Her Mom, what could she say about her Mom? She had been just the first struggle in Faith's screwed up life. Anna Lupin had been a beautiful talented woman until she had met Richard Marvalo and fallen pregnant with Faith. It wasn't that her Mom hadn't loved her. Quite the opposite in fact, each morning when she woke up and every night before she went to bed her Mom would tell her that she loved her, loved her so much it hurt.

She had been a tall woman, taller than faith with long dark hair and brilliant green eyes. They had lived in a medium sized house, which had belonged to Anna's family. Faith had never met any of her relatives but her Mom had talked about them, especially a younger brother she had. Although she had never mentioned his name. She talked about how he had suffered in some way, from something, which was not his fault. Something for which Anna blamed herself. Faith hadn't cared that they didn't have any money that she didn't have a dad. She had her Mom and that as all that mattered. But somehow, somewhere along the way something had happened. Looking back she realised that it had happened over a long period of time, things had changed. But at the time it seemed like a weak-minded uncaring desperate addict had replaced her loving affectionate Mother.

She had been eight years old; coming home from school by herself as usual she had walked into her Moms room, knowing that that would be where she would be. She was always in her room, it had been odd because the curtains hadn't been opened her Mom hated the dark she would open the curtains as soon as the sun came up. Faith had walked nervously towards her Mom's bed and found her asleep. She tried to shake her awake but it wouldn't work suddenly her Mom had rolled over and Faith met her Mothers dead lifeless eyes and saw the serine look on her face and knew she was dead. She had run out of the room and called the police.

She had wanted to stay with her mother but couldn't look into those lifeless eyes. Those eyes, which had haunted her through her darkest hours and her happiest moments no matter where she was or what she was doing she always saw those eyes watching her.

She pulled the comforter closer to her finally beginning to feel the coldness of the room, since the fire was dying. She didn't cry, too many tears had been cried for her mother. She wasn't able to cry any more. All she had was the inner strength and hidden love which her mother had installed in her at a young age and the memory of the beautiful, funny, caring woman who had taught her about magic. Who had made her chocolate pancakes when she was sick and who would eat peanut butter sandwiches for a week so that she could afford to buy faith new shoes.

Faith didn't fear death because she knew that her Mom would be they're waiting for her. She just wasn't ready to go yet, not for a long time. But the knowledge that her Mom would be there was enough for her. She still had so much to do before she could happily go to mother. Angel's reward for her redemption was his mortality hers would be the chance to die peacefully and return to her Mother.

She looked at the clock that was on the dresser it was nearly four, she decided to try and get some few hours later she was awoken by a knock at the door, she groaned and rolled into a seating position on her bed and called out

"Come in!"

The door opened quickly and willow stepped in dressed in the jeans form the previous night a black cheesecloth gypsy top.

"Hey Faith, you sleep well?"

She asked shutting the door behind her and sitting on the edge of the bed. Faith nodded and said

"I'm sorry about what happened last night, I know I was rude."

Willow interrupted and said

"There's no need to apologise Faith. I'm sorry that I didn't come into see you last night like I said I would but there was a... problem."

Faiths studied her for a moment noting the fact that Willow seemed unwilling to meet her eyes.

"What kind of problem Red, you should have come and got me, I was up most of the night thinking."

Willow smiled at her gingerly and said,

"There's something I guess you should know, Remus he's a werewolf."

Faith grinned and teased,

"I always knew that once you'd gone wolf you'd never go back."

Willow turned beetroot red and smiled changing the subject,

"Any ways are you ready for breakfast now? Molly's taken the kids shopping, but she's left us breakfast, so it's just me, you Sirius and Remus."

"Give me ten minutes I'll be right done."

Faith descended through the house to the bottom floor and walked silently down the first floor corridor remembering her instructions from the previous night. She smelt the glorious smell even before she had entered the kitchen. Bacon and tomatoes, there just really wasn't a better way to be woken up in the morning.

"Morning"

She said quickly as she entered the kitchen. The three occupants turned round to look at her Willow smiled and beckoned her over to sit with them, which she did. Next to Willow there was a man who had not been there the previous night. She sensed darkness and the struggle in his aura, this was Remus she knew without a doubt. He had greying brownhair and... her mother's eyes! Faith stared at them for a moment until she realised the questioning glance he was issuing her with.

"Do not think me rude Miss, but I'm afraid we have yet to make an acquaintance as my rude fiancé is more concerned about her eggs and bacon then her manners."

Sirius burst into laughter and Willow dropped her cutlery and elbowed Remus sharply in the ribs.

"Don't be so rude! You know perfectly well that this is Faith and she knows perfectly well who you are. But you insist Faith... Wilkins this is Remus Lupin my dead beat fiancé."

"Hey!"

He exclaimed at her deadbeat comment. Before reaching across the table to shake Faith's hand. He studied her for a moment saying,

"I have this strange feeling that we have met before Faith, did you ever attend Hogwarts?"

Faith looked thoughtful for a moment before saying

"No I've never been to Hogwarts, I was born in America and spent most of my life there. It's only in recent years that I've moved to England."

Willow handed her a large plate piled up with Bacons and tomatoes. And smiled reassuringly at her, she wasn't sure why it was exactly she didn't not want to reveal her true identity as Remus' niece at the moment but knew that there must be a good reason for this. And so wanted to reassure Faith that she would not be the one who was to give the game away.

Faith took the plate and smiled brightly knowing instinctively what Willow had offered her and was grateful for it.

Lupin watched the exchange carefully. Knowing that there was something going on which he wasn't supposed to know about. This friend of Willow's, she was the first one whom he had met from her past life. And there was definitely something about her which he recognised he just couldn't place her. It was like looking at a blurred photo of his past and not being able to make out who it was that was in the photo.

Sirius watched as faith began to dig into her breakfast took a sip of his coffee and said,

"Well Remus, Faith did mention last night that her mother was a witch, maybe you knew her or something."

Faith started to choke on her breakfast,

"Are you ok?"

Sirius asked quickly, Faith nodded and said,

"Five by five."