“My hand! She just squeezed my hand!” Tara said, enthusiastically.
“She did? Willow? You’re gonna be okay! You’re gonna be fine!!! I’m going to go out and tell the rest of the gang!” Buffy said, running out the door.
“Oh goddess, Willow…you scared me so bad…baby…I love you so much…and when I thought I lost you…” Tears ran down her cheeks once more…only to be wiped away gently by the familiar touch of Willow-hand…
Tara looked down…her eyes were barely open…but the familiar pools of Emerald green were sparkling once again…
Chapter Fifty-EightSuddenly, Willow started to fight against the tube from the respirator that was firmly placed in her throat...her face contorted violently as she struggled to remove the foreign object from her body.
Tara ran to the doorway, yelling “Somebody get in here! There’s something wrong!!! Help!!!”
Two nurses and a doctor that were near the front desk ran into the room...
“She’s fighting the respirator...” the doctor said, moving to her side.
“Willow? Can you hear me? You’ve got to try to calm down...we’ll get that tube out in just a few minutes.”
He turned to one of the nurses “Turn it off...let’s see how she does on her own.”
It was a struggle to force the air in and out of her broken body...but Willow was a trooper...she did it despite the pain.
“Ok...we’re going to remove the tube now, Willow. I need you to take a breath for me and hold it...this is going to be a little uncomfortable but it will be over quickly, I can assure you.”
The nurse removed the tape and bite block from her mouth.
“Okay, Willow...here we go...take a deep breath...hold it...” he gently pulled the tubing out.
“Ok...you’re okay...it’s out...” he said, turning to Tara “...her throat is going to be sore from the intubation...she’s NPO for right now...but she can have some ice chips.”
“T-thank you...” Tara said, never removing her eyes from Willow’s, she moved back in, taking her hand in hers once again. Tears still trickling down her beautiful face.
Willow swallowed hard, her throat and mouth were dry and sore...when she spoke, it was but a whisper...
“Don’t...cry...baby...” she said, furrowing her brow.
That’s my Willow...always thinking of everybody else...
Tara reached forward with her free hand, gently brushing the strands of red hair from Willow’s face.
“It’s a-alright love...they’re happy tears...” she smiled.
The rest of the gang waited at the door, as Buffy walked to the other side of the bed.
“Hey there Wills...you gave us quite a scare!” she said, looking at her friend...her sister.
The memories of what had happened started to flow back to Willow...she looked at Buffy “You...have to protect...Tara...” she said, wincing with the pain.
“Don’t worry, Wills...all of us are looking after her...I won’t let anyone touch a hair on Tara’s head...I promise...so just relax and get some rest, okay? We’ve got a lot to talk about when you’re feeling stronger...”
A lot to talk about...boy! That’s an understatement! Hey Willow - guess what? My father was a rotten bastard who cheated on my Mom, got some poor girl pregnant and she gave the baby up for adoption...and you’re my half-sister! How’s that for a shocker?
Buffy looked to Tara “You take care of our girl, here...we’ll be right outside if you need us...”
“Buffy...c-could you tell the others that they can come in?”
“Sure...they’re right outside...I’ll get them...I’ll see ya later, Wills...and don’t worry...I’m going to take care of everything.” She said with resolve.
Buffy had always loved Willow...she would have done anything for her friend...but now, a new sense of protectiveness welled up inside of her...Willow was no longer just her best friend...Willow was her blood...her little-sister...and she would protect her and her happiness at any cost...
She stepped out into the hallway...
“Hey guys...Tara says it’s okay for you to go in and see Wills...just don’t stay too long, okay? She needs her rest...and if ANY of you say ANYTHING to upset her...I’ll personally take care of the matter, myself...understand?”
“Wow...already doing the ’big Sis’ thing, eh Buff?” Xander said, jokingly.
Buffy’s expression did not change.
“O-kay...maybe not a good time to be with the joking...” he said, sheepishly.
Giles saw the look on his Slayer’s face...
“Xander, Anya...why don’t you go ahead...don’t want to crowd her...please tell them I’ll be in shortly.”
“Not a problem, G-man...come on, An.” Xander said, guiding Anya through the door and into the ICU room.
“Shall we talk?” Giles said, placing his hand on the Slayer’s shoulder.
Buffy looked into his eyes, tears welling up, and nodded.
He put his arm around her shoulders, guiding her gently down the hallway to the waiting room...
Meanwhile...
“Willster! Hey! You’re looking great! What’s with all of this white, though? You know, it really isn’t your color...” Xander said, trying to mask his shock at the sight of her pale broken body...
Willow knew her best friend well...she knew he was scared...she reached up and took his hand...
“I’m...alright.” she whispered.
“Yeah? Well...of course you are!...” he said, starting to feel himself choke up.”...and I’m so glad, Will...I don’t know what I’d do if I ever lost you, you know?”
“I know...” she said, giving his hand a squeeze.
Anya moved closer to the head of the bed, wrapping her arm around Xander’s waist...trying to comfort him.
“Xander’s really glad you’re okay...he was crying earlier...” Anya said, matter-of-factly.
“An! I was not! I had something in my eye!”
“Both of them?” Anya said.
“Yes...both...definitely...freak dust particles...it can happen...”
Tara and Willow looked up to their friend, smiling.
Meanwhile...in the waiting room...
Buffy sat on the window sill, feeling generally overwhelmed by the whole situation...
“How are you doing?” Giles asked, hoping his charge would see fit to open up with him...he knew she needed to talk.
“How am I doing? Gee...let me see here...my best friend was just about died a few hours ago...but then I find out that she’s not just my best friend...she’s my sister...and my Dad screwed around on my Mom...and someone is trying to kill my newly found little sister because she’s going to be the ’father’ of the perfect-Slayer...”
“Yes...it must be extremely overwhelming...”
“Overwhelming? Yeah...I’d say that pretty much covers it...”
Giles walked to her side, leaning on the sill next to her.
“This certainly does put a new spin on things, doesn’t it?” he said, removing his glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose...
“I just feel...I don’t know...mad...and happy...and guilty...there’s all of these emotions...Giles...has Willow ever told you much about her childhood?”
“No...not really...”
“We didn’t meet until our freshman year in high-school...she didn’t have many friends...basically just Xander.”
“Yes...well, she had mentioned that.”
“But Giles...it wasn’t just friends...she didn’t have anyone...at home, I mean...they were always so busy...flying here...going there...Willow pretty much raised herself...she spent all of her time alone...and when they did spend time with her...it was to tell her what she was doing wrong...I mean...hel-lo! Her mother tried to burn her at the stake, for God’s sake!”
“Oh my.”
“She had these powers...these gifts...and instead of them telling her how special she was...how wonderful she was...they were yelling at her...telling her she was some kind of freak.”
Giles’ heart felt heavy at the thought of someone treating Willow that way...but it also made him proud of her...that she overcame such obstacles and turned into the outstanding young woman that she was today.
“She had no one, Giles...I had you...and Mom...and she had no one...”
“Buffy...there’s nothing that we can do to change the past...you’re here for her now...and she has Tara...and Xander, Anya...myself...we’re all here for her...”
“But I’m her sister...I should have been there for her...”
“You are now...that’s all that counts.”
Buffy stood up, a look of resolve and utter determination on her face.
“Yes...I am. We need to find whatever did this to her Giles...I have to stop it...now.”
To Be Continued...