Lies & Deception.

The simple inscription on the headstones read: In our hearts as each others.

The dark clouds rolled in the sky threatening to open and drown the world. Raine stood between the graves, tears rolling down her face. The guilt eating her insides, consuming her, filling her with rage and hatred for herself.

She could have prevented this from happening, She could have told them not to go. They would still be here with her now if she had not been a coward. They gave her everything she wanted, showered her with their unconditional love.

The coward in her stopped her from telling them of the visions, dreams and nightmares that she had of the future. Her fear of their rejection, That they would hate her call her a freak, lock her away in a mental institution never to see them again. That's how she felt now, the days since they had been taken from her she may as well have been locked away never to see the light of day.

The vision she had of their death came nights before it happened, she had tried to stop them leaving, faking an illness, Hell she even ran away but Faith always knew where to find her. She grinned through the tears at the thought of her mother telling her they were bonded no matter where she ran or if she ever got lost she would always find her.

She sat on the ground between the two graves, a hand on each of them touching the cold earth. She knew the boxes below were empty she didn't care. This was the only way she could feel close to them. Their bodies never found left her clinging to the hope that they may still be alive somewhere trying to get home. Giles and Willow had persuaded her over the years that she needed closure and this would help her get on with her life.

It didn't

"I'm sorry, it's all my fault." She wept repeatedly.

Thunder rolled through the sky, cracks of lightening illuminating the graves. A cold shiver ran through her body as the static in the air around her built.

An icy cold hand touched her shoulder; she turned to see who was there, no one the place was deserted. Who in their right mind would be in a place like this if they didn't need to be? To her it felt like home. The cold hand again touched her only this time there was no sound to be heard from the weather.

"Don't cry baby." Lara whispered to her softly.

"Mother."

"Yes baby. We're here for you."

"I need you." Raine sobbed.

"We're always with you baby."

Faith took hold of her daughters hand "It's ok Gizmo, we're here, don't cry it's not you fault."

"But it is, I knew this would happen."

"You couldn't have stopped it baby. That's not how fate works."

"Hey now chin up, slayers don't cry, you need to be strong for us."

A single tear ran down her face, freezing in the icy cold air, Faith caught it on her finger.

"Here." Faith placed the frozen tear into Raine's hand.

"We have to go now we don't have much time here." Lara stroked her hair

"We love you, and we will see you soon. We promise." The voices trailed off.

The silence soon replaced by the clash of thunder and the downpour that followed.

Raine stared at the frozen teardrop in her hand; she wasn't insane or crazy. The rage inside her subsiding for now. She had visited the cemetery that day for a reason, she had felt Faith's presence with her more and more over the last few weeks. Now was the time for the truth to be told.

As she made her way home the rage grew inside her again anger, hate boiling inside of her. Giles and Willow had lied to her about the accident, The day that took her parents away from her. Willow and Giles stood as guardian over her after the burial. Willow had taught her a little Wicca magic helping her to centre and focus her energies on something other than grief.

Giles sat in the library his face buried in old books as usual.

"So you looking for a way to bring them back?" Raine stood in the doorway trying to hold back the anger in her voice.

"Oh..Raine you startled me, am I doing what?"

"I said are you looking for a way to bring my parents back?"

"I don't know what you mean, they're dead Raine you know that." Giles stumbled over his words as he lied to her.

"No Giles they're not and I think its time you told me the truth." Raine slammed her fists down hard on the table.

Giles put the book down on the table and removed his glasses wiping them nervously "You're right. It's time you knew what happened, I think you should sit this may take some time."

Giles explained to her how they thought it would be easier for to get on with her life if she thought her parents dead. How months after their disappearance Willow had come to him, telling him that they were alive and that she was looking for a way to bring them back, and needed his help.

"Years ago Lara found a key which in turn held the answer to control time. Now I'm not sure of exact details but somehow when your mother used the key it created a tangent in the real time, now Willow and I have discovered recently that this tangent has been popping up around Lara in the form of a gateway, a erm.. Black hole if you will, which opens for a few seconds and then closes in on itself. We think this gateway somehow opened directly over Lara, Faith, and well.. Transported them to a parallel universe. Willow sensed Faith's slayer essence, which is why we began looking for them. I'm sorry we lied to you Raine and I have wanted to tell you the truth ever since we found out but I'm not sure yet whether we can bring them back." Giles looked at Raines puzzled face "Are you ok?"

"Yeah it's a lot to take in." Raines anger subsided as she listened to Giles talk. "I need to know more?"

"About what?"

"My parents, me, the dreams or more the nightmare that I have. You said something about slayer essence what is that?"

"I think we might need Willow here she can explain this a lot quicker than we have time for."

"Fine…WILLOW." Raine shouted

A shimmer of blue light brought Willow to the manor "Raine what's the emergency?" Willow looked at Giles then to Raine feeling the tension in the room between them.

"You told her" Willow knew what was to happen now would change Raines future.

"They did, they came to her in the cemetery today. It's time she knew everything." Giles said defending himself.

"You sure you're ready for this?" Willow turned to Raine.

"Yes I need to know."

"Ok. Take my hands I promise this won't hurt."

Raine stood infront of her taking hold of her hands. A heat flushed through her body, tingling through her fingers, travelling the length of her arms, across her shoulders and up her neck into her head. A flash in her mind caused her body to jolt; her eyes rolled in her head as images of slayers, demons, monsters and the vampires her legacy. Her mothers together fighting the evil that existed, and were real in this world. Their lives together after the last apocalypse, her birth. All of it lay out before her.

The images stopped her eyes refocused on willow "It's real." Her legs collapsed under her as she fainted.

Giles caught hold of her, laying her down on the sofa. "Is that supposed to happen?"

"Yes she'll be fine." Willow stroked the side of Raines face "she just needs to let her mind process all the information."

"Is there anything we can do for her?"

"Wait, and be here for her. Help her become everything she is destined for."

Giles looked puzzled, "You knew this was going to happen?"

"Yes.. It's fate. I cannot change what has happened but I can now guide her future for the greater good."