Finding Faith Part 4

I found myself wrapped in a towel, sitting on the side of the tub, being stared at by two women who were waiting for some kind of sign.

"Is the water ready?" I asked.

Kate leaned over me to test the water; giving me a view of her breasts. She was so close to me that I could smell her scent radiating from her neck. I could feel and hear her blood pulsing; it was as if she were calling me to her.

I reached out and pulled her into me, pressing my mouth into her neck. I pulled her tighter, sucking harder.

She gasped!

I heard Buffy in the background.

"Oh my God! Faith, No!"

Buffy pulled me away from Kate. The horror on her face said it all.

"What are you doing?"

"I don't know," was all I could manage.

I looked at Kate. "I'm sorry." I reached out and turned her head to see how much damage I had done. What I found was a hickey! I half smiled. Kate got up and went to the mirror. She turned around and looked at me in disbelief.

Buffy noticed the exchange and decided it was time to see for herself. Only, she wasn't embarrassed, she was pissed!

"What are you thinking? Do you want her or something?"

I didn't dare speak, or look at her. I just sat there looking at the floor; I was doing that a lot lately and it only angered her more.

"Fine, I hope it makes you sick!"

She turned and left. Kate went after her.

"Buffy, why are you acting like this? You know she's sick!"

Buffy looked away from Kate's eyes. " I know, she didn't know what she was doing. I just.....it freaked me out, ok?"

Kate nodded, "Yeah, me too."

I was still sitting on the side of the tub when Kate came back in.

"She ok?" I asked.

"She's five by five," Kate said, giving me a smile. I just smiled back at the blonde.

Kate looked down at me and blew out a heavy breath.

"Ok, times up." She said.

I looked up at her. She smiled and blushed a bright pink.

"Get in!" she laughed.

"Oh!" I was turning red now!

I lowered my towel and eased into the warm water. It felt great! Kate sat on the side of the tub.

"Lets get your hair wet."

She helped me sink under the water and brought me back up. She lathered up my hair. It was the best shampoo I'd ever had! When she finished rinsing my hair, she moved behind me, washing my back and cleaning my wound. I heard her start to laugh.

"Your gonna have to help! I'm not going to do it all!"

What could I say to that? I just had to give her one of my ‘eat shit’ looks.

It took me awhile but I managed to clean myself pretty thoroughly. I sighed with satisfaction and leaned back against the tub. Kate was sitting off to the side, reading something or other.

"Kate."

"Yeah?"

"What did you tell them at work?"

She put her magazine down. "That something came after you, assisted by some of the cops in the unit. They tried to kill you, I got in their way and we escaped together. Now you're in a safe house, protected by me."

"Kate."

"Yeah?"

"Run me some more hot water."

Kate got up and began filling the tub with hot water. She looked at me lying there, taking in all my nakedness.

"You really are beautiful!"

I opened my eyes and tried to act modest by covering myself with my arms and hands.

"God, Kate! Quit looking at me so hard; you're giving me a complex!"

B must've heard me yell. She opened the door to the bathroom.

"Everything ok?"

We all exchanged glances back and forth from one another. "I need something to wear," I said. She produced a v-neck t- shirt and a pair of cotton boxers. I'm getting too predictable.

Kate took the opportunity to exit; leaving us alone in the bathroom. With me, being naked and B, well being her, my heart started to race.

"I'm sorry about earlier," she said.

She opened up a towel. I got up and she wrapped the towel, along with her arms, around me. I could've done it but I let her dry me off. I let her dress me also. What can I say, I'm evil!

I felt good. Clean clothes, clean body, wrapped up in B's arms. Only one thing would make it perfect.

I drew back, looked in her eyes and gently leaned in, pressing my lips against hers.

It was as if time stood still, her heat surrounding me. I made my lips slowly brush away from hers.

Leaning back in, I touched her lips to mine, only this time I took in more, lingered longer and pulled my lips slowly, softly away from hers, causing friction. I backed away, giving her time to evaluate what just happened.

I was feeling better: A hell of a lot better! You could still see the disbelief on B's face as we left

The small room.

Kate was putting fresh sheets on the bed and B practically ran to help her. I looked at both women. Two women, so different, yet I needed them both. They were the two sides to my coin.

A realization hit me. If these demons don't kill me; these women probably will!"

I chuckled to myself.

"But what a way to go!"

A couple of days passed. I was still on my kick of eating those tabs, chased by holy water.

I was strong again.

I was cleansing my body from the inside out, I knew my new eating habits was going to be a lifetime practice. It was just part of me now. Funny, how it sustains me. Everyone thinks I'm losing my mind, again; but there is a method to my madness.

Angel found the church I was looking for. We're going there tonight. There wasn't any information on Rynn Larkin, but I knew I was on the right path and this time I was gonna go the distance.

Kate had been right. When you go it alone, you're in the dark! And I had people in my life now, people that I wanted to keep around.

I haven't seen much or Cordelia or Wesley. I can't blame them though. I heard Angel talking, seems that Cordelia's mind has been on overload with me around, Poor thing.

Kate brought me some clothes. Black athletic pants with white stripes down the sides, a white tank and a red athletic jacket. Oh yeah, and a pair of black stomping boots. She reads people pretty well.

I noticed that Angel has been keeping some distance between us lately. I wonder if he can sense anything.

The moving pictures come now whether awake or asleep. I think the only reason I seem more calm and focused is that I'm trying to put them together and make some sense out of all this.

Nightfall came. I heard everyone moving about upstairs. I got dressed quickly, grabbed some water, a handful of munchies and ran upstairs.

The trip seemed like an eternity and the silence was maddening. I looked at everybody, what a bunch of misfits we are.

Rain started to fall gently. The sound of it hitting the roof of the car was comforting. I looked at B sitting across from her ex lover, he ran deep in her, no doubt about it.

Kate must've read my mind; she touched my hand. I adjusted my hand to hers lacing our fingers together. She moved closer.

"It's going to be ok," she whispered.

I squeezed her hand. We were close now, real close. I could see the faint lights of the church. I rolled the window down a little; I needed some air.

Angel parked the car in the drive. I just sat there while everyone else got out. Finally, I collected myself and stepped out into the rain.

Angel, Buffy and Kate headed up to the church; but not me, I looked around and went into the graveyard. They all stopped and watched me go off into a different direction, but they didn't follow.

I went right to the headstone in my dreams. It read. Rynn Larkin. Beloved daughter and mother. Champion of all.

I fell to my knees crying. I didn't know if this was my mother or not, but just in case.

When I was all cried out; I got up and joined the others at the entrance of the church. Angel was reluctant to go in, but I wasn't going in without him. He gave in. I pushed both doors open and walked in like I owned the place.

A young priest came over.

"May I help you?"

I looked at this young boy. "Yeah I'm here to see Father Davis."

He looked confused. "Father Davis doesn't see anyone anymore, I'm the acting priest."

I didn't back down. "Get Father Davis! He'll see me, tell him Faith is here. Rynn Larkin sent me."

We were led into the rectory. Shortly, a very old priest arrived. I looked at him.

"Father Davis?"

He came directly to me. "Oh my, I thought you'd never come, you look just like her!"

"Who?" I asked.

"Your mother." He patted my shoulder. "I can't tell you about her, you have to remember on your own. "

I just looked into his eyes.

" I have your things. Come with me." He said.

I followed him up to the attic. There was a wooden trunk hidden under the floorboards. I freed it and held it like it was a piece of gold.

"There's a cleaning down the path, you'll be able to open it there." He said.

I was on my way out when he grabbed my arm and gave me a bag full of those tabs, he blessed them and me.

I was out the door before I knew it, leaving everyone behind. I found the clearing easily. It was as if I had been there hundreds of times. I walked to the center, kneeled and opened the wooden trunk.

I took out the first thing that caught my attention. A letter; I opened it and read.