**********

Riley anxiously paced the length of the hospital waiting room.  His concern was almost
palpable as he periodically glanced at the double doors the gurney had disappeared
through.  Somewhere behind that ?Authorized Personnel Only? sign was his best friend,
hurt, in pain, incredibly pissed off...  Riley resumed his pacing.

He needed to figure out what he was going to say to try and smooth this over.  It was
going to have to be a doozy.  Regardless of the fact that the accident had been just that,
an *accident*, he was almost positive Graham wasn?t going to be very forgiving.  Tensions
had just been running too high between the Marine and the Scoobies.  But still,
*accident*.  Well, for the most part.

Okay, so Buffy shouldn?t have been playing... uh, *training* with Olaf?s hammer in the shop
area, but it?s not like she had specifically aimed for Graham?s leg...

Riley sighed.  This was going to take some work.

Suddenly, those secretive doors opened, emitting the same doctor who Riley had last
seen trying to glean Graham?s insurance information before the pain medication kicked in.

Riley rushed up to him.  ?Doctor??

?Ah, yes, you came in with Mr.?  He glanced down at the clipboard in his hand.  ?Miller.?

?Yes.  Right.  Is he...?

?He?s going to be fine, young man.?  The doctor said reassuringly.  ?Just fine... eventually.?

?Eventually??

?Yes, well, your friend?s leg *was* broken, and with the nature of the injury I?m afraid
he?s going to have to stay immobile for a bit.?

?Immobile??

?We have him in traction on the fourth floor if you?d care to go up and see him??

?Traction??  Riley?s voice cracked slightly.  Okay, this was going to take a lot of work.

*****

Riley silently stood outside room four oh eight, steadily working up the nerve to go in and
see his friend.  If he was really lucky, Graham would be doped up and he could make his
escape before lucidity kicked back in.

With high hopes for a steadily dripping source of morphine, Riley perfunctorily rapped a
few times on the door, then opened it.  His hopes were immediately dashed when a pair of
glacial blue eyes focused on him, and narrowed dangerously.

Graham was sitting up, as much as he could in his present state.  His arms were folded
across his chest.  The only movement in his otherwise stony face was the slight twitch of
a muscle in his tightly clenched jaw.  And the topper to this picture of barely suppressed
fury was his left leg, which was encased in plaster from his thigh to his toes.

Riley forced a nervous smile.  ?H-hey, Graham.?

The muscle twitched again.  ?Let me guess, your girlfriend sent you to finish the job??

Riley grimaced, and moved a little further into the room, though he stayed well out of
striking distance.  ?Look, Buffy?s... *really* sorry about this.  *Really*.?  He nodded
solemnly.  ?If it?s any consolation, she feels just horrible about what happened.?

?Oh.  She feels horrible.  That?s too bad.?  Graham frowned.  ?You know what i feel, Ri?  I
feel like SHE BROKE MY LEG!!!?

?I think somebody needs another pain pill.?  Riley?s nervous chuckles died under Graham?s
glare.  ?She didn?t mean to.?  He said feebly.

Graham continued to glare at him.

?It?s not like you were her specific target, you just got in the way.  Not that it was *your*
fault, because it wasn?t.  It wasn?t anyone?s fault.  That?s why accidents are called
accidents, because they?re accidental...?

Graham glared on.

Fortunately for Riley, and his dwindling rationalization skills, he was saved by Willow?s
perky, and bright, and *perky* voice.  ?Hi!?  She bounced into the room, and immediately
heaved the overstuffed tote bag she had been carrying into a visitor?s chair.  ?Sorry we
took so long to get here.  Had to pick up a few things before we came.?

Tara closely followed behind her girlfriend, her own arms laden with a rather garish baby
blue flower and balloon arrangement.  She blushed under the befuddled stares of the two
men.  ?All the ?Get Well Soon? stuff had already been snatched up.  The only thing they
had left was for birth announcements.?  She placed it on the bedside table so Graham
could clearly see the proud ?It?s a boy!? stenciled on the mylar.

Graham shut his eyes for a moment, then took a deep, fortifying breath and asked,  ?Why
are you here??

?Because you?re hurt.?  Willow?s tone of voice silently added the ?duh?.  ?We came to make
sure that you?re going to be okay.  And,?  She grinned.  ?To cheer you up!?

Graham blanched at the saccharine flavored joy that oozed out of that statement, as
Riley slowly began to edge his way towards the door.  The former Initiative commander
knew a good escape opportunity when he saw one.

?It?s just, you?ve always been so nice to us...?  Willow paused, her face scrunching into a
frown.  ?Well, except for that time you tried to mow us down with a machine gun, but,
generally, you?ve been really sweet, and I feel *so* bad about what happened-?

?We all do.?  Tara added earnestly.

Willow nodded.  ?Especially Buffy.  And, I thought we should all do something to try and
help you through this time.?

?You...?  Graham swallowed.  ?How, exactly...?

?We?re going to take shifts.?

?Shifts??

?Yeah.?  The grin was back.  ?I made a schedule and someone?s going to be with you all the
time, during visiting hours, so you won?t have to be alone.  Tara and I are here first.?

Graham?s mind reeled at the thought of hours upon hours of Scooby Gang sponsored
companionship.  Hours, and hours, and hours...  ?No!  Really, no.  You, you don?t have to do-?

?Oh, but we *want* to.?

He wondered how far he could get out of the hospital hopping.  After all, you really only
need one leg to hop.  ?But, I, you-?

?It?ll be *fun*.?  Willow said, her eyes shinning.

?But... but...?

?We can *talk*.  Really get to know you.?

?But...?  Graham knew, deep inside, that there was nothing he could say, no point he could
make, that would drive these strange, strange people away from him.  He was stuck,
trapped.  But, he took comfort in knowing that while his mind would suffer from their
visit, physically, he was safe.  There was nothing else these girls could do to him...

?Ooh, and look!  I brought markers.  For your cast.  We can all sign it!  I draw a mean
teddy bear, mister.?

*****
2:04 pm

?Hmm, I remember one time in twelve thirty four... or was it thirty five?  You know, I
really should start writing this stuff down.  Anyway, this baroness wished that every time
her husband got an erection one of his bones would break.?  Anya smiled wistfully.  ?A wish
like that could have gone on for a while, but unfortunately after a serving wench bent
over in front of him, and his arm broke, some marrow got into his bloodstream and
stopped his heart...?  She raised an eyebrow.  ?You don?t think that might happen to *you*,
do you??

*****

3:38 pm

?So, then Marcy asked me to sleep over Saturday night, and I was like ?Yeah?, but then
when I told Buffy she was like ?No way?, and I was like ?Why not?, and she was like
?Because I say so?, and I was like ?That?s not a reason? and she was like ?*Dawn*?, you know,
in that really snotty, condescending voice, and I was like ?you can?t tell me what to do?, and
she was like ?yes I can?, and, God, my sister is such a bitch!?  Dawn looked up from her
rainbow doodle on the formerly pristine white plaster.  ?But, then, I?m guessing you?ve
already figured that out.?

*****

5:37 pm

?I *am* frightfully sorry about this, Mr. Miller.  I swear, I don?t know *what* possesses
the girl half the time.  No other slayer in history has caused so much extemporaneous
damage.  Believe me, I?ve checked the chronicles.  Don?t get me wrong, Buffy is an
excellent fighter.  But, display cases, legs...?  Giles frowned.  ?I have half a mind to take
that troll hammer away from her, you know.?

*****

7:10 pm

Graham buried his head in his hands as the door to his room opened once again.  ?Oh God,
not another one.?

Xander stopped short at the plaintive cry.  ?Well, that?s not the nicest thing anyone?s
ever said to me.  And, sadly enough, it?s not the rudest either.?  He squinted at the figure
in the bed.  ?Aren't you supposed to be in a coma??

?What??

?The message Willow left on my machine said that Buffy had put you in the hospital, and I
was assigned the seven to eight thirty shift.  I was really expecting a coma.?  Xander
glanced at the magazines he was carrying.  ?I mean, I brought all these things to read to
you.?

Graham rolled his eyes.  ?Sorry to disappoint.?

?Hey, it?s not your fault you?re conscious.?

?You know, if it would make you feel better, you could hold a pillow over my face until I
passed out.?

Xander thoughtfully rubbed his chin.  ?Maybe later.?  He plopped down in the chair nearest
to the bed and bemusedly studied the patient.  ?So... What?d you do, tell her those
polyester pants she?s been wearing make her ass look big??

Graham caught himself before he could smile.  ?Actually, I?ve never checked out Buffy?s
ass, so, no.?  Xander waited expectantly.  Graham sighed, then continued.  ?She was
twirling around that big hammer thing-?

?Olaf?s hammer??

Graham shrugged.  ?The big hammer thing.  I guess she didn?t see me standing by the
magazine rack, and when she spun around she-?

?Got you.?

?And I-?

?Dropped like a sack of potatoes.?

?Yep.?

?Hmmm.?  Xander leaned closer to Graham?s leg, reading the various inscriptions adorning
the cast.  ?Looks like Dawn was here.  And, she did her patented unicorn.?

?What?!?  Alarmed, Graham attempted to get a better view of his foot.  ?I thought she
just did the rainbow, there?s a *unicorn* down there too??

?With lots of little flowers in it?s tail.?  Xander smirked.

Graham?s upper body collapsed back onto the bed.  ?Oh God.  How the hell am I supposed
to go back on base with unicorns, and teddy bears, and rainbows-?

?Don?t forget the flowers.?

Graham glared at Xander.  ?This funny to you??

?No, not funny.  It?s just.?  Xander grinned.  ?Look, you can?t understand how nice it is to
have some other guys around to help take the brunt of all that girly stuff.  For a long time
it was just me.  Giles doesn?t count because he?s old and British.  I don?t know,?  Xander
leaned back in his chair.  ?It?s just nice to not be the only guy in the club anymore.?

Graham slowly nodded.  ?No, I think I understand.?  He studied Xander for a moment.
?Could you do me a favor??

?Sure.  As long as it doesn?t somehow involve the words ?bed?, and ?pan?.?

?No.  No, nothing like that.?  Graham fidgeted a bit. ?Um, could you go away??

Xander blinked.  ?And, *still* not the rudest thing anyone?s ever said to me.?

Graham flushed slightly.  ?It?s not, I didn't mean to be rude.  I just... Out of all of the
people that have come through here today you seem like the most reasonable, and-?

?I do?  Wait.  I do?!?

?Yeah.?

?You?re kidding??

?Uh, no.?

?My God.  You have had a rough time of it, haven?t you??

?You have no idea.  See, I just want to be alone.  Just... left alone.  Can you do that??

Xander tried to ignore the hope he saw in those deep blue eyes.  ?Don?t get me wrong, I
would love to leave you by yourself to wallow in misery and self pity, but... I can?t.?

Graham?s face fell.  ?Oh.?

?Look, this came as a direct order from Willow and if she ever found out I?d shirked my
duty I would have to deal with her pouty face.  Nothing you could throw at me could be
worse then her pouty face.?

?Not even the bedpan??

Xander paused, eyes narrowed, until he saw the ghost of a smile tug at the Marine?s lips.
He let his own lips quirk up in response, then turned his attention back to the cast.  ?You
know, I think I know of a way to fix this.  Maybe temper all the mushy stuff.?

?I?m almost afraid to ask.?  Graham said wisely.

?We?ll bribe Spike to come over and draw some dead bodies on it.  I bet, if you asked real
nice, he?d probably use lots and lots of red.?

Graham grimaced at the thought of the kind of artistic skills the blonde vampire might
excel at.  ?That?s okay.  Really.?

?Suit yourself.?  He suddenly pitched his magazines onto Graham?s lap. ?Here, read.  I?m
going to draw something.?  He uncapped a green marker and moved in on Graham?s leg.

?I should be frightened, shouldn?t I??

Xander looked at him levelly.  ?Hey, I think it would be physically impossible for me to do
anything worse than what?s already been done.?

?That?s true.?  Graham glanced through the pile of magazines and tried to ignore the soft
scrape of color laden felt against the plaster surrounding his leg.  Without his consent, his
eyes drifted over, and since he couldn?t see that part of his cast without being obvious
about it, he instead chose to observe Xander?s face.  Graham rather firmly told himself
that it was simply to try and discern from the younger man?s expression what his doodle
might be.  It had nothing at all to do with the way Xander?s face looked as he worked.
How his eyes narrowed and focused.  How his bottom lip was pulled in a bit, being nibbled,
or sucked on in concentration.

Xander looked up, catching Graham?s eyes, and grinned, misinterpreting the strange look
on the Marines? face.  ?Don?t worry.  No kittens, or bunnies, or anything remotely fluffy.?

?Oh.?  Graham blinked.  ?Uh, right.  Thanks.?  He cleared his throat.  ?So, what exactly are
you putting down there??  He lifted himself up a bit and craned his neck, firmly making his
eyes stay on the cast and not wander over to Xander?s neck, and the way his hair brushed
against the back of his neck...

?It?s a shrieking tree demon.?  Xander said proudly.  He picked up the red marker. ?Are
you sure you don?t want some blood??

?Um...?

?Oh, come on.  Just a little.  It would be much more realistic.?

?Well... okay.?  Graham settled back and let his eyes fix on the younger man again.

?You know, you?re probably not going to have to put up with all of this for very long.?
Xander said quietly.

Graham frowned.  ?The cast??

?The extra attention of the Scoobies.?  Xander sighed, but smiled.  ?In a couple days some
new, evil thing will pop up and Willow and Giles will completely forget to come in and
terrorize you with markers and tales of English boarding schools.  To get rid of Anya all
you have to do is remind her that every moment spent with you is a moment she?s not
making money.  And, Dawn will probably have some earth shattering crisis of the teenage
variety.  I guarantee that by this time next week everyone will be like ?Graham, who??.?

?You?re just trying to make me feel better.?  Graham paused, lips pursed.  ?You know,
they?re not *all* bad.  I mean, they mean well.?

Xander nodded.  ?Willow tends to overdo things occasionally... uh, more often that not.
It?s just her way, it always has been.  I?ll talk to her, see if I can get her to ease up a
little.?

?You mean, you?d face the horrors of a pouty Willow??

Xander ducked his head.  ?I?d live.?  He thought for a moment, then got up and placed the
marker pack on Graham?s stomach.  ?You know, I?m just gonna go ahead and leave now.?

Graham?s eyes widened.  ?What?  Why??

?Because you asked me to.?  He gently placed a hand on the cast.  ?Willow will learn this
isn?t about her, and her misplaced guilt, and she?ll deal.  Without her prodding you?re rid of
Tara and Giles too.  Use my advice on Anya, and wait for Dawn to get something else to
obsess on, like a zit, or bad hair day, or something.?

Joy at those thoughts was overshadowed by Xander heading for the door.  ?What if I
want someone to come back??  Graham asked quickly.

Xander turned back towards the bed.  ?Like who??

?Like you.?

Xander blinked in surprise.  ?You *want* me to come back??

Graham?s gaze was locked on his cast, not wanting to see the look on Xander?s face, still
not quite believing he actually extended himself this far.  ?Yeah.  I would.?

Xander cocked his head and studied the Marine, wondering just what was going on inside
that expressionless head.  ?Okay.?  He said finally.  ?I will.?

Strange relief filled Graham as he nodded, his eyes traveling up to meet Xander?s.
?Okay.?

?Okay.? Xander smiled.  ?I?m still going to go now though, you need rest.?

?But, you?ll be back tomorrow??

?Definitely.?

Graham returned Xander?s grin, but before the younger man could leave, he called out
again.  ?Wait.  Before you go, could you do something for me??

?Once again, excluding the words ?bed?, and ?pan?.?

Graham smiled, and handed Xander the red marker.  ?Kill one of the teddy bears, please.?

**********

the end