[ again, i don't write a lot of buffy and teddy's bonding and just have it happen off-screen for you to think about on your own, but i shall give you crumbs here and there
also, the end of this really moves fast but i couldn't make the pacing better so sorry if it doesn't pack an emotional punch ]
♡︎
ANGEL DID GO AWAY WHEN HE FOUND OUT ABOUT BUFFY. BUT HE WASN'T ALONE.
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[ 5.21 — 5.22 ; angel 2.22 ]
It was all silent in the abandoned gas station. While Tara was peeking through the boarded-up windows, most everyone else was watching Buffy anxiously, who was unmoving. However, when the door opened, it drew their attention.
"Better part of a century spent in delinquency just paid off," Spike told them while moving to Kitty's side. "Hot-wired Ben's auto. Who's for gettin' the hell out of here?"
"All in favor, let's do it," Xander said, raising a hand. Then he looked at Giles. Anya and Teddy managed to get him standing. "You good to go?"
"Oh, don't worry about me," he mumbled, hiding how he winced. "How's Buffy?"
"The same. Still."
"It's been almost a half an hour," Willow said with a frown.
"The Slayer's gonna be all right, won't she?" Spike asked, looking at Buffy as well.
There was a moment of silence, as none of them knew. "You should try it again, Will," Xander said.
"All right, but... I'm not even sure she's, you know, really in there," she said.
"Just try, Will," Kitty told her.
Willow sighed before kneeling in front of Buffy, who was sitting and staring blankly ahead. "Can you hear me? Buffy! Buffy! Buffy?"
But Buffy remained unresponsive, as she had since the moment Dawn was taken. She'd still be out on the ground if Teddy hadn't picked her up and brought her inside.
"Buffy!" Spike snapped impatiently. "She can't just be brain-dead. I mean she's still Buffy somewhere in there, right?"
"Spike, come on, we're not gonna get Dawn back by sittin' around here," Xander said, ready to leave.
"We're not gonna get Dawn back at all unless Buffy comes around," Teddy said, rubbing his forehead. "We're fucked."
"Good, panic. That oughta help," Xander muttered.
"We should move her," Willow said. Then she hesitated. "U-unless we shouldn't. Should we?"
"Couldn't that make it worse? I think I read that somewhere," Anya said.
