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After coming in from an indeterminate time working on Antar and immediately performing an emergency healing on Illyria, a very tired Michael heads for the Bar. Slowly.

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And finds himself being supported by a Slayer, one arm around his waist.

"Am I carrying you, or would you rather I didn't?"

He turns his head to grin at her wryly.

"Think I'm okay to walk. Just... tired."

Faith raises her eyebrows at him.

"Is the story of how you got this tired reproductive in nature, or is it safe for me to ask?"

He pulls a face at her.

"I just got back. And there was a woman bleeding all over the floor. Over there." Pointing, though Illyria's gone.

"...what?"

Faith stops moving for a second, then hustles him to the bar.

"Who was she? What'd she look like? Was it somebody you knew?"

He shakes his head tiredly. "Didn't know her. She had blue hair. And some of her skin."

Faith jawdrops.

"...did she say anything? Probably along the line of 'foolish mortal'?"

"...yeah. She wanted us to leave her alone."

"That's Illyria. Huh."

Faith blinks. "She's from my world...sort of. I told you about my friend Fred, right? Illyria sort of killed her and took over her body, but not on purpose really. It's complicated. Anyway, she died, in my reality...guess she didn't, in hers."

"She came pretty close, from what I saw", Michael says grimly. "Maybe the difference's just that this Illyria found here."

"Maybe. God knows the place has saved my ass a few times," Faith says, a little grimly.

"And mine and Maria's at least once."

"Thankfully."

Faith smiles at him, a little wryly. "I'd pout if you died."

Michael laughs, a little. "You know I'd always come back here, though. If I could."

"I know."

She leans over and hugs him, kissing his cheek.

"Cause if you didn't, we'd hunt you down."

"I know. Same for you." He hugs her back.

"Yeah, that's happened before, actually. The hunting me down."

It didn't go so well, but there's no reason to mention that.

"There, see?"

Faith nods.

And then ruffles his hair and pulls back, grinning tiredly at him.

"So you've been healing nearly-dead goddesses, and I haven't slept since Wash got here. Quite a pair, aren't we?"

Michael eyes her. "You haven't slept in... what is it, two days? How's he doing, anyway?"

Faith shrugs. "He's...better. Currently being babysat by a dinosaur. I'll sleep when he doesn't need me anymore."

"And when's that going to be?" Michael asks gently but pointedly. "Even you can't go without for too long."

Faith just smiles.

"I'll manage. I've gone a lot longer than a few days."

"Would you sleep if I offered to take over for awhile?" Michael asks, suspecting he knows the answer.

"...I would go to bed," Faith says, carefully. "Beyond that...I make no promises. But really, Michael...I've gone three weeks before, with less than 24 hours' worth of sleep, and Slayer dreams every time I closed my eyes. A few days is nothing."

"Okay", he concedes reluctantly.

"You, on the other hand, are plainly delicate and in need of a long nap."

She's quite a brat sometimes.

"I am not delicate", he protests. "I just... this is why I only heal people when it's an emergency."

"I know," Faith says, nodding. "I'm just fulfilling the sister role by giving you a hard time about it. Sorry."

Insert affectionate hair-ruffling here.

"You do look like you need a nap, though."

"...yeah, probably. Wasn't exactly fresh when I came in."

"So go," Faith says. "And I promise that I'll sleep soon myself."

He nods, with another rueful half-grin. "Call me if you need someone to stay with Wash."

"I will. No matter much I live in fear of you two making friends and ganging up on me," she says, teasingly. "G'night."

"You know that's gonna happen anyway, when he's back on his feet", Michael says with a more genuine grin, waving and pushing himself upright from leaning on the Bar.

"Yeah, but I'd rather put it off as long as possible. Much as I love you both."

Faith leans over and kisses his cheek again.

He gives her a quick hug, then turns towards the staff corridor.

"Night, Faith."

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