"We gotta run" Spike announced as he and Faith entered the room. "She's on the move Giles, we gotta go."

"Andrew called, B and Xander have tracked her heading this way, plus I'm feeling some jammin' vibes" Faith supplied before briefly kissing the man with the goatee. "Robin, we've got to get Will up and on the move."

"What? She just had her stomach stitched up" Sam exclaimed.

"We know that Captain Obvious but that doesn't change what's coming" Spike hissed as he searched the room. "Where are your clothes?"

"They cut them off" Willow answered as she pulled on Sam's arm for his assistance. Sam sighed and turned to helped her turn with her legs hanging over the bed.

"Gonna get you some" Spike stated and then stopped before he exited the room. "You need to have another conversation with the Whelp. I had to listen to his blathering on about Star Wars and that other one about the desperado space cowboys who speak Chinese."

"I rather like that one" Giles spoke to no one.

"I agree; I just don't like hearing Andrew going on when she is coming after us."

Spike disappeared returning a few minutes later with something suitable for Willow.

"Geez man, did you rob a grandmother" Faith questioned as she held a dressing gown in front of her.

"I was in a hurry; besides, she's already dead."

"Spike!" Willow gasped, her hand still resting on Sam's arm.

"Come on Red; I could smell it. Her body is riddled with it, eating her inside out; she'll be lucky to make it through the night."

"Faith, track down a wheelchair and a lab coat. I'm going to pull the van around" Robin instructed catching Faith's hand before letting her leave. "You be careful; we don't know where she is and one less slayer will only help her."

Faith held his gaze, her brown eyes relaying the words she could speak, before leaving the room with Robin and Spike in tow. Giles moved to stand in front of Willow, his hand lovingly caressed her head before resting on her shoulder.

"I was worried."

"How did you get here so fast?"

"We will discuss that later. How are you?"

"I'm fine; a little worse for the wear, but I'm fine. Thanks to Sam, I'm healing already."

"You are?" Sam's astonished eyes flicked back and forth between Giles and Willow.

"You don't feel it?"

"I do…I guess I just got used to it. Is that supposed to happen?"

Sam and Willow both turned to Giles, waiting for his answer with great trepidation. Giles sighed and removed a handkerchief from his pocket. The couple watched as the older man cleaned his glasses while he pondered their question.

"This is not unheard of, but it usually happens with people who have known one another for decades…or centuries maybe. I'll have to consult my books. In the meantime, we need to get you ready. Young man, let's give this girl some privacy."

"I…I don't…I can't do this by myself" Willow whispered as deep crimson flushed her face. "It really hurts to turn."

"Oh! Of course, I'll excuse myself" Sam stammered. "Willow, it has been a pleasure and I do hope that this isn't the last I see of you."

Willow's face fell as she realized that she would not be able to fulfill his hopes. The likelihood that she and her friends would be staying in D.C. was very slim. Despair radiated from her being as Sam turned to shake hand with Giles.

"I'm sorry" Giles stated, not releasing Sam's hand. "Would it be possible…that is, would…you see I can't…she is like…and I just…it would be…if only Buffy…even Xander would…"

Sam held Giles' gaze, confusion marring his face. He watched as a deep flush rose up the older man's face. Glancing back at Willow, he saw she was having the same problem.

"It would be one heck of a therapy bill" Willow stated for the both of them.

"Perhaps I can still catch Faith" Giles suggested turning to leave the room.

Sam's shoulders began to shake as the hilarity of the situation hit him. Giles was too embarrassed to see a semi naked Willow to be able to help her dress. Giles, who apparently thought of this woman as his daughter, could not bring himself to see her in a state of undress.

"It's not that so much as it is that Giles has a hard time seeing any of us hurt" Willow offered, guessing what Sam must be thinking. "We have lost so many and Buffy died twice. Kendra, Tara, Xander got hurt…so many slayerettes and Anya died during the so called sinkhole incident. He has spent enough of his life caring for us and I guess he is just getting tired."

"These are friends of yours?"

"Yes; they were all part of the team" Willow answered as Sam moved to her side to help her to her feet. "I think they are still part of the team because each one of us carries a part of them with us."

"Of course you do; that's only natural" he remarked as he pulled the strings on her hospital gown.

"I think Giles is getting worn down by constantly loosing people; which in his line of work it's to be expected but I don't think you ever get used to it. He has always been strong for all of us –"

"Hold your top"

"I really believe that loosing Ms. Calendar and then Joyce really hit him hard, they were like the only adult friends he had" Willow continued as Sam place one of her arms and then the other in the dressing gown Spike had supplied. "He really loved Ms. Calendar and with Joyce…I think he realized that he was now Buffy's only parental figure. That's a lot of pressure to put on a man. 'Oops, her mother is dead, gotta fill in' and how about 'Her parents are MIA, someone has to teach her control' or…or 'Her mother is an alcoholic and she has a dead beat father, she needs a family'…and then of course 'His parents are always fighting; he will need help to become the man he is meant to be'. How can someone live up to that? And now he is supposed to help Buffy guide an army?"

"I'm sure it must be very difficult for him" Sam replied as he buttoned the last button of the gown. "You can drop the hospital gown now."

"Thank you" Willow held his hand in hers, searching his blue eyes. "I appreciate what you have done."

"Well I thought it would be better for the both of us if you kept talking" Sam answered, smiling at her confusion. "Let's just say that you talking kept my mind on the task at hand."

Sam's grin widened as she blushed at his statement even though he hadn't been completely honest with her. While her chatter had helped, Sam had to exhibit a great deal of self control as he had dressed her. Every time his fingers had brushed her creamy skin, he had felt the electricity he had experienced earlier in the evening. Only this time the electricity ran straight to his groin. Two things Sam knew without a doubt; he wanted to stay with Willow and that he was in need of a very cold shower.

Still holding his hand, Willow felt the excitement running through his body and she completely understood for she was feeling the same. She had struggled to keep talking while Sam helped her dress. From the moment his finger brushed her back as he untied her gown, Willow was shockingly aware of what his touch was doing to her body. Each graze sent electricity traveling through her body and depleted her brain of oxygen. She had been eager to clasp the hospital gown to her chest, desperate to hide the arousal that her breasts were prominently displaying. It had been so long since she had felt any kind of stimulation that she felt she would go mad before Sam finished the last button. She did not want to break his gaze or leave him.

"May I?"

"I thought you were never go-"

Sam's mouth swooped down, covering her reply.

Robin pulled the van near the hospital's laundry entrance, where Faith and Spike were waiting, fatigue settling over him as his friends made their start for the vehicle. He and Giles had driven the nearly seven hours to D.C. on very little sleep. They had spent the past forty eight hours scanning every book in Giles' virtual library looking for a way to defeat their latest foe. In all the years that Robin had been working with the group, he had never before felt so helpless. In all the battles they had won and lost, Robin knew that this one was to going to the back breaker for the team if they were defeated. He also knew that he and Faith needed to have a long conversation, one that she wasn't going to take too well. With his relationship with Faith, Robin had become the victor with each battle they had fought between themselves, but now he knew that he was probably going to lose the war. All the time he had spent breaking down her walls, teaching her that she was not vulnerable for letting someone into her life; into her heart and he was about the ruin it all.

"They should be on their way soon" Faith stated closing the van door, dragging Robin out of his thoughts.

"What about the politician?"

"I don't know, Spike; I guess that is up to Willow."

"Actually it's not" Robin supplied. "Giles found some things that point to this other being who is supposed to help Willow. Something in that watcher's diary says that this might be our guy. I hope he is talking to them-"

"Doesn't look like it; Rupert is on his way right now" Spike supplied as he pulled the van door open. His blue eyes took in Giles' shocked expression just before he saw a wooden stake fly into the van and into his body, barely missing his heart. "Bloody hell! I'm going to kill that bitch; slayer or no!"

Faith scrambled out of the van, ready to take on their enemy. After pulling the stake out of Spike's shoulder, Robin jumped behind her. Seething, Spike stepped forward.

"Alright bitch; now you have done it" Spike yelled, his eyes searching the darkness behind the hospital. "Why don't you bring yourself out here and fight like a man?"

"Is that what you think you are, Spike? A man?"

All four turned their heads to the voice coming from the darkness. Faith bobbed on the balls of her feet, ready to pounce on the young slayer she, Robin and Willow had been trying to train for so long.

"Where is the witch?"

"Clear your minds" Giles instructed as he joined the group. "You mustn't forget about her powers."

"Chill G-Man –"

"I have repeatedly asked you not to call me that" Giles hissed in Spike's direction.

"Stop it, both of you" Faith demanded as she stepped away from the foursome. "Dana- Dana, why don't you come out and let's settle this once and for all?"

"No, no, Mommy Dearest; gotta take care of the Aunt first."

"This bird has gone as crazy as Dru" Spike whispered as he relaxed his stance. "You hear that love? You have gone completely round the bend. When are you going to come out and play?"

"You don't want to play Spikie; you want to kill" Dana replied laughing as she emerged from the hospital shadows. "What you don't know is that I'm going to do the killing. I've seen the future and guess what? I win. Now, where is my red headed Aunt?"

"Like we are just going to tell –"

"No need Mommy, Giles just did" Dana interrupted, her brown eyes drilling into Giles'. "Daddy Giles really should practice what he preaches."

"You git!"

"You aren't going to lay a hand on Willow" Faith stated ignoring Spike's outburst, "Not if I have anything to say about it."

"Oh Mommy, why do you think you can do what Angel and all the rest of you couldn't do?"

"We were trying to help you, to help you control –"

"No" Dana exclaimed like a petulant child. "There was no helping; only control. You all are trying to control me. Now that Willow has been so generous, I'm going to control…I'm going to control you all."

Dana dived against Faith, her feet hitting Faith squarely in the chest, knocking her to the ground. Robin heard Faith's head hit the pavement, the cracking sound bringing bile to his throat. He followed Spike and they began their attack on the slayer, while Giles pulled an unconscious Faith away from the fighting. Giles picked Faith up and quickly carried her to the van. Leaving her there, he gathered a few magic supplies, lit some candles and began to chant.

"No, No Daddy" Dana warned as she twisted Robin's arm behind his back, wrenching it out of its socket. "Now you aren't playing fair; guess I'm going to have to use some of what Auntie taught me."

Dana quickly pushed Robin to the ground and performed a round kick, sending Spike flying into the building's wall. Using her speed and grace as a slayer, she quickly jumped and climbed onto the hospital's fire escape. Raising her arms above her head, Dana called on the powers she had gleaned from Willow and wind began to whip around the three men. Aiming both arms at Spike, she shot an orb of fire out, narrowly missing him as he dove for cover.

"No hiding Spike; you should play fair."

"Sod off you crazy wench!"

Dana suddenly straightened, dropping her arms to her side. "You're right; you're not what I want."

She faced the building and looked above as if gauging distance before raising her arms and placing them against the wall. Rippling shockwaves began to shake the hospital and just a suddenly stopped as Dana had now found her prey. She quickly bounded up the fire escape stopping a few floors from the top. As alarms continued to sound, Dana once again raised her arms and shot a blast of energy against the structure, causing windows to spray glass everywhere.

Sam pulled away from Willow just as the building began to shake, his mind trying to tell his heart that it wasn't the kiss that was causing him to vibrate. Just as quickly as the building had begun to shake, it stopped and Sam released the breath he had been holding. Before he had been able to inhale again, the window shattered into the room. Using the same instinct he had with CJ, Sam pulled Willow to her knees and covered her with his body. He felt some of the glass slice into skin, puncturing the scrub the hospital had provided. Confusion shone through his crystal blue eyes as he held Willow's astonished green ones. She quickly pulled Sam to the side as he felt something graze his face.

"What the hell?"

Willow placed herself in front of him and produced a protective barrier around him. Following her gaze, Sam watched as a dark haired, brown eyed young woman entered the room via the fire escape.

"Hello, Auntie."

"Dana."

"Shall we play now?"

With that question, Dana threw one of the room's guest chairs at the red headed witch. Willow waved her arm in front of her and diverted the chair across the room.

"Dana –"

"No talking Auntie" she hissed, "we are going to finish this now."

Sam scrambled to his feet, moving to place himself in front of Willow.

"Stay" Willow commanded and Sam found himself unable to move. "What have you done with Faith, Robin –"

"Don't worry Auntie, they are alive for now. It's just you and me."

Sam was too dumbfounded to be scared. He couldn't move and he didn't understand why. This woman, barely more than a girl, was trying to kill Willow and her friends and he couldn't move to help. He watched in amazement as Dana shot an orb of light at Willow, who effortlessly countered it with her own. His gaze followed each item that Dana "threw", that was the only way he could explain it, at Willow, who easily deflected each attack. Sam looked at the woman who was attacking them and he could read the frustration in her eyes…and the determination.

"You aren't strong enough Dana; you don't know how to draw on more power" Willow stated, a small smile breaking out on her face.

"Really? What you don't know Auntie is that while the cat has been away, I played and I've have gotten good. I'll take care of you, your little friend behind you and then those that have been 'helping' me."

Dana closed her eyes and began to chant. Before Willow could react, Dana shot black, smoky energy at her, knocking her to the ground. Sam's eyes followed Willow as she slid across the room and he gasped when she raised her head revealing black soulless eyes. Even as she rose to her feet, he could see the roots of her hair darken to ebony, spreading down to the tips as she muttered something in Latin. A crackling of energy filtered through the air, the hair on his arms rising in response, seconds before Willow returned fire; knocking Dana not only to the ground but also out of the window. Willow stiffly walked to the window, her gaze drifting to the ground as the chanting continued. Sam realized he could move and he scrambled to his feet, quickly moving to Willow's side, vaguely hearing the hospital room door open. He placed his hand on Willow's arm, glanced down at the alley way and softly whispered her name. Willow slowly turned her head, her black gaze sending shivers down Sam's spine. As she stared at him, Sam felt the vibrations running through his body build almost uncontrollably.

"Enough!"

Willow jerked her gaze to the room's entrance, her eyes locking with Giles.

"Come on Red; back off the mojo."

"Will, let go," Faith pleaded knowing that she would have to intervene if Willow didn't back down. "Not now; you've pulled some stitches and you are both bleeding."

As if she didn't believe, Willow looked over Sam's body, barely taking in the small cuts on his face and arms and then her own stomach. Sam cupped her face in his hands and forced her to look in his eyes. Miraculously, he observed her hair changing back to its natural color and the emerald of her eyes pushed the black, dismal stare away. Understanding filtered across her face and tears escaped causing Sam to pull her into his embrace. Giles moved towards the couple but was stopped by Spike.

"Not now, Watcher" he instructed and then turned to Faith. "Do you feel it slayer?"

Faith merely nodded her hand as she enveloped Robin's hand in her own. The trio watched until Willow pulled away and noticed the blood on her hands.

"You're hurt."

"Only a little, nothing to worry about but I think we need to leave and then check you out."

"You are all hurt" she stated as she turned Sam's back to her and anger filled her voice. "She hurt all of you."

"Willow, we are fine" Faith answered pulling Willow's attention away from Sam. "Super healing powers remember."

"Not Giles, Robin or Sam!"

"Don't worry about us, we have you."

Willow smiled at Robin's attempt to placate her. She turned to the window and again looked down into the alley.

"She is hurt too but she will be back."

"And we will be ready."

"I think the bigger problem is how do we explain this?" Giles gestured to the hole in the wall where the window had been.

"Yeah, I don't think PCP will work for this one."

"Simple" Faith stated with confidence. "Gas explosion." Her friends turned to her, disbelief on their faces. "What! It worked for the high school."