“B I’m bored,” Faith whined as she came to stand in front of her sister.

“What?” Buffy asked lifting her head from her hands.

“I’m bored can we take Mama home now?” Faith asked tugging on Buffy’s hands.

“Faith you know we have to wait until they’ve finished with the operation just, I don’t know play with your toys or something,” Buffy said her own weariness and worry about her mother causing her patience to run thin.

“But I played with them all already and I’m bored,” Faith whined pulling on the bottom of her shirt. Buffy reached forward absently and pulled Faith’s hands away from her shirt so it didn’t stretch.

“I’m sorry Faithy but you’re just gonna have to wait a bit longer until we know Mom’s okay,” Buffy sighed running a hand through her hair.

Watching from across the hospital waiting room Xander showed his watch to Willow as she asked what the time was once again. He could see the frustration rolling off the blonde Slayer in waves and he could tell it wasn’t directly related to the small girl jumping up and down restlessly in front of her but she definitely wasn’t helping. And it wasn’t the toddler’s fault either; it wasn’t natural for the kid to sit still for as long as she had been pretty well behaved so far. He got up out of his chair and walked across the room and plopped himself down next to Buffy.

“How’re you holding up?” he asked the blonde.

“It’s taking a long time,” Buffy said to him as Faith pulled on her arm again.

“I’d take it as a good sign if it was over quickly then it means they couldn’t do anything,” Xander said.

“You think?” Buffy said pulling her hand back and shooting Faith a glare as the young girl tried to pull her ring off.

“Call it Xander intuition,” he said smiling, “hey you want me to take her off your hands for awhile, keep her busy,” he said indicating Faith who was now going through the contents of Buffy’s purse.

“Please,” Buffy said gratefully as Xander swung Faith up onto his back the young girl giggling as she held on tight around his neck.

“I’ll try to tire her out,” Xander said leaning down and kissing Buffy on the forehead, “try not to worry,” he said before carrying Faith off down the hall.

It felt like days but it had only been three hours, three excruciatingly long hours where every tick of the clock sounded like the beeping off a heartbeat monitor and every silence in-between made her chest constrict with fear that something terrible had happened. Buffy wasn’t sure if she believed in God but at that moment she prayed to whoever it was up there that her mother would be alright. If she wasn’t the blonde would be faced with the prospect of raising Faith on her own and as much as she loved her sister it was something she couldn’t fathom at that moment.

“Are you hanging in there” Willow asked her friend as she and Tara came to sit next to her.

“It’s bad thoughts a plus in Buffy’s head tonight,” Buffy told her.

“Y-you have to stay positive,” Tara said placing a comforting hand on Buffy’s shoulder.

“I know, but I just keep thinking that something has gone wrong and then that leads to bad thoughts about me not being able to cope without Mom and well you get the drift,” Buffy said.

“She’s going to be fine a-and if she’s not which she will be you won’t be alone,” Willow said trying to reassure her friend.

Buffy tried to respond with a smile but she knew it would come off fake as it was she was trying hard not to cry her friend’s words about being alone hitting her like a kick to the stomach.

“I just can’t stand all this waiting,” Buffy said standing up and running her hands through her hair, obviously frustrated.

“I’m sure it won’t be much longer,” Giles came to stand next to his Slayer his hand placed supportively on her back.

“I just wish they would tell us something,” Buffy sighed as she flopped back into her chair and leaning her head back against the wall.

The warm weight that was deposited on her lap made Buffy open her eyes from the daydream she had been concentrating on to stop herself from worrying.

“One worn out toddler madam,” Xander smirked as he stood in front of her after depositing a weary looking Faith on her lap. The young girl’s face was flushed and she was brushing sweaty strands of hair out of her face.

“We played on the playground outside and then Xander bet me five bucks that I couldn’t run around it a hundred times,” Faith said proudly holding her prize out for her sister to see.

“One hundred times,” Buffy looked at her friend incredulously.

“What. I said I would tire her out so she wasn’t all bouncy,” Xander said holding his hands up in defence.

“Yes well a hundred laps of the playground may have been a bit excessive,” Giles said handing Faith a cup of water he had gotten from the nurses’ station.

“S’ok Grandpa Giles I got money,” Faith said showing him the five dollar bill she held out.

“I suppose that makes up for it some,” Giles smiled at the young girl.

“Don’t go telling Anya I gave you money she will never let me hear the end of it,” Xander said flopping down onto the chair next to Willow.

“When Mama gets out of her oparation I’m gonna buy her a present with my money,” Faith told Buffy as she settled back against her sister.

“I think she’ll like that sweetheart,” Buffy said stroking her hand through Faith’s hair, “ew Faith your hair is all sweaty and gross,” she screwed up her face and wiped her hand on Faith’s shirt.

“It’s not my fault, Xander betted me and you can’t say no because then you look like a wuss,” Faith said handing her empty cup back to Giles.

“Xander also fed you dinner and gave you money so let’s not blame this all on him,” Xander said throwing a look her way.

“Did you say thank you to Xander for getting you dinner?” Buffy asked her sister.

“Ahuh and then the lady working got angry at him because he was making silly faces with the straws,” Faith giggled and Xander blushed.

“Thanks Xand,” Buffy said gratefully. She had forgotten that it was past dinner time, her worry for her mother keeping her usually large appetite in check.

“B is Mama’s oparation nearly finished?” Faith asked as Buffy stroked her hair again.

“Soon baby,” Buffy said telling herself as much as Faith that this was true. It was like magic because as soon as the words left her mouth she spotted Dr. Kriegel entering through the double doors at the end of the hall. Standing with Faith resting on her hip she walked quickly and met him halfway with the others trailing along behind her.

“Okay your mother is in recovery,” Dr. Kriegel said.

“What happened? I mean it took way longer than you said it would, is she okay?” Buffy asked.

“It was possible to visualize the tumor completely, which means I was able to get all of it. So, barring complications in recovery I think your mother's going to be fine. Of course we're still going to have to watch your mother carefully, and, uh, have her back in here for some follow-up testing, but, uh, overall I'd consider the procedure a complete success,” Dr. Kriegel said earning him a huge smile from Buffy who then proceeded to give Faith a kiss and swing her around in the air.

“Thank you so much doctor you have no idea, thank you so so so much,” Buffy said throwing her free arm around him and giving him a hug that had much more strength in it than a normal arm should have causing the doctor to give out a pained yelp.

“It’s my pleasure,” he wheezed placing a hand on his back.

“Did you make my Mama all better?” Faith asked him, looking around at all the smiling faces around her she thought it was good news but obviously hadn’t quite understood what the doctor had said.

“Yes Faith your mother’s surgery was quite successful,” Dr. Kriegel said smiling and ruffling the young girl’s hair. She scowled at him as she smoothed the messy curls back down and turned to whisper in Buffy’s ear, “Yeah but is she gonna be okay B?”

“Yeah Faithy she’s gonna be okay,” Buffy said smiling happily.

“Can we see her pleaaase,” Faith begged looking between the doctor and her sister.

“Your mother will be asleep for awhile but once the nurses have her situated you can go in and sit with her, I will get them to inform you when she is ready,” Dr. Kriegel said.

“Okay, thanks again doctor so much,” Buffy said shaking his hand warmly.

“Buffy that’s wonderful news,” Giles smiled at the two Summers girls placing a warm hand on both their shoulders.

“Yeah Buffy it’s fantastic,” Willow said giving her friend a hug.

Buffy couldn’t stop a few happy tears that fell from her eyes and couldn’t wipe the smile off of her face. All the worrying over the last couple of hours had been for nothing, her mother was alright, she wasn’t going to be alone after all.

The gang had left soon after they had found out the good news leaving only Buffy and Faith in the waiting room. It was long past Faith’s bed time and it was beginning to show, the toddler was irritable and wasn’t afraid of showing it despite Buffy pleading with her to keep it down.

“Just watch the TV over there Faithy we can’t go in yet they have to make sure she’s okay before we can go in,” Buffy tried to quiet the toddler who had been whining loudly.

“But the doctor already sayed she was okay and I wanna see her now,” Faith complained biting her lip to stop tears of frustration escaping her eyes.

“Baby I know you’re tired it’s been a long day of waiting but you just have to hang on a little longer and then we can go and see her okay,” Buffy wiped away the stray tears that had fallen.

“I’m not tired,” Faith said angrily hopping off Buffy’s lap and going to lie in front of the small television that was set up in the corner of the waiting room. Buffy sighed, it had been a long and emotional day she herself was tired and couldn’t wait to get home. She didn’t feel as bad leaving her mother now that she knew she was going to be alright. The strain of the last couple of days began to take its toll and Buffy found herself struggling to stay awake; trying to make sure she kept an eye on Faith at the same time as dragging her eyes open every time they sunk closed.

“Miss Summers,” she jumped at the kind voice of a nurse who had come to inform her they could go and see their mother, “you can go in and see her now. She’ll probably be a bit groggy from the anaesthetic so you won’t be able to stay too long. I can take you there now,” the nurse smiled kindly at her as she got up from her chair.

“Okay thanks I just have to grab my sister and then we can go, is she, I mean will Faith be scared when she sees her?” Buffy asked.

“She’s hooked up to a lot of machines and she has a bandage on her head but all those things are making sure she gets better so if you explain it that way it won’t be as scary,” the nurse said.

“Doesn’t matter anyway,” Buffy said absently as she bent to pick Faith from the floor who had passed out from exhaustion her thumb stuck firmly in her mouth. Once she had the toddler settled on her hip she nodded to the nurse that she was ready and followed her down the corridor towards the Intensive Care Unit.

“Here you go,” the nurse said as they stopped in front of a glass double door with large red letters reading ICU, “you can only stay for about ten minutes but hopefully tomorrow she will be moved back into a normal room and you can stay longer.”

“Okay thank you,” Buffy said smiling gratefully at the nurse as she held the door open.

Joyce wasn’t the only person in this ICU wing, there were four other beds in the room each holding someone who was hooked up to numerous monitors and tubes making Buffy glad that Faith wasn’t awake to see because it was definitely not a comforting picture. Her mother was in the bed at the very far side of the room and was blocked by a blue curtain that hung around the bed next to hers so Buffy paused to take a calming breath before walking to where Joyce lay. She was pale and her head was encased in a large white bandage almost looking like she had a towel on her head. Numerous wires and tubes were flowing from under her hospital gown and Buffy had to remind herself of the nurses’ earlier words about them all helping Joyce to get better and not take them as a bad sign.

There were two armchairs that were positioned next to Joyce’s bed and Buffy carefully situated Faith in one before sitting in the other and pulling it closer so she could take her mother’s hand. Joyce’s hand was limp in her own but the warmth that radiated from her skin reaffirmed in Buffy’s mind that everything was going to turn out alright. She was pulled from her thoughts when she felt Joyce weakly squeezing her hand and had to stop herself from throwing her arms around her mother and pulling her into a tight hug.

“Buffy,” Joyce said quietly her voice raspy from the tube that had been in her throat during the operation.

“Hey,” Buffy said smiling, “you’re looking good lady,” she teased.

“How did I go?” Joyce asked her.

“You were a superstar, Dr. Kriegel said that they were able to get all the tumour out,” Buffy told her mother.

“Knew you wouldn’t be able to get rid of me that easily,” Joyce smiled as the drugs she was on began to take effect and her eyes drifted shut.

“See you tomorrow,” Buffy said quietly leaning forward to place a gentle kiss on her mother’s cheek.

Buffy awoke the next morning to a hard poke to the middle of her forehead. She groaned as she looked at the clock and saw she had only gotten four hours sleep the night before. She looked around blearily looking for the source and saw Faith standing next to her bed with her arms crossed and an angry expression on her face. Buffy nearly laughed at the young girl’s expression but from the way Faith was standing that probably would have only made the toddler more annoyed.

“What’s the matter Faithy?” she asked as she sat up further in bed rubbing a hand over her eyes and through her hair.

“I’m angry at you,” Faith stated her eyebrows crinkling as she frowned at her sister.

“Why? What did I do?” Buffy asked thoroughly confused. Faith had slept the entire way home and hadn’t even woken when Buffy had changed her into her pyjamas and put her to bed, she couldn’t have possibly done anything in that time to upset her.

“You didn’t let me see Mama last night,” Faith glared at her.

“You fell asleep that wasn’t my fault,” Buffy said getting out of bed and heading towards the bathroom the toddler trailing along behind her.

“I wanted to see her as well you should have woked me up,” Faith said stopping in the doorway to the bathroom as Buffy washed her face.

“You were really tired,” Buffy stated drying her face off with a towel.

“No I wasn’t,” Faith stomped her foot and Buffy could tell that the beginnings of a tantrum were unfolding. Deciding it wasn’t worth the fight this morning she scooped the young girl up on the way past and carried her back towards Faith’s bedroom.

“Alright I’m sorry baby I should have woken you up but how about on the way to the hospital we stop off and get chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast?” Buffy said smiling when the mention of food immediately caused Faith’s frown to fly off her face and be replaced by excited eyes.

“Too easy,” she smirked as Faith jumped out of her arms and raced towards her closet to get changed.

Twenty minutes later she was watching Faith finish her fifth pancake with chocolate chips all over her face.

“Enjoying those?” she asked.

“They’re yummy,” Faith nodded, “B we should take some so Mama can have them,” Faith said.

“She would have already had her breakfast by the time we get there, but maybe another time,” Buffy said and Faith pouted.

“Come on let’s go pay the bill and then we can go and see Mom,” Buffy said wiping off Faith’s face and hands.

“Mama,” Faith yelled excitedly as she ran into the hospital room to see Joyce sitting up in bed, the tubes from yesterday removed. Buffy caught the toddler before she had a chance to jump up onto the bed and Faith scowled at her before slowing down and walking the rest of the way to the side of the bed.

“Hi honey,” Joyce said smiling at her daughter. Faith frowned for a second and then raced back over to where Buffy was still standing in the doorway content to let the two have their moment. The toddler pulled on Buffy’s hand so the blonde Slayer lent down to Faith’s level.

“B I wanna give Mama a hug but is it gonna hurt her?” she whispered into Buffy’s ear.

“Not if you be gentle,” Buffy said back.

“You gotta help me ‘cause I can’t reach,” Faith grabbed Buffy’s hand and pulled her over to the bed.

“At your service m’lady,” Buffy smirked, lifting Faith and depositing her gently onto the bed.

“I’m glad you’re head is better Mama,” Faith said giving her mother a hug which Joyce returned placing a kiss on the top of Faith’s head.

“I am too sweetheart and very happy to see you two this morning. What have you been up to? Have you been behaving for Buffy?” Joyce asked her.

“Uhuh I’ve been real good and B took me out to get chocolate chip pancakes this morning,” Faith told her.

“Wow your favourite you are a lucky girl, I’m jealous all I had was oatmeal,” Joyce pulled a face.

“That’s why I bought you one,” Faith said triumphantly pulling an extremely squashed pancake out of her front pocket. It looked more like a ball of mush as the toddler had pushed it in quickly so Buffy hadn’t seen it and crumbs went all over the bed and her clothes as she pulled it out.

“Faith! I told you not to take one,” Buffy admonished as she scooped the toddler off the bed and onto the floor bringing most of the crumbs with her.

“I know but it was so yummy I wanted Mama to have some of them,” Faith said still holding the remnants of the pancake in her hand.

“Faith, honey while it was a sweet gesture when Buffy tells you to do something you have to do what she says,” Joyce said.

“Sometimes B isn’t always right,” Faith pouted scowling at her sister.

“Maybe not but she was in charge of you and she’s only doing what she thought was best so you have to listen okay,” Joyce explained.

“Fine,” Faith said, “So do you want the pancake?” she asked holding the squished mound of dough out to her mother.

Some hours later Faith looked up from the floor where she had been sitting colouring in to find both her mother and sister fast asleep, Joyce from a mixture of the pain medication she was on and Buffy from her lack of sleep over the past couple of days. The toddler remembered that she hadn’t used the money she had won from Xander to buy her mother a present and pulled it from her back pocket where she had placed it for safe keeping. Deciding that she would go to the gift shop and back quickly she got off the floor and headed out the door trying to close it as quietly as she could.

The sound of the door closing woke Buffy and she looked up expecting to find a nurse who had been coming in every hour to check her mother’s vitals. Not seeing a nurse she looked to her mother who was still resting peacefully, her brow furrowing in confusion. Looking around she noticed Faith’s colouring in pencils and book strewn across the floor and her eyes widened when she realised that the young girl wasn’t in the room. Her heart raced and she had horrible flashbacks to when Faith had been taken by the Initiative. In her hurry to get out of her chair she knocked it over the noise of it hitting the floor waking her mother. Joyce who noticed the panicked expression on her daughters face placed a hand on her arm.

“Buffy honey, what’s wrong?” she asked.

“Faith’s missing.”