Sunnydale Mercy Hospital, 0300 hours.
Buffy was awake, while Xander was asleep with Anya laying her head on his lap; she saw that Joyce was sleeping on the couch in the waiting room while lying on her side and keeping her knees up on the cushions. In the meantime, Althanea, Jenny, and Giles were just looking out into space while drinking coffee. She then looked at Faith whose head was resting on the armrest while she lay on her side, and her feet were lying on Buffy's thighs. Sighing as she looked at the dark-haired Slayer's feet, Buffy then looked up at the door that led to Willow's room; she knew that Ira and Sheila were in her room, keeping their unconscious daughter company while the others remained outside. The blonde Slayer slowly got off the couch while lifting Faith's legs. She slipped out from under them before letting Faith's legs fall on where the blonde Slayer was once sitting. Once she was standing up, Buffy yawned and stretched her arms over her head while twisting her upper body. The young woman then put her arms down and walked towards Giles and the two women, asking then if they had anything that would help Willow.
"I've already contacted the Devon Coven," said Althanea, "I'm waiting to hear from them on ways to help Willow recover."
"After so long," whispered Jenny, "is it possible to get back the Willow we knew?"
"No," said Giles as Buffy sat down next to her Watcher, and looked down at the table, "everything she experienced in… in Hell.. those experiences will remain with her for all time. It's a part of her now. She'll never be the same person. But…"
Giles then reached into his pocket and took out the Galaxy Ranger badge, and held it in the palm of his hand before whispering.
"Maybe this would jog her memory, give her something to hold on to."
"She didn't remember us," whispered Buffy as she looked at the door to Willow's room through the waiting room window one more time, and then slowly got up.
"Buffy?" asked Jenny as the blonde Slayer walked around her seat, and out of the waiting room. Giles watched Buffy through the window that made up the top part of the waiting room wall as she put a hand onto the handle of Willow's door, and turned it slowly. Giles and the others watched her walking to the room, and then gently closed the door behind her.
While Giles and the others went back to what they were doing earlier, Buffy closed the door as gently as she could. Once it was closed, she took off her shoes so that she didn't wake up Ira or Sheila in case they scuffed onto the floor and made strange noises. Once her shoes were off, Buffy kept them to one side and tip-toed into the room. The first thing she saw as she pulled back the green coloured curtain were two cots placed side by side. Both Ira and Sheila were sleeping on those cots as Buffy took a few more steps forward, and looked to a large recess to her right.
It was her.
Buffy held on to the wall as she saw Willow lying unconscious on the hospital bed. Buffy saw the various machines that had leads attached to her, as well as an I.V drip connected to her left wrist. The blonde Slayer put a hand on her chest as tears gathered in her eyes while she crept forward, all the time she was hearing the faint sound of Willow breathing, combined with the sound made by the heart monitor. She looked at her best friend's pulse, blood oxygen level, her blood pressure, and various other things that she didn't understand.
But those didn't matter to her. The numbers didn't matter.
What mattered to her was Willow.
Willow was here; Willow was finally home with her family and friends.
And they were going to help bring her back to who she was.
'Giles said it's not possible for you… I mean the you that I know and love not to come back,' thought Buffy to herself as she held on to the railing at the side of the bed, 'but I have to believe it is, I have to believe my best friend is in there somewhere. Will, I need you by my side… I have Faith, I have Xander, Giles, Miss Calendar, Althanea, mom, but you were the one I am missing. You are my best friend, Willow… I missed you so much… come back to me.. come back to us. I wanna talk about so many things with you, like… oh.. oh.. we've been looking after Oz's grave. I can tell he's been waiting for you to visit and… and… and… oh.. oh.. I like this guy who I've just found out is part of some military thing and.. and… stupid Buffy. I'm sorry, Will. I'm just so excited to see you again that… that I can't think and… damn it. I wanna talk about just us. So come back Willow, I'll be here to help you. Just come back.'
Buffy wiped the tears falling down her cheeks before she reached for the young woman's pale forehead. Buffy brushed the back of her fingers on Willow's forehead, and brushed her damp, white hair. She then leaned forward, and kissed the side of Willow's head.. taking in the smell of strawberries; a scent that came from a sponge bath that was given to the young woman after the blood, dirt, and other things pertinent to the about to be re-opened police investigation were collected.
"Welcome back, Will," whispered Buffy into her ear before she reached for Willow's hand. And squeezed gently. Buffy then looked at the two parents, who were fast asleep, and smiled slightly before creeping past them towards the green curtain. She gently pulled it back, and then walked around it. Buffy slipped her shoes onto her feet, and then opened the door gently to see Giles and then others keeping their heads down while talking to each other in hushed tones.
Sighing, Buffy closed the door behind her and walked around the window on the wall to the entrance when she heard a series of footsteps down the hallway behind her. Knowing that the only people around would be the late shift nurses, she and the others didn't pay any mind to the footsteps. Buffy walked through the entrance, and into the waiting room.
And then she sat next to the sleeping Faith. As she sat down, the young woman leaned back and was about to close her eyes when Giles, who was facing the entrance to the waiting room, stood up along with Jenny, and Althanea. Buffy stood up too as a young man and a young woman walked into the waiting room, the young man looked at her and then at Faith before nodding his head. He took off his hat and introduced himself and Lily, before telling them that Angel had sent them.
"Get out," hissed Buffy as she rolled her hands into fists while walking towards them, "I don't want to hear anything that he…"
"Please," asked Lily gently as she looked at Buffy while Xander stirred awake upon hearing the commotion, "just listen and.. and.."
"Wazz… goi… on?" Xander slurred his speech as he wiped his eyes before looking at Buffy and the two strangers, "Buff?"
"These two were sent by Angel," said Buffy while she continued to glare at the two of them.
"Oh no," said Xander as he tried to get up, but then realized that Anya was sleeping on his lap. He told them to hold on for a few seconds while he woke up Anya, who demanded to know if he wanted to become a frog for the rest of his life for waking her up at an ungodly hour. Xander then told her that two of Angel's friends had come by to beg for Angel to see Willow.
"It's not that," said Lily gently while looking at Xander, and then at Buffy.
"Yeah?" asked Xander before he yawned and then got up off the couch, all the while Joyce was already sitting up and about to ask what was going on when Xander approached Lily and Doyle while wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, speaking sarcastically, "after the 'oh so many great things he's done to all of us', yeah… lets welcome him back with open arms and…"
"I had a vision," said Doyle as Xander stopped talking and looked at him with a questioning look. It was then that Giles had a moment of realization before approaching the young man, and asking him if he was the one who received visions from the Powers that Be. Doyle nodded his head before looking at Buffy as Faith slowly opened her eyes, and then sat up upon realizing that they weren't alone, "Angel wasn't going to come out of respect for what he did as Angelus, but I had a vision… a vision that showed you and the other Slayer dead at the hands of a demon. A demon that had its hands around Willow's throat."
"Ok, you've done your jobs, now leave," hissed Buffy as a groggy Faith got up and then walked next to Buffy while rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand, "I don't want you or Angel or…"
"We're here to help, Buffy," said Lily gently as she held her hands up, "just like you helped me once."
"What?" asked a confused Buffy as she looked at Lily while racking her brain as she tried to place her. But no matter how much she tried, she couldn't. Buffy was about to say something when Lily told her that Buffy saved them from being killed by Spike, that she was one of the people in the club that Ford was going to trap Buffy in so that Spike could kill her. It was then that Buffy's mouth opened wide in realization, and she slowly unclenched her fists while Joyce, who was still groggy, looked around confused. Buffy looked back at her mother who was now sitting up while rubbing her face with her hands, and then at Willow's door, and back to Lily and Doyle.
"Angel saved my life," said Lily as she gave a small smile, "if he didn't, I would have been a slave in a hell dimension. And… and he told me what he did when.. when he was.."
"A crazy monster?" asked Faith as she stood next to Buffy.
"We know that's he's not your favourite person," said Doyle, "in fact, he knows he's not your favourite person. But he's going to do whatever he can to protect you, Faith, and Willow… especially Willow."
"Angel?" asked Joyce after she yawned and stood up.
"Umm…. Jenny," asked Giles as he looked back at his girlfriend, "could you perhaps fill Joyce in on what has transpired?"
"Sure," said Jenny nodding her head before she sat down with Joyce. Giles then turned to Buffy and Faith, and told them that it would be better to hear Doyle out.
"If a demon can kill two Slayers," said Giles as a chill went up his spine, "then we need any help we can get."
"Even if it's from Angel?" asked Althanea.
"Even if," said Giles nodding his head at the witch, before looking at a surprised Buffy and Faith, "I'm not seeing the both of you die. That will not happen, do you understand me; and.. and this demon will not take Willow to hell once again."
"Giles, I…" said Faith as the Watcher shook his head.
"No," he repeated, "and I believe Wesley would say the same thing."
Giles then turned to Lily and Doyle, and asked them where Angel was located. Upon hearing that he was in the car, Giles told the both of them that he would accompany them to his apartment since all of the books he had on Acathla were located there. It was then that Lily said she had searched online for anything in regards to a circular brand that was associated with Acathla, but she couldn't find anything... nor were there any information on the demon that Doyle had described.
Giles believed that it would be best if they all conducted their research at his apartment. Turning around, he asked Althanea if she could accompany them. Nodding her head, the witch stood up and said that she'll have protection spells prepared to be used against Angel.
"Just in case," said the Witch as Lily and Doyle nodded their heads.
"G-man," said Faith as she stepped towards Giles, "I don't like this."
"Neither do I," replied Buffy, "you want me to call Wes?"
"Yes," said Giles, "tell him that Angel has returned bringing portents of doom for both yourself, and Faith. I'll be researching with Angel and... and I will be careful, Buffy."
Buffy and Faith simply nodded their heads, knowing that when Giles made up his mind.. he wasn't going to change it. The loss of Willow had affected him the most, and he was going to protect his Slayers, and his charges, by any way possible. Buffy turned and looked at Jenny who was still talking to Joyce, and walked towards them. In the meantime, Xander, Anya and Faith just sat together… waiting for the sun to rise and hope that the vision was wrong.
However, something inside Faith kept on telling her that the vision was accurate and that made her slightly shudder. She remembered Althanea teaching her some meditation techniques; so she got up from her seat and went out of the waiting room for a quiet walk. Xander and Anya were about to join her, as was Buffy, but she waved her hand, saying she'll be right back. While walking out the room, she glanced at the door to Willow's room while thinking to herself that, while she didn't know Willow, she heard enough from Buffy and Xander about the kind of person she had been. Faith resolved that the former redhead wouldn't be getting hurt by anyone again – be they demon or vampire.
Sunnydale Mercy, Reception Desk, 1000 hours.
Tara parked her bicycle as a Porche parked nearby, and then rushed towards the entrance, and then through the lobby of the hospital before arriving at the reception desk. She looked up at the clock and released a sigh of relief upon realizing that she was right on time.
"Morning, Sarah," said the blonde cheerfully as the orange haired, middle-aged woman yawned before getting up. She then nodded her head and welcomed Tara. The blonde witch then headed up to the computer behind the counter, and then signed into her job while Sarah started to pack up.
"Morning," said the woman as Tara tied her hair into a ponytail while smiling at her. Before Sarah could say anything else, there was a young woman in a sleeveless orange dress who walked up to the reception desk, along with a man in a blue shirt and black trousers.
"I'm looking for Willow Rosenberg's room," she said as Tara and Sarah looked up. Sarah's face turned to a smile as she looked at the young woman who was wearing a pair of sunglasses that she pulled up to her forehead and raised an eyebrow.
"Oh God, you're that actress on 'All of us'," said Sarah, "ummm.. Cordelia Chase, right?"
"Yeah.. well, ordinarily I'd love to give out autographs," said Cordelia as she held on to the man next to her, a man who Tara looked at with eyes full of terror before she forced herself to look away. The blonde had sensed that Sunnydale was odd, she could feel mystical energy all over the city and she believed it had something to do with what happened last night. But what she had just seen topped them all.
Pure evil.
She had seen an aura with the deepest blacks; it was as if she was looking into pure and unadulterated darkness, and her blood chilled. She put her arms around herself and rubbed her upper arms trying to keep warm in the presence of such darkness.
The she glanced at the eyes before looking away; she saw the blazing red eyes.
"Miss?" asked a faraway voice as Tara slowly sat down while she looked at the floor, "hello?"
"Tara?" Sarah nudged the blonde until she looked up at her colleague. Sarah then nodded towards the man standing next to Cordelia. Tara didn't want to see him; she wanted to warn Cordelia about the man… but then again, she was aware of how that may have sounded.
So Tara forced herself to turn and look at Cordelia, who was talking to Sarah about Willow's location, and then at the man; she saw the blackness looking back at her, the red eyes peering into her soul, and the row upon row of sharp jagged teeth. Tara wanted to grab her head and scream, but all she could do was force a smile while her eyes showed her terror.
"Sor… sorry," stuttered Tara as she looked at Cordelia while trying to keep her eyes away from the man, "I…"
"You seemed a bit cold," said the man as he looked at Tara while leaning forward. Tara felt a chill go up her spine while he reached out for a pen that lay right next to her left hand. And the chills increased as he brushed his hand against hers before grabbing the pen. While leaning forward, and with the pen in his hand, he glanced over at Tara, "I smell your pure magic, white witch. I will have it with the other one."
Tara gasped and then quickly got out of her seat, and stumbled back against a wall which contained the hospital directory. Tara could feel her heart racing while blood raced behind her ears, and she could feel the blood draining away from her face.
"Tara?" asked Sarah while Cordelia looked at the blonde who was grabbing her chest and panting while the man leaned back and then took a paper out of his trouser pocket and wrote down a number.
"Coffee, much?" asked Cordelia as she frowned at Tara.
"You're shy, I like that," said the man as he left her a number on a piece of paper, "call me, I know plenty of people who'd like to give someone like you a shot at the big time."
Tara looked at the paper, and then at the man while Cordelia wrapped her arm around his and then hurried off for Willow's room. As they were walking away, Sarah was telling the distracted Tara, who was looking at the paper, that she was excited about meeting one of the new cast members for her favourite day-time soap opera. While Sarah kept on talking about how it was going to be the next 'Passions', Tara looked at the man who was looking back at her while licking his lips.
And her body shudder in fear as his eyes turned red just for an instant. Tara quickly looked away, and then reached for the paper and threw it away. She then turned to Sarah, and interrupted her rambling about the show, and asked about Willow.
"Poor girl, that one," said Sarah with a hint of sadness on her face, "missing for over a year and a half, and then suddenly shows up at her parents house. She's got a long road ahead… I heard she was tortured and bloody, and oh… the news reports back then said that she had bright red hair. When she returned, it was all white… I mean pure white… damnedest thing I've ever heard from the night nurses and… Tara? Where are you going?"
Sarah saw that Tara was already running around the reception desk. She told Sarah to cover her for a few minutes, and that she had to see something.
'That girl… the one who saved me from those things last night,' thought Tara as she ran towards the stairwell. She was going to run all the way to the sixth floor, which was where Willow's room was located, 'Willow… Willow Rosenberg… I… there's something about you that I couldn't help sense. Pain, sorrow, anger, and a deep sadness.. I wanted to thank you but you ran away and.. and you're here. But you're in danger.. I think. A demon's coming after you. A real demon. Oh goddess of light, protect me and the people around me from this great evil.'
TBC.