Chapter Seven - Visit
"Get her up to the med. ward immediately." Giles's curt tone sent the little employees scurrying to obey, without questioning his authority. The pale girl in the roller bed was pushing back into the elevator, the dark man at her side never looking up from her face. Wiping off his glasses once more, he looked up into the face of Angel, wearing an even more troubled expression than usual. "We've got a problem Rupert."
"So I hear."
"Willow thinks it would be best to leave them be. That, uh, the slayers be left to the fate written for them." At the skeptical glance he received, he added, "That's what she said."
"My, this place really does corrupt the mind. Must look into it." With a wry smile at the sheepish vampire, he led the way to the medical ward, his mind burdened with worry over both of his Slayers.
********
Satisfied with Faith's new surroundings, Robin Wood looked over to the next bed where the other Slayer lay, her vampire hovering over her. He had once hated this other...creature, but now found a level at which they could sympathize with the other; their loved ones were dying. Even so, he could not find the way to verbalize his feelings towards his former enemy. As usual, Faith would find the way. "So, what's new for you B?"
Buffy laughed a dry choking sound that twisted the hearts of all who heard it, heard the difference. "Nothing much. Dying's not all too new. Your first time, right?"
"Yeah. Have to say I'm a little disappointed. You always made it sound a lot better than it is."
"Well, Death's not it's all cracked up to be." She jerked her thumb in Spike's direction, "He knows."
The group shared a quiet smile, the solemnity and seriousness of the situation settling darkly. Wood spoke, "They say they're going to heal them."
Spike snorted, "The witch says otherwise."
"Willow?!"
He immediately regretted bringing it up, Buffy's agitation wasn't worth it. "It's nothing pet. Taking care of it."
"What about Willow?" Right then, Spike could've killed that ignorant bloke who dared continue such a touchy subject for his Slayer.
"It's nothing damn it! Haven't I told you that already?"
"You listen here Spike. This affects Faith too, and I'll be damned if I don't hear what's going to happen to her."
That, at least, he could respect. He wanted to protect her too, wanted to do what he could for her. He understood that. "We'll discuss the witch later mate."
Wood found a similar understanding; it had been foolish to bring up such a touchy subject in front of the ill ones. "Yeah. Later."
"So B, we've yet to hear the grand story of how you and Spike are...not dead."
"You see, the poof came along one day..."
********
"Angel says you have no intention of restoring Buffy and Faith."
"That's not true...exactly."
"Then what is?"
"She doesn't want to be here Giles. Why does no one see that? She's told us herself; she doesn't want to live. She was in heaven, and I took that from her. It'll be better for everybody; we'll have more Slayers, and-"
"You mean Kennedy will be a Slayer." Giles shook his head sadly, "Sometimes I wonder if it is you, Willow, who is blind. Can't you see who Buffy is? What she's become? She's not like that anymore, she has something to live for."
"God, Giles. Don't you think this is hard for me? I don't want to see my best friend die! It's not just about Kennedy. It's about Buffy, not too long ago she was going on about how much she hated living. And now she doesn't?"
The time had come for the final acceptance of his Slayer's choice. "Yes. She has a reason to go on living. Spike, as much as I hate to admit it, he loves her, and she him. You know, I'm rather surprised by you Willow; I thought that out of all of us, you would be the first to understand."
"So...we will save them."
"Yes."
"Good. No matter what you or anyone else thinks, Giles, I don't want to lose my best friend." With these parting words, the little redheaded witch turned away with a small smile, heading down the long and polished corridor.
********
"And so that's how good ol' Spike saved the day."
"So how'd you end up here?"
"As interested in that answer I am, we have more pressing matters to attend to." Buffy smiled at her Watcher, the joy he felt at seeing her alive again in his eyes shone through even his worn lenses. "Your cure, for lack of a better phrase, is being prepared as we speak. It seems that Willow was under the impression you had no wish to remain among us. The living that is. Or unliving as the case may be," he added hastily after receiving a rather poisonous look from Spike.
"Hello, what about Faith here? Don't my wishes have any say in here? What if I don't want to die? 'Cause I sure as hell don't! Anyone else wanna die?!"
The brunette Slayer was close to launching herself out of bed to find the offending witch, while Wood gently eased her thin body back down, her chest heaving with the exertion. As soon as that side of the room was calm again, a crash was heard from the opposite bed. "I'm sick of this." Unlike normal, she was quiet in her anger, perhaps because of the sickness that hindered her movement. "I'm sick of being in this freaking bed, sick of doing absolutely NOTHING, sick of everyone ELSE doing absolutely NOTHING, I'm sick of dying, and I'm sick of the FOOD in this bloody place!"
Giles couldn't help but try to suppress his smile. Failing miserably, he resorted to hiding behind his handkerchief. Spike, however, hid his amusement better, gently soothing a now quietly sobbing Buffy. He protected her from view of the others, her anguish causing his own pain. "I don't want to die Spike. I don't want to die." She repeated herself over and over, as if saying it would make it all go away.
"I know luv. I know, and I won't let you die. I can't, 'cause where would leave me? All alone and Buffyless. I won't let you die. I promise. I won't let you." He repeated himself over and over, trying to convince her of his words. Her sobs died down, as her eyes closed tiredly.
“Wow,” Faith said, after it was calm again, “Didn’t know B did that.”
Spike turned his head to her, half-snarling in defense of his Slayer. “Did what?”
The cheeky girl smirked at the defensive vampire, amused by his reactions, only to agitate him further. “Didn’t know she did what?”
“Cried.”
********
“Kennedy?”
“Hey.”
“Yeah, um, hi. I was talking to Giles about Buffy and Faith and the whole Slayer deal.”
“So they’re going to let us stay Slayers, right?”
“Not exactly.”
“What do you mean? They’re just going to take it away? We’re the Slayers! You can’t tell me they want us to give that up and be normal again? Well I won’t! I’m a Slayer, and I’m not going back!”
“If you don’t they’ll die!”
“It’s just two people Willow. Just two for thousands of Slayers around the world. I’m a Slayer Willow, finally after sitting in the ‘well you might be one’ hellhole of the Potentials. I can’t go back, I won’t. They can’t ask me to give that up.”
“Then you’re asking for Buffy and Faith to give their lives. Is that what you want?”
The dark haired girl sat silent for a moment, belligerent and sulky. “Is that what you want Kennedy? For my best friend to die? For you?” She remained silent under the questioning of her angered girlfriend. “Is it?”
She looked up, brows furrowed in determination, “If that what it takes to stay a Slayer, then yes.”
Willow looked shocked, her eyes shining with both anger and disappointment. Her expression softened for a moment, just before her eyes flashed darkly, and her palms raised towards the sitting girl. “I’m sorry Kennedy.”
Kennedy looked up, then there was a brief flash of light, and the Slayer slumped on the bed, still in her unconsciousness. “But I’m afraid I can’t let you make that decision.” Sitting on the bed beside the now passed out Slayer, Willow reached for the phone, dialing the number to Giles’s cell. “Giles? Yes. Kennedy didn’t’ exactly like the idea. Of course. No, I, uh, I took care of it. Magic, of course. Not exactly Slayer strong here. I need someone to take care of her. I don’t think she’ll need restraints. Yes, I know she’s a Slayer. Fine. Yeah. Bye, Giles.” She hung up, the phone clicking into place on it’s cradle. Stroking Kennedy’s long hair, she waited, the only sound in the room was her voice.
“I’m sorry Kennedy. I’m sorry, but I won’t kill my best friend. Not even for you.”
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