Back in the waiting room Giles was pacing frantically. When he started cursing Willow and Xander knew that they’d better calm him down soon.
“She’ll be all right, Giles.” Willow tried to soothe him.
“Yeah.” Xander added. “I mean it’s just appendicitis.” * Wrong thing to say. * He observed instantly as he looked at their faces. None of them said anything after that.
Angel walked into the room. “They took her to surgery.” All of them noticed his normally white face was red and his eyes were bloodshot from crying.
“I-is she going to be all right?” Giles was the first to speak after a pause.
Angel looked straight at the librarian and said, “I don’t know.” With those words his heart broke. He sat down next to Giles, who was sitting by now, and tried to calm down. “God, if I lose her…” Angel hadn’t realized he had spoken aloud. Giles patted his back but none of them said anything as they waited for some news.
An hour went by, then two, then three. Angel got up and started pacing. After a while Giles couldn’t take it any longer either, he got up and paced too.
An unfamiliar voice broke into the tension, “Geez! Will you guys stop that? You’re giving me a wiggins!” Everyone looked up in shock at the girl who had spoken. She looked about 16, she was absolutely gorgeous with light brown shimmery hair, stunning violet eyes, high cheekbones, and a body any girl would kill for. This, of course, was the first thing Xander noticed as he stared at her in wonder. The girl noticed this and spun around, telling him, “Fat chance, I’m WAY out of your league.”
She was wearing a necklace but the charm was tucked under her square-necked green shirt. The four friends stared at her in amazement. There was something about her that was strange to Angel. * Is she a vampire? * He thought, looking over her. * Could be. *
“You guys really shouldn’t worry so much, Buffy’s going to be fine.” She put in, ignoring their amazed faces.
“What did you say?” Angel snarled involuntarily.
“God! Calm down, Dead Boy!” She huffed. Xander burst out laughing at her choice of words. Everyone turned to stare at him. “I’m saying nothing-I have nothing to say.”
“How did you know I’m a vampire?” Angel asked her. She rolled her eyes at him, “PLEASE! I think I can tell a vampire apart from normal people! I’ve been dealing with them my entire life, and trust me, that’s a LONG time. But you’re different.” She continued. “You have a soul.” Her words were almost accusing.
Giles, Willow, and Xander were all silent; they were confused beyond belief. “How do you know about my Buffy?” Angel asked her. The word ‘my’ was not lost on her. In answer she simply shrugged. “I’m a witch.” Was all she said.
“Uh-Good or bad?” Xander broke in. Once again she shrugged, “I suppose it depends on what mood I’m in.”
It was Willow’s turn to join the conversation. “Well, are you going to help us or just stand there ticking us off.” Willow couldn’t believe those words had come from her mouth, apparently no one else could either.
The witch hesitated, “I’m considering helping you, if I don’t Buffy will die.”
“I thought you just said she’s going to be fine!” Giles gasped. “She’s going to be fine for now, but Spike has a lot more in store for her and Angel, he won’t let her die just yet.” Everyone looked at each other, not sure what to do. The witch spoke again, “He’s got you guys bugged, I’ve turned them off for now so he’s not recording this conversation.”
Spike and the boss were confused. “What the hell is wrong with this thing?!” Spike exploded when they started picking up nothing but static. “I-I don’t know.” The boss answered. “It should be working fine.” “Well, fix it, now!” Spike had completely lost his patience. The boss ran over to fix the transmitter and Drusilla ran over to calm her ‘Pet’.
Giles looked at the witch in confusion. “How’d he bug us?” The witch shook her head. “Not you. Them.” She motioned toward Xander and Willow. “He got a couple people to get the bugs on you somehow.” “Someone hit me in the hall today.” Xander put in. “Me too.” Willow added. “That would do it.” The witch nodded. Willow suddenly gasped. “Buffy! Somebody hit her too! Is she bugged?” The witch shook her head and explained how the device that was put on Buffy could affect her.
Angel’s eyes grew wide with anger and he felt his face shift. “I’LL KILL HIM.” He ground out. His tone was positively lethal.
“Easy, big guy.” The witch tried unsuccessfully to calm him. “Not in public places, especially here; they’ll think you’re an accident victim or something.”
Angel managed to get his face to shift back with some struggling. “But where are these bugs?” Willow asked, looking over herself, Xander did the same. The witch shook her head. “They’re microscopic and probably already under your skin.” Xander shuddered. “Eeeeeeeeewwwwww!!!!!!”
“Who are you?” Angel asked. The witch smiled, “Let’s just say…I’m a friend.” Angel instantly recognized that line from the first time he and Buffy met. “Psychic! Don’t pull that on me! Who are you?”
The beautiful girl smiled softly. “I have many names, but I suppose I’m most often called Zersha.” The name immediately clicked in Giles and he gasped in surprise. “Dear Lord!” Everyone stared at him. “Oh you’ve heard of me?” Zersha teased, knowing very well that he would recognize the name.
“What?” Willow, Xander, and Angel asked simultaneously. “She’s the strongest witch that ever lived.” “Guess that means we should get on her good side, huh?” Xander put in. Willow nodded frantically. Zersha smiled. Angel was confused, “Why are you helping us?”
Zersha sighed, “I gotta watch out for my sisters.” She got blank stares in return. “I suppose the name Marie might help?” She turned to Giles. Recognition flashed in his eyes. “Marie Golden?” Zersha/Marie nodded. “Who is she?” Angel asked. Giles stuttered. “A-a-a Slayer.”
Willow wrinkled her brow. “But there’s only one per generation.” “Uh-uh.” Xander cut in. “Remember Kendra?” “Yeah, but that was only after Buffy died.” Willow added. Giles shook his head. “Marie Golden died hundreds of years ago.” Everyone turned to look at Zersha/Marie.
They couldn’t believe it; she actually looked embarrassed. “I, uh, I kinda sold my soul.” Everyone blinked. “Well, ya know, when things got kinda rough…I get three chances, the third time I die I stay dead.”
Angel blinked again. “Why on Earth would you sell your soul?” Zersha sighed and looked closely at Angel. “Hey! I remember you!” She looked for recognition but found none. “You almost killed me once.” She added. Something dark flashed in Angel’s eyes. He remembered her now.
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In Paris he and Darla had attacked hundreds of people on the street, he remembered Zersha’s face clearly now, he remembered grabbing her neck and preparing to feed, he remembered someone yelling ‘Jeanne! No!’, he remembered her kneeing him in the groin then twisting the arm that held her neck until it broke.
He shuddered, then winced at the memory. Angel opened her eyes and looked into her face. “Jeanne?” He asked weakly. She nodded and raised an eyebrow as if to laugh at him, “I see your arm healed.”
“Oh, God, I’m so sorry.”
Zersha nodded, “I know.”
Angel explained the scene to Giles, Willow, and Xander, who burst out laughing. Angel evil-eyed him and he shut up. Willow decided it was her turn to speak. “But that doesn’t explain why you sold your soul.”
Zersha bit her lip as she felt everyone’s eyes on her. “It’s a long story but, well, I did it to save my boyfriend.” Xander’s face fell at the mention of a boyfriend. Giles burst in, “Oh! Your Watcher was always complaining about your boyfriend in her journal.”
Zersha winced, “Tell me about it. Anyway I was offered a trade, my soul for his life.” “How romantic!” Willow sighed. Zersha smiled softly. “Then again, I never did have very good luck with men.”
“What do you mean?” Xander asked. Zersha cast her eyes downward. “Right after I sold my soul to save his life, he ditched me, he couldn’t hack the whole Slayer thing.”
“Asshole!” Xander exploded.
“What a jerk!” Angel added.
“So much for romance.” Willow mumbled.
Zersha looked up at Giles. “What did it say in her journal?” Giles looked shocked. “I-it said that your boyfriend killed you.” Everyone gasped. Zersha slowly nodded. “He did. Another thing he couldn’t hack. I get three chances, remember? He kinda freaked when I rose from my coffin. That death of mine called the next Slayer so there were no questions asked about my selling my soul or being immortal. And my Watcher never even knew I was a witch.”
Angel shook his head sadly. “What about Buffy, though? I’m in the mood to whoop some Spike-ass.” Zersha laughed then closed her eyes a moment. “The doctor will come out in 5-4-3-2-…”
Doctor Smythe walked toward them. Angel strangely trusted Zersha, so he knew Buffy was at least alive, but he shot up anyway. “H-how is she?”
Doctor Smythe shook his head in bewilderment. “She’s alive.” He sounded amazed. “I can’t believe it. There barely was a chance for survival but she made it.”
Relief flooded over Angel’s face. “Can I see her?” The doctor paused to consider, then nodded his head. “Just for a minute.” * After all, any fool could see how much he loves that girl. * He thought. Angel darted toward the door and Doctor Smythe hurried to catch up.
Willow went off to try and call Buffy’s mom again while Xander and Giles sat down. They looked up at Zersha. “What do we do now?” Giles asked. Zersha sighed. “I’m going to have to turn on the devices again so Spike doesn’t get too suspicious; you’ll have to really watch what you say now that you know the truth. Spike’s trying to kill two birds with one stone here.” Xander looked confused. “The way he sees it, he’s going to kill the Slayer and make Angel suffer both at the same time.”
“Oh.”
“I’m going to turn the devices back on now so PLEASE watch what you say.” Both men nodded resolutely. Zersha waved her hand.
“Spike!” The boss yelled. “I got the devices working again!” “Well, it’s about time!” Spike snarled. They both listened but nothing much was said.
Zersha nodded to the two men and in the blink of an eye she was gone. Willow walked up to them just then but before she could speak Xander hushed her and grabbed a pen to scribble down a quick note; Shhh! Zersha turned the bugs back on. We need to be very careful about what we say now. She just left.
Willow nodded her head in understanding and the three of them came up with a conversation to please Spike.
Angel and the doctor made their way through the corridors. When the doctor stopped in front of one of the doors Angel instantly rushed inside. Once again the doctor left them to be alone.
“Buffy, how are you feeling?” Angel knelt down next to her and took her hand. “Like shit.” She said truthfully. Angel gently kissed her hand. “You know, Angel, my mouth’s a lot more fun to kiss.” She grinned and he smiled softly as his lips came down to kiss hers. She thrilled at the tenderness of his kiss. Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck.
The kiss broke off. “Buffy, the doctor said I could only stay for a minute.” “Fuck him.” Buffy pulled Angel down for another kiss. Angel smiled. “You know I’d love to stay with you 24 hours a day but you DO need your rest.”
Surprisingly Buffy sighed and nodded. Angel kissed her once more and then left her to sleep.
Angel stepped out into the hall and nearly collided with the doctor. “Oh!” He said. “I was just coming to get you.” “She’s tired, she needs her rest.” Angel explained. Doctor Smythe nodded. “So do you, son.” Angel’s head shot up; it had been so long since anyone had called him ‘son’, ‘son of a bitch’ maybe, but not ‘son’.
“Don’t take it the wrong way or anything.” The doctor continued, misinterpreting Angel’s surprised look. “You really do need some sleep, you look beat. Don’t worry about Buffy, we’ll take good care of her.”
Angel slowly nodded. It was almost sunrise; he’d better hurry home if he didn’t want to fit an ashtray. “I suppose you’re right, it has been a rather ‘stressful’ evening to say the least.” The doctor snorted. “I’ll say! You should have seen the looks on your face. You’re too young for that kind of pressure. Get out, enjoy yourself! But I will tell you this, I know how much you must love her so you don’t have to follow any of the visiting hours, come whenever you like.”
“Thank you. I’ll take advantage of that.” Angel replied wearily. “I should really get going.” He stepped out into the waiting room and was about to say, ‘Where’s the witch?’. But before he could utter a syllable Xander thrust a paper under his nose, he read it and understood what it meant. They made up some more mindless chatter to please Spike but Angel had to leave.
He just barely made it into his apartment before the sun rose over Sunnydale. He immediately picked up the phone and dialed a fancy florist. He then remembered Buffy’s sweet tooth and dialed a candy shop to deliver lots and lots of tasty treats. He hoped it would make up for his absence today. He would make it to the hospital that night the minute the sun set. He next called the jewelers and made sure everything would be delivered sometime today. After thinking a bit, he put in one more call. With nothing to do but sit and wait, that’s exactly what he did.
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