We've run out of options.

I get a few feet from the door and Faith closes it behind her as she follows me.

We went in there to try and push her too far, but I don't think we managed it. We thought if she confronted the truth about what's going on between Faith and I that Dawn would realize how wrong she was. That things weren't the way she thought they were, that she'd be able to look at herself and see that we were there to help.

I look over at Faith as she stands a few feet from me.

Instead Dawn saw what was right in front of her. Something that was right in front of both of us even if we didn't want to believe it. Things have changed between Faith and I. But we have more important things to focus on right now then any of that.

"What happened?"

Turning to the people I trust more than anything in the world, I take a deep breath.

"About what you would think."

Xander frowns at that.

"So, not good."

"We thought if we went in there together and showed her what's really going on, it might give her the shock she needed."

Faith adds to what I said.

"But it just made things worse."

There's only really one option left.

I turn to Angel.

"I think we have to go with the dangerous option."

Xander can't help but point out the obvious.

"But isn't that... you know, kinda dangerous?"

I smile at Xander but Faith answers before me.

"It's the only way to really deal. Dawn's so wrapped up in the plan she has that she can't see beyond her own plan."

This isn't going to end well, but it's the only way.

"Like Angel said, the only thing that might help is to let her try and get in her way."

Pike speaks up at this point.

"And what if it goes wrong? What if she triggers whatever she did to me and Wrath kills everyone?"

Okay, gotta be reassuring here.

"She won't."

Giles tries to be the voice of reason.

"Respectfully, we do not in fact know this to be the case. Pike is right to express concern."

Faith backs me up.

"It's a problem, but not a very big one."

Kennedy pushes back.

"Why not?"

Again, gotta be reassuring.

"Dawn doesn't want to kill all of us. She wants to save us. Whatever she's planning, it's probably not lethal to any of us."

Giles has to push back himself.

"That is hardly the most concerning outcome however."

Connor gives Giles some help.

"With her powers? She could rewrite all our lives. Make us believe things happened that didn't, or things that did, we could believe they didn't."

Kennedy adds to that.

"Or worse."

Faith and I look at each other for a moment before I speak.

"I know it's not the safest plan."

She backs me up.

"It's a risk, but this is Dawn."

My focus turns to Willow who locks eyes with me.

"We would do it for anyone else."

Almost instantly it occurs to my best friend why I'm looking at her. There's a long moment of silence before Willow speaks up.

"They're right guys. You all took a risk trying to save me when I fell apart after Tara. I tried to kill people and even tried to destroy the world. But Dawn was there to try and talk me down. Even though she knew how badly I could hurt her. I owe to her to try and help. We can't give up on her just because of what she might do."

No one says anything for a while, but eventually Connor speaks up.

"So how does this go?"

I put my focus back on Willow.

"You're going to have to go in there."

And hope that it all works out for the best.