Title: Waiting 2/4
Author: Morrwen
Rating: PG – 13 (language)
Pairing: B/G
Distribution: Gabi (if she wants it). Anyone else…just ask. :)
Disclaimers: All for Joss and the network of the month club.
Spoilers: Season 5 through ‘Forever’
Feedback: Yes! Am willing to grovel for it. <G>
Dedication: To Savage and Gileswench – for all your efforts on GRB.
NOTE: The medical discussion is pure invention. I know absolutely nothing about medicine.
Buffy shifted in her chair slowly so as not to wake Dawn.
Dawn, Tara and Anya had arrived just over three hours ago and now Dawn was curled up next to Buffy finally sleeping.
What she herself wouldn’t give to just sleep.
Buffy let out a deep breath and looked down at her sleeping sister.
Buffy knew this was hard for her sister.
First their mother. Now Giles, who just happened to be Dawn’s new legal guardian.
Buffy had held her until Dawn had cried herself to sleep and now her legs were cramped from sitting and she simply had to do something other than sit and stare.
She whispered to Xander, who was sitting on the other side of Dawn, and he nodded.
She stroked her sister hair out of her face and gently nudged Dawn so she was leaning against Xander.
She got up and stretched, easing cramped muscles.
She started walking to the nurses’ station without even realising where she was going.
Willow’s tired voice stopped her. "Buffy, please, not again. The nurses at the desk all told you when word came down from the O. R., someone would let us know. I know you’re worried. We all are…but irritating the nurses won’t help us a whole lot, okay?"
Buffy didn’t answer.
She couldn’t.
She was physically and emotionally drained. Her mind repeating over and over ‘why now, why now, why now’.
She put her hands to her head and slowly turned to face Angel.
Her voice empty, desperate and her eyes glassy
"You were right. I should have told him."
She turned back and walked to the window, starring into the now bright sunshine, wondering how such a day dared be so beautiful.
Her voice became increasingly despondent and uncontrolled with each word she could no longer hold back.
"He’ll still wait won’t he, Angel? Its not too late is it. Please tell me he’ll wait. Please Angel…please tell me he’ll wait."
Buffy collapsed to the floor in tears.
Angel walked over to her, sank down next to her and simply let her cry, never saying a word.
Xander held still sleeping Dawn to him tightly as he watched one of his best friends start to fall apart, wishing he could do something for her.
He knew however that only one thing would pull her together again and that was a living, breathing Giles.
"Willow, do you think she means what I think she means?"
"Yea, Xand, I do. If she looses him too…" Willow stopped unable to continue and cried softly as Tara tried to soothe her.
A strong voice cut into room, "Is one of you a ‘Ms. Buffy Summers’?"
Buffy shot up, looked over at her family before taking a deep breath, drying her red eyes and turning to face her fate.
Her voice measured and deliberate. "I’m Buffy Summers. How…how is he? He’s okay isn’t he?"
The doctor reached out and shook her hand. "I’m Dr. Steins. Maybe we should go some place more private…."
Buffy walked over and sat down next to a now awake Dawn and Xander.
She held her sister’s hand as she stated, "This is our family. Giles’ and mine. They have the right to be here."
The doctor grabbed a chair and sat facing her.
"Let me give you a brief run-down of what’s going on with Mr. Giles and then if you still have questions, I will be happy to answer them. Alright?"
Buffy nodded while her heartbeat began a steady crescendo that she couldn’t control.
"The blow to the head Mr. Giles received was quite a severe one. Blood had begun seeping into the brain along the fracture to the skull. We needed to remove the blood deposits to relieve the pressure on the brain and to stop the bleeding. There were complications as some of the sutures didn’t hold and had to be replaced. He has been in recovery for an hour with no further occurrences. He lost a great deal of blood, which we are still replacing. The wound to his head took 22 stitches as well as 8 stitches to the wounds on his neck. He’s lucky to have made it this far."
Buffy shook her head tying to stop the constant pounding in her ears that was trying to drown out every other sound.
"Is he going to be okay? Please, just answer me." She could barely hear her own voice over the deafening beat of her heart.
The doctor sighed and answered the best way he knew how.
"I don’t know. He is completely unresponsive to any stimuli. We’ve no way to know if he will ever regain consciousness. His condition is listed as ‘grave’ and he will be moved to the Critical Care Unit within the next hour. I’m sorry I don’t bring better news."
He watched the young people in front of him as they realised just what he was telling them. Reactions ranged from disbelief to anger.
Xander was the first the find his voice. "A coma? Your saying Giles is in a coma?"
The doctor nodded his agreement.
"Oh man, this just can’t be happening." Xander gripped Anya’s hand to stop his from shaking.
The pounding in her ears had stopped.