Hi guys. Sorry about the wait, after my trip to Florida my laptop broke again and I just didn't have the money to buy a new one…
Happy reading…
Chapter Thirteen: Arrestings and Awakenings
"Hey Mom" Buffy whispered lovingly to her mother whilst kneeling next to her hospital bed,
"Hi Buffy. I'm so sorry about this sweetie; I know you've been through so much I didn't mean to…" Buffy cut her off,
"No mom, it's not your fault. I know you've been under a lot of pressure lately"
The two looked into each other's eyes before Joyce continued,
"Your friend Cordelia is watching Ella in your apartment and I slapped Angel" Buffy smiled,
"Good for you, he deserved it. In a way I kinda blame him for your heart attack as well as Spike"
"It was nobodies fault honey and it was only a minor heart attack, I'm still alive"
"Yeah…mom?"
"Yes?"
"I'm really sorry"
"For what?"
"For not really being the perfect daughter"
"Oh sweetheart what are you talking about?"
"You don't have to deny it. I know that you're not entirely convinced that Spike and I are gonna work out and I know that you feel that Angel was better for me but…"
"Let me stop you right there. Two nights ago I think that Angel proved the fact that he wasn't good enough for you and yeah, I admit that at first I thought that you and Spike where just having a bit of a fling but I realise now that it wasn't"
"Mom, I didn't like you're choice of words right now"
"What do you mean?"
"You just referred to mine and Spike's relationship as past tense, when he wakes up…"
"Honey, as much as I hate to say this; when Spike was shot he was wounded pretty seriously in the stomach and he lost a lot of blood… Darling, I don't think there is much of a chance that he's ever gonna wake up" Joyce looked at her daughter and watched as a range of emotions played across her face; Sadness, anger and pure hatred for Angel. Her eyes began to fill up with tears as she spoke again,
"Why are they bothering then?" her voice cracked with emotion,
"Bothering to do what?"
"Bothering to keep him alive. Mom, if he does never gonna wake up then what's the point?" Joyce thought for a moment, then answered Buffy's question,
"Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"
"Mom, I love him so much but seeing him lying there motionless breaks my heart. Mom…is you sure that there is next to no chance of him waking up?"
"Certain"
"Well then I think that…" Buffy met her mom's eyes, "I think there are other people that need the hospital equipment more than him. I think we…I think we should ask if they could turn off the machine"
There was a short silence before Joyce spoke up again, "Buffy. Are you sure? Once they turn off that machine there is no going back"
Buffy stared into mid air for a minute, as if she was completely dispatched from the world. Did she really want to turn off that machine? She knew that Spike was a fighter but she also knew that her mom was right. She also knew that Spike wouldn't want to be trapped in a hospital. Taking a deep breath; Buffy made up her decision and spoke to her mother.
"I want to turn off the machine…tonight"
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Angel shoved his clothes inside a brown suitcase. He had made his decision, sure, Joyce had hit a soft spot with him before but he was not going to jail for the rest of his life. He figured that Mexico was his best bet for starting a new life, maybe meeting a new woman, getting married, having a couple of kids. It wouldn't be easy but Angel thought that in time, he would be able to get over Buffy.
Three short knocks on his door tore him from his thoughts…
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"I'm so sorry baby" Buffy whispered to Spike as she lovingly cradled him in her arms, she wiped her tearful eyes as she spoke again,
"You'd be like my guardian angel" she whispered but cursed as she realised that that would be giving her murderer husband too much credit.
"I love you…" Buffy said and cursed again as her cell phone began to ring,
"What?" Buffy said angrily,
"Buffy…please don't be mad" Buffy could have screamed when she heard Angel's trembling voice at the other end,
"What the fuck do you want?!"
"Buffy…I've been arrested for attempting to murder Spike" There was a long silence as Buffy wondered what she should say to her husband. Sure, she was pleased that he was finally going to get what he deserved; a nice lifetime in jail was the prefect way for him to finally be out of her life for good, but he was Ella's father, Ella was going to grow up without her dad,
"Good"
"Buffy, they've given me one phone call and I'm calling you because I think that you're the most understanding person I've ever met"
"You thought I'd be understanding? You put the love of my life into a coma and you thought I'd be understanding?"
"I'm sorry Buffy. Tell Ella I love her. I'm sorry for wasting your time" Angel hung up and Buffy sighed dramatically as she did the same.
"They got him" she said quietly to Spike, still lying there motionless. Buffy walked over to him and kissed him softly on the forehead before walking out of the door and going to find the nurse that was treating him.
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Cordelia was watching T.V when Buffy walked into the apartment, the brunette didn't notice her and Buffy waited in silence for a moment just watching the flickering on the walls before speaking up and making Cordelia jump,
"Is Ella asleep?" Cordelia shrugged off the sofa and walked to face Buffy,
"Yeah, she went to bed about half an hour ago…how's Joyce?" Buffy smiled as best she could,
"She's gonna be fine, it was only a minor heart attack but it sure scared everyone. Oh I don't know what I'd have done if she'd…" Buffy stopped in mid sentence and sighed; "I'm just glad she's still here" Cordelia nodded,
"And how's the other one?" Buffy looked down to the floor, holding back tears,
"Spike's still unconscious. I made a decision today"
"What decision?"
"I…" she paused, "…They're gonna turn off his machine tonight" Cordelia covered her mouth with her hand as Buffy continued, "There's like no chance of him waking up and as much as it hurts I just know it's the right thing to do" Cordelia watched Buffy as a single tear rolled down the blonde's cheek,
"Do you want me to stay with Ella when they do it? If you wanna go down to the hospital"
"Yeah. Thanks Cordy you're a friend" Cordelia smiled.
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Buffy walked numbly through the bleak corridors of the hospital, looking for Spike's room. There where so many rooms, each with its own patient and story, Buffy couldn't help but wonder if anybody else was in the same situation as she was.
She looked at her watch, Spike's machine was going to be switched off at ten and it was five to now, she felt weak as she walked into the room, there were two nurses and her mom was sat down on a chair next to the bed. She smiled supportively when Buffy entered the room.
"Are you absolutely sure about this Buffy?" Joyce asked, clutching her daughter's hand as fresh tears rolled down Buffy's cheeks,
"Yeah" she said simply,
"What about your baby?"
"The baby will remind me of him and I think its better that it doesn't see its Dad in a coma" Joyce nodded and there was a short silence,
"I don't think you're making the right decision"
"I do Mom, I know that it's the right thing to do" Their conversation was broken by the nurse,
"Miss Summers?" Buffy turned away from her mom and looked at Spike. He looked so small, so helpless. She wondered if he was dreaming about her,
"Hey" she said, and she took his limp hand,
"I love you…" she was crying now, "…and I know that this isn't the end" she kissed him softly on the forehead before looking at the nurse and nodding. The nurse looked at her with sympathy,
"Miss Summers, I have to ask you again. Are you absolutely sure about…" She stopped when Buffy felt the grip from Spike's hand tighten,
"Spike?" Buffy asked, looking at his face. His eyes weren't open but there was definite movement behind the lids, as if he was dreaming…
"Oh my God, I think he's waking up…Spike can you hear me?" The nurse rushed over and looked at Spike,
"Miss Summers I think you're right" was the last thing she said before Spike's eyes suddenly snapped open and Buffy saw his beautiful blue orbs again.
"Buffy?"
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Wad'ya think? Review please,
Love ya,
Brittany,
xxx