The handle of her bone saw was protruding from my stomach an inch to the right of my belly button. My blood was running in a steady stream from the wound. The warmth I felt gave way to burning and then a searing pain took its place. I fell to my knees, clutching the handle of the weapon. I leaned forward and braced myself on the ground with one arm. Through glazy eyes, I watched Dana’s feet leave the ground.
“Now!” I heard Angel shout. I heard three sharp reports and I saw Dana collapse to the floor and then Angel and Wesley were at my side.
“What did you do to her?” I whispered.
“Tranquillizer darts.” Wesley said.
They drug me to my feet and I saw Spike’s arms on a workbench in the far corner of the room. “Angel.” I nodded toward the bench. He turned to the tactical team securing Dana.
“Get the med team down here. Now!” he turned back to me. “Buffy, the saw went all the way through you. The tip is sticking out your back. We need to get you to a hospital.”
“Pull it out, Angel.”
He just stood there looking at me.
“Pull it out!”
He didn’t move. I put my arm around Wesley’s neck and he held my waist. I grabbed the handle of the bone saw. I held my breath and yanked it out. The pain was sharp, but short lived. Holding my hand to the offending wound, I let go of Wesley and slowly walked over to where Spike was being loaded onto a gurney. He smiled slightly when he saw me through his hooded eyes.
“Will you always come to save me, pet?” he whispered.
I touched his lips with my fingertips. “I will as long as you let me.” I whispered back. As the medical team rolled Spike away, I saw that I had left bloody fingerprints on his lips. He never noticed. He had slipped into unconsciousness.
I followed his gurney up the stairs. Fred was on her cell phone next to the ambulance they loaded Spike into. I began making my way over to her.
“Get it prepped. Put surgical on standby. We'll be there in ten minutes. Oh, for God's sake! Tell the shaman no cadavers. We've got his hands.” She hung up her phone and turned around. When she saw me…me covered in my own blood, she gasped and rushed to my side. I looked at her with tears in my eyes and hope plain on my face.
“They can save his hands?” I asked her. I couldn’t bear the thought of Spike being an invalid. He was too strong and independent for that.
She led me to the other waiting ambulance. “They can reattach them at Wolfram and Hart, no problem. There’s a hospital wing for that sort of thing. Buffy, you need to get into the ambulance. I’m sure that,” gesturing toward the massive slice in my stomach, “will need stitches.”
“Or what? I’ll bleed to death?” I shot back sarcastically.
She chuckled and turned to the paramedic in the ambulance. “Just bandage this wound. She’s a Slayer. They heal abnormally fast.”
I grabbed her hand. “Go with Spike, please. I’ll be there soon. I don’t want him to be alone.”
She nodded and left.
I sat and let the young paramedic clean and apply gauze to my wound. It was already feeling much better than it had in the basement. In twenty-four hours, it would be a tiny scratch. I watched idly as Wesley, Angel, and an army of equipped sentinels escorted Dana’s gurney from the basement. I could hear Angel talking. “Chain her into the van. I want armed guards ridin' with her in the back.”
Andrew stepped from the shadows to stand in front of Angel. “That's all right, boys. I'll take it from here. Totally 'appreciate your help on this one, big guy. Never could've found her without you, but you got enough problems of your own to worry about.”
“Get outta the way, Andrew,” Angel growled.
“She's a slayer. That means she's ours.”
Angel ignored him and turned to the guards. “Load her up. Don't hesitate to tranq her if she so much as—“
I was about to get up and confront them when Dawn was suddenly by Andrews’s side. “I don't think you heard him, Angel.” Her voice was low, almost a snarl. The group of Slayers I had sent started materializing out of the darkness, all armed and trained on Angel. “Think we're just gonna let you take her back to your evil stronghold?”
“She's psychotic, and I'm not turning her over...to you two.” Angel admonished.
“You don't have a choice. Check the view screen, Uhura. We’ve got twelve Vampyr Slayers behind us. She's coming with us one way or another.” Andrew said simply.
“You're way outta your league. I'll just clear this with Buffy.” He began looking around for me, but Andrew’s reply quickly drew back his attention.
“Where do you think my orders came from? News flash—nobody in our camp trusts you anymore. Nobody. You work for Wolfram & Hart. Don't fool yourself... we're not on the same side. Thank you for your help... but, uh...we got it.”
My bandaging was finished, so I walked up to the group. I ignored the glares Angel was throwing me and turned to the two Watchers. “Got the tranq gun?” I asked Dawn.
She un-slung the gun from her back and nodded.
“Keep it at the ready. Three shots should bring her down. Be careful.” I hugged her.
“When are you coming home?” she asked.
“I don’t know. When I’ve done what I came here to do, I guess.” I pushed a stray piece of hair off her face. “Check in a lot, ok?” She nodded. “Remember, Soylent Green is people, To Serve Man is a cook book, and if anyone wants you to say Clatto Verata Nicto, make sure you say every single syllable.”
She giggled at me. “I will. Say goodbye to Spike for me. And if you’re staying here for a while, I’m coming back to visit.”
“Deal.” I turned to Andrew. “Take care of Dawn while I’m gone. Maybe you should just move into the flat until I get back.”
He saluted me. “Aye, Aye, Cap’n Slayer!”
I stepped back as the left. I watched my sister, the nerd, and twelve of my protégées walked the gurney off into the dark. I was so proud.
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