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Willow
was sitting on the Slayer’s bed hugging Mr. Gordo to her chest, her legs drawn
up as she gently rocked staring intently at the door waiting impatiently for it
to open. More worried than usual, the hollow feeling in her chest and the lump
in her throat was telling her that something was definitely wrong with her
Buffy. However the actual nature of the trouble eluded her. Buffy had been
getting back from her patrols later each night. Each night she was exhausted to
the point of collapse and though she denied it, Willow could tell that she
wasn’t bouncing back like she used to.
It
was breaking Willow’s heart to see the person she cared about even more than
life itself go out every night to face what ever danger the Hellmouth might
throw at her when they both knew Buffy was not in any condition to fight them.
Now she was more than 2 hours over due and even though she had promised not to
go out alone after sunset, especially not to look for Buffy on patrol, Willow
was considering facing her friends anger and going out to find Buffy anyway.
She just couldn’t get over the feeling that the Slayer was in serious trouble.
<I
can’t lose her, I couldn’t go on without her> she thought to herself and a
sob escaped her throat. <Don’t do that !!> she yelled at herself <No
negative thoughts! Buffy is fine...Buffy is safe...Buffy is....GORGEOUS!!> A
mischievous smile played over her lips as she thought of her friends near
perfect athletic body. <Stop that!! Bad Willow, bad, bad Willow> Her
chest tightened as she recalled the warmth of Buffy’s body pressing against her
whenever they hugged. <Friendly hugs only> she reminded herself.
Willow
knew that she really truly, deeply, loved her with every part of her body and
soul but she hadn’t done anything about it and everything she could to deny the
reality of those feelings, ending with her disastrous relationship with Oz, but
that was so over now and she’d been forced to face the truth. Eventually she
learned to settle for the platonic friendship Buffy offered and simply learn to
live with the constant frustration of unrequited love. She just knew that it
would all work out as long as Buffy never found out, not ever.
Willow’s
thoughts were interrupted when the door to their room flew open, slamming
loudly against the wall, revealing a figure leaning on the doorframe to hold
themselves up. Willow gasped when she realized it was her best friend and
roommate (not to mention her entire world). Worry overcame control, “Buffy.”
Buffy
was barely recognizable under all the dirt and blood her whole body heaving
under her effort to breath. Willow jumped off the bed and ran to the Slayer's
side. Buffy raised her head and looked into the deep, dark green eyes of her
closest and dearest friend and smiled weakly.
“Hey
Wills!” Buffy whispered breathlessly “Rough slayage tonight.”
The
Slayer tried to chuckle but was too weak.
Willow
pulled Buffy’s arm over her shoulders and wrapped her other arm around Buffy’s
waist and helped her across the room to her bed.
“What
happened?” Willow asked as she carefully helped Buffy sit down on the bed. “Is
it some new master vampire or maybe an arch demon from the Hellmouth determined
to destroy the world You just tell me and I’ll get everyone together and foil
their evil plans cause that’s what we do the Slayer and her possie guarding the
Hellmouth and defending mankind from those evil nasties that........”
“Please
Willow” Buffy groaned and held up her hand stop the girl’s nervous babbling.
“It’s nothing like that.”
“Then
what happened?” Willow asked suddenly serious “Who did this to you?”
“Easy
Wills, don’t blow a brain cell.” Buffy said with more strength than she really
had. “I'm not really sure what happened, it was just your everyday regular
vamps, three of them, I was kickin’ ass when all of a sudden I was so tired, It
was like I couldn’t even hold my arms up let alone fight. “I got lucky and
introduced two of them to Mr. Pointy and the last one ran away.”
“Good
thing too cause as soon as he was out of sight I fell right there in the blood
and vamp dust and was too tired to get up…so I just laid there. I could feel
every scrape cut and bruise they gave me and some I had before I met them.”
“Finally
I got up enough strength to get home to my Wills, cause I know she’ll take care
of me and make all my big bad Slayer boo-boos all better.”
Hearing
that Willow realized she was just sitting there holding Buffy in her arms
rocking her gently completely engrossed in the warm wonderful feel of the woman
she loved gently pressing against her. The beautiful blonde head resting on her
shoulder.
Reminded
of her friend’s condition Willow gently lay Buffy down on the bed and went to
her closet. She rummaged around until she found the first aide box and returned
to Buffy’s side. Willow began laying out the supplies she needed to treat her
friend’s wounds, but before she could start tending those wounds Buffy raised
herself up a low groan escaping from deep in her throat.
“Hold
on Wills,” she said softly, “I’ve got to take a shower. I mean whoa, major
stink.”
Buffy
wrinkled her nose to demonstrate her point causing Willow to giggle despite of
her concern for her friend.
“Buffy!
you can’t be serious!” Willow exclaimed stunned by her best friend's intention.
“You can barely sit up let alone make it to the showers.”
“Oh
please Wills, stop acting like my mother.” Buffy wished she hadn’t said it the
second the last word left her mouth. “Oh god I'm sorry Wills...I didn’t really
mean that. I know you’re only trying to help. I’m just tired and grumpy nothing
a hot shower won’t cure.”
“B-But
you can’t....” Willow began but Buffy cut her off.
“Did
you forget?” Buffy said with false bravado and pointing at her own chest,
“You’re dealing with the big bad Slayer, the all powerful Chosen One, you can
knock me down but I spring right back up. Nothing keeps me down.”
With
that Buffy sat up and began removing her disgustingly dirty and torn clothes
with some difficulty because of her injuries.
“A
little help here please,” she groaned the pain showing in her voice.
“Oh....sure...no probs” Willow mumbled distracted, she began helping the
injured Slayer to remove her clothes.
“Just
throw them in the trash Wills,” Buffy told her friend “They’re shot, DOA,
deceased.”
“Yeah..s-sure”
Willow stammered slightly afraid to trust her voice “in the trash.”
The
redhaired woman swallowed hard and tried to stop her hands from trembling as she
helped reveal Buffy’s warm soft skin Willow could barely contain her urge to
lean down and kiss that inviting soft white skin just to find out what it
tasted like.
Buffy
was watching her out of the corner of her eye. She could see the emotions
plainly showing on her roommates face. She sympathized but she couldn’t allow
that to happen. When all Buffy had left was her underwear she stood up slowly
and broke the contact between herself and Willow.
Willow
couldn’t stop her eyes from wandering over Buffy’s body drinking in the
intoxicating beauty before her.
<Bad
Willow, bad, bad Willow> she scolded herself. <Mustn’t lust after your
best friend no matter how incredibly beautiful and sexy you think she is!>
She
took an inventory of every cut scrape bruise and scar on the Slayer’s body and
recalled in flashes of memory the story behind the worst of them, it was easy
she’d been there for most of them.
“Hello
earth to Willow” Buffy called to her distracted friend, “Could you give me a
hand with my robe?”
“Huh,
yeah sure.” Willow said coming back to reality. “Here you go. Give me a second
and I’ll come help you.”
“No...I'll
be alright.” Buffy said as she put on her soft terrycloth robe “The Slayer
should at least be able to clean herself. I won’t be long.”
She
picked up her shower bag and walked out of their room, making sure to hold her
‘strong’ pose until she was sure that there was no way Willow could see her.
Once she heard the door close Buffy slumped against the wall and using it as a
brace she limped slowly down the hall to the showers, pain and exhaustion
showing clearly on her face now that her best friend couldn’t see.
Buffy
had long ago figured out how Willow felt about her. It was easy, she felt the
same way about beautiful red haired friend. However she also knew she could
never tell Willow how she felt. If
Buffy had learned only one thing after spending all these years as a Slayer on
a Hellmouth, it was that if she showed any kind of real love for anyone that
person became the target of every nasty, slimy, evil thing that crawled out of
the place. Her proof was when Angelus figured out how she felt about the shy,
compassionate girl, he had made her his main target because he knew that
hurting Willow would kill Buffy.
There was no way she was
going to put her beloved little red-haired, green-eyed, witch girl in that kind
of danger ever again. It was bad enough that she ran around playing research
girl for the gang and the danger that entailed, to expose her to any more was
unthinkable. She knew that if she'd allowed Willow to come to the showers with
her there was no way she could have controlled herself. To avoid that she took
a chance that Willow’s feelings might be hurt in order to keep her safe and
refused to let her best friend help even though her need was obvious. The pain
in those incredible green eyes had torn Buffy’s heart out but it had to be
done.
The
badly injured Slayer eventually made it to the showers, thankfully they were
empty probably due to the late hour. She stepped into the nearest stall and
carefully shrugged out of her robe and hung it on a hook. It took several
minutes for her to get her underwear off, the effort left her out of breath and
more than a little dizzy.
<Good
thing Wills can’t see me like this.> Buffy thought to herself <I’d never get a minute of peace. The
girl just worries too much.>
She
turned on the water adjusting the temperature to just below scalding, Buffy
leaned against the wall and let the hot water spray over battered body. As she
stood under the spray she noticed her vision blurring around the edges then her
stomach did a slow forward roll and she felt light headed.
<Oh
gods no> she thought realizing she was in serious trouble. <Willow, HELP
ME!!>
That
was the last coherent thought that went through Buffy’s mind before everything
faded to black and she collapsed in a heap on the shower stall floor.
Willow sat on the edge of her
bed eyeing the door anxiously waiting for Buffy’s return. She chewed on her
bottom lip nervously and her mind wandered back to the alluring vision of Buffy
standing there in her underwear looking so battered and hurt yet acting so
tough and Slayery Willow wanted to take Buffy into her arms and hold her close
and kiss her until all the bad stuff went away. She wanted it so bad it hurt.
<Stop
it Willow!> she yelled at herself. <Keep talking like that and you’ll
lose her forever and you know you couldn’t live with that.> After several
minutes she began wondering what was taking Buffy so long. Usually she was back
long before now.
<Oh
well she did have a rough night I’ll be....>
Suddenly
a blinding white pain burst into Willow’s mind blocking out all other
thoughts.
<Willow,
Help me!!> slammed into her consciousness like a sledgehammer.
She
knew instinctively that Buffy was in trouble. Without the slightest hesitation
she launched her self off the bed and out the door. Slamming through the shower
room door Willow began searching the room for her friend, while calling her
name.
Panic
began rising in her when Buffy failed to answer. Then she heard the water
running. Hurrying toward the sound she called to her missing friend getting no
answer Willow pushed open the stall door and froze. A horrified gasp escaped
her throat when she saw Buffy lying motionless on the floor.
Willow
jumped into the stall, after shutting off the water she knelt down next to the
Slayer. After trying to rouse her by calling her name and shaking her unsuccessfully,
Willow decided to move Buffy out of the confined area. Somehow she was able to
get Buffy’s unconscious body out to one of the long benches and began to gently
dry Buffy off and get her robe wrapped around her.
She
still couldn’t wake Buffy and she knew there was no way she was going to be
able to get beloved roommate to their room without help. She ran down the hall
and got their old friend Larry and had him carry Buffy to their room.
“You
want me to call 9-1-1?” he asked as he carefully laid Buffy on her bed.
“No
Larry I’ll handle it from here.” Willow said sounding a lot more confident than
she truly felt. “Thanks for your help.”
“Hey
no big Will,” Larry said glancing worriedly at Buffy’s unnaturally still form
“If you need me for anything at all call me you have my phone and pager
numbers.”
“Sure
Larry don’t worry we’ll be alright.” Willow said giving him a hug.
Without
another word she turned around and began fussing over her friend, Larry quietly
slipped out of the room.
..............................................................................
After
a brief struggle Willow finally managed to get Buffy into a nightshirt and
underwear. While she was dressing the unconscious girl she noticed a long
partially healed gash on the inside of Buffy’s upper arm. She also noticed that
the flesh around the gash was swollen and a dark angry red.
After
getting Buffy settled into bed Willow called Giles and filled him on the
situation. He assured her that she had done the right thing and he would be
there as soon he picked up some things he felt were necessary to take care of
the Slayer. Hanging up the phone Willow dragged a chair over to Buffy’s bed and
sat down to wait and watch over her best friend.
<Cause
that’s what friends do> she rationalized. But she knew deep down the real
reason was she loved this person too much to trust her care to someone else’s
hands. <Because that’s what lovers do, they cared for their loved one when
they were too sick to care for themselves>.
Willow
let out a sigh and took Buffy’s limp hand and held it between hers. <This
way she’ll feel me here and know she’s not alone> Willow closed her eyes and
said a silent prayer to the Goddess on behalf of her beloved.
Buffy's eyes fluttered open
her first sight was an angelic vision of her best friend.
Willow
was looking down at her the light shone from behind her reflecting off her red
hair causing a kind of halo effect that made Buffy's heart skip a beat. Her
brow was furrowed with worry and her incredible green eyes were filled with
concern and compassion. In all it was the most beautiful sight Buffy had ever
seen.
“Hey
you.” Willow said softly “You just rest, Giles is on his way. And I AM taking
care of you,” Willow paused, as if expecting Buffy to protest, when none came,
“so don’t worry.”
“No
worries Wills.” Buffy said weakly as a slight smile played across her lips.
“See, I knew if I could get home my Wills would take care of me.”
Before
Willow could respond Giles came rushing through the door followed closely by a
tall dark man she had never seen before. Giles went straight to Buffy's bed and
sat down on the edge across from Willow. He immediately began asking questions
of his surrogate daughters trying to assess the extent of Buffy's illness. “How
long have you had this?” Giles asked sternly after Willow called his attention
to the wound on Buffy’s arm.
“Oh
I don’t know ...about a week,” she replied barely able to speak. “I got it the
night I fought that slime demon the vamps called up.”
“Yes
well you know you really must keep me informed when this kind of thing
happens.” Giles scolded her quietly. “How am I supposed to know what you need
if you don’t keep me apprised.”
“Giles,”
Willow growled menacingly “Not now.”
“Yes...well…ah…quite
right.” Giles stammered cleaning his glasses surprised at the normally shy, quiet,
girls’ intensity and more than a little embarrassed by his insensitive lecture.
The
forgotten stranger clearing his throat and calling to Giles interrupted the
awkward moment.
“Ah,
who is he?” Willow asked defensively, “and why have you brought him here?”
“Yes,
where are my manners?” Giles began “This is Dr. Jeffery Fallon I've known him
for several years. He is a fully qualified physician, but he has made caring
for supernatural beings his specialty. I am sure Buffy and her less than normal
injury fall well into that category.”
The
doctor bowed to Willow in recognition of her relationship to the Slayer and set
his bag down on the bed next to Buffy. When Willow refused to move out of the
doctor’s way he looked at Giles for help.
Willow
shot Giles a threatening look, normally she trusted Giles completely but this
was Buffy and that changed all the rules. She tightened her grip on Buffy’s
hand, silently challenging the two men.
“It’s
alright Wills.” Buffy said softly knowing how Willow felt, since she felt the
same way about the Witch. “You know Giles would never hurt us.” She finished,
the weakness in the Slayer’s voice causing it to fade out.
“Quite
so.” Giles said firmly.
<She’s
like some jungle cat protecting its’ mate> he imagined he could almost hear
her growling a warning.
Reluctantly
Willow released Buffy’s hand and moved back but only as far as her bed. She sat
tensely on the edge watching the doctor’s every move, muscles coiled and ready
to jump to Buffy’s defense at the slightest provocation.
The
doctor examined Buffy thoroughly, most of the things he did and the equipment
he used Willow recognized as normal medical procedure but some of it looked
like it was straight out of one those cheesy sci-fi movies Xander was always
watching.
After
what seemed an eternity to Willow, the doctor straightened up and put his
equipment away, as soon as he moved Willow was back sitting beside her and
holding her hand.
The
doctor and Giles walked over to the other side of the small room and began
quietly consulting. They were making Willow nervous by the way that every few
minutes one or the other would look over at the two young women. The young
Witch did her best to ignore the two men by concentrating on Buffy. The little Slayer seemed to be fading in and
out of awareness-unable to stay completely conscious for more than a few
seconds at a time.
“Thank
you Jeffery.” Giles said shaking hands with the doctor. “Be sure to give my
regards to the Abbot.”
The
man held up his hand then turned to the two young women bowed turned and went
out the door closing it quietly behind him.
----------------------------------------------
Giles
returned to Buffy's bedside carrying a small package the doctor had given him.
He opened the package and pulled put it's contents. It was an antique looking
glass syringe with a long thin needle and a vial of green fluid that glowed
eerily in the dimly lit room. Giles filled the syringe with the thick liquid
and began swabbing Buffy’s arm with alcohol preparing to inject her when he
heard a low growl.
He
looked up to see Willow glaring threateningly at him, her green eyes drilling
into his soul causing him to shiver slightly. He shivered slightly as he felt a
twinge of guilt knowing the girl was recalling his part in the Slayers’ test.
Plus, for the first time since he had known the shy young Witch he also felt
real fear-the person before him was not the Willow he knew-the person before
him would do anything to protect her.... Friend.
“It
is a compound.” He began to explain sheepishly, “it is to enhance her Slayer
healing abilities.” The green eyes continued to bore into him, “I would kill
myself before I would ever hurt her again! Willow, you simply must believe me,”
he pleaded.
“Yeah?
Whatever.” Willow snapped. Giles taking that as permission carefully slipped
the needle into his daughter’s arm and gave her the injection. Shuttering at
the memory of doing this same thing to her at the Councils orders-what a fool
he had been.
<What
is wrong with me?> Willow berated herself <I know nobody cares more about
Buffy than Giles. But, he was tricked by the Council last time.>
<Well
he won’t survive being tricked again> a dark steely voice said from the
deepest darkest recesses of her mind. <No one is going to hurt MY Buffy
again!>
Willow
shocked herself with those possessive and violent thoughts.
But,
her attention was immediately drawn back to her love when Buffy sighed deeply,
Willow could tell the Slayer was falling into a soft peaceful rest.
Both
the Watcher and the Witch kept a loving eye on her until they were sure she was
safely asleep.
“She
should rest now” Giles explained. “The doctor said that it appears to be some
sort of demonic infection. She shows all the symptoms of a high fever and an
elevated white cell count but physically she has neither. It apparently attacks
through her metaphysical abilities.”
“What
can we do?” Willow implored the ex-watcher, “There must be something I can do
instead of just sitting here holding her hand.”
“Actually
that is exactly what she needs,” Giles informed her. “I tried to contact her
mother but Joyce is on some business trip for the gallery and will out of
communication for a week or more. So sitting here letting her know she is not
alone is as important as any other thing you can do. You know she would rather
have you here than anyone else she knows.”
“If
you say so Giles.” Willow said softly, “I will stay here and take care of her.
Will you please inform my professors that I’ll not be in class until further
notice and that I’ll send in any required work via e-mail?”
“If
you wish Willow,” Giles said realizing that any argument would be futile. “I
will come by or have Xander come by later to give you a break.”
“No”
Willow said flatly. “Just bring me my class work and food. I’m taking care of
Buffy; I don’t trust anyone else. Don't let anyone come, besides Giles. I won’t
have the time or patience to deal with Xander and his inane babble.”
Giles
looked deep into those green eyes and saw the love in them. Willow’s feelings
were pure primal instinct and he knew better than to doubt what she said.
“As
you say, Willow.” Giles said softly and handed her a small black box with a red
button “This is an emergency pager, if you need me for any reason press that
button. I will be here as fast as I can, I will even sleep with it.”
“Alright
Giles,” Willow said then grabbed his wrist with a surprisingly strong grip and
looked into his eyes. “Please find a way to make her better. I can’t lose her,
I can’t live without her.”
“I will I promise” Giles whispered reverently.
Normally
he would have scorned such theatrics but he knew Willow well enough that he
believed every word she said. He quietly left the room. As he closed the door
he took one last look and saw Willow lean forward and gently kiss Buffy’s
forehead then settle back into the chair still holding Buffy's hand.
“I
will find a cure Willow” Giles said under his breath inspired by the beautiful
young woman's devotion to her friend. “Even if it kills me I will find it. I
will not be the cause of you losing your love.”