Chapter 8: Tumble and Fall

The next morning Knox went into the med-lab very early before anyone even came into work. He walked in and found a test tube broken on the floor. He went down and picked it and looked and saw Buffy's name printed on the side of the tube in red marker.

In about ten minutes he cleaned up the mess and got rid of the exploded tube. He took out from his pocket another test tube with Buffy's name on it and replaced it back in a tray along with other blood samples. Once Knox was done he slipped out of the med-lab, unnoticed by anyone.

2 Weeks Later….

The elevator in the Wolfram and Hart lobby dinged. The two doors slide open to reveal Buffy dressed up in training clothes and talking on her cell phone.

"I know Dawn, I know…" Buffy said on the phone as she exited the elevator and started walking across the room toward Angel's office, "…well, if Andrew does it again you have permission to break every one of his little action figure toys…I'll call you later when I talk to Spike about the whole are-you-coming-Rome-to-be-with-me thing…" Buffy paused at Angel's office door, "Oh he'll come…do you really think he'll pick Angel over me?"

Buffy laughed at something Dawn said on the other line and then said to be good and goodbye as she walked into Angel's office.

"Wes…Gunn…" Buffy looked around the office and only found Wesley and Gunn talking, "What happened to Angel?"

"Oh he's off handling a little crisis downtown." Gunn said.

"Crisis? Should I be concerned too?" Buffy asked.

"No…Spike went with him…" Gunn said.

Buffy raised an eyebrow, "Voluntarily?"

Gunn paused, "Actually I'm not sure…I think it was by accident. They were arguing about astronaut and cavemen thing again…"

"Still! God…are they crazy?" Buffy paused, "It's cavemen." Buffy mumbled.

Gunn and Wesley raised an eyebrow at her small response.

"Anyway…I was going to go train…care to join?" Buffy smiled, hoping one of them would cave and she wouldn't have to train alone.

"Uhh…no thanks…" Gunn said, "Got a case in fifteen minutes…"

"I thought you were the fighter type…hence the name 'Gunn'." Buffy said.

Gunn laughed, "I feel more comfortable doing what I'm doing now…see ya Buffy." Gunn said and walked out of the off.

Buffy turned to Wesley, "So…how about you?"

"I would love to but…I actually have a…a date." Wesley mumbled.

"A date?" Buffy smiled, "Wessss….so who's the lucky girl?"

Wesley was about to answer when Fred walked into the room.

"Oh…hi." Fred said, "Umm…" Fred seemed a little nervous about Buffy being around when she was going to mention Wesley about their lunch date.

Buffy exchanged glances between Fred and Wesley and caught what was going on quickly.

"Oh…" Buffy nodded, "Well I'll be going now." Buffy walked out the office leaving Fred and Wesley alone.

Fred and Wesley heard Buffy mumbled as she exited, "Probably talking sexy smart dirty talk as soon as I leave." Fred and Wesley looked down to the ground in embarrassment.

Buffy absolutely loved Wolfram and Harts training room, to her everything was new and shiny. During the whole workout she had a smile on her face and seemed to never want to leave, she was having too much fun working with the electronic moving punching bag dummy. Every couple of punches she let out a laugh about how silly it must look at what she was doing.

"I see you have a favorite toy in here now." A voice startled Buffy. Without looking she turned off the machine and faced the voice, who was Knox.

"Umm…yeah…it's pretty cool." Buffy said with a small smile, "Uhh…who are you again?"

"Knox…I work with Fred—" he started.

"Yeah, down in the science lab." Buffy finished his sentence, "Yeah…so…what you doing up here?"

"Oh just seeing how you are? Are you feeling okay?" Knox stepped closer.

Buffy rolled her eyes but still had a smile on her face, "I swear if someone asks me that again, I'm going to make them the replacement of this electric dummy here."

"Well I was just checking…curious…" Knox said, "Science and all that…we're still trying to figure that thing out."

"I see…but you guys don't have to get all weird and protective of me. Hello Slayer here!" Buffy said, "Besides the med-lab said my tests were extremely normal…"

Knox nodded and smiled, "You're right…I'll…I'll let you get back to your training then." He started walking away towards the door.

"Knox…." Buffy stopped Knox in his tracks, "…Thanks for your concern…." Buffy said softly.

Knox turned to her and gave her a small smile, "Just doing my job Ms. Summers." He said and left out the door.

Upstairs in the lobby the elevator dinged and out exited Spike and Angel.

"I don't know what Buffy sees in you…" Angel mumbled as he walked towards Harmony's desk.

"Well I don't see what dog girl sees in you…" Spike said as he followed Angel behind, "She must love the big ass type fellows who like to cry all day long and turn into puppets."

"Hey!" Angel turned around quickly to Spike and spoke quietly to him, "Will you shut up…and don't mention that to Buffy."

Spike instantly smiled, "Already did…"

Angel glared daggers at Spike and then turned around towards Harmony, "Any messages?"

"Uhh…no not really. Buffy was by early looking for you." Harmony said while filing her nails.

"Really?" Both Spike and Angel said together which made them look at each other.

"Now why would she looking for you?" Spike asked, "She's my girlfriend."

"I know…" Angel said in a childish voice, "She just…probably maybe…wanted to see me….for some reason."

Spike rolled his eyes, "The only reason she would call you again is to take brooding lessons."

In the training room Buffy was taking a water bottle break. She was sitting on bunch of gymnastic mats. Once she was done sipping her water she looked around the room and noticed her vision was a little blurry. Buffy blinked a few times to see if she could see clearly but it seemed that it didn't help.

Then out of nowhere she felt dizzy spell overtake her and made her fall to her knees. She stayed down for a moment and kept her head still because the dizziness made her sick in the stomach. Buffy looked around the training room and saw that the equipment through her eyes appeared to spinning. She shut her eyes quickly to make it stop.

'What's happening?' was Buffy's as she brought herself to her feet.

"And what can you provide for her huh?" Angel shot out, "Your poor taste in clothes and music?"

"Poor taste in music?" Spike laughed, "Look who's taking…you like Barry Manilow."

"What are you two fang boys bickering about now?" Gunn said as he walked into the lobby.

"Oh Angel was just defending Barry Manilow." Harmony smiled.

Angel turned to Harmony and gave her a hard glare.

"What?" Harmony asked with an innocent voice, "You were!"

"What' up Gunn?" Angel turned back to Gunn, "Trouble?"

"Not sure…security wants me to go down and check something interesting they found on their video tapes." Gunn said.

The elevator door in the lobby dinged in the background.

"Interesting in what sense—", Angel started and was interrupted by Harmony.

"Oh my god!" Harmony said and got up off her seat.

Gunn, Spike, and Angel looked at Harmony and saw she was staring at the elevator. All three guys turned and saw Buffy in the elevator collapsed on the ground.

"Oh god…" Gunn mumbled.

Spike and Angel rushed towards the elevator and kneeled by Buffy's side.

"Buffy?" Spike asked and tried to check her for injuries but saw she looked perfectly fine, "Buffy!" He tried again but she still didn't answer.

Spike kept calling her name and his eyes focused on her. He didn't notice that Angel was shouting orders to get doctors and a stretcher.

TBC...