Fic: Tangled Web (1/1)

["Joanne Schulze" <jokarsugaz@xxxxxxxxx>]

Title: Tangled Web (1/1)
Author: Joanne
Email: jokarsugaz@xxxxxxxxx
Pairing: Buffy/Willow
Rating: PG-13.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but Doctor Kirkwood, Meggie and a nurse. Joss is
God and there are others who have their fingers in the pie, so don't sue me.
Summary: Third person POV. Character death and complete angst.
Spoilers: Season 4.
Archive: nocturnal * lullaby
http://www.crosswinds.net/~chaoskitten/nocturnal <Willow/Buffy zone of the
BtVS Writer's Guild> If you have anything of mine just take this, otherwise
just tell me where it's going.
Author's notes: This is the first B/W fic that i've sent out so be kind.
Warning: Don't read if you're offended by f/f slash fiction.
Also my knowledge of anything medical goes down to ER, Casualty etc.
* = thoughts
Feedback: Would help me decide whether this is just a lot of muddled
messages from my brain. Just remember to be kind.
Dedication: To Annie for keeping my sanity in a box and looking after it for
me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

People talk about the way lovers look at each other. Looks that are
anxiously given, coated in secrecy. It's so easy to envy those looks and
touches, to want to lock them up and keep them for yourself. Nobody envies
the heartbreak that comes with them.

I first saw the two of them in a roadside cafe, early in the morning as
I wandered in to wake myself up with the gruel they call coffee. I didn't
notice them at first but as I turned around to stare out of the window at
the cars driving mercilessly past, I was drawn to them.

Their heads were bent low, whispering to each other, hands clasped over
steaming mugs and eyes locked, sharing secrets. I stared at them, mesmerized
by the love they were sharing so openly, feeling it vibrate in waves to
those around them. As the waitress placed my coffee in front of me, I
glanced up to find them smiling as they stood up, hands still clasped,
grasping on to the love before it went back into hiding.

My eyes followed them as they made their way to their cars parked next
to each other in the almost empty parking lot. A kiss was shared before the
dream dissolved in front of me and they drove off, leaving me <?> in their
dust.

~~~

"It's busy today," Meggie told me as I entered the hospital and shrugged
off my coat, biting back a yawn.

"What you got for me?" I replied taking hold of the papers she was thrusting
upon me.

"The usual. Broken bones, illnesses... oh, a coma victim came in just before
you. Name's Buffy Summers, victim of a road accident."

"I'm on to it," I answered.

"Room 303," she shouted after me.

I silently made my way down to where Meggie had instructed me, stifling
back more yawns and scolding myself for not having had an earlier night. The
waiting room around the intensive care ward was pretty quiet, except for the
small group crowded around my destination.

"Poor kids," I muttered to myself. "She must be in collage."

An older man spotted me and pounced instantly.

"Doctor," He called out, eyes moving to my badge, "...Kirkwood. Please can
you tell me if she's going to be okay. Nobody's telling us anything."

*Guess it isn't good then,* I thought to myself before putting a smile on my
face, "Don't worry we're not going to let her slip away easily," I replied,
attempting to reassure him. "If you'll please excuse me, I have to go and
check on Ms Summers. I'll tell you more as I find out."

"So much for being helpful," one of the kids muttered behind me.

I rolled my eyes as I entered the room.

"How is she?" I asked the nurse."

"Well we managed to stabilize her but her vital organs are down and she's in
a coma. We've been trying to wake her up but she's still sleeping."

I groaned. "That's not what I wanted to hear."

"I wish I had better news," she replied. "Do you want to tell them now," she
added gesturing toward the door.

"I guess now would be a good a time as any. You can go, i'll try and see if
there's anything I can do before telling them. Which one's the relative?"

"None apparently but her mother's on her way."

"Good luck," I replied before she sighed and opened the door to face the
cavalry.

"So Ms Summers what can I do for you?" I asked walking over toward the bed.
I gasped as the woman's face appeared in my line of vision.

~~~

I opened the door around ten minutes later, my heart pounded
unforgivingly and I reminded myself I wasn't to get too involved like this.

"Is she okay?" An older woman asked as the door inched open.

"Are you her mother?" I asked.

"Yes, how is she?"

"I'm afraid your daughter's had a severe blow to her head and her vital
organs are deteriorating. I'm not going to lie to you, she's in a bad way.
I'm sorry but she's in a coma and the chances are she's not going to come
out of it."

"She's going to die?"

"Yes, i'm afraid so."

"But she can't she's the Slay- No it can't be true. You're not doing
anything for her. How can you let her die like that?"

"There's nothing we can do. I'm sorry."

"What about if she comes out of the coma?" The guy who'd been so sarcastic
asked.

"If by some chance she did manage to come out of her coma then the
deterioration of her vital organs would mean she was no better off than in
the coma. I'm sorry but she's going to die."

"Can we see her?" Another guy asked. "I'm her boyfriend."

*Boyfriend???* I frowned before attempting to smile. "Sure."

"I'd like to see her... alone, for a minute," Mrs Summers asked.

"I'll show you in." I volunteered.

~~~

Nobody envies the heartbreak lovers share. How can anybody envy
something that tears you apart so much? That makes you feel so small and
helpless in such a big a world? Something that wrecks your view of the world
as you see it and makes you realize nothing will ever be the same again?

I stood there watching the flame-haired woman saying her goodbyes. As
the tears fell down her face and her body shook with the pain and emotions
that were taking over her entire being. I wanted to stop the pain, to put it
in the box where I had previously held the looks and touches and to stop her
and anyone else from feeling it. But I couldn't as I couldn't turn back the
clock and stop them from leaving that cafe.

"They never had a chance," I whispered to myself, remembering the guy
who'd introduced himself as her boyfriend. "Such a tangled web." One that
inevitably would be never be sorted out and that greedily held the happiness
of the two women.

I walked away from the window that looked into the web and silently
prayed that some day the web would be unraveled and happiness would be free.

~~~
End
~~~