Authors Note: Yup, here it is. My first Buffy fic on this site. This is a review war with my girl friend's story under the same name. Please read both and review the one you like more! Thanks a bunch!

Disclaimer: Whedon Rules, I am nothing.

Prologue: A Nightmare begins

Steady beeps filled the room that Agent Riley Finn was standing in. he wasn't sure what was so special about the catatonic young woman in front of him but it also didn't matter. He was the top field agent of the secret government funded program called The Initiative. They told me to jump and it was his duty to ask how high. If they said to go wait for a catatonic young woman to wake up and then take her back to base…well, he did it. " I think she's waking up." Forrest, another agent and Riley's best friend, said while moving to fasten the restraints Dr. Walsh had told them to use.

Dark doe eyes began to flicker open. Pain and confusion clouded the orbs, Riley noticed how beautifully deep they were before, "Bag her up. Lets head home."

No one stopped the two agents disguised as janitors. The girl was still too weak to struggle and the mission was completed in under an hour. Riley and Forrest headed back to their rooms, neither one ever though that they had just destroyed a human being.

Faith's head was banging. White lights burned into her retinas even with her eyes closed. As soon as the pain asserted it's self the confusion set in. Flashes of a rooftop fight, blinding pain, black, oh! How complete the black had been, but she preferred it over the nightmares. Buffy, her B, came after her again and again with that cursed knife. Unable to stand the images in her head, Faith opened her eyes. Big mistake. For almost ten seconds she was completely blinded.

Cold, sterile walls began to come into focus. At first, Fath thought she was in the hospital but that thought was abandoned instantly. Faith was strapped to a stainless steel slab, surrounded by harsh medical lights. People dressed in lab coats could be seen just outside of the circle, clipboards in hand. "Uh." Faith tried to talk but her throat felt cracked.

A woman stepped into Faith's small, bright world. "Hello Faith Lehane. My name is Dr. Walsh and you are going to be my best experiment yet."

Fear grasped the helpless brunette's heart. Dr. Walsh soaked a cloth in water, forced the girl's mouth open, and dribbled in the water. It hurt slithering its way down Faith's trachea. Against her will, tears fogged her vision. "How very disappointing. I'd have expected a higher pain tolerance from a Slayer. You're in for a rough ride."

Footsteps echoed from above Faith's head. For the first time she tried to use more muscles than her eyelids to move. As she willed her neck muscles to turn, nothing happened. An intense shock landed on Faith's shoulder, banishing the confusion she had begun to focus on again. There was no pain as Faith was mercilessly thrown back into the black. "A very rough ride indeed." Dr. Walsh mused as she scribbled something onto her clipboard.

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Pain laced through Buffy's head. Her delicate hand slapped against her shoulder as she screamed. Willow, red hair askew, was at her best friends side the next second. Even as Faith's sickly face was fading from the blondes mind, she had tears running down her pale cheeks. " Buffy, please talk to me!" Willow finally screamed into Buffy's face.

High pitched Willow-fear always made Buffy focus. Usually because it meant that the other girl was in life threatening danger. This was different so Buffy took a few moments to gulp down air. She could still feel the pain but it was, thankfully, subsiding, but the fear rushing through her veins was still just as strong. "Wil, call Giles…No, call the hospital." Buffy gasped out.

Willow knew Buffy's don't-question-just-do tone well enough to not hesitate. It was obvious the Slayer was still shaken so the red head didn't even ask why she was calling the hospital. "Um, yea, I need to know how Faith Lehane is doing."

"No, but we share a guardian, Rupert Giles."

"5144."

"Thank you."

Now in control of her breathing, Buffy raised her eyebrow and Willow turned the red phone to speaker. Soft elevator music streamed through the microphone. "I'm sorry deary, there's been some sort of mix-up. Faith Lehane's been transferred to a hospital in Boston. Rupert Giles approved the move. The poor thing was terminal, such a beautiful girl. I remember her. Wish I had known her when she was alive." The elderly sounding lady rattled for a moment.

The two teens exchanged wary glances. "Thank you. Have a good night." Willow leaned forward to hang up the receiver.

Buffy picked it right back up and went to type in Giles's number but her hand was slapped away by Willow. "No, now you tell me what's up." She said, voice frozen steel.

Sighing, the blonde nodded. "I'm not sure but I saw really bright lights then I woke up in agony, Wil not just pain but agony, and Faith's face was already fading from my mind." Buffy tried to explain what had happened without seriously worrying her rather sensitive friend.

Even then, Willow's eyes were green plates set in ghost white skin. "W…We have t..to call Giles." The terrified girl stuttered out.

Buffy brushed dark red locks from Willow's cheek and let her hand rest on the slim shoulder. "Don't worry Wils. I won't let her hurt you," Buffy said with a grin, "I won't let her hurt anyone."

Still fearful eyes met strong hazel ones. "I'm sill scared."