[Reviews - 57]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Microsoft Word Chapter or Story | ePub eBook Chapter or Story | Printer Chapter or Story

Has been viewed 3903 times

- Text Size +




Chapter Two: While She Was Sleeping...





Two weeks later...





"Hey, Buffy!" Dawn began in an overly cheerful tone as she tried to smile at her sister's prone figure. "We started school this week. I know I told you before, but I figured you might have forgot or something."



Beep......Beep......Beep......



She took deep breath, trying to calm herself down in the face of Buffy's non-reaction.



"Day was pretty good. Well, same ole, same ole. Oh, but we do have this really hot new math teacher. I can see my grade going up in that!" She tried to laugh, but it came out choked.



Another deep breath.



"Um, Paula - this girl I sit next to in English was saying that Rick, that’s the guy I liked last year for a bit, 'member? Anyway, apparently he's gay. But I'm not sure I believe her 'cause I saw him like totally brush her off on Monday, so you know...."



Beep......Beep......Beep......



Her voice trailed off and she waited, desperate for a reaction; any reaction.



When Buffy didn't move, a sob ripped from her throat, even though she'd tried to force it back. "I really miss you. Please Buffy..." Tears dripped down her cheeks and she buried her face in her hands.



"Please..."



Beep......Beep......Beep......



Dawn jumped as the door opened and she stood, quickly wiping the still-flowing liquid away. A nurse stood in the doorway, a fresh IV bag in her hand. She waited a moment, before moving in.



"Hi..." The brunette smiled softly at the young girl, moving to replace the almost empty IV.



The girl didn't respond, but then, the nurse had hardly expected her to. She turned around to say something else, but found that Dawn had slipped away.



---



"...and a yea on the balloon thing right?" Xander tried to smile as he tugged on the string that kept the helium-inflated balloon weighted to the ground. "I was thinking: balloon, pretty!"



Beep......Beep......Beep......



Anya cleared her throat, "We would have brought flowers but we decided that they would end up dying and that wouldn't be a very good role model for you."



"Anya..."



"What? All I'm saying is: don't die." The ex-demoness' eyes clouded with unshed tears and the carpenter was immediately contrite.



Beep......Beep......Beep......



"You're right; good message. Right, Buff-?" He cut himself off as realisation hit him that she wouldn't be answering. He felt his girlfriend's hand close over his and he gave it a squeeze, her strength giving him he courage to continue to talk like nothing was wrong.



"So....I discovered this really cool snack the other day, you'd like it. You get some cheese...."



---



"You know, you're lucky to have so many friends. They seem to care about you deeply. When you wake up you're going to be spoiled rotten." Buffy’s plump, motherly physical therapist smiled at the comatose young woman as if nothing was wrong and continued to straighten the sheets.



"And so you should be." She continued. "Dr. Walker is good at her job, so you're in good hands."



Beep......Beep......Beep......



She lifted one leg, rotating it at the joints and massaging up the muscles before replacing it softly on the bed and giving the other the same treatment. She glanced over at the oriental lilies that sat, fresh, in the vase next to Buffy's bed. "I see your night-time caller has left another present, Ms Summers. Pity I'm not on night shift this week; now, there’s a face anyone would be willing to wake up for." Doris chuckled softly, carefully tucking both legs back under the covers.



"Just ignore me - the ramblings of an old woman and all that." She finished up around the room, keeping up a soft stream of speech as she did so. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow, rest well." With an unseen, yet sad smile she closed the door behind her.



---



"I have a surprise for you." Joyce smiled encouragingly at her daughter, absently brushing a lank piece of blonde hair from her pillow. "I know how you mourned the loss of HBO and as a treat we're getting it put back on next month." She waited expectantly for some reaction, but received none.



"Dawnie went back to school a few days ago. I think she's doing better this year. She wasn't too happy about the surprise pop quiz they had on Tuesday but I think she's enjoying herself. Not hanging around with that Kaylie-girl which is a blessing in disguise."



Beep......Beep......Beep......



Joyce tugged on the sheet covering Buffy, attempting to pull it straight as she talked but it kept crumpling. With an agitated sigh she let it go. Then quickly caught it back in her hands, lest some higher power thought it was symbolic of her letting Buffy go. Her fingers curled so tightly around the sheet that her knuckles were white.



A machine beeped loudly in the room, startling her.



She forced herself to relax, but refused to let go of the sheet. "I think Mr. Giles said he was coming to visit later this afternoon. I know if you were awake you'd be blaming his many visits on his love of grapes..." She tried to laugh but it came out as a tearful hiccup.



The machine beeped again, then the room was silent.



---



The brunette nurse was silent as she quickly changed the IV's that were connected to the various tubes travelling in and out of Buffy Summer's body.



Beep......Beep......Beep......



She moved round the bed, placing the empty bags on her tray as she went. Her hands moved swiftly through the routine of removing and replacing the full catheter bag.



Her job completed, she left the room to the sound of the gentle beating of the machine; the only sign of life.



---



"T-the, uh, gang has continued to patrol in your, uh, absence." Giles stared in to the brown bag, full of seedless grapes that sat on his lap, anxious to keep up the pretence that Buffy was simply being quiet....as if that ever happened.



"It has been getting quieter...I know you're thinking apocalypse around the corner." He smiled tightly, taking a deep breath. He slipped his glasses from his face, absently rubbing at the perfectly clean lenses.



"Your mother and sister are h-holding up as....as best they can. As are we all.....don't worry. I know you'll be up and about soon....slayer healing and so on." Tears clouded his eyes and he stood, walking over to the small window at the other side of the room, not wanting her to 'see' him cry.



Beep......Beep......Beep......



Once he was sure he had himself under control he opened his mouth to start again.



"Sir?"



He spun around with a gasp - he hadn't heard the door open. In the doorway stood a nurse, a kind smile on his face. "Uh, yes, is there a problem?" Giles' eyes darted worriedly to Buffy's bed, hurriedly searching for any change in her statue-like appearance....but there was none.



"I'm afraid visiting hours are over." The nurse spoke softly, not wanting to upset the clearly ruffled man.



Beep......Beep......Beep......



Giles, suddenly realising that he couldn't see the other man very well, quickly slid his glasses back on. "Of course, I'm sorry..."



"It's fine." The nurse was quick to reassure him. He gave a little laugh to try and put the other man at ease. "We're open again at nine, tomorrow, if you'd like to come back."



"Uh, yes...I'll do that."



---



"Hey Buffy!" Willow and Tara spoke softly and simultaneously, as they walked through the door to the private room that housed their friend.



"How've you been?" Willow asked automatically, then winced. "I mean, obviously you've not been great 'cause of the coma and all but, well-"



"Honey, it's okay." Tara's quiet voice broke through the redhead's babbling as she reached towards her girlfriend and squeezed her hand to try and calm her. "We thought we'd let you know where we've been getting with the research." Tara began, urging Willow to continue.



Beep......Beep......Beep......



"Oh, yeah, well....not so good. I mean we're still trying, and we're gonna keep on trying...." Willow trailed away. "Giles is trying to contact the council, see if they know of anything that might, you know, help..."



Tara whispered something in her ear and Willow suddenly shot up. "Oh, but we've been looking into healing spells."



"W-we haven't found anything strong enough, yet...." Tara began.



"B-but we were thinking of trying to write our own, like a combination of what we've got." Willow continued.



Beep......Beep......Beep......



"Like on 'Charmed'." Tara said with a small smile.



"Yeah!" Willow smiled back, then sobered as she looked down at Buffy. She tried to smile. "I've been keeping track of all your school assignments, like last time...when you're better you can just roll-uh, I mean slide right in." Willow blushed at the slip up and reference to Buffy's damaged spine, but the comatose Slayer didn't react.



Not that they'd really expected her to.



With a sigh, Willow sunk into the arms of her lover, a tear rolling down her face.



---



Doris was silent as she moved about her daily duty of tending to Ms. Summers. It had been just over two weeks since Buffy had first slipped into a coma, and while her body appeared to remain stable the kind nurse knew from experience that the recovery rate of such cases was low after the first week.



Beep......Beep......Beep......



Very low.



She shook her head, trying to distance herself from the patient she had become quite attached to over the past fortnight. With a forced smile she began to speak, hoping that her voice at least eased some of the boredom Buffy's inner mind must be feeling while she prayed for her body to heal itself.



---



With a heart-felt sigh he turned the silver doorknob and silently slipped in to the room, closing the door behind him. It was dark, the only light in the room came from the full moon outside and the flashing LED's that were part of the various equipment the girl in the bed was hooked up to.



With preternatural grace he moved forward, carefully removing the day-old flowers and replacing them with fresh ones. The task, which had built into a routine over the past couple of weeks, helped ground him.



The lone chair still sat by the door, and he pulled it as close to the bed as he could get it; the sound of the rubber against the metallic floor aching loud in the silent room.



Suddenly feeling very old, he slumped down into the plastic chair that stood solidly by the bed. His pale hand dragged itself over his tired features, as he stared at her through his fingers.



Beep......Beep......Beep......



"Oh, love..."



He sighed, leaning forward in his chair so that his elbows rested on his knees, his face still cradled in his palms. "You've got to wake up, ducks. Everyone's hanging on by a thread....even demon-girl."



"Your mum and th' bit need you. They all need you." He stared across at her eyes, willing them to open as he did every night.



But they stayed closed, as they did every night.



Beep......Beep......Beep......



His eyes filled with fresh tears. "I need you." He murmured roughly.



And then he broke the rule. The one, unspoken rule that every visitor had unwittingly and unknowingly kept.



He touched her.



With a shaking hand he reached for hers. His touch was hesitant at first, as if he were afraid that he might injure her further. But then, as his emotions overcame him, he clasped her hand tightly.



"Please, Slayer...."



He went to bend his head, but hesitated, before ploughing forward and brushing the lightest kiss over her pale skin.



Beep......Beep......Beep......



"I love you, Buffy...." He whispered against her skin, resting his forehead on her limp hand, selfishly stealing her warmth, if only for a moment.



Beep......Beep.....Beep....Beep...Beep..Beep..Beep..



Spike's head shot up as the monitor confirmed what he'd barely detected. Her heartbeat was quickening. His eyes shot to Buffy's chest and watched as it began to rise and fall at a faster and more regular rate.



His mind raced, unsure whether to hope for the possibility that she might....



That it could be.....



His eyes darted over her face, searching anxiously for a sign of movement, anything.



It was a twitch at first.



Spike's heart jumped to his throat, it could be nothing, it probably was nothing - there had been slight twitches before - twitches that the doctors had said could be positive signs...



"B-Buffy?" He wanted to give her room and hold her to him all the same time, should he call for the nurse? His mind was a mass of contradictions.



Spike let out a small yelp as he felt a pressure in his hand and quickly looked down. It was Buffy's hand. He was still holding Buffy's hand. Buffy's hand had just squeezed his.



Buffy's hand had just squeezed his!



His eyes shot to her face....



And she was staring right back at him.




TBC in Chapter Three: Broken

Please do Read and Review! I love getting them and it only makes the writing come faster!





You must login (register) to review.