A/N: Yay, I'm updating! I have a few more chapters written, just need to get it betad. ;)

Speaking of betas... thank you dawnofme and Mabel Marsters for your help!





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Chapter 32


Buffy’s stomach clenched at the stench of sickness and fear that permeated the hospital. The smells were what she hated most about such a clinical place. She crinkled her nose and determined to ignore the depressing atmosphere, she pressed her lips together as she walked towards the reception. The rubber floor squeaked under her sneakers.


“Hi, I’ve come to see Faith Lehane and Rupert Giles.”


The receptionist glanced away from the computer screen and gave her a professional smile. Somehow, Buffy would have preferred a scowl or a sigh of annoyance. At least that would have been sincere.


“Wait a second, Miss…”


“Summers. Buffy Summers.” She crossed her arms across her chest.


“Right, Miss Summers. Go sit in the waiting room, and I’ll let you know if you can go in.”


“But it’s visiting hours now. Why can’t you just tell me what rooms they’re in, and I won’t bother you anymore?”


“The doctors might be doing some tests. I’ll have to check-” The telephone rang. “Hold on.”


Buffy leaned against the counter and propped up her chin on her upturned palm. The woman set the phone down and turned her attention towards Buffy again, the indifferent professional smile firmly in place before she scanned the computer screen with her eyes.


“Mr. Giles is in 135.”


“Thank you. And Faith Lehane?”


“She’s in the intensive care. You’re not permitted to see her right now.”


Buffy was about to argue when a nurse called out, “Maggie, do you want me to bring you a cup of coffee from the machine?”


The receptionist turned away from Buffy and answered, “Thanks, but I don’t want to bother you. I’ll grab it myself.”


Without another word, Maggie stood up and walked over the coffee machine, trading a few words with the nurse. An insane idea came to Buffy and before she could talk herself out of it, she quickly leaned over the counter and scanned the computer screen for Faith’s name. Her heart was pounding when she backed away from the counter, Maggie already turning around to head back to the desk.


Buffy let out a relieved breath and hurried towards the elevator.


*******


Buffy saw a nurse leave Faith’s room with a clipboard tucked under her arm and Buffy waited until she disappeared in a room down the corridor. Holding her breath, Buffy slipped into Faith’s room and approached the bed.


For a moment, the sight halted her steps but she shook herself out of it and crossed the distance to take Faith’s pale limp hand into hers. She was almost afraid to touch her, afraid that the slightest pressure would hurt her. Seeing Faith so still and weak unsettled her.


“Hi. I don’t know if you can hear me, and to be honest I feel kind of stupid talking to myself here but… wake up already, okay? I miss you. I know it’s been just two days and you’d probably tell me to stop freaking out, but I can’t help it.”


She brushed the strand of dark hair off her forehead. “Giles is fine. I’ve just seen him, and he’s eager to get out of the ‘bloody’ hospital. I think the nurse that’s been taking care of him has a crush on him and it’s wigging him out big time.” Buffy cracked a smile, her thumb massaging Faith’s wrist. “He’s coming home tonight.”


“It will be so empty without you in the house so stop being lazy and wake up already.”


Buffy’s eyes darted around the room, shuddering as her eyes landed on all the tubes sticking out from Faith’s body, the way her throat was wrapped with gauze.


“I wish you could talk to me. Even if it was just to tell me how much I failed to keep you safe. And yes, I know now would be the time for you to slap me upside the head and tell me to stop being stupid, but I can’t help but feel responsible. I mean look at you…”


Her throat constricted and Buffy closed her eyes for a second to resist the tears eager to escape. The hard tiled floor bit into her knees when she sank to them, but it didn’t matter, and now she couldn’t stop the onslaught of tears. They slid down her cheek to soak the hand she was pressing to her cheek, and all the while she choked back the sobs. It wouldn’t do to call attention to her trespassing.


“C-come on, Faith. W-wake up,” she whispered.


Her heart clenched when she felt a slight pressure of Faith’s fingers, and her eyes flew to her face. Hope flared up deep in her stomach, and she half expected to see Faith looking back at her. She didn’t. Not even a twitch.


“F-faith?”


Nothing.


And as soon as the hope appeared, now it shriveled up and died.


The machines beeped loudly in the silence, and Buffy let the hand slip out of hers as she stood up. She shouldn’t have let the emotions get better of her. Rationally, she knew it happened. Patients in a coma had spasms and their fingers moved even if they never woke up. She knew it, yet it still hurt to realize it had been a false alarm.


She leaned in and kissed Faith on the cheek before she straightened up and sneaked out of the room.


*******


Spike knew she was there before he walked into the corridor. He could feel her presence pulse beneath his skin more and more as he lengthened his steps. The debris from the door Buffy had kicked in still littered the floor, and he nudged it with the tip of his boot before raising his eyes to meet hers.


“What do you want?” he asked impatiently.


Drusilla had the nerve to actually pout as she rose from the bloodied bed. Obviously, torturing him didn’t bother her at all. Or hurting him via Buffy. Just like he knew it wouldn’t. It was all a big game to her, wasn’t it? Guilt was a foreign concept.


“You’re cross with me.”


“Well, yeah. Went a bit too far this time, don’t you think?”


“She deserved it,” Dru said dreamily, a twisted smile flitting across her face. “Nasty little slayers don’t get to take my prince away.”


He sighed. “Not yours. Never have been.”


Dru hugged herself and turned away from him. “I know.”


“Why are you here? You should go.”


She clutched at her stomach and moaned. “I’m all alone. Grandma’s gone and you don’t want me.”


“Dru…”


She spun around to look at him, her eyes wide and confused. “Where did Grandma go, Spike?”


He was pretty sure Darla was dead of the non-walking variety since the part inside him where the connection with her had been was now gone. What was he supposed to tell Dru? Could her feeble mind even grasp the concept?


“She’s… dead, Dru. Weren’t you there?”


“But who’s going to take care of me?”


Her shoulders shook as she doubled over, dark hair hiding her face. His feet both refused to move and itched to do just that. Comfort was the last thing she deserved, but he couldn’t help but feel for her. Drusilla wasn’t independent and strong. She needed the others to look after her and now she was on her own for the first time since she’d been turned.


She started to laugh and slid to her knees, the long silly dress pooling around her. Still wary, Spike crossed the room and knelt down next to her. The laughter died in her throat as she noticed him, and she buried her face in the bloodied sheets.


“Sugar and limes and pretty pain.” Drusilla traced a nail down his arm. “You’re all better now.”


“Yeah, pet, I am.”


“You don’t want me here. Only want your sunshine.”


“I don’t think Buffy would be all too keen on you staying around. I don’t want to hurt you… you’re my Sire, but… if it went down to choosing between the two of you, I’d choose her,” he said. “You should go somewhere pretty, yeah? Maybe France or Greece.”


“I don’t like French people. They taste like frogs.” Her eyes lit up. “Do you think I should go find Daddy?”


“Whatever you want, pet.” Spike still had no idea what the deal with Angelus was and frankly, he really didn’t want to know. But if meant Dru would be leaving the country then he was all for it. After all, she was all the family he had left and he wasn’t as heartless as to want to kill her. He’d do it of course, if it meant Buffy was in danger, but he couldn’t really drive a stake into her heart when she was sitting next to him looking like someone had stolen all her favourite dolls.


“You can’t be like him. Not even for her.”


“What do you mean?”


“The wicked sparkle that took him away. It would burn you, my Spike. Until there’s nothing left.”


He frowned but played along. When Drusilla started to babble it was best to just go along with it. “Okay, no sparkle. Promise.”


She nodded seriously and leaned in to kiss his cheek before she gracefully rose to her feet and sauntered to the doorway. Spike watched her and their eyes met when she glanced over her shoulder.


“Goodbye.”


He smiled faintly as she melted away into the darkness of the corridor, her steps soundless even to his enhanced hearing.


With a groan, he dropped his back to rest against the mattress and hoped he did the right thing by letting her go.


*******


It was around four o’clock when Buffy made it home and didn’t really expect to find Spike there. He’d said something about getting his stuff and finding a new place to live. Hopefully, it would be in a better part of town. Not that she planned to be there often, but it would be nice for him to have an apartment where cockroaches weren’t inevitable. Granted, she didn’t see any at Spike’s place but she wouldn’t be surprised if she did.


Giles said he’d come home tonight and refused to have her come back for him even after half an hour of her nagging. Apparently, he felt his masculinity would be threatened if she rode in a cab with him so she agreed under the condition of greeting him with a home made meal. He’d fiddled with the covers and told her she should just order a pizza without meeting her eyes.


Like she would burn the house down? She wasn’t that bad a cook! Okay, maybe she was but still, a little belief in her culinary skills would have been welcome.


The phone in her pocket started to ring and she rolled over to snatch it. An unknown number. With a frown she picked up the call and pressed the cell phone to her ear.


“Hello?”


“Hello, luv.”


“Spike?”


“Yeah, it’s me. Just thought I’d call you.”


“How did you get my number?”


“I kinda… umm… I looked it up in your phone. Are you mad?”


“No, of course not. I’m very much with the glad… just a bit surprised.”


“Oh, okay then,” he said, obviously relieved. “I found a new flat.”


“You did? What’s it like?” She twirled a strand of hair around her finger.


“I’ll take you there anytime if you want. Show my girl around.” He fell silent and she could practically feel his nerves.


“I’d love to.”


“You would?”


“There aren’t any cockroaches, right?”


He chuckled, the deep sound washing over. “No nasties except yours truly. It’s quite posh actually.”


The self satisfaction was clear in his voice and she couldn’t help but tease him, “Is it really? Do you have a big screen television in there too?”


“Well, actually… yeah, I do. You should see it, it’s huge and… wait, are you making fun of me?”


She laughed. “Just a little. I love your enthusiasm though.”


“The telly isn’t the only cool thing here.” And now she could feel him giving her a sly smile. “I bought new silk sheets. I’m actually testing them right now. Mmm… but if you’re gonna visit I should probably get dressed before giving you the tour.”


The phone almost fell from her fingers. “Y-you’re naked?”


“A bloke has to sleep naked in those, otherwise what would be the point?” His voice turned teasing. “Are you blushing?”


“No!”


“Liar.”


“You don’t know that,” she said petulantly and snuggled against her pillow.


“Oh, but I do. I can almost see your red cheeks. Wish I was there so I could kiss them.”


She hid her face in the pillow. “But you’re all naked.”


“Well, if you mind I can always kiss if you when I’m dressed and… you’re all naked.”


She gasped. “Y-you’re just so… mind in the guttery.”


He laughed and she smiled at the sound.


“But it would be fun.”


“No it wouldn’t. Well, not for you anyway.” And she really did not just say that.


“Oh, but it would. I would get off on you getting off.”


She squeaked. “No getting off talk, please.”


“But I just like making you all flustered. Hmm… wish you were here so I could touch you. Do you know how smooth your skin is? And the way you move against me when I kiss you… those little sounds. Driving me crazy, you are.”


“I’m sorry?”


“You’re not sorry at all, are you? Minx. You make my head spin with the way you kiss me. You always have.”


“You’re not the only one. I-I… like kissing you.”


His voice was deep and sultry when he asked her, “When’s the Watcher coming home?”


“In an hour or two. Why?”


“See you soon, kitten.”


“See me soon? What…” The line went dead. “Spike?”


TBC



A/N: I'll try to update asap. Wouldn't want to leave you hanging for long. :)