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Words: 1,092
Chapter 1
Returning the Gift
“Listen to me. Please, there's not a lot of time, listen.”
Holding Dawn by the upper arms, Buffy continued to talk to her heedless of her protests. Lightening split the sky as tears of sadness rolled down her sister’s face. Stroking the side of Dawn's face she wiped away the tears and kissed her on the cheek.
“I love you. I will always love you. But this is the work that I have to do.”
Buffy turned in slow motion and ran from the platform. Sobs racked Dawns body as her sister dived off the tower and into the swirling portal.
“Tell Giles ... tell Giles I figured it out. And, and I'm okay.”
Her face distorts with pain as the portal sucks her life from her.
“And give my love to my friends. You have to take care of them now. You have to take care of each other. You have to be strong.”
Giles looking sad walks forward. Xander walked over next, carrying a hurt Anya. Willow and Tara, hand in hand, stood next to them. Spike, dragged himself off the pile of bricks and came forward to the rest of the group. Dropping to the ground as the sun hit him, and as the tears flowed freely. Face buried in his hands he cried useless buckets of salt over his broken promise.
“Dawn, the hardest thing in this world ... is to live in it. Be brave. Live.”
Dawn flew down the stairs, hands pressed to her bleeding sides. Spotting the broken lifeless body she began to cry again. Looking over at all of Buffy’s friends she remembered every single word, every expression on her sister’s face before she saved the world again. As well as all the events leading up to this day.
‘And I was so close to getting her and Spike together.’ She thought, immediately feeling terrible for him.
“For me.”
XXX
“It's too late. He's gone up.”
Breaking into a run, the young boy and the vampire with a soul entered the underground cavern. Angel spotted Buffy lying face down in a really large puddle of water and ran to her, scooping her into his arms, he tried to get her to breathe. Swallowing hard Xander ran in after Angel, looking at the elder male he raised his eyebrows in question.
Angel looked over at the brave young acquaintance of the slayer and frowned.
“She’s dead.”
“No. she’s not dead.”
“She’s not breathing.”
“But if she drowned, uh, there's a shot! CPR!”
“You have to do it. I have no breath.”
He peeled his jacket off and balled it up, pushing it under her head. Trying to calm his breathing, he bent over her and nervously opened her mouth. Breathing into her mouth a few times before pulling away and pumping her chest. He repeated the action a few more times before Angel lost hope. Looking away with tears in his eyes, he was secretly proud of Xander for refusing to give up on Buffy.
Giving it one last shot, Xander pressed down on her chest harder than he had previously and was rewarded when her head turned to the side and she coughed up water. Eyes still closed her head lolled back to its previous position once her lungs were emptied.
Breathing joint sighs of relief Angel picked Buffy up and carried her to Giles car. Shoving Xander into the driver’s side while he placed Buffy across the back seat of the car. He punched the metal hiding the engine, and lifted it up once the lock was broken. Fiddling with the wires inside for a few moments before shouting to Xander.
Pressing his foot down on the accelerator peddle Xander grinned to Angel as the car roared to life with out a key.
“Take her to the nearest hospital. Get her help. I’ll get the Master, we’ll meet you there.”
As the car drove out of site, Angel ran back inside the building intent on revenging the death of his love.
XXX
“Help, help me please. She drowned, please help us!” A frantic Xander began screaming and shouting for all he was worth as soon as he entered the hospital. Doctors and nurses all around him ran over, then scattered in various directions. A nurse returned with two male orderlies and a stretcher. Placing the unconscious girl down on it Xander grabbed her hand and held it tightly.
“Please be alright.” He begged her prone form. One of the senior doctors had to pry his hand off of hers in order to move her out of the hallway and into ICU.
“Hey, kid, is there anyone you could call for your…” Leaving the sentence hanging Dr Redman looked the boy up and down. Not noticing anything homicidal or strange about him, she let the questions slide.
“She’s my best friend. I love her; please make sure she’s ok.” Dr Redman just nodded; it was against protocol to make promises to patient’s families. “I’ll go call her mom. Her boyfriend and our other close friends will come later.”
“How will they know?” She couldn’t help ask the young man
“Her boyfriend found her. I was with him.”
“Where is he?”
“Shouldn’t you be helping Buffy?” Xander looked away in apology when he realized how harsh his tone had been. He couldn’t help it, his best friend was lying there in ICU and her doctor was acquisitioning him about Angel. “Sorry. Please go help her.”
Turning from the doctor Xander did the only thing he could think of, he walked over to the vending machine and inserted some money. Staring at the chocolate options he eventually decided and pressed the button. Pulling out the treat that had fallen he pulled off the wrapper and ate it. Sitting down in the waiting area he prayed Willow would come soon, anyone, even Angel, just so he wouldn’t be here alone.
He remembered he had to call Joyce, and stood again. Walking to the payphone he cursed when he realized he didn’t have enough money for a proper call. Taking a chance he dialed the number and dropped in the change. When Joyce picked up he spoke as fast as he could.
“Buffy. Sunnydale Memorial Hospital. ICU. Quick as you can, Xander.”
He finished the sentence just as the time ran out and the line went dead. The recorded message played over and over until Xander replaced the handset. Walking back over to the chairs he sat back down and placed his head in his hands and waited.
XXX
A/N: More soon, please review...