Faith's POV

Beep, beep, beep... you know I'm beginning to hate that sound. Heart rate monitors are starting to become a little too common in my life. First there was the coma where I spent eight and a half months next to one, even if I didn't really know it.

Then after B was kinda beaten up by Adam... and now this little chapter in our overly dramatic lives. I know heart rate monitors are supposed to be a good thing, they tell people you're still alive, but I'd be eternally happy if I never heard one again.

At least B's alive though, I have that much to be thankful for.

I squeeze her hand gently and she stirs a bit.

She's been unconscious since I rescued her a few days ago. The doctors had to give her a few things to make sure she'd heal properly. I'm still surprised they bought that story Ben told them about a wild animal. Though I guess with a giant snake carcass out on the front lawn it was more believable.

They said when she did come out of it she'd probably be in and out of it, and really groggy. I just hope she comes out of it soon. Not just because I want her to get better, I mean I do want her to get better, but we also have to talk.

I need to know why this demon woman wants Dawn so much that she'd torture Buffy to find her. To protect Dawn I need to know why she has to be protected. I'll protect Dawn till the end of the world if I have to but if I don't know why I'm doing it then I may say the wrong thing or do the wrong thing without even knowing it. I don't want to do that.

"F... Faith I'm... s-sorry..."

That's the other thing that we have to talk about. She keeps saying stuff like that in her sleep. What the hell is she trying to say? What is she sorry about? Is she sorry for me? Is she sorry for herself? Maybe she's sorry to Dawn for giving up the secret?

Probably not, that demon woman didn't look like a satisfied customer, and it's like Joyce said, Buffy would never do that to Dawn, she's strong. She'd have to be to survive 3 broken ribs, an arm broken in two places and a near broken leg, not to mention the snake poison in her system. I don't know that I would've survived, then again I won't have to know because I don't have any info this thing wants.

I kiss B's knuckles.

She will come for me though, that much is obvious. After putting her though a wall, anyone with half a brain would assume I stand in her way, which is all the more reason I need to know the whole score. I just wish she'd wake up and see it.

"I... I love you..."

So you keep saying.

The door opens and I look back to see Dawn standing just inside the doorway. She smiles as I look her in the eyes.

"Can I come in?"

"Of course kid."

She starts dragging a second chair next to mine.

"Dawn..."

She stops.

"Sorry, it's just... these chairs are, heavy."

She picks up the chair and sets it next to mine.

"I didn't wake her up did I?"

"No, the doctors gave her some strong stuff to keep her asleep."

"I guess they don't want her running off and almost dying."

"Wow that was subtle. Really smooth Dawn."

"Thank you... but she's gonna be okay?"

"She'll be fine. The doctors say she'll be okay in a couple of weeks but I'm betting, and Giles says I'm right, that she'll be ready to leave in a week or so. He says the bones won't completely heal for about two or three weeks after that, and the bruises will hurt for a bit but she'll live."

"And you guys are okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well you're getting back together right?"

"Technically speaking we haven't broken up yet."

"So everything's fine."

"No it's not."

"You're not gonna break up with her right now are you?"

"Not right now, no but..."

"Then everything's fine."

"No it's not Dawn look... where'd your mom go?"

"She had to go home, she was feeling tired."

Go home?

"Who's looking after you?"

"Xander and Anya are out in the waiting area, they promised to take me home when I needed to. And I guess... you and Buffy are taking care of me right now."

Oh...

"You love her don't you?"

"Of course I love her."

"And she loves you, doesn't she?"

"Maybe..."

"Maybe? What do you mean by maybe?"

"It's complicated Dawnie."

"Why?"

"There are things, in the way."

"What kinds of things?"

I look at her and she's looking back with pleading eyes.

"It's not important."

"Well if it's not important then why are they in the way?"

"They just are Dawn."

"Well if they're standing in the way then just push them out of the way."

"It's not that simple."

"Shouldn't it be?"

"Yes it should Dawn, but it's not."

"So what are the problems?"

"Honestly Dawn, I'm not entirely sure. That's one of the problems. Your sister just got tortured by some demon thing and I'm not completely sure why. That bothers me Dawn."

"It bothers me too. She's my sister, I don't want to see her like this either, but I don't hate her for it."

"I don't hate her Dawn, I love her."

Her hand covers mine and B's.

"Then give her another shot... please?"

I look down at Dawn's hand on mine and I feel it again.

That, for lack of a better thing to call it, connection that the three of us have just appears out of nowhere, it's not as strong as it was that night in Buffy's room, but it's there.

I look at Dawn and push a few strands of hair behind her ear.

"I will... I was already going to. Before all this happened I promised to give her one last chance to make things right, and she's gonna get that chance. Once she's completely healed, she'll have her chance. I can't guarantee she'll use it but the least I can do is offer one."

Next thing I know a set of arms are wrapped around my ribs and Dawn's hugging me like there's no tomorrow.

"Thank you... thank you Faith."

I put my not so beat up arm around her shoulders and kiss her forehead.

"I can't guarantee anything will..."

"It will, I know it will. Buffy loves you, she won't miss this shot you're giving her. I'll even talk to her if you want, make sure she knows this is her last and only shot. She'll listen to me."

"Does she ever listen to you?"

"Well no, not technically."

"Then I guess you and me got a lot more in common than we thought eh kid?"

I ruffle her hair and she reaches up and ruffles mine.

"I guess so."

"Faith?"

I look at B and she seems to be coming out of it.

"I'm here B."

She looks at me, then at Dawn and comes back to me. Her eyes well up with tears.

"I'm so sorry..."

"I told you."

"Dawn... can you just, give us some time alone?"

"But I thought..."

"Dawn, please..."

She looks at Buffy, and then at me.

"Okay... I'll go play cards with Xander."

She gets up and heads for the door. Once she's gone I turn back to B.

"I'm sorry..."

I really only have one response to that.

"Sorry for what B?"

"For... everything I guess."

"Well that's pretty vague."

"I'm sorry for... for not giving you a reason to trust me. I'm sorry for all the things I've done to ruin what should've been a perfect relationship, and I'm sorry for not telling you I love you, because I do. I love you Faith, and nothing either of us could ever do would ever change my love for you. But most of all I'm sorry that what I've done is gonna make you leave me."

What?

"B, I..."

"I broke my promise didn't I? I feel like I've been asleep for days."

"You were..."

"I told you I'd tell you the truth about everything that night and I didn't. You told me if I didn't keep my promise you'd leave, and I said I wouldn't stop you. I didn't keep my promise, and now of all times would be the best time to do so."

She looks away, as if she can't bear to look at me as sobs come out between words.

"I, I couldn't stop you... even if I wanted to. I'd... I'd never be able to, stop you with the way I am."

"Buffy..."

"Just go... you said you would if I didn't keep my promise, and I didn't, so..."

"B, shut up..."

She turns her head to me.

"What?"

"I'm not going anywhere, not yet."

"But..."

"I told you I'd give you a chance to make things better, and you'll get that chance, at one point or another."

"Why?"

I just look at her and she looks right back for a second before looking down at the end of the bed.

"I don't deserve one."

"Maybe not, but you're gonna get it. So I guess the question becomes, are you gonna use it?"

She reaches out to take my hand but I sit back out of reach.

"Faith..."

"Do you want me in your life enough to risk losing me by being honest?"

"She's not my sister."

What?

"What are you talking about?"

She takes a deep breath.

"Dawn, she's not really my sister... she's more than that."

"Okay now you're not making any sense. Maybe you should wait until the drugs they gave you wear off."

"Faith you asked for the truth so I'm giving it to you, Dawn's... not my sister."

Why is every conversation B and I have so complicated?

"So, was she adopted or something?"

"No... Faith, the monk I saved from that demon woman, he didn't just die like I said. He spoke to me about things, about Dawn."

"What kinds of things?"

"He said that, Dawn is the key."

"What? B, he was messing with you. Dawn's your sister, you know this, and you grew up with her."

"I, I don't think I did."

"What? But, you used to complain about her... all the time. I remember it."

"Well you shouldn't, because it didn't happen... apparently. The monk also told me that his brothers, they built our memories of her so that we would protect her."

This is nuts, this is completely crazy and I can't believe she would buy into this.

"So, some crazy dying monk tells you your sister isn't real... and you believe him?"

"Yes..."

This doesn't make any sense.

"When exactly did you go completely nuts B? Cause the doctors told us there wasn't any head trauma, but now I'm thinking maybe they should take a second look..."

"You felt it didn't you?"

"Felt what?"

"That... connection the three of us have. It was there just a minute ago when she was here, and that night when the three of us were together in Dawn's room. You told me you felt it."

"I, I did..."

"That's how I know Faith. That's how I know that what he said was true because, he told me one other thing."

"What?"

"She's ours Faith, mine and yours. The monk told me, that Dawn was born out of our love. He said... a piece of each of us was put into creating Dawn. She's our daughter Faith."

I don't know what to say. It sounds like she's gone completely nuts but, with magic and stuff it's hard not to at least consider it might be true. And it does explain why the three of us have that feeling that I can only call a connection.

"That's how I know what he said is true, because when the three of us are together, I feel safe the way you should when... when you're with family."

Okay whoa...

I stand up and back away a bit.

"All right I think we've gone a bit past insane here. I think the torture has gone to your head and you're not exactly thinking with it okay? Dawn is not... I mean I... we're not..."

This is just a little too much all at once.

"I have to go."

I turn around and start to leave.

"Faith, wait..."

I stop but don't turn around.

"I'm sorry for not telling you, and I won't blame you if you hate me for keeping something this important from you. But Dawn doesn't know, no matter how you feel about me, please don't tell her."

I leave the room, never looking back.