Title: And the rest is.
Author: Charlie Timeline: Post BtVS S7 & AtS S5. Sequel to "Best Laid Plans" and "A Fair Exchange.
Summary: The face we see isn't always the one that is visible?
Feedback is always appreciated.
Author Notes: Round and round, the ship goes. Where it lands, the Author doesn't know. Will it be (A)my, (B)uffy, (C)ordelia, (D)awn, (F)aith, (F)red, (H)armony, (K)ennedy or (W)illow that wins the Xandman? Vote now.

"How could you."

There was coldness in Dawn's voice that hurt worse then any injury she had suffered. Buffy trembled slightly as she searched in vain for an answer. An answer that would make sense, that would stop the pain she felt insider herself.

"I didn't know."

"Is that your answer for everything?"

Buffy shifted uncomfortably under her sister's glare. Her throat became very dry as she tried to answer Dawn.

"I... I didn't know it was him. One second I was fighting vampires then... Xander...I swear Dawn I didn't know."

The younger sister took a step toward her as fresh tears started falling down her cheeks. She opened her mouth to speak but only a slight squeak came out. Buffy moved toward her and the two sisters embraced as each silently wept.

Faith watched the scene with apparent non-interest. Dawn had immediately sought out and confronted her sister as soon as she had arrived at the hospital. Off to one side stood Andrew who was alternating between concern for Xander and joy for the scene between the sisters.

"How did it happen?"

She glanced beside her noting that Cordelia like herself was trying to remain non-interested in the scene before them.

"Accident."

"I'm sure it was."

Faith didn't bother answering her. Her dark brown eyes flickered towards the wall-mounted clock, as she awaited the arrival of Wood and Angel.

Recovery Room

Willow sat at the bedside of the man she once called friend. Well more then 'friend', more like her whole world. A world that began with breaking the yellow crayon in pre-school and ended... When had it ended? When he walked into the library after a two-year disappearance and announced that he no longer wanted her in his life. Or when he had gotten engaged to Anya and left her at the altar. Maybe it had ended earlier then that in a sleazy hotel room...

No, if she was honest with herself, it had ended the day Xander had laid eyes on Buffy Summers. That was the day her hopes and dreams of being Mrs. Harris had died and crumpled to ash. She still had the wedding invitation she had made as a child, hidden away.

For now, the one time would be Mrs. Harris, mother of three, sat and waited for her one time ideal husband, Mr. Harris, to wake up.

Waiting Room

"Run through it again."

Faith sighed and then told Angel for the fifth time the events that led up to Buffy's accidental staking of Xander. The ensouled vampire listened intently as he monitored Faith's reactions while telling the story. He trusted Faith completely, he just needed to make sure she didn't leave out any details.

"So the girl she was running from some," He paused to make certain none of the hospital staff was in earshot, "vampires?"

Faith nodded but Angel saw the uncertainty in her eyes.

"Faith, was there, something else? A demon?" Angel glanced over at Wood in annoyance before returning his gaze to the slayer. The brunette looked at them with uncertainly before answering.

"There was something else out there. I don't know what though. I couldn't see or hear nothing but the vamps but I felt something else."

"And?"

"And then it was gone. Like someone switched off a light switch."

Angel considered this bit of information then nodded at Faith and started to head out of the room.

"Where are you going?"

He turned and looked back at Wood, "I'm gonna go check on the girl. We can't help Xander right now. But maybe we can find out what's going on with her."

The one time head of W&H paused to say hello to Willow as she came from Xander's bedside and headed down the hall.

The former principal of Sunnydale High watched him leave. Then he returned his attention to an increasingly fidgeting Faith. Robin gently laid his hand on hers, his touch seemingly soothing and calming the jittery slayer.

"Just looking for my smokes."

"Thought you were gonna quit."

"Picked the wrong night to start, didn't I?"

Silence reigned as their fingers intertwined and Faith leaned back against him. Resting her head on his shoulder, Faith said nothing as she watched the seconds tick by.

Down the hall

"There you are. How is she?"

Angel ignored Spike's question briefly as he took in the scene. Unlike the waiting area near Xander, this place was fairly quiet. There was a policeman on duty outside of the room where the girl lay. Nurses and doctors went about their tasks in quiet.

"All right you poof. How is she? How is Buffy?"

He fixed the younger vampire with a measure look. "She's... okay. The others are with her." There was a pause as he stepped past Spike. "Dawn wasn't happy with her."

"Stupid wanker. Should have kept his nose out of it."

"What happened to Xander was an accident. Leave it at that Spike. Now how's the girl?"

The bleached blonde vampire looked at him, skeptically before speaking.

"Girl's fine. A few questions about where her head is and such by the locals but nothing since. Docs have her pretty well knocked out. Checked up on her little while ago, she's sleeping all graceful like."

"Police have nothing to go on?"

"Nope. Just mumbling about punks with scarred up faces. Look don't ignore me mate, you can't stand there and pretend this is all and good. I know you Angel, I know what's going on in that big forehead of yours. This whole business has got you spooked. Not just about Buffy but about the other one too."

"Faith is fine. She has," Angel hesitated, "Wood to help her and the others, it won't be like before."

"And Buffy? What about her?"

"She has the help she needs."

"Please. You don't mean that sodden burke. He's as rotten as the night is long."

"I trust her judgement."

"Saw how well that worked out mate. Do you trust him? Sod this. I'm going to check on her."

Angel watched him leave in quiet.

Xander's hospital room

He watched the unmoving young man lying in the bed before him. Dressed in a hospital gown that robbed every wearer of their dignity, with tubes and wires attached to his chest and arms. Alexander Harris hardly looked like a great threat yet in the mind of the half demon at the foot of his bed, he was.

Travis had long since considered his knack for having good luck at precisely the right time, an advantage that had kept him alive. When business was down, he hit upon a new product or service that brought profits back. When a deal went bad, he found a way to rectify it. And when a client demanded compensation, a sacrifice was made. And then of course there was Buffy...

Now as he looked down at the man before him, again his good luck had come to him. He had happened into the meeting between Harmony, Angel and Spike. And had interjected himself into the trip along with Wood. Neither vampire liked the other man and the feeling was mutual so nothing was said when he came along

Still a certain amount of planning had been required along with a quick visit to his office, ostensibly to retrieve his wallet and other documents they would need to assure the hospital staff. Along with those items he had retrieved something else. Something that had come into his possession a good six years prior to meeting Buffy.

"Funny, I had thought dealing with you would be harder." He spoke in a low, quiet voice, barely audible above the hum of the machines. The half demon moved silently until he was by Xander's bedside, idly he traced the IV line that fed into his arm. There was a slight smile on his face as he produced a syringe from inside his coat. Silently he injected the contents into Xander's IV bag and smiled wider when the machine didn't react and it's results remain unchanged. He replaced the needle inside his coat as he stepped back.

"Were you to awaken or pass away. Things would change people would change. Questions would be asked. This way we both benefit. You get a long rest and I get to keep what is mine."