Author's Note: Second to last chapter! Final chapter coming very soon! Please R&R!

Chapter 8: Time For Action

It was afternoon by this point. Buffy knew that if they were going to go for help they had to get started on a raft like, now. She marched over to where Angel was talking to Spike and Xander. "We need to tell everyone our plan," Buffy said.

"First we need to decide who's going. I was thinking maybe Spike and I," Angel said.

Buffy frowned. "No. You and I have to go."

Angel sighed. "Buffy, there is no way I'm letting you risk your life out there."

"Well it wouldn't be very smart to send our two strongest guys out, would it? One of you needs to stay here to take care of things if...if we don't come back."

"Buffy, what about Dawn?" Angel asked.

"She has Connor. Angel, you should know me well enough by now to know that when I set my mind to something no one can talk me out of it. And if we die out there, at least we'll be together and the others will have a chance of survival."

There was a moment of silence. Spike and Xander felt very uncomfortable, as if they were intruding on a private conversation.

Angel finally gave in. "Okay."

Buffy smiled and squeezed his hand. "I knew you'd understand." She turned and walked back towards the shelter, where everyone else was tending to Tara. "Everybody listen up." The group stopped what they were doing and turned to look at Buffy.

"We have come up with a plan. We are going to build a raft, and Angel and I are going for help," Buffy said, looking at everyone but Dawn.

"Buffy, no!" Dawn gasped.

"Dad..." Connor said, sounding unsure.

"Look, it's our only chance. Tara needs a doctor. And if we don't get out of here, any one of us could be next. Anyone want to try and stop us?" Buffy said imperiously. There was dead silence.

"Anyone that wants to help with the raft can come. The rest of you stay here with Tara." Buffy turned and walked away with Angel, Spike, and Xander. However, no one followed them.

"You think this will hold?" Buffy asked Xander as she tied some logs together with vine.

"We'll have to test it out. But I think it should," Xander said.

"I found something that can be used for paddles," Angel said, holding up two long, flat pieces of wood.

Buffy smiled. "Good."

"Do you really think you'll be able to find help?" Spike asked seriously.

Buffy looked down. "I don't know. But we have to try." There was a brief silence.

"She's going to die, isn't she?" Xander asked quietly.

Buffy sighed. "If she doesn't get to a hospital, I think so."

"This is our only option," Angel said. He looked at the raft, which was coming together pretty well. "If we hurry, we can leave while it's still light out."

Back at the shelter, Tara's condition was only getting worse. She was sweating like crazy, and when they tried to make her drink she only vomited it back up a few minutes later.

"It's okay baby," Willow said, trying to sound confident. But she was no idiot. She knew that if Tara didn't get to a hospital soon, they would lose her. Come on Buffy, she thought.

Giles stared at the sick girl. He had already used all the medical knowledge he possessed, and the situation was quite clearly out of their hands. He just prayed that they finished that raft soon.

"I wanna go home," Cordelia said quietly. Anya was sitting beside her under the tree where Cordelia had spent the better part of the last few days.

"Tell me about it," Anya said. "They're going to die out there on that raft in the middle of nowhere, and then we'll be stuck here without a leader and Tara will die," she rambled.

"Spike could be our leader," Cordy said with a small smile.

Anya laughed. "You've really got it bad for him, don't you?" Cordelia just smiled.

Meanwhile Dawn and Connor had moved off to the side and were in the middle of a heated discussion. "Connor, you don't understand. Buffy is the only family I have left. I can't lose her!" Dawn hissed.

"And you think I have someone besides Angel?" Connor snapped. "Look, this is hard for me too. But they are only trying to save a life."

Dawn felt tears in her eyes. She cared about Tara, she really did. But she was very afraid of what might happen to her sister out there on some flimsy little raft.

"Come here," Connor said, pulling Dawn close. "You have me. You will always have me."

About two hours later the raft was finished. Buffy, Angel, Spike and Xander lugged it to the shore and tossed it in the water. To everyone's relief, it floated.

"We should test it out," Buffy said. Angel helped her climb onto the raft, and he followed suit. "Seems sturdy enough."

Xander nodded. He was trying to hide his apprehension of this whole plan, because he did understand that it was in everyone's best interest.

"You should get some supplies, some bananas and stuff," Xander said.

Buffy nodded. They dragged the raft onto the beach, leaving it at a safe distance from the water. They had already learned that lesson the hard way. They headed back to join the group.

Willow was wetting Tara's forehead with the cloth. She had finally fallen into a restless sleep, but her pulse was really high. Willow knew that she didn't have much time left.

"I'll gather some food," Angel said. "We should really go as soon as possible." Buffy nodded. She headed over to Dawn and Connor.

Dawn shook her head vehemently. "No. I am not saying goodbye to you."

Buffy felt so sad seeing her sister this upset. "You don't have to." She gave her little sister a quick hug. Then she turned to Connor. "Take care of her." He nodded.

Buffy squeezed her sister's hand and headed over to the others. "We're gonna head out now." She touched Willow's shoulder. "She's going to be okay." Willow nodded, unconvinced.

"Buffy, do be careful," Giles said, very concerned. Buffy smiled.

"We will." She turned to see Angel saying goodbye to Connor. He had left a small pile of bananas and coconuts wrapped in his T-shirt. Buffy gulped, realizing he was half naked. At least she had motivation to get back to land.

A moment later everyone except Willow, Tara, and Cordelia gathered by the water. "Hang in there guys," Buffy said.

Dawn stepped forward and started to speak, but then stopped, making a funny face. "What's that noise?"

In the air Charles Gunn was flying the small search and rescue helicopter towards the small island. He highly doubted there would be anything there, but his supervisor had said the pilot who called it in seemed pretty confident. It was a tragedy, that boat accident, but usually when this much time had passed odds were very slim of finding survivors. He descended so that he was only about 30 feet above the water, and the island and surrounding water came into clear view. His eyes widened as he saw distinct human forms standing at the edge of the small island/ He swore loudly. "Well I'll be damned."

Buffy turned in the direction of the noise. She heard it too, it was a faint...humming. She gasped as a helicopter came into sight, flying very low. "It's a helicopter!" she yelled. It was coming closer, and getting lower by the minute. "Oh my God!" She began to wave her arms and yell. Soon everyone else joined her.

"HEEEEEELP!" Dawn shrieked. They must have looked pretty silly, running around like crazy and screaming.

Buffy nearly jumped a mile when the helicopter hovered in the air practically right in front of them. The second shock came when a voice sounded from inside.

"This is a search plane!" boomed the voice. Instantly everyone fell silent, gaping at the helicopter, expressions a combination of disbelief and pure joy.

"We're saved," Dawn whispered.