"What's wrong Fathie, not happy to see your big sister?" Kate asks trying not to frown.
Faith continues to stare at the two in front of her and her brow furrows in consternation at her ex- watcher's nickname for her. "I-uh-I," she stammers as her eyes dart between them.
"We missed you," Richard says to his daughter, taking a tentative step towards the young brunette.
Faith looks at them both and wonders how two of the people she had loved so much can inspire so much fear in her now. "I don't understand what's going on here," Faith thinks to herself out loud.
Kate looks at her father, who nods before walking up to her sister, who barely notices because she is lost in her thoughts. "Fathie?" She says quietly, touching the younger girl's shoulder.
Faith looks up and into the other woman's eyes. "Yeah?" She asks with utter desperation, even evident in her whispered tone.
"Whatever happened in here," Kate begins, tapping the side of Faith's head lightly, "is over now. None of that was real," she tells her sister slowly. "Mom, Dad and I, we're real and we're here for you. Just please, please, talk to us sweetie," she says lovingly.
Faith takes a deep breath and looks at the other woman, sizing her up for a moment. "You're my sister?" She asks, trying not to sound impolite.
Kate gives Richard a pleading expression and he approaches them and sits on the bed in front of his youngest daughter. "The Dr. Giles explained to us that you had replaced all of your real memories with false ones while you were catatonic," he says to her.
Faith looks down at her hands. "How can I make up all of that though? How can I imagine a whole other life and just erase this one?" She asks, trying not to accept that the last few years have been a figment.
"To ease your guilt over Buffy perhaps," Richard shrugs.
"This sucks," Faith sighs as this all begins to seep in.
"Yeah," Kate agrees as she nods her head and Faith smirks in response. "The doctor said that your memories will start coming back as you get readjusted to reality," she tells Faith.
"I have to learn to live again I guess," Faith says to her father and sister.
"That's it baby, just give it time and things will get back to normal again," Richard says, hoping to ease his daughter's wary mind.
"Yeah, normal," she mumbles to herself.
Later that night, Faith is lying in her hospital bed and staring at the ceiling. Her 'family' has gone home for the night to prepare for her return home.
Her mind is reeling from the events in the past few hours. There can be no clear cut answers for her. Maybe they're right. Maybe Sunnydale was a fabrication and maybe I did block out reality. Faith sighs and decides to give these people a shot. What's the worst that can happen?
Faith wakes up the next morning feeling determined to find out the truth about her life. She stretches and yawns before getting up out of bed and pacing. Everything from the previous day begins to flow through her mind as she searches out any kind of a flaw in this reality. She comes up empty.
The door opens and Faith turns to see who it is. "Good morning Ms. Porter," Dr. Giles greets the wary brunette.
"Morning G," she replies, watching him carefully.
"I spoke with your family yesterday before they went home for the evening," he informs the young woman.
"I see. What did they say?" She inquires, genuinely curious.
"They told me that you wanted to try and get readjusted to everything," he explains to her and she nods in reply. "I am going to ask you something and I want you to think it over and give me an honest response," he says.
"Okay, what is it?" She asks after a moment of silence.
"Are you willing to put forth the effort to remember and begin your life here again?" He asks seriously.
Faith lets the question sink in. She thinks back to, what she knows, as the last two years and she thinks about what she has learned about herself in the last day. With a sigh, she begrudgingly acknowledges to herself that this life seems to be nearly perfect. "Yes, I want to be a part of this life?" She responds after a moment of deliberation.
Dr. Giles smiles and nods his head. "I'm glad to hear that and I am willing to release you into your parents custody today," he informs her.
Faith quirks a smile of her own before narrowing her eyes. "What's the catch?" She asks suspiciously.
The doctor's smile wavers slightly, but he plays it off. "There are a couple of conditions," he admits and Faith crosses her arms and sits back in her seat. "First of all, I need you to stop this thing with vampires, demons and slayers. If you continue to believe this, then you will retard your progress and may put yourself and your family at risk," he says to her.
Faith's arms drop to her lap and she sighs. "Okay, no vampires or anything," she replies reluctantly.
Giles nods. "I also have a number of prescriptions that I need you to take according to their labels," he informs her.
"Wait. If I get out of her today, I'm going to be forced to readjust to life as a doped up mental case," Faith argues as she gives him an intimidating stare an he gives her a blank 'are you finished?' expression. "What will you be dealing me?" She sighs.
After giving her the requisite glare, he answers her. "I will be giving you something to counteract your aggressive behavior, one for your mood swings, one to combat depression and a drug to block out your delusions," he lists for her.
Faith sighs again and slumps in her chair. "So, are there any other conditions before I can go?" She asks shortly.
"I will need to see you once a week to check on your progress to see if you are adjusting well and if releasing you was a good idea," Giles adds. "If we are clear on this all, then I will begin processing your release forms. Are we clear?" He asks.
Faith looks up at him. "Crystal," she says unenthusiastically.
"Brilliant," he smiles as he stands and exit's the room.
Faith is sitting in a car with Kate and the two of them are driving home. "Are you excited to finally be going back?" Kate asks her with a broad grin.
Faith smiles at the other woman's enthusiasm. "Yeah. I guess I'm a little anxious to get back to reality," she finds herself saying.
"Good," Kate nods with a small smile. "Mom and Dad are already getting you reregistered into school for next year and they've already called all of yours and Buffy's friends," she says before she could sensor what was coming out of her mouth.
Faith looks at her sister and notices the blush on the woman's face. "They've all congregated at the house haven't they?" She asks, though she already knows the answer.
"That would be a 'yes'," Kate replies, trying to hide her blush.
"Fabulous," Faith responds, rolling her eyes.
Kate smirks. "Well, here we are. Home sweet home," she says as they pull up in front of the house.
Faith apprehensively gets out of the vehicle and looks over at Kate. "I don't think I can do this. I don't remember anybody from here," she says quietly as she looks at the house.
"Don't worry. You'll be fine. They all know about the amnesia thing," Kate waves off. "Besides, I've never known you to be afraid of anything before ever," she adds.
Faith grins over at her as they reach the door. "Okay then," she says as she twists the knob and opens the door.