“So,” said Xander, “what do you think?”

Buffy looked at the engaged couple sitting across from her on her living room couch and smiled. “I’d be delighted,” she said.

“Xander wanted to ask Willow,” Anya said, “but I wanted a maid of honour who hadn’t necked with the groom. Which you haven’t, have you?” She peered into Buffy’s eyes.

“Um, no,” Buffy replied. “Never been there. No thank you for the image.” She winked at Xander. “Thank you for making me second choice. I’ll try to live up to it.”

Xander frowned. “Once again, my sweetie gives out too much information. Anyway, Will’s not up to supportive friend stuff yet. Which I assume you are?”

Buffy saluted. “All ready to be supportivey, sir!”

The shrill ring of the telephone brought the conversation to a standstill, while Buffy picked up the receiver from the cradle. After a moment, she dropped her arm. “No,” she gasped, “no.” Her face was white, and she grasped the phone so tightly that the plastic started to buckle.

Xander pried the receiver from her hand. “Hello?” he said, “Who’s there ...? Oh, my God. No, that’s okay. We’ll get her right there. Where? Thank you.”

Anya had rushed to his side, and she placed her hand on his arm. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

Xander set the phone back in the cradle and put his arm around his fiancée’s shoulder. “That was the hospital,” he replied. “Dawn’s been hit by a car.” He turned to his friend. “We’ll take you over.”

“Anya, take me,” she whimpered. “You tell Spike.”

***

While Anya drove Buffy to the hospital in her car, Xander took Buffy’s mom’s and drove to the cemetery. The sun was starting to set as he entered the vampire’s crypt. Spike, newly woken, was pulling on his boots, with his back turned to the entrance. “That you, love?” he called, “Just getting my clothes on. ‘Course, I can remedy that if you’re in the mood,” he leered, “as usual.”

“I don’t believe this,” said Xander. “Not you and Buffy.”

Spike spun around and growled. “What are you doing here? Don’t remember inviting you.” He stood and faced the young man. “Not that anyone ever asks for an invitation. So don’t be surprised if you hear things you don’t want to.”

“I don’t have time for this now,” replied Xander. “I’m only here because Buffy asked me to tell you. Dawn’s been in an accident. She’s in the hospital. I’m supposed to take you there.”

Spike grabbed his duster from the floor. “Take me,” he said.

***

Spike hated hospitals. They smelled of slow death and antiseptic-masked corruption. Nevertheless, he strode through the lobby and into the elevator, Xander rushing to keep up with him. The elevator ride was interminable.

Anya was waiting in the corridor outside Dawn’s room. She’d been crying. Xander ran to her and held her tightly. Spike looked on with fear. “It’s bad,” she said. “It’s really bad.” She buried her head in Xander’s chest.

If Spike’s heart was beating, it would have stopped. Gingerly, he pushed open the door to the girl’s room. Buffy was sitting beside the bed, holding her sister’s hand. Dawn lay drained of colour, eyes shut, motionless. Spike walked quietly to his lover and put his hand on her shoulder. “I’m here, pet,” he said gently, “How’s Little Bit?”

“She won’t wake up,” Buffy replied. “I’m afraid ...”

“Shh,” said Spike, kneeling beside her. “Don’t think that. She’s a fighter.”

Buffy fought back tears. “He hit her. He hit her and kept on going. They found her blood on his grill. My God, Spike, he could have killed her. She may ...”

“No,” he moaned. “I won’t believe it.” He leaned over Dawn and grasped her shoulders. “Wake up, Niblet,” he said firmly. “Listen to me. Wake up.”

Dawn’s eyelids fluttered open and she looked up into her friend’s face. “Spike?” she asked groggily, “where am I? My head hurts. What happened?”

Buffy, tears running down her face, squeezed her sister’s hand. “You’re going to be okay. You got hit by a car, but you’re at the hospital and you’re going to be fine.”

Dawn’s eyes opened wide with horror. “I can’t feel my legs,” she screamed. “Why can’t I feel my legs?”

***

The two couples sat in the waiting area with Dawn’s doctor. “There seems to have been some damage to the spine,” he explained. “It will take time to determine how extensive it is.”

“But she’s going to be okay?” asked Buffy, squeezing Spike’s hand tightly.

“Miss Summers,” said the doctor, “I don’t wish to alarm you, but there is a very real possibility that your sister may never walk again.”

***

“No, Willow.” Buffy stood before her friend in the hospital corridor, her hands on her hips and her voice adamant. “Don’t even think about it.”

“But Buffy,” Willow insisted, “I can do it. I can fix her. One undo spell, or a healing ritual ...”

Buffy couldn’t believe her ears. After all they had been through ...

“Don’t you dare play with my sister’s health! No magic fixes.” Her voice softened. “I know you want to help. I know you love Dawn. But the risk, both to her and you ... I won’t allow it. If you even try something, I swear, you won’t be welcome back here.” She held Willow’s eyes with hers. “You won’t be my friend.”

Willow’s eyes misted with tears. “All right,” she said coldly, “but don’t blame me if Dawn is paralysed for life. Remember, I offered to help.” She dropped her bouquet of flowers at the nurse’s station and walked back towards the elevator. “I just wanted to help,” she called back over her shoulder.

'You always have good intentions, Will, don’t you?' Buffy thought to herself. 'And they only bring you and everyone else pain.'

***

Buffy and Spike were sitting by Dawn’s bed when her doctor entered. He was smiling. “I have some good news,” he said. “The preliminary tests show no sign of nerve damage. I can’t make any promises, but with hard work we may be able to get you back on those feet again.”

“May?” asked Dawn bitterly. “No guarantees, right? Nothing for sure. Can I try out for track? Can I dance at the prom?”

“Miss Summers--” the doctor replied. “Dawn. I’m sorry I can’t offer you guarantees. But I am offering you hope, and that’s more than I could give you when you first came through these doors.”

Buffy smiled gratefully at the doctor. “Thank you. It’s tough, you know, but this does help. She’ll work hard. She’s a fighter.”

'No,' thought Dawn to herself, 'you’re the fighter. I’m the scared little sister.' Out loud, she said, “Thanks, doc. I’ll try.”

Spike heard the defeat in her voice, and knew that trying was the last thing on her mind. She wanted to wallow in despair, and he couldn’t let that happen.

***

Spike and Buffy sat holding hands in the waiting area. Xander brought her a cup of coffee and sat on the table in front of them. “So,” he said, “more tests?”

“Yeah,” answered Spike, “they make us wait out here. She’s had so bloody many tests she’s gonna look like a pin cushion.”

“Tara been around much?” Xander asked.

“She takes the day shift, we take the evening,” replied Buffy. “Well, I guess I take all shifts. I can’t stand the thought of her being alone in there.”

“You’re wearing yourself out, love,” said Spike, brushing a hair from Buffy’s face with his fingers. “You’ve got to get some rest.”

“So,” interjected Xander, “I guess you two are, like ...”

“We’re together,” replied Buffy.

Xander had known it, but it seemed different coming from her mouth. “So, when did all this happen?” he asked.

“Private,” she answered, and shared a secret smile with Spike.

The nurse came out of the room, and told them that they could go back in. Spike turned to Buffy and said, “If you don’t mind, pet, I’d like to go see her alone for a bit. Get some rest.”

She stretched out on the couch. “I’d argue with you, but I’m just so tired.” She wiggled and tried to get comfortable. Xander lifted her head and sat under it, letting her rest it in his lap.

“Don’t worry, Spike,” he said gently. “I’ll take care of her.” He cradled her in his arms.

Spike was surprised at his own lack of jealousy. Xander was her friend, and she needed him. “Thanks, mate,” he said, heading into Dawn’s room.

“What’s with him?” Xander asked Buffy, but she had fallen asleep.

***

Dawn opened her eyes at the feel of Spike’s hand on hers. “Hey,” she said.

“Hey Niblet,” he replied. “Nasty test?”

She sighed. “The usual. Only this time ...” Her face crinkled and tears formed, “This time the doctor wants me to try using a wheelchair. I don’t want to, Spike. I’m afraid. What if I never get out of it?”

“I know how you feel,” he said quietly.

She pulled her hand away. “How could you know? You don’t know. You’re a vampire, you’re strong; you don’t understand at all.”

“I spent months in a chair, not knowing if I would ever get out.” He leaned back as he remembered. “It wasn’t long after I came to Sunnydale. Dru, she was sick, and I wanted to make her better. We were doing a ritual in an old church, and ...” he paused at the painful memory, “and an old organ fell on me. Broke my back. Spent months recovering. Didn’t know if I would. Being a vampire don’t guarantee you’ll always heal.” He pointed to the scar running though his left eyebrow. “See? Slayer did that, long ago, in China. Never healed. I could be in that chair still.”

Dawn touched his scar, and said quietly, “I never knew. Nobody told me.”

“Well, pet, I weren’t exactly friends with your sister at the time. Kept pretty much to myself.” He patted her hand. “All I had were Angelus and Dru, and they didn’t exactly support me. More like, made fun and used the opportunity to ... well, never mind. Old news. But you ...” he tipped her chin up with his finger, “you have people who love you, who are pulling for you.”

“You got out,” she said.

“I pulled myself out with sheer will. And I’m not trying to fool you, being a vampire helped me heal. But like I said, I had no guarantees. I had to work.” He held her cheek in his hand. “And so do you.”

“I’m not like you,” she said. “I’m not strong. I’m just a kid. I don’t think I can do it, Spike.”

He squeezed her hand. “I’ll help you.”

“But it’s so unfair. I was crossing at the light. I wasn’t doing anything wrong. Then this drunk just piles into me.” She wiped tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. “I didn’t do anything wrong. Why do I have to be the one to suffer?”

Spike was stricken. “He was drunk? Buffy never said he was drunk.”

“Yeah,” she replied. “He gets drunk and I’m a cripple.”

“Don’t say that, pet,” said Spike. “I will do everything I can to see that you are on those feet again.”

“Everything?” asked Dawn. “Make me like you? Because I can’t face it if I can’t walk again.”

Spike frowned. “Anything, but not that. I would never do that to you. But I will help you exercise, and I’ll go to therapy with you, and I’ll make you stick to it. I can’t do it for you, though. It has to come from you. I do know that if you don’t do everything you can, whether or not it works, you’ll hate yourself. I couldn’t bear that.”

Dawn closed her eyes. “I’m tired now,” she said. “I’ll think about it.”

***

Anya entered the waiting area. “So, what’s this?” she asked, as she saw Buffy and Xander together on the couch.

Spike leaned against the wall. “They’re cute when they’re sleeping, eh, luv?”

“That doesn’t bother you?” she asked.

“No. They’re both tired,” he replied. “You’ve nothing to worry about. Harris loves you. And I’m beginning to think that maybe ...”

Buffy woke up and stretched, accidentally hitting Xander in the jaw, wakening him as well. “Ow, Buffy, watch it.” He looked up into Anya’s stare. “Hey, An,” he said. “This is so not what it looks like.”

Anya smiled. “It looks like you’re helping Buffy get some rest.”

“Oh,” he said, “then it is what it looks like.” Buffy sat up and let him stand. “We’d better go,” he said. “I’ve got very early work in the morning.”

Buffy watched her friends walk towards the elevator, then turned to Spike. “How is she tonight?

“Scared,” he replied. “I hope I didn’t make things worse.” He looked away from her face. “You didn’t tell me she was hit by a drunk.”

“Oh,” she said, “I guess I didn’t think of it. I’ve been so worried.”

“Buffy,” he moaned, “do you know how many times I’ve gone driving when I’ve been drinking? How many times I’ve been blind drunk? I could have hit her myself.”

Buffy took his hands. “But you didn’t. You’re right, what you did was stupid, but you didn’t really care about anyone else then, did you? We can’t change the past. Don’t do it again.”

“There’s been so many times in the last week that I’ve wanted to drown myself in a bottle. I can’t stand it when you’re both in such pain.” He looked at her. “But I didn’t.”

“Good,” she said, snuggling against him on the couch. “Baby steps. You’re changing.”

He kissed her gently. “Thanks to you.”

They watched a nurse run into Dawn’s room. Concerned, they jumped up and followed her.

“Right away,” said the nurse, as she left Dawn and walked quickly down the corridor.

Buffy and Spike entered the room. Dawn saw their worried faces. “It’s okay,” she said. “I’m okay. I just buzzed her and asked her to get something for me.”

The nurse returned with a wheelchair. “Glad to see you’re ready to try,” she said to her patient. “Shall I help you get in?”

“That’s okay,” said Dawn. “I want Spike to help me.” He reached under her with his strong arms and placed her gently in the chair. “Let’s go for a walk,” she said.

The nurse smiled as she watched Spike push Dawn down the corridor, Buffy’s hand resting on his as they walked together. “Baby steps,” she said.

The End