"She Needs You"
Author: Michelle
Email: michellabella52478@yahoo.com
Notes: This is the first story in a two-part series. The next is called
"Heart To Heart." I'll send that one soon. And in my bizzarro world, Doyle
is alive and kicking.
The loud knocking at the apartment door woke Angel from a fitful sleep. He groaned angrily, his body knew it was still mid-afternoon. Climbing out of his comfortable bed, he rubbed his tired eyes and ran a hand through his dark hair. As he padded barefoot down the hall, he said, "Doyle, if that's you this early in the day, I swear I won't hesitate to bite you." He opened the door, but it wasn't Doyle. "Do you know what time it is?"
"It's dinner hour unless you're Dead Boy. Mind if I come in?"
Angel opened the door wider to let Xander Harris inside. "Cordelia's at an audition. She should be back around six. I'm going back to bed."
"I'm not here to see Cordy. I'm here to see you." Xander sat down on Angel's gray leather couch.
He eyed the young man suspiciously. It had been eight months since they had last seen each other. "Can I put a shirt on first?" Angel only had on a pair of navy blue sweatpants.
Xander shrugged. "Feel free."
Angel walked back into his bedroom, throwing a white t-shirt over his head when he returned to the living room. "What are you doing here, Xander?"
"It isn't because I miss you, if that is what you think."
"Then what is it?" Angel had a feeling what the visit was about, but didn't want to admit it.
"Buffy. You DO remember her, don't you?" Sarcasm oozed from Xander's voice.
A pained look shadowed the handsome vampire's face. "What's wrong with Buffy?"
"She needs you."
"What about her boyfriend? Giles told me she's been seeing someone." The thought of Buffy, his one true love, seeing someone else still bothered Angel. Even though that had been his reason for leaving Sunnydale -- so she could have a normal relationship.
The look of jealousy in Angel's eyes didn't go unnoticed by Xander. He knew what Angel was feeling because Xander still felt the same way when he thought of Buffy and Angel together.
"Riley. Yeah, she was seeing him. She broke up with him a few weeks ago."
Angel didn't know what to say. "Oh."
"You're the reason she dumped him, you know. He didn't measure up to you. Riley's a good guy. He treated Buffy better than you ever did. Do you know what his biggest fault was? He wasn't you. Buffy cared about him, but she just didn't love him like she loves you.
"I made the comment to Buffy once that a guy must have to be undead to make time with her. You don't seem to understand how true that is. She loves you, though I don't know why."
"You came all the way to L.A. to tell me that?" questioned Angel. It seemed extreme, even for Xander.
He solemnly shook his head. "She was out on patrol last night and got hurt. Vampire threw her into a big headstone. He would have killed her if Giles hadn't been there."
"How is she?"
"In and out of consciousness. Every time she wakes up she says your name. Look, Angel, I am not your biggest fan. I think what you did to Buffy was wrong. But Willow, Oz and Giles think it's a good idea if you came back to Sunnydale to be with her. Maybe you can bring her back to us."
Angel nodded. "Of course. We'll have to wait until sunset, though."
"God forbid you spontaneous combust."
Two and a half hours after sunset, Xander and Angel walked through the double doors leading to the ICU wing of Sunnydale Hospital. Giles and Oz sat in the waiting area watching a game show.
"Is there any change?" asked Xander.
"No. She hasn't woken up since you left," answered Oz. He glanced up at Angel. "Hey, man."
"Hi, Oz. Can I see her?" Angel wanted to know.
Giles, the tired Watcher, nodded. "Willow's with her right now. Room Five. Angel?"
"Yes, Giles?"
He gave the vampire a half-smile. "Thank you for coming."
"I had to." Angel found the room in less than a minute. He spied Willow sitting next to Buffy's bed. It shocked him to see his love surrounded by beeping machines. She looked like a fragile china doll about to break, dwarfed by the size of the bed. He slowly opened the door, careful not to disturb the redhead.
Willow heard the door opening and turned to see who was there. She jumped up, running over to hug him. "Angel!"
"Hi, Willow. How are you holding up?"
She backed away and shrugged. "Been better. You?"
"Worried. How's Buffy?"
Willow sniffled. "She hasn't woken up since Xander left. Six hours ago. I've been sitting with her for the past hour; tried everything I could to get her to wake up."
"Would you mind if I tried?"
She nodded. "I could use some coffee anyway." When she reached the door frame, she faced Angel. "Thanks for being here. If anyone can get her to wake up, it's you."
Angel sat next to the bed in the seat previously inhabited by Willow. He clasped Buffy's right hand in his, bringing it to his lips for a kiss. Then he placed the back of her hand against his cheek.
"Buffy, it's me. Xander drove all the way to L.A. to bring me here. He told me what happened. You have to wake up. Please, Buffy. Willow, Xander, Oz, Giles and your parents are concerned. So am I. We need you." Tears fell from his eyes, landing on her bare arm.
The gang watched from outside the room. "Angel'll wake her up. If anyone can, he will," Willow stated.
"You're giving the guy more credit than he deserves," replied Xander. "Buffy's not going to wake up because Dead Boy's here."
"It will work. Just wait and see." The four returned their attention back to the crying vampire and his injured Slayer.
Angel sobbed. "Just open your eyes. Give me one of your beautiful smiles, squeeze my hands, anything. Just one sign that you hear me. I'll do anything, Buffy, if you come back to us." He felt her thumb twitch and her eyelids fluttered. "Buffy?"
She opened her eyes. "Angel?" she whispered. "Is it really you?"
The vampire smiled through his tears. He'd never been so happy in his long life. Or so relieved. "Yes, Buffy. It's me."
"I dreamt that you said you'd do anything for me."
He gazed with love into her eyes. "I did."
"Then don't leave me."
"I promise. I'll never leave you again."
The gang grinned as Angel kissed his love. "Told you it would work," Willow said.
The End