They turned and saw the couple walking downstairs. Giles turned and saw the skinner Willow clinging onto Tara’s hand.
“Willow…” He said as Willow looked down. Tara gripped her hand as she moved to hug them both.
“How was your vacation?” Tara asked as Giles hugged her, and then Joyce.
“It was beautiful…and I see we have some visitors back from being missing.” Joyce said as she looked at the frail Willow. “How have you been Willow?” Joyce asked as Willow just looked down still.
“I’ve been better.” Willow replied quietly. Tara watched her beloved as she moved nervously. Giles’ face softened as he hugged the trembling girl.
“You gave us quite a scare.” He said as Willow hugged him back. Willow just sobbed as her mentor held her tightly. “You mustn’t do that again…” He said as Willow nodded.
“And Ryan?” Joyce asked.
“That’s the other thing mom…Ryan needs to have surgery…the doctor said she has an irregular heart beat. And they want to put a pacemaker into her.” Buffy said quietly.
“That bad…well…when she is healthy enough, I want her to be near home. That way we can monitor her progress…” Giles said. It was this day that Buffy was happy that Giles was a doctor…and as luck would have it, he did know a thing or two about Ryan’s condition.
“Are you willing to do that, Giles?” Buffy asked, almost pleadingly.
“Of course. She is after all your best friend…” Giles said as Buffy hugged him tightly. Tara smiled as Buffy held him tightly as well.
“Well…now that the family is back together…how about a nice, family dinner?” Joyce asked as everyone smiled and felt the happiness spreading throughout. Giles picked up his bag, and decided to check on Ryan at the hospital. Ryan lay awake, just watching a show.
“Hello Ryan…” She heard. She turned and saw Giles standing in the doorway.
“Everyone is just popping back into my life…how have you been, G-man?” Ryan said as Giles sat next to her.
“Good…I don’t think I can say the same for you though…” HE said as Ryan laughed.
“I put myself here…No one else did but me…who sent you?” Ryan asked
“I came on my own accord.” He replied as Dr. Grant walked in.
“Hello…” She said as she helped Ryan sit up. “And you are?” She asked as she checked Ryan’s BP.
“Rupert Giles…I’m a friend of hers.” Giles said as Dr. Grant smiled.
“You see Ry…no reason to go and screw up your life.” Julie said as Ryan smiled.
“Is it true that she needs surgery?” Giles asked
“Very…her heartbeat is weak and irregular. It has to be corrected immediately. Sadly, we don’t have any records for insurance and family. So until we can get she has to wait to be fixed.” Julie said as Giles frowned.
“She will be on me and my wife’s insurance plan as soon as possible.” Giles said as Ryan looked at him in shock.
“Are you her legal guardians?” She asked
“Yes…Ryan has been living with us since she was fifteen.” Giles said as Julie smiled.
“Right…she’ll be able to go into surgery as soon as your insurance is informed.” She said as she gripped Ryan’s hand.
“Right…” Giles said as he sat next to her. Dr. Grant left the two of them alone right after she checked her vitals, and machines.
“You didn’t have to do that Giles…” Ryan whispered.
“I most certainly did…you with no family whatsoever and me with no real children of my own. Ryan if I hadn’t have done it, you would have been on the waiting list for a very long time.” Giles said as he held her hand. “I couldn’t put my daughter through that…not after Joyce’s tumor. I have to help you.” Giles said. He knew that Ryan loved Buffy very much. He stood and walked out of the room. Ryan was left to reflect. On her lost life and her second chance at it. Giles had just handed her that second chance. She wasn’t going to waste it this time.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Willow and Tara sat at the dinner table, With Dawn and Nico next to them, and Joyce and Giles at opposite ends. Buffy sat across from them, wishing Ryan was there too.
“Isn’t nice to have the family together again?” Joyce asked as Giles nodded.
“We did this very much while we were in London. And while the two were missing.” Giles said as Willow nodded and ate silently.
“How was Ryan when you saw her Rupert?” Joyce asked as Buffy’s ears perked up.
“She was well I believe. They are taking fine care of her there. And she is to be going into surgery something this or next week.” He said as Joyce nodded and sighed.
“Such a shame…23 years old…” Joyce said as Willow winced and held her side. Tara didn’t notice as Willow quickly shook her head and looked around. She wanted a hit so badly. But no giving in, she said to herself as she ate the carrots on the plate. She felt pain in her side, and desire for the drug in her mind and heart. She looked at Tara as she ate. So beautiful. Joyce saw that Willow was a little pale. “Will, are you alright?” Joyce asked
“Fine, Mrs. S…I just really need a nap.” Willow said as she stood up. Tara stood, but Willow stopped her. “No…finish up.” Willow said as Tara nodded.
“I’ll be up soon, sweetie.” Tara said as Willow whispered and walked upstairs. She made it up the stairs and fell on the bed, holding a pillow. She broke in a cold sweat. All she could think about was getting her next hit. But she wasn’t going to fuck up her second chance. So, she sat there, drenched in her sheets. Tara came up a few minutes later, and saw Willow trembling in the bed, covered in sweat. Tara instantly knew what was going on, and got into the bed with her, holding her tightly. Willow felt Tara’s arms around her and felt relieved. Tara’s claming presences helped her fall asleep that. Ryan was not so lucky. She was tossing and turning in her bed, nightmares filling her head, her bed drenched in sweat. She woke from a nightmare. The same nightmare she had for years now. She just shook her head and shook up. She felt weak as she walked over to her window.
“God…please help me…I swear by everything I love and I cherish I will never touch another drug again…I swear by everything I hold dear to me…” Ryan said as she gripped her chest. She didn’t want to die…but somehow…she felt that death would clam her before she could tell Buffy… “Please…please I beg you God…let me pull me through…let me keep my promise to Buffy…let me die knowing that she knows my love for her…” Ryan said as she clutched her chest. Her monitor started beeping loudly as she fell to the ground. Nurses entered the room and saw Ryan on the ground not breathing. They turned her over and called Dr. Grant at her home. They had to get Ryan into surgery and right away.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
The next morning, all was well. Nico and Dawn were addressing wedding invitations at the kitchen table; Tara was still wrapped in Willow’s arms. Joyce and Giles were discussing Ryan and her being the newest addition to their insurance plan. That’s when the phone rang. Buffy was closest and got it.
“Summers Residence…wait what? How did that happen? But I thought she was all right? What are you telling me?” Buffy asked as the phone dropped from her hand. Giles walked in as she fell against the wall. He picked the phone and talked to Dr. Grant.
“Right…I’ll be there as soon as possible.” He said hanging up the phone. Joyce saw the concern in his eyes.
“Ryan is in danger again…they just took her into surgery.” Giles said as she knelt in front of Buffy. “I’m assuming you are coming with me.” Giles said as Buffy nodded.
“When Willow and Tara wake up I’ll send them over as well.” Joyce said as Nico held Dawn. Buffy sobbed as Giles held her hand, and took her to the car. Tara awoke a few minutes, and pulled herself out of Willow’s arms, making her way downstairs. She saw Joyce sitting in the living room, next to the phone, while Nico was holding and calming Dawn down.
“What’s wrong?” Tara asked, her voice full of concern.
“Ryan relapsed…she was taken in for emergency surgery.” Joyce said as Tara gasped; bring her hand to her mouth. She automatically knew where Buffy was.
“I better call Faith…” Tara said as Joyce nodded and let her use the phone. They sat in silence afterward. At the hospital, Buffy sat quietly near the surgery area. Giles was talking to the receptionist, informing her of Ryan’s insurance change and other changes as well; like that himself and Joyce were her legal guardians and her address as well. The doctors passed Buffy, none telling her a word. Faith walked in and demanded to know what was going on. Willow and Tara followed her. Willow disheveled at the prospect of possibly losing her best friend. Tara tried to calm Faith down as everyone slowly gathered into the small waiting area. To Willow’s surprise, Xander and Anya showed up. Xander saw his formerly missing friend, and hugged her tightly.
“Hey Will…” He said as Willow hugged him tightly. Everyone just in silence after that reunion, waiting on sort of word from the doctors. The silence was broken when Dr. grant herself exited the room and saw the somber group of people.
“How is she doc?” Faith asked
“I have some good news and some bad news…” She said as Buffy tried to keep herself composed.
“What is it, doc?” Xander asked
“The device has been implanted…and it works…but Ryan hasn’t woken up yet…she may have fallen back into a coma.” Dr. Grant said as Buffy held herself.
“What happened last night…she was doing fine…” Tara said as Dr. Grant agreed.
“Very true…but she collapsed…after doing an ultrasound and MRI we found a hole in her heart…granted it was a small one, but neither the less it’s still a hole. We had to fix that before we could put the device in.” Dr. Grant said as Buffy still tried to keep herself composed.
“So…is she going to be alright now? Now that her heart is fixed…” Willow asked quietly.
“We can’t guarantee anything…we have to see if she wakes up first.” She said as Buffy looked at through her teary eyes.
“She has to pull through…she promised me…” Buffy said as Joyce held her hand.
“It’s all up to Ryan now.” She said
_____________________________________________________________________________________
‘Where am I?’ Ryan thought as she looked around. She was in Buffy’s house. Everything was so dark and black. She moved to the living room and saw people, all surrounding Buffy. “Buffy?” Ryan said out loud. No one heard her. Nico stood in a corner, as everyone passed something in the corner opposite to her. “What’s going on?” Buffy asked Nico. But Nico didn’t answer. Giles was staring down at something.
“So young…” He whispered as Ryan walked over to him. She looked down and saw a coffin. It was closed. Willow and Tara were on the couch next to it. Ryan was nervous. Buffy was sitting in a chair, while people talked to her. A priest walked in and stood by the coffin.
“I think it’s time we start.” He said as Giles nodded and opened the coffin. There she lay. In a suit that she had made for her high school home coming dance.
“Holy shit…I’m dead…but I’m not dead…how I can be there…can’t you see me Giles? Buffy…” Ryan said as she moved and knelt next to her. “Can’t you see me Buffy…come on baby…I love you…I love you…god damn it…tell me you love me back god damnit!” Ryan yelled as the scene changed. Everyone was in the cemetery. And they all stood before a gravestone. Buffy was on the ground crying, kissing the ground. Ryan read the stone quickly. “Maria ‘Ryan’ Lorenzo… beloved…will be missed by all.” Ryan started shaking as Giles and Joyce helped Buffy off the ground. Willow and Tara were crying, holding each other as the lay a rose on the grave. “I’m not dead…I’m not dead…I’m not dead!” Ryan yelled as she bolted up from the bed. She looked around, and saw she was in the recovery room. Dr. Grant saw her bolt up from the bed, and walked over quickly.
“Thank God…” She said as she started checking Ryan’s vitals.
“I’m not dead…” Ryan said as Dr. Grant nodded.
“And it’s a relief that you’re not in a coma either…you have a very concerned family out there waiting on you to wake up.” She said as she looked to her side, and Willow was there.
“Willow?” Ryan asked as she nudged her. Willow quickly woke up and saw Ryan awake.
“Ry? Oh god…we thought we lost you again.” Willow said grabbing Ryan’s hand. Willow noticed that Ryan’s gown was opened in the front and she saw the heavily stitched wound on Ryan’s chest. “Does it hurt?” Willow asked
“No…no pain. Ok, I’m a liar…it hurts like hell…but that doesn’t matter…why are you in here.” Ryan said as Willow smiled and gripped her hand.
“I had a urge last night.” Willow confessed.
“Really…me too.” Ryan said as Willow shook her head. “I wasn’t going to give…I just stood up and I looked out my window and I prayed…for the first time in almost 10 years.” Ryan said as Willow nodded. “And I thought that I deserved to die…” Ryan confessed.
“No one deserves death Ryan…not even you…take this second chance and run with it…well don’t run with it because of your heart, but walk really, really, fast with it. Or maybe speed walk…” Willow babbled as Ryan laughed. “What?”
“Willow babble…never gets old.” Ryan confessed.
'If I could bottle up the chills that you give me
I would keep them in a jar next to my bed.
Maroon 5 'Woman'
Poor Buffy And Tara Searching For Their Loves, But Hopefully Will And Ryan Actually Do Go Back To Sunnydale And Start Off With A New Clean Life With Them.
can't wait for the next part