Codename: Lynx

Summary: Faith's adventures at the MassachusettsAcademy. (Sequel to Things to do in Boston when You're Supposed to be Dead and occurring roughly a month following)

Disclaimer: Still don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or X-Men, they're still property of Joss and Marvel respectively… Anyone feel like helping with a Kickstarter for a buy-out and joint ownership? No? Damn, well enjoy.

Chapter One: Exodus, Part One

Faith Lehane had been mostly silent in the passenger seat of her cousin James Foley's truck as he'd driven them to the cemetery. It was the last day that the former slayer would be in Boston until at least Christmas and Faith had wanted to say goodbye to Diana before she departed.

It had been twenty-eight days since the sixteen year old had killed Kakistos on the roof of the warehouse that he had made his home and the subsequent burning down of said warehouse along with five other surrounding structures due to the fire that James had started to cause a distraction. Thankfully and to the immense relief of both of the cousins from South Boston, there had been no human casualties aside from those unlucky souls that had already passed on into the next world.

It was about a week following the battle that the Boston police had discovered a hidden basement beneath the shell of the warehouse, containing a couple dozen bodies in varying states of decay, and among them had been the body of Diana Dormer, Faith's late watcher and one of Kakistos countless victims.

Faith hadn't gone to the funeral.

It wasn't that she'd not cared or wanted to, but as she was no longer a slayer thanks to the entity known to her as Whistler, and it was likely that there would be other council operatives in attendance, she figured that it'd be best for all involved if she didn't re-open the doors to her old 'destiny'. Plus, she really didn't want to deal with any of them and felt it best to let them believe she had perished in the blaze. The existence of the third slayer would help with that.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" James asks her as he pulls to a stop on the narrow road that passed by where Diana's burial plot was, and fixes his younger cousin with a concerned look.

"Yeah, it's something I need to do before I can really move on." Faith replies with a firm resolution to her tone and nods as she turns to face him. "She deserved better than she got, and after everything she did for me, it wouldn't be right to leave without saying goodbye."

James gives her a nod back as he turns off the truck. "I'll wait for as long as you need then."

"Thanks." She says with a small smile of gratitude to her cousin, before grabbing the single black rose from the dashboard and getting out of the passenger side to make her toward where Diana's plot was.

It only takes her a couple moments to locate the grave, and a single tear rolls down the side of her face as she sinks down into a crouch before the engraved stone, placing the rose atop it and running her hand down and then over the name carved into the stone.

"I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to save you." Faith whispers to the stone, her voice filled with sadness and self-blame for what had happened. Deep down she knew that there was little she really could have done, but it didn't make it any easier. James had called it Survivor's guilt, but then having been killed twice now, Faith hardly felt like a survivor. In her mind she was just a girl whose DNA refused to let her remain dead.

Shrugging out of her morose thoughts, she focuses her gaze back on Diana's headstone.

"I got him back though Di, he'll never be able to hurt anyone else again." She says as she wipes at her cheek to clear it of the solitary tear. "It was for you, all of it."

She pauses for a moment and emits a heavy sigh before continuing. "I wanted to come and see you before I.. Well, I've decided to leave Boston and it didn't seem right not to come and tell you first. I miss you, and hope that wherever you are now, you're happy. I won't forget all that you did for me, who knows where I'd be otherwise. Just thought yah should know.."

The former slayer looks like she wants to say more, but doesn't seem to have the right words for how she feels, so she opts to lean in close to the stone, and presses her lips against the cold marble for a light kiss before pulling back and rising to her feet.

"Goodbye Diana." She mumbles out and then turns and walks away from her old life as a slayer for what is likely to be the last time.

To Be Continued…

Note: Since it was asked almost a half dozen times in reviews for Things to do in Boston when You're supposed to be Dead, I figure I would clear it up once and for all. Faith is Sabretooth's daughter, and Wolverine's niece, though this will not be known to her for quite some time.

Thanks to Allen Pitt and Peanut Gallery from FFnet, and Traveller, MistOfRainbows, CrystalBlaze, Raxadian, Hecatonchires, JediKnight and MarcusRowland for their reviews of the epilogue of Things. An extra special thanks to Traveller as well for the post-fin Rec and much love to you all!