CHAPTER 11

Xander braked abruptly in front of the emergency room entrance. Faith jumped out of the passenger side door, pulled the Buffy to the edge of the seat, then picked her up. Xander ran ahead towards the ER. "Hey! We need a doctor here!"

The nurse and the security guard behind the triage desk in the lobby stood as Xander burst through the doors. As the nurse saw Faith carrying the wounded Slayer, both covered in blood, she picked up the intercom and paged the trauma team.

After a few moments a gurney and three more hospital staff came through the double doors from the fast track side. They were moving quickly enough that the automatic opener didn't have the doors completely clear, and the gurney slammed them out of the way. The nurses helped Faith set the blonde Slayer on the gurney, then wheeled her out of sight. Xander made a motion to follow, but the doctor blocked him.

"I'm sorry, but you can't go back there right now. Can you tell me what happened?"

Xander shook his head to clear it, then took a deep breath. "Yeah. We were out at the junkyard...

"Just havin' fun, ya' know," Faith supplied.

"Yeah, having fun. Anyway, Buffy... slipped. From on top of a pile of junk and must have landed on a sharp piece of metal. God, there was a lot of blood. Is she going to be okay?"

"Well, you brought her here. That was the right thing. Does she have any allergies, previous injuries, anything we need to know?"

Xander shook his head.

"Well, then I'm going to go and help your friend." The doctor turned and headed back through the double doors to the trauma rooms.

"Thanks, doc!" Xander called after the departing figure. Xander turned as a young woman came through another door behind the triage desk.

"Hi, I'm Tina. I'm going to need patient information. The patient's name?"

"Summers, Buffy Anne."

"Insurance?"

Xander looked at Faith. "It's in her purse," Faith said.

Xander answered the rest of the questions while Faith went out to move the truck and get Buffy's purse.

Faith returned with Buffy's insurance card in time to hear Tina ask "And your relationship to the patient?"

"Friend of the family," Xander replied. "But when will we get to go in to see her?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know. Do you know whom we should contact for Ms. Summers? We really need to contact an adult relative--"

"I'm her step-sister." Out of the corner of her eye Faith saw Xander's jaw drop. "Faith Summers." When Faith saw the secretary start to look skeptical, she added "You can look me up in your files, I'm sure. I was in this place long enough." She handed Buffy's insurance card to the secretary.

"Okay. The doctor will be out as soon as he can to let you know your friend's condition. It might be awhile, though. There are vending machines just outside, and the pay phones are down that hall. I'll bring the card back as soon as I've photocopied it." Tina turned and walked back through the door behind the triage desk.

Faith turned to look at Xander, who was still regarding her with a look of amazement. "What, didn't you know? When I was here in a coma they put me under B's last name so you guys could stay informed."

"No, I didn't know." *Or remember, anyway. I tried to do a lot of repressing of all things Faith after she tried to kill us.* "I've gotta make some calls. Could you..." he gestured with his head.

"Sure, Xan. I'll wait in here in case they need us."

*          *          *

Dawn dozed on the couch. Spike rummaged through the box in the closet looking for any videos that might actually be worth watching. *Resident Evil? I figured the Slayer would find that too close to home. Maybe she thinks it's a comedy.* Spike couldn't figure why they kept casting the scrawny girl from 'Dazed and Confused' as some great female warrior. *That bint's got nothin' on Buffy.*

The phone rang in the kitchen. Spike looked at it just as the front door splintered in. *Bloody hell! The Slayer'll have my guts for garters if the place gets trashed again. Demons got no respect for leisure time, or private property.* Later Spike would reflect back on the moment, and realize that in that instant he had been domesticated. But for now, Spike grabbed his axe out of the closet and launched himself at the seven-foot tall greenish thing with horns and pincers that was approaching Dawn.

"Kill slayer girl. Kill for master," it growled.

*Bloody amateurs. No originality.* "Oi, goat-boy, that ain't the Slayer, you nit!"

The creature took another step into the house, it's clawed feet tearing through the rug into the wooden floor. Dawn screamed. The hell-beast looked from Dawn, scrambling back on the couch, to Spike. Then back at Dawn. It was all the time Spike needed. Spike swung the axe one handed. It caught the monster's outstretched left arm below the elbow. The thing's left forearm, crab-like claw included, flopped to the floor.

"Come on, you fugly bastard! The Big Bad don't need a light saber to lop you to pieces." The creature bellowed in pain and rage. It reached for Spike with its remaining claw. Spike batted the claw aside with the flat of the axe, and called to Dawn. "Nibblet get out of here! Upstairs, quick." Spike glanced over to make sure she would obey. Spike saw the thing charge out of the corner of his eye. He tried to sidestep it, but the coffee table blocked him.

The demon's ram-charge caught Spike in the chest. He thought he heard a rib crack. They landed on the floor, the demon on top, his left leg pinning Spike's right hand and the axe to the floor. Spike's head had hit the floor when he was knocked back; he heard a ringing that sounded oddly like the phone. The thing looked down at Spike through red eyes, and reached for the vampire's neck with the pincer.

Suddenly the monster was knocked off Spike by a blow to the side of the head. Dawn stood over them, holding Buffy's pipe wrench in her hands. "Dawn, get back," Spike roared as he rolled upright. The demon lay on the floor, momentarily stunned. Spike swung the axe in a loop to gain momentum. As it passed overhead, he also gripped it with his left hand. The force of the blow severed the demon's head from its body, and left the head of the axe imbedded an inch into the flooring. Spike sank to his knees, dimly aware that the phone had stopped ringing.

*          *          *

Xander came back from calling Giles and then Dawn. He'd left a message at the Summers house when there was no answer. *Maybe Spike took Dawn out for a movie. Giles had said he'd swing by to check on his way here.* Xander hoped things were all right. He regarded Faith from across the room where she was flipping through a six-month-old copy of 'People'. She sat sprawled back in the chair. He was reminded of a sleek, dangerous feline. She looked up and met his eyes.

"What's the sitch?" She tossed the magazine back on the pile near to her.

"No answer at Buffy's. Giles is going stop by on the way."

"And Spike?"

"Well, I'm sure Giles'll bring him too. Boy is he going to be pissed." Faith's lips tightened and she looked at the floor. Xander felt a flash of compassion for her. "No, not at you. God, Faith, you saved her! If you hadn't tackled that de...guy, he would have finished her off for sure."

Faith looked up, surprised. "I just thought..."

"No, Faith. I admit, I was one of the more concerned ones when you came waltzing back here to Sunnydale, but you're different now. I can see that. I know you're trying. You showed that even before tonight. And for what it's worth, thanks." He squatted down so she didn't have so look up at him. "Thanks for helping us out. Thanks for saving Buffy." He picked her hand off her knee and squeezed in gently.

Faith almost jerked her hand back. She still wasn't comfortable with displays of affection. Screw a guy against the wall in a Burger King bathroom, yeah. Hug someone, hell no. "Look Xander, I never told you before, but I'm sorry about, you know." Xander's face began to change toward resentment. "No, not about fu-sleeping with you, but for kicking you out after. And for busting your balls later about it. It's, you know... You're one of the only people who ever cared about me, and I didn't give a shit; I hurt you when I had the chance. *Great, Faith. The guy wants shit to be five by five and you go all Women's Network on him.* "But, but I'm so fucking sorry, and I want to try to make it not suck, and I'm going to keep tryin'."

Xander blinked in surprise. That was the most Xander had ever heard Faith speak when it wasn't about slaying or sex. He slid into the chair next to her. "You're doing okay Faith. Just keep it up." Xander smiled at her, then leaned back in the chair to watch the muted television across the emergency room lobby. He still held Faith's hand in his.

*          *          *

Xander opened his eyes when he heard screeching tires in the parking lot.

"I think Billy-Boy has arrived," said Faith.

Less than ten seconds later an extremely pissed off blonde vampire stalked into the emergency room. He was followed by Dawn, in sweats, running to keep up with Spike's pace. "I'm here for--"

"Spike!" Xander called as he walked towards the two new arrivals. Spike faced him, and Xander could see Spike was so agitated that he was almost in vamp-mode.

"Harris! What the bloody hell is going on here? I thought you were just scopin' the place out. What the hell happened to the Slayer?" He looked past Xander to Faith, standing quietly as though to support Xander. "What happened to Buffy?"

*          *          *

"I'm Dr. Williams. And which one of you is Buffy's sister?"

"Well, I'm her biological sister, and Faith's our step-sister." Dawn gave a little nod towards Faith, barely able to hold back tears. "Everyone else here is friends of the family. You say whatever it is to everyone."

Dr. Williams looked around the group of people. He had seen the emotions on their faces on thousands of patients' families before. Fear. Hope. Anger. Familiar emotions to one who deals with life and death every day. He knew things were about to get a lot worse for these people, and his heart went out to them.

"What is it?"

Dr. Williams immediately focused the young Englishman with bleached hair. He looked more angry than the rest put together. *Boyfriend of the patient? Hope the fellow doesn't take a swing at me...* "Well, the good news is that we repaired the vascular damage from the incision. It actually nicked the left renal vein. That was responsible for most of Buffy's blood loss. We have that wound cleaned and sutured. The various other contusions suffered by Ms. Summers were not as serious as we first thought when she was admitted."

"And the bad news?"

This from an older Englishman. *The boyfriend's father? He seems more calm than the rest, as though he’d seen people in and out of bad situations before. And this one is bad.*  "I was hoping you could tell me more about the accident. You see, the impaling object introduced some kind of toxin into the wound. It has been circulating in Ms. Summers' blood since the injury. It is causing serious problems with her circulatory system, particularly her heart."

"No!" This from the other young man.

Dr. Williams continued. "So you see, we'd really like to recover the object so we can do an analysis of the toxin. It could be vitally important."

"How important, mate?" The blonde's words were pitched dangerous and low.

"Ms. Summers is currently in the Toxicology ICU. Her condition is critical. We're doing a blood work-up on her to try and determine the specific toxin. But, as I stated, having the object itself would give us traces of the pure toxin to identify."

"We'll get it." The step-sister spoke. "I'm outta here. Spike?"

"Yeah, pet. Let's motor. Rupert?"

"Yes, I'll be at the shop researching."

"Xander and I will stay here." The younger sister concluded.

*Good Lord! Who were these people that responded to a life and death situation as quickly and calmly as a trauma team? They acted like they'd done this hundreds of times before.* "I want you to know, we're doing our very best for Buffy."

"That's a good thing, mate, a very good thing." The implied threat from the boyfriend was almost palpable.

Dr. Willams was relieved when the boyfriend and the step-sister strode out of the waiting room. Dr. Williams could take care of himself in a fight, but he had no desire to try conclusions with those two. The older gentleman followed them out. The doctor turned to the little sister and friend. "Now, hospital visiting hours are over, but I assume you are not going home?" Both shook their heads. "Well, the hospital cafeteria is open 'til midnight. And you're welcome to stay here in the waiting room. I'm sure the triage nurse would get you some blankets from the warmer, if you'd like. Can I do anything else for you?"

"No, doctor, you just go help my sister. And please, let us know as soon as she can have visitors."

*          *          *

CHAPTER 12

It was technically morning when Spike and Faith stepped out of the DeSoto at Jimmy's Auto Recycling. Spike had his favorite axe dangling loosely on his hand. Faith clipped an enormous sheathed hunting knife into the back of her jeans where her denim jacket concealed it. Spike opened the trunk, and she pulled out a crossbow.

"Well, Slayer?"

"Let's do it, blondie."

The building proved deserted. They swept through it with a precision that would have gotten the approval of any tactics instructor. The only sign of the earlier battle was a pool of drying blood from Buffy. Spike went into game face when he smelled it. "I'll rip his bloody eyes out and feed them to him. I'll rip his heart out and piss in the hole--"

Faith interrupted what looked like it might be a long rant. "You kiss B with that mouth?"

Spike immediately got his rage back under control. With the help of his keen vampiric senses Spike was able to track the demon from where it had stabbed Buffy, out to a storm drain that emptied into the dry wash a hundred yards behind Jimmy's. He turned to Faith. "You sure you don't need a torch?"

Faith tried to lighten the mood. "No, here in the first world we actually have flashlights."

*Stupid bint.* "All right, then stay behind me; make sure that bloody bastard don't try to sneak up from behind."

Faith flashed him a grin. "It'll be five by five, Billy."

*          *          *

Faith had lost track of how long they had been down in the storm drains. She wasn't sure if Spike was still really tracking the demon that had stabbed Buffy, or if he was just continuing out of dogged determination. And Faith didn't want to ask him which. She was watching their back trail just as much as she was watching where Spike was going. So when he stopped suddenly, she did not bump into him as a less competent person might have.

"See the glow, ducks?" Spike's voice was so low and soft that Faith could barely make out the words when he put his mouth near her ear. She looked down the tunnel, saw nothing. Then Faith turned her head to look out of the corner of her eye. Her more light-sensitive peripheral vision picked out the faint glow Spike had described. She nodded her head rather than speaking.

Spike whispered in Faith's ear again. "I 'ear somthin'. I'm movin' closer." He could barely see Faith nod again. *This bird's a bloody wonder. Wish she'd been with us longer. She could teach Buffy a thing or two about sneakin'.* That thought jarred him out of his brief reverie, and he stole forward, silent and nearly invisible in the darkness. He could sense Faith several feet behind him.

The area into which Spike peered was the junction of three smaller tunnels that someone had excavated into a small cavern. In the dim light of a sooty lantern Spike saw a man speaking in a weird dialect to a demon with single large talons at the end of each wrist. Spike knew the language, so he held up a finger to Faith when she tapped him on the shoulder. They silently moved several yards back down the tunnel.

"That's the bastard, Spike."

"I figured, ducks. What's your plan?"

"We both hit the big ugly purple bastard that stabbed Buffy as hard and fast as we can, then we take out Brannok. Permanently." Faith looked a Spike, silently daring him to disagree.

"I love the way your mind works, pet. I'd offer a quick shag if I weren't already spoken for."

*          *          *

Military strategists speak of envelopments or of units attacking an opponent's flank. At the level of the individual soldier it still ends up being a frontal assault. So when their stealth tactics failed and they were detected, the two reformed evil-doers charged across the cavern to meet the demon head-on.

Faith fired the crossbow a moment before Spike came within hand to hand combat range. The bolt caught the creature in the left side, and it howled in pain. Spike swung the axe at the demon's head. It ducked sideways, avoiding the strike. And moved into reach of Faith's blade. It roared again, and swung at Spike with a poison-tipped claw.

They traded blows for nearly a minute before it happened. Spike, circling one way while Faith went the other, stumbled slightly when his boot caught an irregularity in the cavern floor. The demon was on him in a heartbeat. It kicked him in the ribs, then drew back both arms in preparation for a finishing blow with the large claws.

Faith tackled the demon from the side, her shoulder hitting him just above the hip. They rolled to the ground together, and Faith came up on top, knife still in hand. She pinned the demon's right arm to the ground with her left hand, and stabbed it in the chest with her wicked-looking blade.

The demon's left claw raked down Faith's side and she screamed. She pulled her knife from its chest and smacked the pommel into the side of its head. The beast's head rocked to the side from the impact, then it turned its head and sunk its teeth into Faith's wrist.

"Slayer, roll left!"

Faith heard the command and instantly rolled, hooking the pommel of her knife around the back of the creature's left arm to roll it with her. She ended up on the bottom, looking up into metallic teeth dripping with saliva. *I really hope Billy know what he's doin'.* The demon leaned down towards her throat, then its chest slammed down on her heavily, and its head smacked the ground next to hers. Over its shoulder she could see Spike, both hands on the axe that was buried deep in the creature's back.

Spike pulled the body off Faith, then severed the head from the body with a single blow. Spike straightened up, and eyed the corpse. *Good beastie. Stay dead.* Faith's cry redirected his attention.

"He's getting away!"

Brannok had waited a bit too long to see if his hell-beast would destroy the vampire and the Slayer. After viewing the decapitated corpse, he decided the jig was up. Brannok had just begun to make good his escape down one of the smaller tunnels.

"No you don't, mate." Spike's axe spun lazily twenty feet through the air before burying itself in the back of Brannok's head. The impact knocked him forward, the dead body slid on its face for several feet before it stopped.

Spike picked up Faith's knife from where it lay next to her, and lopped off one of the demon's talons. He wrapped it quickly in a piece of moldy sack from the floor, and tucked it most of the way into a pocket on his duster. He turned and looked down at the wounded Slayer. She didn't look good. Faith was going into shock from blood loss, and he was pretty sure she'd gotten a lethal dose of the venom.

She tried to smile up at him, but her face was contorted by pain. "Just... leave me here, Billy."

"Not a bloody chance in hell, pet."

"You need to... get that claw to the lab...at hospital." She was barely conscious.

"Yeah, luv, and I'm taking you to there, too."

"Just leave...go faster."

Spike knelt and scooped up Faith. "Naw, luv. You're light as a feather, plus I've gotten a bit fond o' you."

"Tell... Xan...Xander...love..."

"He knows you love him, and you can tell him yourself when you see him." Spike looked back the way they had come. *Be bloody daylight before we get back to the auto.* He looked at the three smaller tunnels that led from the room. He hadn't been here before, but he had a pretty good idea of where they were under the town. Spike strode down the narrow tunnel on the left, the unconscious Slayer in his arms.

*          *          *

CHAPTER 13

Xander and Dawn followed the nurse into the Toxicology ICU on the third floor of Sunnydale Memorial Hospital. "Visiting hours haven't really started yet, but Dr. Williams left a note saying you were to be allowed in first thing when Ms. Summers was out of post-op. Regular hours start at 9 AM and are only 'til 3 PM for ICU patients," he said. "If there are any problems we're right out there."

Xander nodded thanks, then looked at Buffy. *She looks awful.* Xander didn't say a word, just took in Buffy's mottled gray skin tone, and all the tubes stuck...everywhere. One across her nose. Another down her throat. IVs in both arms. And a tube ran from a plastic bottle below the bed up under the blanket that covered the Slayer's lower body. "Dawnie, you know, maybe we should wait outside--"

"No! She's my sister and I'll bloody well stay here until she wakes up."

*Wonderful effect Spike was having on the kid.* "Okay, but I'm going to call and check in with the G-man, all right?"

"Yeah, Xander, that'd be good. And see if he's heard from Spike yet."

*That was actually my main concern.* Xander walked out of Buffy's room towards the nurse's station.

*          *          *

Spike pushed the 200-pound manhole cover up and out of the way, then poked his head up and looked around. The large industrial park buildings on one side of the street threw shadows that just covered the open manhole. Not that Spike wouldn't have walked a hundred yards at high noon to help Buffy get better. He went back down the ladder and came up again, slowly. He placed his burden on the pavement with surprising gentleness.

*I'll call the watcher and we'll get the claw to the hospital. Got to get the claw to the hospital.* He refused to look down at Faith, lying cold and motionless in the street. Not just yet.

*          *          *

The phone's second ring brought Giles' head up off the books on the table, leaving an imprint from the cover of McKendall's 'Demon Spawn of the Lower Planes' on the left side of his face. He shuffled to the counter to pick up the phone before Anya's message kicked in. *Really must learn how to change that bloody message.* "Magic Box. Giles speaking."

"Rupert. Come get me an..."

"Spike, what's wrong?"

"Faith's dead, Rupert."

*Dear Lord.* "Where are you?"

"We're in the gas station that's being remodeled over on 7th and Mueller. And Rupert, bring a blanket. Two."

"Of, of course, Spike. Were you, ah, successful in the mission?"

"Got the demon's soddin' claw. Don't think the Slayer dyin' qualifies as a success."

"Certainly, Spike. I'm sorry. I'll be there in ten minutes."

*          *          *

Nine minutes and forty-one seconds later, Giles' Honda pulled up next to the former 76 station. He pulled two blankets from the rear seat, and walked up the gate in the fence. He noticed the gate had been pushed so hard it bent, leaving an opening wide enough for a man. And his burden. Giles followed the blood trail to the bathroom on the shaded south side of the station. He pushed the door in slowly, noting the lock had been kicked open.

Inside on the floor of the bathroom sat William the Bloody, former Master Vampire of Sunnydale. In his lap he cradled the body of one Faith Summers, former Vampire Slayer. A demon's partially wrapped claw lay in the corner, trailing green blood into a drain in the floor.

Spike looked up at Giles. "I hope it's worth it, mate."

*          *          *

They raced to the hospital. Spike had already called and gotten a hold of Dr. Williams' answering service to let him know they were on the way. They said they would contact him immediately. Spike had re-wrapped the severed claw in a piece of raincoat from Giles trunk. *Trust an Englishman to have a raincoat in a town where it rains eight inches a year.* Faith's body, wrapped in the rest of the raincoat, lay in the trunk.

"Rupert?" The voice was slightly muffled by the blanket over the figure in the back seat.

"Yes?"

"We need a cover story about the...about Faith."

"What did you have in mind Spike?"

"Bear attack?"

"In this town? Of course, Principal Snyder passed off your attack on the school as 'gang on PCP' so I suppose anything might fly."

"Hope so, mate. It just didn't feel right to leave her body to be gnawed by rats or discovered by garbage collectors."

"Quite right, Spike, quite right." Giles glanced back at Spike out of the corner of his eye. *It really is remarkable. Of course, Spike was not a typical vampire before being resouled, but there was something indefinably different about him now. His concern for Faith was just the latest manifestation of that difference.*

Spike peered out from under the blanket. "Quit staring at me and drive, Rupert."

"Sorry." Different didn't mean polite, of course.

*          *          *

CHAPTER 14

"Help, we need a doctor here!" Giles had pulled up under the overhead that sheltered the emergency room entrance from the Sunnydale sun. *As if this town isn't vampire-friendly enough with the damned Hellmouth.*

Spike was just thankful that it was a different crew from the previous night. That would have been more awkward. "Need a bloody stretcher here, people!" Spike and Giles both knew from previous experience that the Slayer's body temperature was far to low for a person to be alive. They merely had to act like they thought she had a chance.

"She was...she was out past the junkyard, near the woods. A bear! A bear got her! Please help her!" Giles waved his arms frantically. One of the nurses who came out of the fast track area actually had to dodge a flailing limb.

Spike glanced over at the Watcher who was gesturing emphatically. *No need to overdo it, pillock.* Spike gently laid Faith down on the gurney, and looked on as she was whisked away into the depths of the ER. "Rupert..." Spike nodded towards the exit.

"Certainly, Spike. Go to the toxicology lab. I'll meet you in Buffy's room after answering many questions here, I'm sure." Giles turned away and headed for the triage desk.

Spike stayed on the covered walkway as he jogged around to the front of the building. He stopped at the information desk. "Toxicology lab. Which floor, which way?"

The pleasant blue-haired lady behind the information desk smiled. "Well, do you see that bank of elevators there?"

"Thanks!"

"No, that's not them. You go down the hall past them, take the second left..."

Her voice faded as Spike sprinted towards the elevators. The door on the elevator going up was starting to close. "Hold the bloody lift!" Someone hit the 'hold' button and the doors reopened letting the vampire slip inside...to an elevator that had a mirror on the back wall. *Bloody hell!*

*          *          *

Spike got off the first time the elevator doors opened. He didn't want to look back to see if any of the other passengers had recognized his condition. Spike strode rapidly down the hall The second time he stuck his head into an office he got an informed response. Shouting thanks over his shoulder he took off down the hall again. *Left at the next hall, up the stairs one floor, down the hall on the right hand side.* He repeated the mantra in his head.

Spike arrived in the toxicology lab just in time to interrupt Derek, the lab tech, who was having 'morning coffee and donut break' at the front desk in the lab. Strictly against policy. "Hey, mate, this here's for Buffy Summers' blood workup."

"I'm on break." Derek scarcely had time to finish his sentence before he found himself lifted from his seat by his shirt front. The he was up, barely on the tips of his toes, looking down at a very pissed off Billy Idol wanna-be.

"My girl's in bad shape, mate, and I'd appreciate it if you could take this 'ere specimen as soon as you're finished with your break."

All Derek's customer service training from working at Bucky's Fondue Hut in high school came rushing back in a surge of adrenaline-fueled inspiration. "Actually, sir, my break just finished, and I'd be more than pleased to take the specimen of ...whatever it is you have there."

Spike put the tech back on his feet. "Put yer gloves on, mate. The doc thinks it's some nasty stuff." Spike waited until Derek returned, properly gloved, with an oversize specimen container. After sealing the claw inside, Spike asked if Derek knew where the Toxicology ICU was.

*          *          *

Spike strode into the ICU and stopped at the desk. A serious-looking nurse pointed him to the second room on the right. Spike walked in, first noting the presence of Xander and Dawn, before his eyes settled on Buffy. His unbeating hear leapt into his throat. "What the bloody hell's going on here? Why isn't she being helped?"

"Spike!" The youngest Summers jumped to her feet and ran to him. She wrapped her arms tightly around him and buried her face in the shoulder of his filthy duster. Her voice was uneven. "They said... they said they needed to wait before they tried another treatment."

Xander looked at Spike, then the empty doorway. "Where's Faith?"

Spike looked at Xander, momentarily at a loss for words. "Look, Harris. I'm really sorry. She didn't make it."

"What? Don't fuck with me Spike. This shit isn't funny!"

"I'm sorry, mate. Rupert and I just brought her into the ER downstairs. She and I caught up with the bastard that did this to Buffy, but...

Xander didn't hear any more. He blasted out the door on his way downstairs, narrowly missing a nurse who was coming to see what the disturbance was.

"If you can't quiet down, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave."

Spike turned his head to face the nurse. He still had Dawn wrapped around him and sobbing. Spike let just enough of his face slip so that his eyes turned yellow. "No problem. They're just upset. Now LEAVE.”

The nurse stopped, decided it the patient was fine, and left, all within an extremely short time span. "Please try to keep the noise down" was thrown over her retreating shoulder in an attempt to save her pride.

Dawn looked up at Spike, her eyes puffy. "Is Faith really dead?"

"'Fraid so, Bit. She did real good, though. Took out the bloody bastard with her dyin' breath. That's how I got a piece for the docs to study."

"Oh." Dawn looked over at her sister, then back at Spike. "Is Buffy going to die?"

"Not if I have anything to say about it."

*          *          *

When Xander got down to the ER Giles was still answering questions. The secretary was finished, but a police officer had arrived, and was busy recording Giles' answers. The policeman closed his notebook, and looked up. "Thank you Mr. Giles. We'll be contacting you within the next 24 hours. We'd appreciate it if you didn't leave town."

"Certainly. Good day."

"No, it's not," said Xander. "Where is she?"

"Xander, I'm terribly sorry. Faith's dead."

"I need to see her for myself."

Giles looked at Xander for a moment, then went over and spoke to the triage nurse. He returned to Xander after a few minutes of quiet talking. "Xander, they'll only let family see the body--"

"I don't care!"

"--but Dawn's on the way down, and as Faith's step-sister, she can get you in." Giles looked at Xander sadly. "You know, she died doing a good thing, to help Buffy."

Xander was more subdued. "I don't care. I just want to see her."

*          *          *

Dawn stood outside the ER's small viewing room, facing AWAY. Xander had asked to be alone with Faith, and Dawn didn't want to be anywhere near another dead body. Somewhere near this room was the hospital's morgue, where she had seen her mother. She thought Tara had been taken there, too. It was taking every last bit of self-control she had not to run screaming from the hospital.

Xander stood inside the room, quietly gazing down at Faith. The body bag was unzipped only far enough to show her face. Xander figured the hospital staff had seen way too many people freak out at the sight of their loved ones' mangled bodies. Finally, he began to speak to her.

"Faith, I know you probably can't hear me, but I'm proud of you. Spike says you did good, and you know, he's not one for the compliments. I'm proud of you, baby. You've been doing so well; why'd you have to go and die? I was just starting to feel like we were really getting along, getting the past behind us, you know? And now? I know you're in a better place. Buffy said it was great, and I'm sure they'll be glad to have a smart, gorgeous, evil-fighter like you there. I love you." Xander bent down and kissed Faith on the forehead. He stood, wiped the tears from his face, and walked out to meet Dawn.

*          *          *

Giles looked up at the bell as Dawn walked into the Magic Box.

"Spike called from the hospital. He wanted us to meet him there to speak with Buffy's doctor."

"I see," Giles responded tiredly. Two days since Spike carried Faith out of the tunnels. Two days of no more sleep than a few minutes at a stretch. Two days of wasted time. Dozens of volumes explored and discarded. Occult experts consulted. It was a measure of how desperate Giles was that he had managed to fire up Willow's old computer and search the Internet. All for nothing. At least nothing good. All confirmation of what he had been dreading. There was nothing that could be done for Buffy.

"So, how's the research going?"

"Slowly, Dawn. I still have some texts to consult." *Which will have nothing to say except how to cast love spells or find buried treasure.* "And I'm still waiting for the rabbi to call back from Jerusalem." *Who has been insane nearly as long as I've been a Watcher.* "Where's Xander?"

Dawn frowned. "In the car. Staring. Not talking."

"I hadn't thought Faith's death would hit him so hard."

"They were...trying to fix old mistakes. I think it was going well." Then, in a whisper: "Giles, I think he loved her."

"Oh. I hadn't realized..." He began furiously cleaning his glasses. "Well, should we be going now? Do you think Xander's safe to drive, or should I?"

*          *          *

The rest of the group stood outside the door of Buffy's room, trying to ignore the argument going on three feet away. Giles polished his glasses. Dawn kicked at a laundry bin. Xander stared into nothingness.

"What do you mean you can't identify the toxin? It doesn't bloody well matter! Just find something that'll stop it!" Spike was radiating anger in waves.

Dr. Williams looked solemn. "I'm sorry Spike, but there's nothing else we can do. We tried transfusions of both plasma and whole blood. We put her on dialysis. We tried broad-spectrum antibiotics. I even prayed for her. Nothing so far has worked, and I'd be lying to you if I said something else might work. At the rate she's deteriorating she won't last another day."

The doctor looked at Spike speculatively. "I want to show you something." Dr. Williams held his closed hand out to Spike. When he opened his fist, Spike instinctively caught the small object. Which burned his hand.

"Bloody hell, you bastard!" Spike threw the crucifix across the room.

"I thought so." Dr. Williams didn't run, or pull out a stake, or even have the decency to look panicked. "Buffy. She's special, isn't she? And not just to all of you."

"Damn straight, you pillock."

"And you could save her from this, couldn't you?"

"That's not saving, mate. That's damnation."

The doctor considered the vampire "But you could make her like you? She'd live forever?"

"Yeah, but it wouldn't be her. Not really. And I love her too much to do that to her." They looked at each other for a while, each trying to see into the soul of the other.

Finally the doctor spoke. "You're a good person, Spike." Then Dr. Williams turned and quietly left the room.

*          *          *

"Third time's the charm baby, third time's the charm." Spike whispered quietly to Buffy in the dimness of the hospital room. He knew this time there would be no miraculous resuscitation, no magical restoration. She was gone from this world forever. He held his bright Slayer for a long, long, time, until there was no more heat in her body than there was in his. Then William the Bloody, killer of two Slayers, and a thousand other people, walked away from the body of his soul-mate. He did not tear a swath of bloody death through the hospital. He didn't feed on the blood of the newborn. He did not even kill the mail delivery boy who tipped over a cart onto him while coming around a corner as Spike walked out. All these things he had reveled in as a soulless monster he did not do now. His final tribute to Her was to do nothing. He simply walked away.

*          *          *

CHAPTER 15

Xander threw the empty bottle of Jack against the far wall of the crypt. He looked over at Spike. "Gotta 'nother bottle?"

"Yeah, mate." Spike stood slowly, swaying slightly. He shuffled to the corner and grabbed the last two bottles of whiskey from the case. He walked over and handed one to Xander before cracking his open and draining a substantial portion with a long swallow.

Xander opened his new bottle and watched Spike flop onto the floor and lean against the sarcophagus. "Spike, I almost envy you. I mean, at least you got to tell Buffy, you know, before she died. You got to tell her a million times 'fore she died. I never got to tell Faith..."

"She knew, mate. I saw how she looked at you when you weren't watchin'. I saw how hard she worked to get the approval of the whole gang. The last thing she said was that she loved you."

"But I never said it, Spike. All the mean crap I said for years; I could never say the really good things to her now. I was scared." Tears ran down his face. The whiskey was obviously not working. He still felt like someone had sucker punched him, he could barely breathe when he thought about Faith.

"Harris. XANDER!"

Xander opened his eyes and stared at Spike in shock. He couldn't remember the last time Spike had called him by his name.

"Look, mate. She knew. All the stuff you did to be nice when you were scared to say anything? She knew. Look, she used to be into heavy duty evil shit, right?"

Xander looked at Spike, his face going hard. "If you--."

"No, what I meant is that you don't know what it's like, to come from all that, and to change. I do. I was worse. I did worse. Bloody hell, for a hundred years I did shit that'd make your blood run cold. And I care now. She did, too. She made the big uphill battle against doing what was easy, and just lookin' out for herself. Once you learn to really enjoy hurting people, it's hard to get back to a place where you can deal with normal blokes at all, besides beatin' 'em to a bloody pulp. Look at your ex-demon-girl. Look how hard she tried, and she still caved in again. But Faith, she changed. She was a good bird. And she went down fighting the good fight!"

"It's NOT RIGHT!"

"Bloody well told it's not right! But that was their gig. Both of 'em. They weren't meant to live a soddin' fairy tale. As much as we wanted it for them, and as much as they may have wanted it for themselves, deep down they knew. They were Slayers! They fought the good fight and did the best they could. They saved the whole soddin' world nearly a dozen times, between 'em. And you and me, we were there for them, the best we was able. Though it wasn't enough. I wasn't even there for Buffy! When she needed me most, I was sittin' in a sodden' house, watchin the bloody telly, instead of bein' out with her." Spike's tears ran blood-red down his face. He threw his bottle, only half empty, against the far wall as hard as he could. It gave a satisfying crash to add to the pile of brown broken glass already there. He didn't feel like drinking anymore.

"Spike, I was there. There were two Slayers. Two! It wasn't your fault. You were doing what you thought you needed to do, protecting--"

"Dawn." The vampire knew Xander was right. If he hadn't been protecting the Nibblet, she'd have been killed for sure. He knew that Buffy would have wanted Dawn safe, no matter what. Even if she had known what was going to happen to her. And Dawn, well, he'd been looking out for her for so long that it was part of who he was. It had started out as a promise to her sister, but eventually Spike did it for Dawn herself. Would have done it even if Buffy didn't want him to. And Dawn was all he had left of the Summers family.

"So, what are you going to do now?" Xander waited for a response. He felt much more sober than he had only minutes ago. And a little better.

Spike stood cautiously. "I think I'm going home. Little Bit needs me. I'm no good to anyone shit-faced."

Xander got to his feet slowly and followed Spike out of the crypt. He could finally understand some of what Buffy had seen in the bleached vampire.

*          *          *

EPILOGUE

"Hey, Willmeister! How's the world's best hacker doing?" Xander was in a decent mood for the first time in days. Not a great mood, but not terrible, either. "Yeah, I thought you'd be hustling the other patients at poker, you sly dog. Hey, look: I brought you a pet." Xander set a tiny pink origami swan on the windowsill.

Xander stared out the narrow window for a minute, taking in the well-kept lawn below. This would be a big step. For both of them. "I was talking to your doctor earlier. He said you were a lot better. In fact, he said if you keep improving you might be able to move outta here in a few weeks. And I was thinking, maybe you'd want to move in with me." Xander paused. "Now take your time, don't rush into anything, 'cause I know you've got a bunch of better offers. But think about it, okay? Figure out what works best for you. I'll check back on you next week. Alright?"

Xander walked over to the door and exited. A casual observer of the room could see a thin, redheaded girl with uncombed hair, sitting on her bed with her arms wrapped around her knees. A careful observer might notice that she did not stare into nothing anymore, but was looking a tiny, pink, paper swan on her windowsill. And someone that loved her would notice the slightest spark of life in otherwise dull eyes, and that the corners of her mouth were the tiniest fraction of an inch higher than they had been before Xander arrived.

*          *          *

The Watcher spoke to the new Slayer sitting at the table with a sullen expression on her face.

"As the Slayer, you are the one girl in all the world with the strength and the ability to fight the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness." Another man looked on, radiating a simmering rage. Before the whole "Chosen One" speech was finished he stalked out of the room and slammed the door.

Dawn turned from watching Spike's exit through the door to the training room. "Giles, you don't have to finish the speech. I've got it memorized from all the years hearing Bu--. Hearing you and the others say it."

"I'm sorry Dawn, I truly am." Giles removed his glassed and began cleaning them. Dawn stood abruptly.

"Quit saying that! You're sorry, Xander's sorry, and Spike's bloody sorry! It doesn't matter!" She continued, slightly more subdued. "I didn't ask for this. It's not fair, and I don't like it. It shouldn't have to be me."

"Dawn, you know that I'd rather anything else in the world, that have this burden placed upon you. Your family has seen far too much of the ugly side of the world. But you, of all people, should realize that something has to be done. If you don't fulfill the role of the Slayer, there won't be another. No one--literally--can take your sister's place. You were called because of Faith's death. You are continuing the line Buffy passed to Kendra, then to Faith. Try to bear that in mind."

Dawn was quiet for a moment. "I know Giles. It's just a little much on top of the post-party cleanup, you know? I'll do it, though. Not for you, or the world, or even Spike. I'm doing this for Buffy." She stood, and began walking to the door of the Magic Box.

"I'll stay as long as you'd like, Dawn; I won't send for another Watcher unless you want me to." The bell above the door was his only answer as the Slayer walked out of the shop. *God help her.*

*          *          *

It was well after midnight when Dawn came through the newly-repaired front door of the house. She'd spent three hours cruising the streets of Sunnydale before she felt calm enough to go home. She walked into the kitchen and threw the keys onto the table. She looked up into blue eyes regarding her across the room. *At least Spike's been sober since I was called.* Spike looked as if he was about to say something, then hesitated. After another moment he spoke.

"Oi, Nibblet, did you take the Watcher up on the job offer?" His attempt at humor fell flat in the dimly-lit room.

"Yes Spike, I told Giles that I'd be the new Slayer." She stared at him, daring him to try to be funny again.

Spike glanced at the floor, then back at Dawn. He knew she needed to hear something. Something inspiring, something heroic. Anything at all. He took the coward's way out.

"Well, Bit, I'm knackered. Be seeing you in the mornin' then?"

She nodded, once. He left the room before she could say something she might regret. *He never would have done that to Buffy. God, I miss her.* The tears came hard and fast. *At least Spike's still here for me.* That thought calmed her. The others, she knew, would be there 'til the next Apocalypse. And the one after. Doing it for Buffy's memory, and because she was Buffy's sister. Spike alone was there for her, because she needed him.

*          *          *

Her teeth brushed and hair pulled back in a ponytail for sleeping, Dawn stood in boxers and a tee shirt in the doorway of her room. She thought about all that had happened, and what the future might hold for her, for all of them. She turned and walked down the darkened hall until she reached Buffy's old room. She opened the door and walked in. Dawn stood in the darkness, listening for any sounds. She walked over to the bed, pulled the covers up and quickly slid in.

"Nibblet?"

Dawn could barely make him out in the darkness. She ran a hand over his face, remembering all the times Spike had saved her, told her stories to scare her witless, assisted in her crimes. "Spike, can I be your Slayer?"

His arm wrapped around her shoulders, cool and strong, willing to protect her from any enemy. It only took him a moment to decide. "Yes, Dawn, you can."