AN: Thanks for reading and leaving reviews. I know that the first part was pretty short but this one is a little longer. I just wanted to get something out there. The next one will start to really get into the story. Thanks again.
"Faith."
I hear a soft voice call out my name but it seems so distant that it can't be real. Who knew that heaven was so dark? Don't people always talk about bright lights?
"Faith, can you hear me?"
There it is again, a lot louder, and closer this time. Almost as if on instinct, my eyes start to open. I'm finally met with bright light, the light of florescent bulbs. What the hell is this, wasn't I just killed? If heaven is a hospital, I'm going to be pissed.
I guess I spend too much time looking up at the ceiling confused because now there's a hand on mine, squeezing it. It hurts to turn my head much but I manage to do it and I'm met with the same blonde who saved me from the vamp.
"B," I try to say but ends up coming out more as a hoarse whisper.
"Ssh, don't try to talk. You lost a lot of blood. What the hell happened out there?" she asks me, still holding onto my hand.
I shrug my shoulders and find it funny that after telling me not to talk, she immediately asks me a question.
"He almost killed you, Faith. You better have a damn good reason for being out there after the hell you put me through the past two days."
Two days from a vamp bite? He really must have done a number on me. The thing is, though, I don't have a good reason for being in that cemetery. All I had to do was drop off this envelope from Angel and be on my way but I decided to take a detour and get in a quick patrol. See what happens when I try to do something good?
But then I realize what she had just said. I put her through hell? Here I was thinking I was in heaven, and she's sitting here in hell.
"Hell?" I whisper again.
"I didn't know whether you were going to live, die, or be in a coma for another eight months. I've just been sitting here not knowing. It's not a very fun place to be, Faith."
Neither one of us even flinch at the mention of the coma. I guess we've come a long way, which is funny, considering we haven't seen each other in over six months. She went to Cleveland to live on another Hellmouth and I went wherever the hell I wanted.
"Sorry," my voice sounds a little stronger this time. I guess because I want her to know that I never meant to put her through all this.
She finally releases my hand and runs it through her hair. After a deep sigh she looks back at me and smiles but I can tell she's tired. She must have been here the entire two days, making me feel even more guilty.
"I'm gonna go get a doctor. I'm pretty sure they won't let you leave today but maybe tomorrow and then we can figure out where you're going to stay."
Stay? She did know that this wasn't a long term deal, didn't she? Once I'm able to, I've just gotta explain to her what's up and give her the envelope.
She gives me one final smile before getting up and walking out of the room. My visit here was supposed to be simple. Take message to B and leave. Whatever the message is, it better be a damn good one.
It takes B less than five minutes to find a doc, and I wish it could have been longer. He's poking and prodding my wound like it wasn't the reason I've been knocked out for two straight days. It hurts like hell, which is weird, I thought I would have healed by now.
"How does that feel?" Another stupid question. Is this the kind of shit they teach you in med school?
"Like someone is poking two puncture wounds I received a couple days ago."
B snorts and rolls her eyes. I guess not even six months can make her forget my smart ass attitude.
"Right. Well, they seemed to have healed rather nicely, all things considered. You did lose a lot of blood so I can't, in good conscience, release you today. I'll have the nurses check on you throughout the rest of the day and come tomorrow, I'll see if you are well enough to go home."
He doesn't even wait for a response, probably knowing it wouldn't be a very kind one. What can I say? I really hate hospitals.
As he leaves the room, B makes her way over to the side of the bed again and takes a seat.
"Seems like your voice is a lot stronger. You couldn't have been a little nicer to him?"
"That wasn't nice?" I ask in mock seriousness.
"Considering it was coming from you, it was almost polite," I know that she's joking because she gives me that smile. The same smile I hate because I know that I love it.
Before I can come back with a quip of my own, I remember the envelope. It's in my jacket pocket that's across the room on the table. I guess she sees me looking in that direction and gets up to bring it to me. The six months apart really did do us some good, I didn't even have to ask.
She hands it to me without a word and sits back down. I just look at her and smile, hoping it will be thanks enough. It seems to do the trick because now she's giving me that smile again. I don't know when we turned into a bunch of smiling idiots, but I guess it's better than going around hitting each other.
I reach into the pocket, thankful that it's still there, pull the message out and hand it to her. She's looking a little confused so I guess explaining would be good.
"The reason I'm even here is to give you a message from Angel. He said it was urgent and that I was the only one that could deliver it."
She just nods and tears it open, pulling out a small piece of paper.
"We need to talk."
Shit. I don't think I've done anything wrong in the past few months, but what could be wrong to them could be perfectly fine to me. Now here I am, weak from the vamp bite, and she probably wants to kick my ass.
"Look, whatever it says, I'm sure I can explain. If you could just hold off on the hitting, that would be great."
"What?"
"The letter, give me a chance to explain," I tell her, but I already prepare myself for a blow.
"That's what it says, we need to talk," she looks at me like I've gone crazy.
"What the hell? That can't be it," I almost yell as I rip the paper from her hands. I look at it and flip it over, already knowing the back would be blank. "This can't be right, he said it was important."
I toss the note back at her and rummage through my pockets again. That can't be the right message, but then I realize how stupid I'm being. How many damn messages do I have to deliver? Just the one.
"Maybe it is. Maybe what he needs to talk to me about is important," I know she's trying to calm me down, but it's not working.
"Then pick up a damn phone if he wants to have a conversation. He sends me all the way out to this town to give you a piece of paper saying, 'We need to talk.' I almost got killed for that shit, B."
"I know, Faith. I'll call him right now and see what the deal is," Now her hand is back on mine, and that actually does calm me down a little. A smile and a touch, when did I become so soft?
I let out a sigh and just nod at her. I don't think I could say anything right now, my voice would probably be too shaky from being so angry. Who am I kidding? It'd be shaky because she's treating me like she really cares.
She finally lets go of my hand, gives me one more smile and heads out the room to go call Angel, I'm sure. All I know is, he better have a real good reason for sending me out here.
