She lays out all her cards on the table.

"Gin..."

Damn it...

I throw my cards down on the table and let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding in.

I'm not concentrating on what I'm doing. I can't. How can I when the two people who mean everything to me, are out there scouting a big bad ass demon? Maybe even fighting it if they aren't careful. This demon is supposed to be really fast, strong, and willing to kill anything that gets in its way. And my sister and girlfriend are planning on getting in its way. At least eventually they are. They're out there right now looking for it to try and figure out what its next move is going to be. That would distract even the most focused of card players.

I just feel so useless sometimes. I know I shouldn't be going up against something like this. It's way out of my league. Hell, Buffy took twenty four other slayers with her for scouting purposes. That's every slayer in the city on an information gathering mission. This thing must be a real dangerous force to be reckoned with if she's being THAT careful with it. How many slayers are they going to need when they actually go out and fight this demon? And all I'm doing is sitting around playing Gin Rummy with Tess. This really isn't fair.

"You okay Dawn?"

Tess and I look at each other from across the little table in the dojo.

"Hmm?"

"I asked if you were okay."

"Oh, uh, yeah. I'm fine, I just... my mind isn't exactly on cards tonight."

She smiles.

"Yeah, I know the feeling. I kinda feel useless sitting around playing cards while everyone else is out finding some big beastie."

I guess she knows what I'm going through.

"Totally, right?"

One of my best friends nods at me.

"We could be doing some sort of research or something. But instead, all the research has been pretty much done for us and we have to sit around, waiting for them to come home safe and sound."

Leaning forward, I stare down at the scattered cards on the table.

"IF they come back safe and sound."

"Well why wouldn't they? I mean, they're slayers right? Super strength, super speed, etc. The whole package pretty much except for the flying. With twenty five of them out there working together. What could go wrong?"

That makes me chuckle.

"You're lucky you didn't live on the Hellmouth back in Sunnydale for seven years. When you do that, you learn pretty quickly that things don't always work out the way you want them to. In fact, most of the time they don't."

"Oh..."

"There was this one time, Buffy actually died."

"She did?"

"Yeah... okay, I guess it wasn't only one time. More like three times."

"Uh, wow... well... then it's probably a good thing that we don't live on a hellmouth."

Again I have to chuckle.

"No kidding..."

There's a long silence in the room as neither of us knows what to say. After a while, Tess decides to break it.

"Are you sure there's nothing we can do? There isn't some book we could be looking through that no one else got to?"

I wish there was. At least then I wouldn't have to concentrate on the fact that they're out there looking for this demon.

"Buffy didn't say anything to me about it. Normally if she can, she gives me something to do so I don't sit around feeling useless. And if not her, then Faith. This time they didn't though."

Tess sighs heavily.

"Maybe we should look anyway. Just in case we find something."

All I can do is shrug in agreement.

"Well, it's better than just sitting here."

We both get up to head towards the research table when my cell phone starts ringing on the table we were just playing cards on. Tess and I look at each other for a second and then I step back to the table and pick up the phone. On the caller ID, I see Buffy's name.

Why is she calling me? The last time I got a call on my cell phone, it was really bad news.

Opening up my phone, I put the receiver up to my ear. Tess watches me intently.

"Buffy? Is that you?"

Her voice comes through kind of raspy.

"Dawn..."

"Buffy what's wrong? Where are you?"

"We're... we're at the hospital."

Oh my god...

"Are you okay? Your voice is kind of raspy."

"It, it ambushed us. We barely had a chance to escape. We... lost, a couple of the girls."

No...

"Is Faith...?"

"She made it out of there with the rest of us, barely. She's in pretty bad shape Dawn. You should..."

"I'm already gone."

Then I hang up my phone, hanging it on my belt as I turn to Tess. She speaks first.

"How bad is it?"

"I... I need to... we have to go to the hospital, now."

Tess turns to the door and takes out her cell phone.

"I'll get us a cab."

* * *

There are too many people in this god damn hospital.

Someone bumps into me as I try to race down the hallway, fast as I can. Tess and I weave through the people, me pushing people out of the way without knocking anyone over, her following close behind.

"Please... please get out of my way. I... I have to... find my sister."

Looking in every direction I can, I look for Buffy.

Where is she? She has to be around here somewhere. I hope she's all right. She sounded strange on the phone, like she couldn't speak. What did that thing do to her, and to Faith? Buffy said she was in bad shape. I almost wanted to break down and cry right there. But I can't... Faith needs me. I just don't know how badly she needs me. I won't know that until I actually find her.

My sister finally comes into view and that need to cry comes back.

She looks like crap. Her hair is all over the place, her clothes are ripped and dirty, like the rest of her, and she's hunched over slightly as she talks to an older couple. I can't make out what she's saying.

All of the sudden, the wife turns to her husband and starts crying. He puts his arms around her and lowers his head in pain. The only thing I can make out from this distance is Buffy mouthing the words 'I'm sorry' to the couple.

Oh god... I think those are Melissa's parents. No...

I push past the last few people in my way while the couple move away from Buffy.

"Of course... I really am sorry Mr. and Mrs. Horshack."

"Buffy..."

She turns to see me and I walk right up to her, grabbing her in a hug.

"Ow!"

Holy crap, what the hell is wrong with me?

Immediately I pull back and let her go.

"I'm sorry Buffy, I shouldn't have..."

Buffy tries to smile as much as she can. Her voice comes out raspy like it was on the phone.

"It's all right. I'm glad to see you too."

"You look like hell. Are you okay?"

"Well I feel like hell. So at least I look the way I feel. That's a plus I guess."

It's not possible for me not to smile at that.

"Did the doctors check you out yet?"

Oh, good question Tess.

"Yeah, they did. They said I have more than two bruised ribs, and they had to give me some pain killers for my shoulder so I don't pass out. My left leg and back aren't in the greatest of shape either. This thing really did a number on us."

She pauses for a second.

"Carmen didn't make it, along with six other girls. Candy's in intensive care with the rest of her team."

"Oh my god..."

That's terrible.

"How did this happen?"

Buffy looks at the floor and shakes her head.

"I... I don't know. We caught on to the demon's trail in the park off Charlie and Fifth. It was heading into the woods near there. After about a hundred feet in, the whole situation started to feel funky and we were gonna retreat. Then it turned and attacked. We, threw everything we could at it but it... it killed Carmen and Melissa and had two other girls begging for mercy before any of us knew what was happening. I tried to attack it head on like I did before, but when I went for a flying kick, it... it used one of the other... girls like a shield and... When that happened, it just became a mad dash for freedom any way we could find it. I... I tried to help the ones I could, but I couldn't, couldn't save everyone."

I can see her try and hold back from crying and I put my arms around her, more gently this time. She puts her arms around me, still holding the scythe in one hand. Tess speaks gently.

"Do you know where Candy is? I'm gonna go see if I can get an update on her."

Buffy pulls back enough to look ahead of us down the hall.

"Uh, yeah... I think she's, around the corner, third door on your left."

Tess tries to smile.

"Thank you... I'm glad you're all right Buffy."

"Me too."

They exchange attempts at smiling before Tess heads off down the hall.

That goes for me too.

"Me three."

We pretend to smile at each other as we step back into our own personal space.

"But... what about Faith? How is she?"

There's a long silence between us, our eyes meeting halfway through.

"Dawn..."

Suddenly, the hospital intercom starts screeching.

"Code blue... we have a code blue in room 232."

Buffy looks up when she hears that and gets a look of dread on her face.

"Oh no..."

What?

"What?"

Hospital staff start rushing past us into the room right next to us. She looks where they're heading and I follow her line of sight.

"What?"

My sister takes my hand, squeezing it firmly.

"Dawn, look..."

I watch the people running into the room. Then, one of them moves aside and I catch a glimpse of who it is they're working on.

Oh my god, no...

"Faith!"

Without even thinking, I try and rush to Faith's side but Buffy keeps her grip on my hand, holding me back.

"Dawn, don't."

Looking back at my sister while I try to shake her grip on my hand, I can't help but feel my eyes start to well up with tears.

"Buffy she needs me. Let me go."

She pulls me back to her and puts her arms around me, holding me back from going in there.

"I know Dawn. But if you go in there, all you're going to do is get in the way and they won't be able to do anything for her."

Her words slow down my need for forward momentum a little.

"Is that what you want?"

Why does she always have to make sense?

"No..."

"Then let them do their thing so they can save her. Don't worry Dawn. Faith's a fighter. She's not going to give up without one hell of a fight."

Turning around in Buffy's arms, I bury my face in her shoulder and the tears start flowing.

"She has to be okay Buffy... she just has to be."

"She will Dawn. Don't worry. Faith will pull through... all you have to do is wait and see."

She has to be okay.