Aftermath and College
by Bwriter
chapter six
[reviews]
Chapter six
a/n thanks for all the feedback guys, means a lot.
Giles opened the front door to reveal not only Faith but Willow as well.
"Thank god."
Giles pulled Willow into a quick hug before ushering her upstairs.
Willow didn't know what she was expecting, but seeing Buffy thrashing about on her bed, a bed she used to spend hours in with her, one of them.
"Baby?" It was whispered so softly, Willow was sure no-one heard her.
One person did.
Buffy stopped moving all together and turned her bloodshot eyes to Willow.
"Red?"
Willow's tears escaped her and she took a step closer to the bed.
"It's me."
Buffy tried sitting up, but she couldn't.
"Red!"
Buffy's eyes opened wider and Willow moved closer to the bed before sitting down.
Buffy lifted one of Willow's hands and held it in one of her own.
"Red."
Buffy sighed before closing her eyes and falling into a dead sleep.
Both Giles and Tom were looking at Willow wide eyed.
"Whatever you did, thank you."
Tom hadn't really spoken to Willow yet, so he shocked her when he said that.
"I didn't do anything."
Giles knelt before her.
"Obviously you did. You saw how she was. She was like that for hours."
Willow looked down at Buffy and saw that she looked wrecked, even in sleep.
"Tell me."
Faith sat down in the chair by the bed and Giles sat at the end of the bed. Tom remained where he was sitting on the floor by Buffy's head.
"Well, when Buffy did the protective spell tonight, she drew on the power that runs inside her. She was worried that you lot would have joined the fight and gotten hurt. The power load plus the fight, well it wiped her out. Her body is trying to reset itself and it was taking longer than usual. Then, she started calling for you."
Willow looked down at the girl holding tightly to her hand.
"But why me, we haven't been together for over two years."
Tom stood up.
"She regretted breaking up with you. She told me so. If it hadn't been for Joyce, I doubt she would have. She never stopped loving you Willow, the ring should have showed you that at least."
Tom left the room to get a basin of warm water and returned to wipe at Buffy's face.
Willow took the damp cloth from him and set about the task herself.
Faith, Giles and Tom watched as Willow cleaned off Buffy's face, and saw how, even in her sleep, Buffy's head turned towards the caress.
When Willow woke up again, she was in a bed she never expected to be in again, with strong arms holding her that hadn't held her in years.
"Morning."
Buffy knew that Willow was awake, but she didn't let go of her until Willow had spoken.
Buffy moved off the bed, unsure of Willow's reaction.
Willow sat up and noticed the lack of other people in the room.
"Where is everyone?"
Buffy closed her eyes.
"Tom is in his room, Faith is in the kitchen, mom is in the bathroom and Giles is in the yard."
She opened to her eyes to see Willow staring at her.
"Things have changed."
"They really have."
Buffy's head lowered a fraction.
"Tom said something last night, something about your mom and us breaking up."
Buffy's head snapped up.
"So your willing to talk to me now?"
Willow knew that she had been unfair to Buffy the day before, she had all but ignored her ex.
"Yes."
Buffy sat down in the chair and looked at the floor.
"It wouldn't have been fair to you, she made me see that. I couldn't have asked you to wait for me when I didn't know when I would be back. In hindsight, I wouldn't have listened to her."
Willow moved closer to Buffy.
"What would you have done different?"
Buffy looked up and met Willow's eyes.
"I would have begged you to come with me."
Before Willow could say anything, the bedroom door opened.
Faith's head stuck through the gap.
"Sorry to interrupt, but Will, Kim's here."
At the mention of her girlfriend, Willow stood up and smoothed out her clothing.
"Are we done?"
Buffy wanted to say no, she really did. But it wouldn't be fair to Willow.
"Yeah, I guess we are."
Buffy was talking about more than the conversation and Willow picked up on that.
"Faith, tell Kim I'll be down in a minute."
"'kay."
Willow turned to see Buffy standing by the window.
"Can I come by later? We need to talk."
Buffy turned and smiled at her before nodding her head.
"Right, I'll be back in an hour or so."
Buffy watched as Willow left before going into Tom's room.
"You mad at me?"
"Yes."
Tom was sitting on his bed.
Buffy sighed and sat down beside him.
"I'm sorry, but I couldn't let them fight and possibly get hurt."
"Buffy, people get hurt everyday."
Buffy stood up and began pacing.
"Yeah, but not fighting demons. That's my job, mine and Faith's. Tom, you have to understand, when it comes right down to it, if I have to chose between my life and the lives of the people I love, I choose their lives everytime."
Tom never responded and Buffy left the room.
tbc