Winter Of Discontent 13
Author: Gileswench
Contact: gileswench@yahoo.com
Feedback: Constructive criticism always welcome. Praise abjectly sought.
Disclaimer: It all belongs to Joss, Mutant Enemy, etc., etc., etc. I
just let them have all the fun Joss won't. I own nothing except my
twisted mind which you really don't want. Please don't sue.



When Giles was finally allowed to see Buffy, he sat by her side and
took her hand. He watched her sleeping, unsure whether it was better
that she sleep or that she be awake. Asleep, she looked at peace.
Awake, he had no idea how she would react to him. He reached out to
smooth a stray lock of hair from her face. He could feel tears welling
up in his eyes. Regret, fear, anger at himself all wrapped themselves
around his heart, constricting it painfully.

"I'm so sorry, luv," he whispered. "So very sorry."

"For what?" came an unexpected, and sleepy, reply.

"Buffy? How are you feeling?"

"Confused, mostly. And sort of unhappy about this whole being in the
hospital again thing. And then there's the part that feels like I want
to sleep for a week."

"That would be the sedative."

"Makes me groggy," she complained half heartedly. "Makes me have to ask
again why you're apologizing, 'cause I don't think you answered before.
Or maybe I just didn't hear it."

Giles gave a quick, tight smile. Buffy sounded so much like the child
she'd been when he first met her. Part of him wished he could take her
back to that simpler time and wrap her in a protective spell so she
would never have to deal with all the stresses and pains of her current
life. He stroked her cheek softly.

"I'm sorry for what I did this evening. For hurting you."

Buffy shook her head stubbornly.

"Takes two to tango, and I was tangoing just as hard as you."

"But we nearly..."

She pressed her fingers to his lips before he could finish.

"But we didn't. Your first Father's Day is going to happen right on
schedule. Dr. Shields said. As soon as she finished lecturing me on the
dangers of adding chapters to the Kama Sutra when I only just got out
of the hospital. You?"

"I believe the current phrase would be that she tore me a new one."

"And I bet you just sat there and let her do it, too."

"I felt it best to take my lumps now."

"Poor lumpy Rupert."

"Deservedly chagrined Rupert is more like it."

"Stop that."

"Stop what?"

"Being guilty guy. I'm too tired to make it better right now."

Giles smiled slightly at that and leaned over to kiss her forehead.

"You should get some rest, luv."

"You're not leaving?"

"Just for a bit. I need to bully the staff into giving me a cot so I
can stay with you."

"Go get 'em, tiger."

He kissed her fingertips, and she rewarded him with a sleepy smile.

"Come right back," she ordered.

"Always."

*****

"Is it just me, or are we all spending way too much time in hospitals,
lately?" Cordelia asked.

Xander shrugged.

"If they gave frequent flyer miles for the ER, we'd all be on our way
to Hawaii as soon as the Summers women are healthy."

"Stop it, you guys," Willow said. "Buffy's in there maybe losing her
baby right now. It's not a time for jokes."

Her face crumpled as she moved to hide it in Tara's shoulder.

"It's okay, Willow," she crooned. "They didn't mean anything by it.
Right guys?"

At her severe look, Cordelia and Xander both gulped slightly.

"We're worried, too, Willow," Cordelia said. "I guess that's just how
we deal. I want Buffy to be okay, too."

"Yeah, Will," Xander agreed. "And you know how I am with the
insensitivity."

"He's afraid that if he's too serious, you'll all think he's just a
girly-man," Anya added helpfully. "He's not. He's very manly."

Xander squeezed his girlfriends' shoulder.

"I don't think that needs defending right now, An."

"Did Rupert say what happened?" Crystal asked, more to stop any further
discussion of Xander's manliness than anything else.

Wesley shook his head.

"Just that Buffy was in hospital and might lose the baby."

The crew lapsed into a miserable silence as they awaited news. When
Giles entered the room with a weary step, they all looked to him sadly.
Cordelia was the first to reach him.

"Oh God, don't tell me. I'm so, so sorry, Giles."

She rested a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. Willow began to sob
against Tara's shoulder, and even Xander rubbed at a suspicious
moisture in his eyes.

Giles took in the sight of his grieving friends with a bewildered
expression.

"What in heaven's name are you all carrying on about? Buffy's going to
be fine."

"But...but the baby..." Crystal began.

"Is fine, as well. It was a bit of a scare, and the doctors want Buffy
to stay overnight as a precaution, but really, everything's alright."

Cordelia socked Giles lightly on the arm.

"So what's with the doom and gloom face? You scared us. You made me say
something sympathetic in public."

"And mere words cannot express the depth of my contrition."

"Guys, guys," Xander said, "to your own corners before the referee
stops this match. So Buffy's okay?"

"Yes, she is," Giles reassured him. "And so is the baby. And I'm sorry
I look like someone died, but I've had a long day and a longer night. I
promise I shall be as cheerful as you like in the morning."

Leo looked sharply at Giles.

"Why don't I take you down to the cafeteria and stand you to a cup of
tea?"

"I have to get back to Buffy...."

"You can take a few minutes, Rupert. Come on, it'll do you the world of
good."

Refusing to listen to his friends' protests, Leo steered him down the
corridor.

As soon as they were gone, Willow stood and wiped her eyes.

"Buffy shouldn't be alone. I'm gonna go see her."

"Will, Giles will be right back."

"God, Xander is that all you think Buffy cares about? She almost lost
the baby, and - and she's all alone. I'm going."

She took a step, but found Xander in her path.

"Will, do you have any idea who's on duty at that desk? Nurse Cross,
AKA the Dragon Lady. She won't let you in. It's family only."

"We're Buffy's family. You and me."

"Not according to blood or marriage, and that's what Nurse Cross goes
by. In her rule book, the only ones who can go in are Giles and
Crystal. Give it up, Will. You can see her tomorrow when she comes
home. Maybe it's better for her if we let her rest a little, anyway."

"Crystal? How come she can go in and we can't?"

"Stepmother. As in Buffy's. As in the woman who married the Buff's
father. As in there's a connection. One even the Dragon Lady has to
recognize."

"But it's not fair!"

"Willow, calm down," Tara told her. "Buffy's okay, and she'll be home
tomorrow. You'll see her then. She'll understand why you couldn't come
tonight."

"Stop it! Stop treating me like I'm a little kid! You don't want me to
see Buffy at all do you? Why? And - and - you have a fat, stupid butt,
Xander!"

Xander and Tara watched with twin expressions of shock as Willow turned
and ran down a corridor. Cordelia folded her arms across her chest and
shook her head.

"She so needs to take a pill. What's her bipolar disorder?"

Anya looked critically at her boyfriend's rear end.

"That's certainly not fat. And how can buttocks be stupid? Or smart?
They don't have brains."

Wesley stood.

"Something is clearly troubling Willow. I think I'd best go see what it
is."

While the others were all distracted, Crystal slipped down the hall to
Buffy's room.

*****

Leo set a Styrofoam cup in front of Giles. An unpleasant odor arose
with the steam to assault his nose.

"Are you sure that's tea, Leo? Or did a vat of creosote die in here?"

"My money is on the creosote theory. At least it doesn't encourage
people to linger over their caffeine."

"This is ghastly stuff," Giles said, pushing it away.

"It's just a prop, as they say in show business. What's wrong, Rupert?"

"With the tea? Ask the staff. I didn't order it."

"With you. Buffy's going to be fine, the baby is safe, and you look
like you've just seen Banqo's ghost."

Giles stared stubbornly into his tea until the smell forced him to push
it away again. When he spoke, it was in a sorrowful voice.

"You have no idea how apt that analogy is. I could have killed the baby
tonight. My first, and very likely only, child. I just...I knew we'd
gone too far, but I couldn't stop. I couldn't keep my hands off her. I
haven't been so far out of control since..." his jaw clenched and he
pulled his glasses off. "I can't be like that again. Not now."


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