Chapter Fourteen

Oz carried Faith flanked by Giles, Wesley, Gunn and Dawn. The group rushed into the Emergency Room and quickly began calling for help. A large orderly rushed to their side asking questions.

A doctor rushed through the swinging doors and joined the orderly. "What do we have here?" The doctor asked as she began an examination.

"She fell." Oz said quickly.

The doctor stopped and looked up at the group. "You with those demon fighters." She said surprised. "Thank you for everything you're doing." She took Giles hand in her own. "We'll get your friend patched up."

A team joined the doctor and began wheeling Faith through the double doors.

"She's right." The orderly said. "Thank you. For everything. We've had a lot less casualties since you guys took to the streets."

Giles nodded and looked around the room. Rows of injured people littered the hallways.

"We're short staffed." The orderly said. "A lot of people leaving Sunnydale. And fast. Rumor has it that the school will be shut down soon. There's talk of a full evacuation."

"Why are you still here?" Dawn asked innocently.

"Someone's got to treat the injured people." The Orderly replied before leaving to take care of another new patient.

Buffy slept fitfully in her bed; she tossed and turned as she dreamed.

- Buffy walked slowly through the smoky room, surrounded by strangers, women she had never met. Buffy looked at the women as she passed though, a familiar voice cut through the silence.

"B?" Faith's voice sounded muffled. "That you?"

"Faith? Where are we?" Buffy asked surprised by the distant sound her own voice made.

Faith shook her head and walked next to Buffy.

"You can't defeat it." A strong voice said from behind them. Buffy and Faith whipped around and stood before Kendra.

"Kendra?" Buffy said, approaching the girl slowly.

"All de power in de world cannot defeat it." Kendra said. "Dare isn't a way."

"Why can't we win?" Buffy asked, heat in her voice.

"Evil, like good has always existed." Another voice answered.

"Evil can't be destroyed." Another voice added. "It is not in your power."

"Then what can we do?" Faith pleaded. "Evil pops up, we fight, we win. That's our battle, that's what we do."

"That's what the Slayer does." Buffy offered.

"No." Kendra said. "Da Slayer was made to protect the earth from the forces of evil."

"You can't defeat evil." Another voice echoed.

"Wait!" Buffy snapped. "How can we not defeat evil if we were made to stop evil?"

"Not stop evil." A growl filled the room. Buffy stood in awe as The First Slayer stepped from the group of women. "Protect." She grunted.

"Da Slayer was sent only to protect." Kendra said. "You will prevail."

"How can we protect the earth from evil if The First is sending minion upon minion to the Hellmouth?" Buffy protested. "How can we stop The First?"

"You can't." Kendra said.

"Then why bring us here?" Faith cried. "Why tell us that we can't win."

"It isn't the Slayer that will stop The First Evil." Another voice echoed.

"Da Slayer is an instrument of good." Kendra said.

"But not the only instrument." Another woman said.

"You fight." The First Slayer spat. "You die."

"I fight, I die." Buffy repeated.

"But how can we protect the earth if we won't win?" Faith said flatly.

"Protect the earth." The First Slayer grunted. "Protect."

"And then what?" Buffy snapped and yelled. "We're losing the battle here! In case The Powers that Be didn't notice, we have nothing! We're injured and tired and losing out on life."

"Nothing but the kill." The First Slayer spat.

"We're killing." Faith said. "We're killers."

"Not killers." The First Slayer grunted. "Protectors. Kill the bad."

"But how do we kill The First Evil?" Buffy said exasperated.

"Pure good will stop pure evil." Kendra said. "But evil can never be killed." -

"Pure good?" Buffy mumbled in her sleep.

"Buffy?" Angel said, sitting beside her on the bed.

"Angel?" Buffy muttered, still very much asleep. "Pure good is the answer."

"The answer to what?" Angel asked, leaning his head towards her.

"I love you." Buffy breathed. "I've always loved you."

Angel rested his head against hers.

Spike stood at the doorway soaking in the picture in front of him and scoffed.

"Spike?" Angel said, turning his head toward the door.

"Giles is on the phone for Buffy." Spike said flatly and walked off.

Angel rose and lifted the phone off of the hook, "Giles." He said.

"Angel?" Giles voice came over the phone, "Where's Buffy?"

"Sleeping." Angel said. "She's talking in her sleep. Something about Pure Good?"

"Same here." Giles said. "Faith's mumbling about good stopping evil and evil can't be killed."

"How is she?" Angel asked.

"We'll be home shortly." Giles replied. "As soon as she wakes up."

"I'll let everyone know." Angel said and hung up the phone. He leaned down and kissed Buffy's forehead before leaving the room.