The dull beeping sound penetrated Buffy's ears like a jackhammer as she forced her eyes open. She was met with the stark white ceiling and smell of antiseptic indicating that she was once again in a hospital. Her head felt heavy and she groaned as she tried to sit up immediately jumping back when a pair of bright blue eyes jumped into her vision.
"Thank god you're awake Faith has been driving everyone crazy," Dawn said helping her sister sit up, "I have a sneaking suspicion that the doctor sedated her just so she would shut up not because there was actually anything wrong with her."
"Fa," Buffy coughed clearing her throat, "Faith's okay? It worked?"
"Yeah it worked, she's fine but she wouldn't sit still long enough for the doctor to do the ultrasound on her heart she kept insisting that she come and see you and introduced the nursing staff to a few new curse words until finally the doctor sedated her," Dawn said, "Now she's just kinda high which I think is just annoying him more."
"I have to go and see her," Buffy said pushing the covers off her legs only to be stopped by Dawn.
"Woah," she said pushing her sister back down, "You're not going anywhere until a doctor makes sure you're alright. I've already spent the afternoon Faith wrangling don't make me do it to you too."
"I just want to make sure she's okay," Buffy huffed.
"She's fine, she's probably annoying Angel with another version of Ice Ice Baby and before you ask yes she was doing that before," Dawn shrugged, "I told you she was high."
Buffy shook her head in amusement as she rested it back on the pillow. Her body felt light and not just from the massive blood loss she had suffered earlier but from simply knowing that Faith was alright. All the heartache she had suffered since the younger girl had come back into her life was worth it because Faith was alive. They were finally going to get the chance to be together and together they would do what they did best. Kick ass. She didn't know how but just knowing that the two of them would be fighting side by side she felt like the First didn't stand a chance.
"Buffy, are you okay? Are you in pain?" Dawn asked her voice worried.
"No Dawnie I'm fine," Buffy replied.
"Then why are you crying?"
Buffy hadn't even realised she was crying but now that Dawn had mentioned it she could feel the warm tears making their way down her cheeks. She was just so relieved that her other half was alright after thinking for so long that they wouldn't be able to save her.
"Miss Summers I'm glad to see you awake," a doctor dressed in green scrubs said entering the room with a clipboard in hand, "How are you feeling?"
"I'm okay, ready to get out of here if that was going to be your next question," Buffy answered.
"I'm afraid we can't let you go just yet you lost a lot of blood so we'd like to monitor you for a little while," the doctor said checking the heart monitor and writing something on his clipboard.
"Listen Doc, I know my body and I feel fine so I'm leaving whether you want me to or not," Buffy said stubbornly.
"Miss Summers you lost more than half of your blood, we were seriously worried that you would never wake up I would strongly suggest that you stay," the doctor said sternly.
"I honestly feel fine. I heal quickly and I'm bursting at the seams with blood and I'm not disrespecting your medical knowledge or anything but I really need to go and see my girlfriend," Buffy said throwing the blankets off her legs once again.
"Faith Lehane," Dawn supplied for the doctor.
"The rowdy girl in room 232," the doctor nodded knowingly, "If you listen hard enough you'll probably be able to hear her."
"Is she still singing?" Dawn asked.
"No I believe she's moved onto some good old fashioned gangsta rap now," the doctor chuckled, "We're not sure what's worse when she was fighting us to try and get to you or now when she's rapping horribly."
"If you let me go see her I'll do my best to get her to be quiet," Buffy reasoned already halfway out of the bed.
"You gotta admit Doc it's a fairly attractive proposition," Dawn laughed.
"She is disturbing the entire ward," the doctor supposed, "How about if I take you in to see her then you at least stay the night for observation."
"Take his deal Giles is seconds away from putting a pillow over Faith's face and that would just be sad since we're so happy she's alive and all," Dawn said.
"And while I can't condone murder in a hospital I don't think at this stage many people would be against it," the doctor smirked, "The nurses are minutes away from striking if they hear another chorus of Baby got Back."
"So deal made Buffy sees Faith and gets her to stop singing and then stays overnight to make you medical types happy that she's not going to die from lack of blood," Dawn said.
"Eloquently put," Buffy rolled her eyes.
"I'm surprised you even know what that word means," Dawn said rolling her eyes back.
"Alright Miss Summers if you'll wait a second and we'll get you a wheelchair and then you can go and work your magic on Miss Lehane," the doctor said giving the girls a friendly smile before leaving the room.
"So Faith's really okay?" Buffy asked her sister, "There's no damage to her heart or anything."
"She's fine," Dawn said, "They were a little confused when they did the ultrasound on her heart because they could literally see it healing itself on the screen so they wanted to keep her around to do some more tests. Giles said it was just her Slayer healing working overtime but you can't explain that to a medical professional so it'll just become one of those things that they rationalise like all the crazy things that happen in Sunnydale."
"So there was some damage?"
"Well the venom was weakening the walls of her heart so they were weaker than usual but your blood obviously counteracted the effects of the poison so everything is okay now."
"And how is she? I mean emotionally?"
"She was upset that they wouldn't let her see you but she didn't say anything to us that made her seem less than five by five," Dawn smirked, "She did threaten to stake Angel when he wouldn't let her get out of the bed, it was kind of hilarious watching him try and explain that to the nurse."
"Here we go Miss Summers," the doctor said coming back in with a wheelchair.
"You know this totally isn't necessary I can walk perfectly fine," Buffy huffed as she was helped into the chair.
"Just indulge me," the doctor winked at her.
Faith's room was only two doors away and Buffy made the doctor let her out of the chair before they got inside. She wanted Faith to know that she was perfectly fine and appearing in a wheelchair gave the impression that she was not one hundred percent and she didn't want to add to the guilt the former Rogue Slayer would no doubt already be feeling.
She could hear Faith singing what sounded like a drunken version of Nelly's Hot in Herre and she could hear Giles and Angel pleading with her to keep her clothes on. When she walked in she was greeted to the sight of her girlfriend lying in a hospital bed with Giles and Angel on either side of her each with a section of the hospital gown she was wearing in their hands to prevent her from taking it off.
"I see somebody is feeling better," Buffy smirked walking further into the room.
"Hey B, Angel look it's B, Giles it's B can you see B G?" Faith asked.
"Buffy," Angel and Giles said simultaneously.
"Are you alright?" her Watcher asked.
"I'm fine, pumped full of O Positive," Buffy said.
"Sometimes I wonder what horses do when they get lonely," Faith said.
"They uh, gave her some sedatives when she got a little bit rowdy," Giles explained, "They didn't exactly sedate her so much as..."
"Make her stoned," Buffy giggled when Faith stared in wonder at her own hand.
"At least the dreadful singing has stopped," Giles said rubbing a hand over his eyes.
"If you guys don't mind I'd like to talk to her," Buffy said.
"I'm glad you're alright," Angel said to her kissing her on the forehead as he left the room.
"We'll be close by if you need us," Giles said rubbing her shoulder affectionately before following Angel and the doctor out the door.
"We will have to go soon because we're already way past visiting hours but Giles is going to drive us back home and Angel will stay with us tonight so we're safe," Dawn said kissing Buffy on the cheek, "I'm glad you're both alright and we'll come early tomorrow to see if they'll discharge you quickly."
"Thanks Dawnie, stay safe," Buffy said pulling her in for a quick hug before ushering her out the door with the others.
"Was it something I said?" Faith asked her lower lip trembling when she realised everyone else had left.
"No baby they just went to get some snacks so they can be all comfy for the second part of your concert," Buffy chuckled moving to sit in the chair by Faith's bed Angel had recently vacated, "How are you doing?" she asked smoothing Faith's wavy hair away from her forehead.
"I can't feel my ears," Faith said seriously, "I think Giles stole them."
"Do you want me to go and get them back?" Buffy asked.
"Can I borrow yours?"
"Always," Buffy said leaning in and kissing Faith softly on the lips.
"Can I tell you a secret B?"
"Baby you can tell me anything."
"We just kissed," Faith whispered, "But ssshh don't tell B."
"I won't I promise," Buffy smiled, "I'm so happy you're alright I would've died if you hadn't pulled through."
"I'm a person did you know that," Faith said, "Angel told me. I'm not a vampire."
"I know," Buffy chuckled, "Did you know you're my favourite person."
"I think Mr. Gordo hates me," Faith said, "He used to be the favourite."
"He'll get over it," Buffy said.
"Let's cook him dinner, food fixes everything," Faith said.
"As soon as we get back to the house you can cook for him," Buffy said.
"I'm going to cook him some soup," Faith said, "You know why?"
"Why?"
"Because it's got no bacon in it," Faith said breaking off into laughter.
"You're a nut," Buffy chuckled.
"A peanut," Faith said solemnly, "But don't tell anybody its top secret information."
"Here I was thinking I would come in here and we would have a nice deep and meaningful conversation about our near death experiences and how happy we were to finally get to be together," Buffy giggled, "But this really isn't the time."
"Hey B did you know I love B?" Faith asked, "From the tips of my toes to the top of my head which is a long way for B because she's really short."
"You're sweet even if you are stoned out of your mind," Buffy said leaning forward and kissing Faith again.
"Buffy and Faith sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G."