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Chapter 24

Curious. That was the third time his phone had registered his son calling him, however, each time he answered, he was only met with silence. Surely everything had gone well at the appointment today. Yes, Angel was likely just so caught up in the emotion of seeing his children, that he was likely rendered speechless. Then again, if anything of concern had been discovered, that would explain it as well. Perhaps he should call Jenny and check on things. Yes, that would definitely be a good idea.

“She’s not arrived yet, you say? No, no, that’s not necessary. I will try to reach her again later. Thank you.”

Curiouser and Curiouser. Jenny should have been at work by now. Perhaps they’d been delayed at the office. Yes, he’d check the physician’s office and see if they’d been delayed there.

“Never arrived? Really? Caught in traffic? But that was… What accident? No, I’ve not been listening to the news. Dear lord, do you think… Yes, I’m sure they are fine. Thank you for the information.”

Locating the small radio that sat alone and neglected in his office, he switched it on and was immediately met with a news alert.

“Again, authorities are speculating that there are numerous vehicles involved in the interstate pileup, and that they are having a lot of problems just getting to the area due to the low visibility conditions. Police are urging everyone to please remain where they are and to avoid driving at all until visibility improves. They are saying that at this time they don’t have any names or descriptions yet, so please keep the telephone lines to the police station clear, so that anyone needing police or medical assistance can get through to them. We will keep you posted as more information becomes available.”

Quick calls to the high school and the house proved equally disturbing. Buffy had not yet arrived at school and no one was answering at the house.

There it was again. Angel’s phone number. He quickly answered the phone, only to be met with silence.

“Angel? Son? Are you there? Hello? Are you injured? Is anyone hurt? Hello?”

Just as he was about to hang up, he heard it. A faint whispering, as if from a very great distance.

“Help…”

“Angel! I’m here! It’s difficult to hear you. Can you tell me where you are?”

“Highway. Pinned. Can’t….can’t see… mom… Buffy… hurt, won’t … wake up. “

“Are you alright? Can you see anything to tell us where you are?”

“Can’t….see. I’m not…help Buff…..”

“Angel?”

“Angel, are you there?!”

Blast! Now what was he to do? Ring the station and tell them his wife, son, and daughter were all injured and trapped somewhere on the highway? Well, it would at least let them know to look for them.

“Yes, that is what I said. Blue, correct. Yes, he said they were injured. Pinned. Thank you, I’ll try to do that.” Bloody pillock. He was actually supposed to sit on his arse and not worry about them? He had half a mind to try and locate his few contacts with the police, but then again, if they were already tied up trying to help, he might be interfering with someone helping his family. Blast!

He was pulled from his thoughts by his phone ringing. This time the school.

“Rupert Giles. William? Fine, Spike, what… Yes, I just recently heard about it, how did you hear…ah, of course. Well, I can’t tell you much, just… You do?”

William had a feeling. Jenny may not have been his mother, but he’d certainly acquired some of her otherworldly gifts. And when William or Jenny had a feeling…

“I’ll be there momentarily to pick you up. No, I don’t want you driving in this. I realize it is starting to lift, but I fear time and space are of the essence here.”

Not even bothering to explain to his secretary his sudden and urgent need to leave, he simply grabbed his keys and ran down the hallway and to his car.

The fog seemed to sense his urgency as well, and was rapidly clearing and thus enabling him to accelerate as fast as he felt he could prudently do so. William had a feeling. A bad feeling. Couldn’t say what. Wouldn’t say what.

As soon as he arrived at the school, William came running down the front walk. The young man silently slid into the front seat, his brow furrowed. He said only one word.

“Hurry.”

They drove in silence. The police had closed all access to the highway and were waving vehicles away. Ominous clouds of smoke guided them toward the worst areas. From nearby roads, they could see what appeared to be a solid mile of twisted and mangled vehicles. Some unidentifiable as to if they had been car or truck, or even what color they might have been. And somewhere in there, his family was waiting for help.

“We’ve got to get up there.” His son stared at the melee ahead of them. His expression one of simple, unwavering, certainty.

“I doubt they’re going to let us walk up and…”

“Too busy worryin’ about the injured to notice two newcomers,” William muttered as he stepped out of the car and walked toward the highway. He really had to give it to him, when William had a purpose, there was no stopping him.

It only took him a second to catch up to his son. “Behave as if we belong here.”

“We do.”

As predicted, police and medical personnel were all very busily trying to shuffle injured and dazed people off in one direction or another. Most of the people appeared to have only minor injuries. Many of them were sporting cuts, bruises, and bandages to their head or legs. More than one official tried to direct them to the nearest medical team to be cleared. They walked for what seemed like hours, passing a couple of horrible scenes where cars almost seemed to be fused, and medical staff were all trying their best to save a life. But still no sign of Jenny’s car.

“Maybe they were able to leave?”

“No. They’re here. I can feel it.”

“Really, William, this is no time for your bloody…” But he seemed to be entranced on one particular group of cars that was surrounded by uniformed officials. The vehicles were so enmeshed it was difficult to tell what two of them even were. And one seemed to be quite firmly contained underneath a large commercial truck.

William began walking slowly toward the twisted wreckage.

“Rupert?”

He searched for the source of his name, finally spotting Jerry, one of his contacts from the police department who had been very instrumental in helping them with both Hank and Warren Mears.

“Rupert, were you in this mess?”

“Actually, um, yes, we were following the children to an appointment when all this, um, happened.”

“Everyone ok?”

“Well, I can’t really say. I haven’t been able to locate Jenny. Angel and Buffy were with her. Have you seen them?”

“Can’t say I have. What kind of car’s she driving?”

“Oh, God!” William’s voice cut clearly through to him.

“William?”

“That’s her car.” He shouted back as he sprinted toward the twisted hulking debris.

He tried to follow, but was quickly grabbed by the shoulders by Jerry.

“Your family was in a blue sedan?”

“Yes,” he tried to step around the man.

“Rupert, you don’t want to go over there.”

“If my family is there, that is exactly where I want to be.”

“Giles! Listen to me…”

He threw the man off and half ran to stand next to his son. There were people everywhere. There were some trying to cut the vehicles apart with large machines. Others appeared to be half inside two of the vehicles, checking on people trapped in them. It was organized chaos.

“Are you sure that’s your wife’s car?” Jerry asked from behind him.

He wanted to tell him it wasn’t. That the torn and crushed blue metal was not Jenny’s car. That would mean that they were not inside that nightmarish spectacle. But he couldn’t.

“Yes.”

“Maybe you should sit down somewhere.”

“Are they alive?” He had to know. Surely they must be or they wouldn’t be working so desperately to get to them.

“Look, I can’t really tell you anything at this point.”

“ARE THEY ALIVE?” He shouted.

“Two of them, yes. For now.”

He felt his gut tighten in revolt. Two of them? One of them was dead? Who? Who was alive? Who was left? He looked in question at the man, but couldn’t form words. He couldn’t get his mouth to move over the dryness that consumed it.

“There are two people in the back seat who are still alive. But both are bad. They both have major head injuries. We can’t even get to the woman to see the complete extent of her injuries. Hell, we didn't even know she was in there until we heard her making noises. At least now we can see her head and shoulders. They’re both pinned in pretty well. Mike tells me that the guy is in and out, but they’re afraid to cut anymore.”

“What do you mean they’re afraid?”

“He’s crushed Rupert. Bleeding inside. We're trying to get a special suit here in time, but…time's running out and they’re telling me that if they cut anymore away from him, he’ll bleed out. And the way they're in there, we can't get to her until we get him out.”

He dropped to the pavement. This can’t be happening. Why was this happening? Hadn’t they endured enough? He’d lost one already, and may still lose them all. This can’t be happening.

“I’m sorry.”

“You said he’s in and out?” William spoke up.

“Yeah, he’s talking some. Keeps telling us to help 'her'. Is it Buffy that was with them?”

William nodded. “How is she?”

“Can’t say, can barely see her.”

“Can we talk to him?”

“I don’t think that would be…”

“Jerry...” He was standing again. “My son is dying.” He looked the man in the eyes. If what he was saying was true, he shouldn’t need to say anymore.

The man nodded. “Give me a second, ok?”

Jerry jogged over to the chaos of people. He could see him gesturing in their direction. And then they all turned and looked at him and William. Their faces all read of grim resolution. They seemed to confer for a moment, before nodding in agreement. Jerry jogged back over to him.

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

He didn’t even dignify that with a verbal response.

“Ok. But it’s…”

“I understand.”

The man nodded. Then lead them to the car.

He was utterly unprepared for what he saw. And what he couldn’t see. Everything was out of place. The car was barely recognizable. They had cut pieces away to make more room and to try and rescue everyone. And there, amongst it all, sat Angel. His head leaning against the blood covered seat. His face so badly bruised and swollen, it hardly even looked like him. The medical personnel had inserted IV’s and a young man stood next to the car, squeezing a bag of fluid into the tube.

“Angel? Son?”

His eyes opened. As much as they could. His face was so swollen. Blood seemed to be coming from everywhere.

“Buffy…”

“She’ll be fine.” He prayed.

“I won't.”

“You will. They are going to take both of you to the hospital in a moment.”

“Liar.”

“Son…”

“Heard them… talking. Know… what’s… happening.”

“Listen to me, you ponce!” William stepped up. “Don’t you fucking give up! They’ll figure a way out and you better be alive when they do!”

“Shut up… Spike.” Angel groaned.

“Make me!”

“They’re… yours, now…….Take care… of them.”

“No! Don’t you put that on me! You bloody well better live through this!"
"One… good… day…"
"Don’t do this, you bloody berk!”

“She knows… Spike... She…knows.”

“Angel, you should save your…” Giles voice shook with emotion.

“Thank you.” Angel’s look told him everything. Years of life and words passed through that wordless communication. Everything he’d ever longed to hear. Everything he didn’t want to hear until he was an old man. Then Angel broke off and looked at William again.

“Swear…”

An equally silent, yet enormous, communication went between his two sons. Until finally William nodded.
"Ang… Angel," Buffy's barely audible voice came from somewhere in the wreckage, followed by a low moan and then a slightly louder one. "Ang…"

"Yours… swear?" Angel's voice was getting weaker.

“Till the end of the world.”

Angel smiled as much as he could, and then his body relaxed and his expression faded to nothing.

His son was gone.

He was roughly grabbed and pulled back as emergency personnel crowded back in and shouted orders at each other. It felt like both seconds and hours until someone finally said to move in. The machines started back up again, and metal screamed as it was ripped apart. Finally, he watched as they carefully moved Angel out of the wreckage.

"Watch her head, looks like his legs are supporting it," One of the fireman said, as his friend Jerry returned to stand next to him.

"They'll take them both to the hospital once they get her out of there," Jerry informed him. A cry from Buffy interrupted the moment as the workers appeared to ease her head down, and it brought a critical thought to Giles' head, making him reach out in urgency as Jerry turned to walk away.

"Jerry, Angel and Buffy, they're, uh…" he trailed off. There was no Angel and Buffy anymore. "Buffy… she's carrying twins," he finished.

"She's pregnant? Jesus, man, I… This day just gets better and better. I'll tell them, Rupert, but… their focus right now is just on getting her out of there alive. How far is she?"

"Seven months," William answered, from where he was sitting on the road next to his feet.

"Christ, Rupert, she could… Fuck. I'll be right back," Jerry walked away.

Giles watched as his friend conferred with a couple of the paramedics at the car, at one point he pointed to the sheet covering his son's body, then pointed to him. One of them spared a glance at him for a moment, before nodding his head and shouting some orders he couldn't hear to another paramedic. Metal continued to scream its objections as the machines kept cutting away. It was an interminable process that kept stopping and starting, as more and more of the wreckage was pulled away.

"That's it! She's loose!" Someone finally shouted. Suddenly there was a rush of activity as a dozen people flooded in around the car. William jumped up, but Giles grabbed him tight before he could run over to the wreckage.

"Let them do their job. They can't help her if you're in the middle of it," He held fast, as William struggled to get free. After several seconds, William seemed to relax slightly, but never took his eyes off the scene. Just when Giles thought he could let go of his son, he heard a scream come from the commotion, Buffy's scream. Giles eyes closed in a silent prayer of both thanks that she was alive and a plea that she stayed that way, as William renewed his struggle to free himself of his grip and rush over to Buffy.

"Let me go!" William screamed at him. "I have to… I need to… She needs…"

"William," Giles was trying hard to hold onto his son, but William was no longer a child, and his mental and emotional states were lending him enough strength, that he wasn't sure he could hold him much longer. Thankfully, the paramedics were wasting no time in trying to load Buffy into the ambulance while they worked on her, all the while his son continued to scream and curse at him to let him go to her. "William! William!" He started shouting himself, as his son's struggles began to overpower him.

"SPIKE!" He let go of his arms, and took his son's head in his hands in his tightest grip, forcing his son to look at him. "SPIKE!" He repeated, and shook William's head, hoping to get through to him. It seemed to work, as it drew his son's gaze back to him finally. "You can't save her this time!"

He watched as William's eyes darted to the ambulance as its door slammed shut, and the siren began to sound. He shook William's head again, gentler this time. "She's alive, Spike. She's alive." He looked deeply into his son's eyes, seeing the fear and desperation shining back at him. He pulled his head into his shoulder and hugged him tight. "She's alive."

He held his son firm, as he felt the emotions wrack William's body as he allowed himself to take comfort in his arms. He would allow himself time later, but right now they needed him. He knew what his son was feeling. He had felt it before, and would feel it again, and he would very nearly give his life to have had his own father's strong arms there. He could do this for them.

Finally, after several moments, he heard someone clear their throat, and looked to see that Jerry was standing next to them. He raised a brow in unspoken question.

"Thought you'd want to know, she's alive. She's pretty critical, head trauma, looks like a few broken bones, hard to tell how much internal damage, but they think she has a chance. They're taking them to Memorial," Jerry finished.

"Thank you, Jerry. We'll leave directly."

"One more thing, they ah… they think the babies are alive. Thought you'd like to know," He clapped a hand onto Giles' shoulder. "I'll have Bob drive you to the hospital, you shouldn't be driving right now." Jerry squeezed his shoulder, then turned to walk away.

"Jerry?" Giles called.

"Yeah?"

"My…" His breath caught before he could get the word out. "My wife?" His voice broke.

"Once the crews free those who are… alive… I'll make sure we get her out of there. I'm truly sorry, Rupert."

He screwed his eyes shut for a moment, as he heard his friend call to his coworker, Bob, and gave him instructions to take them to Memorial.

"You ready, sir?" Bob asked as he approached them.
He opened his eyes and took in the sight of the wreckage one last time. Noticing that William had lifted his head and was doing the same. Leaving would make it final, make it real. He wasn't ready for that yet.

"Yes, I believe we are," He lied, turning himself and his son away and pushing them forward one step at a time.





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