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[ripher]

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USERNAME: GILES

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text — un: BUFFY, forward dated to cool down period

[bronze]

hi. you can't come back to your room for right now. okay?

you can stay in spike's old crypt. or with amy. anywhere else. promise me.

[ripher]

[ Once he's awake again he's not allowed to read things on his phone, so Amy reads it out to him, and he talks her into letting him call Buffy back. He has to speak to Buffy like he has to keep breathing. He thought she would be there, but --

When she picks up, his voice is soft. Tired, struggling a little to stay awake, but still fighting it. ]

Buffy.

[bronze]

Hi.

( soft and quiet — a little wet. mostly guilty, for failing him, for not running to him, for not being with him now. for not being strong. )

Hi. How — are you feeling? Is Amy okay?

[ripher]

We're both okay. I'm.. [ Come on, Rupert. ] It's just a concussion. I'll be fine. Buffy..

[ There's a lot he needs to say. Should say, as her friend and her mentor and her Watcher. As the closest thing she has to a father. As a man who loves her. It's hard to get the right words in the right places, so he focuses on the most important ones. ]

Buffy. It wasn't your fault. Promise me.. promise me you're not blaming yourself for what he's done.

[bronze]

Giles, come on.

( enforced levity — the least she can do is not make this any worse. )

You're not supposed to do any thinking while you're recovering from a concussion. You're definitely not supposed to do any worrying. It's — I'll be fine. ( she takes a breath. ) I just — I feel really bad, about Amy. She didn't sign up for this. And Angelus, he — got to someone, before I got to him. So.

( too slow. not good enough. maybe you're not as good as you think you are.

stupidly, she gasps through the phone receiver, and starts crying. )