Title: Tumblin' Down 2/?
Author: Elisabeth
Email: dragonydreams@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.dragonydreams.com/
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Willow/Giles
Summary: What if Riley hadn't been there to pull Willow out of harm's way during "Wild at Heart"?
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership over these characters. I am merely borrowing them from Joss et al.
Distribution: My site, the usual lists, anyone with previous permission. Anyone else - please ask.
Feedback: Yes please! It makes me happy and keeps me writing.
Author's Note: Thanks to my wonderful Betas for all of your help and encouragement.
Willow was surprised by how quickly her week in the hospital flew by. Her surgery had been a rousing success with no complications. Upon waking she noticed a considerable lessening of pain in her hip, for which she was thankful.
Willow easily fell into a routine for the rest of her time at the hospital. She had her physical therapy sessions starting the day after surgery to get her used to using her hip again. Of course, that first day her exercises consisted only of moving from the bed to a chair and back again.
Her friends also seemed to set up a visitation schedule. Xander would stop by before work to give Willow a cheery outlook for the day. Giles would stop by mid-morning with her textbooks and whatever tome he was working his way through at the moment. They'd talk comfortably at times and sometimes just work on their separate "assignments" until Buffy showed up after class with Willow's new assignments. Giles would politely excuse himself, leaving the girls to chat. Buffy would then catch Willow up on the latest gossip and her progress with the psych TA, Riley Finn.
One thing Willow refused to talk to anyone about was Oz. She wouldn't explain what had her so distracted that she wouldn't notice a car speeding up the street towards her. Nor would she explain how this was connected to why she wouldn't talk about Oz. Buffy had gone to talk to Oz, despite Willow's wishes that he not know about the accident, to find that he'd suddenly left town, the day of Willow's accident.
The time that Giles spent away from the hospital was spent fixing up his home. He was practically giddy at the prospect of Willow living with him. He cleaned his home from top to bottom. He aired out the spare bedroom as it hadn't been used in a long time. He made certain that all of the outlets worked properly and there was one near the bed, or at least an extension cord, so that Willow could use her laptop when she was too tired to get up. He bought new sheets and remade the bed in colors that he thought she'd like. Buffy and Xander helped him to get together enough of Willow's belongings and clothing to keep her comfortable during her stay. He even stocked up on the types of food that he knew Willow preferred.
Finally the day came for Willow to leave the hospital. Buffy and Xander had wanted to go with Giles to pick her up, but fearing that having so many people around fussing over her would upset Willow, Giles insisted he go alone. Therefore he asked them to wait at his apartment, be the Welcoming Committee as it were. At the prospect of making paper banners to strew about Giles' apartment they readily agreed.
Giles was shamed to notice that his palms were slightly damp. He felt like he was picking up his high school sweetheart for their first date, not picking up his young charge. Then again, Willow was no ordinary charge… far from it.
Willow was dressed and waiting in a wheelchair when Giles arrived at the hospital. Her bag was packed and sitting on the bed. Her new light-weight metal crutches were resting against the bed. The only reason she was in the wheelchair was because of hospital policy.
A wide toothy grin split her face when Giles entered the room and he felt his heart skip a beat, knowing that smile was for him.
"Are we ready?" he inquired.
"Are we ever," Willow virtually bounced in her chair. "I am so sick of hospital food. And hospital beds… not the most comfortable. And if you thought dorms were noisy, you've never had to sleep with all of the beeping machines and intercom announcements and people crying out in pain."
"Well then, let's get you out of here. Do you have everything?"
"Yep. My stuff's on the bed and I'm all checked out."
"Shall I call an orderly to wheel you out or may I do the honors?"
"No orderlies required. Just hand over my bag and crutches and let's blow this pop stand."
Giles did as was requested, doing his best to suppress the grin threatening to spread across his face. He felt this was a good sign - Willow allowing him to push her wheelchair - to accept his help. In the garage he helped her into his ancient car, quickly stowing her belongings in the back seat.
The drive to his apartment wasn't long, but somewhat awkward in its quiet. Each was lost in their own thoughts. Finally Giles cleared his throat when they were a few blocks from the building.
"I hope you will be comfortable. I don't know how much your friends have told you, but they brought over some of your belongings, including your laptop, to make you feel at home."
"I'm sure it'll be fine, Giles," Willow told him. "It's not like it's going to be forever, just until I can move around easier on my own."
Luckily Willow had turned back to look out the window and missed the frown that crossed Giles' face. He didn't like the idea that Willow seemed to see him merely as some sort of convalescent home.
He pushed his more melancholy thoughts aside as he pulled into his parking space behind his apartment. He was extremely grateful at the moment that his spot was level with the apartment so that Willow could avoid the steps down into the courtyard.
"Hey, where are we?" Willow asked, noticing Giles was parking the car.
"My apartment," he confirmed, turning off the car. "That's right, you've never arrived this way before."
"No," Willow agreed. "We've always come in through the front door."
"Wait right there," Giles insisted as he exited the vehicle. He quickly moved around to open Willow's door for her, assisting her to stand. As she held onto the door and roof for support Giles fetched Willow's crutches from the back seat and handed them to her. Once he was certain that she was able to maneuver the crutches, Giles led the way into the apartment.
"Welcome home," he softly said, allowing Willow enter ahead of him.
Willow smiled and entered her temporary home. Her smile grew as she entered the living room. It was covered in paper streamers and a big Welcome Home banner was hanging from the loft.
"Buffy! Xander! Where are you guys?" she playfully called out.
A moment later they came running down the stairs from Giles' bedroom. His smile immediately faltered.
"Welcome home, Wills," Xander exclaimed, bounding over to his best friend, enveloping her in a hug.
Buffy moved behind Willow and joined the hug. "Welcome home," she added.
"Home?" Willow giggled.
Releasing the redhead, Buffy shrugged one shoulder, "Well, your home away from home."
"And I do hope that you'll feel like this is your home Willow," Giles warmly stated, resting his hand on Willow's shoulder. Willow smiled at him again and he felt his spirits lift. So it was with a light heart, despite the stern voice, that he turned on Buffy and Xander. "And what were you two doing in my bedroom?"
He was answered by two bowed heads. Xander finally said, "We were just hiding."
"Yeah," Buffy agreed. "It's not like we started rifling through your drawers trying to answer the age old question."
Xander elbowed the slayer in the side as Giles looked down his nose at the blonde. "And what question is that?"
"Boxers or briefs?" Buffy grinned.
Giles' face whitened at the thought of these two rifling through his undergarments.
After a beat Buffy let him off the hook. "Just kidding Giles."
The ex-watcher let out a sigh of relief, not noticing Willow's raised eyebrow, nor Buffy's air drawing of a box and the girls' shared conspiratorial smile.
"So, Giles," Willow said, trying to hide the giggle that was trying to burst forth. "You gonna show me my new digs or what?"
Starting out of his embarrassment, Giles turned to Willow. "Please forgive me, you must want to relax. Allow me to show you to your quarters."
'Show you to your quarters,' Xander mouthed to his friends. Doing his best at impersonating an English accent he said, "Yes, Jeeves, show us the way."
Giles thought about retorting, but decided that it would be pointless. With one faltering step Giles led the procession to Willow's new room.
With a flourish Giles opened the door, which also had a handmade sign on the door proclaiming it to be Willow's Room.
Willow hesitantly hobbled into the room, curious to see where she'd be living for the next however-many weeks. A small gasp escaped her lips as she took in the room. Artfully placed around the room were Willow's belongings from the dorm. Her laptop was open on a breakfast tray on the bed. As she moved further into the room she peeked into the closet to find it full of her clothes and she suspected that the dresser would be full as well. Her smile faded when she noticed what was on the bedside table – a photo of Oz.
"It's great Giles," Willow finally said, managing to sound like her perky self.
Having noticed Willow's momentary frown, he asked, "Except?"
"Can you please get rid of that?" Willow gestured towards the picture of Oz.
"Of course," Giles agreed, removing said object. He was beginning to get a clearer picture of what happened that fateful day. Buffy and Xander exchanged a curious look, getting a similar idea about why this happened to Willow, but held their tongues.
"I'm actually kinda pooped. Do you guys mind cutting the visit short so I can get some rest?" Willow asked, sitting on the bed.
"No prob," Xander said, giving Willow a hug before loping out of the room.
"We'll come by tomorrow," Buffy said, giving Willow a quick hug and a sad smile.
Giles escorted the two out and returned to Willow's room. He nervously stood outside the door, lightly knocking to acknowledge his presence.
"Come in Giles," Willow tiredly said. "It's your home after all."
"That may be, but this is your space and I will respect that."
"Thanks," Willow quietly said.
"Do you need help with anything? Can I get anything for you – something to eat or drink?"
"No," Willow shook her head. "I think I'm just gonna take a nap."
"As you like." Giles crossed the room to move the breakfast tray off the bed, setting it off to the side. "Do you want your nightshirt from the hospital or a fresh one?"
"A fresh one would be great," Willow said, the color rising on her cheeks.
Willow watched as Giles moved to the dresser and pulled a nightshirt from a drawer. Willow thought she could almost see him blushing as he handed the garment to her.
"I-is there a-ny-thing else y-you need?" he stuttered.
"Nope, I think I'm good. I'll give a holler if I think of anything."
"Yes, of course, holler." He backed out of the room, closing the door behind him. He stayed leaning against the doorjamb with his eyes closed for several minutes as he unsuccessfully tried not to image Willow changing into her nightshirt. He could hear her slight whimpers of discomfort as she eased her clothes off. He desperately wanted to go in and assist her, but knew that he couldn't. When it sounded like she was finally lying in bed, Giles pushed himself away from the door and headed to the kitchen to make tea.