Chapter 5~

The speed at which Buffy was moving could only be described as lightening. Even Spike was having a hard time keeping up as the Slayer ran through the streets of Sunnydale. They passed by three other cemeteries, a grocery store, and even flashed by the Magic Box.

Spike noticed the lights were on in the shop and had at first wondered if that's where she was headed. As she flew past, he briefly wondered if he should inform whoever was inside, but as he had no idea where she was going, put that idea out of his head quickly. She was gaining ground ahead of him already, and he didn't want to lose site of her.

She didn't care that the vampire was following her, or that Giles might want to know something was up. It didn't matter that her lungs felt as if they were going to burst or that her heart was practically pounding out of her chest. Even the Slayer had limits, and Buffy was pushing them to the max. She had never heard such fear in Tara's voice, or such demand for her attention from the witch.

While her and the brunette had never really gotten a chance to be super close, she loved and trusted the witch sincerely. As she had been in the ground, Tara had become Dawn's main comfort. Not that Willow hadn't done her fair share like helping with homework and such, but she was more involved with the technical side of the Slayer's life and keeping up with making sure the 'Buffy' bot kept going and Dawn stayed where she belonged. With her family.

Her thoughts came to a halt as she rounded the last corner she needed and spotted Xander's car in the lot of Porter Hall. Wild hazel eyes searched for only seconds before seeing what looked like a beam of light in a dark area of grass to the west of the dorm. She heard Spike's footsteps finally catching up to her as her legs began moving her towards the flashlight.

"Tara?!" The Slayer let out in a hushed tone as she searched out the figure of the brunette witch, "What's wrong? Are you hurt? Did you find them? Is Xander…." Her voice trailed off as her eyesight didn't need a flashlight to see in the dark.

Xander was leant over a passed out woman she didn't recognize, and who had a very bloody looking shoulder injury, though it was dried blood. Next to her was the Dark Slayer herself. Faith was passed out, seemingly dead if it weren't for the slight movement of her chest signaling breath. She looked completely mangled, much like the other woman. Xander looked up at Buffy's arrival, "They both have a pulse," he whispered, "Somehow."

The blonde then looked over to where Tara was hovering over another woman leaned against a tree, with Willow's red hair trailing by her knee. Buffy wasn't prepared for seeing her best friend torn up like the others. She seemed different somehow. Not just cause of the patches of dirt, blood, and grime mixed with shredded clothing and the very angry unhealed scar across her right eye. It was also as if she hadn't seen her in years, "What the hell happened? They've been missing for less than two hours! We need to get them to a hospital. Like now."

"Buffy," Tara's voice was shaky. She looked up at the Slayer finally giving her a good look at the woman the witch had been trying to wake up, "I don't know if that's a good idea." Tears streaming down her face as she watched recognition reach Buffy's eyes.

There were a lot of things in this world that the Slayer had seen. Things that no one could ever dream of, even in their worst nightmares. Surprise didn't come to her anymore, or at least it was as rare as a 'blue moon' as some would say. This blew almost everything she had ever experienced out of the water. Her little sister, not only torn up like the others, but it wasn't the same girl she saw just hours before. In fact, she wasn't a 'girl' at all, but a woman.

"Dawn." The name slipped past Buffy's lips in a soft whisper. She knelt down in front of her sister, immediately searching for a pulse. After she found one, Hazel eyes met sapphire, "What happened?" Her voice no louder then before.

Xander piped up behind them, "Buff, this is how we found them."

"Bloody hell, is that…. Is that Dawn? And Red looks like she's been through a shredder." Spike's voice, though louder than the others, still held a low volume. His own azure eyes took In the scene, looking over towards Xander before returning to Dawn's unconscious form.

Buffy took a deep breath, "Have any of them been conscious at all?"

"No, Faith groaned a l-little when Xander shook her, but no one has woken up," Tara replied. She was visibly shaking as she moved to her ex-lover, her hand cupping the redhead's cheek and softly tracing the scar across her eye. The witch couldn't fathom the events that may have lead to all this. Her love, her light, lying here, looking as if she'd walked through a house of mirrors that shattered around her. Even weirder, there wasn't any blood. Well, except for the mystery woman near Faith. All the scrapes, cuts, scars and bruises looked as if they'd just begun healing, but not a drop of blood on the skin around them. Only what looked like old and dried blood in random places on their tattered clothing.

Buffy looked towards Tara once again, "Why not the hospital?" It seemed like a good place, especially for the woman with a stab wound.

"T-there's no blood, Buffy. Well, except," Tara trailed off looking over towards Xander, "and it seems as though its healing. Something isn't adding up. I'm not sure getting a doctor and possibly the police involved is a g-good idea. Especially since we don't know Faith's involvement, and she's kind of, um, not supposed to be here…"

"We need to at least get them somewhere inside and safe," Buffy took charge of the situation, pushing her emotions back as she realized they were outside, at night in Sunnydale. Whatever had attacked them could still be out here somewhere, "Let's move them to Xander's car, then get them to my house."

While he was more than happy with getting the unconscious people into a safer environment, Xander remembered the earlier events of that evening, "Buffy. Your place is currently palace of glass shards. Probably not a great fit just now."

Buffy's eyes met chocolate brown ones across five feet of grass, "Crap, ok, plan B. Um… it's either the shop or your place then, Xander."

"My place. Anya won't be happy, but we have a spare room we can stick Dawn and Willow in. Faith can go in the recliner, you can tie her up there if you feel like we should. This other girl, we don't know her, but she seems to be the one most injured. We can put her on the couch, keep a close eye on her for both her health and our safety," he took in the injury on the woman's shoulder again.

Buffy nodded. Now it was just getting them to the car, "Ok, we have a plan. Spike, take Willow to the car first. Tara, go with him so you can sit with her while he comes back and carries someone else."

"No, I c-can carry her I think. If she's too heavy, I can use a spell to lighten her. We should do this as quick as possible," Tara stated as she moved into position to pick up Willow. One major thing she had already noticed, the redhead was definitely a lot thinner than two hours ago, though her muscles seemed a bit more defined.

The Slayer nodded, looking over to Spike and pointing in the direction of Xander and the other two. Spike took his place next to the wounded woman while Xander bent to pick up the Dark Slayer. Buffy easily scooped Dawn up with her superior strength, though awkward, as it seemed the teenager had gone through quite the growth spurt in the last few hours.

Tara carefully placed her arms under her love, lifting with her legs. She was surprised, as well as saddened, to find that it was not that difficult. Staring at the, somehow, serene face of her Willow, more tears assaulted her vision.

-x-

The trip to his apartment was silent because his car was full of unconscious people. Thankfully it was only a few blocks, as the group realized that they would have to walk, while Xander drove. He looked in the mirror at the three women in the back, his best friend in the middle. Then he peered over at Dawn in the front seat. The young woman's hair in a very messy ponytail, her breathing normal as if sleeping. Xander made sure to drive slow and careful, so not to throw anyone around. Even with seatbelts, he didn't want to jostle them much. He only reached his place, maybe, five minutes ahead of the rest of them.

When they arrived, each member took their charge again, making their way into the building. The young man was thankful he hadn't run into any of his neighbors, not sure what excuse he would use to explain away the situation.

Tara and Buffy immediately turned to the spare bedroom upon entering, and Xander made his way softly to his favorite chair. He gently put Faith down. Whatever this was, it didn't feel like Faith was the bad guy. She was as torn up as the rest of them and they had found no weapons around the area. Realizing Spike hadn't followed him in, he turned back to the door and gave him an annoyed look, "You coming?"

"Well, I thought I would just stand in the hall and admire the view…. Of course I'm coming you dunderhead, but I need to be invited in ya know," the vampire rolled his eyes.

Xander almost wanted to just take the woman from his arms and close the door in his face, but the fact that the vampire hadn't even so much as questioned anything tonight, just did as was asked to help, he thought better of it. Waving his arms in an overdramatic gesture towards the couch he stated, "I invite you in, Spike."

The blonde vamp stepped across the threshold, careful in his steps, before placing the injured brunette on the couch. Then he turned to look as Buffy entered the room again, "Xander, phone?"

The young man pointed to the counter, and Buffy made her way over, quickly dialing a number and putting it to her ear, "Anya, it's Buffy. Yea, we found them. Tell Giles to get what you need, and come to your place asap," There was a pause, as the blonde gave an annoyed look at Xander, "yes, your place. Mine's currently danger twinkle town and we have a major situation. Anya, just get here! Ugh!" She angrily hit end call, and narrowly missed slamming the phone on the counter, remembering she would probably smash it.

Brown eyes looked over apologetically, as Xander knew how Anya could be sometimes. He swung over to a cabinet, grabbing a first aid kit, and tilting his head towards the couch, Buffy nodding in understanding. She moved to help patch the girl up the best they could, while Spike peered in the spare room, then took a seat on a stool at the counter. The vampire could smell the blood, but something was off with it. He stared as they worked, trying to pinpoint what it was.

-x-

Tara had taken a chair from the corner of the room and sat on Willow's side of the bed. She had thoroughly checked both her and Dawn to make sure there were no open wounds, or anything she had missed.

After finding nothing, Tara laid a soft kiss on Dawn's forehead before she sat down, taking the redhead's hand in her own. The brunette could feel the lingering magic from something big coming through Willow's palm, but with everything going on, she couldn't begin to guess what the other witch had cast.

She slowly drew circles over top her ex-lover's fingers and hand, trying to come up with anything that seemed like a logical answer to what happened to all of them.

Tara was exhausted, it had been a long day. Despite having obviously been unconscious themselves half the day before the memory spell kicked in, it felt like she hadn't slept in days. As she took some deep breaths, she caught sight of something white poking out of Willow's pocket. Leaning over, she used the hand not holding onto the redhead to tug it loose. Whatever it was seemed to have been jammed into her pocket with haste, as it was slightly bunched up. Quickly realizing that it was also burned and torn at the edges, she unfolded it, gasping as she found herself staring back, leaning against the very tree they had found the unconscious women next to.

"Baby, I've tried so hard to do what I could to protect them, be there like you would have," The words echoed through Tara's head, soft and heartbreaking. She looked at Willow in shock, but there was no sign of any changes. She lay there as if asleep, no words, no movement except the steady rise and fall of her chest. Blue eyes blinked several times, wondering if she had imagined what she'd heard, "I promised I would always find you." As she stared at the lips of her love, not even a single twitch could be seen, but three more words echoed through her head, "I love you."