Stuck In The Feedback Loop
by Jamie
Epilogue
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Willow awoke with a start. The gentle beep of the HRM filled the room, and a gentle breeze floated in through a partially open window. The red head jumped up and ran over to Buffy's bedside. The blonde lay with various drips attached to her hands, and blood pumping in from a machine next to her, which whirred every minute or so. Willow knelt down and buried her face in Buffy's pale hand.
"I'm so sorry," She said in a hushed breath, in between quiet sobs. "You just wanted to help, to be my friend, and I failed you. I'm so sorry." She kissed Buffy's palm, and got up to walk back to her seat.
"You didn't fail me, Wil." A voice came from behind her. Willow spun around quickly and was about to strike out when she saw who it was. Buffy was standing there, in an ethereal sort of light. Willow could swear she saw little spots of light dancing around her.
"Buffy..." Willow said quietly, and trailed off. The apparition in front of her shrugged.
"Yeah, it's me. Sort of." Buffyghost said, looking at herself. Her translucent body shimmered and immediately Willow went to her. She seemed so fragile, as if the smallest breeze would scatter her.
"How...?" Willow asked. She was still stuck on monosyllabic words at the moment.
"I dunno, astral projection?" Buffyghost said quietly, and smiled faintly. "I don't think I have long." As if to prove her point, she seemed to become more see-through.
"I'm sorry Buffy," Willow said, forcing the words through her choked throat.
"Don't be, you did all you could. Besides, I might pull out of this sooner or later. Weird things happen all the time here."
"I'm beginning to notice that." The two girls smiled. Buffyghost walked up to Willow and stroked the side of her face. The red haired Slayer had imagined Buffy's touch to be cold, but instead she felt a warmth spread through her like never before, kind of like when you come in from the snow and take a gulp of hot chocolate. Willow closed her eyes under the touch, and she felt Buffy's lips brush her own. This time instead of warmth, she felt a strange sense of euphoria. She opened her eyes after a second, and found herself looking into the eyes of a woman she hadn't known existed up until a few days ago, and who she now thought she...loved? Was it possible to fall in love in a matter of days? Willow didn't know, all she knew...all she felt, for this remarkable girl was unlike anything she'd felt for anyone before, even her parents.
"I love you," Willow breathed. For a moment, Buffyghost seemed to become more solid, more real. But the translucency returned as quickly as it had left.
"I know," Buffy said, and let her head move forward. Willow did the same, and their foreheads touched. That simple action said more than words ever could, and Willow brought her arms up so that she was embracing Buffy.
"Stay with me?" She said quietly.
"Always," Buffy replied, although her voice had taken on a more echoey, more spirit-like tone. Willow closed her eyes and tightened her hold. They stayed like that for long seconds, until when Willow opened her eyes, there was no one there.
"I love you too," A voice on the wind seemed to breathe. Willow closed her eyes and let tears escape from her eyes. She went back to her seat then, and pulled it to the bed. She grasped Buffy's hand in her own, and leant her head on her arm, even as the HRM flatlined, and the doctors rushed in.
Estremità... per ora.
Continued in 'Stuck In The Feedback Loop'