Now it was nearly eleven o'clock. He entered the hospital's emergency room and was about to approach the desk when Buffy appeared out of nowhere, and threw herself into his arms, crying and talking in a language that he couldn't understand. The only words he could pick out were "Xander" and "my fault." He patted her comfortingly, and tried to soothe her. "Buffy, I can't understand what you're blubbering. You need to get a hold of yourself and take some deep breaths." For the next few moments he coached her breathing and waited for her to calm down. "Okay, let's sit down and you can tell me what happened."

He looked around for some chairs and spotted the waiting area down the hall. He guided her to it, seeing Oz and Cordelia already there. Oz had a gauze bandage on the left side of his head and was getting the beginnings of a black eye. But what really caught Giles' eyes were the two pierce marks on the boy's neck.

"Are you two all right?" he asked cautiously, stretching out his hand and examining Oz's neck wounds more carefully.

Cordelia choked a little as new tears began to stream down her cheeks. She wanted to say that she would never be all right again. Xander, her crazy, stupid, annoying and lovable Xander was gone, missing, maybe dead. And she never told him that she loved him. He knew she was trying to be a better person, he knew she cared enough for him to declare that they were a couple to the public, but he never knew that she LOVED him. The thought broke her heart. Oh God, if you just let us save Xander tonight, I swear I'll tell him how I feel. I'll be a better person. I'll be nicer to everybody, even losers. And I'll never ask for anything again. Please God… Giles was still looking at her, concerned. What was it he asked? Oh, if I'm all right. Well, physically, I guess. She nodded at Giles after recalling his question.

Oz also nodded once in affirmation to Giles' question. "Good." Giles said. "Where's Willow? And where's Xander?" At the sound of Xander's name, Cordelia let out a small moan. Oh dear, he thought, sitting down. This is definitely bad.

"Willow's in a room over there," Buffy answered, vaguely waving in a direction down the hall. "She woke up right after we got here, but she's got a great big bump on her head…. They're going to keep her here overnight - just to be safe." And if I'd killed Angel before this, she'd be sitting at the Bronze with Oz. Not all bruised and battered. Buffy fought back new tears and looked to the ceiling to regain her composure. "Has anyone called her parents?" Giles continued.

"Yeah," Oz answered. "They're with her now. We told them it was a mugging."

"I see. Now I need someone to explain to me what happened. Where is Xander? " He then sat there for the next few minutes and listened as they took turns telling what they had seen. Cordelia tearfully told of her near-abduction. He paled through Oz's description of the actual encounter with Angel and had to fight back tears when Oz spoke of Xander's fate. He had to be strong for his kids. He felt the stunning emotion as he finally realized that he regarded them as if they were children of his own. They needed someone who wouldn't fall apart. And he would be that someone if it were the last thing he did on this earth.

"And then the police finally left and told me I could call you..." Buffy trailed off. She'd spoken so softly, and Giles could tell that she felt responsible for the night's events. He would have to have a long talk with her when all this was over and explain that no one can predict the future. Not even the Slayer or her Watcher. There were no prophecies for living your life. Buffy sniffled. He offered her a tissue from his pocket. He patted Buffy's shoulder as she blew her nose and then removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"So... Um…Oz....Are you absolutely certain that Angel actually…actually k-killed Xander? Were you um, able to get close enough to feel a pulse?"

"Uh no. Angel told me he did. And Xander was kind of a grayish color, and his eyes were closed, you know..." Oz trailed off uncertainly.

"And Angel took his ?…" Giles paused, unable to say the next word.

"Well, Xander wasn't there when Buffy got there," Oz supplied. Everyone sat in silence while Giles digested the possibilities. "Uh, if you guys don't need me for a few minutes, I'd like to check on Willow." Oz said.

"By all means," Giles murmured.

"I'll be back soon," Oz said shortly, moving out of the small waiting room and down the hall. They sat in silence for a few minutes while Giles considered their next action. Xander's life could be saved tonight if they found him in time. The Blood Token would slow Angel down, but it wouldn't stop him if his goal really was to convert Xander. Or, he thought grimly, it could already be too late and I would be leading Buffy into a fight with Angel that she might not be ready for. And may not win. He sighed.

"Giles?" Buffy said in a small voice. He turned to look at her. "We have to find them and see if Xander's really…" she trailed off.

"Yes. Yes, of course. We should start at the warehouse and then go by Angel's old apartment. He still has it leased and may have gone there to hide. We'll, uh, go to the library and get some ... uh ...supplies first." He tried to convey a sense of hope. Still, both Buffy and Cordelia looked ready to fold at any moment. "I'll just check on Willow quickly before we leave. Wait here."

He moved into the hallway and spotted Oz a little ways down the hall sitting on the floor outside a door. "Oz? Is Willow -- She's still awake?"

"Yeah." Oz mumbled, head in his hands. "Giles, she asked me about him. If he was okay. I didn't know what to say. I couldn't hurt her with the answer. I had to leave." His voice quivered on the verge of tears. "Her parents are sitting right there and it's not like I can just say 'Well, you see, we're going to try and save Xander from a blood-sucking fiend that wants to convert him, but we're not sure if he's already dead.'" He sighed heavily. "Her parents think that he ran for help when we were attacked by the 'muggers'. I just don't know what to say to her. She looks so fragile, Giles. So hurt." His eyes spilled over and tears drifted down his cheeks to his waiting arms, crossed on his knees.

"Do you want to come in with me?" Giles offered. "We can explain some of it to her."

"How? Here parents are right there, " Oz asked, standing and wiping the stray tears from his face.

"Come on." He pushed open the door to her room and entered it slowly.

Willow's appearance shocked Giles. One half of her face had the purple-yellowish tinge of a new bruise, but it was her eyes that shocked him most. She was desperately trying to remain calm. He could see her fight for control as she saw Oz again. Obviously his hasty exit to her question had left her with the worst assumption. Her parents seemed to think that she was concerned with Xander's apparent disappearance after the attack. But Willow knew there were far worse things in Sunnydale than being mugged. And Angelus was one of them. She was terrified.

Giles set about getting her parents out of the room. It took less time than he expected to convince the Rosenbergs that they really needed some coffee and air, but they had been so relieved with the news that Willow was going to be fine that they felt comfortable in leaving her alone with the librarian and Oz.

"We'll be just down the hall, sweetie," her mother assured as they left.

Willow barely waited for the door to close before she tried to sit up. "What happened to Xander?" she demanded. "I'm his best and oldest friend. If something happened, you can't just leave me in the dark. I HAVE to know!"

"Well, uh, Willow, from what I have been told," Giles began. "Angel has taken him. He was definitely unconscious when Oz last saw him, and his condition may be even worse." Oz moved closer to Willow's bed and grasped her hand as she stared at Giles with sadness.

"Angel said he was going to make him into a vampire. If Xander's drained and already dead, the job's half done," she said, surprising them all with her bluntness. "We CANNOT let the rest of the transformation happen." She would save her best friend. Xander needed her. He depended on her. And she was going to come through for him. Their friendship was still the most powerful feeling in her life. She wasn't going to let Angel take that away from her. She was about to bring her feet to the floor when Giles laid his hand on her shoulder.

"But it's the Blood Token." Giles interjected.

"The what?"

"Today is the Blood Token. There is one day per seasonal equinox where vampires have to perform a ceremony to convert a human into a vampire. It has to do with a deal between the Master and the Old Ones. The ritual would take an hour. No vampire is willing to risk the time. It would be too easy to get caught. And Angel knows that Buffy will come after him as soon as she can. I told you about this last year, don't you recall?"

She didn't recall, but she wasn't going to admit that now. "Who exactly are the Old Ones?" Willow asked.

"I'm not really certain. The passage in my book was very obscure. But other Watchers have faithfully chronicled that every three months there is one day where vampires cannot taint blood without performing a ceremony first. That day is called the Blood Token and it's today. Angel will most likely try to hide until tomorrow night, when the transformation can be done without the ritual."

"Not good enough Giles. Xander's life is in danger even if Angel doesn't convert him." Willow again made a motion to put her feet on the floor.

"Willow, you have to stay here. The rest of us are going to find them and stop Angel, but you're in no shape to come along. And your parents…" Giles trailed off as he saw the tears form in her eyes.

"Xander needs me," she pleaded softly. "My head doesn't hurt that much, and saving Xander is so much more important than a stupid bump on my head. Giles, please. I have to go."

"No," he said firmly. "The hospital won't allow it. I can't allow it. Willow, Buffy is a wreck. I'm not certain she could handle being worried about both you and Xander at once right now. And in your condition, she would be worried about you every step of the way. The best way for us to save Xander is without you." She lay back in the bed, resignation settling in as she began to cry. She HAD to find a way. "Well, then you have to promise to call me and tell me what's happened to him as soon as you find out," she looked at both Oz and Giles, making her point with her eyes that they would be very sorry if they didn't promise. Of course, I might find him first, she added silently in her pounding head. She had to try. Her life and Xander's had been so intertwined for so long that she couldn't even begin to conceive what life without him would be like. She loved him so much. Oh, not like she used to love him, although a little of those feelings were still there. She supposed somewhere in her heart she would always love him that way. But she loved Oz now. When she closed her eyes at night, it was Oz kissing her, not Xander. Yet even she and Oz didn't have the special bond that she had with Xander. She KNEW him. She could read his expression instantly, could translate all his emotions as they crossed his face. She loved Xander from somewhere deep in her soul as one of the few people in her life that would always accept and love her in return. No conditions. She knew how precious that was. And she knew that Xander felt it too. They'd always been there for each other, protecting each other first from bullies and then from the creatures of the night. He wouldn't just lie in a hospital bed if I was in danger, she thought. I swear Xander; I'll find a way to save you.

"I promise Willow, you'll be the first person we talk to." Oz assured her. "You just stay here and get better. It's only until morning you know, then you can join us." Oz kissed her cheek softly. She heard them close the door.

"I know. I'm just afraid by morning it'll be too late," she whispered to herself. She began to formulate her own rescue plan.