Disclaimer: So. I still don't own the ideas behind Dracula. Surprising I know…you would definitely be hearing about it if I did… On with the story! That's what you're here for right? I won't continue to bother you with a boring disclaimer then because you are kind understanding people :) (Okay I may put in a few more here and there but I'm running out of witty remarks, which is a travesty) SOOO the story…. right.

Faith POV

English was rapidly becoming a source of major headaches. It wasn't my lack of understanding for the material causing the trouble but instead the most confusing partner I'd had the misfortune of sitting by. Josie was of no help either, she seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to boys' interactions with me. She had been trying to set me up with a date to sweethearts since the end of homecoming. That was her way I guess, living one dance to another; I on the other hand, had been curled up with a cup of chai tea and Pride and Prejudice on homecoming night and planned to spend Valentine's Day in the same way. Why was she even worried if it was barely after Thanksgiving break?

"Faith, I know there's someone you're not telling me about!" She pleaded quietly as we walked to Spanish, "Please? Tell me! I'm you're friend."

I heaved a sigh, " Josie, I'm telling you, you're wrong."

"Why won't you tell me, Faith? You need to start looking for someone," she said with a pout.

I shook my head with vigor, "Nobody, Josie, sorry to disappoint."

"But you've got that…"

"NO ONE." I stated resolutely. "Leave me be, Josie."

Dracula POV

I stood outside in the cold simply trying to grasp what Marissa was telling me. Trying to grasp how impossible the task before me seemed. "You are positive?" I asked quietly as I turned to face the team again. Marissa grimaced but nodded, "He was extremely forward. He's not going to back down, even to you." The group fell silent again.

"Master? What is our next move?" Maxwell asked adjusting his glasses and running his hand through his hair. He had reason to be worried. As coordinator he had the most important job of keeping tabs on everything. He was orchestrating this and he didn't want the blame if things went wrong. I sighed, "That, Maxwell, is our problem. We have no move. We are, in a sense, at a stalemate." He brought out his laptop, his "security blanket" of organization. "I've put down everything reported so far, sir, perhaps we've missed something?" His question was one of desperation; we knew we were grasping at straws. "Read on," I ordered as I began pacing.

"Class schedule?" He read.

"Irrelevant"

"Address?"

"Still under watch"

"Necklace?"

I growled, "She is never without it. The root of our problem."

The list went on until finally he read off extracurricular/hobbies. I realized how little we knew about that area of her life. Maxwell began research immediately while I pondered the situation. The only positive I could find was as long as I was unable to reach Faith; my opponent was as well.

Faith POV

"I wish I could understand people," I grumbled to Jonathan as I began walking from English. He always met me outside the classroom where we would then walk to lunch together. He smiled and cocked an eyebrow, "And what has brought on this wish?" he asked with a smile. I groaned, "well, first it was Josie in my Spanish class who is for no apparent reason set on making me ask someone to sweethearts, which is still, mind you, about two months away," I complained. He snorted and commented, "So who are you going with to appease her?" I missed the tease in his tone and was about to round on him and give him a piece of my mind (which I wanted desperately to give to Josie) but caught the twinkle in his eye before starting. "Not funny," I grumbled, "I've had a long day." "So I can tell," he said graciously before slipping away to our table as I waited in line for my lunch. I wasn't hungry today, I instead felt sick and groggy. I sat down at the table with my salad when … "Faith, you look terrible today!" Kira blurted out as I began picking at the croutons.

"Well thank you for THAT confidence boost," I grumbled. I sat up suddenly terrified at what had escaped my mouth, " I'm sorry!" I pleaded, looking at Jonathan and Kira, "I'm not myself today," I said meekly. Kira quickly slid over and put her hand on my shoulder, "No, Faith, I'm sorry that was badly put, I just mean you look tired, you have really dark circles under your eyes," she said in concern.

"Are you sick?" Jonathan asked, worry filled his voice, "Maybe you should go home?"

I was about to answer when Marissa came to our table with her regular cheery greeting, "Hey guys, sorry I'm late, you wouldn't believe how busy that line gets," She said sitting down across from me. She was the new addition to our lunch table but both Jonathan and Kira had warmly welcomed her. She frowned as she sat down obviously aware that she'd interrupted something. I was glad, for one, and immediately tried to engage her in a conversation, trying to keep the topic from coming back to me. It didn't work for long.

Marissa POV

Faith was obviously trying to hide something, I knew I had missed something important and inwardly cursed myself for having the meeting go long. I tried to get us back on track, "So what did I miss, guys?" I asked nonchalantly.

"Faith won't tell us why she looks so terrible today," Jonathan quickly supplied, "She's avoiding the question," he said with hurt and accusation, the last part being directed toward the girl in question. I looked at her, it was true she looked terrible today. Her complexion, though always somewhat pale, looked instead sickly, with dark rings under her eyes that her makeup couldn't correct and her violet eyes tired and confused.

"Faith?" I inquired. She paled and started fidgeting with her necklace sliding the charm back and forth along the chain, a nervous habit I'd observed a couple times.

"it's nothing, guys, I just haven't been…sleeping well." Was her vague reply.

"Why not?" I challenged, "are you sick? Staying up late?"

"I don't want to talk about it," she said tiredly.

"Come on, Faith, we just want to help you!" Kira wheedled with Jonathan nodding vigorously beside her. The charm sped up, back, forth, back, forth. She was obviously extremely uncomfortable. "Fine," she said in defeat, "I've been having bad dreams, satisfied?"

"All that, because you didn't want to tell us you're having nightmares?!" Kira said in disbelief.

"But that's the thing! They aren't nightmares I just wake up every night in cold sweats, or I lose my dinner, headaches, though they're turning into migraines," She trailed off, finally willing to elaborated.

"THOSE kinds of BAD dreams?!" Jonathan erupted, obviously appalled. Faith, looked confused and then horrified, as she understood their meaning, "NO Jonathan! Get your mind out of the gutter!" She said in mortification.

"I don't blame him, that's what it sounded like, Faith," I defended Jonathan, "if it's not that maybe you should tell us the premise of these dreams," I tried to prompt her into more detail. If my guess was correct I had to stop it before it started truly harming her.

A/N: Hey guys! Hope you are enjoying the story! Things are going to start happening pretty quickly here so sit tight. I just need to have you guys get somewhat familiar with all the characters so you feel like you know them. More Maxwell coming up ;) (he's my favorite so I'm going to try and develop him as an awesome background/supporting character) Always open to reviews. In fact I love them! I had to stop this chapter here cuz it was getting a bit lengthy… So what do you guys think is causing Faith's insomnia? We shall see…