As soon as Spike and Willow got off the elevator on Buffy's floor, Spike was rushing to the nurse's station, "I need to see Buffy Summers. What room is she in?"
The nurse had a smile on her face, turning to the computer to look up the patient in the database, her smile quickly faded from her face. She turned back to Spike and Willow, "I'm sorry, sir, but the doctor specifically said to not let anyone into her room. They are waiting for a family member to get here. I'm sorry."
Spike put his head on the counter between his hands. Lifting his head, tears streaming down his face, "She has no other family. Her mum is dead, her dad doesn't give a rat's ass, please just let me see her. We are the only family that she has. Please."
The nurse looked at him for a moment, before turning to the phone, dialing two numbers then waiting for someone to pick up the phone. Spike and Willow were worried that she was calling security, but their fears were soon put to rest, "Doctor Giles? Yes, the patient Buffy Summers? Her family is here," pause, "Yes, sir. I'll send them right there. Thank you. Goodbye."
The nurse hung the phone up, looking at them, "You can go in. It's room 517."
Spike gave a silent sob, glad that he could go see his girl, "Thank you, so much. You have no idea how much this means to me."
With that, Willow and Spike ran to room 517. Once outside, Spike stopped. He was trying to ready himself to see what that monster had done to his girl. He wasn't worried that he would find her repulsive. He knew that would never happen. He was scared that he would get too emotional. He felt as if it were his fault. He should have been there. Should have been there to protect her.
Taking a deep breath, he turned the knob of the door, opening it slowly. The door was completely open, and there, lying in the hospital bed in a gown, was the love of his life. She had cuts and bruises on her face. She looked so fragile, so weak, and he hated to see her that way. She had never been anything but strong, and this one monster, had changed her.
He slowly walked to her bed, to her side, not caring if Willow was behind him or not. She wasn't. Willow had left the room the second she saw him stop, staring at her. She knew that he needed time with her by himself.
He reached her bed, taking her small hand in his, stroking the back of it with his thumb. He fell to his knees, crying. He had never felt so weak in his life. He wanted to make her better and he knew that he couldn't. He couldn't believe that he had done this to her. Spike knew that Buffy would protest that he didn't do this, but to him, he might as well have. He wasn't there to protect her, and he felt horrible for it.
He kissed her hand, her arm, her shoulder, neck, cheek, nose, and finally her lips. He wanted to make her feel better. He remembered hearing her tell him that when he kissed her, that she felt better instantly. Spike knew it had to be a long shot, kissing her wouldn't make all of this go away.
He stood, only to sit down on the side of her bed next to her lifeless body. He palmed her right cheek in his right hand. Smoothing over the skin with his fingers. She had the most beautiful skin to him, even after what Riley had done. She was still beautiful to him. He leaned towards her ear, almost silently whispering to her, "Come on, luv. Wake up for me. Please."
No movement. No acknowledgment. Nothing. She hadn't moved. So he tried again, "Please, sweetheart. I need you to wake up for me. I need you to get better. Please. I can't go on here without you. Please, luv. I need you. I love you, baby."
Shifting on the bed to where he was lying next to her with her in his arms, he continued, "Remember when we were lying like this in my bed that night? You told me that you loved me and that no one had ever made you feel the way that I make you feel? You said that without me, you didn't know how you would go on? That's how I feel, too, baby. I'm sorry I didn't tell you then. I need you. Please don't leave me, baby. I need you here. Please come back to me, baby. I love you."
Spike felt like he was dreaming when he felt her hand twitching in his. He quickly sat up, looking at her face, amazed when he saw her green eyes looking right back at him. She smiled weakly, barely whispering out, "I love you, too."