"Tara!" Willow yelled, holding her lover's head to her chest. A paramedic came running into the room, taking control of the situation. Within a matter of seconds Tara was on a stretcher and being wheeled downstairs to the ambulance. How did this… She was just standing there… And then…she wasn't. Willow couldn't comprehend. Catching her breath, she ran downstairs, towards the front door when Xander almost bumped into her, covered in blood.

"Xander! You're bleeding!" She said, tears still soaking her face.

Xander grabbed Willow and saw the blood on her shirt as well. He looked over to the ambulance, watching the stretcher being wheeled into the ambulance. It wasn't Buffy on that stretcher. "Tara." He whispered.

"She was shot. Upstairs, through the window." Willow cried, leaning into her best friend.

"It will be okay, Will. We have to get to the hospital. Buffy was shot too. Warren…he had a gun." Xander said, frowning.

"But she's—" Willow started.

"I know." Xander said, already beside his car opening the driver side door. Willow got in the passenger side.

When they got to the hospital Xander immediately ran to the front desk. "Buffy Summers!—"

"A-and Tara Maclay!—" Willow added.

"They were brought here by ambulance. There was a-a shooting." Xander finished, realizing he was screaming at the clerk. He couldn't wait for her answer. He started walking down the hallway with Willow right behind him. They checked every room, until… they saw Buffy surrounded by doctor's blood soaking through her clothes. Xander pushed the door open and they let themselves in. She looked so scared. She fragile and weak….

"Xander. I'm going to find Tara." Willow said, putting a hand on Xander's shoulder. Xander didn't say anything. Two of his friends… his girls… were probably dying right here. This very day. Because of some… coward. Some coward child with a gun.

Willow sped through every hallway. And then… the stretcher that had carried her girlfriend, the blood covering the white sheets, was parked outside of surgery. It was Tara's blood. I know it. She was in surgery… Oh Goddess... She was just about to open the door as a doctor came out, surprised.

"Can I help you?" He asked politely.

"My girlfriend… she-she's in there." Willow said, pointing towards the room. "What's happening?"

The doctor wiped his sweating forehead with his coat sleeve before talking. "She has extensive damage to her chest. She made it here alive but barely breathing. We couldn't get the bleeding to stop…"

No. This is it. He's going to tell me…No. She's not gone. I've only just gotten her back. I've only just—

"She's in surgery right now. We've managed to close up the wound. After she is cleaned up, she'll be brought to recovery. You must know, she lost a lot of blood. Although we fixed her chest, it may not have been enough." The doctor finished.

Willow was glad just to hear she was alive. Tara is strong. Strong like an Amazon. She can get through this. But Buffy… oh God what if—She needs me right now. Tara is safe. I need to get to Buffy. She turned around, trying to remember where Buffy's room was. When she arrived there, there were no doctors left in the room and Xander was crying. His hands were holding Buffy's. The machine's beeping sound was barely there.

Xander looked up at Willow. "She's not going to make it, Will. The doctors…they said there isn't anything left to do…" He gripped Buffy's hands tighter.

"No. Xander, listen to me. She needs to make it. She's going to live." Willow said, holding her hand over Buffy's chest. "I'm not letting her go again…"

"Will…what are you—" Xander asked, standing up.

"What needs to be done." She said, concentrating as the bullet held deep in Buffy's chest found it's way out. As it left her body, the wound closed up and Buffy's eyes started to flutter open. Xander gasped as she woke.

"Buffy!" He cried.

Buffy sat up carefully, as she became a bit stronger. "…What happened?" She said, looking at Willow and Xander. Then she realized what she might have lost… my baby. She held her hand to her stomach. She sighed in relief. You're still there. Oh thank God. She smiled.

"Buffy are you okay?" Xander said, worried. He now remembered what she had told him… She was having Spike's child. He suddenly grew angry but as he looked at his now alive friend… he was just glad to have her back.

"Warren, he shot you…and Tara. Up in my room." Willow said.

"Tara…" Buffy cried. Oh, Tara.

"Will…" Xander said, urging her to continue.

"She's in recovery. They sealed the wound but she lost a lot of blood. They don't know exactly what's going to happen." Willow slowed.

"She'll be okay, Will." Xander assured, rubbing Willow's shoulder.

"She's a fighter." Buffy added.

Willow sat silently. She wanted to get up. Move, do something. Something to distract her thoughts. But she couldn't go anywhere. She held Tara's hand tighter, rubbing her thumb over Tara's soft skin. "I'm sorry, Tara. You didn't deserve this. You don't deserve me." Willow paused for a moment. Although Tara couldn't hear her, it was still hard to get the words out. "I used magic. Buffy, she was dying and I—"

"Willow…" Tara whispered as she opened her beautiful blue eyes.

Willow was elated. "Tara…baby. I'm so sorry, baby." Willow said, tears rushing from her eyes like a river.

"It's okay."

"Yes. It's going to be now, baby. God, I love you Tara." Willow kissed Tara's hand.

"I mean… with Buffy. I understand. It's okay."

"I didn't want to use it but…" Willow trailed.

Tara winced in pain. She placed her hand over her chest. "It hurts." She closed her eyes to regain some strength. When she opened them again Willow put her face in Tara's stomach as she cried. Tears fell from Tara's face. Oh, Willow.