Choose
by sailor80
Fourteen
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Thanks so much to everyone for the encouragement.
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon and a bunch of companies own the Buffyverse and its contents. I'm just playing there. No copyright infringement intended. Original characters are my own.
Fourteen
Giles cleared the table while Tara prepared what she would need for the locator spell. He spread the blueprints and anchored the corners with books. Before beginning the spell, Tara prayed that it would work. She drew a deep breath and was about to begin when Buffy slammed through the library doors.
When Buffy saw what they were doing, she said, "You felt it, too?"
Tara nodded.
"Something's wrong with Will."
"I know," Tara answered.
"Did Xander find what he was looking for?"
"Yes," Giles answered.
"Then we don't need the spell. Let's go." Buffy turned to leave. As she turned, she saw a pair of swords hanging on the wall and changed her direction. "That might be handy," she said, stretching in a vain attempt to reach one. Giles reached over her shoulder and lowered one sword to Buffy's level. He pulled the other down for himself.
Buffy let Giles lead she and Tara through the manor. He stopped in front of a door that looked no different than the others along the hallway. He tried to open it, but it was locked. He reached over the doorframe and moved his fingers along its length. There was a key in his hand when he pulled it down. Giles unlocked the door and pushed it open, then stepped aside to let Buffy go through first.
Tara passed through behind Buffy. Giles brought up the rear, stopping to close and lock the door behind them. He slipped the key into his pocket.
The passageway was a series of stairs, landings, and locked doors that the key opened. The last door was open. Buffy restrained herself from running through it when she heard the sounds coming from past it. She knew Willow was making them.
Buffy looked around. She felt nothing dangerous. There was a man lying face down near one wall, and Willow against the wall opposite him. Buffy dropped the sword and charged toward Willow.
Willow was still rocking herself and sobbing. There was a bloody patch on the wall where her head continued to strike it in a regular rhythm. Buffy knelt beside her. "Will?"
Willow didn't acknowledge her. Buffy moved one hand so Willow's head would hit it instead of the wall. She tried again to get the witch's attention. "Willow?"
Willow's head bounced off Buffy's palm. The squishing sound it made sent Buffy's stomach into a slow roll. She turned to find Tara kneeling beside her. Tara reached for Willow tentatively. She touched Willow's forearm.
Willow screamed, "No!"
Like Travers before, Tara was blown across the room. She knocked over Giles, who was examining Travers. They lay in a heap for a few moments, until Giles was able to help Tara sit up. She was shaking, her breathing uneven as she looked to Buffy.
Buffy was stunned. "You all right?"
Tara nodded, and Giles answered, "I think so."
"What about him?"
"Dead."
"Good." Buffy turned back to Willow. "Wills, it's Buffy," she said softly. "I know you're hurting, but we have to get you out of here."
Willow continued to rock. Her head rebounded from Buffy's hand every few seconds. She gave no indication that she was aware of anything around her.
Buffy continued talking quietly to her. "I need you to help me just a little, Wills. I'm going to move you away from the wall first, okay. Not far, just enough so I can pick you up." She leaned closer "I love you, Will. Please let me do this."
Buffy lowered the arm behind Willow until it went around her shoulders. The other went across her shins, then up her thigh to her hip. Buffy lifted Willow just enough to get her off the stones, and maneuvered her toward the center of the room. The entire time, she spoke in a low voice that was far calmer than she felt.
She sat Willow down again, and slowly unfolded her. She continued to talk in a voice just above a whisper, to soothe herself as much as Willow. Buffy gently separated Willow's arms and removed them from around her legs. She deliberately didn't look closely at Willow. Buffy gently stretched Willow's legs, repressing the spikes of rage that followed Willow's whimpers of pain. She arranged herself so she could lift Willow from the floor and get to her feet in one motion.
Buffy did that and turned to Giles and Tara. "Let's go," she said impatiently.
"Buffy," Giles began.
"Now," Buffy growled.
Giles helped Tara to her feet and led her to the door.
Buffy stopped in the hall. "Lock the door."
Giles didn't hesitate, but Buffy didn't wait to see. She started climbing the stairs.
When Tara and Giles arrived at the final door, Buffy was sitting with her back against it. She cradled Willow, now silent, against her chest, and got to her feet when she saw them. Giles opened the door and they stepped into the hall. Giles pulled the door shut behind them and locked it again. The key went back in his pocket.
He took half a dozen quick steps and opened the door opposite the one they had just exited. He found the light switch just inside the door and flicked it on. The room was unoccupied, so he waved Buffy into it.
By the time Buffy reached the bed, Giles had the covers pulled back. He was at the table, with the phone receiver at his ear. Buffy ignored him and laid Willow in the bed. She sat beside her and saw for the first time the bloody scarecrow that was the woman she loved. Buffy tenderly lifted Willow's hand and laid Willow's palm against her own. She felt Tara standing beside her, and turned to see Tara staring at Willow.
Tara tore her gaze from the redhead and looked at Buffy. Willow's blood was on her face, hands, and clothes. She had the same bewildered look that she had during the first few days after Joyce's death. Tara took a half step closer and hugged Buffy against her.
Neither woman noticed when Giles hung up the phone and came to stand at the opposite side of the bed. "A doctor is on the way."
Buffy turned to him. "We're finished with the Council."
"We are," he agreed.
"Tell them that whoever else was in on this is dead."
Giles nodded. He was mentally cataloging their allies and enemies. Buffy turned back to Willow.
"We need to call the others," Tara said quietly.
Giles nodded again, and moved back to the phone. Tara stayed close to Buffy, resting her hand on Buffy's shoulder. She prayed that they were all strong enough to get through this.
Someone told Buffy and Tara, "You'll have to move, ma'am."
Without removing her gaze from Willow, Buffy said, "No."
"I can't help her if."
"No," Buffy repeated.
Tara turned, but didn't move away from Buffy. "Go to the other side," she said softly.
"I," he started again.
Buffy stood up. She didn't let go of Willow's hand, but twisted to face the man who was being so
insistent. "I'm not leaving. I'm not moving. If you have a problem, you move."
He backed out of Buffy's reach before turning to leave. Buffy returned to her seat.
"Giles, tell Xander to bring the first aid kit," Tara called.
"Buffy! Buffy!"
"In here, Dawn."
Dawn skidded to a stop in front of Tara. Tara deliberately placed her body between Dawn and the bed. Dawn tried to peer around her. "Buffy's okay," Tara told her.
"Where's Willow?"
"She's here. She's hurt." Tara moved Dawn toward Giles at the table, and got her to sit in one of the chairs. "We're going to fix it, okay. The best thing you can do for them is sit here. We're going to need your help later, but right now, I need you to stay here."
"Is she going to die?"
Buffy answered before Tara could. "No," she said firmly. "She's going to get better, and we're going home."
Dawn stayed where Tara put her. She picked at the edges of her cast. Giles continued to make calls. Tara went to the bathroom and returned with some wet washcloths. She handed one to Buffy and walked around the bed. She sat on the other side. Buffy had begun wiping Willow's face.
Before she touched Willow, Tara spoke to her. "Will, I'm going to clean you up. You're safe now." Tara started with Willow's hand. Willow flinched no matter how gently Tara touched her. Tara continued anyway. She ignored the tears the trickled down her face as she cleaned Willow's tattered skin. Touching Willow still made her skin crawl. The feelings it gave her were stronger and so much worse than they had been right after Willow's crash.
Xander put the first aid kit down beside Tara. He looked at Willow, and took a step back before he passed out. Anya surveyed Willow before kneeling beside Xander. "Good job," she muttered. She slapped Xander's cheeks lightly. "C'mon Xander, we need you awake."
"Will," he said weakly.
"Doesn't need you fainting," she finished for him. She got him to sit up, then helped him to his feet. "If you're going to be a wuss about it, go sit with Dawn."
He sat in the chair and put his head down between his knees. Dawn patted his shoulder awkwardly.
"Dawn, we need a basin or a bowl or something to hold warm water," Anya told her. Dawn, relieved to have something to do, sprinted out of the room. Anya went to the bathroom and returned with clean washcloths. She took the ones Tara and Buffy had been using and left these in return, then returned to the bathroom to rinse them clean.
Dawn was back quicker than Anya expected. She shoved a ceramic washbasin at her. "Good job, Dawn, thanks."
"Is she going to be all right?" Dawn asked Anya, knowing that she would tell her the truth.
"I don't know." Anya tested the temperature of the water coming from the tap, adjusted it, and shoved the basin under the water. When she was satisfied with the amount of water in the basin, she turned off the water. Dawn stepped aside to let her leave the bathroom.
Anya took the basin to Tara and sat it on the bed beside her. Then she went to check on Xander. He was sitting up, pale, and staring at the bed.
Giles hung up the phone, and Anya asked her, "Did you call anyone from the coven?"
"Yes, they're on the way."
Buffy looked over her shoulder at Giles. "Call Aislin," she ordered.
"I did."
Buffy nodded and turned back to Willow. She handed the washcloth she had been using across Willow's body to Tara. Tara handed her a clean one and returned to cleaning Willow's arm. When she finished, she opened the first aid kit. She smeared antibiotic cream in a thick layer across Willow's skin.
"Buffy, we need to get her shirt off."
"Xander," Buffy called. "We need your shirt."
Xander nodded and pulled the t-shirt he was wearing over his head. Anya took it from him. "You need to leave," she told him softly. "Get another shirt, and go to Buffy's room and get her some clean clothes. Take Dawn."
He swallowed hard and nodded again before pushing himself out of the chair. He crossed the room quickly, and put an arm around Dawn. "C'mon Dawnster, let's do what the major domo ordered."
They were barely gone when Tara began cutting at Willow's clothes. When she finished, she handed the scissors to Anya. "Split the shirt up the back."
"Got it."
"Buffy, I'm afraid this is going to hurt her," Tara said tentatively.
"Just do it."
Tara bit her lower lip, then began pulling the remains of Willow's clothes away from her body. Every place fabric stuck to Willow's skin, both she and Tara flinched. "I'm sorry," Tara said each time. She wanted to vomit, but set her jaw and continued to work. When Willow was bare, they finished washing her. Tears continued to fall from Tara's eyes. The body she had loved so well no longer existed. Willow was skeletally thin, bruised and scraped everywhere.
Buffy moved enough for Tara to slather a layer of the antibiotic cream on Willow's other arm. Then she and Buffy sat Willow up long enough to slide Xander's shirt up her arms. While they did that, Anya pulled out the bloody pillow Willow had been using and put another in its place. Then she emptied the basin and filled it with clean water so they could wash Willow's legs.
Willow's thighs were covered with the same deep scratches that marred her arms. Buffy let Tara and Anya finish cleaning Willow. She sat, holding Willow's palm against her own, and stared at Willow's face.
When no one from the coven arrived in the next few minutes, Giles knew where their allegiance lay. He stayed on the far side of the room from the bed and continued to make calls. There would be a meeting of the full Council later that day, and Giles knew that his Slayer would not leave Willow's side to attend. If he were fortunate, the rest of them would accompany him.
When Dawn and Xander returned, they brought clothes for Buffy and drinks for everyone. With the exception of Tara, the rest of the group stayed around the table. Tara stayed at Willow's side across from the Slayer.
"Buffy." Tara had to repeat herself several times before she got the Slayer's attention. "Go clean yourself up. I'll stay with her." Tara slid her hand under Willow's. "I won't let go of her, I promise."
Buffy leaned over and kissed Willow's forehead. "I'll be right back," she said. She went into the bathroom. Dawn had laid her clothes in a pile on the back of the toilet. Buffy closed the door and stripped. She turned the shower on and let the water get hot before getting in. The hot water felt good on muscles that had been tensed for too long, but Buffy didn't linger. She dried and dressed herself and was back at Willow's side in ten minutes.
Aislin came in a few minutes later. She bypassed the bed and went to Giles. They talked quietly for a few minutes before Aislin approached Buffy. "I'm sorry," she said softly.
"Can you help her?"
"I'll do my best." Aislin looked across Willow to Tara. "I'll need your help."