2002 Sunnydale California
***
Buffy Summers stood in a hospital room, something was happening, but she couldn’t remember what. Suddenly, there was a flurry of motion flying around the room. She saw a man standing beside a bed; he was fully dressed in hospital scrubs. Buffy stepped forward and saw her mother lying on the bed.
Joyce Summers looked pale, and her head was practically throbbing. Buffy was pushed away from the bed as a monitor beside it went off with a loud solid beep.
“We’re loosing her!” shouted the man in the scrubs. “Get a crash cart in here!” he commanded the nurses around him. Moments later a cart was wheeled into the room. The doctor grabbed the paddles as one of the nurses stood ready to adjust the power.
Buffy watched as the doctor shocked her mother repeatedly. Shaking his head the doctor pulled back. “I’m calling it. 230 hours.” The doctor turned and approached Buffy slowly. “I’m sorry Miss Summers. We did all that we could, but your mother died of a brain aneurysm 20 minutes ago.” The doctor said.
“Aneurysm?” Buffy heard herself asking.
“Yes, a vessel ruptured within her brain. There was nothing that could be done,” the doctor said regrettably.
“Spike,” Buffy whispered. Her left hand went up to the side of her neck, and traced the marks. They tingled slightly under her fingers. She knew that he would come as soon as he felt her call.
The door behind Buffy opened suddenly, and in less than a minute she felt Spike’s arms close securely around her. “It’ll be all right, luv.” Spike assured her.
Buffy raised her head up to him and smiled. “You’re alive,” she stated.
“Not human though, pet. I’m an immortal, an’ so are you.” Spike said, looking directly into Buffy’s eyes. “Don’t fear Drusilla’s visit. She brings good news and an old friend of mine. They will give me a gift that will make all of the difference.” With that said, Spike kissed Buffy hard on the lips.
* * *
With a gasp, Buffy sat up straight in her bed. Her body was tingling all over. “Spike,” she whispered. Then the main content of her dream hit. “Mom!” she said much louder. Buffy jumped up out of bed and raced into her mom’s bedroom.
Joyce Summers was sound asleep on her bed. One of her hands was on her forehead; it was almost as though she had a headache. Buffy knew that she had to get her mother to the doctor’s as soon as possible. That dream seemed too much like real life. After all that was over, she could figure out why Spike was there. Buffy’s hand inadvertently went up to the side of her neck. She couldn’t feel any marks besides the faded ones of Angel, The Master and Dracula. What was she expecting to find?
“Mmm…” Joyce said in her sleep as she rolled over to face Buffy. Her eyes opened slowly and she focused on her oldest daughter. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine, just a bad dream.” Buffy said with a shrug.
“It’ll be all right,” Joyce said.
Buffy started, those were the words that Spike said to comfort her in the dream. “I-I know,” Buffy stuttered. She couldn’t stop thinking about Spike now.
“Why don’t you join me?” Joyce suggested. She could tell that Buffy was really shaken; it must have been some dream to shake a Vampire Slayer.
“Okay,” Buffy said softly as she slowly got into bed beside her mother.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Joyce offered.
“No, not yet.” Buffy said as she snuggled up against her mom.
Mother and daughter lye in the bed silently for a while before the noticed that someone else was standing in the doorway.
“You okay sweetheart?” Joyce called out to Dawn.
“Are you two having a sleep over with out me?” Dawn asked as she shuffled her feet in the doorway.
“I had a bad dream,” Buffy admitted with a yawn.
“Come on Dawn,” Joyce offered her youngest daughter to lay on the other side of her on the bed. Joyce lay in bed with her two daughters on either side of her. She felt so warm and loved. “I don’t think that we’ve done this in a few years. Not since we left LA. Dawns come to me in the middle of the night, but you stopped Buffy.”
“I became the Slayer. Facing Vampires kind of defeated my fear of bad dreams.” Buffy said with a slight shrug. “But I did miss this.” Buffy maneuvered herself so that she could look at her mom more. “Are you all right mom?”
“I’m fine, why do you ask?” Joyce said as she looked down at Buffy.
“I saw you holding your head when I first came in. It kind of worried me a little.” Buffy said with a downcast smile.
“Actually,” Joyce said as she sat up and moved her back against her headboard. “I’ve been having a lot of headaches lately. I planned on going to the doctors tomorrow, I made an appointment earlier today.” Joyce looked thoughtful for a moment. “Or is it yesterday now?”
Buffy and Dawn both smiled at their mothers attempt at humor.
“Anyone up for a late night ice cream snack?” Joyce asked slyly.
“You’re changing the subject,” Buffy said with a laugh in her voice. “But if you’re offering, I’m all for it.”
“What do you say Dawnie?” Joyce asked her youngest.
“Sure,” Dawn said with a shrug as she got out of the bed.
“What kind do we have?” Buffy asked as the three of them started off for the kitchen.
“Chocolate chip cookie dough,” Dawn said with certainty. That was her favorite flavor so she was definite that they had a carton in the freezer. “And there’s chocolate syrup and caramel in the refridgerator.” Dawn continued as she began hopping down the stairs.
Joyce laughed at Dawn’s enthusiasm as she followed them down the stairs. She was worried about how they would take the news about her headaches and impending doctors appointment. But they both seemed to be taking it well. Only time would tell what the results will show.
Author's Chapter Notes:
It's my basic twist on the 5th season starting from around Fool for Love.