Chapter 39 – Glasgow, 24 July 2004

The paramedics seem surprised to have their patient carried out to them, but it's hard enough to explain what happened to Moira without having to explain that the paralysed man on the floor inside with a wooden stake through his spine doesn't need help too. Once she's settled inside the ambulance and they've done some checks on her, they give Moira a shot which brings her heart rate down pretty quickly.

"We're going to take her to the Southern General. Do you want to ride with her?" they ask, but I shake my head. "I need to get back and check on my sister, but I'll come over later."

Gus moves forward, his concern clear. "I'll go. Take my keys – you know where we parked, don't you?

"Thanks. Yes, I remember."

Seconds later, they're off, blue light flashing as they go.

I describe where we left Gus' car to Angel and he offers to go and bring it over.

I go back into the flat, without any clear idea of how to get Angelus and Dru somewhere safe, but all I see when I get back into the room is Spike slumped against a wall.

"Where are they?" I demand.

"Dru's taken him back to his own universe. Seems there's more to Dru than I ever knew – she's threatening to keep him like that – paralysed – until she gets bored with it."

"And you just let her?"

"I'm not sure I could have stopped her if I'd wanted to. And anyway, what were we going to do with him? She deserves it – a chance to get back at him. Our Angelus never treated her that badly."

I consider what he says, and then nod. Although the prospect of her keeping him paralysed so she can do whatever she wants with him initially makes me feel sick, the only difference from what I'd planned is that a stake figured in my plans a bit sooner. "He deserves it," I conclude.

"So, how's Moira?"

"The paramedic didn't say a lot, although they gave her a shot to bring down her heart rate. She's being taken to the ... Southern General? Gus went with her, and Angel's gone to bring Gus' car around. But how are you? He hurt you." I go to kneel beside him, desperate to find out for myself just how badly he's hurt.

"I think Angelus was working on spoiling my amazing good looks, but most of it's surface damage. I'll be fine."

"Can you walk out?"

"Course I can."

He gets to his feet with my help, and I take a stake from my back pocket and hand it to him. He seems baffled so I quickly explain.

"I walked past three snoozing vamps out in the hallway. I think we should finish them off before we go."

We check out each room in the flat, staking each of the five vamps we find, then make our way out to where Angel's looking completely out of place in Gus' very energy-efficient small car.

"Where are we?" Spike asks as he climbs into the front seat. While I'd like to have him in the back with me, I'm not going to ask him to squeeze in here past the front seats. Two-door cars aren't designed with injured people in mind.

"Gus said we're just south of the river," I offer. "There's a main road heading north two blocks over. He said once we're on that, you'd be able to direct me."

Once we're underway, Spike painfully turns to look at me.

"Much as I'd like to go and see Moira, I don't think I can risk it. Sun'll be up soon, and I don't know the layout of the hospital. There may not be much shade."

"And the chances of getting out without someone wanting to take your pulse are kind of low too. That's fine. We'll take you home and get you sorted out, then I can call a cab to take Dawn and me."

"So, how did you find me?"

"Sheer luck. I went into your apartment looking for weapons and found some notes on the table. There was a scribbled map showing where you were, and some other bits. I just can't believe Angel'd be so stupid as to try something like that without backup."

"Just a minute," he answers from the front. "I'm right here. And it's not sheer luck that you found those details. That woman's impossible. She told me what she had planned, and I told her straight-off that it was stupid. She just insisted that she'd do it without me – that she could conjure up enough of a likeness to me to have the same effect, although she admitted it'd be easier if she didn't have to do that. She left me in no doubt that if she thought I was involving Buffy then she'd go alone. I did what I could, leaving those notes on the table."

"This is it," Spike tells Angel as we reach a set of traffic lights. "Turn right here, and we're in the one-way system. This road'll take us north through the city centre and we can pick up a road back to my flat."

There isn't much conversation after that, beyond Spike giving Angel directions and tips on driving around Glasgow. The tips don't seem to go down too well, and after a while, I swat his shoulder as a gentle warning. He looks around and I mouth to him, "Stop that."

To my surprise, he does.

"I'll go up and tell Giles what happened," Angel offers while I help Spike to his front door. His expression shows his disapproval – probably of the fact that I'm helping Spike when he could probably walk without it. I don't care; I just need to touch him.

As soon as we're alone, I run my hands over him, instinctively checking that he's ok. He winces a couple of times, but that's all, so I reach up and kiss him.

"Stupid vampire," I tell him as I catch my breath. "You do that to me one more time and I'll ..."

He grins at that. "You'll what? Anyway, much as I'm enjoying this, I think I'd better sit down."

"Better still, let's get you to bed – it'll be easier to see what the damage is. Go on in and undress. I'll get the first-aid kit so I can patch you up."

He does as he's told. It takes a while to get him cleaned up and bind his ribs. Although the cuts are all shallow and well on their way to healing, there's a lot of dried blood around. And I admit it; I'm making the most of it, desperate to touch as much of him as I can just to reassure myself that he's really here.

As I get up to put away the kit, there's a loud knocking on the door. I answer it, and Dawn comes bounding in, throwing herself at Spike and almost breaking another few ribs.

"Be careful, Dawn," I shout from behind.

"Sorry," Dawn mumbles. "I didn't think ... Did he hurt you bad?"

"Not too bad, Bit. Broken ribs are the worst of it. So, did Angel tell you about his heroics?"

"Yeah. He's a real hero. If something happens to Moira, I'll ..."

"Bit, he did what he could. Moira ... well, she doesn't take telling. Haven't known her that long, but I know that much. Don't think Angel's ever come across her likes before. I hate to admit it, but he made the best of what he had."

"So, are we going to the hospital?" She turns towards me.

"Yeah. I'm just going to call the hospital first. You got somewhere I can check the number?"

"There's a phone book in the kitchen – on the shelf above the microwave. It's a couple of years out of date, but I doubt the hospital's moved."

It takes a few minutes to get someone to give me any information, and when it comes, it's just that 'Mrs. McConnechie is comfortable.' I ask about visiting, and I'm told that visiting hours today are between two and three this afternoon and seven and eight this evening. Looks like we've got a while to wait. I try ringing Gus' cell, but it's turned off. I hope he calls us soon.

"So, how's the research going upstairs?" Spike asks Dawn, as I go back into the bedroom.

"As if I could research! Giles's been busy but he was really put out that the rest of us were more worried about you. Well, except for Angel, 'cos he went off with Moira, although we didn't know she was planning on rescuing you. The Coven is working on some way of using Slayer blood to track the missing Slayers. They seem to think they'll come up with something."

"Good."

"What's the news on Moira?" Spike asks as I settle myself in the chair next to the bed. I'd rather sit on the bed, but that position is currently occupied by my sister.

"She's comfortable. There's no visiting until two this afternoon, and it sounds like they're quite strict about that."

"They tend to be. It's probably a good sign, though. If they were very worried about her, they'd probably be letting next of kin visit outside of visiting hours. What did Gus say?"

"His phone's off. I left a message."

"He might still be at the hospital. He'd have rung if there was something to say."

I nod. I hope so. It'll be so sad if something happens to her, and the last thing Spike needs is to beat himself up about Moira getting hurt while trying to help him.

As if on cue, the phone rings and I pick up to hear Gus' voice.

"She's fine, as far as I can tell. Already giving the nurses a hard time and complaining very loudly about the gown they've dressed her in. I'm on my way back. Can you look out some things for her? I promised I'd take them over right away even though I could tell the staff didn't want me back until visiting time."

"Yeah, I'll have a bag ready when you get here. She's really ok?"

"I think so. They want to keep her in for observation overnight, but apparently she's already on medication for her heart, so it's a known problem. They think it's just that she overtaxed herself today, although they think she just went for a very long walk."

"Good news. I'll see you soon."

I give the news to Spike and Dawn, and Dawn bounds up at the need for a bag to be packed for Moira.

"I'll do it," she offers. "I think I know where she keeps everything, and I can probably find what she'll need."

"Remember a wash-bag."

"Duh. I packed for Mom one time. I know the sort of things she'll want."

She's right, of course. Mom had her doing things like that for her - as much to keep her busy as anything. Anyway, it gives me a few more minutes alone with Spike.

Once she's gone, there's an almost awkward silence between us. I get the impression that there's something he wants to say but can't bring himself to start, so I launch into what's on my mind.

"So, tonight. Will it hurt you too much if I come in here?"

He sighs deeply with what sounds surprisingly like relief.

"Buffy, Love, there's nothing about you being with me tonight that could hurt me as much as you not being with me."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. As long as you still want to?"

"You bet I do. Even just to be with you. I feel like I need to touch you all the time."

"Never going to complain about that. There''ll be those who've got something to say about it."

"And it's no one's business but ours. I told Giles - before I got the call from Angelus - I told him we were going to try to be together and that he'd better accept it or at least keep out of it. I think he's going to try. And if he doesn't, then he's going to lose whatever respect I've still got for him."

"Buffy, I'm not worth …"

"Spike, stop. It doesn't really matter that it's you - he doesn't have the right to comment on who I choose to be with. He's been important in my life, but if he's going to continue to be around, then he's got to accept that I'm an adult. I think … he still feels responsible for me. Especially after what happened in Sunnydale - losing my home and everything - he feels responsible as my Watcher, but then, taking over the Council, I think he forgets that I'm not one of the kids who're still in their teens and green as they come."

"He's the sort who takes responsibility seriously."

"Yeah. Like someone else I know." I grin at him.

"Me? No way. Irresponsible, I am."

"Not when it matters, you're not. You might avoid taking on responsibility, but when you do, you're there whatever happens. Like with Dawn. And me."

"Can't help that, Pet. It's not anything more than selfishness. Don't want to live in a world that doesn't have you two in it."

I kiss him then, and his response is gentle but possessive. Out of the corner of my eye I spot Dawn coming back into the room, but she smiles at me and goes again, leaving us alone. If Spike noticed her, he didn't react at all.