To my 9 followers and 7 reviewers, you guys are amazing and you're the reason i haven't given up on this fic just yet. Enjoy the next chapter, i hope it is to your liking. It is a slow build up for every couple i am planning. There's a lot of things to deal with, not only Faith's sickness. However it puts a time limit on it though. Alright, on to the story!

Last time:

"Again."

I heard myself say the words and fell back on the cushions.

"Are you sure ab-"

"Again."

After performing the spell three more times though my world went black again as I felt another wave of excruciating pain hit my body. I hadn't stumbled upon another memory of my father., only those of the many stepfathers.

I woke up to a cool cloth being pressed against my forehead and my ass lying on what felt like comfortable sheets. The room reeked of sandalwood however and the smell of it made me scrunch my nose in disgust. I preferred the roses from last time. I heard a faint chuckle come from beside me and I already knew who was sitting next to me. I never had to open my eyes or even say a word as the high pitched voice spoke the thoughts I'd been thinking.

"I know, this damn place stinks of it."

I laughed and opened my eyes to look into her annoyed ones.

"Let me guess, Willow did this?"

She sighed in irritation and looked at me with a smirk.

"Who else? The friggin' hippie won't quit about elements of nature and balance. This shit is supposed to help you but I think it just stinks. Just like the roses did."

"It does C but if she says I might help.."

Cordelia snorted and fixed me with a glare.

"She wants to believe she can help. She feels bad, they all do and they should."

I tried to sit up but my body was still sore and it hurt to even move an inch.

"Shhh, Faye dear, your body is still recovering. That spell sure did a number on you."

I smiled crookedly before a question formed in my mind. Again before I could ask anything she answered it already.

"You were out three weeks this time. The gang has been working nonstop, even the freaking Scooby Doo's have. At least Velma has been useful."

I punched her in the arm at that.

"Hey shut it C. Will has been good to me the past weeks, so has Kennedy. And Dawn."

Cordelia smiled at the last name. I stored her reaction away in my mind for later.

"Yes, the little one has been at your bedside with me for every hour she was free. Except for the times Bleach- Buffy kicked us out."

I stopped laughing at Cordelia halfway through the last sentence until it registered.

"Wait up C! B's been checking up on me?"

Frowning at my hopeful smile Cordelia took my hand in hers a bit firmer.

"Yes Slayer. Everyone has but she's the only one who managed to spend the nights in here with you. She kicked me out the first times but in the end she let me stay over too sometimes. As if I'd let her tiny ass stand in my way of seeing you."

I huffed at that, what was up the blonde's sleeve to come and stay with me at night, every night? I remembered the little conversation we had before, more like me reassuring her in the only way I knew how. Still, we hadn't really talked about anything, didn't really sort things out. I guess she was serious about seeing how I'd changed and all that. Seems like she really wanted another shot at this, friendship or companionship or whatever it was we had. Fucks with my head a bit though, not gonna lie to myself about it.

"Did she say why?"

Cordelia shook her head in the negative.

"I assume she felt guilty as all of them did."

Cordelia knew all too well about my crush on the blonde slayer. She never understood it but she accepted it for what it was. She once encouraged me to go for it, try and at least work out the differences between us but I'd been too scared. They never believed I could change so what was the point? I was never going to be with Buffy anyways. Although considering our last talk, this was the best shot I was gonna have to at least be friends with her. I could do that right? Besides she probably did feel super guilty. Goodie two shoes complex and all that.

"Maybe she wanted to see if I'd say anything useful in my sleep or something."

"Yeah right. Performing her duty as THE slayer no doubt."

I admonished her for her tone but she bristled in anger at my reprimand.

"They made you go through HELL Faith! I may not have been there, I may not have damn seen what happened to you like they had the privilege to do the first time but I am not a fool!"

I grasped her flailing hands and patted beside me on the bed. She moved from the chair to lay down beside me as she placed her head on my shoulder.

"You don't know what it's been like Faye. But I hate how self-righteous they're all acting now that you're supposedly 'good'. They weren't there to see you evolve the way we have! Angel and the gang, WE have been there for you every step of the way and we know you better than those idiots. And to see them trying to best us, trying to pretend like they know you any better because they knew you first? It's gotten under my skin. I'm glad I could come up here away from them most times. Angel comes by often enough for a minute. Summers is even getting under his skin, which is saying much."

That actually was saying much. Last time Angel and I talked he told me he still loved Buffy with all his heart. Something like a first love but how he'd come to realize that not only they couldn't work with the whole vampire thing and all, but that she could find love again with someone else and he could too. They weren't meant to be. Still that meant Angel carried a torch for our Golden Slayer. It made me understand Cordelia's resentment a bit better since she found herself with some feelings for the brooding vampire back when she first came in the gang. I think everyone saved by Angel who might fall for a man, eventually ever fell for him once. I know I did but I got over it pretty fast, lucky me. He was more like a brother to me now. But Cordelia had struggled longer than I had.

"And they're always hitting those friggin' books I mean there is technology and the bloody witch is good with them! So instead of searching in those stuffy old things she should help us find more data that was actually usable. Magic isn't going to save anyone this time and they know it! But do they listen. OH NO."

I let Cordelia rant as she laid there since it helped her relax more. I figured she'd be all done in about fifteen more minutes. It's the way she worked. It gave her something to focus all her pent up emotions on, anger being the easiest to let resurface. I knew all about that one.

"Seriously and that Kennedy chick, she reminds me way too much of you. It's unhealthy so we had her checked out. Too bad she didn't turn out to be a long lost relevant of course, no we wouldn't be that lucky. Still I get why you're cool with her and all she could be your twin sister for heaven's sake. Then there's Spike acting like a moron every time always talking in riddles, riling Buffy up saying god knows what every time she steps foot out on the porch. It's annoying because she comes in looking like a damn porcelain doll about to break into a million pieces and of course they all lose several minutes gaping at her when they think she won't notice that they could spend on searching for your fucking father!"

As she reached the end of that sentence she took a deep breath as if to start again but suddenly two quiet knocks were resounding on the wood.

"Oh damn that must be Dawn! It's near lunch time already!"

I looked at her in surprise.

"She always comes to check up on you during her lunch breaks. I haven't told Buffy about it since she'd forbid it but the girl needs it. She needs to see you, as much as she says she's come to enjoy my company I know it's you she's here for."

Cordelia looked almost a bit sad by that.

"Now close your eyes slayer, I want to surprise her."

Again two knocks were heard and Cordelia sat up and turned herself towards the door before flicking her hand. The door clicked open as I peered from underneath my eyelashes and revealed a sheepish looking Dawn holding brown paper bags.

"Hi Cordy."

She waltzed inside, not noticing I was awake as Cordelia sprung from the bed hastily and made her way towards the little desk in front of the window where Dawn was unpacking various things in containers.

"I brought you that chicken thing you liked so much last time. I figured you may want to try mine again so I took an extra portion. I also brought some desert with me. Chocolate mousse. You said it was Faith's favorite right? Well I thought you might like it too since you told me how you'd get hit by her for taking some of her precious homemade bowl of it?"

Cordelia looked at Dawn with a curious, amazed gaze which didn't go unnoticed by the other two brunettes in the room. For now Faith decided to lay low and watch the interaction. It seemed as if both Cordy and Dawn had grown closer over the last three weeks in her absence.

"So uhm yeah – I just thought you'd like it. Since you miss her. I mean we all miss her but I know you and well Angel probably miss her most since you really knew her and I only knew her through the mails she sent me and i-.."

She was silenced by a finger of Cordelia resting on her lips and a slight chuckle from the older woman as it bounced around in the room.

"Shh now dear, that's really thoughtful of you."

Dawn blushed hard at that and her gaze followed the digit as it was taken back by its owner.

"Yeah well. I try."

She gave Cordelia a smirk and shrugged as she unpacked the rest of the brown bags.

"You succeed."

This made Dawn blush again as she smiled a little mug.

"How are the merry band of idiots dong?"

Dawn chuckled at that and shrugged again.

"Not much progress. Buffy and Angel got into it again. Giles actually broke his glasses cuz of the rubbing he does all the time. Willow has been helping with the tech stuff and Ken has taken Gun to see about some lead but they don't think it'll go anywhere. Doesn't hurt to try though."

Cordelia rubbed her shoulder affectionately, another thing for me to store away in my mind and I watched as Dawn relaxed upon the touch, sinking into it, welcoming it.

"I just get annoyed sometimes because I want Faith to wake up too y'know? I want to find her father too! Buffy seems to forget we ALL care about Faith and we all want to save her, not just Miss Precious. I could care less about school right now. My mind isn't there at all so why bother?"

Cordelia sighed and wrapped her arms around Dawn as she hugged her from behind. The young girl's shoulders had started shaking a bit, I could see a tear rolling down a cheek before falling to the ground. Cordelia murmured something in her ear and I had to tap into my slayer powers to hear it.

"I know dear. She forgets that you're not a child anymore but that's because you're her little sister and I know, I know it is very frustrating. I see the brave, powerful young woman you've become in the years I haven't seen you or well, remember seeing you but I know for a fact she only does it because she loves you. Be patient my dear, I know she can push those limits of ours but just hold it out for a bit longer."

I saw Dawn sigh deep again.

"Besides I have a very pleasant surprise for you, that'll ease your mind a little bit and everyone else's too when they'll come home in four hours. Until then I give you permission to stay home. I'll cover for you at school don't worry."

Dawn turned around in her arms and looked at her with such an innocent expression, my heart hurt for her. She was like the kid sister I never had. I mailed her as often as I could telling her all about missions and answering all her questions. I was patient with her in a way I hadn't known I could be and soon enough I found that the kid wormed her way into my heart and now it clenched painfully at the sight of her tears, shed for me.

"Look to your right dear, you'll see someone has graced us with their presence today.

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