Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Buffy.

There was a note taped on the notice-board in the kitchen of Buffy's house to Dawn left by Xander. It read:

Dawn,

There's been an accident. Please don't worry. We're all at the hospital, and I'm coming to pick you up at 4:00.

Xander.

Dawn quickly read the note, and voiced her opinion to herself. "Oh god. Oh god. How reassuring."

She looked at her watch, and decided that incase anyone was around, she would stop talking to herself, so they wouldn't think she was gone loopy.

'Well' she thought 'it's 3:57. Please let rush hour be delayed!'

Dawn walked upstairs to her room to put down her school bag. The door to Willow and Tara's room was open, and she saw the shattered glass on the floor and the broken window.

"Oh my god." she cried aloud.

She heard the front door open and then heard Xander call

"Dawn, are you here?"

Dawn ran down the stairs

"Xander, what happened?"

"It's Buffy and Willow. They " he paused for a moment. Things still hadn't sunken in, and he couldn't believe what he was about to say "They've been shot."

"Oh no." Dawn suddenly looked very weak. "I-I need to sit down."

Xander helped her to the living room, where she sat, and kept pinching herself. She desperately wanted this all to be a dream, and thought that if she kept pinching herself, she would eventually wake up.

When that didn't work, she tried the 'you-must-be-kidding' approach. "This isn't real. It's not happening right? It's just a joke right? Please, Xander, tell me it's a joke."

"I wish I could." Xander replied solemnly.

"Are they okay?" 'Maybe it isn't as bad as it seems' she thought.

"The doctors are working on Buffy, but Willow............"

"No. No! Are they sure?" Dawn stood up now, because she couldn't keep sitting.

"She..... she died in Tara's arms before the ambulance came." Xander was getting frustrated with having to give all the bad news.

Dawn began to cry, but then said "We have to get to the hospital. I have to see Buffy. We need to be there for Tara."

Dawn burst in the doors of the emergency room waiting area, with Xander following her.

Dawn spotted a nurse. "Where's Buffy?"

"Buffy Summers?" the nurse asked. "Are you related to her?"

"I'm her sister" replied Dawn.

"Oh, hello," said the nurse. "Well the doctors are working on her right now."

"Do you know how much longer it's gonna take." Xander asked, sounding impatient, but trying not to.

"They should be finished soon. If you want, I could get you some coffee?"

"No thanks. Dawn?"

Dawn shook her head, then said "I have to see Tara."

"Okay, she's in here."

Xander ushered Dawn into a room and shut the door.

Tara was sitting on a comfortable looking chair, with a look on her face that implied that she was still trying to understand what had happened. Her face was very tear-stained.

Dawn rushed over and hugged her, and started crying again.

After a few minutes of sitting in silence, a doctor knocked on the door and came in.

"I'm very sorry." He began, "We did our very best, and tried so hard to save her. But the bullet was too near her heart."

Please R&R. I've shocked myself too much to write anything else.