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Chapter Eight
Buffy walked through the sliding doors of the hospital, and into the Emergency Room waiting area.
Willow and Xander were waiting, when Buffy walked up to them and said, "I got the page. What's the word on Brian?"
Willow stood up and told Buffy, "They're going to admit him, at least over night."
"The doctor's said that the MRI was inconclusive," Xander said as he stood beside Willow.
"They have him sedated and they are planning on another test in the morning."
Buffy took a breath as she allowed her heart to return to it's rightful place in her chest.
"So, Brian's basically okay?"
"Yeah," Willow said as she handed Buffy a piece of paper. "Here is Brian's room number. It's 201."
"Thanks, Will," Buffy said as she hugged her friend.
"You're welcome, Buffy."
"Come on," Xander said taking Buffy's arm, "Why don't we go see how he's doing?"
"That would be great Xander."
Buffy took Xander's arm, and Willow followed close behind as the three friends went to check on Brian.
Upon entering the room, Buffy was a little surprised to see Brian hooked up to an IV and other assorted life lines.
"I thought Brian was okay?" Buffy said as she walked over and took a seat beside her husband.
"He is," Willow said as she watched Buffy's face twist in pain. "They just have him hooked up as a precaution."
Buffy reached for Brian's hand and squeezed it as she leaned over him.
"Brian, honey," she whispered, "It's me, Buffy. It's okay now, I'm here."
Willow and Xander watched, as Buffy began to stroke Brian's hair.
Willow folded her arms and smiled as she tried to keep the tears from falling from her own eyes. Xander wrapped an arm around his child-hood friend, and watched Buffy.
Xander walked away from Willow and over to where Buffy sat in the chair beside Brian.
"Hey, Buff," Xander whispered in Buffy's ear, "Willow and I are going to head out for awhile. Call us if anything changes, okay?"
Buffy nodded and smiled, as Xander gave her hug, before escorting Willow out of the hospital room.
Buffy leaned back in her chair and watched as her husband slept.
The morning sun slipped through the blinds, as Brian slowly opened his eyes.
Turning his head, Brian saw Buffy curled up beside him, a blanket draped over her shoulders.
"Buffy," Brian said as he reached out to touch Buffy's shoulder.
Buffy's head turned, as she began to stir. She opened her eyes, and upon seeing Brian awake, rushed to his side.
"Brian," she cried as she hugged him.
"Hey, sweetie," Brian said as he managed a weak smile.
"Oh, Brian I have been so worried about you."
"I'm okay, honey," Brian replied as Buffy stroked his face, "I just had a bad fall, that's all."
A knock on the door, interrupted any further communication, as a thin, wiry haired, man walked in.
"Hello," he said as he looked at Brian's chart, "I am Dr. Preston, and I will be your doctor during your stay here."
He looked over at Brian and Buffy before he continued.
"You must be Mrs. Kelly," Dr. Preston said as he extended his hand to Buffy.
"Yes, I am." She responded as she returned the gesture, "Please, call me Buffy."
"Alright, Buffy, Pleased to meet you."
"Can you tell me what happened to Brian?"
Dr. Preston walked over to Brian and began to check his vitals.
"Well, as far as I can tell at this point, Mr. Kelly had a blood vessel kink up, but I will need to perform more tests to be sure."
"When are you going to do this?" Brian asked in a whisper.
"Probably tomorrow, after the New Year," said the doctor.
"Oh my god!" Buffy exclaimed, "It's New Year's Eve!"
"Oh, baby, I'm so sorry," Brian told Buffy as he grabbed her hand.
"Is there a problem?" asked the doctor.
"I had promised to take here out of town for New Year's," Brian explained as the doctor checked the IV drip.
"Oh, I am sorry to hear that," Dr. Preston said as he turned to leave. "I'm going to go finish the rest of my rounds, and leave you two alone. Good morning."
Buffy and Brian nodded as the doctor left the room.
"Do you know what Xander and Willow are planning for New Year's?" Brian asked as Buffy laid her head on the edge of the bed.
"Probably partying," Buffy replied sarcastically. "I was so looking forward to spending New Year's in Vermont."
"There's always next year," Brian assured his wife. "Look for this year, go out with Xand and Will, and then stop by here again before midnight, so we can share a midnight kiss."
Buffy looked at Brian.
"I'm serious," He said, "Go out. Have fun. Don't be stuck here bored all night."
"But Brian, honey, what about you?"
Brian patted the bed. "Come here, sit down."
Buffy followed his command. "As long as you are happy and having fun, so am I. So go."
Buffy smiled at Brian and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"Okay, I'll go, "she said, standing to leave, "But I won't have any fun."
Brian smiled as he said, "liar," and watched Buffy walk out the door.
Her voice saying "I love You," was the last thing Brian heard before he went back to sleep.
The fact that Buffy's boredom wasn't more obvious to the people at the club, surprised even her.
Granted, Buffy looked festive enough in her emerald green halter dress, and sliver shrug, but Buffy did not feel festive.
I sure wish Brian was here, Buffy thought to herself as she watched the dancing couples.
Buffy smiled, when she saw Xander dip Willow on the dance floor.
Scanning the room, Buffy saw several happy couples enjoying the New Year's festivities with their loved ones.
Knowing that her fun quota had been reached, practically since she walked through the doors hours ago, Buffy gathered her purse and walked towards Willow and Xander.
"Hey Xander," Buffy yelled over the bumping music, "I'm going to go. It's almost midnight, and I want to be with Brian when the ball drops."
Xander nodded his understanding. "Tell him we said Happy New Year," he said as Buffy walked away.
Reaching the exit, a loud squeal made Buffy look behind her.
She didn't see who had squealed, but she did see someone else.
He was tall, dark, and wearing his usual leather jacket.
Pushing her way through the crowd, Buffy tried to rush to get to him.
The man saw her and he smiled, sadly, and appeared to wait for Buffy.
"Angel," she said when she was in range.
"Hi," Angel said as he leaned against the bar.
Buffy, so excited to see Angel, could not help it as questions poured out.
"Where have you been? Why haven't you answered your phone? Why are you never at your office? And why did you walk away from me? Did I make you mad?"
Angel giggled as Buffy babbled.
"It's okay, Buffy," he said as he signaled the bartender for another drink, "I've just been thinking."
"Thinking?" Buffy said as she took a seat on one the stools, "What thinking?"
"About me," Angel said as he took a drink.
"That day when you yelled at me, I knew then, that I wasn't me."
"What do you mean you weren't you?"
"Buffy, you know who you are, and what you want. You have a life and family and friends. As for me, well, living for two centuries hasn't exactly given me what I wanted."
Buffy looked at Angel confused. What is he talking about, she thought to herself.
As usual, Angel seemed to know what she was thinking.
"I have avoided people for most of my life. Or undead life, if you want. But anyway, I don't know what my place here is yet. I thought that being human would be some fantastic dream come true for us."
"But it is Angel, it always has been."
"Yes, but that was before you found your happily ever after. I haven't found mine yet. I wanted it to be with you, but that's not possible anymore."
"But, Angel I can't just have you pop into my life and have that feeling of completeness, only to have you go all noble and walk out again! I need you Angel, and I would be lying to myself if I thought differently."
Angel set down his drink. He stared at Buffy in the club lighting.
Her hair was glittering gold, and the green of her dress, matched the green of her watering eyes.
Angel brushed Buffy's cheek as he said, "I need you too, but I can't be around you without wanting more. I need to find someone for me to love, the same way you found Brian. And after I find that, then I'll come find you."
"So, you want to try being friends again?" Buffy asked, her eyebrows scrunched. "We tried that already, it didn't work. It couldn't work."
"Because we had no reason to be anything else," Angel explained, "We both only wanted each other, but we're different now, or at least your are."
Buffy looked away from Angel and out into the crowd. She knew that Angel was right. She was a different Buffy than the one Angel had grown to know and love. And yes, she still loved Angel, but it dawned on her that she was still in love with the Vampire Angel, and not the Human Angel.
Taking a breath, Buffy looked to Angel.
"So when will I see you again?"
"Soon," Angel said, smiling.
"William!" A voice cried, as Angel looked over Buffy's shoulder.
"I have to go," he said as he laid a bill on the bar and thanked the bartender.
"William?" Buffy asked puzzled.
"I needed to start fresh," he said, "So I dropped the name Angel."
Buffy sadly smiled, as she understood. Buffy stood and wrapped her arms around Angel saying, "Good luck, William."
Angel returned the hug, and said as he nestled against Buffy's ear, "Only you can call me Angel."
And with that, Buffy watched Angel walk over to meet a stunning red-head head in a turquoise dress, and kiss her softly on the lips.
Buffy wiped away her tears, as she watched him walk off to start his new life.
Buffy exited the bar, and looking at the watch, realized she had thirty minutes to reach Brian before New Year's.
She raised her arm to hail a cab, but none stopped.
After about ten minutes, Buffy decided to try and run the distance from the club to the hospital.
She knew it was impossible, but so many things had happened the past week that had once seemed impossible.
As she crossed thirty-fifth, she saw a horse drawn carriage, and flagged him down.
"Hey stop!" She cried.
"Can I help you, little lady?"
"Yes, I need to go to the memorial hospital before midnight! My husband's in there and I promised him I would make it for a midnight kiss!"
The driver thought for a minute but then said, "I guess I could help, after all, I have always been a putz for romance!"
Buffy and the man giggled, as she got into the carriage, and the driver spurred his horse into action.
They galloped down the street, causing more than one car to slam on their brakes.
When Buffy was a block from the hospital, she motioned to the driver.
"Stop here! This is fine!"
The man stopped the horse and Buffy jumped out and after handing the man a large bill, yelled "Thank You!" and then dashed into the hospital.
Buffy made it to Brian's room, with minutes to spare.
Her hair was a mess, and her clothes slightly rumpled, but Brian still saw her as a vision.
"I must be at Heaven's gates," he said as Buffy walked in. "Because I see an angel coming into my room."
"Don't joke," Buffy scolded lightly as she hugged her husband.
"Something's different about you," Brian said as Buffy reached for the remote to turn up the volume.
"What do you mean?" Buffy asked as Dick Clark began to announce that the ball was about to drop.
"You appear lighter, like you have nothing hanging over your shoulder or something."
Buffy thought for moment as she took in the night's events. Granted Angel was leaving, but it wasn't forever. And when he came back, they would be able to be together in the same room, and not constantly desire one another. And believe it or not, that felt good.
"You know something, honey," Buffy said as she sat down beside Brian. "I do feel lighter. Everything's perfect."
Brian and Buffy shared a loving smile as they counted down the seconds to a new year.
And just as the ball was illuminated, Brian leaned over and gave Buffy a kiss.
And for the first time in years, Buffy didn't imagine it was the Vampire with a Soul.
End Chapter Eight
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