Faith's POV

I rush through the automatic doors of the emergency entrance, Anya in my arms.

"I need a doctor."

A number of nurses come out of the nurses' station a couple feet from the door. Two of them grab a gurney and bring it this way while another rushes up to me.

"What happened?"

"She was hit by a car, and then beaten."

They bring the gurney close enough and I put Anya on it. We start down a hall.

"These guys, they ran her over and then got out and started beating her up. I think they were trying to kill her."

The nurses check her over.

"She's still breathing but it's shallow, there could be internal bleeding. Let's get her into exam and prep an operating room just in case. Do you know this girl?"

Me?

"Yes, she's a friend."

"Does she have any family?"

"No, she doesn't. All she has is a boyfriend. He should be somewhere in this hospital. I can tell him."

"All right let us do our work."

I stop as the nurse in front of me becomes a blockade.

"Is she going to be okay?"

"We'll do everything we can and let you know. For now I just need to get some information from you."

I watch over her shoulder as they take her beyond a pair of swinging doors.

I hope she'll be okay.

"What's her name?"

"Anya, Anya Jenkins."

"You saw it happen?"

"Yeah, I was down the street when the car just drove up on the sidewalk and hit her."

"Okay we'll probably have to get you to make a statement to the police later."

"Sure..."

Not that the vamps can be tracked down.

"You said she didn't have any family, just a boyfriend? Do you know his name or maybe how to get in touch with him?"

He's probably here in the hospital.

"Uh, his name is Xander and he's already here visiting someone. I'll find him."

I start going back down the hall and make a left before she gets a word in.

I have to tell Xander. I just hope he hasn't gone home. If the attack wasn't random then they might attack anyone close to Anya. Or it could be an attack against me or Buffy.

I turn right.

It wouldn't be the first time a bunch of vamps have wanted to kill us.

I take a left and go down the hall towards where Joyce's room is.

But who would know us well enough to do that?

As I get close to Joyce's room I don't see Xander, but I do see B. She notices me as I approach and she stands to meet me, that steely gaze back on her face.

"I thought I told you..."

"Where's Xander?"

"Why?"

"Because I need to find him..."

"What are you gonna do when you find him? Murder him in cold blood?"

I stop dead and just look her in the eyes for a few seconds.

I'm not even gonna answer that. I don't have any time to waste on her insults.

"Something's happened B... I need to find Xander and tell him. Where is he?"

I turn away from her and look both ways down the hall in case he's coming this way.

"You stay away from Xander. He doesn't need you and neither do I. Go back to wherever the hell you came from and don't come back."

She isn't going to help, not that I expected her to. He's probably around here somewhere.

I start toward the nearest hallway. A hand grabs my wrist and she pulls me to face her.

"Hey! Did you hear me?"

"I heard ya B, doesn't mean I'm gonna listen."

I twist my wrist out of her grasp and try to continue but she grabs my arm a lot harder and forces a confrontation.

"You damn well better listen to me or I'll..."

She stops short of her threat.

"Or you'll what B?"

"Or I'll hurt, you."

Is that so?

I grab her wrist and pull her hand off my arm.

"So now you've gone from killing me to hurting me? What's next? Are you gonna promise to cuddle with me next time we meet?"

"Would it make you go away and never come back?"

Something about her asking that question makes me smile.

"No, it wouldn't."

"Then don't count on it."

There's a moment of silence between us.

"You should think about trying to keep your promises B."

I smile at her when her look gets colder and head off down the hall in search of Xander.

"This coming from the BITCH who promised me she'd protect Dawn no matter what the cost."

I stop and turn around.

"Look, B..."

I notice Xander standing a few feet behind her, observing the scene with a coffee in one hand and a bag big enough for two donuts at least in the other.

"Xander..."

I move toward him but before I can get more than a couple steps, Buffy moves in and blocks me.

"I said stay away from him."

I stare down her steely gaze.

I might as well just say it.

"Anya's hurt..."

Her coldness suddenly falters. Xander speaks up.

"What?"

My eyes travel to Xander's as she backs down.

"I was out on patrol, and I saw someone get run down by a car. I didn't know what to do until I realized the people in the car were attacking her."

Buffy joins the conversation.

"Demons?"

"Vampires..."

"Oh god..."

"But it's okay Xander, she's hurt but after I dusted them I brought her here to the E.R. The doctors are with her."

"I have to see her."

He puts the things in his hands down against the wall and turns around.

"I just brought her in two minutes ago. They're probably still checking her out."

He doesn't even turn around as he heads to the E.R.

"I have to try."

He shouldn't go alone.

"I'll go with you."

I move B out of the way and hurry after him. I get a few strides before I realize Buffy isn't following. I notice her standing in the middle of the hall, staring at one of the hospital room doors.

"Are you coming Buffy?"

She doesn't respond.

"B?"

"Uh, yeah I... I am I just, need to, tell my mom where I am. In case she needs me."

Right...

I glance at the door she's staring at before heading after Xander. I turn around the first corner and I see him already 20 feet ahead of me, weaving through various patients in the halls. I follow, doing my best to catch up as he makes the next right. I take the same corner a few seconds later and I think I've closed the gap to 10 feet.

He loves Anya a lot, but I don't think they'll let him see her. Three minutes just isn't long enough to repair any damage. No matter how good the doctors are.

He takes one last turn and I do too. We run up to the E.R. nurses station.

"Anya? Anya Jenkins? How is she? She was just brought in."

The nurse rifles through her papers and picks up one.

"I'm sorry sir, there's no news just yet. You'll have to wait."

He steps back and lets out a deep breath. I put a hand on his shoulder and he looks at me.

"It'll be okay."