Author's Note: Things are about to ramp up towards the finale. What do you want to see happen by the end? Particularly given how it ended in the show?

Faith's POV

She's gotta be okay, oh god she's gotta be okay.

I look to my right at Joyce and Buffy sitting next to me in the hospital hallway.

She has to be all right. I love her so much. I love her just as much as I love Buffy, maybe more, I can't lose her. She's, she's family... real family. The kind of family I've never really known before. Then again I've never really thought about the idea of having a daughter, not until Buffy told me the truth about her sister. Dawn doesn't see us as her parents though, she wouldn't have reacted the way she did if she felt that way about us.

I let my head drop into my hands.

She may never look at us that way. We just have to give her the time to come to terms with this, maybe even accept it, like Joyce said... and hope. We can't force her to be okay with this. We can't force her to love us the way we want her to love us. I'd be happy if she just learned to accept that even though she's this key thing it still feels like she's been with us since day one, and that's all that matters.

I let out a deep sigh.

I just wish they'd let us see her.

"You okay there honey?"

I comb my fingers through my hair before looking over at B and her loving concern.

"Yeah, I think so I just, wish they'd let us see her. I need to see her to know she's okay."

"I know Faith, I know. It's killing me that the doctors won't tell us anything."

I feel Joyce's comforting hand against my back.

"Child services probably told the doctors not to say anything until they spoke with Dawn themselves. They want to make sure that the reason she did this is because we haven't abused her in any way."

God, child services... that was not fun...

"They're not going to take Dawn away are they?"

"I don't know Buffy. If they decide that what Dawn did is somehow our fault, then maybe, but it was Dawn's decision to do what she did and they have to take that into consideration."

I take a deep breath.

"It is our fault. We should've been more honest with her about... who she really is, where she really came from."

"There's no way we could've known she would've gone as far as she did to find the truth, or what she did after she found out. All we can do now is try and deal with the consequences."

Consequences like Dawn hating us for the rest of her life.

My hands run themselves through my hair, gripping the back of my neck.

"Some parents we turned out to be eh? She's been with us for all of three months and already we've driven her to trying to kill herself."

"Faith..."

"I don't know, maybe child services should take her from us. At least they couldn't screw her up any worse than we have. Not to mention they could keep her off Glory's radar."

"They wouldn't even know where to begin to help her."

"And we do? Just waiting and seeing might not work. She could hate us for the rest of her life, she could do something worse."

"But at least we know what the problem is, if Dawn told a psychologist the truth they'd think she was crazy and lock her up. We know she's not crazy so we can really deal with it."

"I know B, I'm just, really worried about her is all."

Buffy gets off her chair and comes over, kneeling in front of me.

"We're not gonna lose her baby. We'll do whatever it takes to help her through this, and keep her safe."

She takes my hands in hers and kisses the knuckles before placing them against her heart.

"Remember?"

I squeeze her hands.

"I remember..."

I stare into Buffy's eyes and she stares right back. Our friends come down the hall towards us. Buffy gives my hands a quick squeeze before standing up to meet them and I do the same.

"Buffy, Faith, we came as soon as we got your message."

Xander comes straight up to Buffy and gives her a hug.

"Yes we were all really upset to hear the news of what Dawn tried to do and even though we have no idea why she did such an insane thing we were still deeply saddened by this terrible news. Xander almost cried he was so upset."

There's a brief moment of silence while we wait to see if Anya has anything else to say.

"Has there been any news?"

"Not yet Giles, all they've told us is that they stabilized her condition enough so that she won't die. That's all they'll say. They won't even tell us when she'll wake up, she could be awake right now and we wouldn't know it."

Buffy's hand finds mine and we hold each other tight.

"I'm sure they simply have her on a few sedatives to keep her calm. Victims of suicide often become very upset after they realize they've failed, it's best they keep her sedated until she becomes calm on her own."

How does he know that?

"Giles?"

"Some slayers have been known, especially after being first called, to be so traumatized by their experiences that they attempt to, end it. Watchers are trained to recognize the signs."

"Well, Dawn's not a slayer. What would make her want to kill herself?"

I look at B and she looks back, taking a deep breath and letting it out.

"She found out something... something that really upset her."

"Something? What something?"

"It's something we should've told you a while back but we didn't."

"Buffy, whatever it is I'm sure you had your reasons, I'll deal. Just tell me."

She takes a paranoid look around.

"Dawn's... she's the key."

There's a moment before the realization kicks in.

"The key?"

Buffy just nods her head and Xander looks at me for confirmation. I smile at him, giving him what he wants.

"You mean... the one we've been looking for? The one Glory wants for some reason?"

B squeezes my hand and I squeeze right back.

"Since when?"

"Since always, apparently..."

He takes a few seconds to think.

"And that's why she...?"

"Yes..."

"God, Dawnie... but she's all right? I mean you said the doctors told you she was gonna be okay right?"

"They said she's not gonna die. That's all they'll say."

"She could be lying there thinking about the next time she'll have a chance to hurt herself and there's nothing we can do about it."

I take B in my arms, holding her close.

"We're gonna help her B. We'll save her as many times as we have to."

I hold her tight.

We have to do this, she's our daughter.

Glory's POV

"See? Now, if you had just delivered my pizza on time like you were supposed to, I wouldn't have to torture you."

I kick him in the back while he lies almost dead on the floor. I take a bite of my slice.

"Well, let's be honest. I probably would've tortured you either way."

One of my grubby minions walks in.

"What?"

"Your Holiness, we have news."

"What kind of news?"

"We're... we don't know just yet."

"So you have news, but you don't know what the news is yet?"

I look down at the pizza guy on the floor and kick him in the stomach.

"Is that any way to treat a god?"

"I'm sorry your godliness, but I thought you should know that the young child of the slayer's family was seen sneaking out of her house. Shortly there after she was seen running out of the magic shop rather upset."

"Why?"

"That is the part we don't know your scrumptiousness."

"Well get on it then. I want to know exactly what got the slayer's sister in such a huff. Report back when you think you've found out."

"Yes your greatness."