After what had seemed like ages, one of the doctors came out. Angel went over to him as soon as he saw him coming their way. "How is she?" he asked. His heart feared the possibilities. The doctor went the rest of the way into the waiting room, where Joyce had awoken the others. She then went over to the doctor. "Is my Buffy okay?" Joyce asked, her face revealing her worry. "We managed to remove the bullet and get her stabilized." the doctor told them. A wave of relief swept over the group. She might make it. "But," the doctor began "We still haven't been able to bring her back into conscioussness." Joyce again looked fearful. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked. "There *is* the risk of brain damage. She was lucky that no vital nerves or organs were punctured, but if a person remains unconscious for an extended period of time, it could have an affect on their brain chemistry." Joyce remained silent for a few moments before breaking down into tears. The doctor then left. Angel gently took ahold of her shoulders. "Joyce, Buffy's the strongest person I know. If anyone can pull through this, it's her." he told her. She leaned against him, crying into his shoulder. He put his arms around her to comfort her. She didn't care much who's shoulder she was crying on, she just needed to cry on somebody's. He closed his eyes tightly as his own tears began to fall. If there was one thing they had in common, it was that they both cared deeply about the Slayer fighting for her life.
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Somehow, Joyce and the others had managed to fall asleep at some point during the night. They awoke to see the sun's light pouring in through the hospital windows. A new day. When they all awoke, the same doctor from the night before came in. On his face was a smile. "Good morning." he said to the six somewhat tired people. "Where am I?" Willow asked, still half asleep. She looked around. "Oh yeah." she said with the harsh realization. The hospital. Buffy. It was all coming back to her. The doctor spoke "I'm pleased to inform you that Miss Summers *did* regain consciousness and is recovering at an incredible rate." Joy filled the hearts of the six. "Can we see her?" Xander asked. "Normally I'd have to say no," the doctor replied "But her recovery's coming along so well that I think she could handle some visitors, when she wakes up that is. She was very tired." "I'd imagine." Giles said. "I'll go check on her for you." the doctor offered, hurrying down the hall. "Willow, just out of curiousity," Cordy began "Why on earth do you talk about frogs in your sleep?" Willow opened her mouth to explain, and noticed someone missing. "Good news," the doctor said, returning to the waiting room "Miss Summers is awake and wants to see you. I'll have to ask you not to crowd her though. She *is* still recovering from a very horrible experience." They all agreed, and followed him to Buffy's room. They entered the room to see her lying in the hospital bed. Joyce rushed to her daughter's side, and began repeating over and over how glad she was that Buffy okay. Willow stood by Oz, giddy with joy. "Mom, mom. I'm okay." Buffy said, trying to calm her mother. They all looked at her. The doctor had left during that time. "Well, I'm recovering. I don't feel the best but..I could feel worse." Xander walked over to the other side of the bed. "We're all glad you're okay." he said on everyone's behalf. That saved everybody alot of time. She looked at the group and immediately noticed an absence. Angel. God she missed him. She'd almost died and wished she could see him. "Angel." she whispered, almost inaudibly. Joyce looked down. "He loves you you know." she told her daughter, feeling like she should admit it to herself. Buffy looked at her mom and smiled. "He was here." she stated. She knew he would've been. He'd have had to leave before sunrise. Her mom nodded. "You love him too, don't you?" Joyce asked her daughter. Buffy nodded, her face aglow. "Does he know I'm okay?" she asked them. They shook their heads. "We all fell asleep," Willow said "We don't know." "He seemed pretty upset at the thought of losing you though," Xander stated "I never saw that side of him before." Buffy looked to Willow "Can you tell him? After you guys leave?" Willow nodded. "Buffy," Giles started "I-I have something to, ah, confess." "What?" she asked her Watcher. "I've, I've never told you this before, but after this close call I realize that I may not have another chance. You never know what may happen from, ah, from one day to the next," he continued "You've been my Slayer for a-a good while now, and you've become very much like, well like a daughter to me. I have no *living* relatives and, ah, you've all become like family to me." he confessed. They were all touched by the confession. Xander, Willow, and even Cordy gave him a hug, while Oz was fine with a handshake. Buffy just smiled at them all, unable to move. Her thoughts shifted back to Angel, for they'd only even partially left. She wished he could be here, with all of them, with her. After a while, the gang left to give her some time alone with her mom. They needed to talk. Joyce felt like she was losing her daughter..to her duties, to growing up, to life, to her 'other family', and to this man of whom she loved.
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There was a knock at the door. Angel got up to answer it. He hadn't been able to do much except worry since he'd left the hospital(or since Buffy had been shot). "Willow." he said to the person at the door, upon opening it. "Can I come in?" she asked. He moved to let her in. "How is she?" he asked, not wanting to beat around the bush. Willow smiled. "She's conscious, we've seen her, and she's recovering great." Willow told the ensouled vampire. He looked up and whispered a silent thank you to who ever was watching down upon them, helping them out. He didn't even know how to express the joy he felt. "You're not leaving." she said suddenly, with determination. "Excuse me?" he said. "I just got this feeling that you were planning to leave once you knew if she'd be okay. You shouldn't blame yourself for what happened." He stared at her, shocked "How did you-" "Go to her, it's almost sunset." Willow interrupted him "She'll be waiting. You two love each other, you can be together..so go." With that she left. Angel was still in shock. How had she known? She was right though. Even if he had left, he couldn't stay away. He felt it so purely in his heart. Love. Try as he might to ignore it, it had brought him back to her time after time. He had hurt her, yet still she loved him, and trusted him. She must if she had still been willing, and wanting, to share an act so intimate as they had shared. One of love, and trust..and the union of two souls. Every road in his life, no matter the direction, always lead him back to her...His love. His heightened senses told him that the sun had set.
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There was a knock at the door. Joyce answered, only to find Angel standing there. "Hi. Can I see her?" he asked. She nodded and moved to let him in. Buffy turned her head and saw him. "Angel!" she cried out with joy. He rushed over to her and knelt down beside the bed. He gently stroked her hair. "Buffy, thank god you're okay. I was so worried." he said, his voice filled with emotion. "I, I thought I was going to lose you." he confessed, tears beginning to fall from his eyes. She smiled at him and gently touched his face. "Hey, don't worry," she said "You'll never lose me. I love you." They gazed into each other's eyes. "I love you." he told her. The love in their eyes, that each held for the other, was something anyone could see. Joyce saw this, and knew that they made each other happy. That's all she could ever want for her daughter, and if this man, this..*vampire* made her happy, then that was all she could ever ask for. He bent his head down and her lips met his in a tender kiss. Not only could you see, but you could almost *feel* their love. Her mom decided to wait outside, thus giving them some privacy. When the kiss broke, they again gazed into each other's eyes. They were able to express their love in so many ways. It was amazing how one little word could sum up everything that they felt for each other, the feeling that was so vast in their hearts.
**The face of you
My substitute for love
My substitute for love
Should I wait for you
My substitute for love
My substitute for love**
-exerpt from 'Drowned World/Substitute For Love', Madonna