Warnings and disclaimers in Chapter 1. Enjoy.


"Buffy? Buffy?" She tried to answer the insanely loud voice but found she didn't have the strength. She felt someone roll her onto her back, someone feel her neck, but she didn't have any energy to do anything.

"How is she?" Something large fell to the ground next to her, sending shockwaves through her abused body. She would have groaned, but didn't have energy for that either. Warm fingers replaced the cold ones at her neck before moving down her body.

"She'll be fine," the first voice answered. "Nice and strong pulse. A little rest and she'll be right as rain." Spike. Buffy suddenly connected the dots. Spike was there and Giles was the second voice. She was about to congratulate herself when Giles's gentle fingers began probing her body for injuries and agony erupted around her. She wanted to scream, tried to scream, but still didn't have enough energy. Instead she floated on a sea of semi-consciousness, getting closer and closer to the surface.

"How's Ben?" Giles asked, pausing his examination at her small whimper of pain. He soothed her as best he could before continuing. He had to know how badly hurt his Slayer was.

"Bad," was all Spike said when he returned from checking the other man. "He needs a hospital."

"Right," Giles said, looking around and finally taking in the scene. During the battle he was too focused on the exorcism to really notice how much damage Glory's minions caused, but now that it was over he was shocked. Total destruction. Nothing remained in the section of camp they chose for the final stand. Everything was either broken or burning, sometimes both, including the van that brought them here. "Bullocks," Giles swore as he began working out how to the hospital.

"I'll go find something," Spike told the Watcher before rushing out into the night. The Knights own wounded were getting treatment, while the survivors were starting to celebrate. He saw Xander and Anya off to one side, celebrating in their own special way. And he shed a tear at Willow and Tara's reunion, though he was careful to wipe it away before anyone saw. He looked down as Buffy softly whimpered again.

"Buffy?" he called gently, cupping her cheek in his hand. He could only watch helplessly as she struggled to open her eyes. "Buffy?"

"Giles?" Her voice was softer than a whisper, but despite everything going on he heard her clear as day. She reached out blindly and he grabbed her hand in his, moving their joined hands below his chin.

"I'm here," he encouraged her, relieved when her eyes finally opened. It took a few minutes before she was be able to focus on him, but when she did he smiled. "You did it."

"Did you ever doubt me?" she asked hoarsely. He motioned for the Knights to bring some water.

"There was that small time, after everything we ever owned burned and we had nothing and were taking refuge in a place I would gladly consign to Hell that I must admit I did have some doubts." One of the Knights arrived with some water, which Giles gently fed to his Slayer.

"We never had nothing Watcher mine," she told him. "We always had each other."

"Too true," Giles said, brushing some of the hair from her forehead.

"The gang?" she asked, closing her eyes momentarily as if that would keep bad news away. Instead he just smiled.

"Everyone is fine," he told her. "We did it again, against all odds and against a Hellgod."

"Stupid Hellgods," Buffy mumbled as she let him pull her into a sitting position when something suddenly occurred to her. She looked at him warily. "How long did you doubt?" Giles laughed, letting himself slump to the ground beside her.

"How do you feel?" he asked gently.

"I think my bruises have bruises," she answered honestly. "And those are getting bruises of their own." He was about to respond when suddenly Buffy found herself with an armful of Anya.

"Oh thank you," Anya said, "thank you for not getting Xander or me killed." Anya released her but Xander took her place.

"That was way to close," he said, looking up and down her body before crushing her with a hug.

"Oww," Buffy couldn't help the yelp of pain. Xander quickly realized its cause and released his friend. Willow and Tara came over, with Amy just hovering around the edges. One look at Tara and Buffy forgot the pain she was in as she pulled the shy witch to her. "Are you okay?" she asked minutes later when she finally let Tara pull back.

"I am now," she said, emotions shining clearly in her eyes. "Thanks to you."

"No big," she dismissed. "It's what families do."

"Not all the time," she responded darkly.

"Well," she amended, as she pulled Willow into an awkward half hug, since the red witch wasn't letting go of Tara any time soon. "It's what Scoobies do."

"Darn Tootin," Willow agreed as the young adults pulled into another group hug, with Buffy firmly in the middle.

"Can't breathe," she coughed after a minute. "Oww. Guys?" They pulled away after a minute, each couple partnering up and settling around the Slayer. She looked around at her friends before realizing someone was missing. "Hey. Where's Spike?"

"He is arranging transport to the hospital," Giles told the group, just as a Winnebago crashed through the woods. "A job I will never entrust to him again." The Winnebago skidded to a stop several feet from the group.

"Slayer," Spike greeted from the front of the vehicle as Giles and Xander carefully moved Ben onto the couch, the others piling in after them.

"Thank you Spike," she told him sincerely, relaxing into the passenger seat. "But you know this doesn't change anything. I still don't like you."

"But you've moved beyond loathing and seething hatred. I'll take that as a win." She smiled tiredly, letting her eyes close as Giles leaned in between them.

"What were you thinking procuring this contraption?"

"I didn't think we'd all fit in the ice cream truck Rupes," Spike teased, slowly easing the vehicle out of the Knights camp and through the woods.

"Ice cream?" Xander cried out from the back. "I could go with some Fudge Almond Brownie right about now." Giles rolled his eyes as the others started weighing the pros and cons of various ice cream flavors while Spike grinned mischievously.

"Don't worry Watcher," he said as he pulled back onto the paved road. "We only have to get to the hospital. It's not like we're driving to L.A. or anything." They made one small detour on their way; to drop Amy off with her father, giving the shocked man a quick explanation with the promise of a more complete story later.

The hospital staff didn't seem that surprised to see them, although they were concerned when one of their own was the latest victim of 'gang members on PCP'. They took him in right away, the nurses promising the doctors would see him as soon as they were able. Everybody seemed harried. It only took one look into the psyche ward for them to realize why. All of Glory's victims were awake and aware and in various states of confusion. By the time a doctor got to them Ben had already been assigned a room, cleaned up, and had an IV started.

"Are you sure you don't want to take the other bed?" the doctor asked Buffy again as he completed his examination. He kept shooting her concerned glances, but she had rejected all his offers.

"I'm good," she told him again, "just like Ben is right?" The doctor sighed.

"He'll be fine," he told them, "and you've all been here enough to know I can't tell you anything more without his consent."

"We'll let him get some sleep then," Giles said, motioning everybody into the hall.

"Are you sure?" the doctor tried once more. Under the harsh lights of the hospital she looked absolutely horrible. The doctor wasn't sure how she managed to stay conscious, but she had refused all forms of treatment. If it wasn't for the big grin she was constantly sporting he would've pushed the issue, but if she was well enough to smile she must not be feeling too bad.

"I'm sure," she said yet again, annoyance starting to tint her voice. "I'll be fine." The doctor sighed before finally deciding to drop it.

"Let me know if there is anything I can do," he told her, grabbing Ben's chart to make his notes on.

"There is one thing," she said timidly. "I need to make a call but don't have any money for the payphone." He smiled.

"At last something I can help with. You can use the phone at the reception desk. Tell the nurses I said it was okay."

"Thanks," she smiled as she left the room, leaving the doctor to write up Ben's chart. She joined Giles and the others in the waiting room, veering to the reception desk. After a short conversation the nurse manning the desk gave her the phone and stepped back to give her some privacy. She dialed the number she knew by heart, wondering how exactly to give Dawn the good news.

"Angel Investigations," a tired British voice answered. "We ummm… help the homeless? No that's not right."

"Wesley?" she interrupted. "Isn't it Cordelia's job to answer the phone?"

"Buffy!" the former watcher shouted. "Where the hell have you been? We've been trying to get a hold of you for three days."

"What is it?" she asked, her jovial mood instantly gone. The others heard the change and all looked at her curiously.

"It's your mother." He continued talking, but Buffy didn't hear anything as the phone slipped from her grasp and her legs buckled. Luckily Giles was right behind her, catching her before she could fall. He grabbed phone cord and pulled the receiver up until he was able to grab it.

"Hello?" he asked, interrupting whatever Wesley was saying. The two Englishmen talked for a few minutes, Giles face turning pale before he hung up the phone.

"What's wrong?" Willow asked, holding Tara's hand tightly.

"It's Joyce," he managed to get out. "She's in a coma. They don't think she will survive the next few days."

"Dawn?" Buffy finally spoke. He looked down at her. Normally the vision of strength, the girl in his arms finally looked like a frightened child. All it took was the impending death of her Mother.

"Cordelia is with her," he said gently.

"I've got to go," she said, regaining her feet and pushing against him lightly, but he maintained his grip.

"No," Xander said. "We've got to go." Everyone nodded and soon they were out the doors again.

"Spike!" Giles yelled out. "Where is that infernal contraption?" As if in response the motorhome roared around the corner, stopping just short of hitting them. They loaded in and within minutes the group was on their way to L.A. It was a somber journey, everyone lost in their sorrow. Everyone was tired, but unwilling to sleep until they knew for sure what Joyce's condition was. The only talking was Giles telling Spike which hospital they were going to and the directions how to get there.


"Buffy!" Dawn cried out as soon as she saw her sister. She threw herself onto the older girl, headless of her injuries, and squeezed tight, Buffy holding on just as tightly. The rest of the Scoobies filtered in behind them, while the three members of Angel Investigations hung in front.

"What happened?" Giles asked quietly. Buffy raised her head to look at the Fang Gang, but didn't move away from her sister. They were in the waiting room at the ICU ward where Joyce was getting her double check done.

"I had a vision," Cordelia told them. "I saw Joyce collapse and die." A shudder ran through Buffy, but Dawn had heard this before and just held tight. "We got her to the hospital as quickly as possible. The doctor's had just finished the MRI the night before and were waiting for the results. She told them something was wrong and insisted on being admitted. They humored her, until she collapsed."

"She experienced a brain aneurism," Wesley explained. "Even at one of the finest neural hospitals in the world with the best neurosurgeons at her side within minutes, there was little they could do."

"If it had happened anywhere else, we wouldn't even have this," Gunn said soberly.

"Can we see her?" Buffy asked, tears clouding her eyes.

"I'll get the nurse," Wesley said as he left the room. A minute later he returned with a kindly older lady.

"What is your relation to the patient?" she asked the group.

"Family," everyone said simultaneously. She sighed and looked to Wesley. He shrugged. He had warned her this would happen.

"Visiting hours are over," she said kindly, "but Dr. Monroe has approved a short visit when you finally arrived. No more than two at a time and no more than five minutes. After that only immediate family can stay," she looked over to Dawn and realized the young woman she was clinging to must be her older sister they were trying to contact.

"Thank you," Buffy said as Dawn finally pulled away from the hug and led Buffy to the room their mother was in. A few minutes later Buffy came back out, nodding to Giles who entered the room. She turned to the Fang Gang. "Where is Angel?"

"He's," Cordelia began unsure of herself, "having a little midlife crisis right now," she finally admitted to the group. Wesley and Gunn averted their eyes, not wanting the young girl to see how mad they were at their former boss.

"Midlife crisis?" Buffy echoed. "Where is he?" Anger started to taint her voice. The guys averted their eyes, leaving Cordelia to answer her question.

"We haven't actually seen him since a few days after you left," she admitted.

"A few days?" Buffy asked, trying to make her brain understand. "He promised to protect Dawn and he hasn't even been here?" Cordelia shook her head and Buffy felt what little control she still had slip. With a roar she turned and headed to the door. Tara reached out to her, but Willow wisely pulled her back.

"Think she's gonna kill him?" Gunn asked, not even trying to hide his disdain for the souled vampire.

"I'm not sure," Wesley said carefully, "and yet I'm finding it extremely hard to care right now." He turned as Giles returned, holding Dawn tightly.

"Where's Buffy?" he asked.

"Hunting," Wesley told him. He turned and handed a set of keys to the Watcher. "I realize it's a little late to arrange accommodations for tonight. The boys, however, can stay at my place." He turned to his friend. "That is if I can spend the night on your couch."

"That's cool, brother," Gunn immediately offered.

"And the girls can stay with me," Cordelia seconded. "Dawn already has a key. It will be a little crowded, but for just the one night I think we can manage."

"Thank you," Giles said, "but there is one more small matter." Just as he said it Spike came walking into the room.

"I dumped the Winnebago a few streets down and torched it. No one will be able to tie it to us, not that I think anyone will really care."

"Spike!" Dawn squealed, rushing to the vampire.

"It's okay Niblit," he told her as she cried into his shirt. "Big Bad is here. Everything will be alright."

"Winnebago?" Wesley asked unbelievingly as he turned to Giles.

"It is a very long story," Giles said, suddenly feeling his age.

"I see," Wesley replied. "Very well. Spike. I give you permission to enter my home."

"Wait a minute," Gunn said, realizing what the invitation meant. "We have another souled vampire we have to deal with?"

"Not exactly," Wesley said. "Spike is unable to hurt humans and has since reformed."

"Hey," the vampire interrupted. "I'm still evil." He tried to make it sound convincing, but the way he held the fragile girl in his arms destroyed the evil guy act altogether.

"Right," Gunn agreed sarcastically, "and I'm Santa Claus." He turned to the ex-Watcher turned rogue demon hunter. "We've got a nest to take out."

"Right," Wesley added, reaching for his coat. "We'll see you all in the morning then." Gunn waved and the two walked out of the room, discussing strategy and weapons. Cordelia watched them go.

"I'm off too. I need to swing by the office real quick, but I can drop you off on the way first."

"I think we'll wait for Buffy to come back first," Willow answered. Cordelia nodded. It was what she expected.

"Then I'll see you at home. Later." She told them as she too walked out of the room. The group silently fell into the hard chairs and resumed their vigil.