We learn some new information about Faith and her past. Also, Faith is fully rehabilitated she is pretty normal now, and is NOT CRAZY. We also get a little more insight into Thalia. (Just FYI Thalia is suppose to sound older than she actually is.) Please Review! :)

"Time engraves our faces with all the tears we have not shed." ~ Natalie Clifford Barney

Faith knew the second Angel spoke of her that she had found Thalia Grace. She was eleven, born just hours after Buffy's death, which frankly surprised Faith. Faith knew the story, Buffy had told her shortly after the destruction of the first Hellmouth. The story did not seem to differ too much from Buffy to Thalia or rather Thalia to Thalia. Buffy had told of how she was left on Hank an Joyce Summers doorstep with a letter. A letter that told of her real name; Thalia Grace, and how she was a very special person. How Buffy had assumed that was her Slayer destiny until she had sacrificed herself and learned the truth. That part of the story Buffy had been less inclined to share.

Faith paced in the lobby of the newly refurbished Angel Investigations, which had been renamed Champions Investigations, partly in honor of Buffy and partly in honor of all those who had fallen after Buffy. Her mind pondering how this was possible. Magic. Faith finally settled on, it was the explanation Buffy had used, and so it was the one she would use. At least for now.

"Still thinking about that girl?" Angel asked as he walked into the lobby.

"Thalia, Thalia Grace and she is Buffy. Or at least Buffy was a version of her."

"I still don't understand that."

"Neither do I, but I promised Buffy."

"Buffy has been dead a very long time." Angel said.

"Maybe for you but for me it was yesterday we buried her. You remember don't you? I placed a rose on her grave, vowed to do as she asked and left to make good on my vow." Faith shot Angel an accusing glance.

"Of course I have not forgotten!" Angel said outraged.

"Good, then you'll help me." Faith said as she turned on her heels and walked out of the lobby. Angel muttered a curse under his breath as he went into his office and opened up the search engine of the LAPD database. Angel sighed as he typed THALIA GRACE into the search engine, Angel frowned at the latest police report tied to the eleven year old. It was the report on the accidental deaths of her parents Benjamin and Amy Cunningham. In just eleven short years of life Thalia Grace had seen the worlds greatest evils. She was dropped onto a distant relatives doorstep and accepted as their own, faced war, and was the soul survior of the plane crash that killed her parents.

"I hope she knows what she's doing." Angel muttered as he scrolled through Thalia's file.

Faith stormed down the Los Angeles streets. How dare Angel! Faith fumed, he claimed to have loved her and yet he did not care enough to find out who she really was. Suddenly Faith's "old" by this times cell phone.

"Yeah?"

"Thalia Grace, she's in Arlington today and scheduled to depart for Cardiff-by-the-Sea tonight by train. And you'll never guess who she's meeting." Angel said.

"Who?"

"Calvin Lehane." Angel said, Faith stopped walking.

"Are you sure?"

"Calvin Lehane, sixteen years old, his brothers are Ryan and Isaac Lehane, he second son to William Lehane."

"Will." Faith breathed. "Never thought I'd hear his name again." Faith thought of her little brother, Will, he had been only three years old when Faith was taken by the Watchers. Faith had always wondered what happened to him.

"Faith, you don't have to do this if you don't want to." Angel cautioned.

"This isn't about Will, or any of them this is about Thalia. Inform the Lehane's I'll be by tomorrow, and tell Thalia's caretaker I'll be coming by to get her stuff and get her from Cardiff."

"They'll be expecting you."

"Good." Faith ended the call and hailed a cab. She told the driver the address and then sat in silence for the trip to the Beverly Hills mansion. The cab dropped her off just outside the gated driveway. She stated her name and passed easily through the gate and into the house, if you could call it that. It was a large white mansion with a terra-cotta colored roof took up three acres, not including the orchards, pool area, and personal helicopter pad. As Faith entered the foyer she was greeted by a slender man in a black suit.

"Ms. Lehane, Nathan McCoy." The man stuck out his hand.

"Faith. Do you understand the plan?"

"Yes, Thalia will be on her train as scheduled. Your statement will be issued the following morning."

"Good, now I'm going to need legal document, cloths, bank accounts, cash and a car."

"Your name has already been placed on all of Thalia Grace's accounts, including the companies. All legal document for both you and her are inside here." Nathan handed Faith a bulging black duffle bag. "Inside their is also a black American Express card and half a million dollars in cash. You may choose any car you wish from the garage."

"Thank you." Faith took the duffle bag and walked into the garage. She took the first car she saw in a long line of luxury vehicles, a pearl grey Range Rover sport supercharged. Now all she needed was some cloths and equipment so Faith drove to the nearest mall, The Beverly Hills Center. Faith groaned inwardly, the last thing she wanted was to be surrounded by spoiled princesses, but she needed supplies if she was going to get Thalia home. Wherever home might be.

Faith spent a few hours at the Beverly Hills Center, shopping. For Faith it was torture, Give me some combat boots and a stake. She thought to herself. However Faith had no idea where she would be going and what she would need so she bought anything and everything she might need. Designer cloths and shoes, in a variety that ranged from "slayer approved" to "New York gala". Once everything was safely stowed in the Range Rover Faith started the drive to Cardiff-by-the-Sea. And Thalia Grace.

When Thalia Grace first arrived at Cardiff the first thing she did was go to the beach. Thalia walked down the water's edge, the pro surfer crowd began to trickle in as the sun rose into the blackened sky. A figure came up behind Thalia. "Great view. Best spot in San Diego" He said.

"Yes," Thalia nodded and grinned slightly.

"Come on then, I've got another board." For the first time Thalia looked up at the teenage boy. He was only a few years older than Thalia. His body was tanned and almost the sun-kissed skin Thalia's was, his shaggy hair was liquid gold. Thalia flashed a perfect and followed him. "Your very trusting." He observed.

"Oh, knock it off, Calvin." Thalia slugged him in the shoulder.

"Hey!" Calvin protested, throwing up his palms to protect his chest. "I'm just having a little fun."

"A little fun and a lot of hurt." The eleven year old shot back.

"Fair enough, man have you grown." Calvin did a quick glance over Thalia. She was easily considered "extremely" tall for an eleven year old girl. Her white-blond locks that fell passed her shoulders, and deep stormy eyes.

"Yah, look who's talking what are you? " She guessed.

"Five eleven and growing, but your not too far behind, considering the age gap." Calvin smiled as offered Thalia a foam surfboard but Thalia shook her head.

"I don't really feel like surfing."

"Fair enough. How about we talk?" Thalia nodded in agreement. As the two made the way they sat down in the sand and talked. They talked about everything. Everything that had happened to them and where they went from there. Thalia, who was incredible wise and intelligent for her age, spoke about the accident. How it didn't feel like the first time she had seen death, and Calvin believed her. He had seen Thalia go through too much to believe otherwise.

"Race you to the car?" Thalia grinned from ear to ear though it wasn't a question. Thalia took off before Calvin had a chance to respond though in years to come she would assume he would have said yes. Thalia pushed herself up from the ground and raced towards Calvin's Escalade EXT. The moment the her legs touched ground she sprinted up the beach to the car, Calvin at her heels the whole way. Thalia knew he was going easy on her, he could have outran her in his sleep, but Thalia didn't care. Thalia slammed her hand against the cars black exterior just as Calvin came up behind her breathing easy.

"All right you win." He admitted

"Thank you," Thalia did a graceful curtsy. A wondrous smile flashed across her face. "Your not bad yourself."

"Come on lets get back to the house," Calvin suggested.

"Sure." Reid walked along the pebble path and onto the passenger side of the EXT. Calvin unlocked the doors and Thalia jumped into the passenger seat as Calvin started the engine before realizing an envelope was set on the dash. The envelope was addressed to no one, inside the envelope was a note written on a piece of heavy parchment, scrawled in emerald ink was written; Au nord d'où ma langue est parlée, il y a un lieu, inoubliable à tous qui entre. Ici votre histoire est dite à chaque enfant né dans ce monde. Chaque homme et la femme se souviennent du jour de votre premier vainqueur.

Calvin translated the text in his head before tossing the note aside; How very poetic. Calvin tossed the note inside for now and started off towards the house just on the other side of the train tracks. Once the surfboards had been stowed conveniently underneath the porch. Inside Calvin could make out the shadowy figure of Ryan through the sheer curtains. And he appeared to be arguing with someone. Calvin opened the unlocked front doors and entered the beach house with Thalia.

** Who is Ryan arguing with?