We make our way down the hall of the emergency ward, weaving through the people rushing the other way.

Where is she? Where's my sister? She has to be somewhere. The nurse said she was supposed to be down this hallway. Or that she was going to be in one of these rooms soon. I wasn't really paying attention. The second she pointed in this direction I stopped caring what she had to say and just started running. In retrospect, I probably should've cared what she had to say but I just wanted to get to my sister so badly that I forgot to care.

I hope it's not my fault that she got hurt. Buffy and I didn't exactly leave things on the best of terms earlier, which is mostly my fault. She just made me so angry when she wouldn't budge on where I was going to college next year. I didn't really think that she would go out slaying afterwards. She probably went out because of me. Buffy was pretty angry at me for wanting to stay here instead of going off to some big expensive school out of state. Sometimes when she's really angry she'll go out slaying to blow off some steam on any vamp or demon she can get her hands on.

I don't really get it but then I'm not a slayer. Buffy probably went toe to toe with some big bad demon she couldn't handle on her own and ended up hurt because of it. God I don't know what I'll do if it's my fault she got hurt. Why couldn't she find some other non-violent way to work out her anger? It would save a lot on hospital bills to say the least.

About twenty feet in front of me, I catch a glimpse of Faith standing in the middle of the hallway, pacing uncomfortably.

Thank god, she'll know where Buffy is and how she's doing.

"Faith!"

She looks around at hearing me call out her name and I raise my hand in the air over the doctors and nurses going about their business, waving to my girlfriend.

"Faith, over here!"

After a few moments, she notices me and sorta half smiles, making her way over to me. When she gets within arms length of me, she opens her arms and I run right into her. She has to take a step back when my momentum almost knocks her over, my arms wrapped around her with every ounce of strength in me. Her own arms are around me in seconds and holding me, making me feel better.

"Dawn..."

I'm so glad she's here.

"Is Buffy all right?"

"She's fine Dawn."

Pulling back slightly, I look up at her.

"Really?"

"Yes, the doctors are just doing some x-rays to check her arm. It got messed up pretty bad during the fight but she's fine."

That has me taking a sigh of relief.

"Oh thank god..."

She uses one hand to cup my face and kisses me softly. The taste of her lips makes me feel a little less nervous about my sister being in the hospital. I bury my face in her shoulder as we continue to hold each other.

"She's all right Dawn. Everything's all right."

There are a few moments of silence where I get to enjoy the feel of her body against mine. Then Faith acknowledges my friends with me.

"Hey guys..."

Candy is the first to respond while I step back from Faith.

"Hi Faith, so Buffy's gonna be all right?"

I stand between Faith and my friends, holding Faith's hand while they talk.

"Looks that way, she's a pretty tough slayer, but then you guys know that already."

"Yeah she was like an animal out there."

My head turns to see Melissa and Claire coming up behind us, both of them looking roughed up and sporting nasty bruises on their faces. Claire even has a black eye. Melissa tries to smile despite the way she looks.

"She really took it to that thing, whatever it was."

That's probably my fault.

Faith looks down at the floor for a second, like she's feeling guilty or something.

"I can't believe it got away."

Geez, there were four slayers and they still didn't take it out? What the heck is this thing?

"It got away?"

They all nod, disappointed. Candy, Carmen, Tess and I look at each other for a second in shock. My girlfriend is the first to answer.

"Yeah... I'm sorry Dawn."

Her hand squeezes mine and I see a look of regret on her face. I step into her space again and put my arm around her.

"It's all right. As long as everyone got out okay, that's the important thing."

We hold each other in the middle of the hospital hallway.

"I guess everything's all right then."

That's her voice...

Turning around, I see Buffy being wheeled towards us in a wheelchair by an orderly. The second I see her I let go of Faith and go to my sister. There's a sling on her left arm and her hair is all messy, but otherwise she looks okay.

"Buffy..."

I crouch down in front of my sister as the orderly stops the chair.

"Are you okay?"

She smiles at me because of my question.

"I'm fine."

Buffy lifts her left arm and looks at it for a split second before focusing back on me.

"A little worse for wear, but I'll survive. The doctors say I have a compound fracture in my forearm, but it'll heal."

That puts a smile on my face.

"Good, I'm glad."

A hand touches my shoulder and I look behind me to see Faith standing there. Her gentle touch lets me know that I should stand up, so I do, letting my eyes fall on the orderly's.

"When can we take her home?"

"You can take her home right now if you want to. Her bone has been set. She has to keep it in a sling for about four to six weeks until it heals but otherwise she's fine."

Oh...

"All right..."

Buffy stands up a little sluggishly.

"I'm ready when you guys are."

The orderly looks at us in a suspicious way.

"Shouldn't you be taking it easy in the wheelchair? You've just had a major accident."

We all get kinda nervous at his question, but Buffy takes the initiative and explains.

"Uh, no, I'll be okay. I'm a fast healer."

He seems to take that with a grain of salt.

"All right, but I hope I don't see you again soon Ms. Summers."

"You and me both... I'll be fine, don't worry."

The orderly turns around with the wheelchair and leaves us standing in the hospital hallway.

I've got to ask the question.

"Are you really all right Buffy?"

"I'm okay Dawn. The bone will heal, probably in a couple of weeks, two at the most."

She is a slayer so she's probably right. She won't need the sling for as long as the doctors say.

"So how are we getting home? I didn't bring my car to my ass kicking. Not that I could drive it in this condition."

Candy decides to speak.

"Well, the four of us took a cab here... we could always take a couple home."

"Now there's a plan."

Melissa butts in.

"Not me, my house is only two blocks from here. I'm going to walk."

We all look at her like she's crazy. Faith is the first to voice our concerns.

"Alone?"

She shakes her head.

"No, Claire and I were talking while we were waiting for Buffy to get her x-rays. We're going to watch each other's backs while that thing is out there. She's gonna stay over at mine for at least a couple days or so."

Buffy decides to issue one of her orders.

"Okay, don't go out hunting for this thing either. That goes for all of you. When we're back at full strength, we'll all go out together and take this thing out... strength in numbers. Whatever this thing is, it was stronger than a lot of the demons that Faith and I have come up against in our time as slayers. We don't want any of you going out there and getting yourselves killed."

The rest of the slayers around me all agree with the various sounds they make of approval.

"Good, then I guess the best thing to do now is to go home and get some rest. How does that sound?"

After everything that's happened, I'm very tired. It'd be really good to go home and take a nap or something. I could go home with Faith, but I know I'd never get any rest if I did. Besides, Buffy needs me to help her with her injury.

"Well I know I could use some rest."

My sister smiles at me.

Why does she keep smiling at me after the way I treated her? I feel horrible and she keeps smiling at me for being concerned about her. It's a little annoying.

"All right, let's get out of here."

We turn and make our way toward the exit. Faith takes my hand in hers and I squeeze gently.

At least she's here with me to help me feel better.

* * *

Buffy, Faith and I get out of the cab that just stopped in front of mine and Buffy's apartment. I help Buffy out of the car since she only has the one arm while Faith pays the cab driver.

"Dawn, I'm okay. You don't have to help me with absolutely EVERYTHING. It's just a fracture in my arm. If I had broken my leg or something, I would appreciate the help, but it's not."

"I know. I'm just worried that you'll do more damage to your arm if you don't take it easy."

There's a smile on her face for a second.

"That's sweet..."

I just know I'm not gonna like what she's about to say.

"But leave me alone."

Her expression of amusement doesn't change. Faith comes up to me and puts her arm around my neck. She pulls me away from Buffy as we make our way toward mine and my sister's apartment.

"Yeah, why don't you let your sister pull her own weight for a change?"

"Gee, thanks Faith."

My girlfriend looks back at Buffy and smiles.

"Any time B."

We make our way up to the front door of the apartment building together. There's a long stretch of silence for a while until Faith opens the door for Buffy and me.

Okay, well, we didn't really get a chance to talk about it before, so now's the best time.

"So, any idea what that demon was exactly?"

Faith shakes her head and I look back at Buffy who does the same before responding.

"Nope, never seen one of those before..."

The woman I love speaks up.

"Sounds like a job for the big English guy."

Faith, Buffy and I stop in front of the elevator and I press the button.

"Yeah, we should call him when we get in."

I feel Faith's breath tickle my ear as she whispers into it, making me giggle at her words.

"I'm so hot for you right now. That fight has me seriously wound up."

Ever so slightly, I turn to her, reaching out and touching her stomach. There's a tingle in me at the look in her eyes.

"Mmm..."

Buffy interrupts.

"Uh, hello... slayer hearing here... my arm might be hurt but I can hear just fine."

We turn to my sister, Faith's arm moving down to around my waist.

"Sorry B, but you know what your sister does to me."

She pulls me to her and I look at my girlfriend as she leans in to kiss me. The kiss quickly deepens and I moan into her lips, then the elevator bell rings.

"Okay, that's enough of that."

Buffy gets between us as she uses her right hand on my stomach and pushes me into the opening doors of the elevator. Then she grabs Faith and pulls her into the elevator too, but she shoves my girlfriend to the opposite side that I'm on, staying between us.

Geez, when did she go nuts?

She pushes the button for the third floor and the doors close, taking us up. My sister faces both of us as she speaks.

"Faith, you stay on your side. Dawn, you stay on your side... and please, don't get with the touchy feel-y stuff. If you do, I might just hurl."

Faith and I look at each other with confused looks on our faces.

Something's wrong.

"Buffy, are you okay?"

She looks at me like I grew a second head.

"What? Yes, Dawn, I'm fine..."

My eyes meet Faith's across the elevator and I know she doesn't believe Buffy anymore than I do.

"Seriously B, you went a little insane on us there. What's up?"

A long silence passes in the elevator before Buffy takes a deep breath.

"I'm sorry... I, I don't know why I freaked out like that."

I leave my side of the elevator to stand next to my sister.

"I guess... it's just that, lately when you guys are always so love-y dove-y around each other. It really bugs the crap out of me."

Reaching out to her, I put my hand on Buffy's good shoulder.

"Why?"

Another long deep breath comes from my sister.

"Well, I... I haven't dated anyone since The Immortal in Rome. And I guess when I see you guys together as happy as you are, I'm a little jealous. I've never had something like you guys have. It's kind of depressing seeing my sister find something that I've been looking for a long time."

God I feel so horrible for her. How could I be so insensitive?

I put my arms around her comfortingly.

"I'm sorry Buffy... I didn't know."

Faith comes up next to us as the elevator door dings.

"Yeah, neither of us did. We didn't realize how much it was bothering you."

"It's all right. I probably shouldn't have overreacted that way, probably something to do with the fact that I just got pummeled by a demon too."

"Don't worry about it sis. No harm done and all that."

Letting go of the hug with one hand, I motion towards the open elevator. The three of us make our way out of the elevator onto the third floor. We walk towards mine and Buffy's front door.

"You know B, if you're feeling lonely, you could always do something about that."

She's right.

"I don't know."

"You totally could Buffy, and we could totally help if you wanted us too."

My girlfriend and my sister both look at me like I've gone nuts.

"Well we could... we could go to Slash and, and we could pick out some hot young stud for you. Of course, you know he'd have to be smart and deep and a gentleman too. Can't have you getting involved with some big lug you'd have to kick the crap out of."

Buffy rolls her eyes at me.

"You're thinking way too much about this Dawn."

"She does have a point though B. It might do you some good to find someone to have a good time with."

Faith and I watch Buffy for a moment as she looks at both of us, stopping in front of our door.

"I don't know... maybe..."

That puts a smile on my face.

Well, at least it's a start.