Secrets and Friends: Part Fifteen
by BuffAngel
You Know The Drill
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Part Fifteen
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“Is she sleeping?” Willow asked. Angel hadn’t seen her sitting on the floor when he came out. Apparently everyone had gone home for some sleep. But Willow....as much as she probably needed the sleep, she stayed. She was the best friend Buffy had...and she stayed. “Are you going home?” She asked as she stood up.
“Yea, she’s sleeping...finally. And yes...I’m gonna have to hurry if I’m gonna make it.” Angel answered. “Are you going to stay with her?”
“I’ll call you in the morning...nevermind, it is the morning. I’ll call and let you know if they’re gonna let her leave early.” Willow told him, and after she thought about it, she spoke again. “You know...she’s going to want to stay with you, at least until she’s allowed to go back to school.”
Angel just stood there for a moment with his head down, thinking about what the girl had just said. “Thanks Will. You’re a great friend.” He hugged her then left. When he did, Willow went into the room. She felt so bad for her friend. She couldn’t even begin to imagine what she must be going through. She hoped, too, that she’d never have to know. All she knew to do, was be there and help her by just trying to understand. For now, she just sat down and curled up in the chair next to the bed and fell asleep.
As Angel was walking down the hall, he passed the waiting room and for some reason glanced to see who was in there. Buffy’s mother hadn’t gone home afterall, so he stopped.
“Ms. Summers...Buffy’s going to be okay...I promise. I would never intentionally let anything bad happen to her.” Angel said. When he finished she looked up at him, then back at her watch.
“You need a ride. You’ll never make it if you walk. I’ll drive you...” Joyce told him. He didn’t protest. As they were driving, they were both aware of just how much lighter it had gotten since they had left the hospital. “I’ll take you to my house. It’s closer and you can stay in Buffy’s room.”
After they were safely inside the house, Angel thanked the Slayer’s mother, but still stood just inside the door due to the amount of discomfort he felt being in the house without Buffy. Sure, he came into the house often, but not to her mother’s knowledge. He’d gotten so used to sneaking in through the girls window that he almost felt as though he’d just entered the house for the first time.
“Ms. Summers...I.....I..you’ll call to let me know when they’re going to release her won’t you...?” Angel questioned.
As Joyce stood there looking at the man who stood in front of her, with the look of worry and grief on his face, she was beginning to see just what her daughter saw in him. She gathered that, although cautious by nature, he wore his heart on his sleeve, allowing the vulnerability of his love for Buffy available for anyone to see.
“I’ll call....or Buffy will call. If you need anything, feel free to make yourself at home. Afterall, I’m sure the days are quite long for you. Buffy’s room is just at the top of the stairs and down the hall, very last door on the right.” Joyce told him. Although, he was partially thankful for the directions. He would need them come from this point of view.
“Thank you. I appreciate it...everything. More than I can tell you.” Angel said. With that, Joyce Summers left. She hadn’t known that Willow had stayed, so she thought her daughter was at the hospital by herself. Otherwise, she might have stayed a minute or two longer.
When Buffy’s mother walked into room 333 she heard voices and became worried that her daughter was talking to herself. When she walked around the corner, she saw that Willow was sitting in the chair talking to Buffy, who had evidently woken up again within the thirty or forty-five minutes that Angel had left her sleeping form to save himself from the break of day.
“...and the next thing I.......Oh, mom. Hi. I thought you left? I mean, Willow said she thought you left.” Buffy said confused.
“I gave Angel a ride, but it was getting light a little fast so I took him to the house and told him he could sleep in your room....then came back to check on you. I didn’t know Willow was still here.”
“Thank you mom. Was he okay when you left? You did make sure he didn’t need anything didn’t you...?” Buffy questioned.
“He said he was fine...I figured he would probably just go upstairs and go to sleep. And...”
“Well, Ms......I mean, Buffy. You look like you’re in better spirits since I saw you earlier this morning. I’m assuming you talked with your husband...boyfriend? Everything is okay then?” The doctor asked. He had startled everyone, by coming in unnoticed.
“He’s my boyfriend and yes, things are fine. Actually, I’m feeling much better. No pain, I swear.” Buffy told him, trying to sound convincing, but it was the truth. Before she had gone to sleep, she had been having major cramps and pains. When she woke up, they were close to gone. Although, it hadn’t surprised her much because of her ability to heal faster than normal people did. She was really beginning to appreciate her Slayer healing skills.
“Well, I’ve got a few more rooms to go to. Tell you what. I’ll be back in about ten or fifteen minutes and when I get back, we’ll see if you’re going to be able to walk if you need to and check you over and maybe, just maybe, we’ll let you go home today.” the doctor smiled, then turned and walked out the door.
When he came back, they did just what he said they would do. After he had checked her over and asked her a few more questions, she slowly climbed out of the bed and showed him that she could walk just fine. After much arguing from her and twice as much insistence from the doctor, they agreed that she was okay to go home, but had to use a wheelchair. He also told her that he didn’t want her going to school, much less leaving her bed for a week. This, she didn’t argue with. No school for a week, without calling it skipping. She was all for it. It was going to be boring, but no school equals no slaying, which equals lots of rest time.
When they had left the hospital, Buffy and Willow had sat in the back of the car so they could talk without the Slayer having to turn around. Driving through town, she suddenly felt hungry, thinking that she hadn’t eaten since, well, since right after school, the day before.
“Omigod. Will...Angel.” the Slayer said. Her thinking about being hungry reminded her that Angel must be starving. He hadn’t eaten since the night before, but she had no idea when. Not wanting to gross her mom out completely, she whispered to her friend instead of speaking outloud. “If I get my mom to stop at the Butcher shop, will you go in and get me something to take Angel? Just tell the guy I sent you in and he’ll know what to get.” Willow nodded. “Mom, can you stop right up here? Will said she promised her mom she’d pick something up from the Butchers this morning. Please....you don’t mind do you?”
“Thanks Ms. Summers. I’ll be right back.” With that, Willow got out of the car, leaving Buffy and her mother alone for the first time since she’d woken up at the hospital.
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