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I'm sorry for being so behind!!
Chapter 34

Four Days Later

Dawn came home to a confusing site, her sister sitting on the sofa, elbows on her knees, head in her hands.

“Buffy?” she asked quietly, cautiously. “What’s wrong?” She sounded scared now.

“It’s about Mom—“ Buffy started to explain, but Dawn was already running up the stairs, leaving Buffy still downstairs on the sofa.



“Easy there, Niblet,” Spike had been waiting—as soon as he’d heard Dawn come in he had gone to wait for her by Joyce’s door, he had a feeling his wait wasn’t going to be long; he was right.

“No…I need to…Mom…I…Spike,” Dawn let Spike hold her against him as she started crying.

“Come on, Dawn,” he said quietly, holding her up when she tried to fall down to the floor. “Let’s go listen to what big sis has to say, yeah? Bet it’s not as bad as you think.”

“But how can it—“

“You trust me, right?”

“Of—of course.”

“Then let’s go. Think you gave your sis a big scare the way you raced up here.”

“I didn’t mean to—I just…I wanted to know,” she trailed off not sure how to say what she wanted to say.

“Let’s just go hear what she has to say.”

“Yeah, okay,” Dawn agreed, but Spike still kept his arm firmly around his shoulders, not wanting to underestimate her—she was Buffy’s sister after all, it’s not like her ducking away from his would be an unheard of idea. Much to Spike’s relief, Dawn easily let him lead her downstairs.



“You’re back,” Buffy said needlessly. She was still sitting on the sofa; still worried.

“Yeah…sorry about running off like that,” Dawn apologized. “I was just—I got scared.”

“That—I probably could have said things better.”

“Maybe, maybe not. But I’m going to listen this time.”

Buffy took a deep sigh as Dawn sat down and Spike leaned against the wall. “Okay, so it’s about Mom but it’s not what you think—at least I really don’t think it is. Because, you know, if it is then you—“

“Buffy,” Spike interrupted lightly.

“Yeah, sorry. Mom’s still here, but…she’s kind of in a coma.”


*(*(*)*)*


”You ready to get up, luv?” Spike had gotten Dawn off to school already and was now back to see if Buffy and her mother were up yet.

“Yeah, I guess—thanks for getting Dawn ready, sorry I didn’t help.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it. Think the bit likes it anyway. Hey, why don’t you stay here and I’ll get you some tea?”

“Okay—but,” she added, “I’m coming downstairs later.”

“Fair enough. Want me to see if your mum’s awake?”

“Just let her sleep; I think she needs the rest.”



“I’ve got your—Buffy?” Spike was only a little surprised to find that Buffy had fallen back asleep in the ten or so minutes he’d been downstairs. He knew he’d taken a long time…apparently too long. Spike sat the tea down a few inches back on her table, hoping she would wake up soon enough to drink it while it was warm.

Spike gave her a quick, light kiss on the forehead before going back downstairs.



“Spike!” If Buffy thought she had run up the stairs quickly that day when Dawn yelled for her, well...She was just glad that she wasn’t going to have to chase Spike any time soon.

“Buffy? Are you okay? Is everything all right? You’re not hurt are you?!” All three questions were out of his mouth in less than ten seconds, not even a hint of a pause anywhere.

“No—I…my mom,” she didn’t elaborate so Spike of course asked he what she meant. “I had…it was a Slayer dream but it was about my mom. She—I would have gone in there myself, but…I feel like I can’t walk for some reason...I think it’s just—I’m scared to go in there. Will you—can you take me?”

Any other time Spike’s mind would have latched on to that last bit for later…use, but right now all he could do was focus on Buffy.

“Yeah, pet. Want me to just help or…?”

“I think if I can just lean on you, I think…I think I’d be okay then.”

“Alright, luv. Let’s go then.” Spike helped her up and after a minute or so—a silent minute—they were across the hall at her mother’s door.

“I should open it,” Buffy said as he hand froze on the doorknob. “I know I should.”

“Do you want me to do it? Are you sure you want to do this, pet?”

“I know I have to…I just don’t know if I want to.” Buffy took a deep breath and visibly steeled herself before turning the knob and lightly pushing the door open.


*(*(*)*)*


“What do you mean ‘kind of’ in a coma? She’s either in one or she’s not; and if she is, why’s she still here?”

“She is in a coma,” Buffy started to explain, rushing on when she saw the tears forming in her sister’s eyes. “But it’s not a regular coma…” Okay, so maybe she didn’t know how to explain it just yet, she was working on it.

“How is it not a regular one? Is it worse?” Dawn asked fearfully.

“No, it’s uh, it’s mystical—magical whatever.”

Dawn interrupted before Buffy could continue, “But shouldn’t we still take her to the hospital? I mean they can monitor all that stuff.”

“Well, for one, I think some of the things that will happen would leave us with some explaining to do. And how exactly were we going to get her there? Really, Dawnie I think it’s best for her to stay here.”

“And I can hear her heart,” Spike jumped in, “I’ll know if something goes wrong.”

“How do you know it’s magical?”

“I had a Slayer dream—“

“About mom?”

“Yeah—“

“Are you sure you’re not just…I don’t know losing it or something?” Dawn asked, not even thinking through what she was asking.

“Big sis is perfectly sane,” Spike answered for Buffy. “She knows what she’s talking about, alright? Your mum’s in a mystical come and she’s going to stay here unless something changes—which it won’t.”

“So we’re just going on your Slayer dream for all of this?” Dawn wasn’t quite done yet.

“And me,” Spike added. “I’ve got a…feeling—“

“Oh great, we’re basing my mother’s health on her dream and your feeling. That’s just fan-fucking-tastic!”

“Dawn!”

“What? You have some magical sickness going on, Mom gets a brain tumor and has surgery, Mom’s now in a magical coma, and I have to watch my language? Well excuse me but I think I should get a little bit of room here. It’s not exactly like saying my life’s screwed up is going to do it, but saying ‘my life’s—‘”

“We get the point,” Spike cut in again. “Buffy’s not asking you to be perfect; she’s just being your big sister, yeah? And your mum’s going to be fine and we’re going to figure this thing with Buffy out and then she will be too.”

“You just keep telling yourself that; and forgive me while I don’t agree—I find it a little hard to get around if I’m pretending to be blind!”

“Dawn—“ Buffy again tried to speak to her sister.

“You know what, just don’t. I’m going to go upst—No, I’m going to Janice’s; I’ll be back for dinner.” Dawn didn’t wait for an answer before walking out the front door, slamming it behind her.

“So that went well.”




TBC……..





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