They were almost to the hospital when Buffy’s phone rang.

"Buffy? It’s Dawn; we’re landing in about 15 minutes. Is Bernie picking me up?"

"Sorry, Dawnie, could you please just get another cab and meet me there? I’m in the cab with Bernie right now. Something’s happened with Sp…William and I’ve got to get back to the hospital right now."

"What’s happened," Dawn asked, alarmed.

"It’s a long story, but seems his new doctor has put moved him onto a chronically insane floor and given him mega doses of drugs he doesn’t need. I’ve just picked up his first doctor from a golf course and he’s coming back to the hospital with me to figure this out," Buffy said.

"Oh, God, Buffy! How’d this happen?"

"I don’t know, Dawn. I wish I did."

"Where do you want me to meet you?" she asked.

"Just go over to the ER waiting room and I’ll find you there, okay?"

"Okay, see you in about an hour."

The cab pulled up in front of the hospital and Buffy and Dr. Turner got out.

"Thanks, Bernie!" Buffy said, gratefully.

"You’re welcome. Just call me, if you need anything."

"I will."

Buffy and Dr. Turner went up to his office on the 10^{th floor. He went over to his fax machine first thing and took out the papers that Willow had sent him. Looking them over, his face grew darker by the minute.}

He then pulled up William’s online chart and took a look at it, calling the floor to verify what he had read. He also called the nurse’s station and talked to Gretchen Froesch about William. She told him how she’d questioned Dr. Polydefkis’ orders and that he had told her that she’d better comply if she wanted to keep her job and health benefits for her daughter.

"He said that to you?" Dr. Turner asked.

"Yes. And I’m so ashamed that I didn’t just tell him to stick it and call you or the nursing coordinator right then, it’s just I was so…so shocked. Especially when he brought up Chelsea. I mean I never even met the man, yet he knew about my daughter. I tell you, the whole thing just made my blood run cold."

"Don’t be ashamed. He totally took you by surprise, which is what he obviously wanted to do. As for him knowing about your daughter. I have no idea what would have given him that kind of access, or why he would have had it, ahead of time. It’s like…"

"He planned it," both Gretchen over the phone and Buffy, in his office, said at the same time.

"Who’s that?" Gretchen asked.

"It’s William’s wife. She came to get me on the golf course when she found out what was going on."

Gretchen was quiet for a moment, "Tell her I’m so sorry, would you please?"

"I will. Listen, I’m going up to the administrative offices right now. May I use your name?"

She hesitated for a minute, "You can. And if they want to, I’ll sign a sworn statement, as to what I’ve just told you."

"Good. That gives me a lot of back-up," Dr. Turner said. "One more thing, was there anything in William’s behavior last night that warranted this move?"

"Nothing, he was fine, up to the time Dr. Polydefkis had him moved. God, poor sap was even happy last night," she said, remorsefully.

"It’ll be okay."

"Dr. Turner, you might also want to talk to Lynn Russo and another nurse down on 8, Lynn dealt with the ‘good’ doctor this morning, and the other nurse noticed something funny about a few of Dr. Polydefkis’ patients."

"Good, I will. Thanks."

He turned to Buffy, "I need to get up to the administration office and give this to them right away before they leave for the day. Why don’t you wait for me down in the ER, so you’ll be there when your sister arrives?" Dr. Turner suggested, "I’ll come down there and let you know what’s going on."

"What do you think they’ll do? Will they fire him right away? Let you be William’s doctor again?" Buffy asked.

"I don’t know. I just don’t even know. It was someone from administration that wanted him on the case in the first place, so I don’t know what kind of influence got him here," he said, shrugging, "but don’t worry, I think I still have a bit of influence left up there myself. After all, I’ve been here for a hell of a lot longer than him, so I got some friends in high places, too," he said, winking at her.

"Now, I’d really better get up there."

"Right. See you downstairs," she said, as she got up and walked toward the door, "please, Dr. Turner…"

"I’m going to do my best, Elizabeth."

Buffy went downstairs and looked around the ER waiting room. Dawn wasn’t there yet, so she took a seat. About 10 minutes later, she saw Dawn walk in.

"Dawn!" she said, standing up.

"Buffy!" Dawn said, coming over and giving her a hug, "tell me. What’s happening?"

For the next 20 minutes, Buffy filled in Dawn on all that had happened to Spike since last night.

"That’s terrible!" Dawn said, "do you think Dr. Turner is going to be able to help?"

"I sure hope so, Dawn. All I know is he’s one of the good guys. I just wonder who’s pulling the strings. From what Dr. Turner told me, he was told just yesterday that Dr. Polydefkis was taking over William’s case from him. It had sounded like they’d gotten some big shot and wanted to start him working on something interesting. And what’s more interesting to a big-shot shrink than somebody who thinks they’re living in1880? But I think it’s something more, I think someone sent him to this hospital to be assigned to William’s case on purpose," Buffy said.

"Someone from Wolfram & Hart?" Dawn asked.

Buffy nodded, "Yeah, Willow also found Dr. Polydefkis’ phone records. They’re full of calls back and forth between them."

Dawn shook her head, "Angel!"

"Looks that way. What we can’t figure, is why does he want Spike? I mean, he’s already shanshu’ed, so there’s nothing he can do to change that. Willow said she couldn’t read the whole prophecy. There was something else that was too hidden behind security walls or firewalls for even her to break. So, that’s got to be it. I just don’t know what. All I know, is that I have to protect William from Angel."

"You know what’s strange?" Dawn asked, "you go back and forth between calling him Spike and William."

"Guess I do. He, William that is, took exception to me calling him Spike, thought it was a silly name, I guess. I’m trying to not call him Spike so much, so when I see him again, I won’t slip up. You see, when you see him, all you’ll see is the man that he once was, there’s no Spike there. But I also knew William a little. When we went away for that weekend, after Valentine’s Day that last year, before…before everything happened. I saw the man that he once was, but it was different. William being inside Spike, it was still Spike, know what I mean? But William is only William."

"It must be really strange," Dawn said, taking Buffy’s hand.

"It was, it is. It really is," Buffy agreed. "Oh, I forgot to tell you, Willow’s coming!"

"Those are some pretty serious charges you’re bringing," Dr. Ogilvie said.

"They are. And in all my years of practice, I’ve never come up against a doctor seemingly so incompetent. I think these papers speak for themselves, plus what’s happened to William Worthington."

"And this nurse says she was threatened?"

"Yes, said she’s sign a statement if you needed her to. Plus there’s a couple of other nurses on the 8th floor who are bothered by what they’ve seen of his behavior toward his patients, and in particular, his overdosing of Mr. Worthington."

"Could you step outside for a moment, while we discuss this?"

"Of course. Please consider stopping Dr. Polydefkis from having anymore contact with these patients until you can ascertain his credentials," Dr. Turner said, as he went into the outer office of the president of the hospital.

About 10 minutes later, they called him back in.

"We’ve decided to call Dr. Polydefkis in to talk to us about these accusations that have been brought to our attention. In the meantime, we’re not removing him from these cases, but we’re noting on all his patient’s records, for nurses to call one of us on call right away if his drug doses exceed those recommended by the PDR."

"But what about his transferring William to 8 West, when I had him slated to move to 10 South, with no good reason? Putting him on so many meds, when he’d been on none, that he had a seizure?" Dr. Turner asked, frustrated.

"I’m sure there’s got to be some reasonable explanation. We’ll put in William’s chart that he’s not to be seen without a nurse present. In fact, let’s do that for all his patients until we sort this out."

"What kind of reasonable explanation could there possibly be?"

"Look, we’ve given you the main thing that you’ve asked for, and that’s protection for Mr. Worthington and his other patients. If Dr. Polydefkis doesn’t have a reasonable answer to these charges then we’ll see that Mr. Worthington is moved back to 10 North, reassigned to you, then you can move him to the step-down unit. I do have to say, that your desire to move him, as your last act as his doctor, is quite suspect in itself. Now it’s for us to make a final call. Clear?"

Dr. Turner reluctantly nodded, "One more thing, actually, two. Elizabeth Worthington, his wife, wants William released into the care of her doctor back in California," Dr. Turner said.

"This is the wife he hasn’t seen in three years, who he doesn’t remember?" Dr. Ogilvie asked.

Dr. Turner nodded, "Yes, but they got on quite well yesterday. I saw him after she’d been there and he seemed happier and more hopeful than I’d ever seen him. She’s quite capable. She’s a teacher out there, I believe."

"Well, presuming he is in fact, on the wrong floor altogether, we’ll need proof of her marriage to him, as well as a Medical Power of Attorney document."

"I believe she’s getting those."

Dr. Oglivie nodded, "Have her come see me with them when she does. What’s the second thing?"

"She wants to see him and I agree. He was just starting to come around, talk to me, that’s why I was having him go to step-down," he said, looking pointedly at Dr. Oglivie, "her visit really cheered him. Now he’s been drugged, isolated…I can only imagine what this has done to his state of mind."

Dr. Oglivie looked thoughtfully at him, "Tell Mrs. Worthington to bring me those documents tomorrow and I’ll let her have her visit. I’ll put it in the chart that she’s to be allowed to see him."

"Thank you," said Dr. Turner, letting out a breath. That had been a long shot.

"Willow? Willow’s coming? That’s great! When Buffy?"

"She’ll be in at midnight. I have to ask Leroy if his cousin is going to mind three people sleeping at her apartment tonight!"

Just then Dr. Turner tapped her on the shoulder.

Buffy turned, "What’s happening? Are they letting you be William’s doctor again?"

Dr. Turner shook his head, and proceeded to explain all of what they’d told him.

"That’s not good enough!" Buffy said, "that maniac shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near William, or anyone else, for that matter. Nurse present or not!"

"I know. I feel the same, but they listened, and they’ve put these safeguards into place. It’s the most I could do right now. It’s better than the alternative, but not as much as we wanted."

"Buffy turned around, her shoulders slumped.

"There’s one more thing. They’re going to let you see him, tomorrow. After you bring in those papers. It’s going in his chart."

Buffy jumped up, "Are you serious? For real? Thank you so much! When?"

"Tomorrow, after you’ve shown them your proof of marriage and your medical power of attorney. I don’t know why they put this stipulation in there, I think they’re just playing it safe, since all this is going on."

"I’ve got to go. You’ve got my phone numbers if you need me, and I know you, if you didn’t you’d probably find my house," he said, smiling at her.

"One question, how do I file for Medical Power of Attorney?" Buffy asked.

"Got the license?"

Buffy nodded.

"I’ll type you a letter stating that I’ve been William’s doctor for the past 3 weeks and that he poses no threat to himself or others and that should do it. If you go to the courthouse on LaSalle Street tomorrow, they always have lawyers you can hire for the day there, or you can represent yourself. If you get a lawyer, they’ll file the paperwork for you and be with you when you go before a judge. It’s all very routine. I’ll have the letter for you tomorrow morning."

"Thanks, what time should I come for it?"

"I’ll be here by 6:30am doing rounds, but it probably won’t be ready…oh, nevermind, I’ll type it tonight at home. It will be waiting for you whenever you get here. That way you can get to the courthouse by 8:00am and get on the docket quickly. Tell you what, if your case comes up around 11:00am, or if you could request that time, I’ll come by and give my personal recommendation to the judge that William’s Durable Power of Attorney be turned over to and that his care can be continued in California under his own physician’s care."

"Again," Buffy said, reaching out to shake his hand, "thank you so much!"

"I’ve got a letter from Sp…William’s doctor at home," Dawn said.

"Can I see it?" Dr. Turner asked.

Dawn handed him the letter from her purse.

He took a couple of minutes to read it.

"It’s a good letter. Should be fine."

"Good evening, ladies. Nice meeting you…?"

"Oh, I’m sorry, this is Dawn, my sister, Dawn, Dr. Turner."

"Nice to meet you, Dawn."

"You, too. Goodnight," Dawn said.

6:00pm

Buffy asked to speak to Leroy and a couple of minutes later he came out.

"The front desk ladies are getting suspicious," he said, smiling.

"Why?"

"They think you’re my girlfriend, what with all the times you’ve asked for me in the past couple of days."

"Oh," Buffy said smiling back.

"What’s up?" he asked her.

She introduced Dawn, then quickly told him what had happened since she’d gotten Dr. Turner from the golf course.

"Well good, then! You got things movin’ in the right direction. Oh, by the way, Amelia said that would be fine for you and a guest to come over. She gave me a key to give you. She’s going out for the evening and didn’t know when she’d be back," he said, handing her the key.

"Listen," he continued," I gotta get back to work. I’m working until at least midnight, so I’ll check up on things before I leave. I’ll check out that website, too," he said, whispering.

"Thanks again. I thought you were only working until 5, I wasn’t sure I was even going to catch you now."

"Yeah, well, someone called off, so looks like I’m staying. I really should get an apartment in the city, like Amelia," he said, sighing. "Well, gotta go, I’ll call you after I’ve had one more look tonight. I’ve got your cell phone number and Amelia’s."

"Thanks, Leroy, I’ll talk to you later," Buffy said, waving as he walked back into through the doors.

7:30pm

Dr. Polydefkis pulled up in front of Lake Point Towers, one of the most prestigious addresses in Chicago. The attendant took the keys from him for his 2008 911 Silver Porche, and the doorman held the door and nodded toward him.

He took the elevator up to the 20th floor of the north building. Getting off the elevator, he opened the door to his half-million dollar condo. He loved living in the city, seeing the breathtaking views of Lake Michigan, and the city. He felt like he owned it. He didn’t worry about money, either. His online sale of pharmaceuticals that he got illegally from Europe were doing quite well, as was his offshore bank accounts.

The phone’s message light was flashing. That was unusual, mostly his calls were taken by his voice mail, to either be returned, or for the most part, ignored. Very few people knew his home phone number.

He pressed the play button.

"Dr. Polydefkis, this is Dr. Ogilivie at the hospital. I need you to come up to my office tomorrow morning before rounds begin. Um, some things have been brought to our attention regarding your patients, in particular, a William Worthington, who I believe you’ve just sent down to 8 West last evening. Dr. Turner had some concerns, as did a few of the nurses on both 10 North and 8 West that need to be addressed. I’m sure you’ll want to clear up any misunderstandings as soon as you can. Until tomorrow morning then."

"Shit! If a couple of busy-body bitch nurses think they can get in my business they have another thing coming," Dr. Polydefkis said, as he pondered whom he could get to stalk them some night after they got off work.

He logged into the doctor’s website and accessed his patient’s charts. His eyes narrowed, as did his mouth, as he read about William’s wife; a nurse on 8 West had charted that she was very upset at finding out about the move and had demanded Dr. Turner’s phone number, but was denied. Then he saw the asterisk by his patients, and the notation about having to have a nurse come with him on his rounds. He then logged into the hospital’s main computer and changed it back to the way it had been. That should give him a few hours, at least.

"Shit!" he repeated, still thinking of how much he’d enjoy wreaking havoc in the lives of those nurses. "But first things first!" he said as he dialed a number in L.A.

"Wolfram & Hart," said a cheerful voice.

"Let me talk to Angel right now!" he barked.

"Hold on please," she said, coolly.

"Angel here."

"This is Dr. Polydefkis in Chicago, I think we have a problem."

CHAPTER 42 - RISKING MY JOB FOR A GOOD CAUSE

"Did you say his wife had been complaining?" Angel asked.

"Yes, she was just here to see him yesterday, right before I got assigned as his doctor, before I transferred him.

"What did she look like?"

"Blonde, I think. I never saw her, the nurses did."

"Buffy!" Angel thought angrily to himself, and now she was calling herself his wife! He’d wondered about her all these years, never a phone call or anything. Figures she’d get wind of dear old Spikey coming back. His wife? Well, he’d see about that!

"Get him out of there tonight. I don’t care what you have to do, only keep him alive and get him out. I’ve got a couple of guys who will be around to collect him. You just tell me what door you’re going to bring him out from," Angel said, thumbing through his rolodex.

"It could be risky for me, I may not be able to go back, you know," Dr. Polydefkis said, thinking of his nice life he’d just set up here.

"You do this and I’ll give you a $50,000 bonus and a jet out of here to anywhere you choose. Hell, I’ll even buy the apartment from you, always wanted to visit the Windy City."

The doctor thought for a minute, "Very well. There’s a basement service entrance in the back of West Pavillion, it’s not used at night, trucks deliver to there during the day."

"Sounds good. I’ll call you back with the time in a few minutes."

Dr. Polydefkis leaned back against his camel colored leather couch with his hands behind his head thinking. If they wanted him around shift change that would be good. There were more nurses, but they were usually preoccupied, giving report, and other things. Chances are they wouldn’t pay much attention to him up there. And hopefully by the time that the new nurses took over, they wouldn’t know about the change in the patient’s charts. He only hoped that the nurses on evenings and days had also not noticed it and passed it along to the other ones.

8:30pm

The cell phone rang, "It’s Angel, get him to that door between 2:45 and 3:00am. No later, understood?"

"I’ll have him there, Angel."

"And I need him alive. That’s important."

"Don’t worry. He’ll be alive. He may not be conscious, but he’ll be alive."

9:00pm

Buffy and Dawn sat in Amelia’s living room. They’d been there for about an hour, after having gone to Medici’s for dinner. Dawn had liked it, and had even bought a small, framed picture for her apartment back home. She’d moved out of the dorm last year and was now living on her own. Of course, Hank was paying the rent until she was out of school. It had actually been cheaper than the dorm, so he hadn’t minded.

Buffy had spotted a small drawing of a woman in the woods, standing overlooking a clearing below. She thought it sort of looked like her from the back. She bought it for William. It gave her hope.

It reminded her the first time Spike had taken her on the trail and she’d seen the desert far below and off in the distance. It wasn’t too far from the tree where they’d…and where he’d carved their initials. She had gone there often at first, after he had ‘died,’ but then, she’d stopped going there altogether; avoiding that trail, in favor of other ones, until the end of last Spring, when all of a sudden, she’d found herself inexplicably drawn to that spot. She’d just thought that it had been her mind allowing, with the passage of time, for her to finally be able to face ‘the tree’ without the grief. Now she wasn’t so sure that’s all it had been.

"I can’t wait to see Willow," Dawn said, "I haven’t seen her since they pulled up and dropped us off at Hank’s five years ago. Never even got to England," she said, wistfully.

"I haven’t seen her either. At least you kept in contact, I hadn’t even talked to her for a couple of years until a few months ago," Buffy said.

"I wonder if she’ll look different," Dawn said.

"I don’t know. She might. Little older, like all of us, except me, of course."

"Of course," Dawn said, rolling her eyes.

"Do you ever talk to Xander?" Dawn asked.

"I haven’t for a really long time. I suppose Willow does. I just sort of got the impression he was glad to be the living that normal life he’d always had visions of in his head. I mean, I did too, but it was more like wishing for something that I couldn’t have, being the slayer. But Xander, he always should have been the guy who got married, settled down, had a family. And now he does. I just don’t want to interfere with that by calling him and reminding him of…"

"Of you?"

"Well, yeah, me and all that I must represent to him. I think Xander is happy to leave all the demons, vampires, and witches…well, except for Willow, behind, or of the stuff of fairy tales. Don’t you think so?"

Dawn thought about it for a minute, "I don’t know Buffy, part of me agrees, but I think that it’s always going to be a part of Xander. I…I email him still."

"You do?"

"Yeah. I used to have the biggest crush on him. Even bigger than the one I had on Spike," she said, smiling mischievously at Buffy.

"I remember," Buffy said, smiling back, "so how is Xander? Is he happy?"

"Yeah, he seems really happy. We mostly talk about what’s going on in our lives now, although once in a while, if I catch him online and we’re using Instant Messaging, they’ll be some "remember this," and some "remember that," but we try to stay in the present, mostly.

"I understand," Buffy said, and she did.

"He asks about you," Dawn said.

"Well, next time you talk to him, tell him I said, ‘hey,’ okay?"

"Sure," Dawn said, and looked away.

"What?" Buffy asked.

"Why didn’t you let him and Giles know what was going on with Spike?" she finally asked.

"It’s because of the very reasons I just mentioned. Even if I told him Spike was alive, what do you think his reaction would be? Do you think that he’d be eager to see him? Think he’d be curious to meet William? Dawn, he never much liked Spike, and pretty much despised him that last year, even when he’d gotten a soul. The only reason he ever tolerated him was because I asked him to. It just went against everything that he thought he should stand for as a man, and I understand that and respect that, even if I don’t agree. I mean, he didn’t look and didn’t want to look at the whole picture from my perspective, and certainly not from Spike’s. Why should I force that on him?" Buffy asked.

"And as for Giles. I’m afraid to let him know. I really am. William is helpless now. He’s not Spike and I’m afraid that Giles might want to study him like some circus freak. I don’t know. He tried to kill Spike not long before he…and he never, ever could see him as someone who was trying to become a good man, even though he went to get his soul returned. Giles just…didn’t want to see him that way, didn’t want to ‘feel’ any sympathy or empathy for Spike. And again, like Xander, I understand his reasoning, but in his case, don’t really respect it, and certainly can’t take a chance with him knowing that Spike’s alive. Does that help you understand?" Buffy said, looking at Dawn.

"Yes. I’m sorry, Buffy. I just…I didn’t think of it that way. I guess with Willow coming, Andrew knowing, you, me, Spike…Guess I was just looking for something of the feel from when we were all sort of like a family."

"I get that, and you’re forgiven," she said, smiling, "but for now, I’m all that William has. Pretend wife or not, I’ve got to get him out of there."

June 12, 2008

11:00pm

The nurse looked up at the order on the screen and frowned. There had just been an x-ray ordered for William Worthington at 2:45am. She wondered why he needed an x-ray at all, yet alone at such a strange time. She searched his chart looking for something that was nagging at her. Hadn’t that chart been highlighted earlier in the night, along with some other patient’s saying that Dr. Polydefkis was not to see them alone? She called the head nurse over and showed her.

Lynn Russo looked at it, sure she’d seen that too, and now was having an awfully funny feeling not finding it there. She was sure that it couldn’t have possible been straightened out tonight, yet. It had been put on the charts early in the evening, and now it was off. Well, she’d tell the midnight shift to make sure that Polydefkis wasn’t alone with any patients, anyway.

She looked at the order for the x-ray. It was for William’s elbow. She knew he’d been unconscious practically the whole day, so it wasn’t like he’d been complaining about it. She read that it had been hurt in the move coming down last night, when an orderly jerked it to restrain him. Well, that was true, but why order an x-ray at that time of night in x-ray department? When they had a machine they could bring upstairs? This had something wrong written all over it.

Friday

June 13, 2008

12:05am

"What the…?" Leroy said, as he looked at the online chart of William Worthington.

"Hey, someone’s here," Dawn said, as she heard the buzzer.

"Who is it?" Buffy asked.

"Leroy."

"Hey, come on in, can I get you something to eat or drink?"

"No thanks. Listen, something’s going on, I don’t know what, but you know how you told me how the administration was going to put all those notices on Dr. Polydefkis’ patient’s records so that he couldn’t see them alone, over prescribe, etc.?" he asked Buffy.

Buffy nodded, beginning to get that feeling in the pit of her stomach again.

"Well, it’s not on there. But it sort of looks like it was amended, know what I mean? Like it was changed back? Never-mind, just a certain way we have of knowing when orders have been changed. Oh, and also, there’s an order for him to go down to x-ray at 2:45am. The x-ray lab usually only does x-rays for ER patients or patients needing emergency surgeries. Doctors don’t schedule regular patients that time of day, they’d wait until morning. That’s why I came over here, something’s going on and you might want to let Dr. Turner know or whatever it is that you’re gonna do. Not even sure I want to know," he added.

Buffy just looked at him with a combination of thanks and fright in her eyes.

"Oh, what the hell, ladies! What do you want me to do?"

"I don’t know? Can you get us up onto the floor? I’ve got to know if William is alright. More than that, I’ve got to get him out of there! Tonight!"

Leroy looked from Buffy to Dawn and back again.

"I’m so gonna lose my job," he thought, if this doesn’t work right.

"Come on ladies, get your stuff, we’re going back over to the hospital!"

Just then Buffy’s cell phone rang. It was Willow.

"Hey, Buffy, I just landed. Where am I going?"

"Willow, I’m so glad you called. Something is going on with William, at the hospital, right now...I think that they’re trying to move him out tonight!" she said, as she walked out into the night with Leroy and Dawn," meet us at the hospital. Down in…"

She looked at Leroy.

"Have her meet us over by the outpatient entrance."

She told Willow she’d find her as soon as she could, over by the outpatient door, then hung-up.

"What do you mean, someone’s trying to get William out of there tonight. Do you mean Dr. Polydefkis?" Leroy asked.

"Yes, among others, that’s what it looks like," Buffy said.

"But why? What did he do? Hey, I’m not helping some criminal or some international terrorist group am I, because, Leroy don’t play that way!"

Buffy stopped, "Leroy, there’s no way I can tell you the whole story. No way you’d even believe it or understand it. But one thing I can tell you with perfect clarity is that you are helping a good man, a man who has saved countless, innocent lives. People never even knew what sacrifice he made, but…that’s the only truth I can tell you," she said, looking him in the eyes.

He looked back at her. He didn’t know why the hell he’d involved himself in her and William’s problems, but he just couldn’t walk away now.

"I believe you, Elizabeth. I don’t know why, but I do. Just wanted to know for sure that I was risking my job for a good cause, for good people," he told her.

"You are, he is, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart," Buffy said.

"Yeah, well you’d also better call that Dr. Turner back here if you know what’s best," he added.

"Dr. Turner, sorry to disturb you…"

Buffy told Dr. Turner what was going on and where to meet them. Same place as Willow.

And now, for getting up to 8 West!" said Leroy.

Leroy took Buffy and Dawn into the building through a little known entrance through the parking garage. They took the elevator down to the basement and then walked over to laundry.

Looking around to make sure there was nobody about, Leroy slipped in, motioning them to stay in an area that contained candy and soda machines. He came back a few minutes later with two lab technician outfits.

"Which one of you wants to try to go up and get into William’s room to see how he’s doing?" Leroy asked.

"I’ll go," Buffy said, "I need to go!"

"Well, it will probably be okay, but what if one of the nurses recognizes you?"

"The only nurses that saw me were on this morning. You don’t think they’d be back for midnight’s, do you?" she asked.

"Not usually, but it does happen. If that’s the case, you’ll blow our cover," he said.

"I’ll go," Dawn said.

Buffy reluctantly nodded, "Please Dawn, tell him Elizabeth is going to come to get him out tonight, try to make him understand," she said.

Leroy found a computer and logged in to find out which patient had any lab work scheduled. Luckily there was a Mr. Otto down the hall from William. He was scheduled for lab work, and it hadn’t yet been done.

"Stay here," Leroy said, and he went off in search of lab supplies. He came back in about 5 minutes with all that was necessary.

Buffy didn’t ask how he had done it, she could guess.

He told Dawn what to say and how to act, then directed her over to the elevator that would take her to the 8th floor, "Get in, get out, and don’t get caught!" He then told her where to ditch the clothes and how to get back to the outpatient entrance to meet up with them.

12:45am

Dawn’s heart was pounding as she made her way off of the elevator and buzzed to be let into the 8 West ward. A nurse at the desk gave her a look and a brief look at her badge, and waved her through.

"You’re here to see?"

"Mr. Otto has some blood work that Dr. Hanford wanted for tomorrow," Dawn said.

"Okay, he’s down in 818, about midway down the hall," she said, and waved Dawn off.

Dawn slowly walked down the hall, until she got to room 814. She looked back up at the nurse’s station and making sure nobody was coming, opened the door.

She could see a figure lying over on his side; straps bound him around the waist and legs.

Dawn went to the side of the bed where he faced and looked down. In the moonlight coming in the window, his hair looked light, like Spike’s had, but on closer inspection, she could tell it was brown.

"Spike?" Dawn said, in a whisper, then quickly, changed it.

"William? William wake up," she gently shook him.

His eyes slowly opened, and he looked at her, but it was as if he looked right through her, he didn’t even register her presence.

"William, I’m Buffy’s, sister, Elizabeth’s sister, Dawn. You used to call me ‘Bit,’ or ‘Nibblet,’ do you remember me?"

On hearing Elizabeth’s name, William tried to focus both his attention and sight on the young woman kneeling by his bed.

Dawn smiled at him, and wiped some drool away from his mouth with the edge of a sheet, "Yeah, it’s me, Dawn, William," she said, encouragingly.

He shook his head.

"I know, you don’t remember me, but I’m Elizabeth’s sister. You remember Elizabeth from yesterday don’t you?"

He nodded, "Y, y, yes," he whispered, trying to make his mouth work.

"W, w, where’s Elizabeth? Said she…come back," he said, beseeching her with his eyes.

"She’s coming, William. That’s what I’ve come to tell you. She’s going to try to get you out tonight. Please. You have to try to stay strong, stay alert. We’re going to try to sneak you out. Tonight."

He looked at her, not comprehending.

Dawn leaned over and kissed his cheek, "We’ll be back later, William. We’ll get you out of here. Elizabeth loves you, she’s not going to leave without you!"

William couldn’t quite make sense of all that Dawn was telling him, but he could feel her emotion, when she used the words ‘love’ and ‘Elizabeth.’

She looked at him and saw a tear running down his cheek.

"I have to go. I’m not supposed to be here, I don’t want to get caught. She’ll see you later, promise. Elizabeth promises," she said, wiping his cheek and giving him a little hug.

"Don’t! Don’t go!" he said, as she neared the door.

His plaintive voice broke her heart, "I have to, but we’ll be back, soon. Don’t tell anybody I was here. See you in a while, William," Dawn said, and hurried out his door before she lost it, too.

Luckily, there was nobody in the hall. She let herself out, without needing to be buzzed out, and quickly went down the elevator, found the place to divest herself of her ‘costume,’ and went quickly over to the outpatient entrance.

12:45am

"Willow!" Buffy said, as she found her waiting for her outside the outpatient door.

"Buffy!"

They hugged each other tightly.

"Willow, I’m so glad to see you, so glad you came," Buffy said.

"Me, too, but we’d better catch up later. Tell me what’s going on."

After introducing her to Leroy, Buffy filled her in as best she could for the next 10 minutes, until Dawn came out.

Dawn and Willow hugged each other and then Dawn told Buffy how William had seemed to her.

"He’s all strapped down and mostly out of it Buffy, but he did seem to perk up when he heard your name. He knew who you were, I’m sure of it. He asked why you hadn’t come back and where you were…"

"Oh God, I knew he’d be upset when I didn’t come back!" Buffy said, upset now herself.

"Oh Buffy, you don’t have time for recriminations right now, especially, since not coming back today wasn’t your fault. He’s alive, he’s a bit doped, but not hopelessly, and I told him you were going to get him out tonight."

"What did he say, then?" Buffy asked, looking at Dawn.

"He…he didn’t say anything, he got…he started to cry," Dawn answered.

Buffy turned away, trying to get control of her own emotions, unbridled anger at the doctor that had put him into this state, at Angel for trying to accomplish God knows what, and fear and sympathy for William.

Dawn put her hand on Buffy’s shoulder. "We’ll get him out. You saved him from the first by killing an ubervamp barehanded, how bad can this be then?"

"You’re right, Dawn. It’s not the worse we’ve faced, but we’ve got to have a plan."

1:05am

"Elizabeth," Dr. Turner said, walking up.

"Dr. Turner," I’m so glad you came," Buffy said.

Once again, introductions were made all around.

"What’s going on, Elizabeth?"

Buffy took a deep breath, "I have reason to believe that Dr. Polydefkis means to take William from this hospital tonight. We think that’s why he’s ordered a x-ray downstairs at 2:45am. Leroy here tells me that it’s not much farther to an exit from there. What’s more..."

"Why would he do that?" Dr. Turner asked.

"I, we, have reason to believe that Dr. Polydefkis is working for someone else that means William harm.

Dr. Turner looked at Buffy, Dawn, Willow, and Leroy, who shrugged, while the others nodded.

"Who is he? Really? That someone would wish him harm?"

"I can’t explain it all to you, it’s a very, very long story, some, well, really, none of which you’d probably even be able to believe. But let me put your mind at rest, as I did Leroy’s. William is a good man. He’s done nothing wrong, nothing illegal, he’s not a terrorist, a spy, and he doesn’t work for any governments. It’s just that he…someone wants something that he has. Only he doesn’t know that he has it," Buffy said.

"And what would that be?" Dr. Turner asked, wondering if his strange patient William was some sort of unknowing mule for drug thieves, or diamond smugglers.

"It’s not something that can be sold or bought, if that’s what you’re thinking," Buffy said, reading his face.

He looked at her questioningly.

"William was given another chance at life. I thought he was gone for good, but he’s here now, and I think…that this person out there isn’t happy about it, and especially not about me and William," Buffy said, trying to explain.

"Ah…love triangle?"

"Not really, but it’s complicated…and the other person has a lot of power behind him, enough to put into motion this whole thing - getting a doctor to isolate him, moving him somewhere, and then…"

"You think this person wants William dead?" Dr. Turner asked.

"Looks like it," Buffy said.

"We should contact the authorities," Dr. Turner said, reaching for his cell phone.

"No, they couldn’t help, probably wouldn’t help, because I can’t give them anything more than generalities. You have to believe me, these men, this man, doesn’t work within the normal realm of everyday people. Dr. Turner," Buffy said, "I respect you for being a caring doctor and for coming here tonight. And if you can’t help us, I’ll understand, but please, please understand my position here. I am getting William out tonight before something happens to him that I can’t stop once it starts.

Dr. Turner looked over at Leroy, who this time nodded, "I think she’s telling the truth, otherwise, I wouldn’t be here either, man!"

"Okay," Dr. Turner said, taking a deep breath, "tell me what you want me to do."