Finding Faith Part 2

It felt like months had gone by. In reality it was about two weeks. I'm still in a county holding cell. No prison for me, yet.

Kate watches me closely. I can see her now, looking at me out of the corner of her eyes. I finally manage to lock eyes with her, so she comes on over. "A psychologist is going to come to talk with you." "When?" I reply. "When she does!" What a bitch, no wonder I like her. But I can't let her have the last word. Can I? "Well then, I guess it won't be long before I'm off to the peanut gallery."

Kate stared hard. "What are you going to say?" "The truth, that things really do go bump in the night and I'm the one that kills em." Kate became soft, almost sullen, something I'd never seen before.

"Faith, you can't tell them that. They'd never let you out, your just punishing yourself and hurting yourself is not gonna make it better." I just looked blankly so she continued. "Faith, I'm going to tell you something. About a year ago I was involved in a shoot out, bullets were flying all around me. I took a slug in the shoulder, my aim went wide and I shot someone who shouldn't have been there. I know what it feels like. I know the pain and the guilt."

She paused to see if I was able to comprehend.

Shit, let someone know you didn't finish high school and they think you're a product of incest or something! Kate abruptly cut off my thought pattern.

"The only difference between you and me was that I didn't try to go it alone." I just stared, what could I say, she had me pegged. "When you go it alone you're in the dark."

I nodded my head to agree as I looked over this blue eyed woman and I felt something that I thought was long since lost to me....trust. "Thanks Kate."

She just smiled. "You have a letter." Now I was shocked. I jumped up to take it "Who wrote me?" Kate laughed as she walked off. It was from Sunnydale. My heart began to race as I tore open the letter.

Couldn't believe my eyes, B wrote me! I skimmed over the letter. The usual, how are you, fine I hope. I've been thinking of you. I've been thinking of you, In what way? Still skimming, damn no clue. She's coming to visit. Now I'm scared. She's had time to think about what was said the last time we saw each other.

Energy, I had too much of it! I needed to talk. I went to the bars to see if Kate was still around. Fantastic! I called out. "Kate, Yo Kate!" She finally made her way over. "What do you need Faith?" Damn, was I that easy to pick? She saw right through my puzzlement. "I'm a cop it's my job."

I had to take a minute to shut my mouth, she has a way of leaving it hung open. "Kate, what happened to you when you had your accident?"

I could feel the look she was giving me, like I was up to something, but she wasn't going to leave me unsatisfied. "I went forward and admitted it. An investigation took place, I was suspended for a while. Finally, it was ruled accidental in the line of duty; I sat at a desk for months and had therapy."

I couldn't believe it! "That's all?"

She gave me one of those patented hard ass looks. "That's all!"

I looked down at the floor. "Kate, um, thanks for talking to me and not treating me like, well you know. The air grew cold, the ice queen has returned. "OK, Faith, What do you Really Want?" Damn she is good. Kate crossed her arms. "Give!" Laughing I replied "B's coming to visit again." "AND!" Kate responded. "And, well I'm scared. I don't know what I'm supposed to say or do to make things better. Sorry, just doesn't cut it. I'm in jail and it's still not good enough; Other than me dying, what does it take for people to let you move on?"

I heard her sigh. "It takes time, Faith."

She didn't understand. "But Kate, I don't think I have a lot of time left."

At the mention of that Kate went into super cop overdrive; and I was backtracking, Fast. "Hey, I'm not saying I'm gonna do something stupid, I'm just having these dreams and sometimes my dreams happen."

Kate didn't respond, she waited for me to continue.

I took a deep breath. "I feel like I'm finally in place, where somebody wanted me, that everything else leading up to my new residence was some distraction just to get me here. And now I'm here, the real game can begin."

She didn't believe me! "And what's the game, Faith?"

I looked her straight in the eyes. "That's just it. I don't know, but I've got to find out, and fast."

Kate's resolve softened. "Should I call Angel?" I sat on my bed. " I don't know let me sleep on it."

The sunlight flooded through my cell, blinking back the daylight, I rose up from my not so peaceful slumber.

I was greeted with a soft "hello." I looked trying to shield my eyes from the bright light. Nothing. "Who is it?" I asked. "You know." The voice replied. I felt myself enveloped in a soft embrace. I pushed myself back into the warmth and I felt the hold around me tighten.

"Be ready, it's coming." "Be ready for what?" I asked.

The soft embrace became a deathly grip. I felt my ribs cave from the pressure. I couldn't breathe.

Then I saw it. Greenish, yellow eyes, gray skin; I felt one set of claws dig in my side, while the other clawed hand grabbed my face, digging it's sharp nails into my flesh, pulling my head to the side. A mouthful of razors descended, ripping, pulling, devouring my neck and shoulder. Screaming I woke up.

"Hey, you all right in there?"

I looked at the cop, but looking at him made me shiver. The cop just smiled. I reached up and touched my neck, trying to rub the pain from my mind. I glanced back to where the cop stood only seconds before to find no one there.

I went to the sink to wash my face, still drying water from my face I slowly turned around.

"Faith" the voice called.

SHIT!

I bout jumped out of my skin. Removing the towel from my face I was relieved to find B standing there; worried look on.

"You ok?" she asked.

I couldn't resist. "five by five." I laughed. I had to, for old times sake, you know! I grinned up at her. Couldn't take it back now.

B just stood there rolling her eyes.

I walked over to the bars where she stood. She caught her breath.

"God Faith, what happened to your face?" In my puzzlement I managed a "huh?" She reached out and touched me through the bars, slowly caressing my face.

"Your face is scratched."

I couldn't speak. I felt my jaw hit the floor. I reached up and felt my face. I fell back against the wall, knees weak, finding it real hard to pull a descent breath. I slid down the wall, contacting hard with the floor. I got lost in my own mind, falling into God knows where. When I came to my senses, she was calling my name and shaking me.

She pulled my face toward her, looking directly into my eyes.

"What's going on?"

I felt a tear fall, I tried to pull away but I was caught in her eyes and touch. She coaxed me, soothed me and well I never could resist, not really.

Finding my voice barely audible I began.

"I've been having some dreams, I guess I scratched myself. It just feels strange, like it's real or something."

Buffy was trailing her hand from my face down to take my hand, once there she gave me the nod to carry on. I drew in a deep breath.

"I'm not sure, It's always the same, kind of. I'm safe, surrounded by warmth, I get warned, then tore apart and when I wake I feel all kinds of pain and it seems like the cops are changing."

Buffy's grip tightened, her thumb tracing blazing trails over my hand.

"Do you know why?"

I reached with my free hand and placed it over hers, she continued tracing my skin with her thumb. I shut my eyes feeling her touch, she shook my hand pulling me back from ecstasy.

"Faith, do you know why?"

Blushing, I faced her again. " I think it has something to do with who I am, who my parents were. It's like everything was wiped away and all that's left is I'm Faith, nothing more."

"There's always the theory that I was grown in a lab."

She got upset at my last comment. She tried to pull her hand from me but I wouldn't allow it. She looked at me. I continued.

"Something is going to happen and I'm a big part of it, everything else was just to keep you from seeing the goal." I let her hand go.

"Is there anything else?" she asked.

"Yeah, these cops, they're really freaking me out. One day they're normal and the next they're off, you know?"

B was speechless and so was I. Finally, she spoke up. " I'll get Angel and call Giles and"...I cut her off. "B, what can they do? I'm In Jail, this is my fight, mine alone." She stood up and became the knowing bitch I know and love. Looking down on me she sneered.

"And with what are you going to fight?"

I smiled, "I guess I'll have to fight with faith."

She sat back down on the floor hard. I loved this!

"Come on B, You know you gotta have faith!"

She smiled, good I broke the tension. She gave me a little punch, "Really Faith!"

She's so cute when she's annoyed.