Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire

Chp.20

Principal come Doctor

Info: Chp.1

The first thing she notices as she enters the office is that there aren’t any couches, just a few comfy looking chairs. That seem to be scattered in various places around the room.

Upon entering, Spike places his hands on Buffy’s shoulders, and notices the high-backed leather chair behind the huge cherry wood desk. He cranes his head, leaning down to her ear. “Well, Pet, are you ready for this?” He asks. Concerned that she may bolt and run for the hills, which would be the Buffy that he could remember from his 'delusions'. He can feel the tension in her shoulders, and gently rubs them.

Backing up against his chest, she breathes out a deep sigh. His arms hanging around her neck, she straightens against him. She breathes in hesitantly. “Yeah, he’s my doctor, and the only one out of the loop. The only one that doesn’t know the whole story, which is really weird because he should’ve been the first to hear it, he should have been beating down my door to find out everything.” She rationalizes, shaking her head in amusement that her doctor hadn’t even shown that much interest. But he was consulting with Giles, so he probably did know the whole story, just that it would be in doctor speak, and with all of those big words they used to describe stuff, it’s a wonder any one understood what was going on.

Having turned away from the big, bay window he had been looking out of, Robin notices his patient standing by the door. Instantly knowing who the two blonde's are, well of course he knew his own patient, but the man with his arms wrapped around her neck he didn’t even have to guess who that was. He knows just from the description Dr. Giles had given him, and also they didn’t go anywhere that they couldn’t be together. He watches as the couple whispers to each other, the way that William soothes her when she tenses, and clears his throat to draw their attention to him. They hadn't seemed to notice that he'd been watching them for the last few moments.

Buffy and Spike turn from gazing at each other, and look in the direction of the noise that had interrupted their conversation.

“Miss Summers.” Robin nods his head at the patient. “And Mr. Osborne.” He offers Spike his hand, not really understanding why the young man would look at him with such disgust, as Spike looks at it like it’s the guts of some long, dead animal. The doctor places his hand down on the desk. “Okay, why don’t you two have a seat?” He says taking in the animosity the other man has for him.

Looking from the doctor to Spike and back, Buffy mouths. “Robin?” With a look of incredulity on her pretty features, she purses her lips.

Raising his eyebrows, and shrugging his shoulders, Spike throws her an amazed look. “Shoulda figured it, Pet. His name is Wood, after all.” He drawls out the name of the man, putting as much contempt in it as possible.

Robin looks from one patient to the other. “Excuse me?” He asks, clearly confused. “Is there something wrong?”

Buffy looks over to the black man. “Uh, no. It’s just I wasn’t expecting. . .” She trails the explanation off, raising her hands in exasperation, and slaps her legs as she puts them back down. After she rests her hands on her knees, Spike grabs a hold of the one nearest him, and pulls it into his lap.

Robin watches the two with clear fascination in his eyes, the way the young man can easily put Miss Summers at ease, really surprised him when the two woke from their comas, and it still amazes him, even after the consultations with Williams doctor, he still didn’t quite understand what they had been through, and how with just a simple word or touch William could put her at ease. He shakes his head, bringing himself out of his thoughts as William loudly whispers.

“It’s alright, Luv. He’s not the same wanker from the delusions. Oh don’t get me wrong he’s still a wanker, but that can’t be helped. Now can it?” He watches her eyes, seeing the light come back into them. The little glimmer in her eyes makes him smile. With the mood lightened considerably. “On the plus side, Luv. He didn’t try to stake me when I walked in the door.” He snarks.”That has to count for something, right?” That little remark earns him a big smile and a tittering laugh. He chuckles, and squeezes her hand.

After sitting there and observing the two, and how they seem together, Dr. Wood understands why Dr. Giles suggested that they give them a room together. He reluctantly agreed to the arrangement, but now that he’s seen them, he knows the decision was the right one to make.

Dr. Giles and he had collaborated last night, and had all be it reluctantly on his part, come to the decision that finally had come to placing William and Buffy in a permanent room together.

They’d come through coma inducing delusions for seven years, and from all counts it seemed that they were good for each other. The total comradeship on their parts, the little touches of reassurance, and the knowing just what to say during a situation to take the edge off of it, is hard not to notice. He knew the decision went against all hospital regulations, but Dr. Giles is the head of the place, so he could do what ever he felt like.

No one else knew the exact specifics of what they’d been through, because they were the ones that had lived it. But from what he could get from just watching was that they totally trusted and believed in each other.

Clearing his throat again, to break himself out of his thoughts, and get their attention. They look over at him. Robin places one hand on his chin, and looks over to Buffy. “We really should get started.” He gives a glance over to Spike. “Dr. Giles has sent me all of the information, and I just want to ask a few questions of you, just to get a few facts straight.” His eyes remain on the girl sitting directly across from him. He ignores Spike, only glancing at him when the man would intervene, and make a relevant point or not really, but he did make a few points, which led to more questions.

"No you stupid, prat!" Spike blurts out, when Wood asked some inane question, then promptly shut his gob. He'd noticed that with all his interruptions this appointment had gone on a hell of alot longer than it should have. He started to squirm a bit, then decided if he wanted to get out of here he'd better just let Buffy do all the talking.

Wood and Buffy look at him like he's grown a second head for a few moments.

"Just bloody well go on." He finally says, as they stare aghast at him. "I'll keep my loud mouth shut from now on." He slumps down in his seat and lets them continue on with the interrogation.

Finally done with the questioning, Robin looks at both of the blondes. “ I think I have all of the information that I need for now. If I need anything else, I’ll get in touch with you and make another appointment.”

Rising from her seat, Buffy nods her head, and smiles amicably at the doctor. She basically pulls Spike up with her, as his hand is still wrapped firmly in hers. “Thank you doctor.” She says, and heads for the door with Spike dragging his feet behind her. ‘How weird is this?’ She asks herself, walking into the lobby of the office.

She'd been taking in all of what Doctor Wood had asked, and said. As they'd talked she'd been piecing alot of stuff together. Like the whole everyone she'd lost in the delusions being here, Tara, her mom, and most of all Spike.There had to be a reason for it all, she was slowly coming to understand it, she just wasn't fitting those pieces together to make a whole out of the puzzle. But she would.

(Quite a little revelation there at the end, but just wait for the next chapter. Number twenty-one is on the horizon. What am I gonna spring on you guys now. I guarantee you won’t be expecting it.)