I take a bite of my sandwich, my eyes never leaving my mom as I sit with her on her bed. I watch her take her first bite of her own, waiting for her reaction.
"Is it good?"
She smiles at me.
"It's fine Buffy..."
"Really?"
"Yes Buffy it's a sandwich."
"Okay, I was just worried. I never could get any of the recipes you taught me right."
"It's baloney with mustard honey, not turkey and stuffing."
"Okay..."
I take another bite.
"You know, you don't have to do absolutely everything around the house. I could help."
I put my sandwich down.
"Mom we talked about this, you're not completely healthy yet. We can't take the chance that something would happen."
She takes a deep breath and smiles.
"I know you're worried about me Buffy, and I appreciate it. But I'm not going to die, I'll be fine."
"We don't know that. Anything could happen to you, and not just health-wise. You could feel weak and knock something over. You could be seriously hurt that way."
"Knocking something over was a risk when I didn't have heart problems sweetie."
"Still, I like it better when you're up here, where almost nothing can hurt you. Except maybe the lamp, you know maybe we should get one of those ceiling lights so there's no danger there."
Mom puts her sandwich down and takes my hand gently.
"Buffy... it's just a lamp. It's not a demon. You don't need to stop it from hurting me."
I grip my mother's hand a little and take a deep breath.
"I know I'm just so worried about what the doctors are going to say tomorrow, I'm sorry."
"There's nothing to be sorry about Buffy, and there's nothing to worry about either. I've been taking the medication under your watchful eye just like the doctors asked, and I've been getting stronger every day. There's no reason to believe that they have anything but good news."
"I guess..."
"It's all gonna be okay honey."
"That's what I, thought... before..."
Dawn...
Mom pulls me to her and holds me close.
"Everything will be all right Buffy, I promise."
"I can't lose you too."
I bury my face in my mom's shoulder.
"You're not going to lose me."
"I've lost so much already."
"I know sweetie, I know."
She tenses up suddenly and immediately I let go.
"Mom?"
She grabs her side.
"Mom, are you all right?"
After a second she answers.
"Yes... I'm fine."
She doesn't seem fine.
I reach for the phone.
"I'm calling an ambulance."
Mom's hand grabs my wrist to stop me.
"It's all right Buffy. You just, hugged me a little too hard, that's all."
It's not all right.
"You need a doctor."
"Then it's a good thing I'm going to a hospital tomorrow for a check up isn't it? They can check me out then."
"Mom..."
"Look, Buffy..."
She takes an extra deep breath to show me she's okay, not that I believe it.
"Everything is fine, it can wait till tomorrow."
I just look at her silently for a minute.
"Okay... but I'm spending the night on the floor again."
"Buffy..."
"No, I'm sleeping here tonight. I'm going to be here if you need anything. And I'll make sure the doctors check anything and everything twice."
Mom gives me that sympathetic smile of hers.
"All right..."
I pick up my sandwich and take a bite. I keep my eyes on my mother as I start to chew.
I have to make sure the doctors make her better. She has to get better.
Faith's POV
I walk up the steps to the hotel and go inside, not really listening to the conversation Angel, Gunn and Cordy are having around me.
"I still don't understand what you were doing there Cordy."
"I told you, I had a vision and went to investigate."
"Yeah but that was a bad move going there on your own. You could've called us and let us know what was up."
I wave at Fred and Lorne behind the counter before jumping on the lobby couch and crashing out.
"If I hadn't gone there when I had my vision they would've left and ritually murdered that family and gotten even stronger."
"You could've called us, we were on our way anyway as part of the case."
"Well then maybe you should've waited around here till I had the vision."
My eyes drift toward the phones sitting on the front desk. I'm suddenly very interested in the conversation.
"Look, guys the important thing is that everything worked out."
I stand up and walk over to where Cordy is.
"Cordy is right."
She smiles at me.
"Thank you Faith."
"If she wants to go and get herself killed, I say we don't stop her."
Her smile disappears.
"But she's not dead so everything is fine. Let's not dwell on it okay?"
Angel, Gunn, Fred and Lorne are all quiet for a moment.
"Sure..."
"Okay..."
Cordy's smile returns at Angel and Gunn's acknowledgements.
"Thanks."
I kinda smile back as I go back to the couch and crash again. Cordy goes over to Fred and Lorne at the desk and my eyes slowly drift back to the phones near them.
"So... any clients while we were gone?"
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