Buffy stood in front of her full-length mirror in her bedroom. She had lied to Giles when she said she felt fine. It couldn’t be farther from the truth. She had just come in from slaying and was feeling worse, the pain was almost unbearable. Buffy quickly swallowed several aspirin and sat down thinking; * Come on! I can’t let Angel down or make him worry by not showing! I HAVE to pull myself together and ignore the pain; after all, that is a part of the Slayer’s job. *“Come on, Buff, suck it up!” She hissed to herself. Buffy got ready and left the house wearing a slinky black dress along with the black leather jacket that Angel had given her. She decided not to wear the necklace in case things got hot and heavy, as they usually did. She slipped it into the jacket’s pocket just to keep it close to her.
Buffy silently slipped through the shadows, hoping that there were no more vampires out there to get her tonight. The pain in her side was excruciating but she ignored it completely. After a while she was forced to slow her pace to keep from passing out. She was starting to wonder if this was such a good idea after all. * I mean, Angel would understand if I wasn’t feeling well enough tonight, but no, I promised to be there, he’s worried enough with Spike up to no good, I couldn’t just not show. *
Buffy walked down the street and the Bronze suddenly came into view. She sighed with relief and rushed in to meet her Angel. She saw him as soon as she walked in the door; he was waiting for her there with a look of intense worry on his handsome face. Buffy chuckled, despite the pain she was feeling she refused to let Angel worry about her even more.
“Well Angel, playing watchdog?” He smiled softly and pulled her into his arms for a hello kiss. They walked over to an empty table and sat down. “I really like your dress.” Angel commented. Buffy flushed with pleasure at the compliment. “Thank you.” She replied automatically.
The boss snarled angrily. “Dammit! How strong is this girl anyway?! She should have passed out from the pain alone almost an hour ago!” He swiftly cranked a dial on the control in his hand, chuckling evilly. He had heard the Slayer’s friends talking before about how strange their best friend was acting and how they should keep a careful eye on her. * It’s amazing what those teeny little devices can pick up. * He thought as he imagined the money he was making from Spike.
Buffy gasped in sudden pain, doubling over. “Buffy!” Angel cried out. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“I-I-it’s nothing, I’m fine.” She managed to breathe through the pain, for Angel’s sake.
“Like hell you are!” He exclaimed. “Buffy,” Angel said, the unspeakable fear was evident in his voice, “please tell me what’s wrong. I can’t bear to see you like this.” He added, his tone dropping softly. Buffy looked up into his concerned face and tried to speak but the horrible pain wasn’t allowing her to do so. Angel wrapped her in his arms and wouldn’t let go. * I can’t believe it. That pain in her face, her eyes. I can’t imagine what she’s going through. But how? Why? * Angel kissed her and watched as Willow and Xander ran over to the table, horror etched on their faces.
“What happened?” They exclaimed simultaneously. Angel shook his head. “I don’t know.” His voice was breaking. “She was fine a minute ago, then all of a sudden she collapsed, holding her side.”
“We need to get her to a hospital, now!” Xander’s fearful voice was the last thing Buffy heard before she slipped into unconsciousness. Cordelia saw what was happening and tossed her car keys across the Bronze. Xander caught them and ran for the door, making sure Willow and Angel, who was carrying the comatose Slayer, were following right behind him.
Spike laughed with joy as Drusilla playfully bounced across the factory, singing; “La la la la la la! Daddy’s paying for all the bad things he’s done now!” They both listened closely to the frightened voices that were being transmitted from the bugs.
The three rushed Buffy to the hospital with alarming speed, Xander at the wheel. Angel was in the backseat, cuddling Buffy up against him and whispering that it would be okay as she slipped in and out of consciousness. “It will be all right, love, I promise.” Angel murmured to her. Willow looked back at them from the front seat fearfully as they raced along the road. Xander skidded to an abrupt halt at the hospital entrance. Angel climbed out, holding Buffy to him tightly. They all rushed into the Emergency Room and doctors immediately surrounded them. Angel reluctantly placed Buffy on the stretcher that wheeled up to them. “Angel!” Buffy cried out.
“Shh, I’m here, Buffy, I’m here.” He soothed her, even though the fear in his voice kept rising. Buffy’s mind swirled in agony and she saw flashes of bright lights engulf her. The Slayer moaned softly as she was wheeled down the corridor. The doctor stopped Angel as he tried to follow her. “But-“ He protested.
“We’ll take good care of her.” The doctor assured him, seeing the fear and concern etched into his face.
“ANGEL!!!!!!!!!!!!” Buffy screamed again.
“Shhh, it’s all right, Buffy.” He said to calm himself as well as her. He watched in torture as the doctors and nurses wheeled her on the stretcher down the hall, and out of his sight. Angel gritted his teeth and tried hard not to cry. Willow and Xander were talking to the receptionist who was firing questions at them without mercy. When the receptionist finally turned around to ignore them completely Willow and Xander walked over to Angel, who was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
“Angel, it will be all right,” Willow used Angel’s own words, “she’s strong. She’ll make it.” But they all heard the doubt in her trembling words. Even Xander was worried and sympathetic toward Angel.
“Ya man, She’s the Slayer, she’ll make it through this.” Angel sat down in the waiting area and immediately received several worried glances from other people that had been waiting as they came in. The two best friends didn’t want to leave Angel by himself but that’s what he apparently wanted so they each left to call Joyce and Giles. Angel stared blankly into space. All he could think of was; * My God, if I lose her I’ll kill myself. I can’t live without her. * He wondered again what had happened back at the Bronze. Willow walked over after speaking abruptly on the phone.
“Giles is on his way.” She said softly. Angel didn’t say anything, he couldn’t. “S-she wasn’t feeling well earlier today, in school.” She put in, trying to make some sort of conversation; anything was better than complete silence.
Angel’s head snapped up. “What?” Willow sat down shakily and tried to speak again. * She’s in shock. * Angel realized. “What happened at school today?” He asked sharply.
“S-she went home sick, she called back later and said she was feeling fine but now…” Willow droned off but the picked up her voice again. “Giles made us promise to keep an eye on her tonight. He’s so worried.” Angel looked down at the fragile friend of the Slayer, HIS Slayer. Xander walked over looking very angry.
“I couldn’t get through to her mom, she’s off in some meeting somewhere. Nobody knows where she is.” Willow sighed. “Maybe that’s for the best.” Angel agreed silently as the three waited for the doctor to come and tell them what’s wrong. The man in green suddenly walked through the big double-doors. Angel shot up instantly and the others quickly follow suit. “Doctor, please tell me…what’s wrong?” Angel pleaded, a note of suffering urgency in his voice.
The doctor drew in a breath and started, “I’m Doctor Smythe, I’m afraid I’ve some very bad news.” Angel’s face instantly drained itself of what little color it had. “She has acute appendicitis.” Doctor Smythe went on but Willow cut him off. “That means all you have to do is take her appendix out, right? That means she’ll be fine, right?”
Angel looked up at the doctor, hope shimmering in his mournful eyes.
“I’m afraid it’s not that simple, you see, her case of it is so advanced that she could die at any second.” Angel nearly fainted. “Her body is so weak that if we try an operation we would kill her.” Angel decided he’d better sit down before he fell down.
“Feeling a little blunt today, Doc?” Xander asked, his voice cracking. Doctor Smythe bit his lip and looked at his shoes.
“Anything.” Angel rasped out. “Do ANYTHING you can to save her. I don’t care how, just DO IT!” His voice grew with anger and fear. At that moment Giles burst in, wearing the same fearful expression they all were. “Buffy’s dying.” Willow told him. Giles instantly dropped to the floor in a dead faint. Nurses rushed in to help.
“Doctor, PLEASE, try ANYTHING. Anything to save her.” Angel begged. The doctor looked into the seemingly young man’s eyes that were filled with unspeakable grief and pain. He nodded. “I’ll try.” He promised. Doctor Smythe hesitated then started speaking. “She’s still unconscious but…would you like you see her? I must tell you that there’s barely any chance of her survival at all.”
The boss and Spike grinned. “No, no, mustn’t have that!” Spike exclaimed. “Our dear Angel AND that annoying Slayer have a lot more suffering to do before their deaths. Keep her alive.” Spike instructed.
Willow started sobbing at the doctor’s words and Xander spoke for both of them. “I think neither of us would be able to bear it.” He said softly. “Are you sure?” The doctor questioned gently. Willow nodded. Doctor Smythe turned to Angel who had fallen into some sort of daze. His head snapped down to look the doctor in the eye. “I’d like to see her.” He said in a voice that could only be described as chilling. Doctor Smythe nodded and motioned for him to follow through the huge double-doors.
“I can’t imagine what he’s going through.” Willow rasped. Xander shook his head. “Me either, but I think I can come pretty close.” Willow looked at him sharply, then turned as Giles started to wake up.
Angel followed the green uniform into an elevator, neither of them said anything; nothing needed to be said. They went through a confusing assortment of hallways until the doctor stopped in front of a door. “She’s in there.” He said when Angel didn’t move. Angel straitened up and walked into the white room, the doctor didn’t follow, he just left them to be alone.
“Oh, Buffy!” He cried when he saw her comatose figure laid out on the immaculate hospital bed. He slowly walked over. * God, this is worse torture than all those years I’ve been living, all my memories put together won’t ever and up to THIS. * The steady beep-beep-beep coming from the machine attached to her arm was all that convinced him she was still alive, but even that was soft…fading. He took her soft hands into his own and wept.
“Buffy…” Angel’s heart broke just to speak the word. “How could I have let this happen to you? Please don’t die, my love…you’re all I’ve got to live for. Without you, life is pointless. Buffy…I love you.” His head sank down low as he dropped her hands and cried over her.
“Ssssshhhhh…” Angel’s head whipped up. Buffy’s eyes were just barely open. She reached her weak hand up to his cheek and wiped away his tears. “Death by appendicitis-pretty pathetic, huh?” She tried to joke. He grabbed up her hands again. “Buffy, my God. Why didn’t you tell me you were in pain? You must have been suffering tremendously.” Buffy slowly nodded in agreement. “You didn’t notice?” Angel shook his head as he stared down into her beautiful, pain-filled face. Buffy sighed. Another tear fell from Angel’s eye. Buffy gasped. “Oh, Angel, please don’t cry.”
“I can’t help it.” He managed to reply.
“Angel…”
“Yes, my love?”
Buffy stared into the depths of his eyes. “I love you too.” The words seemed to release a floodgate within him. The suffering vampire sobbed as his Slayer held him in her loving arms.
‘Sssshhhh, Angel, I promise you, I’ll make it through this.”
“You can’t promise that, love.” Angel’s voice quavered. Buffy didn’t reply, she just lay there stroking his pale, wet cheek. Angel’s tears had slowed down by now, but a few remnants still trickled down his handsome face. HER handsome face.
“Angel, please don’t cry.” She asked again. Angel squeezed her hands and pressed them to his chest. His hands let go of hers, but she kept her fingers busy tracing muscles in his chest. Buffy looked up at him lovingly, and fearfully he realized in shock.
“Angel, I want you to kiss me.” The Slayer spoke her need aloud. Angel knew he shouldn’t but he couldn’t resist her perfect, soft, pouty lips. He leaned over her and pressed his cold mouth against her warm one. She willed warmth into his sweet, cold mouth.
* God, he’s so tense! * Buffy decided to be a little more ‘loosening’. Buffy slipped her tongue into Angel’s mouth. He was surprised, she knew…but then again, so was she. * This could be our last kiss. * They both thought sadly. Angel leaned farther over her and deepened the passionate kiss even more. Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck and she sensuously rubbed her chest against his. Angel moaned and Buffy was happy.
Angel reluctantly released her but kept his mouth on hers. He gave her a few more light kisses and a peck on the nose before he backed off a little. Just then Doctor Smythe came in and nearly fainted.
“Good Lord! You’re awake!”
“Uh-huh.” Buffy answered then grimaced and grabbed her side. Angel snatched up her hand and kissed it. He looked at her face, she was tired, he realized, very, very tired and VERY much in pain. “Rest now, love.”
“You’re a miracle worker.” The doctor told him, astonished.
“No…” Buffy murmured as she slipped back into unconsciousness. “He’s my Guardian Angel…”
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