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summer_of_giles2021-07-26 04:56 pm
aaronlisa) wrote in summer_of_giles2021-07-26 04:56 pm
Entry tags:
FIC: Fear of Failure (FR13, gen)
Title: Fear of Failure
Author:aaronlisa
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Characters: Rupert Giles, Willow, Xander, Oz, Cordelia
Rating: FR132
Disclaimer: BtVS belongs to Whedon and company.
Notes: Set during the final moments of 2x22 "Becoming Part 2," I always thought it was odd that the final scene is of the Scoobies at the high school with Buffy leaving town and I always felt that that scene took place the following day after Buffy fought with Angelus.
Word Count: 743
Giles has always found that time seems to flow differently in the Emergency Room of any hospital. It seems to be elastic with minutes often stretching into hours and hours stretching into second depending on the reasons for his visit. When he's been there for Buffy or one of the other children in the past, it's always felt like minutes stretch into hours as he wants for any news about the patient. When he's there for himself, it always feels like the hours are mere seconds with doctors and nurses checking in on him and running test after test.
When Oz enters the small curtained area that Giles has been since Xander brought him in, he suddenly becomes aware that it's been hours since he first arrived and something is wrong. He fears the worst but is unable to put it into words. Oz must be able to read the expression on his face.
"Willow says her spell was successful and we're pretty sure that the portal wasn't open because it's been a few hours since Xander got you out of the mansion and it feels like Sunnydale always does."
Giles breathes a sigh of relief.. He's fairly certain that is the most he's ever heard the usually laconic boy say at one time.
"But Willow's getting pretty worried about Buffy."
"Have you tried paging her?" Giles asks.
He assumes that Buffy might not know where they all are. Between Willow being in her own hospital bed a floor above his and Giles being stuck in the emergency room, Cordelia, Xander and Oz have made their way back and forth between the two patients.
"Yeah, Xander's left her a few messages telling her that we're all here."
Before Giles can make any further suggestions.
"And Mrs. Summers doesn't seem to know where she is either. Cordelia and Xander have driven to the high school and a few other places but they couldn't find her."
He feels like he's going to vomit. He's failed her. Horribly so.
"Willow wants me to go to the mansion to see if I can find out anything there."
And Giles realizes that Oz is asking him for permission. He finds it curious since he's always found the children to be more than rash on several occasions, but he appreciates it.
"Take Xander with you and make sure you have weapons," Giles tells him. "You know how to get access to the weapons at the library."
"Yeah.," Oz quietly says. "Something doesn't feel right, but not in the whole Hell portal being open that's going to consume our world, if you know what I mean."
Giles nods but he can't lose hope now. He has to believe that Buffy successfully stopped the apocalypse and survived. She's a very strong young woman and he has to believe in her..
"Be quick," Giles tells Oz.
"Of course," Oz replies.
* * *
By the time that Oz and Xander return, Giles has been released from the ER and he's sitting with Willow and Cordelia. The brunette seems paler and quieter than normal. In fact the only thing that she has said is to ask him if he needs tea or coffee or if Willow needs more water or another warm blanket. Since then she has remained in her chair, holding Willow's hand.
"He'll be fine," Willow tells her. "Both of them will be fine. And when they get back, they'll have Buffy with them."
Cordelia makes a noise of agreement but Willow's normal cheerfulness and positive attitude seems forced. It pains him to see how small and pale the redhead is in her hospital bed. Giles realized that he's taken them for granted for far too long.
Time seems to stretch indeterminately until Oz and Xander both arrive and crowd into the small room. Giles can see how Willow's grip on Cordelia's hand tightens and Cordelia bites her lower lip.
"Well?" Giles impatiently asks.
"There was nothing there. It looks like whatever happened between Buffy and Angelus, all of the other vampires took off and ran away," Oz tells them.
"The statute has been destroyed from what we could tell," Xander says.
"But no Buffy or Angel?"
"Well there wasn't a pile of ash," Xander says.
"Xander!" Cordelia shrilly interrupts him.
"No," Oz simply says.
"She has to be okay," Willow says.
"I am certain that she is," Giles says. "She could be very well be taking care of some other issues as it were. I am sure she will show up at the school tomorrow morning."
There are a few non-committal replies but he has to believe in his own words because otherwise he knows that he will have failed as a Watcher. More importantly. he will have failed Buffy.
((END))
Author:
aaronlisa Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Characters: Rupert Giles, Willow, Xander, Oz, Cordelia
Rating: FR132
Disclaimer: BtVS belongs to Whedon and company.
Notes: Set during the final moments of 2x22 "Becoming Part 2," I always thought it was odd that the final scene is of the Scoobies at the high school with Buffy leaving town and I always felt that that scene took place the following day after Buffy fought with Angelus.
Word Count: 743
Giles has always found that time seems to flow differently in the Emergency Room of any hospital. It seems to be elastic with minutes often stretching into hours and hours stretching into second depending on the reasons for his visit. When he's been there for Buffy or one of the other children in the past, it's always felt like minutes stretch into hours as he wants for any news about the patient. When he's there for himself, it always feels like the hours are mere seconds with doctors and nurses checking in on him and running test after test.
When Oz enters the small curtained area that Giles has been since Xander brought him in, he suddenly becomes aware that it's been hours since he first arrived and something is wrong. He fears the worst but is unable to put it into words. Oz must be able to read the expression on his face.
"Willow says her spell was successful and we're pretty sure that the portal wasn't open because it's been a few hours since Xander got you out of the mansion and it feels like Sunnydale always does."
Giles breathes a sigh of relief.. He's fairly certain that is the most he's ever heard the usually laconic boy say at one time.
"But Willow's getting pretty worried about Buffy."
"Have you tried paging her?" Giles asks.
He assumes that Buffy might not know where they all are. Between Willow being in her own hospital bed a floor above his and Giles being stuck in the emergency room, Cordelia, Xander and Oz have made their way back and forth between the two patients.
"Yeah, Xander's left her a few messages telling her that we're all here."
Before Giles can make any further suggestions.
"And Mrs. Summers doesn't seem to know where she is either. Cordelia and Xander have driven to the high school and a few other places but they couldn't find her."
He feels like he's going to vomit. He's failed her. Horribly so.
"Willow wants me to go to the mansion to see if I can find out anything there."
And Giles realizes that Oz is asking him for permission. He finds it curious since he's always found the children to be more than rash on several occasions, but he appreciates it.
"Take Xander with you and make sure you have weapons," Giles tells him. "You know how to get access to the weapons at the library."
"Yeah.," Oz quietly says. "Something doesn't feel right, but not in the whole Hell portal being open that's going to consume our world, if you know what I mean."
Giles nods but he can't lose hope now. He has to believe that Buffy successfully stopped the apocalypse and survived. She's a very strong young woman and he has to believe in her..
"Be quick," Giles tells Oz.
"Of course," Oz replies.
* * *
By the time that Oz and Xander return, Giles has been released from the ER and he's sitting with Willow and Cordelia. The brunette seems paler and quieter than normal. In fact the only thing that she has said is to ask him if he needs tea or coffee or if Willow needs more water or another warm blanket. Since then she has remained in her chair, holding Willow's hand.
"He'll be fine," Willow tells her. "Both of them will be fine. And when they get back, they'll have Buffy with them."
Cordelia makes a noise of agreement but Willow's normal cheerfulness and positive attitude seems forced. It pains him to see how small and pale the redhead is in her hospital bed. Giles realized that he's taken them for granted for far too long.
Time seems to stretch indeterminately until Oz and Xander both arrive and crowd into the small room. Giles can see how Willow's grip on Cordelia's hand tightens and Cordelia bites her lower lip.
"Well?" Giles impatiently asks.
"There was nothing there. It looks like whatever happened between Buffy and Angelus, all of the other vampires took off and ran away," Oz tells them.
"The statute has been destroyed from what we could tell," Xander says.
"But no Buffy or Angel?"
"Well there wasn't a pile of ash," Xander says.
"Xander!" Cordelia shrilly interrupts him.
"No," Oz simply says.
"She has to be okay," Willow says.
"I am certain that she is," Giles says. "She could be very well be taking care of some other issues as it were. I am sure she will show up at the school tomorrow morning."
There are a few non-committal replies but he has to believe in his own words because otherwise he knows that he will have failed as a Watcher. More importantly. he will have failed Buffy.
((END))