Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy, but I do own Sophie, baby Lily, and Echo the puppy :)
Xander and Anya arrived to help with the research soon after receiving Tara's call. Giles and Andrew were in constant telephone contact with the other Scoobies, using all the resources at the Watcher's council's disposal to help find the antidote to the demon's poison. Angel and the fang gang, having driven through the night, arrived early the next morning, with Dawn and Connor in tow(Connor had taken to the driver's seat for the final leg of this journey).
"Hey, guys" Willow smiled halfheartedly. She hugged both Spike and Angel, then Dawn, and finally Connor. Illyria just nodded in greeting, and seeing as even this small acknowledgement of her existence was quite a big step for the god-king, and given that this acknowledgement was mostly due to Sophie's influence, Willow nodded back, smiling.
"How's Buffy?" asked Dawn, worried.
"Well she's a little under the weather right now Dawnie, but we'll fix her up soon. We're just about due for a breakthrough" Willow replied, trying to sound confident. "You go up and see her, Faith's with her now." Dawn nodded, heading up the stairs, while Connor trailed behind her in case his girlfriend needed emotional support.
"And how's Faith?" Angel asked, almost as worried about the Dark slayer as he was about his ex-girlfriend.
"She hasn't left Buffy's side since she brought her home" Willow sighed. "Except to get her water or extra blankets and stuff. She came down and got some dry biscuits a while ago too, but I don't know if Buffy would have been well enough to eat them.." They made their way into the lounge room, where everybody sat researching, even Sophie, who, though she could barely read, was concentrating hard on her book. Riley looked up, frowning.
"What the hell are they.." he began, but a glare from Willow quickly shut him up. This visit had led him to discover that she was definitely not just Buffy's sweet little best friend anymore.
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"Faith?" Buffy whispered as she snuggled closer to her girlfriend, desperate for warmth. "I'm c-cold."
"I'll get you some more blankets" said Faith, quickly sitting up and jumping out of the bed. "I'll be right back B, don't worry." While fetching the blankets, Faith ran in to Dawn and Connor.
"Hi Faith" said Dawn.
"Hey Pipsqueak, hey Soulboy Junior" she smiled. She, like Willow, was trying to remain upbeat. "I'm glad you're here, seein' you should definitely help B keep her spirits up. Come on, I'll take ya to her." Faith led the pair to the bedroom, where the very ill looking Buffy lay, along with a slightly depressed looking Echo stretched across the foot of the bed. However, a little light did return to the original slayer's eyes when she saw her sister.
"Hey Dawnie" she smiled, mustering up her remaining strength to get into a sitting position with a little help from Faith, who wrapped the blankets around her girlfriend's shoulders. "Hey Connor. How was your holiday?"
"Great until the phone call telling me my sister got infected with an antidoteless poison" Dawn frowned, worried. "You don't look so good."
"Well, I admit I'm not feeling so hot right now" said Buffy, "But the gang's working on it, and they always find something sooner or later. But in the meantime, Faith's taking great care of me, aren't you baby?"
"As great as I know how" Faith replied.
"See, nothing to worry about" Buffy smiled. "Now why don't you and Connor go back downstairs and help out with the research, I'm sure they could use you."
"Okay" Dawn frowned. "But don't go dying on me again, that really sucked the last time you did it. And I'm sure Xander thought it was a whole barrel of laughs the time you did it to him." After Dawn and Connor left, Buffy dropped the display of strength she had been showing for her sisters benefit, and collapsed back onto the bed.
"Faith?"
"What is it, B?" asked Faith, carefully readjusting the quilt and blankets that had been slightly muddled when Buffy had sat up. "What do you need?"
"Just.. don't let Dawnie come up here again" she whispered. "I don't want to scare her if I get any worse."