Silent Tears
by Net Girl
Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: The Buffy the Vampire Slayer characters are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and WB Network, and no infringement of copyright is intended. All characters belong to them, except all the others (nurse Lucy, Dr. Moore, Steve MacRea), they're all mine ;-).
Spoilers: Little of season 4 (but only if you haven't seen it).
Setting: Season 4 starting about 1 day before Oz's departure in Where the Wild Things Are, but Willow didn't tell Buffy about her relationship with Tara and Oz never came back. And there are other things that didn't happen in my story, but it is too much to tell… sorry about that. Maybe if you ask me I can tell.
Symbols: [] indicates a flashback. <> Indicates a thought. <<>> Is a place or time stamp.
Warnings: First attempt at a fanfic (so please spare me). The word Kaltaka is not from me. It was described as water in the episode The Price in season 2 of Xena: Warrior Princess.
Author's Notes: The lyrics are not mine; they're from the song `She Believes In Me' by Bryan Adams. But I left out one little bit; but I'm only human - I'm just a guy that sometimes makes mistakes and I can't explain why some say she's crazy - but she believes in me. And I think it stands for itself, but I also left it out cause I didn't need it. Dawn is in this story as probably will be in all the others. In these stories Dawn is Buffy's REAL sister. No key stuff, just a sister.
Dedication: To Maxx for helping me with some stuff and to all the people who read and liked this.

+1=2=3=4+

PART 1

"Alright you big demon… hybrid… slime infested…" Buffy looked at the demon but couldn't figure out what it was. "Well... whatever you are, your going down."

"Kaltaka…"

"And why do you keep saying that word all the time." With those words Buffy attacked the demon. She punched him on its face but quickly pulled her hand back in pain. It felt like she just hit her hand against a brick wall. When she tried to attack him again it hit her unconscious. The demon looked at her and ran away.

*****

"What… Where…?" Buffy held her hand against the place where the demon hit her. "O, my head… It hurts."

"Xander found you laying unconscious under some bushes" Willow said, "What happened?"

Buffy looked around the room and saw everyone standing around her; she tried to sit up straight, but immediately lay back down because she was to dizzy.

"I was running towards this very icky demon and saw his fist coming at me."

"And?" Xander asked.

"Well, that's pretty much all I remember."

"What did it look like?" Anya asked.

"Very slimy, almost water like." she said. "I can try and draw it if you like."

It was meant sarcastically, but Giles thought it was a good idea so Buffy tried to draw it as the others were searching through Giles' books to find anything with the description Buffy gave them.

"Guys, I think I got something." Xander said. "Is that it Buff?"

"No, but it sure looks like him."

"Can you give us any more information?" Oz asked.

"Well," she said. "He had some kind of sword with a snake on it and he kept saying some strange word, kal… klat… kalk…"

"Kaltaka!"

"Yeah that's it, how did you…?"

Giles grabbed a book from his shelve and search through the pages. Willow looked at Buffy but the Slayer looked just as surprised as her.

"Yo, G-man… What ya doing?"

Giles didn't answer and kept looking through the book.

Suddenly he stopped somewhere in the middle of the book and smiled.

"Is this your demon Buffy?"

"In complete slimy detail!" she replied.

"What is it?" Tara asked.

"Well everything Buffy said was wrong." Buffy looked at Giles if she was ready to attack him. "Except for one thing…"

"You were correct when you said it was slimy, but these creatures aren't demons."

"Well, what are they?"

"Getting to that Anya." Giles said, "These creatures are spirits of the water, in fact, the word Kaltaka means water… And if I this writings are correct, they're supposed to be friendly…"

<So much for friendly> "How can we defeat them?" Buffy asked.

"Uhm… I…"

"Spill it G-man, how can we defeat them?"

Giles looked at Xander in agony, <I really wished that he would stop calling me that> "I don't know how to defeat them, the only thing it says about them is that their spirits and that they're supposed to be friendly."

Everyone looked at Giles if he was kidding. They grabbed the book from him, but only to see that he was right. It said in the book that these spirits were older than mankind, even older then the first of, basically everything.

"O great, then how am I supposed to kick it's ass?"

"I don't know Buffy, I really don't know" Giles replied, "I'll try to contact the Watcher's Council to see if they got anything on them, but I'll be lucky to even get them on the phone after everything that's happened."

Giles walked up to the phone and the others decide to go home. They said their goodnights and started walking towards their dorms.

*****

"What's that?"

"What's what Buffy?" Willow asked.

"That smoke coming from behind those trees." They all look up at the sky where Buffy pointed and also saw the smoke coming from behind the trees.

Tara looks worried <It looks like it is coming from… my dorm!> As she starts running towards the smoke Buffy and Willow look at each other and start running after her. When they finally find Tara, she is sitting on a bench across the building where the smoke came from. They all look at the flames coming from the building. After the flames are put out there isn't much left of the building.

"Wow, some fire. Glad I don't live there." Buffy said. When she turns around to look at Willow she sees that Willow is comforting Tara. "What's wrong?"

"Uhm Buffy, <Go easy she didn't even knew it> this is where Tara's room was."

<O god, what did I say. Why can I never keep my big mouth shut> "Tara, I … I'm sorry. I didn't…"

"It's ok" Tara replied understanding, "You didn't know."

Buffy went to one of the firemen to ask him what happened. He told her that there was a gas leak in one of the ovens in the cafeteria and that they weren't on time to save any of the stuff in the rooms. Lucky there wasn't anyone badly injured, or dead.

Buffy told Willow and Tara what the fireman had told her. They all sat on the bench and watched the firemen do their work.

"Come on" Buffy said as she stood up from the bench, "We're going home."

"Yeah, h-home" Tara replied fighting her tears.

"Yeah that's what I said. Didn't you hear me? Come on."

Tara looked up and smiled. "Thanks" she softly said.

"Yeah, yeah. Thank me in the morning, first we're going to sleep."

Willow looked at Buffy and stood up from the bench. She took Tara's hand and pulled her up from the bench and hugged her.

"Come on, let's go home," she said. As they started walking towards Buffy and Willow's dorm Tara looked around one last time and sighed. When they arrived at Buffy and Willow's room they asked their `neighbours' if they had any extra mattresses since they hadn't any. After fifteen minutes of knocking on doors they finally got one and put it on the floor of their room. They made up their beds and laid in it.

"We'll think of something tomorrow" Buffy said.

"And if w-we don't?" Tara asked

"Well then…"

"… then you're staying with us" Buffy said finishing her best friends sentence. "Now go to sleep, I'm tired" she finished with a smile.

<<The next day>>

Willow looked at the clock, it was already eleven o'clock, and they had to be in class ten minutes ago. She looked at Tara who was still sleeping. <O what the heck …> she thought with a smile, <it was a long night, I'm going back to sleep.> She then looked at Buffy's bed, she wasn't in it. <Wow, did she turned out to be a big *student*>

An hour later Buffy walked silently in her dorm room. She wasn't sure if Tara and Willow were still asleep. One look told her they were.

<O god is this sweet or what> she thought with a smile. <I really should take a picture, no couldn't do it to them.>.

"Alright wake up sleepy heads," Buffy said as she opened the curtains, "It's noon."

"Yeah, I'm up already" Willow replied with a cranky voice, "why are you so happy?"

"Cause I got a surprise."

Buffy ordered them to get dressed so they could get lunch, well lunch for Buffy anyway. They hadn't even eaten breakfast. They went to a little lunchroom not far from the campus to get something to eat. Willow was trying to convince Buffy the whole time to tell her what the surprise was and Tara just smiled at the attempts she made. Little did she know, she was going to be in for a big one.

*****

Giles was still looking for more information on the Kaltaka. He hadn't called the Watcher's Council yet. And he didn't want to. He hadn't told the rest about it <I not gonna tell them I chickened out, what would they think of me?> He thought as he was searching through his books. <I can't find a damned thing about those spirits.>

He looked up as he heard his front door opening. "What do you want Spike?"

"No good afternoons?" the vampire replied sarcastically.

"Unless you know something about Kaltaka, there are no good anything's for you."

"Kal-what?"

"Kaltaka, water spirits."

"Nope, never heard of `em, just came to loan a couple o' bucks for some smokes." He replied "Guess' ya ain't loaning them to me, see ya mate."

Giles sighed as Spike walked out the door. <God, grow up you bleached demon.>

He took his books again and went on with his search for information on the Kaltaka.

"O come on Buffy, what the surprise already" Willow asked with great curiosity.

"O all right" She sighed, "But we have to go to Tara's room, well former room."

Willow and Tara looked at Buffy if she was crazy. The building almost completely burned out, except for a few parts of it. As they arrived Buffy told them to sit on the bench across the building. She had to get something.

"What is she doing" Tara asked Willow.

"I don't know, she didn't tell me anything either, remember?"

Tara nodded and looked at the building where she used to live. After 10 minutes Buffy came back with two bags and a box. Willow looked at Buffy and tried to ask what was going on but was stopped by Tara as she walked up to her and grabbed the box from her. She sat on the bench, opened the box and smiled. <How did she…>

"What is all this stuff?" Willow asked.

"This is what was recovered from Tara's room" Buffy replied happily.

"But how… I thought everything was burned out."

"For the biggest part it did" she said.

"This morning when you two were still asleep I snuck out to find something about the fire, if somebody or something started it. Walking around the building I saw that there was still a large part of the building complete, the part you can't see if you're looking at the front.

"I went in to find Tara's room, couldn't see much, but found it after a few minutes. Her door was actually still standing and since Willow gave me the number I knew it was the right one. Tara's closet had completely burned out, when I turned around I noticed a box under what appeared to be her bed. There were a few others things beside it.

"The stuff I found were in pretty good shape, I put them in bags I already brought along and grabbed the box. As soon as I got out of the building it collapsed."

Tara looked at Buffy and stood up. "T-thank you for this." She softly said, "Some of these things have been in our f-family for years."

"No Biggie." Buffy said as she hugged her.

Willow could feel the tears coming in her eyes as she suddenly thought of something. "Uhm… I'm not complaining here," she said softly breaking the silence, "But where is she going to stay? I mean, the building isn't there anymore."

Tara fought the tears as she was reminded of that. Buffy just smiled and grabbed the box and the bags. "Come on," she said, "There's another part to this surprise." They followed Buffy and saw she was heading towards their building.

"Buffy, what is this" Willow asked.

"You'll see."

They walked in their room and saw to their surprise a third bed. Willow who was holding one of the bags she took over from Buffy dropped it on the floor. "Wow… I mean… How did you…?" she stammered.

"Guess we're roomies now" Buffy said smiling.

Tara just looked at the bed and was fighting her tears.

Buffy grabbed the box from Tara and placed it on the bed. Willow walked in the room and sat on her bed. Tara was still standing in the doorway. Buffy walked towards her and pulled her in.

"How did I do this?" She asked as she closed the door, "It is simple really, this morning after I got Tara's things, I went to the person who is responsible for these matters and asked if another person could stay in our room. He wasn't really sure about it until I told him that the fraternity house that burned out was the place where she lived. Then he suddenly stood up and told me that was an excellent idea and that he would take care of it etc. I asked him to do it within 3 hours so I could surprise Tara. He just nodded and kinda pushed me out of the room. He was kinda rude" <I should go back and confront him and kick his ass.>

Willow looked at Buffy and saw the strange look on her face, which she always had when she was thinking about something. "Uhm Buff, you were telling something…"

Buffy looked up at Tara and Willow who were wondering what she was thinking, <Stay on planet earth Buff, we don't kick people for being rude.> She thought when she saw the faces.

"O yeah right, where was I?" She said with a blush, "Anyway, he told me to come back in 10 minutes so I waited outside his office. After ten minutes I knocked on the door and went back in. He then told me again that it was a good idea, but something was different this time. He told me he would arrange beds for all the other people in our dorm and in other frat houses. I asked him if he could arrange one today in our room for the surprise I had in mind. And now everyone from Tara's frat house will get a place to stay. And we're going to be very full for the next few weeks, but at least she's got a home."

*****

The next morning Buffy woke up and looked at the clock, the slayer was shocked when she found out it was already eleven o'clock. They had to be in class an hour ago. Buffy looked at Willow who was still asleep and smiled. Then she looked at Tara who strangely had a ray of light on her face and saw her staring at the ceiling with a blank gaze.

Buffy jumped out of her bed and flicked on the lights in their room. By doing that the blonde slayer woke up Willow as well. "What are you doing Buffy."

The slayer pointed at Tara, Willow jumped out of bed and sat next to Tara, the redhead tried to get Tara to wake up but had little success. Buffy called an ambulance and sat next to her friend. The redhead was looking at Tara and suddenly started to cry. Buffy looked at her friend and put an arm around her. At that point Willow broke down and laid down on Buffy's lap. The slayer didn't really know what to think of it. She had never seen her friend like this before, in this much pain.

After about ten minutes Buffy had called, the ambulance arrived and took Tara to the hospital. They let Willow drive with them. Buffy told Willow she would get her mother's car and that she would see her at the hospital.

When Buffy arrived at the hospital she saw Willow sitting in the waiting room and walked towards her. After an hour of testing the doctor walked in room, Buffy and Willow stood up from their seats. He walked up to them and introduced himself as doctor Moore. He told them that Tara was in a coma.

"What is the cause of this?" Buffy asked.

"We don't know, there aren't any external injuries and her CT-scan was ok." He said. "But we'll keep looking for it… Are you her family?"

"No… we're her friends."

"Does she have any family here in Sunnydale?"

"No…" Willow said.

"We're her family." The Slayer said.

Willow looked at Buffy and smiled, she then turned to the doctor and asked if they could see her. Moore took them to her room and left them alone.

The redhead sat on her bed and took Tara's hand. Buffy walked out to get something to drink for her and Willow.

When the girl returned she saw her friend sitting on a chair. When Willow noticed Buffy was back she tried to cover up that she had been crying. Buffy walked over her and put her hand on the redhead's shoulder.

"She's gonna be fine Will, I know so."

Willow rested her head against Buffy's arm and closed her eyes.

"Thanx."

*****

"I don't wanna go, I wanna stay here… with you." A childish voice said.

"Your gonna come, we promised."

"I know, but why do we have to keep it?"

"Anya, we talked about this, promises are made to keep. You don't just throw them away… unless there's a really, really good reason for it." Xander replied to his girlfriend as he explained it for the tenth time.

"Aren't you, me and the bed a good reason?" Anya asked him in her sweetest voice.

Xander looked at Anya and then at the bed. He thought about it for a moment but came back to reality. "Yeah it is… but not THIS time." He said, "We're having a meeting about those demons remember…"

"O alright, let's go then… the sooner we can get back!"

"I'm definitely up for that." He replied with a smile.

<<30 minutes later, near Giles' House>>

"Xander?"

"Yes, Anya" Xander sighed <Sjees, she has been talking for ages, doesn't she ever stop?> "What is it?"

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" As he said that, they both heard a noise coming from the bushes on their left.

"That" Anya said a little scared.

Anya stepped behind Xander as he slowly moved towards the bushes. Anya was telling him not to go but he wouldn't listen.

"Gotcha" Xander and Anya turned around as they heard the voice.

"What? Did I scare ya?"

"Spike!" They both said in agony.

"What are you doing here?" Xander asked.

"Going to pay me favorite watcher a visit, got info about those demons he's after."

"What info?" Anya asked.

"Nope only for the watcher's ears mate" the vampire replied.

"Spike!!" They both yelled.

"O come on, your going there ain't ya. You'll hear it when we get there."

*****

"Coming," Giles yelled from upstairs after he heard somebody knock on his door rapidly <People now a days…>, he walked downstairs and opened the door. He let Xander and Anya in, he was just about to close the door when it jammed.

"Hold on mate" Spike said to him blocking the doorway, "They're not alone."

"What do you want Spike?" Giles sighed.

"I've got information on your demons that were supposed to be friendly." Spike walked through the door and went straight for the fridge, "But it's gonna cost ya to get it." He grabbed the cup of blood and drank from it. <Good *old* Giles, still getting fresh blood for me.>

"What" Giles said with an irritated look on his face, "The only reason that I let you in here is because you need the blood and the very big plus that you can't hurt me."

"I know, but I need some money" Spike replied.

"What do you need money for" Anya asked him.

"Well… that's none of your business."

Anya stuck her tongue out to him and turned to Xander who shrugged.

"What about those demons Spike?" Giles asked, "… and I'll see what I can do about the money."

"Not good enough" he replied, "I need the money now."

"O alright." Giles grabbed his wallet and took some money out of it. Spike smirked and started to tell about the demons/water spirits.

"They want revenge." He said.

"That's it?" Xander said as he stood up from the couch, "He gives you money and all you can say is that they want revenge…"

"Hold on mate, not finished yet!" Xander looked at Spike and sat back on the couch.

"As I was saying before I got interrupted by Zeppo here, they want revenge. I didn't catch why, just that they want it and their taking it out on *happy meals on legs*."

Xander and Anya looked behind them at Spike, "Great!, what did we ever do to them!" Xander said. Anya was about to say something to Spike when Buffy came storming through the door.

"Sjees, what's your problem blonde?" Spike said to her.

"Shut up Spike" She said. "Giles, you know Tara right."

"Yeah, is she okay?"

"Not really, Willow and I need your help."

"What happened?" Xander asked her. Buffy looked at the others and turned to Xander. He could se she was worried about something, "What is it Buffy?" he asked.

"She… She's in a coma…"

They all looked shocked when Buffy told them about it, even Spike was a little shocked.

"But how…" Giles asked her.

"We don't know" Buffy replied, "When I woke up this morning she was just staring at the ceiling, so I woke up Willow and we took her to the hospital."

Buffy almost started to cry when she thought of the last couple of days, <First the fire, now this.> The others looked at her but couldn't say anything. They all had different feelings about the situation, they all had heard of Tara or seen her once, but didn't know her that well. But they were all worried, even Spike, the whole thing was too Hellmouthy.

*****

<<Two days later>>

It had been two days since Tara was in a coma. Willow didn't get any sleep she had been awake ever since they brought Tara to the hospital. <Two days already and the doctors don't even know what's going on> Willow thought as she walked out of Tara's room to get a drink, <I'm so tired, but I need to be awake when Tara comes out of her coma.> Willow got a drink and went back to the room. She moved her chair closer to the bed and sat on it. She put her glass of water on the nightstand next to Tara's bed and leaned back in the chair, <God I'm tired.> Willow rested her head and arms on the bed and closed her eyes.

After 10 minutes Buffy and Giles stepped in and saw that Willow was asleep. "She has been with Tara for the past two days, seeing this I don't think she has slept on any of those days" Buffy said. Then she asked him if he could arrange a bed for Willow to sleep in.

He returned after ten minutes with a nurse and a bed. Together they gently put Willow on the bed.

<At least she can rest comfortable now> "I'll stay here and look after them, go home and get some rest." Giles said to Buffy.

"I'm not going, Willow needs me."

"Go home Buffy, I'll call you if anything happens or if Willow is awake." He said with a stern voice, "You can't be there for her if your just as tired, go home and get some sleep."

Buffy sighed, she knew Giles was right, "Ok, thank you" she replied.

<He'd better call me,> Buffy walked out the room and turned around to look at Tara, <Wake up Tara, whatever you do, don't die. I don't think Willow will ever survive that, there is something between you two. I just don't know what it is, yet…> she thought and went to her mother's. When she arrived her mother was already waiting for her.

"How did you know I was going to come hear?" She asked her mother.

"Giles called me, how's Tara doing?"

"Still no change…" she said to her mother, "The doctors haven't found anything yet and we haven't found anything that could say a demon did this."

"I'm sorry hon." Her mother said, "Have you search your dorm room?"

"Yeah we did… twice actually, we haven't been able to find anything."

"Want a cup of tea?" Joyce asked her daughter.

"Yeah, thanks…"

Buffy went to the living room and laid down on the couch. It didn't took her long to fell asleep. Joyce got a blanket from the closet and covered her daughter with it. <God, has she even slept these days> Joyce wondered. She grabbed another blanket and sat on a comfortable chair near Buffy. She wasn't going to leave her daughters side now she was finally asleep.

*****

<<Sunnydale Hospital, next morning>>

"Is she going to wake up doctor Bennet?" One of the nurses asked.

"I don't know Lucy, I really don't know." He replied, "She's been in a coma for almost three days and we haven't been able to find out what caused it."

"I know, I have seen the test results," Lucy said. "It is strange though, here you got a young girl in a coma and she's in top condition."

"Yeah well, this is Sunnydale."

"Yeah, I know what you mean."

"You know, I actually think she's gonna pull through." He said to Lucy, "Stranger things have happened here in our little Sunnydale." Lucy nodded and walked to her next patient.

<<Twenty minutes later>>

Willow woke up and looked around, <How did I get on this bed, where am…> She turned around to the bed next to her and was greeted with a smile. "Hey Buff" she said.

"Hi Will, you ok?"

Willow nodded and stepped out of the bed and hugged Buffy. "Not that I didn't mind being hugged once in a while, but what was that for?" She asked Willow.

"Just for being here, thank you…"

Buffy smiled and kissed her forehead, "You're welcome."

"Have you heard anything new from the doctors?" Willow asked her.

"No, they came by again to check on her and said everything was ok, but that's it."

Willow looked at Tara and smiled, "She's going to be ok, I know it."

"You really care for her don't you?"

"Yeah, she is a good friend." She wasn't going to tell Buffy about her and Tara. She needed Tara to wake up first, <I can't tell Buffy, not now…>

Buffy gave Willow a hug and told her that she was going to get a drink. "You want anything?"

"No I'm fine, thanx."

Buffy walked out of the room and headed towards the hospital cafeteria. As she was walking through the halls she was pushed aside by one of the nurses. Buffy was about to say something about it when she noticed that two people were rolled in the rooms. <Can't hurt to look> the blonde thought as she walked towards one of the rooms. Buffy looked through the glass window and noticed something strange. She wanted to see it a little better and walked slowly through the door, trying not to alert the doctors and nurses.

When she got close enough the vision of the girl on bed confirmed what she saw earlier. The young girl laid the same way as Tara did. Buffy recognised the blank gaze the wicca had on her face when she woke up. No movement. No reaction at all. The slayer hurried to the person on the other bed. She was again shocked by what she saw. The boy laid the same way, same blank gaze , no movement, no reaction…

Buffy ran back to Willow as fast as she could. "Willow, come with me. You have to see this."

The hacker stood up from her chair and walked to Buffy who was trying to get Willow to hurry up. When the redhead was at the door Buffy grabbed her hand and pulled the hacker with her. When they arrived at the rooms Willow was as shocked as Buffy was earlier when she saw the same thing.

"They are… they have the same thing as Tara, whatever it is."

Buffy looked at Willow and nodded. "Yeah, I would even have noticed until that nurse pushed me aside, now I'm kinda glad she did." They slayer said to her friend.

"We need to tell Giles of this."

"Yeah I know Will, I'll call him, you go back to Tara. There's a phone around the corner. I'll keep an eye on the situation here."

"But I want to help."

"I know you do Will" Buffy said to her friend, "I know you want to find out who or what did this to Tara. Let me take care of that, you stay with Tara. She needs you more then I do right now, go and be there when she wakes up."

Willow looked at the blonde and let a small smile come on her mouth. Buffy stepped closer and hugged her friend. "She's going to be fine Will, I know so" she whispered to the redhead.

*****

Giles walked in stepped through the doorway to his house. He was greeted by Anya and Xander who had been there for the past couple of days. Buffy had called him when he was at her mother's house. He told Xander and Anya that there were more people in coma just like Tara. He asked Anya if she could keep searching for more information on Kaltaka. Xander had been sent on the mission to find Spike and see if he could find out more about the spirits.

The former watcher had already contacted the watcher's council, but they were reluctant to say anything. But he wasn't giving up anytime soon, there were more victims, he picked up the phone and dialled the number. "Yes, this is Rupert Giles, put me through to MacRea." Giles held the phone away from his ear when he heard people shouting to each other on the other side, <God, don't they ever grow up?> he wondered.

After a few seconds the shouting stopped and Giles heard a voice, "Yes, this is MacRea, who are you?" the voice asked.

"Yes hello, this is Rupert Giles, I need information on…" he was interrupted by the voice who started arguing with him.

"Ah Rupert, the former watcher, how's life as a librarian? Real dull? Or just a little…"

"Stop it Steve, there are lives at stake here."

"What another Slayer on the loose? You sure know how to pick them out do you," MacRea laughed.

"Shut up and just listen will you!"

"O alright, what is it."

Giles began to tell about Tara and the other people who had gotten ill. He also told MacRea that he thought the water spirits were responsible for it. After a few seconds of arguing MacRea reluctantly agreed he would search for information on the Kaltaka and call back if he found any.

The former watcher was happy that he had finally gotten through to them. <Maybe now we can get somewhere> he thought. After he had hung up the phone, it rang. "Hello, Rupert Giles here." It was Buffy, there were 2 other people brought in. Twin sisters, they had the same as the others. Giles told the slayer that he had contacted the council and that they would search for information. "Stay at the hospital, I'll be there in a few minutes." He hung op the phone and got his jacket.

"Hey! Where are you going, don't leave me here alone."

Giles turned around to face Anya who he had completely forget about. He tried to reason with her in staying at the house but she was wouldn't take no for an answer. "O come on then," Giles said to the ex-demon. Anya closed the book where she was searching in and followed Giles to his car and they drove to the hospital.

*****

<Could you be any more quite?> Xander asked himself as he heard the door to the crypt creak. He walked in the crypt and looked around. <Nice place you got here Spike, not!> he saw the vampire laying on a coffin and slowly walked towards him.

"Save the silent treatment Private Zeppo, already heard ya coming through the door."

Xander sighed and sat next to him. He really hated it when they send him out on these missions, especially when they included visiting a certain vampire. "What do you want" the vampire asked him.

"Look, you know I hate you right, let's make that clear."

"Right back at ya."

"Good, as long as we both get that." Xander stated, "Ok, as much as I hate to say this, we need help."

Spike looked at him and raised a eyebrow, "What's in it for me?"

"Pack of cigarettes."

"Not good enough, what else?" Spike asked.

"A beating from our little blonde slayer if you don't help us."

As much as he hated to admit it the neutered vampire wasn't any match for Buffy since he couldn't hit back and another downside was that she had improved a lot since their last real fight. "Bugger, what is it?" he asked Xander, who had a big smile on his face knowing the vampire had no choice but to listen.

"You have to find out everything about those Kaltaka things."

"Awh… what did the little spirits do now" Spike asked sarcastically.

"They made two new victims and it seems they're just starting!"

Xander looked at Spike and saw that he was actually shocked. <Wow, not able to hurt humans turned him human… kinda>

"Alright, I'll see what I can do" the vampire said, "Don't blame me if nothing turns up."

"I don't, but I know somebody who will" Xander replied sarcastically to the vampire.

Xander left the crypt and a low growl came from Spike, <Why do I keep being their messenger boy. This shouldn't be happening to me, I'm the big bad… neutered vampire> Spike sighed and laid back on the coffin, <I'm finishing my nap first.>

*****

Giles and Anya walked in the hospital and looked for Buffy. They found her sitting across a room where the twin sisters were brought in. The slayer had a sad look on her face, she wanted to solve this thing a soon as she could. It already had taken too long, she had never seen her best friend like this.

"Hey…"

"Hi Anya", the blonde replied, "How are you?"

"I'm fine, you…?"

"Been better."

Giles asked Buffy if there were any new victims since the twins. The slayer didn't know for sure, she wouldn't admit it but her thoughts were more with Tara and Willow than with the other victims. She wanted to hit something, but most of all she wanted to cry. Let all her frustrations out, but for now they were nothing more then silent tears, afraid to come out and show how she really felt.

PART 2

Lucy stepped in Tara's room and saw the redhead sitting beside her on the bed holding Tara's hand. Willow held Tara's hand near her face and kissed it. The nurse raised a brow and knew right away what was going on between the two `friends', they weren't friends at all. They were more then friends, <She really loves that girl> Lucy thought. Unwillingly the thoughts turned in to action as she asked the redhead about it.

"You really love her don't you?" she asked.

"What, who is… O Lucy, hi."

"You really love her don't you" the nurse asked again.

"Yeah I do, she's a good friend."

"No, I mean you love her."

The redhead blushed and nodded. "Yes I do, how did you…"

"Your actions" Lucy said, "And looking at your behaviour towards the others that were here, they don't know do they?" Willow looked at Tara and shook her head, they didn't know. She asked Lucy not to tell anything.

The redhead asked how the other teenagers were doing. Judging by the sad face on the nurse they weren't doing to well.

After a few minutes of silence Dr. Moore walked in with news on Tara, <They're going to be happy to hear this> he thought. "Good afternoon Lucy."

"Dr. Moore" the young nurse said as she walked out of the room.

"Willow, I've got some good news for you and your friends."

The young wicca immediately turned around when she heard the word good. "What is it, is she going to wake up, if so, when?" she said smiling.

"Easy" Moore said to Willow, "Your going a little overboard here, I said good news, I could only wish it was fantastic news."

The smile was off Willow's face again when she heard the doctor and turned to face Tara. Moore sighed and walked up to her.

"Tara is doing better everyday, she is no longer in the danger zone." Moore said, "But she is still in a coma and we need to help her come back. Talk to her, tell her what has been happening around here, tell her nice things, things that make her want to wake up.

Willow let a small smile come on her face and took Tara's hands in her own, <You heard that, you're going to be ok.> She turned to the doctor and thanked him for the information. Moore smiled at her and left the room, <I need to tell Buffy this, I'll be back in a few Tara, don't worry.>

*****

Spike walked in the hospital holding a young girl, he yelled for a doctor to help her. When the doctors had taken her he turned around and was on his way out of the hospital when Xander stopped him. "What do you want Zeppo?"

"I saw what you just did for that girl."

"Yeah well… Since I can't bite `em might as well help `em" the vampire said sarcastically and turned around.

"It was more than that Spike. There was emotion, I could see it on your face."

Spike faced the exit and blushed. The boy was right, there was emotion. He felt for the girl, she was the sixth victim already and it didn't look like it was going to stop with her. He walked out of the room leaving an astonished Xander behind. Where did the vampire get these feelings from. Ever since he was a vampire he had never felt them, except of course… Dru, she was the only one he had feelings for. <I've been hanging around those losers for too long… and that stupid thing in my head…,> a low growl came from the vampire agitated by the thoughts of the chip and the Scooby gang.

<If only he knew…> Xander thought when the vampire had left, <No time for this Xan, need to help Tara and the others.>

*****

<<20 minutes later>>

Xander walked in Tara's room and saw Willow sitting beside her on the bed. He greeted her and grabbed a chair from the back of the room. "How you doing Will?"

"I've been better" the redhead replied, "but thanx for asking." The girl smiled at him and faced Tara again.

"They've brought in another girl… actually Spike brought in another girl."

"Spike?" the hacker asked amazed.

"Yeah call me crazy, but I think he actually cared for her."

Willow looked at Xander with a surprised look on her face and asked Xander if he was kidding. "No I'm not, I think he really cared for the girl. I saw it on his face."

Willow raised an eyebrow and thought about it, <Maybe he does care…>

"So Will, heard you had some good news..."

Willow let a small smile come on her face and told Xander what the doctor had told her. Xander was happy for her, maybe there was some hope after all this pain. "That's good news Will" Xander said smiling.

"I know" she replied, "but she hasn't come out of her coma yet."

"Yeah" Xander sighed, "Uhm Will I have to go, you ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Yes" the redhead replied, "I'm fine, go do your thing."

*****

<<Two days later>>

"O no you don't!" the vampire heard a voice say, "Get back here." The vampire looked behind him and saw the young blonde girl running towards him. He let a low growl come from his throat and attacked the girl. He hit her in the face and saw the girl fall down and laughed at her. "Look at you, you're too little and I could knock you down easily," he said laughing, "You can't be the slayer, probably your whole family and friends are losers like you."

The blonde looked at the vampire and smiled, "Ok" she said getting up from the ground, "I didn't mind it when you knocked me down, called me little or questioned if I'm the slayer or not."

"But nobody messes with my family or friends!" At that note she attacked the vampire and started hitting him. After a few punches she took out her stake and dusted him.

"Boy that felt good" Buffy said and laughed, "Nice to have vampires around when your need to blow off some steam." She would never admit it to the others, but she liked it. When she was upset or angry she needed to kick something.

<I wonder how Tara's doing> she thought. It had been a two days since the last time she saw her. Since she heard that Tara wasn't a critical `case' anymore, she went back to patrolling at nights. Searching not only for the Kaltaka but also to let her frustrations out.

*****

<<Sunnydale Hospital>>

	I'm tossing and turning and I can't get to sleep
	got something on my mind - I just can't release
	then she whispers so softly - that she believes in me

Willow listened to the song on the radio. It described everything she had been going through when she and Tara grew closer.

	if I let her down - and tried to disguise it
	she always sees right through it always replies that
	no matter what I do - she believes in me

<What if I do let her down?> Willow thought to herself.

	all the times I failed - gone slightly off the rails
	she's there to remind me - she believes in me
	when it all goes wrong and I feel I'm on my own 
	she's there to remind me - she believes in me

At this point Willow started crying. She was afraid that Tara wouldn't come out of her coma. Despite what Moore said to her. She had heard about it before. There was a boy that died after a month in coma. And the doctors had told his family that he was out of the `danger zone'.

	don't get me wrong - I not some kind of fool

Willow stood up from her chair, she couldn't hear the song any more. It gave her thoughts she didn't want to have, <She's going to be fine… > she thought to herself. As Willow reached for the radio, she felt something. She wasn't sure what it was or what it meant. The feeling made her turn around and look at Tara.

	I give her my world if she asked me to
	cuz here's no denying - she believes in me

When her eyes reached Tara's face she couldn't believe what she was seeing. Two blue eyes stared back at her, Tara was awake…

Willow could feel a tear rolling over her cheek. She walked to the bed and took Tara's hand in her own. Tara returned the gesture by holding Willow's hand firmly. "Tara…"

*****

"Hi Giles."

"Buffy."

"How's Tara doing?"

"See for yourself."

Buffy walked up to the room and saw Tara was awake. "Since when…"

"I don't know Buffy, when I walked in about 10 minutes ago they were already sitting like this." Giles replied to her, "I asked one of the doctors and they said that she had been awake for over half an hour."

"I'm going in there."

"Uhm Buffy I don't think you should."

"What?" she asked him, "Sorry… but why?"

"When the doctors went in earlier to look at Tara's vital stats they couldn't get between them."

"What do you mean?"

"They called their names but they didn't reply. Tara just lay their and Willow sat beside her on the bed holding each others hands."

Buffy looked at then and also noticed that they were looking at each other and holding hands. The slayer sighed and sat beside Giles, "Let's leave them alone then, they're good friends. They need the time." She remembered how worried Willow was in the beginning. It looked very strange, she once believed that there was more between the girls but tossed that away.

"I'm going to look in my books for more information on those water spirits, I'll see you later?" Giles looked at the slayer and didn't get a reply from her. She was looking at the two girls.

"Er… Buffy?"

"Hm… What?" she replied, "I'm sorry Giles, what did you say?"

"I'm going to look for more on those spirits."

"Sure, see you later then."

"Right" Giles stood up and went home. <She has a lot on her mind> he thought.

After Giles had left, Buffy sunk back in her thoughts again. She wondered when the two girl got so close. They have been spending more time together since the fire. Even before that they were closer then a usual friendship. The thought of Willow and Tara being much more then friends crossed her mind again, <No… That's silly I can't see Willow…>

She looked up at the girls and saw Tara was caressing Willow's cheek, <Probably wiping away a tear> she thought. Willow then took Tara's hand and kissed it, <Just a thank you, nothing more then a thank you… >, the slayer got a little scared, she hadn't seen those two more intimate then just a little hug once before. But that was for comfort after that fire. Buffy calmed down and let the thoughts out of her mind. <I'm going home.>

*****

"Bloody hell!" Spike yelled, something hit him on the back of his head and he fell down. The knock wasn't hard enough to hit him unconscious and he was angry. A low growl came from his attacker and he turned around. "Good."

"What?" his attacker replied.

"You're a demon, which means I can kick your ass." Spike jumped towards the demon and started hitting it. Suddenly the demon grabbed him and threw him against a wall. The vampire got up and looked at the demon.

"Hey!" he said, "Wait a bloody minute, your that demon, that Kaltaka thing." Spike growled and ran towards it. "This is my lucky day" he said as he grabbed the demon. The vampire hit the demon a few times, but it was too strong for him. After he got thrown against the floor for the fifth time he knew it was time to leave.

*****

Buffy decided not to go home and went to Giles. <He has been searching for a while now, wonder what he found.> She walked in up to the porch and knocked on the door. She heard Giles saying he was coming and after a few seconds he opened the door and let her in.

"Hey, anything yet on those spirits?" she asked him.

"I'm sorry to say but no I haven't and the Watcher's Council isn't helping either."

"Yeah! What is up with that anyway, isn't that stuff between us long gone now, I miss them." The slayer said sarcastically.

"Buffy…"

"Yeah, I know, I just want to find out what happened ok…"

"We all do Buffy, we all do."

Just as Giles finished his sentence, Spike came barging in. His face looked even paler then normal.

"Sjees, what happened to you" Buffy asked, "You look even paler then normal and now that I see it… slimier."

"Haha, very funny slayer." Spike told them that he ran in to one of those water spirits. And that it indeed was the reason he was so `slimy'. "I'm telling ya, these demons are tough."

"Yeah cause if the big bad… Wait, the big bad neutered can't defeat them." Buffy said laughing.

A low growl came from Spike and he tried to hit her. Giles came between the them, "We are here to help, not fight. Remember?" He looked at Buffy and she nodded, then the ex-watcher turned to Spike who just turned around and went to the couch. <God… If I ever did something to you to deserve this, I am really, really sorry…>

"Good, I'll keep searching for more on those spirits. I'll ask Xander to go to Willy and ask if he knows something."

"What about him?" Buffy pointed at Spike who was lying on the couch.

"Well, I'll TRY to get him to help, but I doubt it."

"Ok, I'm going on patrol and then back to the hospital to see if Willow and Tara need something." Buffy stood up from the chair she was sitting on and left. <Ok first a little round, then back to the hospital.>

*****

"Hmm…, this is interesting."

"What?" the vampire asked.

"It says here that the slime of those spirits in demon form can cause paralysis of the entire body." Giles sighed, "Of course! That's why it looks like they're in coma."

"What? Say that again."

"When your body is fully…" Giles looked at Spike with an irritated look on his face. The vampire replied with a satisfied smile. "What I don't understand is why it didn't do the same for you or Buffy."

"What do you mean?"

"You touched the demon right?" Giles said, "Then why didn't it paralyse you like the others."

"Just a little guess here, but maybe `cause I'm a vampire?" Spike replied sarcastically.

"But why didn't it work on Buffy then?"

"Cause she's the slayer?"

"Perhaps" Giles replied. He wondered what it could be. It wasn't touching the demon. <Maybe it's… Off course! O god that's disgusting.> Giles got a look on his face that he was about to throw up. Spike was constantly asking him what was wrong, but he was completely in thoughts.

"Giles?"

"Giles!"

"Hm what?"

"What's with the disgusting-look face?" the vampire asked.

"Well, there is one other way to get the slime to work and that is, basically taking it in."

"Oh bloody hell, couldn't you warn me before I just drank my o neg!"

"Hey you asked" Giles laughed, "I'm going to call Buffy and tell her about this."

<<5 minutes later>>

"Sunnydale Hospital, Lucy speaking here."

"Ah yes Lucy, the nurse right? This is Rupert Giles. Is Buffy there?"

"Hold on, I'll look." The girl jumped up from the chair at the desk and looked around. She saw Buffy coming through the door and asked her to come to the phone.

"Who is it?" she asked Lucy.

"He called himself Rupert Giles."

"Oh Giles, ok thanx."

She took the phone and Giles told her what he found out. Lucy looked up when she suddenly heard Buffy scream.

"Ewww, Giles!" she said, "That's disgusting."

"What?" The dark haired nurse asked her.

"Uhm, Well" Buffy babbled, "It's nothing Lucy, he just did something that was disgusting".

"Buffy? You there?"

"Yeah Giles, sorry."

"Ok, ask Willow and especially Tara if they noticed anything that night."

"Yeah sure, ok" the slayer replied, "Ok I'll call when I get something, bye." Buffy hung up the phone and told Lucy she was going to see Willow and Tara.

*****

<<Tara's hospital room>>

Willow still sat beside Tara on the bed. The blond wicca was still sick from what happened to her, but she was glad to be still alive. And she was especially thankful to wake up when her love was in the room, <Does she really know how I feel about her> the girl thought. A tear rolled from her eye down her cheek, she swiftly wiped it away before Willow could see it. But the hacker had already seen it. <Why is she crying?> "Tara… What's wrong?" she asked.

"N-nothing" she replied with a soft voice, "Just glad to be back."

"Me to, I… I've missed you."

A smile came on Tara's mouth and caught Willow's eye who returned it with one of her own and a small blush. <I missed you too, my sweet Willow.> She asked Willow to help sit her up, she needed to talk to her.

"Willow, we need to talk."

"Yeah, I needed to talk to you to."

"You first" Tara said.

"Tara I…" Willow slowly began. She hesitated a little to go on and turned her head down.

"Take y-your time love."

Willow looked up again, <Did she just…> "Did you just…" the girl asked.

"Yeah I d-did, didn't I."

<O god, how long have I waited to hear this> "I love you Tara, I've never loved anyone more than you." A few tears rolled over Willow's eyes as she said that.

"Shh, no need for crying, I f-feel the same way." She took Willow's hand in hers and kissed them, then she wiped the tears of the redhead's face. She cupped Willow's face with her hands and brought her lips to her own and kissed the girl.

<What? What is this, she never…> Buffy thought, <I thought of it, but she never told me. I'm her best friends, how could she…>, the emotions took over and she started to cry. Afraid that anyone would see her she ran in to another room and cried even harder.

*****

<These are strange feelings your having Xan> the boy thought. He loved Anya, but at the same time he loved someone else. Someone he never thought he could love. <In love with a vampire! How strange is that> Xander thought of it again, <Not that strange, look at Buffy and Soul-boy.>

Xander walked in Willy's Bar and looked for Willy. He asked some of the customers, but they hadn't seen him either. <Great, just great,> he started looking around and entered the storage room. As he walked in he almost fell over something, when Xander looked down he saw Willy lying on the floor. <Fantastic! Just…> he thought. He search for a pulse and luckily found one.

Xander grabbed Willy and tried to move him in his bar, but he slipped over something and fell down. "Ouch" he screamed, "Why am I always the one who gets to do these jobs." He felt the walls for a light switch, after he found it he couldn't believe what he was seeing. There's was some kind of blue slime everywhere and it was all over him. "Ah yuck!" he said out loud, "this is disgusting… I had to slip, I just had to slip."

<Get a grip Xander and take Willy to the hospital.> He grabbed Willy and pulled him out of the bar and into his car. It took him only 5 minutes to get there. Xander almost jumped out of the car to get a doctor for Willy. Once one of the nurses saw him she knew he had the same thing as all the others and immediately got a stretcher. Xander helped her to put him on it and they carried him inside to the Emergency Room.

Xander looked through the window at Willy. "Man, the only person who could probably help us and now he's got the same as the people he could help" he thought, "Ironic ain't it." Xander asked one of the nurses how he was doing. She told him he indeed had the same as the others, but he wasn't as critical as the others who were brought in.

"The first one is actually awake again."

"What?!" Xander almost yelled, "Why am I always the last to know these things?"

"Well… I did hear them say they were looking for a guy named Xander, that you?"

"Yes."

"Yeah then it was you, a blonde girl was looking for you."

"You mean Buffy?" he asked.

"Yeah, she told some older guy that he should tell you about the girl."

<He probably forgot to mention it when he asked me to go to Willy's> Xander shrugged and thanked the nurse for the information, <Ok, let's check on the girls then> Xander thought smiling.

*****

<I need to ask her about this> Buffy thought, <Why hasn't she told me, I'm her best friend. I would have understand.> A tear came rolling out of her eye, <Not again> she thought, <I already have red fluffy eyes.> The thought of worrying about her looks made her laugh. <You know what, I'm just going to ask her about this and make her tell the truth.> And with that note to herself she went back outside of the room she was hiding in.

She walked through the hallway and looked at the walls, <Another reason why I don't like hospitals, their to bright. Oh well, all about being clean et all.>

"Buffy!"

She turned around and saw Xander running towards her, "Hey Xander."

"Have you heard?"

"Heard what?"

"Willy's in a coma too."

"You mean Willy as in we-kick-his-ass-for-info Willy?" the blonde asked.

"Yup same one" Xander replied, "So… I heard Tara's awake."

"Yeah I'm going there now."

"Cool, me too."

"Xander, can I ask you…" Buffy started saying, "I need to ask Willow something can you stay with Tara in the mean time?"

"What's up?"

"I'm not sure yet."

Xander nodded. He would stay with Tara while she talked to Willow, <What's with the worry look?> he asked himself. They walked together towards Tara's room.

*****

Willow closed her eyes and deepened the kiss. She had been waiting for this a long time. Sure they kissed before, but they never really knew how much they cared for each other. And now they did, it seemed like heaven on earth every time they touched.

She had been waiting for this so long, to finally hear Willow say the words. And now… Nothing could describe how she was feeling. Heaven? No, even better then heaven. Tara slowly `untied' herself from Willow, who was reluctant to let go.

"Wow, that was…"

"Great" Tara said finishing her lover's sentence. "I love you Willow."

"I love you too Tara."

Willow put her arms around her beloved Tara and hugged her.

"Hey! Look who's awake!" Xander said with a smile.

"Hey Xander" Tara said with a soft voice, "How are you."

"No, how are you is the right question here."

"I've had better days, but I'm getting there."

"Good, good" he replied and looked over to Buffy who snapped out of her dream.

"Right."

"What's wrong?" Tara asked.

"Nothing, I… I need to talk to Willow for a sec."

Willow looked at Buffy and was getting worried, "What's wrong? Something wrong with Tara, `cause she is the one to know then, not me…" Willow started babbling and was stopped by Tara.

"Go Willow, listen to her" she said, "I'm fine, nothings wrong with me. That I know for sure."

"Ok" the redhead replied.

"Uhm Xander."

"Yeah Tara."

"Since nobody has asked you yet, what's with the blue goo?"

Willow looked at him and started laughing. Buffy turned to him and recognised the blue stuff as the slime on the demons. "Xander!"

"What?"

"Wash yourself before you get any of that stuff inside you."

"What's big problem?" he asked her.

"You know what caused Tara's coma?" Buffy looked at him and Xander shrugged, "It's that stuff!"

Xander's eyes widened, "Uhm shower anywhere?" Tara pointed to one of the doors in her room, and said it was one of the luxuries of having a room for yourself.

*****

<<Outside Tara's hospital room>>

Buffy looked at her best friend still wondering why the girl hasn't told her anything about Tara.

"Why haven't you told me anything?"

"About what?" the red replied.

"About Tara…"

"I thought you already knew."

"Well I didn't, why haven't you told me. We're best friends, you can tell me anything."

"Buffy… It's not that big of a deal."

"It is, you know you can tell me anything why haven't you then?"

"I thought Giles had already told you."

"What!" Buffy said, "Giles knew?!"

"Yeah, he was here when it happened." Buffy wasn't listening to what the girl was saying, she was too caught up in her own thoughts that Giles knew before her.

"So you tell him about Tara and you forget to tell your best friend!"

"Buffy, what are you getting upset about?" Willow asked her, trying not to get angry at the slayer. "I thought Giles already had called you about her waking up."

"I thought you could at least tell your best friend if something new is happening in your life!"

They both had a confused look on their faces. They looked at each other, "What are you talking about?" they both said.

"I'm talking about Tara waking up, aren't you?" the wicca asked.

"I was talking about you and Tara… you know being girlfriends et all."

"How did you…? Willow asked.

"I… er, kinda saw you and her, er kissing?" the slayer babbled. They both looked at each other and started laughing. <Wow that went well> Buffy thought.

"Yeah that was kissing alright" Willow said with a smile that grew even wider when she thought of it. <How stupid am I for not telling her this.>

"Your not stupid."

Both girls turned around and saw Tara standing in the opening of her door. "I'm sorry, couldn't stop her" Xander said coming up behind her. Tara look behind her and smiled.

"Tara, you need to get back in bed."

"No, it's ok Buffy. I'm feeling better" the blonde wicca replied, "Actually I'm feeling good. Don't know how or what, but I'm feeling good."

Willow smiled at her lover and kissed her. The slayer could see they loved each other, she could see it in her eyes, she could feel it. It was warmth, she felt it every time when they were in a room with each other. The looks, brief touching of hands. Buffy couldn't even understand why she was upset with her for not telling, she knew all along.

"O my god…"

"What Xander?" Buffy asked him. Xander couldn't say much more he just stared at a badly injured girl standing behind them. The others turned around and saw a familiar person struggling to stay on her feet.

"Faith?" Buffy looked at the girl. Yes, it was Faith, but how could she be so beat up? She's a slayer, sometimes even Buffy thought the other girl could have taken her down. Faith was struggling to stay up on her feet and walked towards Buffy.

The others couldn't say a word. The last time they had seen her was when she did the whole switch thing with Buffy and after they got their own bodies back she had left.

Faith was almost at Buffy who was taking a fighting pose, not sure of what to do, help her or be ready for a fight. The answer was giving by the girl herself who couldn't stay up anymore and fell down. Buffy was the safety net and caught her. Faith looked up at the blonde slayer.

"B?"

PART 3

Faith was in a worse condition, even worse when she and Buffy had been in a fight and stabbed her. The girl had just one thing working for her, she is a slayer. <Wow, I've never seen her helpless like this> Buffy thought, <Who or what… did this to her?> The blonde slayer could only wait for her answers until Faith would wake up again.

Luckily the dark haired slayer wasn't in a coma, she was just unconscious. "Do you have any idea who did this to her?"

"No I don't Will" Buffy replied.

Tara looked at Faith, "Maybe it was that demon, you know that put all those girls in a coma including…" the tears were almost breaking through.

"Shh" Willow said as she stroke Tara's hair, "Don't worry, we'll stop this."

"You know… Even though she was bitch from hell, I kinda feel sorry for her." Everyone looked at Xander, but he was right… she was. But she came back, if it was to say sorry or to hurt anyway. She came back, got beaten up and searched for help from Buffy. That had to mean something.

"Does Giles know Buffy?"

"Yeah Tara, I called him a few minutes ago" the slayer replied, "He should be here in a few minutes."

"Speak of the devil… there he is."

They all looked at the place where Xander pointed to. Giles spotted the gang and walked towards them. "How is she?"

"She's holding" Buffy said. "Giles, could you call Angel and ask him if he knows what she is doing here."

"Yeah sure, I'll use the phone at the reception… That is if they'll let me use it."

"Try it!"

"Buffy, calm down."

Everyone looked at Tara when she said that, "He's going, don't worry. She'll be fine."

"How is it that you always know these thing?" Buffy asked her, "You knew you were going to be ok, you know what Willow was thinking and now Faith."

"Yeah! I've been wondering about that."

Tara looked at Xander, "It's just a feeling that I have and as for knowing what Willow thinks…"

"Yeah?" Xander asked.

"Well… T-that's a little more complicated."

"We're soulmates." Everyone looked at Willow in surprise.

"Apparently not that complicated" Tara said and blushed.

"It's true you know…" the voice came from Faith.

"How long have you been…" Willow asked.

"Long enough to hear the conversation just now." Faith smiled, "That was one of the reasons I came back."

"What do you mean?" Tara asked her.

"To tell you that you were soulmates and to…"

"… find her own soulmate." Everyone turned to Giles, "I just heard from Angel. It seems that Faith had a visit from the oracles and told her to come back to Sunnydale to search for her soulmate."

"Yeah, they told me that my soulmate was in Sunnydale, about Tara and Willow and something about a demon or spirit or something."

"Kaltaka."

"Yeah that's it!"

"Yeah that little bugger is bugging me." When he finished his sentence Xander thought of what he just said, <Ok, that was a good sentence… NOT!> "Hehe, ok that didn't come out as well as I thought it would."

Everybody looked at Xander and started laughing. It was good to relieve the tension in the room, you could feel it from the moment you stepped in. Now everybody seemed to forget their own problems or the problems they had with the others and just laughed.

*****

"I'm going to punish them for what they did to us."

"Calm down Mexk! You'll get your chance" the older one said. Mexk nodded and walked out of the room. "Yes Mexk, you'll get your chance and then we're going to kill them all, the slayer… AND her friends."

*****

Everything calmed down at the hospital, Faith was getting better by the hours and Giles could sign the release papers for Tara. The wicca was getting out the same day that Faith went in, she and Willow were packing her stuff. <This has been a good day, well at least for me.>

"Tara? What are you thinking?"

"Nothing, just that I'm glad I can go home… with you."

"I know what you mean. Me too."

Tara continue packing when she felt Willow was staring at her, "What is it?"

"Nothing."

"Willow…"

"When did you knew we were soulmates?" the redhead asked, "I didn't know until… until you were in that coma."

Tara took Willow's hands and guided her to the hospital bed and sat down on it. She looked at Willow and smiled, "I knew from the beginning, from the moment we met."

"How?"

Tara smiled, "It's strange, I don't know how to explain it. The feeling was just there and when I could hear your thoughts just now. I knew it was real."

Tara kissed Willow's forehead and wiped away a tear that rolled over the redhead's face. "Shh, why are you crying?"

"I don't know." Willow said, "Why didn't I have the same feeling at the beginning?"

"Because you simply didn't know what was coming."

"Ok now you're just being cryptic."

"I thought that was Angel?" The girls looked at each other and laughed.

"Yeah, that's cryptic guy alright."

*****

After 2 days in the hospital, Faith was getting out. Still a little black and blue from the hits she took, but other than that she was going to be fine. She was going to stay with Buffy and Dawn. Their mother was out of town for a week.

Even after the all the friction that had been between them, Buffy still thought Faith was a nice person deep down inside. It wasn't her fault that she had turned bad; she balanced on a thin line between good and evil. When she accidentally killed the deputy mayor, she lost the fight against evil. And just like every person, she was given a second chance to do good. In the beginning there was Angel there to help her. And now in Sunnydale, Buffy was giving her a second chance.

She let her stay in her home, the place where Faith had almost killed her mother. The place where the switch between bodies took place. Faith needed to defeat her inner demons and she was going to be there to help. If there was one person in the world she could trust it was Angel and he was the one who told her that Faith was struggling to be and stay good.

"B?" a voice said behind her, "What are you thinking."

"Hm?"

"What are you thinking?"

"Everything and nothing" the blonde replied. Faith looked at her and smiled. She was thankful for everything they were doing, but she hadn't figured out why. She had done some many things to hut her. And now it seemed like nothing ever happened.

"Come on" Buffy said, "Let's get the others and go home."

<Home> Faith thought, <Is this really home…?> She picked up her stuff and walked out with Buffy. The others were waiting in the hallway, ready to go home. Finally everything was over. Tara awake again, Faith out of the hospital. The only thing they had to concentrate on now was defeating the Kaltaka.

*****

"Ok, I've had it. Can we kill the slayer already."

The older one looked at Mexk and growled. <Why can't that boy ever stay calm.> "Mexk, we'll get them, first we're going to kill the ones they love, then we're going to kill the slayers."

"Wait a minute, you didn't say nothing about slayers, as in more then one!"

The older one sighed, "Don't worry, once they're loved ones are gone, they be easier to defeat, they'll be a lot easier to kill."

"When?"

"Tomorrow night."

"Finally!"

*****

<<A few hours later>>

Everyone was back home, it was great feeling for everyone. Only one person felt differently, despite of what Buffy and Dawn were doing, Faith didn't feel welcome. They couldn't blame her for feeling that way. It was guilt, guilt for everything she had done. But guilt wasn't a bad thing. Guilt meant that she going on the right path and staying on it. Being sorry for the things she had done.

"When are they coming" Dawn asked in her most annoying voice.

"Soon" her sister replied.

"I wanna see the movie."

"Dawn!"

"Yeah yeah, be patient."

It was going to be a whole Scooby Gang night, they were all going to be there; Xander, Willow, Giles, Tara, Anya, Buffy, Dawn and Faith. Just relaxing and forgetting about the past couple of days.

Giles couldn't help it and brought his books along, he was still trying to find more about the Kaltaka. A way to defeat them or at least a way to stop them from hurting or even killing one of the gang. They only thing they knew was that it wasn't going to be easy. They had attack Buffy, almost killed Tara and the other coma patients. They had almost beaten Faith to death. How are they supposed to stop those spirits/demons.

The gang settled in front of the television and Buffy put in the first movie. As it was about to start the phone rang, Buffy looked annoyed but took the call anyway.

"Hey guys, it's the hospital."

"The movie!" Dawn pleaded.

"Dawn." The girl looked at Tara and apologised. They turned to Buffy again who was still on the phone.

"Aha… ok, thanx for the information."

"What is it?" Willow asked.

"I asked them if they could call if there were any changes in the condition of those girls."

"And?" Giles said hopeful.

"They're waking up. The doctors couldn't believe it but they're waking up."

"What you mean they couldn't believe it, Tara woke up" Faith said.

"Yeah, they said it already was a miracle that she woke up at all" the blonde slayer said, "She was actually much worse than the others who were brought in after her."

Everyone let out a small sigh, they were glad the other girls were going to be ok. The only thing they had to do now was wonder how they woke up and how they were going to defeat the Kaltaka.

The news inspired them to get to work again on finding how to defeat the Kaltaka. Since the gang wasn't in much need of sleep anyway, they grabbed the books Giles brought with them and started looking. Willow lately had the rare habit of taking her laptop with her, she and Tara were going to search the internet for information about the demons.

"Xander?"

"Yeah, what's up G."

"Could you ask Spike to come over? I think he knows much more then he's telling us."

"What do you mean" Faith asked him.

"I don't know, it's just that every time we ask him about it he either avoids the subject or acts more cryptic then Angel EVER did."

"We can do it."

"What do you mean in we Faith?" Buffy asked her.

"We as in you and me, the two slayers…" She looked at Buffy and smiled, "We needed to go on patrol anyway."

"That's true" the other slayer replied.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Well… er, it seems like… er, Spike actually listens to Xander and besides, I don't think that sending two slayers will do any good."

"Guess your right, come on B."

"Wait, Faith do you really think it's a good idea to go patrolling so soon after the whole thing."

"Yeah, I actually feel good. A lot better when I got my ass kicked, which by the way will never happen again!"

They all looked at Faith and started laughing. "Come on Buff, slaytime." The two slayers said goodbye and walked out.

"Quite the comedian…"

"Don't worry Xan, she'll never be better than you."

"Thanx, Will."

"Hey!!" Anya and Dawn simultaneous said.

"What" the others replied annoyed.

Dawn was ready to plead for her case "Movie?"

"What's it with Anya then" Giles said.

Anya looked at Dawn and smiled, "Job well done, come on."

*****

<Why am I always the one who gets to go do these jobs> Xander sighed and continued walking, <Not that I don't mind in this case.> He opened the door of the mausoleum and looked around. "Spike! Come out." He got no reply and went in, it appeared no one was there. He gave one quick look and started backing out, he heard a low growl coming from one of the dark corners. He backed up slowly searching for the doorknob when suddenly someone jumped in front of him.

"Scared ya, didn't I."

"Spike!" Xander was getting angry, "If you ever do that again…"

"What? Your gonna stake me? I don't think so."

"Well, Buffy will."

"Yeah, your precious Buffy." Spike smiled, "You didn't tell her your in love with her again."

"I'm not in love with Buffy, I'm in love with Anya." <Yeah right, in love with Buffy… or Anya.>

"What do you want Zeppo."

"They told me to get you, don't know why."

"What's in it for me?"

"Not getting staked by Buffy if you do…"

"Good point, hold on a sec" Spike got his coat and followed Xander out of the mausoleum. Xander barely stepped out and got attacked by a demon. Spike warned him that it was a Kaltaka demon and suggested that they should just run. Spike couldn't beat him before and he wasn't ready to try a second time.

"Good plan" Xander stated and began to run. It took them a few minutes to escape from the demon. After a few minutes they slowly stopped running and walked again. "Nice demon, he only hit me, not kill me."

"Be glad I warned ya!"

"I knew you would, they wouldn't forgive you if you had left me there."

"Yeah, whatever. So what's next?"

"We go to Buffy's."

*****

<<Sunnydale graveyard, one of the many>>

"B, Down!" Faith screamed as she threw a stake at the vampire that was coming behind the blonde slayer. Buffy fell to the floor and saw the dust coming down.

"Thanx."

"No problem."

"Let's get a few a few more and head back."

"Ok."

<I wonder who her soulmate is, it is someone in Sunnydale. That's what the oracles said to her.>

"I'm still wondering who my soulmate is, how am I supposed to find that person?"

"I think you'll know it when you meet him" Buffy replied, "That's how it went with Tara and Willow. Tara told me she had a feeling from the beginning when she met Willow."

"So I guess WAITING is the keyword here." The look on Faith's face made Buffy laugh, the only thing Faith could do was follow her and do the same. It didn't take long before more vampire rose, they staked them and went home.

*****

<<Summers' home>>

"When is Buffy coming back?"

"Soon Dawn, soon" Giles was getting tired of all the questions Dawn had been asking. And they were all directed to him, not one of the others all to him. <Buffy, get back here soon or I'm going to…,> his thoughts were stopped when he heard the door opening. He looked up and saw Spike and Xander coming in.

Xander was about to close the door when Buffy and Faith walked back in. "Hey! Our little rogue slayer, when did you came back in town."

"Spike, shut up" the blonde slayer gave Spike a look if she was about ready to kill him, "She's not…" Buffy wasn't finished with her sentence and saw Faith's fist heading towards Spike, who just froze in surprise and got it full on the nose, "… evil anymore."

Spike put on his game face and tried to hit back only to be stopped by a terrible pain in his head. Faith was a little startled when seeing that, but was ready to hit him again and ran towards him.

<Faith, please don't> Faith immediately stopped her attack against the vampire and looked around, "Who said that?"

"Who said what" Willow asked.

"Someone said `Faith, please don't' and it kinda sounded like B."

Everyone looked at Buffy, who was just as surprised as they were, "I didn't say anything."

"Are you sure you heard someone."

"Yeah Giles I did" <Why do they always think I'm nuts, I could have sworn I heard something.> "It's probably nothing."

"Ok, now it's Spike time."

"Wow hold it blondie," Spike said. "What do you mean with `Spike time'?"

"This," with those words she grabbed the vampire and held him to the wall. "Now, start talking or I start breaking things."

"B, not that I don't mind this, but what are you doing?"

"Let her do her stuff Faith" Giles said, not worried at all.

They turned to the slayer and the vampire again, Spike was still a little startled about Buffy attacking him, "Whoa slayer, what are you doing?"

"Getting info on the Kaltaka" Buffy replied, "We know you know more then we thought you knew we did." Everyone looked at Buffy confused, they weren't the only ones. Even Buffy herself didn't know what she was saying. Raising a brow in the process, she tried again. "We know you know more on the Kaltaka."

Pleased on her sentence a big smile came across the slayers face, "Speak!"

"Oh alright, just let me go will ya!" Buffy let Spike go, but tied him to a chair instead. "Alright, where do I start."

"Begin with The Who, The What and The How."

"Hey! Leave The Who out of it will ya!" Spike was pleased with himself, he made a joke and somebody actually laughed. Even if it was a little kid who barely knew the group. Buffy looked at Dawn and tried to figure out how she could laugh at that joke. She didn't have to wait for it long when the others were staring at Dawn as well.

"What?" Dawn said, "Can't people learn in school? That's why it's there isn't it?"

Buffy sighed and turned back to Spike who was still smiling that he made a joke and someone laughed.

"Stop laughing" Buffy yelled at him. The vampire couldn't help it, a young girl that laughed at his joke. Not even the watcher who should have known about them. The others looked at Spike and could barely hold their laugh as well. It didn't take long before one of them broke and started laughing. To the surprise of everyone it was Faith who started laughing first, the rest followed soon after.

"Ok, enough already" Buffy said frustrated. But she too caught up with the rest and started laughing. After a few minutes Giles decided it was enough.

"Ok Spike, you had your little fun, now tell us about the Kaltaka."

"Alright, but you already know what they are."

"Yeah we do, their water spirits" Giles said.

"Water spirits who can be defeated."

They all looked surprised at Spike. "What do you mean, spirits can't be defeated" Tara stated.

"These can."

"How" Willow asked.

"Destroy their demon form."

It made sense, killing their demon form could make them weaker. "What do they want" Faith asked.

"Witches."

They all looked at Willow and Tara, they were as shocked as the rest was. "So all those girls…"

"You got it red, they're all witches too." the vampire replied, "And they're not even from Sunnydale, the only real witches in Sunnydale are Willow and Tara and of course the Rat."

"Amy."

"Yeah Amy, whatever."

"Why were they here?"

"What? Ya didn't know" Spike replied, "Big wicca meeting in town?"

Willow and Tara looked at each other and shrugged. They had heard of it, but they weren't active in a coven or anything like that. And they didn't need to, they had each other.

"How do we defeat them?" Faith wanted to know.

"Kill their demon form, just told ya. Isn't anybody listening."

"Spike!"

"Hold your horses blondie." Buffy was getting really irritated by Spike, <If he doesn't tell us anytime soon, I'm gonna stake him.>

<Don't.>

"Who?"

"Who what?" Xander asked.

"Nothing never mind."

*****

"It's time."

"Finally" Mexk replied, "I've been waiting for this."

PART 4

"What does it take to get some information from you Spike?"

The vampire looked at the blonde slayer and sighed, "Don't you know that by now?"

Buffy looked at Spike and tried to irritate him by replying the answer in his own words and accent "Smokes?"

"Well yeah… but I need some money to, gotta keep the blood flowing."

"That's disgusting Spike."

"Duh red, I'm a vampire, what did you expect?"

"Nothing less, nothing more."

"I got your money right here" Faith was about to bring up her fist when she was stopped by Buffy.

"Spike, if you don't want her fists in your face then you'd better start talking."

Spike sighed and began to talk. The vampire told them why they were after witches; the Kaltaka believed in only one sort of witchcraft, their witchcraft. They wanted to stop the witches by killing them.

"Tara, remember your dorm?"

"Yes…"

"That's where they wanted to get you the first time, but they were stopped by the twins. Don't know why the two used fire… I mean, WATER spirits and fire?"

"Spike!"

"Easy blonde."

"What exactly are they?" Anya asked, "I lived for let's say hundreds of years and I never heard of them."

"Well Anya, they liked to keep a low profile, that is until now of course" Spike said, "Besides, you can't even see them in their spirit form unless they want you to."

"Great how are we supposed to defeat them if we can't see them."

"Hold on Faith" Giles said, "He said in their spirit form."

"So that demon that has been attacking us, those things are the Kaltaka?"

"Oh one point for the blonde slayer" Spike said sarcastically, "And to defeat them, they need to be in their spirit form."

"You still haven't told us how to defeat them."

"Dawn! Stay out of this." Buffy was getting really mad at her sister. Dawn just rolled her eyes and turned the other way.

"Little sister wants to know to defeat the bad spirits."

"She's not the only one Spike, remember Faith, the girl who has her fist ready to hit your face… hard!" the blonde slayer was losing her patience with the vampire. The only thing that stopped her from doing it was the voice who asked her before.

"Alright" Spike replied, "All I know is that it has something to do with two of the elements. We know that fire didn't work. And I don't think water will either, them being WATER spirits and all."

"And that leaves what?" Faith was totally in the dark with these kinds of stuff. The only magic she ever saw was a rabbit appearing out of a head when she was little. And even she knew that wasn't real.

"Earth and Wind" Willow said without thinking.

"Of course, that's it."

"What is G-man."

"There is a spell used for showing ones real face with two of the elements."

"For people like me that are totally in the dark here, HUH?"

"Sorry Faith" Giles replied, "It means that the earth catches the demon form and the wind blows it away, but this is just a simple explanation. It's not that simple as it sounds."

"We can do it!" Tara looked at Willow if she just got declared insane, "What? It's not that hard, just need the right supplies."

"You done it before?" she asked her love.

"Well, not exactly, I didn't, Giles did."

"I did? Oh right, I did" Giles replied, "With those little children being a big monster."

"O yeah that was fun" Buffy stated, "That's when Amy turned herself in a rat" Buffy felt all the heads turning to her, "Ok, the rat turning was the less fun part, especially since she couldn't change herself back and we still didn't help her."

"Hey, working on that."

"We know Will, it was just a joke" Buffy smiled at her best friend.

"Ok that's settled then" Willow said, "Me and Tara are going to look for that spell and use it when the time is right."

"But."

"No buts Tara, not tonight" realizing what she just said Willow blushed, "Ok, wrong but-case." Everyone started laughing, Willow and Tara silently slipped out of the room with faces so red even tomatos would be jealous of.

"B, you got some weapons to keep them away from us in the meantime?"

"Yeah sure, got some upstairs" the two slayer went upstairs and the other were still doing more research on the demons. They left Spike tied to the chair, he wasn't pleased with it at all. To annoy them he started singing songs from The Who.

"O dear god" Giles yelled, "Does anyone have a gag?"

*****

<<Buffy's Room>>

Buffy grabbed her weapon's chest from under her bed and started unpack the whole chest. Faith just looked at it with her eyes wide open. Every time she thought Buffy was finished she took more out of the chest.

"Wow B, how many do you have stacked in there anyway?"

"Enough" the blonde stated.

Faith got a little jumpy, <That's the same voice I heard earlier.> She sat on Buffy's bed and looked at the other slayer, <Could she be?>

"Could I be what" Buffy asked.

"I didn't say anything."

"You didn't? I could have sworn I heard you just now." The girls looked at each other, the questions were flying through there heads waiting for an answer.

"I need to know, when I wanted to punch Spike earlier, did you ask me to stop."

"Not exactly."

"What do you mean?"

"I never said it, I thought it…" they looked at each other and started laughing. <Yeah right, like she even meant it.>

"I did."

Faith looked at the blonde slayer, <Can she really hear my thoughts?>

"You heard mine."

"Stop it!" Faith yelled, "Stay out of my head." She moved further back on the bed and put her head between her knees like a little child afraid of something. Buffy slowly moved towards her and sat in front of the frightened slayer.

<What are you so afraid of?> "Faith… ? Faith look at me."

Faith didn't reply and Buffy put an arm around Faith, "Faith, what are you so afraid of?"

Faith finally looked up at Buffy, "This, all of it. These feelings, I've never had them before."

"What feeling" Buffy asked already knowing the answer. She needed to hear it from Faith herself.

"Loving you as much as I do" she finally broke and had the courage to say it, "And afraid that you don't love me."

Buffy cupped Faith's chin with her hand and lifted it so she would look straight in her eyes, "Don't be." Buffy moved her head a little closer, "I love you too." She closed the final gap between their mouths and kissed Faith.

Faith felt a bolt of electricity go through her when their lips touched. It was a feeling she had never felt before, never with the guys she had been before. More secure of what was going on, Faith deepened the kiss. After a few seconds they parted, "Wow that was…"

"… wow" Buffy said finishing Faith's sentence.

*****

Two forms appeared in front of the Summers home, one a little bigger than the other. The smaller form knocked on the door. It took a few seconds before somebody opened.

"Hello."

"O dear lord."

"Who is it Giles?" Dawn yelled from the kitchen.

"Nothing" Giles slammed the door shut and ran towards the kitchen, "Dawn upstairs now! Get your sister and Faith, they're here."

Dawn ran out of the kitchen and got upstairs as fast as she could. "Buffy!"

Buffy jumped up from the bed and saw her sister running towards her. "You know those demons that put Tara in a coma and knocked Faith down?"

"Yeah… What about them?"

"They're here!"

"Faith! Grab some weapons and let's go."

Faith threw Buffy a crossbow and grabbed a knife herself. The two slayers ran downstairs and found an unconscious Giles lying on the couch. Buffy grabbed him and tried to wake him up. After a few slaps on his cheek he did.

"What happened?"

"Er, opened the door, closed it again, they broke in and knocked me down."

"Where are the others?" Faith was getting a little nervous about the whole thing.

"Faith calm down, go look in the kitchen."

Faith ran towards the kitchen and opened the door. She found all of them lying on the floor unconscious, just like Giles a few seconds ago. She looked around to see if there was someone missing, luckily there wasn't. Faith heard someone groaning.

"God that hurts" Willow stood up from the floor and looked around, "At least I'm still in the house. Tara?" Willow looked around to find her love, Tara was lying in a corner of the kitchen. Willow ran towards her and helped her up. "Tara, you ok."

"Yeah, I'm ok. What happened?"

Willow kissed Tara's forehead and explained what happened. Faith helped the others get up and went back to the living room. "Not that I care anything about him, but where is Spike?"

Buffy and Giles looked around but couldn't find him. Not even the chair where he was sitting on was there. On the floor where the chair was they found some blood. After they checked everyone else, they concluded it was from Spike.

"Dawn?" Buffy screamed looking for her sister.

"Hey! You don't have to scream, I'm right here" they saw Dawn coming down the stairs.

"Good", Buffy noticed blood on her little sisters hands, "Dawn, what happened?"

"Buffy?"

Buffy walked towards the stairs and saw her sister staring at her hands before she passed out. Dawn fell down but Buffy grabbed her before she hit the floor. "Dawn!" she carried the girl to the couch and put her on it. When Buffy stepped back she noticed she was covered in the her sisters blood. She lifted her up and saw she had a stab wound in her back. "Call an ambulance now!"

"What's wrong?" Tara said as she and the other walked out of the kitchen. They looked at Buffy who was stroking her sister's cheek. "O my god, Dawn!"

"It's ok Tara, we couldn't help it."

"Buffy, are you ok?"

"Yeah, thanks for asking Will." She turned to her best friend and smiled. She turned back when she heard Dawn moaning. "Dawn, are you ok?"

"It hurts" the little girl couldn't take the pain no more and started crying.

"Shh, it's ok Dawn" she said comforting her sister, "Can you tell us what happened?"

"I was in your room when these things suddenly came out of nowhere" Dawn began, "They said something, I…" She started crying again, the pain was too much for the her. "It hurts when I talk."

"I know Dawn, please try" Buffy said, "What did they say?"

"They said something like `We finally got you slayer'. I said I wasn't you but they wouldn't believe me" Dawn said, "Boy they're dumb."

Buffy was laughing through her tears, "At least you haven't lost your sense of humour."

"After they sad that, they pulled out a knife and…"

"One more thing Dawn, where is Spike?"

"I don't know, I think they took him." Dawn said, "They also said something about cutting Spike loose and cutting him so it would look like they took him, he came upstairs shortly after those demons did."

"I'm going to kill him."

"No Buffy!" Dawn pleaded, "He didn't help them, he tried to help me. But they already s-stabbed me before he could get to them."

"Ok, then I'm only going to hurt him a little" Buffy said and smiled at her little sister. Dawn smiled back at her, she felt really tired. She slipped in and out of consciousness. "Why aren't the paramedics here yet?" Buffy was getting desperate, it took the paramedics too long to get there.

"They're here!" Willow screamed and opened the door for them. "In here, hurry." The paramedics rushed in and took care of Dawn.

"Any family that's coming with us."

"I'm her sister, but I can't come. I need to get something" Buffy said. She looked at the others deciding which one of them should go with Dawn, "Tara would you…"

Tara looked at Buffy, "M-me?"

"Yeah, would you please? She trusts you."

"Oh ok, yeah sure."

Buffy walked to Tara and gave her a hug, "Thanks."

"Sure."

Tara kissed Willow goodbye, Willow told her they were going to leave right after them. Tara walked with the paramedics to the ambulance and they left.

Buffy just stood in the living room looking at the leaving ambulance, she looked lost in her own little world. Just staring at the ambulance. Faith walked towards her and put a hand on the blonde slayer's shoulder. Buffy turned around and started crying, Faith put her arms around the girl and just held her. She wasn't sure what to do next, she only knew that Buffy needed her now. After a few seconds Buffy stopped crying and looked towards the others. "I'm sorry, I…"

"It's ok Buffy" Willow said, "I'll get the supplies we need for the spell, there's no doubt they'll follow us to the hospital."

"Giles, take Anya and go to the hospital, we'll meet you there." Both Giles and Anya nodded, Anya knew when she should keep her mouth when she didn't agree with something Buffy said. And this was one of those things. "Xander, you're going with them and go to see if Willy is out the hospital yet, if he is, find him and ask where the hideout is of these demons is."

"I'll meet you back here after I got the supplies and then we're going to the hospital together" Willow said. Willow, Xander, Anya and Giles left and went on their way.

"Ok now we wait for Willow to return here." Buffy said as she walked towards the other couch. Faith got a blanket and put it over the couch where Dawn laid.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah I am, don't worry about me."

Faith walked to Buffy and sat on the left side of Buffy, "I do worry about you."

"Don't be, I'm ok."

"No your not, come here" Buffy moved towards Faith, leaned her head against Faith's chest and started crying again. Faith put her arms around her and kissed her on the head, "It's ok… cry."

"I just couldn't let her see me like this."

"I know, don't worry about that."

<<Thirty minutes later>>

"I'm back!" Willow said as she walked in through the back. The two slayers jumped up from the couch just as Willow walked in the living room. "Why so jumpy?"

"Nothing."

"Are you two…" Willow asked as she pointed to them. Buffy and Faith looked at each other and smiled. That was all Willow needed to know and smiled, "Come on, let's go to the hospital."

*****

<<At the hospital>>

Tara was sitting next to Dawn on the hospital bed. The girl was still out from the operation they had done. She was only under for 20 minutes, they needed to stop the bleeding and stitch the wound. Tara stood up and was about to leave from the room to get a drink when she heard someone moaning. It was Dawn, she was waking up. A few seconds later she opened her eyes.

"Hey you" Tara said and smiled. "How are you feeling?"

Giles and Anya just walked in the room and saw Dawn was awake.

Tears came from Dawn's eyes as she thought of what happened. "Shh, your alright" Tara said with a soft voice, "Are you in any pain?"

Dawn nodded, "It hurts."

Tara looked at the buzzer laying beside Dawn's arm, "You wanna buzz them?" Dawn smiled and took the buzzer and pressed the button.

"They should be here any second" Tara said.

"Buff?"

Tara looked behind her and saw Buffy standing in the doorway with Willow and Faith. "Hey sis, how are you?"

Tara stood up and walked towards Willow, "I'm fine" Dawn said. Tara was standing with her back towards Dawn and rolled her eyes. She walked to Buffy and hugged her, "She's hurting" Tara whispered to Buffy.

Tara walked to Willow and kissed her. "We've got a spell to figure out."

Faith smiled at Tara and walked to Dawn's bed where Buffy was already standing. She walked up behind her and put her arms around Buffy and rested her head on Buffy's shoulder.

Tara looked at the whole thing and turned to Willow with a surprised look on her face, "Are those two?"

"Yeah they are" Willow smiled and left the room with Tara.

Anya and Giles were looking at Dawn, they both looked up at the same time and saw the two slayers. Anya raised a brow and looked just as surprised as Giles.

"Are you two?" Giles asked. The look on their faces was enough for him to know, <So she found her soulmate.>

*****

<<ICU Sunnydale Hospital>>

Xander went to one the nurses and asked if Willy was still there. She told him he left two days earlier, Xander sighed and left for Willy's bar.

<<15 minutes later, Willy's Bar>>

"Willy."

"What do you want?" Willy replied.

"Water spirits hide out."

"Oh you mean those demons that put me in a coma? Glad to give it to you" Willy said, "It's near the river in some sort of cave, that's all I know."

"Thanx Willy."

"Sure no problem, just kill them will you."

"Noted" Xander smiled and went back to the hospital.

*****

<<Back at Sunnydale Hospital>>

It took the doctor about 10 minutes to get to Dawn, he gave her some painkillers and checked her status. "Which one of you is Buffy Summers?"

"I am."

"Could I talk to you for a moment?"

"What is it? You can say it here."

"I'm sorry, but I need to talk to you alone."

Buffy looked at Faith who nodded, <Go talk to him.> Buffy kissed her and walked outside with the doctor. "What is it?"

"Your sister lost a large amount of blood" he began, "She is going to be ok, but we need someone to give blood, what we have is only enough for now and with the second operation…"

"Wow, hold on a second here. Second operation?" Buffy interrupted him, "Nobody told me about a second operation."

"I'm afraid it is necessary" the doctor said, "The first operation was to stop the bleeding, the knife she got cut with hit some nerves in her lower back and that's what the second operation is for."

"So you're saying that if Dawn doesn't get this operation…"

"… the nerves could be damaged even more and there could be a possibility of losing the feeling in her legs."

Buffy was shocked to hear this news, but didn't think about it twice. She would do anything to make sure that Dawn was going to be alright, "Stick a needle and draw blood, by the way, did I mention I really hate hospitals?" The doctor looked at her and started laughing, Buffy couldn't help herself and started laughing too.

"Thanx for the news doctor."

"Do you want me to tell your sister or would you rather do it?"

"Thanks for the offer, but I'll do it myself. I think she should be mad at me and not the doctor who is helping her."

"Sure have it your way, I'll come back later and discuss the operation with her."

"Ok, thanks again, bye."

Buffy walked back inside and looked at her sister who was staring at her with hopeful eyes. She was bringing a little good and bad news to her. "Could you guys leave for a second?" They all nodded and walked towards the door.

"Faith?"

"Yes Dawn?"

"Can you stay?"

"Are you sure?" Buffy asked her sister.

"I want her to stay."

"Ok, if you want to" Faith replied.

"Yes."

Faith looked at Dawn and smiled, there was something about the Summers girls that you simply couldn't resist. Faith walked back in the room, she stood next to Buffy and put an arm around her. Faith knew her love needed the support.

Buffy took Dawn's hand and began to tell what the doctor had told her, the second operation, the blood and about her damaged nerves. After Buffy finished, Dawn just looked at her with an open mouth. After a few seconds she closed her mouth and sighed, "Mom is so going to kill you when she gets back."

Faith looked at Buffy and started laughing, "If you also have a sense of humour like that, then I'm in for a big one." Buffy couldn't help it but to laugh herself, followed by Dawn. It didn't take long before Dawn actually got the news her sister told her and started to cry again. Not only from the news she heard, but also from the pain it caused when she laughed. The two slayers stopped laughing when they heard Dawn cry.

"Dawn, what is it?"

"Buffy, it hurts." Dawn held her sister's hand tighter.

"Faith help me." Buffy asked. She let Dawn lean on Faith while she sat behind her and put a pillow on her lap. Faith pulled Dawn a little lower and gently laid her down on her side with her head on the pillow. Dawn reached out for her sister's hand again, with her other hand Buffy stroked Dawn's hair. She heard soft cries came from her sister and couldn't help it to almost cry herself.

It didn't take long before Dawn was a sleep again. Faith kissed Dawn on the forehead and smiled. "You ok B?" Buffy nodded and Faith leaned towards her and gave her a kiss. "I'm going to get something to eat. I know this isn't a real comfortable position, but try to get some sleep."

"Yeah I will, thanx" Buffy whispered back, "Faith, could you tell the others about what's going to happen?" Faith nodded and closed the curtains in the room, she turned around and smiled at the two sisters. Faith opened the door and walked out to tell the others the news about Dawn.

*****

When Faith walked in the waiting room she saw Xander was back from his little investigation trip. She asked him what he knew about the hide out. "Near the river, in a cave." Xander answered, "Faith, I know what your thinking. But you can't take them down alone, you need Buffy."

"No I don't, I can take them alone."

"No you can't, you couldn't do it the first time so don't try it again without help."

"He's right."

"What do you mean Willow?" Faith asked.

"The first time they almost killed you. You survived because of the fast healing powers a slayer has, but the second time it won't work that fast. It could probably even kill you."

Faith was getting angry at her friends, she knew she couldn't take the demons alone. But she had to try, they almost killed Dawn. And it was hurting Buffy, she couldn't see Buffy hurting. "Ok, your right."

"Good, `cause we're almost ready with the spell."

"Done." They all turned to Tara who was coming out of a small room.

"Good" Willow replied to her lover, "I'll get Buffy."

Willow walked to Dawn's room and saw Buffy was sleeping, reluctantly she woke her up and told her they were finished with the spell. Willow held Dawn up so Buffy could get out of the bed, together they put Dawn back on the bed. Buffy kissed her sister on her cheek and walked with Willow to the others.

"It's time" Tara said.

"I know."

*****

<<20 minutes later, Kaltaka hide out>>

"There's Spike. What are they doing?" Faith whispered to Buffy.

"They're doing some kind of ritual, you know what it is Willow?"

"Trying to kill a slayer with the blood of a vampire." Everyone looked at Tara who spoke before Willow could say anything.

"What do you mean?" Willow asked her lover.

"I knew it when Spike told us the things he supposedly kept behind." Tara replied, "They're not after witches, they're after the slayer, after Buffy. They don't even know there's another slayer here. Witches are the only thing that can stop them and that's why they tried to kill us."

"And you couldn't tell us that before?" Faith asked.

"I'm sorry, it's complicated. They played a game with all of us. The only thing I don't get is why they stabbed Dawn. I know they thought she was the slayer but… of course that's it!"

"What is?" Buffy asked her.

"O wait I know this one" Willow said, "They need the blood of the slayer and a vampire to destroy her."

"You got it Willow, except there's one thing."

"What Tara?"

"They got Dawn's blood, the ritual will kill Dawn and only hurt Buffy, they have the same blood, but it came directly from Dawn."

Buffy looked at Faith, "I can't let that happen."

"I know." Faith looked at Buffy and kissed her.

Xander looked at the two with a surprised look on his face, "Why do all the exiting things happen when I'm away?" He got a light smile from both slayers and sighed.

"Willow, Tara. Begin the spell, me and Faith are going to slow theirs down a bit."

Both nodded and set everything up, after it was set up Faith grabbed Buffy's hand and they jumped down in the cave. "Hey! Guess who." Mexk and the older one looked up and saw the two slayers standing on a rock. "Willow now!"

Tara and Willow began the incantation, that was the time for Anya, Giles and Xander to get down the cave and get Spike, who was still sitting on the same chair as at Buffy's house.

"Can I?" Mexk asked the older one.

"Go."

Mexk jumped towards Buffy and Faith, before he could hit him they both kicked him in the stomach and he went flying against the wall. The slayers ran towards the older one and tried to hit him, before they could Mexk was already in front of them again.

<<Meanwhile at Sunnydale Hospital>>

"Doctor, hurry."

"What is it?"

"The little girl, she's getting worse." The doctor ran towards Dawn's room and looked at her.

"Clear the O.R., Now!"

The doctor rolled the bed out of the room with two other nurses and went to the O.R. as fast as they could.

<<Back at the cave>>

Willow and Tara almost finished their spell and it was working, both Mexk and the older one were getting weaker and began loosing their demon form. "B, look out." Buffy ducked right in time or she would have gotten a direct hit from Mexk. Then Mexk suddenly started to scream and grabbed for his head. A few seconds after that he exploded.

"You can't get rid of me THAT easily!" The older one said.

"Yeah, we'll see about that."

*****

"Doctor we are losing her."

"No we're not, start CPR."

*****

"You are too late, if you don't kill me within the next minute, your sister will die."

"Trust me, I WILL kill you."

*****

"She's gone doctor."

"No she's not, continue."

*****

Buffy hit the older one in the face, but grabbed her hand in pain. He grabbed her by the throat and pulled her up. Faith saw what happened and couldn't stand to see her love hurt like that. "Faith, get Buffy out of there." She looked back and saw Willow standing up. Faith ran towards the demon and hit it in the stomach, she hit him so hard he loosened his grip on Buffy.

Xander, Giles and Anya cut Spike loose and climbed out of the cave.

*****

"Call the time of death."

*****

Faith got Buffy out just in time before the older one exploded.

*****

"Wait" one of the nurses said. She felt the young girl pulse and sighed. "We've got a pulse."

*****

"How did you do that?" Xander asked Willow.

"Tara had the idea of mixing the elements and that's why they er, kinda exploded" she said smiling.

They all looked behind them when they heard two people moaning. Buffy and Faith were climbing out of the cave, "Could anyone gives us a help here?"

"Sure Buff, right away" Xander said as he took Buffy's hand. Giles took Faith's hand and pulled her up.

"Well, that was exiting."

"Shut up Spike! You guys ok?" Willow asked.

"Yeah we're… Dawn! We need to get to the hospital."

Everybody took their stuff and ran towards their cars and raced to the hospital. Buffy felt like she wasn't getting there fast enough and started running faster. As she turned around the corner she almost slipped. She couldn't care less, as long as her sister was safe. She opened the door to her sister's room and looked inside, but Dawn wasn't there. Buffy turns around and sees the rest of the gang standing. She has a desperate look in her eyes, "Where is she?"

"I'm sure she's fine" Giles tries to calm her.

"If she is fine she should be here in the room!"

"Buffy…"

"No Willow, where is she, where is my sister?" Willow goes to her and tries to calm her down. Buffy can't take it anymore and starts crying, Willow grabs hold of her and the slayer breaks down. They both sit on the floor and Willow holds her best friend. She can't stand to see her like that, "Faith, find out where Dawn is."

"Sure." Faith turns around and to everybody's surprise Dawn is standing in the door opening.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

Buffy looks up and sees her sister, she stands up from the floor and hugged her with the tears still coming from her eyes, "I thought I lost you." Dawn wraps her arms around her sister and held her tightly.

"I'm still here."

After a few seconds they let each other go, Buffy looks at her sister and wonders what she is even doing out of bed. "Why aren't you in bed?"

"That's the strangest thing, the doctors told me just now that I was hanging on to life a few minutes earlier and that I even died and suddenly just got a pulse again and opened my eyes and walked of the table like nothing was wrong."

"How?" Buffy asked her sister.

"Er I, We kinda had to do with that."

"What do you mean Tara?"

"Well… we, Me and Willow, kinda also undid what the demons did to your sister when they got destroyed." Tara said, "It was kinda risky, but it was worth the chance."

"Risky as in how risky?"

"Well, there was a slight chance that…"

"…we could get killed" Willow said finishing her lover's sentence.

"Why did you…"

"She's kinda our little sister to you know."

Buffy looked at Willow and smiled, "I know."

"Buffy, you only have to sign the release papers and then we can go home."

"Ok, let's go do that then."

*****

<<Summers Home, 1 Week later>>

Everything had returned to normal for the gang. Except for a few things, Spike had moved out of Sunnydale to Los Angeles and for some reason Xander followed him there along with Anya. Other then that everything was back to normal.

Buffy and Dawn had actually got the blood stains out of the couch. Faith permanently moved in the Summers home, Tara and Willow moved out of their dorm and into an apartment and Giles' business at the Magic Box was better then ever. The only thing they needed to be afraid of now was Buffy and Dawn's mother Joyce, who would be returning this week.

"So who's up for a game?"

"Me!" Dawn didn't know how fast she could get out of the kitchen when she heard Faith say that, the two slayers could only laugh about it. Their fun was interrupted when they heard a door opening.

"I'm home."

"Hi Mom!" the two sister's replied.

"What's been going on here?"

"Nothing" Buffy replied.

"Nothing" Dawn said following her sister to the door. Faith silently followed the two sisters to the door, she wasn't to sure how to act.

"Good, so you didn't do any bad…" Joyce looked up and saw Faith standing behind Buffy, "… things."

...continued in Inner Demons...