CHAPTER 16
Closing the file, Willow went downstairs, opening the front door just as her parents walked up. She went with them into the living room and asked them how their day went. She told them that she had a wonderful afternoon, and that Xander would be stopping by tomorrow to study for a test on Monday.
Fighting off a yawn, Willow snuggled next to her Mom on the couch.
“Honey... Willow?” Mrs. Rosenberg said, looking down on her daughter who looked quite content to sleep where she was. ‘My baby,’ she thought.
“Hmm,” she answered sleepily.
“Why don’t you get some sleep, we have an early day tomorrow,” her mother suggested.
“Okay,” she responded, leaving the warmth and security of her mother’s side. She stretched, and placed a quick kiss on both their cheeks and headed up to her room. Changing her clothes, she quickly slipped underneath the covers, looking out her bedroom window, she watched as moonbeams danced on the floor. Smiling inwardly, she let her mind drift to the picnic, letting the sights and sounds gently lull her to sleep.
Willow woke up bright and early the next morning. After taking a shower, she made her way downstairs. She found her parents at the kitchen table reading the newspaper, once she finished off a bowl of cereal she went into the living room and watched cartoons until her parents told her it was time to go.
The shopping excursion went well, her parents had asked her again to go with them to New York. She’d given them the same answer, she didn’t want to leave school and alter her grades... even if the trip was only for a week.
They had arrived at the house in time to see Xander walking from the opposite direction.
“Hello Alexander,” Mr. Rosenberg said, as he got out of the car and began taking packages out of the back seat.
“Good afternoon Xander,” Mrs. Rosenberg added, smiling at the teenager.
“Hi Mr. and Mrs. Rosenberg. Can I help with anything?” he asked, looking at Willow’s parents with affection.
“No, we’re fine. You two go on, Willow told us that you were coming by to study for a test tomorrow,” Mrs. Rosenberg replied, “but thank you for asking.”
“Yeah, MAJOR math test tomorrow. I wanna pick Willow’s brain for awhile,” he said, taking Willow into a headlock and pantomiming opening the top of her head and peering in.
“Eww,” Willow replied, after Xander had let her go.
“Yes... well,” Mr. Rosenberg replied. He had never gotten used to Alexander’s macabre sense of humor.
“Xander... let’s go,” Willow said, dragging her friend into the house.
“Women... can’t live without me,” he cried out behind him.
“I heard that Xander!” Willow replied.
“I don’t know about that boy sometimes,” Willow’s father said, shaking his head.
“Just sometimes dear?” Mrs. Rosenberg replied, a grin appearing on her face.
Willow’s parents took the packages into the house knowing that the kids would be studying upstairs. If it had been any other boy except Xander, they would have seen them in the kitchen, with books strewn over the table. He was the exception to the rule they had about boys being upstairs in her room.
After studying for about an hour, Willow called for a break. Xander breathed in a sigh of relief, and was grateful for the rest.
“Wills... don’t bite my head off or anything, but... who did you go out with yesterday?” he asked.
CHAPTER 17
Sighing, Willow knew this would come up. She was actually surprised that he had held out so long.
“Hey... you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to...” he told her.
“It’s not that I don’t want to... um... I... I can’t,” she replied, casting her eyes away from him. “It’s too early to say anything. I’m not ready yet,” she explained, thinking, ‘Will I ever be ready to tell him?’
“Can’t?” he looked around the room, making sure they were alone. “Why not? You’re not in trouble are you?” he asked, concerned.
“Just what are you saying?” she asked dumbfounded.
“NOT that kind of trouble!” he exclaimed waving his hands in front of him, as if to ward off the look she had given him. “I mean, is it someone you’re parents don’t want you to see kind of thing?” he finished, anxiously awaiting her reply.
“No, it’s not that... “ Willow replied, leaving the rest of the question unanswered.
“So... why can’t you tell me?” he asked forlorned.
“Xander, can we not talk about this anymore? Please,” she uttered, hoping he would back down for the moment.
“Alright, I’ll drop it... for now, but you know we can talk about it... or anything else, if you wanted... right?” he asked.
‘Not everything Xander,’ she thought, pushing it aside. She smiled as she watched the lost puppy dog look appear on his face once again. She knew then why she had fallen for him, he could be a complete idiot at times, but she could count on him. “Yeah, I do... thanks Xander,” she replied.
“Okay, enough of the mush,” he said grinning. “I don’t believe I’m going to say this...” he sighed, “but let’s get back to studying.”
They spent another two hours going over the material that would be on the test. Willow knew he’d pass... by how much, was another matter all together.
Her parents had asked Xander to stay over for dinner, which he politely refused, stating that he was going out with his parents, but thanked them just the same.
“Night Wills. See you tomorrow, thanks for the help,” he said.
“Bye Xander,” she replied waving as her father backed out of the driveway and drove him home, after Willow’s father insisted it was the least he could do. Willow was thankful she didn’t like the thought of Xander walking home so close to dusk.
The next day, Willow never had a chance to drop in on Giles. He had called her the night before to let her know that he wouldn’t have time to see her. He was in the midst of preparing Buffy for a test to be put forth by the Council, and he needed to give her his utmost attention.
Willow had a feeling it could be dangerous, she had down loaded enough information on various endurance regimens she could think of. Giles didn’t tell exactly what kind of test the Council was going to give, but Willow knew one thing for sure...
She didn’t want to be in Buffy’s shoes.
The week had gone by at a snail’s pace. Here it was, Friday, and she had hardly seen Giles or Buffy the entire week.
‘I didn’t think I’d miss Rupert this much,’ she thought to herself as she left the school grounds and headed home.
The one person she had seen was Xander.
A bittersweet smile appeared on the teenager’s face, when she recalled what had happened on Wednesday at school, as she walked down the tree-lined sidewalk. She had gone to her locker to pick up her math book when she heard someone shouting her name:
“WILLOW!!!”
She closed the locker door and looked down the hall to see Xander running towards her.
“Hey! Wills!” Xander knew people were staring at him. He didn’t care, he was used to it, especially now, since it was common knowledge that he was going out with Cordelia.
“Xander... what’s wrong?” she asked, when he finally reached her.
“Look...” Xander had said, barely suppressing the grin he was wearing, as he presented her with a piece of paper.
“At what?” she replied, taking it from him, scanning it quickly.
Xander watched as Willow’s face broke out in a giant smile.
“Xander... you did it! You passed the test!”
He buffed his fingers on his shirt, a smirk on his face. “Yes... I did,” he told her. “Thanks to you Wills,” he pulled her into a hug. “Thanks to you.”
There was a time in her life, when she would have savored moments like this... this closeness to him.
When she thought it would be the only way she could ever hold him.
To bask in the love she felt for him.
It was at that moment, in that crowded hallway that she realized... she wasn’t in love him anymore.
Of course she loved him, she always would. He’d always be an important part of her life, but after all this time, what he offered wasn’t enough, and that had saddened her.
To finally let him go, after he had spent so much time in her heart.
But she knew someone who would... could offer her more than friendship alone.
CHAPTER 18
“Willow? Honey, is that you?” Mrs. Rosenberg asked, calling out from the kitchen.
“Yes Mom, it’s me,” she replied.
“You’ve got a message on the answering machine. It seems kind of important,” her mother said as she wiped her hands with a paper towel.
“Okay... thanks,” she said, putting her bag down, as she went to listen to the message.
“Hello... uh... this is Rupert Giles, the high school librarian. Could you have Willow call me at school around 6 p.m.? I... um, I seem to be having difficulties with the computer in the library, and I’m hoping she might be able to assist me. She should have the number, thank you...”
There it was, short and to the point. She listened to it twice, it was the only time she had actually heard his voice since he’d called her last Sunday.
“So, are you going to call Mr. Giles?” her mother asked.
“What? I’m sorry Mother, I wasn’t paying attention,” Willow responded, after saving the message.
“It’s almost 6 p.m. If you’re going to call him, you’ll have to do it soon. He has a lovely voice... don’t you think?” she asked her daughter, wondering what her reaction would be.
“Yes... he does,” Willow replied without thinking. “Umm... I’ve got the number written down in my room. I... I think I’ll call from upstairs,” she said.
“Alright dear,” Mrs. Rosenberg said as she watched her daughter practically fly up the stairs. ‘Hmm, Rupert Giles?’
Willow picked up the phone and dialed Rupert’s office number.
“Three... four... come on, be there. Five,” she said out-loud.
“Sunnydale High School Library, Rupert Giles speaking. May I help you?” came the voice she missed through the telephone line.
“Rupert! It’s me... Willow,” she said, barely keeping the gleeful tone from her voice.
“Ah... Miss Rosenberg. Thank you for calling back on such short notice,” he replied.
‘Miss Rosenberg? What’s going on?’ she wondered. “Giles... is there something wrong?” she asked.
“Yes, as... as a matter of fact there is. I’m... I’m, uh, having the most dreadful time with that infernal computer, I was wondering if you might be able to come by... and look at it for me? You wouldn’t need to bring you’re kit, you could use the one from last week,” he asked.
“Right now?” she asked.
“If that’s not an inconvenience for you...?”
“No, it’s okay,” she replied.
“Um... I... I’m sorry, I can’t offer to pick you up...” he started.
“That’s alright, I can ask my Dad...”
“Thank you Miss Rosenberg, I really must go... good-bye,” he said as he hung up the phone.
Looking at the receiver, the teenager couldn’t understand what had happened. She went over the conversation, hoping to gleam some nugget of information that would clear things up for her.
‘Kit? What is he talking about?’ she asked herself. The only kit she had used last week was the... “The first aid kit,” she said out-loud. “Oh... my gosh! Rupert’s in trouble!”
CHAPTER 19
Rushing to her closet, Willow grabbed a backpack from the floor. Checking the compartments to see if she had everything she needed.
“Okay... crucifix... small bottle of Holy water... stakes. Gotta call Buffy and Xander,” she said to herself.
She left a message with Xander’s mother to have him meet her at the library as soon as he could.
Luckily, Buffy was at home, she filled her in on the situation.
“I’m on my way... and Willow?” Buffy said.
“Yes,” she replied anxious to get to the library.
“Don’t go in by yourself... wait for me or Xander,” she told her friend.
“Umm... okay,” she answered, crossing her fingers behind her back.
“I’ll get there as soon as I can... bye,” the Slayer said as she hung up the phone and ran out of the house to the library. ‘This doesn’t look good. If anything happens to Giles... they’ll wish they’d stayed dead the first time around,’ Buffy thought to herself.
Running out of her bedroom, the backpack slung over her left shoulder, Willow hit the brakes as soon as she reached the stairs. She couldn’t let her parents see her acting suspiciously they would know something was wrong. And she didn’t want to have to lie to them.
Besides, she wasn’t very good at it. She had a tendency of looking everywhere else, except at the person she was speaking with, whenever she lied.
“Stay calm,” she muttered to herself, and slowly walked down the stairs.
She heard the news coming from the living room. Going in, she saw her parents on the couch watching television.
“Daddy? Could you give me a ride to school, please?” she asked.
“School... now?” he replied, looking at the clock on the wall.
“Yes, please,” she said.
“Mr. Giles, the school librarian left a message for Willow. Seems he’s having a problem with the computer, isn’t that right dear?” Mrs. Rosenberg asked.
“That’s right,” she answered, wanting to physically haul her father off the couch and into the car, she was wasting time.
“Can’t this wait until Monday?” he asked.
“NO! No, it... it can’t,” she replied, she could feel her self-control begin to slip.
Willow’s mother looked at her daughter, she could sense something was wrong. She turned to her husband and said: “It’s okay, take her. You won’t be long, will you?”
“I hope not,” she answered.
“All right, let’s go. Where are my keys?” he asked, only to see them dangling from his daughter’s hand.
Mrs. Rosenberg watched them leave the house. She had faith in her daughter she knew Willow had a good head on her shoulders. “If anything happens to her Mr. Giles, you’ll have to deal with me.”
Willow was trying to mentally push her father into driving faster, every minute that passed made her edgier. Her heart was pounding she needed to know how Rupert was doing. The thought that he might be injured... unable to defend himself was driving her crazy.
When they finally arrived at the front of the school, Willow opened her door before her father had come to a complete stop.
“What’s the hurry?” he asked.
“It’s important Daddy, I’ve got to go,” she said.
Shaking his head, Mr. Rosenberg called out to her as he watched her run up the steps, “See you later.”
Pulling the door open, Willow ran down the hallway that led to the library. Swinging her backpack off her shoulder, she slipped her arms through the straps, giving her the appearance of wearing a bulletproof vest.
Her hands reached into the front compartment, taking the crucifix out, as she stopped short of the entrance.
She knew she should wait outside for Buffy and Xander, but her feelings for Giles were clouding her judgment.
“Come on Buffy. Where are you?” she whispered.
Willow slowly pushed the door open with the tip of her shoe. Once it was open wide enough for her to slip in, she did.
She could see the light coming from Rupert’s office.
Keeping low to the floor she made her way to it. She held the crucifix out in front of her, hoping it would provide some protection against whatever Giles was facing.
She thought she saw something, some kind of movement.
She looked to her left, and saw only the magazine racks and books.
A few more feet and she would be close enough to attempt a peek inside.
She never saw the blow to the back of her head coming, as she collapsed to the floor unconscious.
The crucifix flew out of her hand and skidded across the floor.
“Take her inside,” the voice said.
CHAPTER 20
After Giles had phoned Willow, he had taken another beating. He wasn’t sure how long he’d remained conscious before he finally passed out from the pain, temporarily removing him from the situation he found himself in.
He had been surprised by the attack.
He had just walked into his office when he was struck from behind. The blow propelled him into his desk, knocking over the lamp, and scattering the books he had been reading to the floor.
He managed to elbow his attacker in the stomach when he had been placed in a chokehold. He listened for the man gasping for air, before he acted.
He reached up, and grabbing his assailant’s head brought it down on the desk... hard. The satisfying sound of cartilage breaking and the sight of blood pouring out, let him know that he had broken the man’s nose.
“Mne noze... mne noze!”
Giles took the momentarily lapse in the man’s concentration to clasp both his hands together and hit him behind the neck. A smirk appeared on his face as he watched the man slump to the ground out cold.
Turning around, he was greeted with the site of four other men waiting to come in.
Taking a deep breath, he gestured them forward. “Who’s next?” he said, a predatory look on his face. He managed to take out two more before they were able to subdue him.
Giles felt the sting of a slap across his face, as he drifted to awareness through a cloud of pain.
Giles had taken the beatings they inflicted on him, and only when they threatened to go to Willow’s house, did he break down and finally make the call. He hoped Willow had understood what he had tried to convey to her, and that she would contact the others, rather than attempting anything by herself.
‘If anything happens to her, I’ll never forgive myself,’ he thought.
“Wake up,” a voice told him. “WAKE UP!” Giles’ head jerked violently to one side as he took another blow to the face.
“Wha... what do you want?” he managed to say, as blood ran from his mouth.
“Right now? Nothing, I just like hitting you that’s all,” came the reply.
“Put her over there... BE careful. I have plans for her,” the leader of the group said, when two men carried the unconscious teenager into Giles’ office.
‘Put who where?’ Giles wondered. Wincing as he strained to lift his head, Giles tried to focus on what was happening in his cramped office. Looking through his nearly swollen shut eye the blood drained from his face as he watched his beloved Willow being put on the floor. ‘Merciful God in heaven... NO!’ he thought. “WHAT have you DONE to her!” he shouted, aggravating the ringing in his ears, as he fought against the binds that secured him to his chair. He grimaced each time he moved his now useless wrist, which he believed had been broken during his attempts to ward off his attackers.
“So, you’re awake... good,” the voice came from behind him.
“If you harm her... I’ll KILL you,” Giles said in deadly earnest, as he continued to struggle not only with his bonds but with Ripper as well. Ripper would systematically rip each of these men apart for touching what was his.
“Stop that... or I’ll gut her right now!” the voice told Giles, imbedding the point of a deadly looking hunting knife in the middle of his desk. “Makes no difference to me.”
The gleaming knife took the fight out of him. He couldn’t risk Willow’s life, he tried to get a look at her from where he was sitting, but it was no use. He started to move when someone grabbed a fistful of his hair and yanked his head back.
“Don’t you move... not one inch,” the voice breathed in his ear. “I know you care for her... Watcher. So, if you know what’s good for the kid, you’ll be a good boy and sit tight, Okay?” the end of the conversation was punctuated by a slap to Giles’ face.
“Please... don’t hurt her, I beg you!” Giles pleaded with his capturers. Giles heard the shuffling of shoes.
“She’s entered the building, she should be here any minute.”
“All right, you know what to do. If he gives you any problems... kill the bitch,” the leader said before turning his attention back to Giles. “Oh... by the way, you’ve failed. You can’t keep her from harm, no matter what you do, but then... you’ve had that problem before... haven’t you... Watcher?“
CHAPTER 21
Giles watched as the leader left the room. His head sank to his chest. He realized that one of his biggest fears had become a reality he couldn’t protect Willow.
He had faced that particular fear when the Master had killed Buffy. If it hadn’t been for Xander’s timely intervention, he shuddered at the thought.
He knew he wouldn’t survive if the same fate were to befall Willow.
“Well... I think it’s time you took another nap,” Giles heard before he was knocked out again.
“GILES!”
“Buffy?” he muttered. He couldn’t see what was happening outside his office, he only heard the commotion. His head ached, he could barely see, and his wrist was numb, but his main concern was for Willow, he had to get to her. “Willow... can you hear me?” he called out. Inching his chair forward, as he tried to get around his desk. “Willow? Please, answer me if you can,” he said, the concern in his voice evident.
“Giles... she’s not here,” Buffy said as she entered his office.
“What do you mean she’s not here?” his mind refusing to accept the information.
“Giles... don’t move. Xander’s calling for an ambulance, we’ve got to get you to the hospital,” she said as she gingerly released him from his bonds.
“Willow?” he said.
“Giles, listen to me very carefully. Willow’s gone, Angel’s trying to find her,” she told him.
“What do you mean Angel’s out looking for her? She was HERE! damn it!” he shouted.
Sorrow filled Buffy’s face, “Giles, what’s the last thing you remember?” she asked.
Closing his eyes, he thought back. “I think someone said... ‘She’s here?’ I’m not sure, and if I... “ he swallowed as the tears began to fall. “If I gave them any problems, to... kill... to...” a large lump formed in his throat, making it impossible for him to continue.
“It’s okay Giles, we’ll find her, don’t worry,” Buffy told him, wrapping her arm around his shoulders as he cried.
Buffy noticed Xander standing in the doorway, and placing her index finger on her lips, she gestured for Xander to leave them alone. He nodded his head, and waited outside.
“It’s all my fault,” he muttered.
“Giles, it’s not your fault. You’re not to blame,” the Slayer told him.
“Yes... it is. She’d be safe at home this very moment if it wasn’t for me,” he said.
“Giles, stop that, stop it right now. You don’t know that. Who knows what would have happened to her without you here? Look at where she lives!” Buffy told him, throwing her arms in the air. “Where we all live.”
Kneeling next to him, she looked into his face and, despite the beatings he had obviously taken; she had never seen the look of total despair on it... until now.
“I couldn’t live with myself if something happens to her Buffy,” he whispered.
“Giles... I know you care for Willow, we all do...”
“Not like I do,” he told her as he looked into her eyes.
“What do you mean?”
“I love Willow,” Giles said, wondering how Buffy would react to the statement he had made.
“I love her too Giles,” she replied with a confused look on her face. “She’s like a sister to me.”
“You don’t understand Buffy... I’m in love with her,” he explained.
CHAPTER 22
“OH...” the realization of what he had said finally dawning on her, “Giles... does she know?” she asked.
He nodded, “I told her last week, after the incident with Drucilla.”
Buffy could hear the sirens as the paramedics approached the school. She wanted to talk with him; she could understand the situation he was in, more so than anyone else. She wouldn’t tell Xander what Giles had confided to her, she suspected that he wouldn’t take the news as calmly as she had.
“Giles, the paramedics are almost here. Hang on,” she told him as she stood up and went to his office door, seeing Xander pacing in front of the check out counter. “Xander,” she called out, “why don’t you go outside and show them the way in here... okay?”
“Right... how is he?” he asked, genuinely concerned for the librarian’s well being.
“He’s hurt pretty bad, keeps blaming himself, about... you know,” she shrugged.
“Willow’s okay... I know it. She has to be. I... I’d... better get going,” he said gesturing towards the library door.
“Good idea, I’ll be in here,” she replied, as she watched Xander leave the library before returning to Giles.
“Silly question... but are you okay?” she asked, as soon as she walked back into his office.
“I’m as well as can be expected under the circumstances. I can’t feel my wrist... my head feels as if someone were playing percussion instruments on it,” he said laughing. “I can’t see out of one eye... the one... the one person I love more than anything else in the world ... is... is missing... I’m... I’m doing tremendously well, wouldn’t you agree?” he said sarcastically, pounding the top of his desk with his good hand.
“Getting mad isn’t helping Giles,” she told him. “I mean... what would Willow say in a time like this, huh?”
“She’d probably say something insightful, like... ‘Giles, you should save your strength. You’ll need it later,’ or something along that line,” he replied, tasting the blood flowing from the cut in his mouth.
“I think you should listen to her, for both your sakes,” Buffy told him.
“Oh... dear lord,” he said.
“What’s the matter?”
“Willow’s parents. They’re bound to wonder where what’s taking her so long. I left a message on their answering machine; Mr. Rosenberg drove her here... Oh... God,” he told Buffy as he attempted to stand up, only to have her forcibly sit him back down, ‘What are we going to do?’ he asked himself, running his good hand through his hair.
“Where do you think you’re going? Never mind, don’t answer that, I’d probably do the same if Angel were in trouble. Um..... I’ll... I’ll handle Willow’s parents, what are you going to tell the cops, that’s what I’d like to know. What are we going to tell them?” she asked.
Willow could hear water dripping somewhere. ‘That’s odd... I don’t remember any faucets in the library.’ she thought. “Rupert...? Are you here?” she whispered.
“No, he’s not,” came the reply. “Who’s there?” she asked, scooting back until she hit a wall.
“A friend Willow, that’s all.”
“If you’re such a friend, then let me go,” the young woman replied.
“I can’t do that just yet, but I will... soon. I promise.”
“Will you at least take the blindfold off?” she asked.
“Sorry, no can do.”
“Do I know you?” she asked.
“There’s a bed off to the right of where you’re sitting. Try to get some rest, I’ll be back later with something for you to eat. Good-bye Willow.”
“WAIT! Don’t leave, please. Why are you doing this to me? What have I done!?” she pleaded.
“You haven’t done a thing and as to why I’m doing this? That’ll be my secret for now.”
Willow heard a door opening and closing. She sat huddled on the floor afraid to move, afraid to do anything. Her hands were tied behind her back, making it impossible for her to remove the blindfold herself.
There was nothing in her short life that could have prepared her for something like this.
‘Rupert? Are you alive? Please... help me,’ she thought to herself.
“Let’s go over this again, shall we? You say that you came by to see...” the officer looked down to his notebook, “Mr. Giles?” he saw the teenager nod in agreement. “Because of what?”
“I came to see him because I needed to ask him a question about a book, he’s the librarian... who better to ask but a librarian?” Buffy replied, watching as the paramedics worked on Giles.
“Okay... so, you came to ask him about a book. What happened when you and your boyfriend got here?” he gestured to Xander who was speaking to another officer a few feet away, “What did you see?”
“Well... Xander... my boyfriend and I just arrived when this creepy looking guy ran past us as we came in, we called out for Mr. Giles,” she answered, “When he didn’t answer we decided to look in his office and that’s...that’s when we found him...tied... tied... to the... chair. We called the paramedics, and then you... he’s going to be all right, isn’t he?” she asked, tears forming in her eyes. ‘I should have gone out for the drama club,’ Buffy thought to herself.
Sighing the officer replied, “It’s too early to tell. Can you give me a better description than, ‘creepy looking?’ You know... like how tall he was, what he was wearing, the color of his hair... anything?”
“No... not really. It happened so fast, he’s just ‘creepy looking’... sorry.”
Closing his notebook, the police officer looked at the teenager. His gut was telling him that her story was just that... a story. It didn’t feel right. ‘She’s hiding something... the question is...why?’ he told himself.
He had already questioned the librarian earlier. He couldn’t tell him why he had been attacked. His statement concerning the two teenagers was the same: they just happened to come by and surprise his attacker.
“We’ll need both of you to come over to the precinct later on to make a formal statement. Here’s my card, in case you remember anything else,” he told her.
“Okay... Officer Reid,” Buffy replied, reading his name off the card he’d handed to her. “Would it be... could I ride in the ambulance with Mr. Giles? Please?”
“I don’t see why not. All right Miss Summers, you and your boyfriend can go. I’ll be in touch,” he said as he left Buffy and walked over to his partner.
“Well how did it go?” she asked Xander, when he finished.
“Told him the same thing... some guy ran out as we came in. He seemed to believe me, are you going to ride in the ambulance with Giles?” he asked, watching the paramedics push the stretcher thru the library.
“Yeah, I’ll call Willow’s parents from the hospital... and Xander the officer that interviewed me he seems to think... your my boyfriend.”
“What? You’re kidding,” he looked back at Buffy. ‘No... she’s not kidding,’ he thought.
“So... we have to pretend for a while... at least until this is cleared up,” she told him.
“Hey... no problem. I’ll live... honey,” he said, smiling.
“Xander...!?”
“What’s wrong... sweetie?” he told her as he hugged her. “Better get that surprised look off your face Buffy; we have an audience,” he whispered in her ear as he turned her around.
She could see Officer Reid and his partner looking their way, and quickly returned the hug.
“There’s got to be something I can do,” he whispered. “I wanna... pound someone,” he told her.
“Xander... until I hear from Angel, there’s not much we can do. Willow’s going to be okay,” she told him, making a soothing motion on his back. He nodded.
“She’d better be... she’d better be.”
A few more minutes had passed before Buffy spoke up. “Xander?”
“Yeah,” he answered, somewhat dreamily. ‘I could get used to this,’ he thought.
“You can let go... now!” she said, “They’re not looking anymore.”
Xander slowly released his hold on Buffy, sighing.
They walked outside, the red and blue lights from the police cars illuminating the front of the high school. Giles had been loaded into the ambulance by the time Buffy and Xander had reached him.
Buffy stepped into the ambulance, the doors closing quickly behind her. Xander stepped back and watched them drive off.
CHAPTER 23
“Rupert?”
“I’m here Willow.”
“Where are we?”
“Some place safe.”
“Why can’t I see you?”
“Hold on... is that better?”
“Yes... Oh... Rupert, what did they do to you?” she cried out.
“Nothing much... nothing some rest won’t take care of,” he replied. “How are you? Did... did they... hurt you at all?”
“No... I’m fine... scared mostly. I was so worried about you,” she told him.
“Willow, I’m sorry... I’m sorry I dragged you into this mess, that I couldn’t protect you...” he turned away from her, ashamed.
“I don’t blame you Rupert,” she told him. “I should have waited...”
“What a fine pair we make, don’t you think? Both blaming ourselves...”
Giles took Willow into his arms, holding her tightly...
“Mr. Giles, can you hear me?”
“Willow?”
“Who? I’m sorry Mr. Giles, but there’s no one here by that name. Can you hear me?”
“Yes... I can hear you,” he answered despondently, once he grasped that he had been dreaming the conversation with Willow. “Where am I... and who are you?”
“Good, you were out for some time, you had us worried. My name is Jonas King, Doctor Jonas King. We’re in the hospital’s emergency department,” Dr. King responded.
“How long have I been here?” Giles asked.
“You were brought in about,” he consulted the chart. “About seven hours ago, at 19:30 hours, that’s 7:30p.m., it’s now 02:30 in the morning.”
‘Seven hours?’ he thought.
“You’ve had a CAT Scan of your brain and orbits done. This is what I can tell you, the results on your brain are negative, which is good news. There’s some swelling around your left orbital region, I had some x-rays taken. You don’t have a fracture, but I’m recommending that we keep you here in the hospital over night and, that you have an MRI done in the morning, this way we’ll know for sure.” Dr. King said as he watched his patient took in all the information very calmly. He wished he had more patients like this.
“I... see. What else?” Giles muttered.
“You have contusions running down your chest and rib area. The x-rays don’t show any breaks so you’ll just be sore for awhile...”
“Umm... excuse me... Dr. King, was it?”
“That’s correct, what can I do for you Mr. Giles?” he responded.
“What about my wrist?”
“I was just getting to that. It isn’t broken but you do have a break involving the radius and ulna... your forearm. Luckily, they were clean, we were able to set them, it does mean that you’ll be in a cast for about six weeks,” he told him.
“I see... excuse me, but can you tell me did anyone come in with me? I don’t seem to remember much after the paramedics put me on the stretcher,” he asked.
Dr. King looked through the admission face sheet, scanning until he found the information. “Yes... there is a Elizabeth Summers in the waiting room, would you like to see her?”
“No... not yet. In a moment, thank you,” Giles frowned as he sorted through all the information the doctor had given him. “Is that all... there’s nothing else... wrong with me I mean?” he asked.
“Well, don’t you think it’s enough? I’ve spoken with the police officers... you are very fortunate that those two kids came along when they did Mr. Giles. Whoever did this... knew what they were doing... this wasn’t some kind of senseless act.” Dr. King looked at his patient, wondering what he might have done to have provoked such a beating. “These injuries were delivered precisely, I’ve seen enough victims of random violence before I came to Sunnydale... this isn’t what you’d see. They didn’t want to kill you Mr. Giles, they wanted to hurt you. The blow, to the back of your head, wasn’t meant to be fatal.” Dr. King told him. “Shall I get Miss Summers for you now?”
“Yes... please,” Giles responded.
Dr. King returned to the medical side of the emergency department, letting the nurse on duty know that the patient in M1 could have visitors. He ordered a few more tests, then went on to his next patient.
“Miss Summers?” the nurse asked in the waiting room.
“Yes,” Buffy replied.
“You can see your friend now, come this way,” the nurse said, watching the young woman rise from the chair and, followed her inside the department.
“How is he?” Buffy asked as walked behind the nurse, until they reached the area where they had Giles.
“He’s stable. I really can’t tell you anything else... hospital policy. You’ll have to ask him... here you go,” the nurse gestured. “He’s behind there.”
“Um... thanks,” Buffy walked over, taking the material in her hand, she slowly pulled the curtain to the side. “Giles?” she asked quietly.
Turning to face her, he watched as the look of shock appeared on Buffy’s face. “That bad, huh?” he asked.
CHAPTER 24
“Um... no, not really,” she replied, ‘Who am I trying to kid?’ Taking a deep breath she asked, “So... uh... when do they spring you?”
Trying not to focus too intently on his face. The skin surrounding his left eye had taken on a dark purplish hue. It was swollen and, if she looked hard enough she could see blood where his vessels had been broken in his eye.
“I have to stay over night, the doctor recommended that I have an MRI in the morning, they want to rule out a fracture,” he shrugged. “Is... is there any word on Willow?” he asked hesitantly.
“Not yet, but Angel’s following some leads, I’m sure we’ll find her before Sunday. I... spoke with Willow’s parents, told them that she was going to be staying at my house until then,” Buffy explained.
“Didn’t they want to speak with her?” he replied.
“I told her mom that she was in the bathroom, I... I didn’t know what else to do,” she said.
“We have to find her Buffy, it’s imperative,” he said.
“Excuse me... Miss Summers?” The nurse waited until she had the teenagers’ attention. “There is someone to see you... in the waiting room. He said his name was... Angel?”
“I’ll be right there, thanks,” turning back to the Watcher. “Hang tight Giles.”
Walking back to the waiting room, Buffy went directly to Angel.
“What did you find out?” she asked.
“I found her...”
“Great! Where... where is she? Is she okay?” Buffy asked.
“I think so. She’s being held across town... in some warehouse... What’s the matter?” he asked, curious about the 360-degree turn Buffy’s emotions had made.
“Where’s the warehouse located?” she asked Angel, dreading the answer.
“It’s on Delancy Street...”
“You didn’t see a sign with a rocking horse on it?” Buffy asked. ‘Please say no,’ she pleaded silently.
“Yeah... how did you know?” Angel answered, surprised.
He watched as Buffy started pacing, she was muttering to herself.
“Damn... damn... damn. It’s never easy.”
“Buffy... stop, you’re making me dizzy. What’s wrong?” he had a feeling what she was about to tell him, but wanted to hear it anyway.
“Oh... nothing... except someone’s got Willow... Giles is laid up in here...” she uttered, still pacing, back and forth.
“There’s more to it than that... how did you know about the warehouse?” Angel asked.
Sighing, Buffy walked over to Angel, took him by the hand and led him to one of the chairs in the waiting room.
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