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CHAPTER 55: Rollercoaster


"You're sure you don't need anything? Cookies? Chocolate? Magazines?" Buffy was sitting at Willow's bedside, wringing her hands and smiling nervously.

"Buffy, I'm fine. You bought me like ten magazines already. I'm all up to date on the juiciest celebrity gossip. But thanks."

"... Sorry Will, I wasn't talking to you. I was talking to Oz. You know, to thank him for not killing me."

Willow rolled her eyes and Oz chuckled, still holding on to his wife's hand for dear life.

"But do you need something, Willow? Cause I could go downstairs to get you whatever you want."

"I'm fine! Buffy, calm down. You spent all day fretting over me. I'm OK. But if I eat one more chocolate bar, I might just be sick."

"Sorry. I know I've been over doing the worried friend thing, but I feel bad. Can't help it. I should have never dragged you into this."

"Understatement." Oz commented.

Willow gave him a hard look. "Oz, it wasn't her fault. She didn't drag me into anything, I wanted to go. She didn't even want me to go in the first place."

"'could have stopped you."

"I gave her the resolve face."

"Oh." He nodded his understanding and gave Buffy what could pass for an apologetic look.

The door opened and the nurse peeked in.

"Sorry to bother you. Miss Summers, Mr. Osbourn, it's almost 9 o'clock. Visits were over a couple of hours ago and the doctor will be doing his rounds soon. If he finds out I let you stay after hours, I'll be in trouble. You can come back in the morning. I'm sure they'll let her out early tomorrow."

"All right. Can we just have a few minutes to say our goodbyes?" Buffy asked the nurse.

"Sure. But don't stay too long."

"We won't."

They watched the door close, then turned back to Willow. She looked so pale and fragile in the big white bed that they were both reluctant to leave. But she needed to rest too.

Buffy shuddered. She hated hospitals. She hated to leave her friend here all alone. "Are you going to be all right?" She asked quietly, taking Willow's hand in hers.

"Absolutely. You guys don't worry about me."

Buffy smiled. "Too late."

"I'm staying." Oz said on a tone that didn't allow discussion.

"Honey, it's not necessary. I'm fine, really. Right as rain. And the nurse said she'd get in trouble." Willow tried to argue.

"I'll ask for a bunk bed."

Willow shook her head, but she was smiling. "Overprotective much?"

"I'm your husband. It's in the job description." He leaned forward and planted a kiss on her pale forehead.

"Awww." Buffy exclaimed mockingly. "You guys are so sweet."

The door opened again, and this time, Giles walked in. He was holding flowers and looked awkward and out of place. He was smiling, but his face looked tired, his features drawn and the dark circles under his eyes a clear sign that he had a rough day.

"Hello, Willow. How are you feeling?"

Willow smiled at him like the trouper that she was. "I'm OK. A little loopy because of pain medication, but I'll live. Thanks for stopping by."

"It's no bother, really. I was worried about you but I was kept busy all day. Sorry for visiting so late. These are for you." He added, indicating the flowers.

"Thanks. You can put them over there." She said pointing at a small table that was covered with candy boxes, flowers and stuffed animals.

Giles nodded to Oz in greeting and smiled at Buffy. "Willow, if it's quite all right with you, there’s another visitor. Someone who’d like to thank you personally, and say hello to Buffy."

Buffy's eyes widened and she stood up.

Willow frowned in confusion. "Really? Who?"

Giles smiled enigmatically. He walked back to the door and opened it. "Come in."

Time froze for Buffy as she watched Spike walk in. For a few heart beats, her feet were cemented to the floor and she stopped breathing. But then their eyes locked and the next moment, she was in his arms sobbing with relief and letting go of emotions she'd been holding in for months.

Willow was observing the scene with a look of complete confusion on her pretty face.

"Buffy? Oh my God, Buffy... I know I said it again and again, but really, I'm fine. Don't cry..."

Oz put a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Honey? I'm sure Buffy feels really bad about what happened to you but... I don't think that's why she's crying." He gave her a meaningful look hoping she'd catch on.

Willow didn't disappoint. Her eyes grew bigger with understanding and shock. "Oh..." And then, "OH. I knew it! I knew there was something going on between these two!"

Giles smiled at the young woman indulgingly.

"What? You knew?" The disappointed look on her face was priceless and made Giles chuckle.

"Yes, I was aware of the situation."

"So I was the only one out of the loop?" She pouted.

"No. I believe only Dawn, Faith and I knew what was going on."

The red head pouted. “That’s a lot of people.” She said, sulking.

The three people in the room who weren't Spike and Buffy were starting to feel like they were intruding. They were looking at everything but the couple.

Buffy's knees had buckled and they had sunk down to the floor, still holding on tightly to each other. Spike was whispering to the distressed woman, trying his best to calm her down.

"It's OK, luv. It's all right. I'm here."

He wasn't even sure if Buffy could hear him.

Spike looked up and his eyes met with Willow's. He offered her a smile that she returned.

"Thank you for helping, Red. I’m sorry you got hurt."

"Don't worry about it." She answered shyly. "It wasn't anybody's fault."

"Tell me all about it later, OK?"

"Later. Sure... You got your arms full."

He winked at her then returned his attention to Buffy. She pulled away from him, her hands still fisted in his now soaked shirt.

If you asked Buffy what she was thinking in this very moment, she'd be hard pressed to answer. There was not one coherent thought in her head. She was going from one emotion to the other at a break neck speed that made her almost dizzy. But in situations like these, the mind has a way of focusing on the strangest thing.

"Your shirt..."

"What about it, pet?"

She smiled through her tears. "It's black."

"Yeah? Was the only black thing in Rup's closet. Looks better on me than that sickening gray I had to wear for almost a year. Didn’t do anything for my complexion."

She smiled but he didn't give her time to answer, deciding it was more than time to kiss her instead.

The kiss was urgent and desperate, making them oblivious to everything around them. They didn't hear the door open, the nurse walk in or see Giles getting up and leading the woman out of the room on the pretence of having to talk to her.

Buffy was the one to break the kiss. "We have to get out of here. Now. I've been fantasizing about taking you home for so long." She could see in Spike's tired blue eyes that he completely agreed with her.

They turn simultaneously to look at Willow.

The red head blushed prettily. "Oh, by all means! You guys... Go. Do what you have to do. I'm sure you have a lot of things to--talk about." She giggled.

"Thanks, Red. We’ll come back to see you tomorrow."

Spike stood up and helped Buffy to her feet. He finally noticed Oz sitting by the bed. He gave the other man an apologetic look.

"Sorry if my manners are a bit rusty, mate. I'm William. But I prefer Spike."

The man with bright blue hair nodded. "Sounds tougher. I'm Daniel. But I prefer Oz."

Spike smirked, already liking Willow’s rocker husband.

Buffy was already pulling Spike toward the door.

"Well it was nice seeing you all. I'd like to stay and chat but..." He motioned with his head in Buffy's direction.

Willow laughed. "Don't worry about it, Spike. Just enjoy your first night of freedom."

He smiled at her. "Thanks, Red."

"Bye Will. See you tomorrow." Buffy said, already in the hallway.

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Walking down the hospital hallway alongside Spike, Buffy was talking urgently on her cell phone. She'd broken almost every hospital rule tonight, she figured one more wouldn't change anything. So far, no one had stopped her to tell her she wasn't allowed to talk on her phone.

"Yes mom, I swear I'm fine."

"You don't sound fine, Buffy. Are you sure?"

"I'm just emotional. I didn't think it would happen so fast. But it's the good kind of emotional, so there's nothing for you to worry about."

"All right then, if you say you're OK, I have no choice but to believe you, right?"

Buffy could almost hear the smile in her mother's voice. It made her smile too. "I'm afraid not."

"I'll take Dawn and go home then. I'm sure you and William will need your privacy."

"Mom, you don't have to drive home tonight, it's getting late already..." Buffy had to bite her tongue. She wanted nothing more than to tell her mom to go home, but she couldn't do that.

Joyce and Dawn had slept over at her house the night before and were going to stay for a few days, but that was before. She never expected Spike to be freed so soon. Not that she was complaining about it, but now she had house guests when she wanted nothing more than take her man home and celebrate in a way that required privacy. Having her mom and little sister in the room next to theirs just wouldn't do at all.

Joyce laughed. "It's great to see I raised my daughter so well. How polite and well mannered of you, honey. But your old mother isn't stupid. After the story you told me last night, I understand. It would be cruel of me to stay here and ruin your first night together. I'd feel like I'm intruding anyway so I might as well leave. I'll take Dawn back to L.A. and maybe stay there for a while."

Buffy sighed in relief. "Thanks mom. I'm so sorry, I really didn't expect this to happen."

"Are you happy?"

"So happy, you have no idea." Buffy smiled at Spike.

"Good. That's all that matters to me."

"I still feel bad making you come here for such a short time. I know you took time off from work..." Buffy said, feeling guilty for sending her mother home so soon after she drove all the way from San Fransico.

"It doesn't matter, honey. I needed a little vacation. Maybe I'll just stay the week in L.A. and visit some old friends, then come back next weekend so I can meet William."

"Sounds great. I can't wait for you to meet him."

"Speaking of William, tell him I'm very happy for him and I can't wait to meet him." Joyce said warmly.

Her mother had been a little worried the night before when hearing the entire story, but fortunately, it had also appealed to her romantic side and in the end, she was only happy for her daughter. She probably wouldn't feel the same way if something bad had happened to her, and she was upset that Willow had gotten hurt, but she would be fine. Joyce could see that Buffy wasn't only motivated by her love for that man, she also wanted to do the right thing by helping someone who needed help, and that made it forgivable in her eyes. She didn't expect anything else from her daughter. Buffy had always been there for people who needed her.

"I'll make sure to tell him. Thanks again mom."

"All right, I'll call to check on you crazy kids tomorrow. Bye honey."

"Bye mom. Love you."

"Love you too." Joyce said before hanging up.

Buffy turned the phone off and faced Spike, a smile on her lips.

"Let's go home."

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