Car.
Wall.
It was making Willow sick watching everything rush by the car window,
'Look into the distance Will,' she heard Xander saying to her all those
years ago when they had gone to camp together. She couldn't really look into
the distance as the wall was so high, nor could she bring herself to look
out the front windscreen. The siren of the ambulance drilling a hole in her
head was enough to make her sick as well. She couldn't think about anything
at the moment, even though her mind was a whirl of thoughts.
She remembered arguing over who was coming to the hospital. She knew they
wouldn't have all fitted in the car, but that didn't stop them from trying.
In the end they had left Tara, Anya and Spike behind, with a promise that
they would call as soon as they had any news.
Good or Bad.
Buffy was back. She remembered that too. She didn't care why at the moment,
Buffy was back, and that was enough. One big happy family reunited.
Correction, one big family who was going to loose one of their members after
just getting them back.
She glanced in the rear-view mirror, watching Aura staring out the window,
transfixed by the passing countryside. Dawn was beside her, huddled in the
far corner, fidgeting with her hair, running her hands through it
constantly, trying to take her mind of Giles. She had been babbling
constantly about nothing in particular since they had got in the car. Xander
had done the same for a while but he had given up,
"Dawn you'll make your hair greasy."
"What - Oh - yeah. Well it won't matter it's bath night and I fancy a long
soak in the bath. Plus I've got my art folio paper to do for tomorrow so I
could do that - yah know." She paused for a moment staring out the window,
suddenly remembering she had hoped Giles would help her with it,
"He won't now." She whispered to herself. No one commented on the words that
came from her mouth, or questioned what she was talking about. They were
scared. They didn't want to know. 'He' was obviously Giles, but what he
wouldn't do was nothing they wanted to hear.
*********************************************************************
The oppressive silence that surrounded the small group as they sat in the
waiting room was almost killing Xander. Dawn had finally stopped talking,
taking to staring at the form of her once dead sister instead. He wished
someone would say something, say anything. He knew why everyone was so quiet
though, it was a lot to digest.
Giles and Buffy back both in the same day.
Giles back looking like he had been to hell and Buffy looking more beautiful
than he had ever remembered her. Almost glowing.
It was just too much to get your head around, but what was making it worse
he realized was the fact that he didn't know why either of them were here.
Or more importantly where they had been.
Buffy had traded hugs with everyone, saying how happy she was to see them
again, but she had yet to tell them why she was back. Why she had been sent
back to them. She had been introduced to Aura. They had looked at each other
with a knowing smile, as if they shared some secret that the rest of the
world was not in on. And obviously, Xander thought, would never get in on.
A doctor appeared before them as if by magic,
"Are you the group that came in with Mr. Giles?" Buffy brought herself to
her feet automatically. Willow struggling to stand beside her,
"How is he?" Willow said, obvious panic in her voice,
"We've got him stable for the moment and up in a room. But what I fail to
understand how he got in such a state. Many of his cuts and bruises are
days, if not weeks old, and that knife wound -" he paused, placing a pen
inside his jacket pocket,
"Perhaps if I could talk to one of you?" The doctor asked, looking between
Buffy and Willow,
"Can we see him?" Willow asked, not answering the doctor's question. He
sighed before nodding,
"One at a time though, please. He's still in a critical condition, but I
really do need to speak with one of you."
*********************************************************************
Buffy's hand moved over Giles still head.
She had left Aura and Willow to try and convince the hospital that Giles was
in the country legally, knowing that the problem would not be solved without
a little help from magic.
She knew why she was back, she also knew she would have trouble explaining
to the other's why she was back. She had meet Aura, formally now, and she
somehow seemed to know. She seemed close to Giles. As close as she had been,
as close as she would always be.
The machines beeped rhythmically around her. She could hear his slow
deliberate breathing above them all though. It gave her hope. Hope that she
had not screwed up big time like she always did. She had screwed up so many
times in life and now she was screwing things up in the after life. One
simple job she had been given. Look after her friends. She highly doubted
that the Powers That Be would be congratulating her at this moment in time.
She had a second chance though.
To put things right.
To make sure Giles didn't die.
*********************************************************************
Giles tried to use his arms to shield himself from the sun. The hotness of
it searing into him like a dozen pokers that had been left in the fire too
long. It was hopeless though. He could feel his skin drying out, baking in
the sun, moisture draining from it, sucking the life out of him,
"You'll be all right."
There it was again, her voice. The hope in it. The salvation.
He felt a hand close around his and pull his arms from his eyes,
"You have to be strong."
Giles found himself being pulled to his feet. He didn't want to stand, could
barely stand. He stopped his knees from shaking though as the sun still beat
down on him. The hand that clasped his hand had no face, but the voice and
the words he recognized.
The hand pulled at his, leading him on through the desert. He followed
willingly; knowing it would lead him to a better place. He knew that while
the hand held him he was safe and nothing could break him.
The sun seemed to get hotter, and he continued to sweat profusely. He wanted
to take the clothes he was wearing off, but he couldn't. Each jumper he
removed was replaced by a new one and still the hand lead him on.
He felt water on his feet, like he was splashing through puddles as a child.
The hand let him stop to drink, to wash and it felt good, it all felt so
good. That was until things became clear, delusions passed and he was just
left with the numbing pain. He felt himself collapse again, but someone was
there, holding him, keeping him safe.
His guardian Angel.
They stroked his hair in a loving gesture, comforting him,
"Giles?"
He knew that name. It was his. The voice was closer, less distant. The water
was gone from round him yet he felt much cooler. The warmth of the sun was
no longer on him. The hand was still there though, clutching at his,
"Giles?"
He fought to open his eyes, screwing them up at first as if an automatic
reaction, as he expected sun. He licked his still dry lips, but he didn't
feel so dry anymore,
"Buf -" His voice was hoarse and he didn't finish the word. He didn't need
to. It was enough clarification to the hand that he was alive. He let his
eyes open a little more, searching for the voice of the hand, finding
comfort when he found it.