A/N: Once again, I owe my beautiful banner to the very talented nmcil. Check out whedonworld.com for more of her stuff - in particular the new Buffy 12 years images. They're beautiful. Thank you nmcil!

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When Buffy heard the news from her mother, she didn’t know what to think – torn between relief and an increased worry; somehow, Dawn had ended up in the hospital. Only minutes after the call had come through, she was following her mother to the car and they were heading across town as fast as they dared.

They reached the hospital and both rushed inside to the reception, her mother frantically asking for Dawn. A nurse quickly came to them and led them along a long corridor to a small room at one end of it. They went inside and found Dawn lying in a large bed, hooked up to a number of monitors and drips. She was unconscious but the nurse said she should be coming round soon and left them a moment later. Buffy stood at her sister’s bedside and brushed a hand over her face as Joyce clasped her youngest daughter’s hand tightly.

“Oh, what happened to you, my baby?” Joyce whispered.

Buffy could not ignore the bandage on Dawn’s neck and had a pretty good idea what type of wound would be underneath. After all, she had the remnants of three bites scarring her own neck.

“How did she get here?” her mother asked, turning to her with tired, worried eyes.

“I don’t know. I’ll try find out,” she said, bestowing a last caress over her sister’s cheek before withdrawing, “I’ll be back.”

Her mother nodded and with a final look at the sad tableau of mother and daughter, Buffy turned and left the room.



She found the same nurse again and asked her how Dawn had come to be in the hospital.

“A man brought her in. I haven’t seen him since.”

“A man? What did he look like?”

The nurse shrugged and Buffy frowned in frustration.

“I only remember his hair. Blonde. Very punky.”

Buffy’s eyes went wide as she turned her attention back to the nurse.

“Blonde?” she echoed.

“Almost white,” the nurse answered uncertainly.

“And you said you hadn’t seen him?”

“He disappeared.”

“Thank you,” she answered distractedly and the nurse went away.

She didn’t want to believe it, didn’t want all the little theories to start adding up in her mind. It couldn’t be what it seemed to be: Spike had said he would never hurt her sister and she so desperately wanted to believe him. But the truth was that her sister had been attacked by a vampire and Spike - a vampire - had brought her to the hospital. It was pretty incriminating. Yet, why would he bring her to the hospital, if he had been the one to hurt her? She couldn’t make sense of it – knew she would not be able to until she spoke to either Dawn or Spike - and it was making her head spin.



Needing a momentary escape, she quickly ducked her head into Dawn’s room, told her mother she was just going outside, and did so. The fresh air – instead of making her feel better – made her thoughts clearer, her worries all the more vivid. What if Spike had hurt her sister? She pushed her hair out of her face tiredly and rounded the side of the hospital, seeking out some peace and quiet. She had to round another part of the building before she felt alone – and within moments she realised she was not.

A huddled figure on the ground instantly drew her attention and when she recognised the bowed – blonde – head, she let out a little gasp.

“Spike!”

With apparent difficulty, he lifted his head and her mouth went wide in an O of surprise. A line of blood streaked down his forehead, obscuring one eye, and his clothes were covered in dirt and blood.

“How’s Dawn?” he got out softly.


All suspicion disappeared in an instant as she took in the state of him with wide eyes.

“She… she… God, Spike. What happened?”

She hurried to his side and crouched down next to him, expert eyes skimming over him, looking for any serious injuries.

“Drusilla,” he said, meeting her gaze for a brief second before lowering his gaze to his bloody hands, “Wanted to turn me back to my old self.”

“And Dawn?”

“A present,” he scoffed, coughing painfully a moment later.

She frowned, hesitated, and then laid a hand on his shoulder. He looked up sharply and she bit her lip nervously.

“Are you… are you hurt bad?”



His surprise at her question was evident and it took him a few long moments to answer.

“Just a few cuts and grazes. Maybe a few broken ribs.”

She frowned and looked him over, as if to ascertain that he was telling the truth.

“I want to help you.”

He was surprised again by her words – and so was she a little– and all he could do was stare at her.

“I want to check on Dawn,” she continued, looking away nervously, “But then I’ll… I’ll help you get home… if you want.”

He said nothing and she finally dared to meet his eyes, finding him watching her with awe. He almost instantly snapped out of it and bowed his head.

“You don’t have to. I’ll be fine. Worry about the Li’l Bit.”

“No, I… I want to help you.”

“Buffy, I –“

“Let me help,” she whispered softly, “Okay?”

His eyes widened a little at her tone but then he nodded slowly and with a tiny smile, she rose to her feet.

“Just wait here and I’ll be back in a minute, okay?”

He nodded again and she stood there for a few moments in awkward silence before walking away quickly.



When she entered her sister’s room once more, Dawn was awake and she looked up at Buffy’s entrance.

“Buffy!”

“God, Dawn! Are you okay?” she asked, rushing to her sister’s bedside.

“I’m okay. Really. But I have to tell you, Spike, he –“

“Saved your life?” Buffy interrupted.

“Yeah,” Dawn answered in surprise, “How did you…?”

“He’s outside. Looking like a mess. Told me about Drusilla.”

“I don’t know what happened,” Dawn said with a frown, “Buffy, Drusilla knows about me. That I’m… you know.”

Her eyes widened but she forced a calm nod in her mother’s direction.

“I’ll sort it. Don’t worry.”

There was a pause and she moved closer, reaching out to take her sister’s hand.

“I’ve got to go, but I’ll be back later, ‘kay?”

“Where are you going?” her mother asked in concern.

“I’m going to help Spike,” she said somewhat awkwardly, “He’s… hurt.”

Her mother’s eyes widened ever so slightly but she said nothing and nodded gently. Buffy turned back to her sister and squeezed her hand a little tighter.

“Now don’t go scaring me like that again, you hear?”

Dawn smiled weakly and Buffy forced a tight smile, releasing her sister’s hand.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” she reassured both and quickly left the room.