Willow's sobs had quieted to a raspy sort of gulping. Dawn was rubbing her back and looking at Xander who was angrily staring out of the doorway. Buffy and Giles were just sat looking at each other and Anya was tapping her feet.
"How long do we have to sit here for? I'm bored and still very hungry."
"Anya! Jeez." This from Xander, who took her elbow and started taking her out of the room.
"No she's right." Xander looked up at the sound of Buffy's voice. "We can't just sit here like this, everyone needs to eat, and we need to round up the girls and start figuring out what to do next. Where's Andrew?"
"He went with Rhona to wake up the other girls. He said to meet him in the breakfast room." Xander helped Dawn get Willow into bed, and the rest of them started making their way to the breakfast room, most of them having pulled on some socks and shoes. No one noticed the way Willow's eyes were clouding over.
It was like falling; she could hear the ocean in her ears and feel her feet being swept from under her. Nothing in her life could have prepared her for this, the losses she had endured. She just wanted to curl up and die like the others, never to be seen again. Never to feel, never to cry, never to hurt. Oh god is it me? Is it something I do? Am I paying for something? Did I do something SO wrong that I have to be punished for it over and over and over again? I can't take it anymore, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I give up now, I take it all back, take it all back now please please. Willow doubled over as the pain intensified. She vomited until there was nothing left inside except the pain. Laying her head down on the floor, she passed out into a dreamless lack of consciousness.
In the breakfast room, Buffy was holding court as the group gathered round with their barely touched plates of breakfast.
"I know it's hard, I know it hurts and I know we thought it was all over, but clearly it's not. Something is among us, we don't know what it is or how it's going to manifest. Giles is working out a way to test all of us to make sure we are safe, and if we're not?...well he is going to work out a cure for that too." Giles shifted uncomfortably and looked at her; she ignored his look and continued.
"We're all tired and emotionally drained. I know. We just have to fight this just a little longer and then we're outta here, but we can't leave until the tests have been done and we know who's safe, so please don't go anywhere, stay in your rooms, all together please. Watch each other, sleep in shifts if you're tired, eat when you're hungry. Try not to panic or freak out. It'll be ok just stay calm...what is it Xander?" She glanced over to Xander who was waving his hand in the air.
"I just wanted to say that we should try and be careful around Willow, she's gonna take this pretty hard. We need to watch her carefully and be there for her but not crowd her" he swallowed and fought back the wave of grief he felt for his friend. Buffy smiled thinly and nodded at him. "Right" she said, "Giles and me'll go out for supplies, Xander and Anya – watch the others, Dawn, just stay with Willow ok?" Dawn nodded and took off with a Bagel to check on Willow.
"Come on Giles, looks like it's you, me and the ultimate driving machine again..." Giles grabbed the keys from the table where Anya had put them and guided Buffy out of the door. They climbed into the car and looked at each other for a moment.
"Giles?"
"What is it Buffy?"
"Will it ever get easier?" She had such raw emotion on her face that he didn't know what to do except attempt some bitter humour.
"What do you want me to say Buffy?"
"Lie to me."
"Yes, it's terribly simple. The good guys are always stalwart and true, the bad guys are easily distinguished by their pointy horns or black hats, and, uh, we always defeat them and save the day. No one ever dies, and everybody lives happily ever after." He patted her on the shoulder.
Buffy gave him a teary eyed smile and shared the joke. "Liar." She said.
Giles put the car in gear and drove off towards the horizon, a part of Buffy wished they didn't have to go back, that they could keep driving and put this nightmare behind them, in the past like a bad dream, but she knew she had to go back, to be Slayer, sister, friend and protector to these people she had sworn to guard.
"Willow? Will? Are you awake?" Dawn rushed into the room and it was like Tara all over again, Willow was lying on the floor in the foetal position, not moving, deathly still, lying next to a pool of her own vomit. "Xander, XANDERRR"
"What? What is it? I'm here, I'm here..." Xander ran in haphazardly brandishing a sword, which he dropped when he saw his friend's still form.
"Yo, what's all the noise about? It's still like night-time right? Oh wait no ok, more like morning time, but still, no need to yell and scream, you'll wake the baby slayers...oh..." Faith's voice suddenly grew hard. "Xand, get her up on the bed, c'mon lil sis let's get some water for her k? Someone wanna tell me what's goin' on?"
Dawn filled Faith in as they went and got some water and towel for Willow, when they returned, Willow was still unconscious on the bed, Xander was desperately trying to rouse her but nothing seemed to be working.
"She's obviously just given up. He body can't cope with what her head is feeling. Like when Buffy had her coma when Dawn was taken. She needs a mind walk. We need Willow. Oh. We need a witch. Oh wait. Maybe Buffy could do it? She's so full of herself, lets make her take the trip into Willow's head. Maybe she'll find bunnies there that..." Anya paused, "Or something. It's just a thought. Y'know, with her having the Slayer gifts and all."
"Anya, what are you talking about?" Xander threw her an exasperated glance.
"I think I know what the demon is saying. You see this one time when I was a criminal mastermind, when I headed up an evil band of outlaws with cool shoes..."
"SHUT UP ANDREW" Everyone else yelled.
"I think Anya is suggesting that Buffy enter Willow's mind and shake her out of it, just like Willow did to her, when, well, uh, when Glory took me." Dawn's wavery voice caught everyone's attention.
"That could work," said Xander
"Are you all complete morons? That's what I just said. But oh no you listen to Dawn, because she is young and her face is watering." Anya stormed into the bathroom in a huff. Faith followed her, "Look no one was saying they didn't think it was a good idea or that they didn't understand you, chick, chill ok?"
"Go away, I'm trying to pee."
"Oh ok, thanks for sharing that precious moment with me."
"It's not that precious, I do it all the time. Now please leave." Faith raised her hands in the air, "Yo I'm leavin', don't want to interrupt your me time". Jeez that is one tense demon.
Faith paced back into the room, she met Xander's' eye and escorted Dawn from the room.
"Giles?" The sharpness to Buffy's voice made him turn abruptly to face her.
"Something's wrong, it-it's Willow, oh Giles, we have to go back, NOW." Her anguish cut through him as he swiftly applied the brakes and made a U turn.
"Buffy? What's the matter, what do you see?" He probed gently.
"W-Willow, I think, Giles I think she's dying."