A/N: The chapter you've been asking about! As always, thanks to Mack my BETA!
Chapter Twenty-Six
Angel, Willow and Xander gathered at Buffy's hospital room the next afternoon, per Buffy's request. The three Scoobies entered Buffy's room, only to find it unoccupied. Willow suggested they try Brian's room, and the friends exited the room. Upon entering Brian's room, they found Buffy sitting in a chair beside Brian who was no longer on life support.
"Hey, you're awake," Willow said as she walked over to the other side of Brian's bed.
"Yeah, they just took it out this morning, so his throat's still a little sore," Buffy informed as she hugged Xander and Angel.
"So, uh, does he know… you know… About …"
"Yeah, he knows everything about the accident," Buffy confirmed for Xander.
"So he knows it was a hit?" Angel asked, concerned.
"Yeah," Buffy said as Brian grabbed Buffy's arm and pulled her close to whisper in her ear. Buffy smiled sweetly as she looked to Angel.
"Brian said not feel so bad. You didn't know that any of this was going to happen. And he's right. Stop, blaming yourself Angel."
Angel smirked at Brian's response. Yeah, he didn't know anything about Jasper planning a hit on he and Buffy, but if he hadn't turned Jasper, then they wouldn't be in this mess in the first place. Man, brooding sucks.
Buffy tossed her head, her blond curls flying back behind her, as she sat on the side of Brian's bed.
"So what's the sitch? We find out anything new?" Willow stepped forwards, awkwardly.
"I did some more sifting through Council files last night, and even made a few more calls, but I still come up with the same thing, nothing."
"I came up empty too," Angel shrugged. Xander's chest suddenly puffed up, and a big smile graced his face.
"Okay, what's with the peacock imitation?" Buffy asked crossing her arms.
"First, let me say, Intel guy comes through with the knowledge. Second, I was talking to a old construction friend of mine, and he said something about a strange gang squatting over on the north side."
"Intel?" Angel questioned.
"Yeah, you know, Intelligence? Like James Bond kinda stuff?"
"I didn't know you where intelligent, Xander," Willow smiled and joked.
"Ha ha, very funny, Will."
"Okay guys, focus," Buffy instructed. "What about these squatters?"
"Well, he didn't have much info, just an address where the building was. So I went."
"You went to an assassin's possible hideout with out back up?" Angel folded his arms, and shook his head at Xander's stupidity.
"Hey, I didn't see any signs of a nest, but I did find this," Xander pulled a necklace from his jacket pocket. He handed it to Buffy, and Angel examined the pendant.
It was cameo shaped, with two pieces of twisted gold framing it. Inside the framed cameo, was an opal. Angel took the necklace from Buffy and looked for a latch. Sure enough it opened. Inside, was the same inscription Angel had found on the ring: The dead will live.
"It's his isn't it?" Buffy asked, seeing the frightened look on Angel's face.
"Yeah, it's his," Angel said sternly. Buffy looked back at the pendant, before looking at Xander.
"Where's the address?"
"Uh, it's in my other pocket, hold on." Xander started going through his pockets looking for the address he had been given.
"Uh, Buffy," Willow asked timidly, "What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking Angel and I are going to go do some recon."
"Are you sure you able? I mean what if you have to fight? Are you going to be strong enough?" Buffy placed a gentle hand on Willow's shoulder.
"I'll be fine. Angel's going with, so I have back up."
"I'm not all together as strong as I used to be Buff," Angel warned. "I mean, yeah I still have some the strengths that Vampires have, but they are altered by my human status."
Brian grabbed Buffy's arm, a pained look on his as he tried to say something.
"Brian, honey, what is it? I..I can't hear you. What about a cat?"
"Trap," Willow piped up. "He's worried it's a trap, and frankly so am I."
Buffy looked back to Brian, as he nodded his head. Buffy smiled at her husband and squeezed his hand.
"Trap or not, we need to check this place out."
"You don't find it the slightest bit strange that, of all the Scoobies to find a lead, Xander comes across someone who just happens to have the address?"
All the Scoobies looked over to Xander, who was now raiding Brian's Jell-O.
"What?" he asked as it sank in. "HEY!"
"If this is a trap, we need to make sure that no one leaves this room, and no one comes in until Buffy and I get back." Angel said as he rested his chin on his hand.
"I can place a protection spell over the room, that should help," Willow offered, digging in her shoulder bag for her magick supplies.
"Good," Angel said as Buffy disappeared into Brian's bathroom. She came back out, dressed in a long sleeved- gray wrap top, and black pants.
"I'll cast after you guys leave," Willow said.
Buffy walked over to Xander and gave him a hug, before doing the same with Willow. She leaned over Brian's bed, and gave him a kiss saying, " I love you."
"I love you, too," Brian's raspy voice replied, as Buffy kissed him one last time, before grabbing her coat.
"Let's go to work," she said as they walked out the door.
"I thought that was my line?" Angel asked as they walked down the hall.
Angel looked at the address and then at the building. It was correct. The address had taken them to a run down two-story house with broken windows, and busted doors. Empty lots flanked either side where other houses once stood. Buffy exited Angel's GTX, and stepped up on the curb.
"Real cozy place," Buffy said as a shiver ran up her spine.
"You getting anything," Angel asked as he grabbed a couple of stakes and a sword from his trunk.
"Yeah, plenty."
"Then let's go get this over with," Angel spun his sword around, slicing the air.
"Alright, Zorro, let's go." Buffy slid a stake down each sleeve, and followed Angel around to the back.
Angel quietly opened what remained of the back door, and Buffy followed him inside. Careful not step on any broken glass, the two warriors made their way through the kitchen, and around to the stairs. Quietly, Buffy and Angel crept up the staircase to the bedrooms. Angel made a movement and Buffy spilt to his right. She walked into a bedroom, and took a look around. There was a old mattress on the floor and various clothes and food wrappers strewn all over the floor. Buffy lifted the mattress up, and found nothing besides more clothes, and more trash.
Buffy quickly whipped out one of her stakes, as she heard a noise behind her. Honing in on the creaking, Buffy figured it was in the other room, and quietly made her way towards the sound. Reaching the balcony, Angel reached her and placed a finger to his lips, signaling to remain silent. Nodding her head in understanding, she followed Angel to the other side, in the shadows. They watched as several people, all dressed in various kinds of leather, began to sift through the trash that littered the ground floor.
"Where did he say he left it?" Said a well built male.
"He didn't say exactly," replied another.
"Would you both just shut up and keep looking!" spat an attractive looking brunette. The two men became quiet, and resumed their scavenger hunt. Buffy and Angel watched as three became four, and four became five and so on, until almost a dozen of them were walking back and forth between the living room and the kitchen.
"Think they're looking for the necklace?" Buffy whispered to Angel.
"No doubt."
"Well it's six to one odds, wanna give it a try?" Angel smirked as he saw the fire in Buffy's eyes.
"You sure you're up for it?" Angel looked concerned.
"And miss out on a good workout?" Buffy's smile said it all. Angel smiled and extended his hand towards the staircase.
"Ladies first," he said. Buffy smiled at Angel as she took the necklace Xander had given her from her coat pocket and wrapped it around her wrist.
"Um, can you guys help me?" Buffy asked as she leaned over the railing. All twelve stopped in their tracks, and looked up at Buffy and Angel.
"I'm looking for the owner of this," She held out the necklace, "Got any suggestions?"
"Get them," said the female, as she and the other eleven vamped out. Buffy slid down the banister, and staked the first vamp she came close to. Angel leapt from the balcony, and landed in the thick of the nest, and punched one Vamp and sent another one flying into the kitchen.
The vamps began to attack, and Buffy and Angel sprang into action. Buffy spun around and kicked one vamp in the chest sending him flying through the wall and landing in the living room. Angel swung a left hook sending another vamp flying towards Buffy, who threw him against a wall, before staking him. One more jumped onto Buffy's back, as Angel swung around kicking another one's face. Buffy spun herself around, managing to throw her attacker off her back. The vamp landed with a thud on the floor, and Buffy knelt down, dusting him.
Angel threw off another vamp and yelled at Buffy, "Buffy! Sword! I left it on the stairs!"
Buffy watched as Angel punched and kicked away two attacking vamps, before throwing a kick of her own, making a vampire stumble backwards far enough to allow Buffy to run upstairs. Taking the stairs two at a time, Buffy reached the sword just around the corner, and turned to go back down, but was jumped by yet another vamp. Buffy went with the flow, and allowed herself to fall and roll the vamp off of her. Kicks and punches were exchanged as Slayer fought Demon, before a voice broke the trance.
"Buffy! Sword! Now!" Angel's voice reminded Buffy, and she kicked the vamp in the chest and grabbed the sword. The vamp screamed as he came back at Buffy. Buffy raised the sword and slash the air, watching the headless, vamp disintegrate. She walked down a few steps, before calling to Angel.
"Angel," she yelled as Angel tried to fight off the remaining nine vampires. He looked up at Buffy and she tossed the sword in Angel's direction. Angel caught the sword by the hilt and, in a move that would make Blade proud, Angel swung it around and sliced the air. Instantly, three vamps disappeared, becoming dust beneath their feet.
"Man I love this sword," Angel said as he kissed the blade.
"Well, now I'm jealous," Buffy said acting huffy, "And that makes me mad!"
On the last word, Buffy kicked one vampire across the room, and punched another. Angel elbowed one and slash at another with his sword. Buffy kicked and punched two others before swinging her arm behind her and hitting one in the chest.
"God, you're pretty when your angry," Angel said as the vamp disintegrated.
"Liar," Buffy said, pointing behind Angel's shoulder. "Angel, look out!"
Angel spun around to look, but the vamp got a hit in, sending Angel stumbling across the room and against a wall.
Angel crossed his arms before his face, blocking a punch before twisting it around, and freeing one arm to punch the vamp in the face. Angel then spun the vamp around, catching him in a headlock.
"Didn't your mother teach you to play nice?" Angel then pushed the vamp towards Buffy who threw him into the other room. Angel reached down and picked up his fallen sword, just as Buffy sent another vamp flying through the air. Angel turned and thrust the sword's blade into another vamp, leaving only four left.
"You getting tired yet," Angel called to Buffy as she was using one vamp's face like punching bag.
"Not hardly," she replied, staking the vamp. "I'm just getting warmed up. It's a shame Willow and Xander couldn't be here to share in the fun."
Angel and Buffy stood in fighting stance, back to back, waiting for their prey to attack.
"So, which one you want?" Angel asked not taking his eyes, off the two in front of him.
"Personally, I'm itching for a cat fight," Buffy said eyeing the female vamp in front of her. "Think you handle the other two?"
"It's worth a shot," Angel responded, and he and Buffy took a step forward. The three vamps took a step backwards, and paused for a moment. Then, they all darted out different windows, without so much as a goodbye.
"Well, that was rude," Buffy said relaxing her feet.
"Why do I suddenly have the feeling Willow was right?" Buffy turned at looked at Angel.
"You mean that this was a trap?"
"Yeah, but in reverse." Angel did not like where his brain was going.
"You think that we were lured here as a distraction?"
"That about sums it up."
"But what would they want to distract us from?" Angel looked at the puzzled look on Buffy's face.
"Not what, but who," Angel told her, telling her with his eyes, what he was thinking.
"Who? But who would they b… Oh, my god." Buffy's eyes became wide, as the realization hit her.
Xander sat across from Brian and tried to keep his eyes open. It was one thirty in the afternoon, and way past Xander's nap time. Willow sat across from Xander, reading a magazine, and Brian sat up in his hospital bed and tried to finish his lunch. Which today, was grilled chicken and a salad. Brian wasn't particularly hungry, actually, he was feeling rather tired. He knew that Willow and Xander did need to eat, but felt obligated to wait until Buffy and Angel returned from their expedition.
"You know," Brian said as he cleared his throat. "You guys don't have to sit here all the time. You can go grab a bite to eat you know."
Willow looked at Brian.
"Yeah, come on, Will," Xander said, as his head drooped. "I haven't had a thing to eat since I walked through the doors."
"See?" Brian pointed out to Willow.
"But, Buffy wanted us to stay close to Brian," Willow complained. "What if something happens?"
"Will," Brian said as he bounced a tomato off the invisible, lavender, electric field that protected his room. " No one's coming through that door, unless they are you, Buffy or my nurse."
Willow's eyes became puppy-dog shaped as she realized the truth Brian told her.
"Now go," Brian scolded as he pointed to the doorway. "Take Xand, and get something to eat. My nurse will be in soon, and I will remind her again to watch for strange people wanting to see me."
"But what about you?" Willow protested.
"I'll just close my eyes, till the nurse arrives."
"Hey, come on Will, let's go grab a bite," Xander said as he wrapped an arm around Willow's shoulder.
"O-Okay," Willow stammered, her uneasiness level rising. "But I just have a bad feeling about leaving Brian."
"He'll be fine, let's go." Xander lead his best friend out of the hospital room, and waved to Brian. "Se ya man."
"See ya," Brian called, making himself cough, just slightly as he did so.
Willow and Xander walked across the open lobby of Brian's room, and waited on the elevator. The doors opened, and the two Scoobies walked in. The doors paused excessively long, allowing them to watch as Brian's nurse walked through the invisible curtain. The nurse set down a tray on Brian's moveable table. She glanced around behind her, in way that told Willow she was checking for witnesses. Then the nurse's face changed. Willow screamed as Brian's feet thrashed in his bed and the doors finally closed, reflecting the pained and shocked faces on the shiny steel doors.
Buffy and Angel ran down the hospital corridors, rushing to reach Brian's room in time.
When they reached his floor, they saw Xander holding Willow, as doctors and nurses rushed in and out, trying to save Brian.
"What happened?" Buffy asked, hoping it was natural and not paranormal. Willow just began to cry harder against Xander's shoulder. Buffy pulled Willow from Xander's arms and held her by the arms.
"Willow! What happened?" Angel walked over to stand behind Buffy and tried to place his hands on her to calm her, but she turned and snapped at him instead.
"Do you mind, Angel? I'm trying to figure out what happened!"
Angel threw his hands up and backed off a few steps, giving Buffy her space. She shook Willow to get her to come to her senses, but the line of medical personnel that began to file from Brian's room, only made it worse. One of the doctors walked over to Buffy and Willow, a look on his face that Angel and Xander knew all too well, did not mean good news.
"Oh my god," Xander swallowed nervously as he moved closer to stand next to Willow.
"Mrs. Kelly?" Asked the doctor hesitantly.
"She's Mrs. Kelly," Willow pointed a shaky finger towards Buffy. Buffy froze and dropped her grip on Willow's arms. The color began to drain from her face, turning her death white, and Angel took a step closer to Buffy's position on the hospital floor. Buffy could feel her heart begin to beat right through her shirt as the doctor spoke.
"I am very sorry to tell you this, Mrs. Kelly. But, your husband didn't make it. I'm sorry, there was nothing we could do."
"So Brian's dead?" asked Xander, taking a restrained breath and rubbing his face at the doctor's nod of affirmation.
Buffy's eyes grew wide, and water lined the lids. She was suddenly stiff as a board, and felt nothing. Her breathing became hitched and Angel came closer. Quickly, and before she could protest, Angel spun her around and pressed her against his chest. Buffy tried to break away, but Angel held her tight. She thrashed around in Angel's arms, only forcing him to hold on tighter. Finally, it all came crashing down, as Buffy let the facts sink in. She began to cry softly at first, then they became throbbing sobs.
Angel laid his head over Buffy's and Xander did the same with Willow. Friends and former lover's stood in heartbreaking silence, as they consoled and were consoled. Buffy was the first to come up for breath.
Raising her head to see Angel's own tear streaked face, Buffy said, "I need to check the body."
Willow and Xander looked over to Buffy, already thinking what she was. They had to be sure that Brian wouldn't rise again.
Xander closed his eyes, and took a deep breath to calm himself. Never, in a million years, did I ever expect to say that about Brian, Xander thought as he hugged Willow tighter.
Willow watched through watery eyes, as Angel carefully led Buffy into Brian's room.
Brian's room was deathly silent. Altogether fitting considering Brian was now dead. The heart monitor was turned off, it's screen as black as the void Buffy had once gone through herself on her way to Heaven. The oxygen they had been running to Brian, was now silent, allowing Buffy to hear the unearthly echoes of her footsteps. Brian, or rather Brian's body, lay lifeless on the bed, his arms placed peacefully over his stomach.
Slowly, Buffy stretched a shaky hand outwards towards Brian's cheek. She placed her hand around Brian's cheek and shivered as she held back tears. It was cold, like Angel used to be when he was a vampire. That's when Buffy remembered the other reason she had come in here. She pushed Brian's face to one side, and saw the two marks on his neck that were beginning to heal. Thinking about the other side, Buffy walked over to the other side of the bed, and repeated the process. There, over the jugular, where two deep marks, imbedded in Brian's neck. Buffy stumbled backwards, grabbing her mouth as she did so. She felt everything spin, and her world become dizzying and dark. Buffy began to fall, and Angel caught her by her arms, gently falling with her to the floor. Angel gently wrapped his strong arms around Buffy's petite frame, and sat on his knees. Buffy lay sprawled on the hospital room floor, her legs scattered in front of her, her head resting on Angel's shoulder, as the orange rays of the evening sun filtered into the room.
End Chapter
A/N: There! I finally killed him! LOL I HATED writing this! I got just as attached as some of you, and even toyed with saving him, but it just wouldn't work! Thanks for all your reviews so far! and keep them coming!
I usually don't post again until I get at least 5 reviews, so PLEASE! Read & Review!!