Worth the Fight (BTVS fanfic, Book Three)

chapter 22 - Graduation Day, Part 2

Buffy and I were still on the roof. Still in shock, realizing what had just happened.

Buffy slowly, numbly, looked at me. "How do you feel?"

"You mean state of mind or..." I trailed off.

"Both," Buffy answered.

I shook my head unblinkingly. "I don't feel any different."

We heard grass clinking from inside, looking toward the broken windows. We were out of sight before we had been seen.

Mayor looked out of the broken window, overlooking the damage, but unable to find the cause.

Buffy and I exchanged a look in hiding, nodding, knowing we couldn't fight him now, leaving before we got caught.

  •••  

Buffy went to be with Angel.

I slowly, numbly walked into the school library.

Cordelia, Xander, Oz and Giles were waiting there.

Oz stood, walking closer. "Hey. Did you find Faith?"

I didn't answer, gazing off unblinkingly.

"You didn't--" Xander started. "Where is she?"

I barely shook my head.

"Is she..." Cordelia trailed off.

"Dead?" I finished. "Honestly, I... I don't know."

Giles stood. "What do you mean?"

"The fight..." I trailed off, trying to find the words to say. "It got intense. And... Buffy stabbed her. She fell onto a truck. It took her away. Buffy went to be with Angel. I came here. I don't... I don't feel any different."

"Are you okay?" Oz asked.

I slowly raised my gaze, shaking my head.

Oz pulled me into an embrace.

•••

Angel called to tell us he had taken Buffy to the hospital.

Buffy was unconscious and lost a lot of blood.

Giles, Willow, Oz, Xander and I walked toward Angel.

Angel stood.

"How is she?" Giles asked.

"She's fine," Angel answered. "She's asleep."

Oz frowned puzzledly. "Well, you see all right, too."

Angel looked down, crossing his arms over his chest. "Yeah."

Xander looked Angel over. "What happened?"

"When I left her, she was fine," Willow told him. "Did Faith--"

Angel avoided eye contact. "Faith's out of the picture. She was brought to the hospital just minutes before she did. She wasn't conscious. She wasn't breathing. Her heart wasn't beating. They managed to get her heart beating again, but they said that the brain damage... It was too much. She's alive. Just... not awake. She's in a coma."

"But she did actually..." I trailed off, waiting for an answer.

Angel looked at me, nodding barely. "Yeah. She was only gone for a few minutes or so, but... Yeah. She was gone."