A/N: This chapter was very difficult to write, but I think it came out well. By the way, reviews? Someone? Anyone? Please?

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"Oz?" Willow inquired weakly.

Oz gave her a real smile. Not just a corners-of-the-mouth-twitch-Oz-smile. A full-on, toothy grin. He touched her hair softly. "I'm here, Willow."

Willow had a dazed and confused look in her eyes. She looked up at him helplessly and said in a very childish tone, "I'm broken."

The smile instantly threw itself off of Oz's face. He felt another huge rush of emotion, but this time it was one of complete and utter sorrow. He tilted her head up slightly and pressed his forehead against hers. "I know."

"Fix me," Willow whispered, looking pleadingly into his eyes.

He could tell that she wasn't well. He threw the bloodstained sleeve on the floor and put one arm behind her back, while sliding the other arm under her knees. He gently lifted her up and carried her into the living room, where he set her down on the sofa.

"Stay here," Oz said about to leave for the kitchen in search of some kind of first aid kit.

"No!" Willow cried softly. She reached for his hand but moaned in pain when she moved. He instantly fell to his knees beside the sofa, taking her hand in his.

"It's okay," Oz said soothingly. "I'm here now. I just -"

Willow put her finger over his lips.

"Shh. Don't leave me again."

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At the same time, a few blocks away, a certain slayer and her melodramatic little sister were standing in front of a small Mexican restaurant named El Burro Gordo. Dawn read the sign aloud.

"El Burro Gordo?" she scoffed. "The Fat Donkey?"

"I hear waiters are a bunch of jackasses," Buffy joked. She waited patiently for a response from Dawn. Finally, after a long, awkward silence, she opened the door. "After you."

Five minutes later, they were seated in a tiny booth, and Buffy looked like she was trying hard to resist the allure of the warm tortilla chips in front of her. She pushed the half-empty basket across the table at Dawn.

"Take them," she said. "I've eaten way too many already."

"I'm not hungry," Dawn muttered, glaring at her sister.

"Come on, Dawn," Buffy coaxed, pushing the salsa towards her.

"Why'd you bring me here anyway? You think this is going to make things any better? You think that just shoving some tacos down my throat is going to make me forget about the fact that my life is just one big wasteland of pain and misery? Well, I hate to break it to you, sis, but you're going to have to try a little harder than that."

And with that, Dawn threw down her napkin and stormed out of the restaurant. Buffy looked after her helplessly.

"It was just some chips…" Buffy sighed, looking down at the basket in betrayal.

Buffy groaned resignedly and went after her.

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Oz was kneeling by the sofa again, now holding a glass of soda to Willow's lips for her to drink. Every now and then she would cough and sputter in pain from swallowing. Oz knew she needed help but she had to wait until he could call some one. He had cleaned and bandaged the gash on her forehead. He could tell she was weak from starvation, and he had tried to feed her, but her body could simply not accept the food. He was counting on this drink to hold her over until he could get help from Giles.

When Willow had finally drained the cup, he put it down on the table and stood up.

"Don't go!" Willow squealed, alarmed. Suddenly, he felt his heart splitting in two as he noticed a single tear sliding down the side of her face. He sunk to the floor yet again. He wiped away the tear with his thumb, trying to be strong for her.

"Sh… don't cry for me. I don't deserve your tears."

Suddenly, something lit up behind her eyes.

"Oz!"

"I'm not going anywhere."

She put her hand on the side of his face and spoke slowly, "I've been waiting for you."

Oz felt himself melting inside, but his expression remained unchanged. If he had learned anything over the years, it was to never let your face show what you truly feel. Instead, he put his hand over hers and pulled it away from his face. He knew that she didn't realize what she was doing, and he couldn't bear to hear the things she might say and not mean.

"Rest now," she breathed.

And then the light was gone, her eyelids fell and her arm went limp. She was silent and motionless again.

"Willow?" Oz called in horror. "Willow!"

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Buffy had finally managed to catch up with Dawn as she was stalking up the front walk.

"Dawn, listen to me, I didn't-" Buffy begged, trying to reason with her sister.

"No! Don't talk to me," Dawn answered angrily without even looking back at her own flesh and blood.

"Dawnie-"

Abruptly, Dawn whipped all the way around and cast Buffy a look that seared right into her.

"Don't call me that," she spat venomously.

Just at that moment, someone kicked open the front door. Dawn spun back around to see Oz carrying a lifeless Willow outside.

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