The carpenter rushed to the phone and dialled 911, while Giles tried to mop up the sweat on Spike’s forehead.
‘Hello 911.’
‘I need an ambulance asap to 1630 Revello drive.’
‘What is the problem, sir?’ the operator asked
‘It’s my friend’s friend…’
Xander looked at Buffy standing over Spike, who was now still.
‘He needs help,’ he finished.
The fear was rushing through her veins. Using her semi free hand, Buffy gently pushed a lock of sweaty hair off of Spike’s forehead.
Why would anyone want to turn a vampire into a human? she thought
Xander reappeared. Glancing over at Spike, a tiny shiver went through him. There was a real chance that they were going to lose him and he wasn’t sure how that made him feel.
‘I’ll go and wait outside.’
Giles nodded.
A few minutes later, the paramedics arrived, rushing in with two bags full of equipment in their arms. Buffy didn’t move until Giles came towards her, gently placing his hands on her shoulders. Moving her out of the way, he spoke softly.
‘Buffy, let them do their job.’
‘Yeah,’ she whispered.
The woman paramedic checked his pulse and SATs, while the male paramedic placed an oxygen mask over his face, noting the band aid on his head.
‘Has he had an accident?’ he asked.
‘He was mugged. Last night…he seemed fine this morning,’ Buffy answered.
‘What is his name?’ the male paramedic asked.
‘Spi... William... William Sheppard,’ Buffy said softly so Giles wouldn’t be able to hear.
The female turned to her co-worker.
‘Pulse forty nine, SATs eighty five,’ she said with worry.
She rushed out to get the stretcher. When she came back, they gently lifted him up onto the stretcher and strapped him on. Buffy followed them out to the ambulance.
When they got there, the paramedics loaded Spike into the back. The male paramedic came back out and shut the doors.
‘Can I go in the back with him?’
‘I’m sorry, but in the circumstances it’s best you travel behind,’ he replied.
No words were needed, his face said it all. They didn’t want her travelling in the ambulance in case the worst happened. In case he died.
As Buffy watched the ambulance speed off, tears welled up in her eyes. It was like her mom all over again.
What if he dies? she thought.
Giles and Xander came towards her.
‘I’ll drive to the hospital,’ Xander said.
She nodded numbly.
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Stretcher crashed through the door as the paramedics rushed Spike into the ER. They were joined by a male doctor and two nurses.
‘What have we got?’ the doctor with glasses on asked.
‘Pulse forty five, SATs eighty five and dropping. The patient has a high fever and was mugged last night,’ the male paramedic informed.
The doctor was about to speak when Spike started to convulse.
‘Hold him down!’ the doctor shouted.
‘Get me a unit of sedative!’ he continued, rushing along with the moving gurney.
As the gurney came to a stop, the nurse handed the young doctor a syringe filled with Hyoscyamine, pushing the needle into Spike’s arm. Almost immediately Spike’s body stopped convulsing. Wiping his hand against his forehead, the doctor yelled for the crash cart.
As he eyed his patient the young doctor’s heart was heavy, this young man needed the grace of god to survive.
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As Buffy’s leg shook up and down, she silently urged Xander to drive faster. Spike was all alone. Looking out the window, she was sure time was slowing down and here in good ol’ Sunnyhell she could believe it.
The sound of her name broke her out of her trance. Looking up, she saw Xander on the phone.
‘No Will, the Buffster is fine its... its Spike. He’s been rushed to the hospital via EMT transport. Trust the leech to bludge off of the government ay... yeah bad joke I know.’
Xander’s eyes flicked up into the rear view mirror. A nervous look appeared on his face as his eyes clashed with Buffy’s.
‘Yeah Wills, still here. Look, can you round everyone up and pick up Dawnie and meet us at the hospital.... thanks Wills... Yeah see you there.’
Closing the phone, he turned his head slightly.
‘Everyone is on there way Buff.’
The blonde slayer just nodded, unable to say anything in fear she would break down.
As the hospital loomed, Buffy opened the door and jumped out of the car before it had even stopped. Ignoring Xander’s call, she burst through the doors.
‘Please, a man was brought in about five minutes ago. Please, is he ok? Names William please...’ she pleaded with the pleasantly plum nurse.
The nurse looked up, a sad smile on her face.
‘Surname honey,’ she asked, a slight southern drawl to her voice.
‘Sheppard, William Sheppard,’ Buffy said frantically, hearing the door open behind her looking up she saw the Gang rushing through.
‘I can only release information to family sweetie,’ the nurse said, looking apologetic.
As the gang all crowed around the desk, slipping one of her rings onto her ring finger, Buffy held her hand up.
‘I’m his fiancée, Buffy Summers.’
Ignoring the soft gasp behind her, she pleaded with the nurse again.
‘Please, is he OK?’
The nurse smiled sadly again as she turned her attention to the computer with a few quick key strokes she frowned.
‘Sorry honey, no update yet just a brief admin. If you want to take a seat I’ll keep you updated ok?’
Nodding, Buffy sat on one of the stiff chairs.
‘His fiancée, Buffy,’ Giles said.
‘Do pray tell what is going on?’
Panicking, Buffy put on her poker face.
‘We needed a way to keep updated on him and as his ‘wife’ we get the inside scoop.’
And I don’t want to leave him she added in her head.
The Scooby’s nodded slowly. Xander and Giles accepting what she said.
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Willow, Tara, Anya and Dawn rushed into the hospital.
‘What if Buffy has been really hurt? I can’t lose her,’ Dawn said.
As they neared the ER, Tara placed a reassuring hand on Dawn’s arm.
‘Whatever it is and w-whoever it is, I’m sure will be in good hands.’
Everyone was so caught up in going straight ahead that they didn’t notice Giles coming out of the family room.
‘Over here.’
They all turned.
‘Giles!’ Willow called.
‘I’m glad to see you’re in tact. Where’s Xander?’ Anya said.
‘Is everything o-ok?’ Tara asked.
He held the door open.
‘I think you should come through.’
As soon as Dawn walked in her face was full of relief.
‘Buffy!’
Buffy gave her sister a weak smile and embraced her. Closing her eyes, she was dreading telling Dawn the news. Anya gave Xander a kiss on the cheek. Willow frowned. Everyone was there, so why were they at the hospital?
‘Tara…’ she whispered.
Tara paled and turned to her girlfriend with a sad look. Xander sat down with Anya as did the witches. Giles also sat down.
Dawn pulled away from her arms and looked Buffy in the eyes. Her smile fading when
she saw the look on her face.
‘Buffy?’
Buffy looked at her, a mist of tears clouding her vision.
‘Dawn, I think you should sit down.’
‘I-I don’t want to! Not until you tell me why we’re here!’
Something just hit her. They left Spike at the house. Alone.
‘You left him alone? What if he has another fit? O-or what if he wakes up? Haven’t you thought,’ Dawn started.
‘Dawnie, Spike is the reason why we’re here. He has a heartbeat.’ Buffy interrupted.
Everyone was in shock.
‘That’s impossible, right Giles?’ Willow asked.
‘Not entirely. The compound must have been a DNA morphing solution.’
30 minutes later
Pacing faster, Buffy started to wring her hands, fingers twisting her ‘wedding’ ring. Moving quickly over to the desk, she saw Dylan, the friendly nurse turn her sad smile on again.
‘I’m sorry sweetheart there’s still no news. But honey in here, sometimes that’s the best thing.’
Nodding. Buffy walked away again. If she didn't hear something soon she didn't know what she would do.
1 hour later
Giles watched as Buffy drank another mouthful of the god awful swill the hospital was calling coffee. Xander and Anya were on a food run, Willow and Tara were with Dawn keeping the young brunette occupied. Buffy was bouncing her leg hard and fast, her eyes darting from the emergency doors, the clock and the nurses’ station.
He let out a sigh as he watched Buffy jump up from her seat once more and walk quickly to the nurses’ station. The nurse he knew as Dylan he could tell liked Buffy and was doing everything to find out updates on her ‘fiancée ’.
2 hours later
After coming back from her 100th walk to the nursing station Giles finally cracked and grabbed Buffy’s arm.
‘CALM down Buffy! This is not helping Spike.’
Pulling his slayer into a soft embrace, he brushed hair from her forehead. He looked into her emerald eyes.
‘he’ll be OK.’
She nodded and sank back into the chair, twisting the ring on her third left hand finger.
Looking at her, Giles had the feeling there was more to this then Buffy was letting on...
Looking up, Giles saw Dylan motioning him over. Walking quickly, the strawberry blonde nurse whispered.
‘She’s a devoted woman. He is lucky to have her.’
Giles smiled softly, murmuring his thanks as he headed back to his make shift family. Now all they could do was wait.
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3 Hours Later
Buffy was pacing in the waiting room and everyone was watching her, all except Dawn who was fast asleep on one of the chairs.
She couldn’t stand this. Waiting and waiting. Nothing good came out of waiting in a hospital and nothing good certainly happened inside them. That was Buffy opinion ever since the day her cousin Lydia had died. It all snowballed from there.
‘Buff, don’t you think you should, you know, sit down? Making me kinda dizzy. And I’m sure the floor would love the break,’ Xander joked.
‘Yes, Buffy, sit down. It won’t do you or Spike any good pacing about,’ Giles added with a frown cast at Xander.
‘I can’t.’
Her eyes fell on the silver clock. Hands going round ever so slowly.
‘God! What is taking them so long?’ Buffy exasperated.
Anya looked up from her magazine.
‘Isn’t it good, though?’
Willow shrugged.
‘At least he isn’t dead yet coz they would’ve said by now,’ she continued, bluntly.
‘Anya! A bit of tact, please,’ Giles commented.
Buffy, more concerned about Spike didn’t take notice of that comment.
There was a knock at the door before a doctor entered the room. He wore a pair of dark grey trousers, black shoes and a light purple shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He also had a pair of silver rimmed glasses and had thick hair upon his head his young face aged by fatigue. At this point, Dawn had woken up, Tara came to sit beside her.
Buffy moved towards the doctor. She couldn’t tell whether it was good news or bad news because the look the doctor was giving her.
‘Hello. I am Dr Travis and I will be taking care of the patient,’ he introduced himself.
Dawn glared at him.
‘His name is William Sheppard.’
Everyone looked at her with a brow raised. Dr Travis looked at her apologetically.
‘How is he? I’m his fiancée,’ Buffy asked.
‘We managed to stabilize William and we move him to intensive care.’
Buffy closed her eyes with relief.
‘Well, that’s good. At least he isn’t fitting anymore,’ Xander said.
The doctor nodded.
‘Because of the convulsions and head injury, I am going to book him in for a CT scan.’
Buffy seen Dawn freeze out of the corner of her eye.
‘It is just a precaution and hopefully we can take him off life support once the results come back,’ he continued.
Dr Travis smiled.
‘There will be a nurse coming to see you in a short while. Just to get a bit more information about William and once she is done you can go home.’
‘Thank you, doctor,’ Buffy said.
‘It’s not a problem.’
Dr Travis left, closing the door behind him.
Buffy sat by Dawn, stroking her brown hair.
‘H-he’s okay now,’ Tara said.
They all nodded in agreement.
‘Somebody up there must be looking out for him,’ Xander commented, pointing to the sky.
A curious frown etched on Buffy’s face.
‘How did you know his full name?’
Dawn looked at her and rolled her eyes.
‘You’ll get angry.’
The frown was replaced with an incredulous look.
‘What? No, I won’t…I’m just curious.’
The teen sighed.
‘Ok. You remember that time I was going to the Science fair with Janice?’
She nodded.
‘Well, I kinda took a diversion to Spike’s.’
Dawn paused, expecting some sort of reaction from Buffy. But she was waiting for her to continue.
‘He wasn’t around, so I took a peep and there was this book on top of the TV. His name was on the first page with a little message…can’t remember what it said though.’
She laughed as she remembered what happened next.
‘He came up from the basement and looked so embarrassed! He said it was his off his mother,’ she finished.
Buffy smiled. At least her sister found a friend in Spike. Hopefully, she would as well.
Moments later, a coloured nurse knocked on the door and entered. She looked tired and exhausted and carried a clipboard and pen.
She sat on one of the chairs, clicking her pen ready.
‘I’m nurse Fran and I just need to ask you some questions,’ she said simply.
Buffy nodded.
‘How are you all related to Mr Sheppard?’ Fran asked.
‘I’m his fiancée, Buffy Summers and this is my little sister, Dawn.’
‘I am William’s Uncle,’ Giles said, getting a few curious looks of his own.
‘His parents are both dead and he has lived with me for the past year,’ he continued.
The nurse scribbled down the information, looking up at the rest of them.
‘And the rest of you?’
Anya smiled.
‘We’re all acquaintances of his. He is a right party-goer!’
Willow nodded.
‘Spi- I-I mean W-William is a nice guy,’ Tara backed up Anya.
She smiled. The guy certainly had a nice bunch of friends.
‘What is his date of birth?’
‘Twenty sixth of April, 1977,’ Giles answered.
She paused, looking thoughtful.
‘Twenty three…Nice.’
‘Ok, that’s all I need for now…you guys better get home, it’s late,’ She continued.
Buffy looked at her friends and sister who was yawning. She didn’t want to leave just yet but she was tired.
‘Thanks, nurse Fran.’
The nurse laughed.
‘I’m just doing my job’
As the nurse walked away, Buffy jumped up and ran to the nursing station. Dylan smiled.
‘I know honey, I know. Told ya it would all work out.’
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She didn’t like looking at Raven anymore. The fact that she had considered him a father for all those years and then he betrayed her was bad enough. But she had to face him because she needed answers.
Of course, she found him in his quarters, reading a book. He could sense her presence but waited for her to approach him.
‘Why didn’t you tell me what the serum does?’
Raven closed the book softly. Not answering the question only served to make Grace more upset.
‘Can’t you trust me? Do I scare you?’
He sighed and stood in front of her. Reaching out to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear, but Grace moved away.
‘Of course I trust you. You are my daughter after all.’
He looked her straight in the eye. If she knew the sickening truth of what was to come, the trails ahead it would only serve to upset her more and Raven didn’t want that.
‘I am scared, not of you but what is to come…’ he admitted.
Grace frowned. If Raven was scared, then that wasn’t good for the rest of them.
TBC…
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Thanks again to Guitarbabe2005 and to the reviewers :)
Chapter End Notes:
So, what do you guys think? I hope you all enjoyed this! Don’t forget to review!