Chapter Five : In Me

Impossible. Doctoral Huddle:

The readings on the chart didn't make any sense. All of the white-coated and highly-certified graduates of credible medical colleges would tell you the exact same thing. Not a single one of her symptoms made any sense when pieced together properly. The convulsions were due to a possible aftermath of suffered head-trauma. The only problem with that assumption is that there were no bruises or markings to indicate the fracture that had been created in her skull earlier. It was there, previous (and various) x-rays could prove that fact. The fracture had completely healed now, however. The markings on her neck were due to a vampire. The doctors knew this much, although they never diagnosed patients with this supposed theory. They would be shunned and put out of a job quicker than you could say 'braindead.' Sunnydale doctors weren't idiots, they knew of the Hellmouth, but that never kept them from saving lives as needed and providing false propositions to make the residents feel safe.

Her head trauma was due to the fracture in her skull, they were sure of that. She should have been put into a comatose state due to the supposed violence of her convulsions and the length of time they'd been drawn out- but she wasn't. Little did they know that Faith was a fighter, and she wasn't going into coma-mode ever again without putting up a damn good fight. Her responses to all stimuli were normal, including pain and stress.Her heartbeat had been steady throughout her entire stay at the hospital, but they suggested she had REM sleep behavior disorder- RBD. Thrashings as such could have been inflicted by her acting out rather horrid dreams, although not all the symptoms fit that as well. Even the doctors were fearing the impending apocalyptic events, but they had a duty. A duty to serve the residents of Sunnydale, as long as there were still residents left to serve. That wouldn't matter soon, however. Many were on the verge of leaving already.

In the hospital room-

"You don't get rid of me that easily, Faithy," Angelus cocked his head and stared at the slayer intently, as if he were trying to read her thoughts. "You can't... close your eyes and make me go away," his smirk widened while he watched pure fear filter from her body and radiate throughout the room.

"N-no... you aren't here," Faith argued, pressing herself closer to the wall, although still in bed and paranoid. She was attached to various IVs and still hadn't taken the time to figure out everything that was going on.

"Am I?" Angelus raised an eyebrow and let out a short and controlled snicker, "Gee, I was catching a different impression."

"Giles? What is she looking at?" Buffy questioned the man with curiosity and apparent worry. She was squinting, but saw nothing of relevance that would have stirred Faith up so quickly.

"I believe she is hallucinating," Giles suggested, eying the corner as well. "Possible side effects of the injections she was given."

"You're... not... real," the terrified slayer muttered slowly. The arm she was using to lean back on became weak and gave away, causing her to fall backward onto the bed again. Propping herself up on her elbows, she shook her head.

"Faith, it's okay, there's nothing there," Buffy tried to reassure her, standing up now and gingerly placing a hand on the dark slayer's arm.

"Dear Lord," Giles rose, eying the corner once more, and then the fear in Faith's eyes. "The First. It's feeding off of her radiating fear and thoughts to formulate and ultimately project an image that will keep her in check."

Faith shook her head at Buffy, but didn't look at her, "He's going to kill me." Still not making any move to shrug Buffy's hand off her arm, she stared blankly, transfixed at the wall where Angelus sneered back at her. It wasn't Angel, she knew that much by the look in his eyes. She just wanted him to go away, leave her.

"I'll... be around," Angelus sneered, turning to the center of the room and walking towards the closed door. Realizing that the effect would be gone once he had to slip through the door, unable to actually open it, he shrugged. "Be seein' you." Slipping through the door now, Faith was left there in a visible state of confusion.

"Faith, it's okay... whatever you're looking at, whatever you see- it isn't real," Buffy tried to reason with her. "Please, Faith... come back to us."

"He's gone, B," Faith responded blankly, still not actually acknowledging the other slayer's presence just yet. "He wants me to suffer, wants me dead. Just isn't going to stop, keep comin." A raspy voice suddenly interrupted and whispered throughout her head commandingly, something she'd been told she'd mumbled in her coma in LA. ' Scratch it out...'

"Tell me, Faith," Buffy gripped the other slayer's wrists and stared into her distant eyes. "Tell me what you saw, who was it? What's trying to hurt you... who wants you dead?"

"Angelus."

"Angelus?" Giles watched her with curiosity now, paying close attention to every detail. "It is imperative that you tell us everything you can. I don't mean to be pressing, but time may be of the essence here. Faith, what exactly happened in Los Angeles?"

"Hey, no sweat, G," she shook her head slightly, coming back into the welcoming, yet cruel reality. "Wes busted me out, rolled the name Angelus off his tongue, and it worked like a charm. I was out on the beat." Attempting to sit up now, she groaned once she remembered the strike she'd taken against the dumpster. The pain surging through her body was more than a little reminder of 'that'll hurt in the morning.' She smirked slightly at the escape memory, "Was proud of Wes, took the escape like a man... almost. Anyway...funny story- ya know, I ended up taking a tour of Angelus' little Hell..."

"Oooh yeah, it was crazy... her and Angel- they did this whole... brain walky intrusion double comatose thingy," Willow smirked, butting in. She'd just entered the room, followed by Dawn. Both held a napkin of cookies and some hospital hot-chocolate. "I mean, it was waaay beyond my magical comprehension... almost as if some...outside force was in control. I could sense the aura the whole time, you know... while re-ensouling Angel. It was amazing and just... so strong. It was a mystical force, something primal because I couldn't even distinguish evil or good out of it. It was just, well, ancient."

Buffy stood there, shocked. Angel... Angelus? All of this happened in Los Angeles and not once had anyone bothered to consult her? Instead, they chose to go to Faith, of all people, to save Angel? What kind of a ridiculous decision was that? Wait, better yet... why had he been Angelus? How did he turn evil? A part of her became increasingly jealous and she had to bite her lip to hold back the rage and emotion rising up inside of her.

Giles removed his glasses, wiping them nervously. "I will have to consult my books, but if that's the case... something supernatural is at play here, I reckon."

'How cold Giles be so casual? Did he know too?' Buffy didn't even know who to blame anymore, but she definitely knew she had a bone to pick with the Oh-So-Broody one whenever this was all over. Wait, did Willow even get a hold of that vampire?

"Sorry, I just had to tell you guys," Willow apologized, looking up at Faith. "Really, how are you feeling?"

"Ignore the blood, bruises, emotional scars and machines attached to me- hey, I'm five by five," Offering up a smirk, she glanced about the room, surprised to see the whole gang of Scoobies there, save for Xander and Anya. Where were they, anyway?

"What happened before you did this... mind walk thingy?" Buffy crossed her arms, now giving Faith an unreadable look. She would get the information she wanted, oh yes. She wouldn't stop until she had the whole truth.

"Some beasty guy put out the lights in LA before I went all escape-artist. Wes didn't exactly fill in all the blanks, something about them provoking Angelus to defeat the Beast? Well, met up with Angelus not too long after prison break and he had a guest. Angelus let the thing- the Beast- kick me around like a ragdoll. He was meaning to just tender me up for the jam with alter-ego Angel..." She smirked, shaking her head at the memories, "And then... he killed The Beast like... like it was nothing, and he relished every moment of it. Me? I couldn't even land a decent groin-shot to rock-boy. The beast was nothing more than a pawn to him, a slave to dispose of after it'd tortured me to his liking. The pain... It was like... he just couldn't get enough-"

"Like you," Dawn smarted, rolling her eyes.

Faith looked away, shutting her mouth instantly and waiting a moment. "Like I was." No, Faith was not that cold-hearted murderer she had once become. She was redeemed, given a second chance. Deep inside, the killer still remained, as it always would, but she'd locked it deep beneath the surface.

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