A/N: Sorry it has taken me so long to update. My sister was put in the hospital for a congenital heart problem, as I was working on this and been worrying about her so much, that I have neglected my story(s)! But she is doing better now, and I have returned with new chaps!
All previous discliamers apply.
Feedback is greatly appreciated!
Chapter Seven
It was the day before New Year's Eve.
Buffy walked through Central Park, on her way to see Brian.
Her mind was still reeling from the fact that she had pushed Angel away.
She didn't mean to, and granted, it was for the best, but she still didn't want to make Angel mad at her.
She was so worried about Brian and his health, that she took Angel's sincere act of concern as criticism.
And now she had lost the one true friend she had ever had.
She had gone by his office several times, but it was always locked, and he had apparently changed, or turned off his cell phone number, because he never answered her when she tried to call.
Buffy wiped away a silent tear as she got into a cab, and told the driver where to go.
As the cab drove past beautiful trees, tall buildings, and busy sidewalks, Buffy tried to think happy thoughts.
But Brian's sudden illness, and Angel's vanishing act, left Buffy feeling pretty depressed.
Taking a deep breath, Buffy paid the driver his fare, and exited the car in front of Brian's building.
When she reached his office, Edith was busy answering the phones, but took a second to wave at Buffy as she walked in.
"Is Brian in?" she whispered to Edith, who nodded, as she pointed to the glass doors of Brian's office, as she returned to taking notes.
Quietly pushing back the doors, Buffy saw Brian's chair was facing her as Brian's voice carried telling Buffy he was in the middle of an important phone call.
Buffy stood silently, as she heard the strain in Brian's voice to keep up with the conversation.
Turning his chair around, Buffy saw that Brian's head was in his hand and he appeared to be rubbing his forehead.
When, Brian saw Buffy, his face lit up and he quickly found a way to get off the phone.
"Look, Bill," Brian said as he leaned on his desk, "I have to go. An important client just walked in. I'll talk to you later."
And with that, Brian placed the phone in the cradle.
"An important client huh?"
Buffy said as she sat on the corner of the desk.
"Yep," Brian responded as Buffy leaned in for a kiss. "And my most important."
"Oh yeah, why's that?"
"Well, if I don't stop and pay attention to my wife, I could end up paying her alimony for life!"
"Brian!" Buffy said as she playfully slapped Brian's arm. "You know I wouldn't do that."
"Yet," Brian smiled back as he pulled Buffy onto his lap.
Buffy squealed as Brian began to spin her in his over-sized office chair.
"So, how has your day been?"
"Pretty good," Buffy replied as she laid her head on Brian's shoulder.
"Good. Well, I'm feeling pretty hungry right about now." Brian said as he helped Buffy stand. "How about you and I go grab a bite to eat?"
"Hmm, Sounds like a plan," Buffy said as she wrapped her arm around Brain's waist.
"Great. You go tell Edith to hold all my calls and I will grab my coat so we can leave."
"Okay," Buffy said as she kissed Brian on the cheek and went to talk to Edith.
Brain walked over to where his coat tree stood beside his door, and slipped his jacket on.
As he did, the pain in his head returned, and Brian rubbed his forehead in an attempt to make it go away.
Thinking he should grab an aspirin before he left, Brain walked back over to his desk, and opened a drawer.
Grabbing the bottle of aspirin, Brian rubbed his head again as the pain intensified.
Twisting the cap, Brian shook the bottle and a couple of aspirin feel into his hand.
Brain placed the bottle back in the drawer and reached for his glass of water he left on his desk, but went crashing to the floor instead.
Buffy was finishing up her conversation with Edith, when she heard a crashing sound come from Brian's office.
Buffy turned and walked inside and saw Brian's hand on the ground at his desk, and a broken glass on the floor beside him.
"BRIAN!" Buffy screamed as she rushed to his side.
Turning him over, she saw his eyes were closed and his hand bleeding.
Buffy pushed back his shirt and checked for pulse calling to Edith, "Edith, quick! Call an ambulance!"
Within minutes, paramedics arrived and had Brian loaded in the back.
Buffy sat beside him as the EMT's worked to stabilize Brian, whispering the whole time, "Don't leave me, Brian. I love you."
When Buffy arrived at the hospital, Willow was already waiting in the emergency room, and held Buffy as Brian was wheeled in.
It was hours before they heard anything from anyone.
Willow just sat with Buffy and held her tight, as they waited for word on Brian's condition.
At some point, Xander darted through the doors.
Buffy stood and allowed herself to fall into Xander's arms.
Stroking Buffy's hair, Xander looked to Willow and asked, "How is he?"
"We don't know," Willow said as she folded her arms. "They have been in there forever."
"You mean they haven't told you guys anything?"
"Nope. Nothing."
Holding Buffy's head in his hands Xander made Buffylook him in the eye. "It's going to be alright, Buff," he said. "Brian's going to be fine."
Buffy sniffled as she nodded in agreement.
A moment later, a doctor walked through the doors and made his way towards the three old friends.
But the doctor stopped at the couple who was waiting beside them. As he told them that their son would be fine, Xander stood and walked over to the doctor.
"Excuse me," he said as he faced the doctor. "But do you know if you can find out how Brian Kelly is doing?"
The doctor looked at Xander as he motioned towards Buffy.
"His wife hasn't heard anything, and she really needs to know something."
"Sure, I'll see what I can do," the doctor replied as he walked back through the ER doors.
After what felt like hours, but was in fact minutes, a young woman walked outside and looked straight at Xander.
All three stood, hoping she brought good news.
"Are you Mrs. Kelly?" the woman asked as she stared at Willow.
"No, I am," Buffy said, wiping tears from her face.
"Oh, I'm sorry," the doctor said before telling her, " Your husband is doing better, but he appears to have suffered some kind of stroke, the doctors are not sure yet."
"Are they going to perform any tests?" Buffy asked as she held Xander's hand.
"Yes. They are preparing to take him to MRI now, and we should know something soon."
"Thank you," Willow said gratefully as Buffy collapsed again in tears.
"You're welcome," the woman said. "I will let you know if there are any other changes."
"Thank you." Said Xander.
The former slayer and her fellow Scoobies, sat back down and resumed their waiting.
"Ugh!" Buffy said as she stood from her seat. "It's been eight hours! How long does it take to diagnose someone?"
"They're doing the best they can," Willow said as Buffy began to pace in front of her and Xander.
Realizing Buffy was becoming short fused, Xander stood and told her, "Hey Buff, why don't you go out and take a walk?"
Grateful looks couldn't kill, yet, Xander pressed on.
"Here, take this."
Xander handed Buffy one of her stakes.
"Maybe it can help to relieve some tension."
Finally catching the hidden meaning, Buffy grabbed the stake, and said, "Alright. But you and Willow have to promise me that you will call soon as anything changes."
"You know we will Buffy," Willow said as she stood beside Xander.
"Okay," Buffy said as she placed the stake in the sleeve and walked out of the hospital doors and towards the nearest vamp hide out.
The Graveyard felt strangely comforting as Buffy walked between the headstones.
I'm in a graveyard, hunting, while Brian is in the hospital dying. Morbid much?
Buffy slipped the stake from her sleeve and began to creep through the graveyard, searching for prey.
The wind rustled the leaves on the trees and the ones that fell to the ground made a light crunching sound as Buffy walked.
As she walked around a tree, her spider sense went off in her spine, signaling that danger was near.
Ducking behind the tree, Buffy waited as the tingle in her spine became more intense, and the sound of footsteps came closer.
Readying herself to strike, Buffy waited until the man walked past, and then she kicked him in the back.
The man rolled, but quickly got back up, and flashed his true face.
Buffy flew into slayer mode, and threw another kick which was blocked.
Swinging her arm around, she made contact with the vamp's face, but he hardly moved.
Then, another one came from behind and tried to grab Buffy.
She broke that vamp's grip, but Vamp number one was able to kick her and put her to the ground.
As Buffy squirmed, she felt a strange sense of peace come over her.
She felt like she was incredibly safe, and would win this fight.
She felt like Old Buffy again.
At that point, one the vamps suddenly went flying through the air, and landed against a tree.
Buffy took advantage of the distraction, and grabbed her stake that had fallen to the ground, before ramming it into the vamp's chest.
The vamp stood and instantly turned to dust, as Buffy stood to face the other one.
When she looked behind her, she saw the second vamp also disintegrating.
Buffy scanned the graveyard, looking for what had killed the vampire, but she could see nothing.
As Buffy dusted herself off, the safe feeling she had felt just a moment ago, was slowly fading.
Deciding to walk towards the area where the final vamp bit the dust, and look for anything that would tell her who had helped her.
Scanning the ground, Buffy saw a small object glittering in the night.
She bent down to pick it up, and when she did so, she saw it was a small pin.
It was an angel, with it's wings outstretched. An engraved banner crossed the angel's chest and it said, "always".
Smiling, Buffy took the pin and pinned it to the lapel of her coat.
Her cell phone buzzed and she pulled it from her coat, and looked at the screen.
Willow had text messaged her, "Have nws on Brian."
Buffy closed the cell, and darted back to the hospital.
End Chapter Seven
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