Title: Untitled Story 1

Author: Kate R

abelard950@aol.com

Disclaimer: Not mine and never will be

Rating: PG-15 to R

Pairings: none yet

Summary: When Giles is severely and brutally injured, things are discovered.


Untitled Story 1
by Kate R

The storm outside was a reflection he knew. A reflection of all the anger and rage they all felt. He looked down at the badly abused body lying in the hospital bed. He was on life support. Had been since he'd been brought in three nights ago. Beaten so badly his face was barely recognizable.

For a time, they thought he might heal. But the doctors wanted them all tonight. This was never a good thing in hospitals. 200+ years had taught him that.

"Angel?" he heard Dawn's voice say. He turned and looked at her.

"The doctor is waiting for you in the private waiting room. Mom sent me to get you. He'll be okay for a few minutes. He'll...he'll be okay."

But Angel had a terrible feeling he wouldn't. Something about how he'd been injured just told him Giles was not going to recover from this. Not by any normal means.

He swallowed and followed Dawn into the private room where he saw all the others. Xander was leaning against the wall. He saw Joyce open her arms for Dawn who went to her side immediately. He saw Willow and Oz, Cordelia, Wesley, Faith and he had a terrible feeling.

"Well," the doctor said gravely. 'I'm afraid I have some very bad news."

"He's not going to get better, is he?" Angel asked softly.

The doctor nodded solemnly. "We've done all we can for him but the damage...it's too severe. Whatever was done...however it was done...it's beyond any doctor's ability to heal. Mr. Giles has 48 hours at the most to live. We're suspending visiting hours in this case. You all may stay with him, for as long as you like. No limit to how many people can be with him. You are his family and I think...I think you have the right to be with him for as long as you can."

"Thank you, doctor," Angel said as he realized everyone else was in too much pain at hearing that. He could see the tears already in the eyes of the children. He swallowed his own tears back and nodded, leading them all back to Giles' room. He was awake. Angel had known he was awake when he went to see the doctor but his eye were closed. He knew, Angel realized. He knew he was dying.

"Giles," Dawn whispered as she ran to the bed and hugged him. He was on so much morphine right now he wouldn't feel the pain that hug could give his powdered ribs. His right hand slowly moved to stroke her hair. He knew.

"We're all going to stay right here with you, Giles," Angel said softly.

Giles looked at him with concern and Angel knew what he was thinking. "You don't have to worry about the town," he reassured the man. "I have someone who will keep it quiet. He'll come and see you himself as soon as he's finished giving the orders about how things will run."

Giles nodded. He was tired, Angel could tell. He was so tired and in so much pain. But, he would not die. He refused to die yet. Angel knew he would hold on as long as he could. Giles was so strong, he knew. But not even his strength could let him live through what had been done. His right hand was about the only bone besides his skull that hadn't been pulped. He kept that resting on Dawn's hair and Angel realized why. He could not hug her. He was not strong enough physically, but he was comforting her.

Angel knew she was crying and he was soothing her as best he could. His strength would be what she remembered. What they all remembered. It would be the strength he sheltered them all with. Giles was shelter and it would be so cold without that but he could not heal from this. He simply could not.

Angel could see in his eyes he wanted something but he didn't know what.

"He wants his mate," a voice almost exactly like Angel's said.

Angel turned and saw everyone staring at who was in the doorway. He moved into the room quietly and looked down at Giles.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. 'I never meant to get so out of control last time. I'm sorry for that and for not watching her better. I am sorry, Rupert. You do not deserve this pain and if I could make it better I would. You don't have to worry about the town anymore. It will never be out of control again."

Giles looked into the ringer for Angel's eyes and nodded.

"William," the tall, dark and very evil vampire said. "Go find Ethan. Giles needs him."

There was the sound of leather swirling from the hallway and Angelus looked at Angel.

"Spike will find Ethan," he said to the room. "I will suspend all activity in this town until the end of the five days that are coming up. After that, I will deal with the rule breaking. You can rest, Rupert. You've done your job and more than anyone could have asked. Rest now. We're here."

Giles nodded, not sure why but Angelus knew he had decided to trust in his word. Angelus nodded and walked to the door to stand guard. He knew none of them were going to leave this room until Giles was gone from this place of pain. He saw Dawn still with her had on his crushed and shattered chest, still with his right hand in her hair gently stroking and he nodded.

Giles would not rest until he had to as well. That was how he was. Until the last, he would remain on his feet.

Angelus stood watching and waiting. Watching as each of the children as he'd come to think of them took Dawn's place. Angelus knew he was telling them all goodbye. A touch here or there, a kiss when he could manage it.

Giles was trying so hard. Angelus knew this was shortening what little time he had but he had to give them this. It was Giles' way.

"Found 'im, Sire" Spike said as he came back leading the sorcerer Ethan Rayne with him.

Ethan went straight to Giles' side and took his uncrushed hand as Giles finished his last goodbye. Ethan held his hand and sat by the bed. It seemed just knowing Ethan was there eased his burden.

"He's depleted most of what he had," Ethan whispered as he saw Giles beginning to fade. "I think..I think he's too tired to hold on the whole 48 hours."

Angelus nodded and watched as Dawn took Giles' hand from Ethan.

"It's okay, Giles," she whispered as she realized no one else would let him go and someone needed to tell him it was okay for him to rest. 'We'll be okay. We'll miss you but...but you can't live like this so you go ahead and rest. You're tired so rest."

He smiled weakly and pointed at the tube. Dawn knew removing it would surely kill him but he wanted it out and how could she not?

"Spike?" she asked knowing everyone else was too frozen to move.

Even Ethan was too shocked to do anything. The bleached blond vampire made his way over to the bedside and looked at the tube.

"Exhale if you can," Spike told him.

Giles nodded and Spike slid the tube out of his throat. He had precious few moments without the tube, he knew but he had to tell them... "Love you all," he whispered and it sounded like the air was whistling through him...as if his lungs weren't quite whole which they knew to be the case. "Never...forget..Love you. Always...with..you..."

His voice trailed off and his breathing got worse but Spike would not put the tube back in. He'd wanted it out, spoken his final words, it was time to let the poor man rest. That's what he needed now, rest.

And Spike felt blood tears sliding down his own pale cheeks when the machines all flat lined. They'd all known only that tube was keeping him alive and without it he would die. But this too, was Giles. He would meet the reaper in a place and time of his own choosing.

"Goodnight, beloved," Ethan whispered as he kissed him one last time.

Giles exhaled and there was a rush of blood from his mouth as the last of the damage became apparent: his heart had just exploded.

"Oh, Giles," a voice said from the doorway as they had all broken down crying. Everyone jumped and turned to face the door. A group stood there, not British at all but something...someone...powerful.

"My son," the man with pale blue eyes whispered as he made his way over to the bed. The machines had all cut off and the man gently touched Giles' face.

It was only becoming apparent to them all now that the body was glowing.

"Apollo," he called. A blond man walked over to the bed.

"The blood wine, Uncle," he told the man with the pale eyes. "He was heir to your house, the blood wine."

The man nodded and a goblet appeared. Apollo lifted Giles' head and they poured the wine down his throat. There was nothing for a moment before the room was suddenly filled with a star bright flare. When it faded, Giles lie on the bed but he was different. Not the least of which were his clothes but he was glowing it seemed. AND healed.

Completely and totally healed.

"Giles, God of Stars and Mythical Creatures," the man with the pale eyes said gently. 'It's time to wake to your destiny."

And there was a groan from the bed as Giles shifted and slowly, oh, so slowly, woke up. He looked around the room at everyone and there was frozen silence before Dawn's joyous shout of "GILES!" ripped through the tableau and she threw herself into his arms. He hugged her tightly, still looking confused as the two groups surrounded him.

"We have to take him with us to teach him," the man with pale eyes said. 'But he will return to you one day soon. Giles, bring your mate and come. We have things to do."

And Giles nodded and touched Ethan's arm. They walked to the group, Giles hugging each of his children goodbye, and followed the group out to the hallway where in a flash of light, they vanished.

"What do we do now?" Xander asked.

"We keep the home fires burning until he comes back," Angelus told him. And we find Buffy and deal with this shit."



TBC in story 2?