Character name - Esther
[character deaths spoilers up to season 5 ep16]
"Come on !"
"Everyone get in!"
"Bloody hell, we're coming!"
"Go! Drive!"
As soon as all the doors slam shut, Giles puts his foot down and the Scoobies speed off into the night. Buffy peers out of the passenger window at the hoard of demons that are turning to pinpricks in the night as Giles speeds away. It's not like them to retreat, but these demons can only be killed with one thing: fire; which they don't have readily available.
The old, rusty car trundles down the rocky road towards Buffy's house. Buffy gives a quick glance back to Spike and Esther.
There's a long moment of panting and sighing and swearing.
"That stinks," Spike remarks, wrinkling his nose at the blue goop coating Buffy's hands.
"She should be grateful the demon spat goo at her and not those terrible thorn things." Giles sighs, rubbing his temple.
"That was close," Buffy adds, "Way too close. Plus, this goo will never come out!" She prods at her sweater, grimacing as a string of goo attaches to her finger.
Spike leans back in his seat, staring at the ceiling, "I think Buffy and I should handle them alone next time."
"Yeah." Buffy nods.
"Is that alright, Ez?" Spike says with a glance over to Esther, who is slumped against the window, "That's okay, Ez?"
She doesn't reply.
"Ez."
Spike scoots over to her, pulling her more upright by the shoulders as gently as he can. She moans.
"Spike?" Buffy says.
"Ez?" Spike whispers.
Giles switches on the car light and Spike can see the bright red seeping through her pastel shirt. "Oh shit." he mutters as he pulls up the fabric, revealing one of the demon's spikes pierced through her stomach, an ugly, gaping wound.
Buffy gasps, raw and worried, as the blood continues to pour out like a macabre water fountain.
"What?" Giles' voice is frantic as he struggles to keep his eyes on the road, "What happened? Esther?"
"Ez," it seems like the only word that makes sense to Spike, "Ez."
It's like he's pleading with nobody, watching the energy drain out of her body faster than the blood. He presses into her soft stomach with shaking hands but the pressure doesn't do a thing.
"Giles," his voice cracks, "Would the hospital or Willow be better? Can she fix her?"
Giles doesn't reply, thinking.
"Or Tara," Spike suggests. His hands are turning scarlet. "Can she? Can she do a spell or something? Buffy?"
Giles decides, "We should take her to the hospital."
With a sharp turn, the car swings around a corner. They hurtle towards the hospital, running more than one red light. Buffy clambers into the backseat, applying pressure to the wound while Spike pulls Esther into his lap, continuously talking to her.
"I know you can hear me, Ez. Don't you go dying on me, yeah?" He strokes her hair from her face, leaving a smear of blood. "You're good, love."
"Oh God. Oh God." Buffy repeats in a mutter. Her tears are dropping onto Esther's stomach.
The car halts suddenly, jerking everyone forward - Spike clings onto the limp body. The movement startles Esther awake, only just, her eyes opening a sliver.
The first time she tries to speak, only a trickle of blood leaves her mouth. The second time, she musters enough strength to croak, "My stomach hurts."
Spike lets out a laugh that's not a laugh as they haul her out of the vehicle. "I bet it does, pet. Hang on, we're getting you to a doctor."
Her eyes close and Buffy panics, "Ez!"
Her eyes open.
"Ez! You're going to be fine, okay. It's just a scratch, they'll fix you up in no time," They are nearly at the door, "I know you don't like hospitals but these doctors are really nice, I promise." Giles and Spike shout at anyone who will listen for help, "I'll see you soon, okay?"
Doctors in spotless white coats take over, whisking her away through wooden double doors. Before she's out of sight, Spike hears something so quiet, he almost thinks he imagined it, but it was so clearly her voice that he knows it was his vampiric hearing. The three friends freeze in the hallway until Buffy buckles, but Spike and Giles hold her up. They are all crying.
Esther had whispered "I love you all."
And Spike resented how final it sounded.
- - - -- - -- - -- - -- - - --- - -- - -- - - -
When Esther awakes, she feels better than she ever has in her entire life.
Her eyes open with ease and they fix immediately on Spike's smiling face. She vaguely remembers being in an operating theatre - the surgery must have been a success. She smiles at him.
"Hey, Spike."
His lips purse. A minute frown crosses his features but it disappears as quickly as it came. He looks so sad. Why does he look so sad? Everything is fine, isn't it?
"Hello." he breathes. Only now she notices that Spike normally has blond hair, doesn't he? She didn't think vampires' hair grew but maybe she's been out for longer than she thought, in a coma or something. His brown locks make his face look softer, younger.
"Your hair is different."
He doesn't reply.
"Where's Buffy?" The look he gives her makes her stomach clench. "Spike? Where's Buffy?"
Esther props herself up on the comfortable hospital bed. Except, it's not a hospital bed. She is lying in her childhood bedroom.
Panic seizes her by the throat.
"I'm sorry, Esther," Spike says, tears welling in his eyes that seem unusually bright, "I've never done this before, I don't know how to tell you this..."
"Tell me what?" she croaks, praying for him to spit it out and explain.
"That... that you're dead."
"What?" That can't be right. "That's not funny, Spike."
A muscle in his jaw tenses as he thinks of what to say. "You know me, Esther, as Spike. But... I'm William."
Esther knows she's dead because if she wasn't, she would have fainted by now.
"As strange as it seems, I know you. Although I suppose you don't know me... I've been watching over you for a while. In a non-creepy way, I assure you," he looks away, "I'm Spike's essence, his soul, who Drusilla murdered. And I've been dead for 128 years."
"Wait," Esther interrupts, "Why have you been watching over me?"
"I've been watching over the demon in my body, his friends too, observing his actions. You spent the most time with Spike and he cared about you the most. I do too."
"Why are you telling me this?
"You can't lie here," he admits with a wry smile, "And... to help you understand. This is heaven, or one rendition of it anyway. Your family, your friends are alive and well, on Earth, so the only people you can interact with are dead. They're here."
Esther's heart sparks with joy at the possibility of seeing some of the people she thought she'd lost forever again. Joyce, Ms Calendar, Kendra. Oh, she misses Kendra.
William carries on, "Something I can't explain brought me here. I think everyone is greeted with a friendly face when they die. For me, it was my father," he smiles at the memory. "And as for the bedroom, I'd guess it's to make this whole ordeal seem less scary if you're in a safe space."
Esther feels as if she ought to cry, but she feels at peace. Like she knows in her heart that everyone she cares about is alright. And one day, she'll be reunited with them again. That's comfort enough, for now at least.
"William," Esther reaches out and touches his hand, "Thank you for being here. I technically don't know you but I feel like I do."
"You know parts of me," he smiles, "Spike retains a lot of who I was but... I could tell how fond you were of him. I hope I can be a sufficient replacement. I'm a little less exciting and -"
She throws her arms around him, "You'll do just fine, William. I can't wait to get to know you."
He grins as they break apart, "That's very kind of you. And likewise."
"Can we go and visit some people I used to know?"
"Of course," he nods, taking her hand to lead her towards to the door, "I must warn you, though, this place can be confusing. Just think of where you want to go or who you want to visit and you'll end up there. There's a lot to learn about this place, but I'll help you, okay?"
"Sounds good." she smiles up at him, "Lead the way, William."