But sadly…I own nothing.
[a/n]---I’m not going to lie. I don’t know Italian. I will never know Italian. I’m using the translator at dictionary.com. also, i know nothing about spells. Nothing. so I’m sorry if it’s screwed.
_______________________________________________________________________
Spike hit the double doors to the ER with both hands, not stopping to keep them open for Willow and Tara. The two witches hurried to keep up with the emotionally distraught vampire, and reached the operating room at the same time as Spike. They looked at each other, then turned their gaze to their friend, who was slipping away with every faltering beat.
Spike burst through the door again, and the doctors and nurses looked up, shocked.
“Sir!” yelled one nurse. “You need to leave-”
He allowed his demon to slip into control, shifting the contours of his face. The personnel gasped, and he growled out, “Leave. Before I do something that I’ll really. Really. Regret.”
The nurses all hurried to leave, but one doctor stood tall. He wasn’t stupid; he knew that all the patients with ‘dog bites’ weren’t running into angry puppies. He knew that things went bump in the night. He knew that there were vampires running around in this god forsaken town. “Sir,” he said, firmly. “I realize that you are worried about this woman’s well being, but I insist you leave!”
Spike growled, low and lethal, and the doctor got the message; either he get out, or Spike would MAKE him. He dropped the things he was holding back onto the tray, and left the room.
Now that all the staff was gone, Tara closed her eyes and muttered something under her breath, and a white, woman shaped candle appeared with ‘BUFFY’ written in Gothic script on the chest. Next to it appeared some mint oil, a photograph of Buffy, and some matches.
She opened her eyes, and opened the mint oil. Tara handed the small vial to Willow and instructed, “Anoint the candle with the oil and then light it, while visualizing healing energy.” She closed her eyes, and Willow did as she was told.
Rubbing the ointment over the smooth contours of the wax, Willow thought of a glowing white light, flowing from hers and Tara’s fingers and into the candle. After she was done smoothing the oil in, she set it down on the photograph of the Slayer, and lit the wick.
The wiccans grasped each others hand, and began to chant in Italian.
They paused, allowing the flame to soak in their power, and it flowed between them, the candle, and into the spot where the blood was caked on Buffy’s chest. The candle burned down quickly, and they began to chant once more.
Their heads snapped back, eyes opened. Tara’s glowed white, and Willow glowed blue. Their voices took on a deeper, more dangerous and powerful sounding tone.
Spike stood back, not wanting to get in the way of their magic, not wanting to get in the way of Buffy’s life…
---
Xander waited outside in the waiting room, head in his shaking hands. He sighed, and laid his forearms across his knees.
Click…click…click..click..
He looked up when he heard the clacking of heels, and was slightly startled to see Anya running down the hall, coat flowing behind her. He rose as she came to a stop in front of him. Panting slightly, she gestured to the cell phone in his hand. “I-I got your message…”
He looked down at the phone in his hand and then back up at her, and whispered, “Yeah…”
“Is she…” She swallowed her wavering voice. “Is she alright?” she whispered, a tear falling down her face. “I-I mean…she’s going to be ok, right?” She sat down, staring at the wall. “She’s not going to die…right?”
Xander sat down, a plastic blue seat separating the two former lovers. “She’s…” He sighed, not able to force out the words ‘going to be okay’. “I can’t lie to you. She…lost blood.”
“But…she loses blood a lot, right? I mean…she’s the Slayer…can’t she heal herself?”
“You don’t understand,” he said, beginning to get agitated. “She lost a LOT of blood!”
“So?”
“God damn it, Anya!” he yelled, standing up and glaring down at her. “She was SHOT! In her left shoulder, where her heart is! She’s might DIE, and you’re saying ‘so’? Jesus, Anya, that’s my FRIEND in there!”
“Damn it, Xander!” she yelled, standing face to face with him now. “She’s my friend, too! You think you’re the only one that’s worried that she won’t make it out!? That I’m worried that she won’t make it out? That she’ll die?!” His eyes darted away from her, and tears rose to her eyes. “You do, don’t you? Think that I don’t care? Well guess what, Harris? I do. God damn it, I do.” The tears were pouring down her face, and she didn’t seem to care. “I’m a VENGEANCE DEMON, Xander! I cause pain, and death, an-and bloodshed, and I’m sitting here, worrying about the bane of demon existence! I’m not SUPPOSED to do that, but I do. I care about the person who’s put her life on the line so many times that…that…god, I can’t even THINK!” She wiped her tears off her face with the back of her hand. “Get over yourself, Alexander, and start to think about how other people feel.”
---
10 minutes ago, after Xander called Anya…
“Catherine!” called the teenaged girl’s mother. “Could you answer the phone?”
The blonde 16 year old rolled her eyes at Dawn, who was sitting on her floor. “Be right back.”
Dawn nodded, and went back to watching ‘Pirates Of The Caribbean’. After about 30 seconds of waiting, Catherine padded into the room softly. “D-Dawn?” she whispered. “I-It’s for you…”
Dawn frowned, and said, “What about?”
“Y-You’re sister…” Her friend handed the phone to her, tears in her eyes. “I’m so…sorry…”
Now extremely worried, Dawn took the phone. “Hello?”
“…”
“Xander? What’s going on?”
“…”
“Hospital? Why are you-”
Catherine watched, biting her lip, as Dawn’s face paled and tears began to run down her face. “Wh-what? No. No, you’re wrong!”
“…”
“YOU’RE WRONG!” she sobbed into the receiver. “SHE’S GOING TO LIVE! She is NOT going to die!” The phone fell from her hand, and she whispered, “Buffy…”
Now…
Dawn ran through the double doors, tears blinding her eyes. She stopped in the middle of the room and looked around, and caught sight of Xander. She ran towards him, and wrapped herself around his torso, tears wetting his shirt. “Xander,” she whispered. “Xander…”
She looked up at him, and caught sight of the equally teary Anya right behind him. She pulled out of his arms and walked towards Anya. “Anya…” she whispered, and the two embraced, both needing the comfort.
And Xander stood to the side, watching as the woman he still loved embraced the girl he thought of as a little sister.
---
The light faded from Willow and Tara’s eyes, and they fell to the floor as the spell completed. Spike, now sure that he could step forward, ran to them and picked them up, asking them if they were ok. Then, he suddenly turned, and ran towards Buffy. He knelt beside her bed, grasping her still cold hand, and whispered, “C’mon love…open those beautiful eyes…”
Nothing.
“Please, baby…”
No response.
“Buffy, please…open your eyes for me, love…show me that you’re here…”
The last word was uttered by the six in the room, Xander, Dawn and Anya having joined the room.
“Please…”
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TBC