Title: Pen Pals pt 13
Subtitle: Faith's Fall
Author's Notes: ~ ~ Dreamlike world
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Draco watched helplessly as Madam Pomfrey and Professor Lupin took Faith to the hospital wing. He noticed that Professor Snape, which surprised just about everyone, including Lucius, had taken down his father.
Draco sat numbly in a chair at the foot of the bed while Professor Pomfrey was trying her best to fix whatever Lucius did. He heard someone enter the room, but didn't notice he was too busy staring at the women he might lose all because of his father.
"Poppy how is she?" Dumbledore asked worry etched into his features.
"Better, but I still don't know what he did to her." She replied not taking her attention off the still form of the girl on the bed. "Whatever it is, I can't undue it."
Draco heard this and snapped. He ran from the room to the one place he felt comfortable. His slayer's room. Once he reached the portrait of Stephanie he said, "I know she changed her password, but I have to get in."
"I'm sorry dearie. My hands are tied." Stephanie replied to the man in front of her.
Draco slumped against the wall behind him. Pulling his knees to his chest he laid his head down. He didn't know how long he sat there. People passed him but didn't say anything for fear that they'd upset him further.
"Draco?" A small voice called.
Draco looked up to see Dawn. "Yes."
"You've got to move, Faith wouldn't want you to feel sorry for her." Dawn said taking a seat next to him. * He looks so sad. *
"I can't help it. She's the one person that knows me for me and not as a Malfoy." He replied spitting out his last name. He didn't know who he was angrier with his dad or himself for getting too attached to Faith.
"I remember when she first came to Sunnydale all those years ago." Dawn replied getting his attention. "She was liked by everyone but Buffy. After she went all black hat I was so mad because she was the only person that talked to me like I wasn't just a kid. Then she was put into the coma by Buffy and I just couldn't believe it."
Draco looked at Dawn. He hadn't realized that she cared for her just as much as he did, although his reasons were different.
"Then she woke up and was deeply angry at Buffy, said that she stole her life. She came by the house and held my mom hostage. She was nice to me even though she was angry, just told me to stay in my room and not come out." Dawn told him unsure why she had this need to tell him. "I still liked her even after all that, though for Buffy's sake I pretended to hate her."
"She's got a way about her, doesn't she?" Draco asked.
"Who, Buffy or Faith?" Dawn questioned.
"Both."
"Yes they do. Faith's strong, she's been through too much to just quit." Dawn replied placing her hand on his arm. "Especially since she'll have someone waiting for." She added which got a smile from Draco. "What do you say we head over to see how she is?"
"I'd like that." He replied standing up. They walked in silence for a while and before they entered the hospital wing he stopped and hugged Dawn. "Thanks." He whispered.
Dawn hugged back and said, "Your welcome."
Together they walked in to see Pomfrey still hurrying around the room. "Any change, Professor?" Draco asked once they neared her bed.
"A little. She hasn't woken up and hasn't gotten any worse. Still don't know what he did to her, but if she keeps improving she'll pull through." She told them.
"Can we stay and keep her company?" He asked.
"Sure, I've done all I can for now." Pomfrey replied.
The last week of classes was upon all the students. Most wondered how they would take the second half of their DADA exam, if there would even be one. Draco and Dawn spent any free moment at Faith's bedside hopping that today would be the day she'd wake up. Dawn had taken over teaching the younger students classes while Harry and Draco took on training Dawn and the older years.
~ Faith looked around at the world she was in. It seemed so familiar, but she couldn't place where she was. It was filled with memories long forgotten.
A guide came to her telling her, "There are great dangers that you must survive, but remember nothing in this world is how it should be."
She looked at her guide and replied, "I know you. You're the man from the jail. What's this all about?"
"I cannot tell you, but I can say if you don't survive this Lucius has won and Draco will be left in his world to face the darkness he fears."
Before she could ask anything else someone grabbed her from behind. She head-butted him and he released her enough to throw him on the ground. She looked up to see her guide had disappeared. * Great. * Looking to where she'd thrown the man, she saw that he was no longer there. * Huh? *
She walked around and saw nothing and wondered if it was safe anywhere. "Look what we have here." A familiar voice called from behind her.
Turning around she was shocked to see an earlier form of her self! Blinking her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things.
"What's the matter? Never thought you see me again." She asked sauntering up to her older self.
Faith finally found her voice and replied, "Nah, it was more like I hoped I wouldn't see you again."
Laughing the leather clad Faith continued walking to her. "Well than shall we see who'll land on top?" She asked sinisterly after closing the distance between the two.
"Sure, give us a little kiss." (A.N. for all intents purposes the good Faith will be known as Faith and the evil Faith will be known as the first.) Faith replied causing the first to smirk.
The first had done a left hook that made Faith's head swing to the side. Turning back to the first, Faith backhanded her, which sent her sprawling on the ground. The first did a leg sweep that Faith had jumped over before she stood up again. ~
"Any change?" Harry asked Draco.
"No. Pomfrey doesn't know what he did but whatever it is, it's pretty bad." He replied. Noticing bruises appearing on her skin, though no one's touched her in over an hour.
Harry looked from Faith, his mentor, to his friend, though he'd never admit it aloud, and said, "You should get some sleep."
Draco turned his gray eyes to Harry, "I can't until I know she's alright."
Harry noticed for the first time the dark rings under his eyes indicating he hadn't slept much since Lucius cursed their beloved professor late last week. His eyes were sad, and filled will lost hope of ever having her wake up. Harry placed a comforting hand on the other man's shoulder and replied, "I can sit here while you get some sleep. If there's any change I'll come get you."
Draco noticed for the first time how tired he was and nodded slightly before turning to his slayer. * I'll be back, my slayer. * He thought while kissing her check. It was no secret about Draco's feelings for the slayer, so he didn't worry about Potter spreading stupid rumors. "Thanks." He replied walking from the hospital wing the first time since he came back on that day.
~ Faith and the first sent kicks and punches at each other, but neither giving the other the edge to win. Faith who'd been studying her younger self had been noticing different openings that weren't there earlier. Seeing an opening she used it to her advantage and sent the first flying backwards.
Before Faith could do anything else she heard someone yell, "Faith Elizabeth, Christi Ann, get your butts back here!"
"You haven't seen the last of me." The first called as she ran the other way.
Faith turned slowly to see her father standing behind her. Faith took a step backwards; her cool exterior had turned to one of pure fear. He followed her every movement sending her backwards until she hit the wall.
"No where else to run." He sneered raising his hand to strike at her.
Closing her eyes to the pain that was sure to hit her, she was surprised when it never came. Opening her eyes she saw her hand holding his from striking her. Fear turned to anger as she hit him in the stomach sending him cowering in front of her. "Now you know what it's like to cower in fear." She replied towering over him. "How does it feel to have killed your youngest daughter?" She asked taking in his face.
"I didn't kill her." He denied.
"You beat her to death!" Faith screamed which sent her father back a few inches. "I was lying no more that two feet from you as you beat her to death. I heard her screams as you took pleasure in hitting her over and over again." She yelled.
"I.." He started.
"Don't! There's nothing you can say to make it better. Christi's dead because of you!"
"Faith, you have to forgive him." The guides voice replied.
"What?" She screamed turning to face calming blue eyes.
"You have to forgive him." He repeated. "Christi has."
Faith's eyes went wide as she remembered the night. * "Faith, I forgive him. I know he didn't mean to, but you need to forgive your self as well as him." * Christi's voice echoed in her head. Turning to look at that man that she'd spent her whole life trying to forget. Sighing, "You're right, Christi." Walking the distance between her and her father she bent down and hugged him. "I forgive you, like those that have forgiven me." A single tear slipped down her face. ~
A couple of hours passed before Draco returned to the hospital wing looking rested but still worried about Faith. Smiling when he saw a sleeping Dawn leaning against a surprisingly awake Harry. "Anything?" He whispered.
"Nothing. Though the bruises that were there earlier have disappeared, leaving tears in their wake." Harry told him.
* Tears? * He thought, and then he remembered something his father had taught him. Running from the room to find Dumbledore, knowing that it was dark magic and therefore restricted him from looking. Once he got to the office he noticed that the stairs were already visible and raced up them. Knocking on the door he waited until he heard someone on the other side say, "Enter."
He opened the door and found that the professor's were having some sort of meeting. "Ah, Mr. Malfoy. Is there any change?" Dumbledore asked.
"No, but I think I know what he did." Draco replied which earned him a dozen eyes looking at him. Dumbledore just nodded for him to continue. "She's in a dreamlike state that can keep her trapped until she finds her way through the mazes or trials. The dreamlike state can hurt her, as earlier she had multiple bruising." He told them.
"I've heard of this." Pomfrey replied but continued, "It's meant to cause the person great pain and if she doesn't pass the trials she could die."
Several gasps were heard in the room and there was a heavy silence that followed.
"Is there a cure?" Dumbledore asked.
"No. It's something that she has to do on her own." Pomfrey replied sadly.
~ After she forgave her father he thanked her and disappeared. She dried the tears that had fallen as she stood up. Turning to face her guide she asked, "What else is there?"
"I cannot tell you what lies ahead, but you must trust your heart as well as your mind." He replied fading into nothing.
* Hmm, trust your heart. Okay this seems to be like the dream from hell, and he said that nothing is, as it seems. * She thought as she moved along the empty roads. * So that must mean that anything I'd normally do shouldn't be done here. Like I don't think I'd be able to forgive my father like that, but I did. So that means I shouldn't fight me alter ego, because good always conquers evil. *
Suddenly another man appeared and replied, "The cheese does not wear me. I wear the cheese." (A.N. I know, it's corny but I had to.)~
The next day was a bright day as the students sat ready to take their tests. Dawn handed the test sheets out saying that they should mark their answers on their scrolls. Dawn's thoughts turned to her life in Sunnydale and how she really wanted to stay here with Faith. But she missed her sister, Willow, Tara, Xander, Giles and heck she even missed Anya. The two hours passed and she called, "Roll up your scrolls and place them on the desk before you leave. Have a great summer."
Dawn sat with Lupin on Wednesday as they graded the tests of the first four years and handed out grades to the students before they left on Thursday. There was no real change in Faith's dreamlike state, though it was getting harder and harder for them to have faith (A.N. don't mind the pun) that she was going to wake up.
Thursday came and went as all the seventh year students graduated and the others headed home for the summer brake. Dawn, Draco and Harry all stayed at the school with the professors that didn't leave with the students. Among the ones that stayed were Pomfrey, Lupin, Snape and Dumbledore.
Friday night Dawn had to literally drag both boys out of the hospital wing just to get some rest. "You need your sleep." She told the boys as she dragged them through the hallways.
"But.." Draco replied.
"No butts, Mister." Dawn replied channeling Willow. "See this face, its call the resolve face. There's no fighting the resolve face."
"Fine, but I want to know if there's any change." Draco grumbled.
"Okay." Dawn replied watching him walk down the corridor to the Slytherin tower. They waited a few moments thinking that he'd backtrack after they left, but he didn't, the halls remained empty the rest of the night.
~ "I need guidance." She called hoping that he would listen to her.
"What is it that you need, and choose your questions with care?" The voice replied.
"You said that this world, isn't always as it seems. Well I'm wondering if I have to fight my fears or lie down and take it."
"Your fears are real and alive in this world. You must conquer them, but take heed that if you choose wrongly you'll stay here." And with that he was gone.
"That's not exactly what I would call comforting." She muttered.
"So we meet again." The First purred.
"I guess so." Faith replied. "But I'm not afraid of you, I know now that I can't be you any more."
"Why's that? She asked, not knowing what she was doing.
Faith felt that she was doing the right thing and kept talking. "I don't want to be down that dark hole alone and bitter. I've found my purpose in life and that's to fight the darkness."
"Stop it!" She yelled taking a step closer to her.
"You solve everything by violence and hating everything that went wrong in life. I take strength in knowing that I'm stronger than you." Faith yelled.
"STOP IT!!!" The first screamed running up to Faith.
"You've got no power over me!" Faith yelled.
The first screamed as a white light started eating her up from the inside out. The light grew brighter as she slowly dissolved into nothing.
"You think you've won." Someone purred from behind her.
"I think I'm one step closer." Faith replied turning to see Lucius.
"You've only begun." He replied taking a step to the side reveling Draco.
"Draco." She whispered.
"You were right, father. She was entertaining." Draco sneered. "Muggles inside Hogwarts what's the wizarding world coming to." He continued looking at Faith with complete hate evident in his eyes.
"Stop it." She said.
"Oh, "stop it" I'm really shaking in my boots." Lucius laughed his laugher sending chills down Faith's spine.
"The great rogue slayer," Draco replied but continued, "has fallen pray to the greatest wizard after the Dark Lord."
"NO!" She yelled. Anger flaring up in her then her mind reminded * "this world's not what it seems. Draco must fight the darkness he fears." * "This isn't you Draco, this is the carbon copy of what your father wants you to be. Do you want to live in the shadow, or do you want to shine and be your own wizard?" She asked causing Lucius to strike against her.
"Crucio!" He yelled which sent a blue light that hit Faith in the chest.
Faith fell with pain but was not going to give him the satisfaction of screaming. She watched with pain filled eyes as Draco was shifting his weight. Through the pain she replied, "He'll turn against you, Draco. You think he'll be proud of you if you out shine him?"
"Stop it! Crucio!" He called sending more pain towards Faith's body. ~
Faith screamed in pain, which woke Pomfrey up. She raced to her bedside and gasped as she saw Faith's body racked in pain from the most painful curses around. Pulling her wand she said the counter curse and it slowed her body movements, though she was still in pain.
~ Faith's body felt hot as the blood coursing in her veins felt like fire burning their way threw her body. As suddenly as the pain started the slayer began to push the pain aside. She watched for her moment and carefully planed her movements. * It's now or never. * She thought as she ran for Lucius knocking him onto the ground.
Lucius grabbed for his wand and was surprised that it wasn't in his hand. Faith hit him as she began to focus her energy onto him. He moved to slap her, she grabbed his hand once the energy was focused and sent the pain directly to him. He screamed out because of the sudden pain as she rolled off him towards his wand.
Picking up his wand she replied, "It's hard to believe something so simple can hurt so many people." Turning to Draco she replied, "I know you Draco, you're not him."
Draco didn't know what to say. He was torn he felt certain that she knew him but the man in so much pain was his father.
"The darkness harnesses emptiness. You'll go searching for acceptance going deeper and deeper into the hole. You'll never get it there, with him." She replied pointing at Lucius.
"You think you know, what you are, what's to become, but you've only just begun." A female voice called.
"What's it going to be? Are you going to stay in here, or are you going to fight it?" Faith asked holding her hand out.
Draco looked at her hand, and then for the last time at his father before grabbing for her hand. ~
Faith's head was throbbing. Moaning as she lifted her hand to her head she tried to make the world stop spinning. Opening her eyes she saw eleven pairs of eyes looking at her with concern etched on each of their faces.
"Faith, how do you feel?" Buffy asked.
"Like I got hit by a semi." Faith croaked out. The Sunnydale gang laughed which caused Faith to cringe, "Guys I just woke up."
"Sorry." They all replied sheepishly.
"How long?" Faith asked looking at the professors.
"Almost three weeks." Draco replied.
Faith closed her eyes for a moment feeling strangely weak, opening them to hear Pomfrey shooing everyone out with a few protests. Once everyone was out in the hallway she conducted a quick check up. "How you feeling? Any pains or aches?" She asked softly.
"My head's pounding. Other than that a few sore muscles that a little meditating would cure." She replied.
"Just a few?" She asked generally shocked. "While you were under, whoever you were dreaming about put a powerful pain curse on you."
"Oh, right. The blue light that hit me twice." Faith replied taking the cup offered and drinking an awful tasting potion. "Yuck." She replied making a face.
Pomfrey just chuckled at her face. "You know every one was concerned about you."
"I know. The dreamlike world was.hard. I'd never felt so alone." Faith said sitting up which earned a pointed look from Pomfrey. "I'm just going to meditate. It'll help more than rest would."
"All right, just don't over work yourself." She ordered softly and exited the room to tell the others the results of Faith.
Sitting up as straight as she could muster, she began with breathing deeply. Closing her eyes she began to fall into her meditation pattern. She felt better after only a few moments of meditating and opened her eyes to see concerned gray ones staring back.
"I thought I was going to lose you." He whispered looking at his hands. "All because of me." He added with a little self-loathing evident in his voice.
"Oh, Dragon no. It isn't your fault, no matter how you look at it." Faith replied softly which got him to look up at her.
"But it was because of me that he did this to you." Draco insisted.
Shaking her head she looked at him and said, "While we were alone in the hallway, he told me that I wasn't worth enough to be with you." He began to protest when she held a shaking hand up to silence him. "I told him that he wasn't worth enough to be your father, and that you'd never follow in his footsteps. That's when the blue gold light hit me in the chest starting my dreamlike torment. It was a test, to see if I could pull through my darkest fears."
"Your darkest fears?" He questioned.
Taking a deep breath she said, "I was afraid that I'd turn into her again."
He didn't have to ask who 'her' was, he just moved to comfort her and waited for her to continue.
"I also saw my father." She paused again before telling him everything that happened in the dream. Including the part where he was joining his father.
Draco was utterly shocked, he had no idea that she feared that he would join his father. "Faith, I would never join one that hurts so many for pleasure. I've seen myself like that and I didn't like it."
Smiling she replied, "I know that now, and I guess I knew it before but I'm just unsure about myself."
Hugging her minding her sore muscles he whispered, "I don't want you to ever fear that I would chose him and his ways over you. You're the one thing that's kept me grounded."
Smiling she shifted into a more comfortable position and fell into a deep dreamless slumber.
Draco lay next to her felling content and before he followed her into slumber he whispered, "I love you."
TBC
Author's Note: There's only one more chapter after this. I hope you've all enjoyed this chapter as I had fun writing it. My favorite part is with the cheese guy.I couldn't help it. Please Review; it'll make my day!
Thanks for reading, Faith16
Subtitle: Faith's Fall
Author's Notes: ~ ~ Dreamlike world
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Draco watched helplessly as Madam Pomfrey and Professor Lupin took Faith to the hospital wing. He noticed that Professor Snape, which surprised just about everyone, including Lucius, had taken down his father.
Draco sat numbly in a chair at the foot of the bed while Professor Pomfrey was trying her best to fix whatever Lucius did. He heard someone enter the room, but didn't notice he was too busy staring at the women he might lose all because of his father.
"Poppy how is she?" Dumbledore asked worry etched into his features.
"Better, but I still don't know what he did to her." She replied not taking her attention off the still form of the girl on the bed. "Whatever it is, I can't undue it."
Draco heard this and snapped. He ran from the room to the one place he felt comfortable. His slayer's room. Once he reached the portrait of Stephanie he said, "I know she changed her password, but I have to get in."
"I'm sorry dearie. My hands are tied." Stephanie replied to the man in front of her.
Draco slumped against the wall behind him. Pulling his knees to his chest he laid his head down. He didn't know how long he sat there. People passed him but didn't say anything for fear that they'd upset him further.
"Draco?" A small voice called.
Draco looked up to see Dawn. "Yes."
"You've got to move, Faith wouldn't want you to feel sorry for her." Dawn said taking a seat next to him. * He looks so sad. *
"I can't help it. She's the one person that knows me for me and not as a Malfoy." He replied spitting out his last name. He didn't know who he was angrier with his dad or himself for getting too attached to Faith.
"I remember when she first came to Sunnydale all those years ago." Dawn replied getting his attention. "She was liked by everyone but Buffy. After she went all black hat I was so mad because she was the only person that talked to me like I wasn't just a kid. Then she was put into the coma by Buffy and I just couldn't believe it."
Draco looked at Dawn. He hadn't realized that she cared for her just as much as he did, although his reasons were different.
"Then she woke up and was deeply angry at Buffy, said that she stole her life. She came by the house and held my mom hostage. She was nice to me even though she was angry, just told me to stay in my room and not come out." Dawn told him unsure why she had this need to tell him. "I still liked her even after all that, though for Buffy's sake I pretended to hate her."
"She's got a way about her, doesn't she?" Draco asked.
"Who, Buffy or Faith?" Dawn questioned.
"Both."
"Yes they do. Faith's strong, she's been through too much to just quit." Dawn replied placing her hand on his arm. "Especially since she'll have someone waiting for." She added which got a smile from Draco. "What do you say we head over to see how she is?"
"I'd like that." He replied standing up. They walked in silence for a while and before they entered the hospital wing he stopped and hugged Dawn. "Thanks." He whispered.
Dawn hugged back and said, "Your welcome."
Together they walked in to see Pomfrey still hurrying around the room. "Any change, Professor?" Draco asked once they neared her bed.
"A little. She hasn't woken up and hasn't gotten any worse. Still don't know what he did to her, but if she keeps improving she'll pull through." She told them.
"Can we stay and keep her company?" He asked.
"Sure, I've done all I can for now." Pomfrey replied.
The last week of classes was upon all the students. Most wondered how they would take the second half of their DADA exam, if there would even be one. Draco and Dawn spent any free moment at Faith's bedside hopping that today would be the day she'd wake up. Dawn had taken over teaching the younger students classes while Harry and Draco took on training Dawn and the older years.
~ Faith looked around at the world she was in. It seemed so familiar, but she couldn't place where she was. It was filled with memories long forgotten.
A guide came to her telling her, "There are great dangers that you must survive, but remember nothing in this world is how it should be."
She looked at her guide and replied, "I know you. You're the man from the jail. What's this all about?"
"I cannot tell you, but I can say if you don't survive this Lucius has won and Draco will be left in his world to face the darkness he fears."
Before she could ask anything else someone grabbed her from behind. She head-butted him and he released her enough to throw him on the ground. She looked up to see her guide had disappeared. * Great. * Looking to where she'd thrown the man, she saw that he was no longer there. * Huh? *
She walked around and saw nothing and wondered if it was safe anywhere. "Look what we have here." A familiar voice called from behind her.
Turning around she was shocked to see an earlier form of her self! Blinking her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things.
"What's the matter? Never thought you see me again." She asked sauntering up to her older self.
Faith finally found her voice and replied, "Nah, it was more like I hoped I wouldn't see you again."
Laughing the leather clad Faith continued walking to her. "Well than shall we see who'll land on top?" She asked sinisterly after closing the distance between the two.
"Sure, give us a little kiss." (A.N. for all intents purposes the good Faith will be known as Faith and the evil Faith will be known as the first.) Faith replied causing the first to smirk.
The first had done a left hook that made Faith's head swing to the side. Turning back to the first, Faith backhanded her, which sent her sprawling on the ground. The first did a leg sweep that Faith had jumped over before she stood up again. ~
"Any change?" Harry asked Draco.
"No. Pomfrey doesn't know what he did but whatever it is, it's pretty bad." He replied. Noticing bruises appearing on her skin, though no one's touched her in over an hour.
Harry looked from Faith, his mentor, to his friend, though he'd never admit it aloud, and said, "You should get some sleep."
Draco turned his gray eyes to Harry, "I can't until I know she's alright."
Harry noticed for the first time the dark rings under his eyes indicating he hadn't slept much since Lucius cursed their beloved professor late last week. His eyes were sad, and filled will lost hope of ever having her wake up. Harry placed a comforting hand on the other man's shoulder and replied, "I can sit here while you get some sleep. If there's any change I'll come get you."
Draco noticed for the first time how tired he was and nodded slightly before turning to his slayer. * I'll be back, my slayer. * He thought while kissing her check. It was no secret about Draco's feelings for the slayer, so he didn't worry about Potter spreading stupid rumors. "Thanks." He replied walking from the hospital wing the first time since he came back on that day.
~ Faith and the first sent kicks and punches at each other, but neither giving the other the edge to win. Faith who'd been studying her younger self had been noticing different openings that weren't there earlier. Seeing an opening she used it to her advantage and sent the first flying backwards.
Before Faith could do anything else she heard someone yell, "Faith Elizabeth, Christi Ann, get your butts back here!"
"You haven't seen the last of me." The first called as she ran the other way.
Faith turned slowly to see her father standing behind her. Faith took a step backwards; her cool exterior had turned to one of pure fear. He followed her every movement sending her backwards until she hit the wall.
"No where else to run." He sneered raising his hand to strike at her.
Closing her eyes to the pain that was sure to hit her, she was surprised when it never came. Opening her eyes she saw her hand holding his from striking her. Fear turned to anger as she hit him in the stomach sending him cowering in front of her. "Now you know what it's like to cower in fear." She replied towering over him. "How does it feel to have killed your youngest daughter?" She asked taking in his face.
"I didn't kill her." He denied.
"You beat her to death!" Faith screamed which sent her father back a few inches. "I was lying no more that two feet from you as you beat her to death. I heard her screams as you took pleasure in hitting her over and over again." She yelled.
"I.." He started.
"Don't! There's nothing you can say to make it better. Christi's dead because of you!"
"Faith, you have to forgive him." The guides voice replied.
"What?" She screamed turning to face calming blue eyes.
"You have to forgive him." He repeated. "Christi has."
Faith's eyes went wide as she remembered the night. * "Faith, I forgive him. I know he didn't mean to, but you need to forgive your self as well as him." * Christi's voice echoed in her head. Turning to look at that man that she'd spent her whole life trying to forget. Sighing, "You're right, Christi." Walking the distance between her and her father she bent down and hugged him. "I forgive you, like those that have forgiven me." A single tear slipped down her face. ~
A couple of hours passed before Draco returned to the hospital wing looking rested but still worried about Faith. Smiling when he saw a sleeping Dawn leaning against a surprisingly awake Harry. "Anything?" He whispered.
"Nothing. Though the bruises that were there earlier have disappeared, leaving tears in their wake." Harry told him.
* Tears? * He thought, and then he remembered something his father had taught him. Running from the room to find Dumbledore, knowing that it was dark magic and therefore restricted him from looking. Once he got to the office he noticed that the stairs were already visible and raced up them. Knocking on the door he waited until he heard someone on the other side say, "Enter."
He opened the door and found that the professor's were having some sort of meeting. "Ah, Mr. Malfoy. Is there any change?" Dumbledore asked.
"No, but I think I know what he did." Draco replied which earned him a dozen eyes looking at him. Dumbledore just nodded for him to continue. "She's in a dreamlike state that can keep her trapped until she finds her way through the mazes or trials. The dreamlike state can hurt her, as earlier she had multiple bruising." He told them.
"I've heard of this." Pomfrey replied but continued, "It's meant to cause the person great pain and if she doesn't pass the trials she could die."
Several gasps were heard in the room and there was a heavy silence that followed.
"Is there a cure?" Dumbledore asked.
"No. It's something that she has to do on her own." Pomfrey replied sadly.
~ After she forgave her father he thanked her and disappeared. She dried the tears that had fallen as she stood up. Turning to face her guide she asked, "What else is there?"
"I cannot tell you what lies ahead, but you must trust your heart as well as your mind." He replied fading into nothing.
* Hmm, trust your heart. Okay this seems to be like the dream from hell, and he said that nothing is, as it seems. * She thought as she moved along the empty roads. * So that must mean that anything I'd normally do shouldn't be done here. Like I don't think I'd be able to forgive my father like that, but I did. So that means I shouldn't fight me alter ego, because good always conquers evil. *
Suddenly another man appeared and replied, "The cheese does not wear me. I wear the cheese." (A.N. I know, it's corny but I had to.)~
The next day was a bright day as the students sat ready to take their tests. Dawn handed the test sheets out saying that they should mark their answers on their scrolls. Dawn's thoughts turned to her life in Sunnydale and how she really wanted to stay here with Faith. But she missed her sister, Willow, Tara, Xander, Giles and heck she even missed Anya. The two hours passed and she called, "Roll up your scrolls and place them on the desk before you leave. Have a great summer."
Dawn sat with Lupin on Wednesday as they graded the tests of the first four years and handed out grades to the students before they left on Thursday. There was no real change in Faith's dreamlike state, though it was getting harder and harder for them to have faith (A.N. don't mind the pun) that she was going to wake up.
Thursday came and went as all the seventh year students graduated and the others headed home for the summer brake. Dawn, Draco and Harry all stayed at the school with the professors that didn't leave with the students. Among the ones that stayed were Pomfrey, Lupin, Snape and Dumbledore.
Friday night Dawn had to literally drag both boys out of the hospital wing just to get some rest. "You need your sleep." She told the boys as she dragged them through the hallways.
"But.." Draco replied.
"No butts, Mister." Dawn replied channeling Willow. "See this face, its call the resolve face. There's no fighting the resolve face."
"Fine, but I want to know if there's any change." Draco grumbled.
"Okay." Dawn replied watching him walk down the corridor to the Slytherin tower. They waited a few moments thinking that he'd backtrack after they left, but he didn't, the halls remained empty the rest of the night.
~ "I need guidance." She called hoping that he would listen to her.
"What is it that you need, and choose your questions with care?" The voice replied.
"You said that this world, isn't always as it seems. Well I'm wondering if I have to fight my fears or lie down and take it."
"Your fears are real and alive in this world. You must conquer them, but take heed that if you choose wrongly you'll stay here." And with that he was gone.
"That's not exactly what I would call comforting." She muttered.
"So we meet again." The First purred.
"I guess so." Faith replied. "But I'm not afraid of you, I know now that I can't be you any more."
"Why's that? She asked, not knowing what she was doing.
Faith felt that she was doing the right thing and kept talking. "I don't want to be down that dark hole alone and bitter. I've found my purpose in life and that's to fight the darkness."
"Stop it!" She yelled taking a step closer to her.
"You solve everything by violence and hating everything that went wrong in life. I take strength in knowing that I'm stronger than you." Faith yelled.
"STOP IT!!!" The first screamed running up to Faith.
"You've got no power over me!" Faith yelled.
The first screamed as a white light started eating her up from the inside out. The light grew brighter as she slowly dissolved into nothing.
"You think you've won." Someone purred from behind her.
"I think I'm one step closer." Faith replied turning to see Lucius.
"You've only begun." He replied taking a step to the side reveling Draco.
"Draco." She whispered.
"You were right, father. She was entertaining." Draco sneered. "Muggles inside Hogwarts what's the wizarding world coming to." He continued looking at Faith with complete hate evident in his eyes.
"Stop it." She said.
"Oh, "stop it" I'm really shaking in my boots." Lucius laughed his laugher sending chills down Faith's spine.
"The great rogue slayer," Draco replied but continued, "has fallen pray to the greatest wizard after the Dark Lord."
"NO!" She yelled. Anger flaring up in her then her mind reminded * "this world's not what it seems. Draco must fight the darkness he fears." * "This isn't you Draco, this is the carbon copy of what your father wants you to be. Do you want to live in the shadow, or do you want to shine and be your own wizard?" She asked causing Lucius to strike against her.
"Crucio!" He yelled which sent a blue light that hit Faith in the chest.
Faith fell with pain but was not going to give him the satisfaction of screaming. She watched with pain filled eyes as Draco was shifting his weight. Through the pain she replied, "He'll turn against you, Draco. You think he'll be proud of you if you out shine him?"
"Stop it! Crucio!" He called sending more pain towards Faith's body. ~
Faith screamed in pain, which woke Pomfrey up. She raced to her bedside and gasped as she saw Faith's body racked in pain from the most painful curses around. Pulling her wand she said the counter curse and it slowed her body movements, though she was still in pain.
~ Faith's body felt hot as the blood coursing in her veins felt like fire burning their way threw her body. As suddenly as the pain started the slayer began to push the pain aside. She watched for her moment and carefully planed her movements. * It's now or never. * She thought as she ran for Lucius knocking him onto the ground.
Lucius grabbed for his wand and was surprised that it wasn't in his hand. Faith hit him as she began to focus her energy onto him. He moved to slap her, she grabbed his hand once the energy was focused and sent the pain directly to him. He screamed out because of the sudden pain as she rolled off him towards his wand.
Picking up his wand she replied, "It's hard to believe something so simple can hurt so many people." Turning to Draco she replied, "I know you Draco, you're not him."
Draco didn't know what to say. He was torn he felt certain that she knew him but the man in so much pain was his father.
"The darkness harnesses emptiness. You'll go searching for acceptance going deeper and deeper into the hole. You'll never get it there, with him." She replied pointing at Lucius.
"You think you know, what you are, what's to become, but you've only just begun." A female voice called.
"What's it going to be? Are you going to stay in here, or are you going to fight it?" Faith asked holding her hand out.
Draco looked at her hand, and then for the last time at his father before grabbing for her hand. ~
Faith's head was throbbing. Moaning as she lifted her hand to her head she tried to make the world stop spinning. Opening her eyes she saw eleven pairs of eyes looking at her with concern etched on each of their faces.
"Faith, how do you feel?" Buffy asked.
"Like I got hit by a semi." Faith croaked out. The Sunnydale gang laughed which caused Faith to cringe, "Guys I just woke up."
"Sorry." They all replied sheepishly.
"How long?" Faith asked looking at the professors.
"Almost three weeks." Draco replied.
Faith closed her eyes for a moment feeling strangely weak, opening them to hear Pomfrey shooing everyone out with a few protests. Once everyone was out in the hallway she conducted a quick check up. "How you feeling? Any pains or aches?" She asked softly.
"My head's pounding. Other than that a few sore muscles that a little meditating would cure." She replied.
"Just a few?" She asked generally shocked. "While you were under, whoever you were dreaming about put a powerful pain curse on you."
"Oh, right. The blue light that hit me twice." Faith replied taking the cup offered and drinking an awful tasting potion. "Yuck." She replied making a face.
Pomfrey just chuckled at her face. "You know every one was concerned about you."
"I know. The dreamlike world was.hard. I'd never felt so alone." Faith said sitting up which earned a pointed look from Pomfrey. "I'm just going to meditate. It'll help more than rest would."
"All right, just don't over work yourself." She ordered softly and exited the room to tell the others the results of Faith.
Sitting up as straight as she could muster, she began with breathing deeply. Closing her eyes she began to fall into her meditation pattern. She felt better after only a few moments of meditating and opened her eyes to see concerned gray ones staring back.
"I thought I was going to lose you." He whispered looking at his hands. "All because of me." He added with a little self-loathing evident in his voice.
"Oh, Dragon no. It isn't your fault, no matter how you look at it." Faith replied softly which got him to look up at her.
"But it was because of me that he did this to you." Draco insisted.
Shaking her head she looked at him and said, "While we were alone in the hallway, he told me that I wasn't worth enough to be with you." He began to protest when she held a shaking hand up to silence him. "I told him that he wasn't worth enough to be your father, and that you'd never follow in his footsteps. That's when the blue gold light hit me in the chest starting my dreamlike torment. It was a test, to see if I could pull through my darkest fears."
"Your darkest fears?" He questioned.
Taking a deep breath she said, "I was afraid that I'd turn into her again."
He didn't have to ask who 'her' was, he just moved to comfort her and waited for her to continue.
"I also saw my father." She paused again before telling him everything that happened in the dream. Including the part where he was joining his father.
Draco was utterly shocked, he had no idea that she feared that he would join his father. "Faith, I would never join one that hurts so many for pleasure. I've seen myself like that and I didn't like it."
Smiling she replied, "I know that now, and I guess I knew it before but I'm just unsure about myself."
Hugging her minding her sore muscles he whispered, "I don't want you to ever fear that I would chose him and his ways over you. You're the one thing that's kept me grounded."
Smiling she shifted into a more comfortable position and fell into a deep dreamless slumber.
Draco lay next to her felling content and before he followed her into slumber he whispered, "I love you."
TBC
Author's Note: There's only one more chapter after this. I hope you've all enjoyed this chapter as I had fun writing it. My favorite part is with the cheese guy.I couldn't help it. Please Review; it'll make my day!
Thanks for reading, Faith16