A/N I am sooooo sorry it has taken me such a long time to get this new chapter up. My life has been on the chaotic side and on top of that, I don't have a computer. This was written at work while I had nothing to do in between guests and phone calls. I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 44

A steady boop, boop, boop sounded in Buffy's ears. It was a quiet noise, but it seemed deafening to her. She opened her eyes, but closed them again as the harsh light invaded her sight. "Ow...." She groaned.

"Buffy?!"

Angel! He was alive. Her hand grasped the side of the bed, searching for him. His cool hand found hers and gripped it. She found she couldn't move her other arm. It was in a stint. Instead, she let go of Angel's hand and lifted hers to find his face. He guided her hand to his cheek and kissed her palm.

"God, you're awake. You're awake."

"Angel...." She croaked.

"Yeah?"

"Did we win?"

"We won. It's over for now."

Buffy smirked, but stopped when she found the movement hurt. "I wanna.... I wanna see you."

"Then open your eyes, baby."

"Light.... Too bright."

"Oh!" The harsh glare on the back of her lids faded. "That better?"

Buffy squinted her eyes open a little further. "Still hurts, but I'll live." She lolled her head to the side. "Hi." Angel looked completely battered, but Buffy figured it had probably been a lot worse before. She could only imagine what she looked like.

Angel held her hand to his chest and stroked her hair with his other hand. "Hi."

"How long have I been out?"

"A few days. It was touch and go until now."

"Spike?"

"He's fine. He's here somewhere with Faith."

"Faith...."

"Made it through."

"And the others?"

"Xander's in recovery. He was hurt pretty bad and they had to do surgery. Willow's with Dawn in New York. They have a lay over flight in the morning."

"Giles...."

"Is back in England. He's fine. A lot of bumps and bruises, but he's fine."

"Gunn...."

"Buffy, this really isn't the time to talk about this. You need to rest."

"Apparently, I've been asleep for days. No more rest. Where's Gunn?" She looked at Angel's sad, sullen face. "No."

"I'm sorry."

"How?"

"I didn't see. We found his body under a pile of dead demons." A hot tear coursed down Buffy's cheek. "Shh.... It's ok."

Buffy looked at him. "I thought I'd never get to see you again."

"It was looking pretty grim, huh?"

"How did they know?"

"Dawn. When she told them what we were doing.... They came."

"Couldn't let you fight a big ass battle like that without us, could we?" Faith said behind Angel.

"Faith...." Buffy smiled and then groaned. "Ow."

"When did she wake up?"

"A few minutes ago." Angel said.

"Hey B. How ya feeling?"

"Like Wiley Coyote after a two hour special of Road Runner."

"Nice."

"How'd you know where to find us?"

"Willow. She did a locater spell." Faith sighed. "You know, next time you scare us like that.... Your ass is mine. We thought you had died."

"I think I did.... Again."

"Well, don't do it again. At least not for a long time."

"Where's Spike?"

"Actually.... He's talking to Xander."

"Why?"

"He's been real.... I don't know.... Caring since that thing in the allet. It's weird, but it's definitely a nice change of pace for him."

Buffy went to sit up, but a sharp pain went through her side and back. "Ahh!" Anegl was there in a flash, helping her to lay back down comfortably. "What the hell was that?"

"That would be your gut wound." Angel said.

"And you bruised spinal cord." Faith said.

"When we found you, you were bleeding to death. Something stabbed you in your stomach."

"Must've been after I was knocked out cold." Buffy said.

"You were in surgery for a long time. Almost a day." Faith said. She laughed. "The doctors wanted to know how you got a gut wound like that when all of us were beat up and bloody. We said it was a car accident, by the way."

"I should be dead."

"Don't say that." Angel said.

"Sorry. But the way I feel and what you you two are telling me, I'm lucky to even be alive."

"I'm just glad you are. I don't know if I could go with just Angel here." Buffy looked over to see Connor walking in with a big bouquet of white roses and balloons. "Glad you're awake. I've been sitting at this hospital since Angel called."

"When was that?"

Connor kissed her forehead. "While you were in surgery." Buffy managed a small smile. Connor set the flowers and balloons down and walked over to Buffy's other side. "How're you feeling?"

"Been better.... Actually, it kind of reminds me of after I gave birth to you. So, it's a nostalgic kinda hurt."

"Well, we can tell you're getting back to your normal self, cause you're babbling."

"I don't babble." Buffy closed her eyes and could almost hear the collective gasp as they waited to see if she would open them again. "Don't worry." She opened her eyes. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Sorry, it's just been a bad few days." Connor climbed on the bed and laid down next to his mother. "They told us they didn't know if you would wake up."

"What's with the sudden affection?"

"Willow.... She uh.... You're my official parents now.... again."

"What?"

"She cleared my.... other family's memories of me and she returned everyone elses. I still remember my old family, but...."

"Connor...."

"It was my choice. When I thought that I might lose you.... Something in me clicked and I just knew that I had to be with my real parents. My real family. The ones I learned everything important to me from. I knew which life I belonged to."

Just then, a nurse walked in. "There's too many people in here. Family only please."

"It's ok." Buffy said.

"You're awake! I'll get go the doctor. It's a miracle!" The nurse ran out in a frenzy.

"Miracle?"

"You were in a coma, Buffy." Faith said.

"A coma? What.... When you guys said a few days, how long did you really mean?"

"About thirteen days." Connor said.

"Two weeks!?"

"No. A week and six days."

"How bad was I?"

"We told you." Angel said.

"No. You told me my injuries. Which is obviously just the icing. What caused the coma?"

"Massive head injuries." The doctor said, walking in. "You took quite the blow to the head. We were afraid that you weren't going to pull out of it."

"What do you mean?"

"The longer you were out, the less chance there was of you waking up."

"I'll just be out here." Faith said. She turned and headed out.

"Connor, why don't you go with Faith?" Angel said. "Let Buffy and I talk to the doctor."

"Ok." Connor kissed Buffy's forehead and left the room.

"So, first question.... When can I get out of here?" Buffy said. "I hate hospitals."

"Mrs. Summers, you're lucky to even be alive with the injuries you came in here with. You only just woke up from a coma."

"Forgive me for never thinking logically. Look, me and hospitals.... We don't agree. The sooner I get out of this place, the better I'll be."

"Buffy, just listen to the doctor, will you?" Angel asked.

"We're going to keep you here for at least another week." The doctor said. "You need time to properly heal."

"Which I can do at home." Buffy argued. "I don't know if you know this, but I heal really quick. I mean REALLY quick. So, there's really no need to keep me here."

"Yes, well, that may be so, but you're still going to stay here for a few more days. Just so we can be sure."

"Angel...."

"I agree with the doctor, Buffy. You need to stay here so you can get all the medical attention you need to get better." Angel said.

"Fine, but I don't want to stay here any longer than I have to."

"Ok, let me just look you over and see how your healing is coming along then." The doctor said.

Three days later, Angel was helping Buffy ease into the passenger side of the old black 1965 Plymouth GTX convertible. The little Slayer smiled. "Reminds me of the old days. Before Wolfram and Hart. I'm glad we saved this car."

"Me too." Angel said, closing the door to the passenger's side and heading over to the driver's side.

"Where's home?"

"What?"

"Since we don't have a penthouse anymore, where's home?"

"We're back at the Hyperion."

"That's good."

Angel started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. "But we're not staying there."

"Why not? I like it there."

"Giles wants us in England. You're the new Head Watcher at the new Coucil building."

"WHAT?!" Buffy snapped her body toward Angel just as they pulled over pot hole. "OW! Easy! Spinal cord still bruised and gut wound not compltely closed."

"Sorry."

"Why am I the new Head Watcher? Why not Giles? He's THE Watcher."

"You'll have to talk to him about that one." Angel smiled and chuckled to himself.

"What?"

"It's amazing how fast you end up the CEO of a worldwide faction for doing nothing, huh?"

"This time I had to have done something right. Otherwise, Giles wouldn't have put me in this position."

At the second stoplight, Angel glanced over at Buffy. "How're you doing?"

"Tired. Slightly achey."

"I'll try to watch the bumps more carefully."

"Thank you." Buffy sighed and laid her head back on the seat. "I could sleep for a few more weeks with the drugs they've got me on."

"Well, I won't stop you."

"Good."

"We're almost there."

"I thought you weren't going to stop me."

"I won't stop you after we get settled. There's a difference."

"That's false advertising on your part. I demand to see my lawyer."

"I move to have that motion striked from the record."

"On what grounds?"

"They're all dead."

"Good point. Motion stricken." Buffy looked over at Angel. "I miss Gunn."

"I do too." He took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I would've missed you more."

"At least you would've known that I was ok. Pretty sure I have a renewable ticket to heaven.... Seeing as how my last visit was cut awfully short."

"But it was for the best."

"Yeah.... It was." Buffy sighed. "I need a shower."

"You look beautiful."

"I feel gross."

Angel parked in his old space behind the Hyperion and turned off the car. "Can you make it up all those steps?"

"The elevator not working?"

"Huh.... I forgot we had one." Angel opened her door for her.

"You got used to the high tech world and now that we're back to the normal world...."

He helped her out. "I'm thinking like a caveman."

"Exactly." Buffy kissed Angel gently. "I think I can manage without the elevator."

"You sure?"

"Positive." Angel held the door open to the Hyperion and allowed Buffy to go first. The place looked like they had never left it. But it was all different now. Instead of Corelia and Gunn bickering behind the reception counter, Willow and Xander were there working on the computer. Instead of Lorne organizing the weapons cabinet, Spike was putting weapons away in it. Instead of Wesley buried in a book in the office, Faith and Dawn were dusting and putting things away in there. Instead of Fred working on a new contraption for demon killing, Illyria was staring at the settee in the middle of the lobby.

"Buffy!" Dawn ran up and hugged her sister. "What's wrong?"

"Just.... It's weird being back here." Buffy said, gently hugging her sister back. "The people that are supposed to be here.... aren't."

"I know. I miss them too."

"Hey guys." Buffy waved at Xander and Willow.

"Hey Buff!" Will ran up and hugged Buffy. "We missed you."

"Yeah. What have I told you about that dying thing?" Xander asked. "You gotta cut that out. It's like a habit with you now."

"Yeah, I know. What was I thinking?" Buffy asked.

"Hey there, ducks." Spike said, holding up her favorite broadsword. "I manged to scrounge this out of a demon. Don't suppose you want it stuffed in this cabinet, do ya?"

"No way! That has to go in my room."

"Figured as much."

"Your room's all fixed up and waiting for you." Faith said. "Angel cleaned that out first thing."

Illyria walked over to Buffy. "I am most pleased to see you return to the fold. I would have mourned your passing."

"That's.... Great. Thanks." Buffy looked around. "Where's Connor?"

"In his room." Dawn said. "He didn't know you'd be here this early."

"Oh." Buffy looked up at Angel. "I'm going upstairs. I need to sleep."

"Ok. I'll come with." Angel said.

"No. You don't have to."

"You sure."

"Yeah. I'll call you if I need anything."

"Ok. Get some rest." Angel kissed her forehead and she headed up the stairs.