Dawn threw her head back in impatience and banged it loudly on the wall. "Ow." She whispered more to herself than anyone. Buffy turned to her.

"Smart, Dawn."

"Well, sorry. I'm just- nervous. I mean, what's up with Willow?" She directed her question more towards Tara, but Buffy stepped in anyway.

"See, this is why we didn't want to wake you. You had to go wake up and follow us anyway. That's your choice." She seemed to be finished as she turned away from Dawn. Tara leaned in to her, lowering her voice.

"She's a little testy, huh?" Dawn smiled at that.

"Tara? What is up with Willow?" She prodded. Tara's face whitened.

"S-she couldn't feel her legs. I don't think she's paralyzed or anything. It's probably just tempory." Tara's voice, though, came out as doubtful. Dawn placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sure she'll be fine." Tara nodded at that and the doctor emerged from the room, a clipboard tucked under his arm. From the look on his face, the news did not seem to be too good. Tara and Buffy rose at his entrance as he brushed a hand through his rough, dark hair. He cleared his throat.

"Tara Maclay and Buffy Summers?" He questioned. They nodded.

"I-Is she going to b-be okay?" Tara stammered eagerly. The doctor narrowed his eyes at her.

"How did you say this happened again?" The doctor scratched his chin, studying the two women. Buffy spoke up first.

"We were... just on- the trampoline. And she flipped off and landed upside down against a tree."

"Hmmm. This is a rare case." The doctor scratched his chin again and glanced down at his clipboard. He said no more.

"W-what? What's a rare case?" Tara questioned him eagerly. He seemed to think deeply before answering.

"The one your friend has been diagnosed with. It's called hypinther-"

"The name's not important." Buffy said sternly. "What does it mean?"

"Well, then." The doctor sighed, obviously offended by her rudeness, "It means she's paralyzed."

"Paralyzed? You mean- forever?" Buffy questioned. Tara stood in stony silence as a graven look washed over the young doctor's face.

"Well... there's more to it than that. This disease... I've only heard of it once before and even then it wasn't a patient anywhere near this country."

"Well what is it!?" Buffy cried, growing more anxious by the minute.

"If you would let me talk..." The man shot Buffy a stern look and she closed her mouth quickly. "It starts with paralyzation in one area. As you know, it's the legs. The paralyzation then moves and spreads itself throughout the body. The problem is, it doesn't only paralyze nerves. It paralyzes organs, also. In fact, anything relating to the organ system. Veins, arteries, etc. I'm so sorry to say this, but there's nothing we can do. Once it hits the heart..." The doctor trailed off in his words at the shock in Tara's and Buffy's eyes. Dawn let out a gasp, Giles staring at the floor in stony silence.

"Oh my god." Was all Buffy said. Tara didn't even glance at the others and ran down the nearest set of stairs.

"I-I've never seen anything like it. I mean, it is rare when it happens, and, if it does, it's usual progressive. There's symptoms. This is a disease, not something that happens from falling off a trampoline. No symptoms, no trace of former viruses that led to this... it's almost..."

"Almost what?" Buffy questioned in a shaky voice. The doctor shook his head, frowning.

"Almost like magic."

Anya stood aback from the doorway with her mouth hanging open. Janice stood defiantly before her, closing her fists.

"I told you it wasn't a trick."

Anya studied her carefully, still in shock from what just happened. She felt something dark within her pulse. She turned her glance to Audrey.

"Hey, you. Go to your room." She commanded, pointing at the spirling staircase. Audrey hung her head and stomped up the stairs, annoyed. Janice glanced at the girl and stepped into the house.

"Who's the tot?" She questioned. Anya eyed her.

"First you have to answer my question. What are you doing here? And step back outside. Now." Janice smiled evily at Anya's prompt.

"I like it better in here." At this, Janice took the notion to walk around the large area, running her hand along the wall. Anya narrowed her eyes at her. "I wasn't sent here by Dawn, if that's what you're wondering. In fact, she's been getting on my nerves lately. Or wait... maybe that was ever since I met her." Janice laughed, but it was more of a dry cough. Anya felt something catch in her throat. Was it... fear? She shook the feeling off.

"Get out of here now. I don't care who sent you."

"No one sent me, Anya. But a little Brit told me something about a... coven? Yes, that's right. Coven." Janice's eyes seemed to darken and her voice lowered to a harsh rasp. "And I want to join it." Without any warning, Janice shot her palms forward, sending Anya flying up and bursting through the upstairs banister. "So stop telling me to get out." Janice sounded the words out, letting out another "laugh" at the sight of Anya weak. But her enjoyment didn't last long. To Janice's surprise, Anya stood up with no hesitation, brushing the splinters from her shirt.

"You," Anya said, letting out a surprisingly strong laugh, "You just don't know," With that, Anya walked calmly off the balcony, landing smoothly on the first floor in front of Janice, "You just don't know how powerful I am, do you?" Janice smiled at that.

"Oh, I knew. I was just testing you."

Anya rolled her eyes and whispered something under her breath. Janice levitated into the air as a strange ring appeared around her neck. She flew her hands to it, but let out a cry as it gave her a shock of enery.

"Janice," the ring grew smaller, "Each time I say your name, that ring will grow smaller under it eventually beheads you." Anya opened her mouth and a sick laugh emerged. Janice let out another cry.

"Is it funny now to test Anya, Janice!?" She cried in first person speech as the ring grew tighter once more.

"NO!" Janice screamed. Anya nodded and whispered something once again. Janice fell to the ground and grabbed her now ringless throat.

"Good. I was just testing you."

(A.N. I know, ANOTHER short chapter but I can't cram everything into one, you know? Short chapters are the way I work, with lots of them instead of less longer chapters. You know? Catchin' my drift? Ha ha. My horse listened to me when I said that to her once. Hey, she's thirty but good with her slang. Thanx for reading.)