your eyes, so fixed and hollow, only serve to paralyze this dream who. buffy and dawn what. buffy wakes up in the hospital the night after the justice/angel/buffy thread. when. backdated to the night after the justice/angel/buffy thread. where. the hospital locked to. dawn status. complete
"If I would have known it would be such a sunny day out, I would have brought some sunscreen." Slender fingers came up to shield her eyes as she looked out over the jagged rocks and cresting waves. It was an easy enough scene to recognize, nostalgia pulling at her insides every which way. The beach that sprawled on for miles on either side of her was an old patrol spot back in Sunnydale. It hadn't been a popular hang out for many people, just because of the jagged bluffs that overlooked the violent water. Surfers had always gravitated there, but today it was completely empty, save for the two souls that sat next to each other on one of the large rocks. Occasionally, a wave would lick at the side of the boulder where her toes dipped into the chilly water, the salty spray hissing before coming to tickle her cheeks and nose.
"You won't burn," That voice. God, she'd know it anywhere. The deep, reassuring voice managed to stir something deep inside the Slayer that meant only one thing: it was Angel. Buffy turned her face to the side a fraction, so that she could make out his familiar features out of the corner of her eye. Just like every other time, he took her breath away. Literally. Air hitched in her throat. She swallowed quickly, not wanting him to see the internal struggle. Instead, she only gave an incredulous smile. "How do you know?" When she was sure that she could really look at him, Buffy turned her face completely to the side, taking stock in every little thing about him, right down to the pleat in his black slacks. In the bright light, he was even paler than usual. Completely still, his attention on the waves that licked at the rock, he reminded Buffy of a statuesque angel carved in marble. Black, like usual, was his choice of attire. It gave a stark contrast to the white material of her sundress.
When he didn't answer, Buffy reached out, touched the cool skin of his alabaster hand. "Angel, how do you know I won't burn?" Sadness touched the lines of his well-loved face, causing her own to contort into an expression of worry. "Hey," Finally, his eyes -- a brilliant, sparkling chocolate in the sunlight -- met her own. The agony in those eyes made her flinch. Before she got the opportunity to ask him what was wrong, the cool sensation of his open palm resting against the curve of her cheek made her pause, leaning into the touch. "I don't want to burn, Angel." Desperately, she searched his eyes for an answer.
There were none.
"You shouldn't have made that deal. You're not meant to burn. You never were, Buffy." Rare were the times when Buffy ever saw Angel actually cry but the way his voice hitched and broke made her think she might then. Suddenly, his fingers were entwining in her own, pulling her up to stand as he did. The wind had picked up, whipping pieces of blonde into her face to the point where it stung. Waves became even wilder, cresting and foaming with each turn and splash. In a matter of seconds, the sun seemed to have disappeared altogether. Sure enough, when she upturned her face to the sky, robin's egg blue had been replaced by the much darker blue of night. Sun had been replaced by a full moon, casting more than enough light to see. "When did the sun go down?" Instead of a verbal answer, Angel's hands were ghosting over her body, tracing each inch until she shivered against the caresses. Before she knew it, her sundress was floating down, a pale ghost in the shadowed night, before it landed in the churning waves. It floated at the top of the water, waving with each surge of water.
"I won't let you burn," By the time she looked back at him, her expression a mix of agony and hope, she realized he was just as nude as she was. Eyes trailed down to his hand, which he'd extended out to his side, waiting on her to take it. "I'm scared." His head dipped in an understanding nod. "Just take it." And so she did. Feminine fingers folded into his own much larger ones, marveling at how well they fit together. For a long, terrifying moment, they both stared out over the water. Buffy knew what was coming, but she wanted to turn and run away. "Don't forget to breathe." A quizzical look was sent his way. "Angel, you know I can't breathe under-" But it was too late.
He jumped, and she went with him.
The water was freezing, her entire body poleaxing the moment that the icy water engulfed her whole. Every muscle clenched, the urge to scream out from the shock pushed down only because if she breathed in, the water would flood her lungs. Instinctively, she began to swim, trying to reach the surface. It was Angel's arms that stopped her attempts, wrapping around her completely. She became still, her eyes daring to open. It stung, but she kept them open anyway. Angel was doing the same. Buffy knew she was drowning, knew they were sinking further into the black, freezing water and that was okay.
It was better than burning, after all.
----
It wasn't the icy sensation of water that woke her from the drug-induced slumber. Instead, it was the steady beeps and sounds of the machines around her. At first, she couldn't remember where the hell she was and why. It took a moment, but when she moved to sit up, Buffy remembered with a painful clarity. White-hot pain went off in her side, the space between her brows knitting instantaneously. Getting stabbed sucked big time. Gently as possible, she raised up her hospital gown, not surprised to find the bandages wrapped securely completely around her abdomen. A sharp sting in her wrist made her realize that she was hooked up to an IV. The last time she'd been in a hospital was back in Sunnydale when she was seventeen, thanks to a killer flu and a visit from Angelus. She'd always been terrified of hospitals. Even now, she already couldn't wait to get out.
The pain let her know that it wouldn't happen in the next day.
Sighing, Buffy ran her hand down her face before pushing her hair out of her eyes, attention coming to rest on the monitor by her bedside. As suspected, her heart rate was quick but not due to any kind of distress at the time being. Her heart just beat faster than normal human beings.
Something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. Everything was hazy, but she recognized Dawn instantly. The youngest of the Summers sisters was asleep, her head on the hospital bed next to Buffy's hand. There was no telling how long she'd been there. Hell, Buffy didn't even know how long she'd been there. Gently, the fingers of her right hand moved to Dawn's shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze. "Hey, Dawnie."