“Aaagh, stop! Please god, make it stop! Nooo...! Stop, stop! It hurts too much, I can’t do this, I can’t!” Buffy thrashed around, flailing at the air, trying even in her sleep to defend herself.

“Shush sweetie, it’s over now. Buffy wake up, it’s over. You’re safe, baby girl. Buffy, Stop! You’ll hurt yourself! Stop!” When her comforting words failed, Joyce and Cordelia moved to physically restrain the petite blond. With a strength borne of frantic fear, she managed to hurl both women across the room.

“Angel! Giles! Somebody get in here!” Cordelia shrieked. Buffy was fighting air now, but a few more swings like that one and  she was likely to tear something, that or someone was gonna get hurt. The answering thunder of feet alerted her belatedly to the knowledge that everyone would think the house was under attack. Before they made it up the stairs, a loud growling sound, one she dimly recognized as angry vamp came  through the walls, a second later a large naked male crashed through the door. His yellow gaze swept the room, searching for an enemy to fight. When he realized it was Buffy in the throes of a nightmare, he stopped growling.

“Buffy, it’s Angel. I’m here sweetheart, you’re having a nightmare.  Listen to my voice, can you hear me?” He approached her slowly, keeping his voice low.

“A-angel?” His voice pierced the fog surrounding her brain. She stopped fighting and opened her eyes, her gaze skating around the room for a second, before coming to rest on Angel’s face. “You’re really here, I thought my mind was playing tricks on me again. Why are you here, and naked?”

“I was in the shower, when I heard you screaming. I didn’t have time to get dressed. Are you okay now?”

“I was having a nightmare, it was one of the worst one’s I’ve ever had.” She gave a small shiver, “Why am I all bandaged up? Wh-what happened?” Her eyes widened suddenly, “I-It wasn’t just a dream was it? I was in that place, a-and those things I was dreaming about? Oh God, it was real...” She buried her face in her hands, sobs wracking her small frame.

Behind him Angel could hear Joyce and Cordelia moving, footsteps he recognized as Gunn’s moving swiftly towards Cordelia’s slumped form. He gathered Buffy into his arms, murmuring soft words of solace.

“De, you okay?”

“Mind-numbing visions aren’t enough, now I’m getting concussions from the damn Slayer!” She rubbed her head, “Oww, I think I prefer the visions, at least with those there’s no bruises.”

“Here, let me help you up.” Gunn helped her to her feet, then pulled her into a quick fierce hug.

“Mrs. Summers, are you all right?” Wesley helped her to shaky feet.

“I think so, my back hurts but otherwise I’m fine.” She turned toward the bed, “Buffy?”

“Mom?” Angel made to pull away, intending to make way for Joyce. Buffy grabbed at his arm pleading, “Don’t leave me.”

“I’m not leaving, I still need to get dressed.” He gestured shame-faced at his naked form.

“Eeeew, not something I need to see. Somebody get a towel.” As usual, some hapless male rushed to obey Cordelia’s command.

Joyce stumbled over to Buffy, while Angel moved far enough away to wrap the towel around himself. “Hey, pumpkin. How you doing?” She took her daughter’s hand. “Ignore that really stupid question, how about we move on. Let’s try...do you want some painkillers? One of Oz’s friends is a doctor, she’s the one that examined you...so, we have good drugs.” Joyce winced, “That didn’t come out right.”

“It’s okay, as long as there’s no band candy involved, I promise not to wig again.”

“Does that mean De-Angel can get dressed?” Xander’s heart had leaped into his chest the moment he learned of Cordelia’s vision. At Buffy’s quip about the band candy’s strange effect on all the adult residents of Sunnydale, he felt it return to its usual position.

“Will you be okay for a few seconds? I would feel better wearing pants.” Like Xander, Angel was pleased simply to hear Buffy sound like herself.

“Y-yeah, sorry I grabbed you like that.” Buffy responded, suddenly ashamed of her earlier response to Angel’s presence. In an effort to avoid looking at him, she turned to face the people gathered in her room. “Hi, I’m awake, it was a nightmare, sorry to...who are all these people?” she asked those her friends she could see. Angel couldn’t repress a smirk at her tone, it was the politest *Who the fuck are you?* he’d ever heard. He hurried back to the bathroom, anxious to get dressed, he had so much to say to his girl.

“My pack.” Oz replied from his position behind Gunn.

“Oz? Okay, now I know I’m a little fuzzy, but last time I checked, you were no longer on the active Scooby roster.”

“Heard there was a problem, help was needed, help arrived.”

“You’re still a man of few words, hell, last time I asked Willow it was no words. How’s that working out by the way?” She didn’t need to see his face to know he was crooking an eyebrow at her sarcasm, “Sorry about that, I’m a little stressed right now.” Her eyes widened at the sight of the wall behind Cordelia, “Cordelia, what happened to my wall?”

“You threw me at it, your mom got off easy, she hit that ridiculous pile of stuffed animals you insist on keeping.”

“Once again, sorry about that. You okay?”

“Yeah, no biggie. You?”

“Ask me later. Mom, I didn’t hurt you did I?” Hazel eyes full of anxiety, fingers trembling, she searched her mom’s face and body for injuries.

“I’m fine.” With a small sigh of relief, Buffy turned her attention back to the few people still standing at her door, the rest having drifted off once it became clear there was no one to fight.

“Where’s Dawn?”

“Asleep, the fighting today kind of wore her out.” Giles responded.

“Fighting? You brought her with you?!” Buffy winced in pain, her throat protesting even the minor exclamation.

“She insisted.”

“So did I.” Joyce volunteered.

Forcing herself to be calm, she said quietly, “Why?”

“I had a vision, well a lot of them actually, that was how we knew you’d been kidnapped, and where to find you. Anyway, one of the things I saw was a bunch of demons guarding you. We needed as many people as possible, Oz’s pack volunteered their services, Gunn,” She tapped his chest, “works with us in L.A. Your sister and your mom showed at the last minute, they caught my last Technicolor vision...” She caught herself, *Not going to mention what that one was about...she looks half-crazed as it is, and if she doesn’t stop staring at the door, I’m going to drag Angel in here by his ear myself.*

“Oh, I’m pretty sure I should be upset, but I’m too tired for that just now. Willow! Where’s Willow?” Panicked now, remembering her best friend offering to take her place.

“Right here, trying not to run over there and hug you.” Willow had been standing just outside the door, not wanting anyone to see that she’d been crying.

“Oh, stop trying, you know me I love a good hug.” She raised her arms slightly, another flicker of pain crossing her features.

Willow approached hugging her like a tactical maneuver, trying to avoid bumping into anything vital. “Hey, I’m so happy to see you.”

“Happy to be seen, but I want you to know you’re in trouble. I’m kicking your butt, well, as soon as I can move like a person again.”

“For?”

She gave her friend a stern look, “I wasn’t completely out of it, I heard you.”

“Heard me? In the house you mean?” She rolled her eyes, “The part where I agreed to trade places with you?”

She could feel Buffy shaking, but she kept her eyes on Oz’s face. “I know that wasn’t necessarily of the bright, but we needed to distract her long enough to get to you. I had werewolf guards if that makes you feel any better.”

“You could have been,...” She stopped then, the memories crashing in, the thin veneer of bravado cracking under the onslaught.

“Buff...?” Willow tried to hug her again, but the feeling of her arms seemed to send Buffy further into turmoil. She was trembling violently, and a low guttural moan slipped from her lips. She covered her face with her hands, whimpering softly.

“Sweetheart, you’re not there anymore, you’re safe.” Angel moved past the other’s, Willow giving way quickly, “I’m right beside you, I want you to look at me. Please?” She didn’t seem to hear him at first, her body still in the throes of her reaction. He wrapped his body around hers, letting her feel his presence. Eventually she calmed, and raised her eyes to his.

“I’m sorry, I...” Her eyes filled with tears, “I can’t make it stop, one minute I think I’m okay, but then something happens, and I’m back there with her...” She curled into his chest sobbing.

“Shh, it’s okay, I’m here and so is your family. We’re going to fix it, we’ll make it go away, I promise.” He rocked her gently, nodding a good-bye as everyone else left the room.    

They gathered in the living room, no one speaking, just sitting and thinking. Willow finally breaking the silence, “She’s still with Spike, right?”

“As far as we know, though I’m not sure she’s still alive.” Giles responded.

“I thought you wanted to question her? Now, you sound like you’re hoping Spike killed her.” Oz asked idly, his eyes on Willow. She smelled...sad.

 “I am, whatever questions I had are not important enough for me to put Buffy through anything else.” He walked towards the kitchen, “I need a drink, anyone else feeling that way?”

“Yep, a drink, a drink is good. Lots of drinks are better.” Xander whirled suddenly, grabbing Anya in a fierce hug.

“Xander, you’re crushing me.” He didn’t respond, but he loosened his hold slightly. “Better, is this one of those times where you go all mushy? I like those times.” She smiled up at him, her eyes twinkling, at the serious expression on his face she blanched, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I’m a little wigged, so you’ll just have to suffer through the mushy bits.”

“Okay.” She relaxed into his arms. “Oz stop staring at Willow, it’s very irritating, if you wish to be mushy do so. After all, Willow is no longer receiving orgasms from Tara, you might as well provide them.”

“Hunh?” Oz stared at Anya, his normally expressionless face telegraphing confusion.

“That’s Anya-speak for the fact that Tara and I just broke up.” Willow murmured, her eyes on the floor.

“Oh, sorry to hear that.” A chorus of ‘Yeahs’ and a few sympathetic looks followed Oz’s words.

“No you’re not.” She rolled her eyes, “Hell, I’m not sure I am. She’s uh...she’s been cheating on me.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Nope.” She closed her eyes, willing away the surge of pain at the thought of Tara’s words.  Mentally chiding herself, she decided to change the subject. *Stop being selfish, so Tara broke up with you. Big deal, Buffy needs you right now.*  “I’m worried about Buffy, she’s been through so much, I just hope she’s going to be okay.”

To be continued....if anyone thinks I should. Let me know

FAN  FICTION