A/N: 1) I removed the poem and if you reread the story as a whole in the next couple of days you'll see why. I'm editing details regarding Faith's name for the sake of staying a little bit truer to the actual character in the show.

2) I also have two new chapters finished and will start adding new chapters once I get a 9th finished. Also my chapters are starting to get a little bit longer.

Peace

IV

Half an hour later, Faith sprinted across the courtyard towards the library, checking her watch. She was ten minutes late for her meeting with the mysterious Ileana. Shit, what a great way to make a first impression? What am I going to tell her happened? 'Yeah, sorry I'm late, I got caught up in a mild panic attack driven memory, let's get some coffee.' That would go over well, she thought ruefully as she slowed down outside the door to the building. She realized now that her shower was pointless, because once more she was drenched in sweat. Once she caught her breath, Faith stepped through the double glass doors into the lobby of the library and looked around: Ileana was nowhere in sight.

"It's about time you showed up…what was the point of showering if you were going to get sweaty all over again, eh?" Ileana spoke from behind the confused younger Slayer, giving her body a good looking over. Once Faith turned around, she stuck out her tongue and smirked. Although she and the girl had just met, she already felt a strong friendship forming. It was a tug at her subconscious that told her it was safe to tease the brunette, and flirt.

Faith blushed and muttered: "My roommate delayed me a bit and I had to run…" after a moment, she recomposed herself and returned the offered smirk. Before Ileana knew what was happening, she was caught in a spray of water from Faith tossing her dripping wet hair. "But at least I smell good," laughed the latecomer. I swear she was checking me out before I turned around…she thought.

"What makes you sure you smell good?" Ileana laughed some more as she dodged a playful elbow from Faith. This girl is almost too easy to tease, and it's totally adorable. "Actually, I always did enjoy the smell of musty old gym socks mixed with the refreshing scent of citrus odor eaters." This time the elbow caught her and she conceded. "Alright, alright, I'll stop!"

"What makes me so sure is the fact you were checking me out before I turned around," Faith grinned at Ileana's stunned expression. "I saw your reflection in the second set of glass doors, but I wasn't sure until now if you actually were. Don't worry…mind if I call you Leana? I got nick names for everyone, so it was bound to slip out sooner or later." When Ileana just nodded and blushed deeply, Faith continued. "You get your text books yet while you were waiting for me?"

The slightly older girl, now relaxing after being caught, shook her head. "Nope, I was waiting for you. Shall we go inside, Faithy?" The query was innocent enough, with the added unexpected nick name. She assumed that since Faith had a nick name for her it would be alright for her to make a nick name for her new friend. But when Faith twitched at the name, Ileana frowned. "I'm sorry…it just slipped out. Do you want me to just call you Faith…or is there another nick name…"

"Faithy, wait up!" Chris called after his running older sister. He was faster than everyone in the school except his sister, and he wondered why. Sure, she was older than he. But he was faster than the whole school, most of which was older than he. Maybe great speed and strength ran in the family and he would soon improve his abilities to match hers, but it still made him wonder because his sister was a girl. It wasn't like she was superhuman…but every once and a while he'd be bugged by the fact that she always beat him in a race.

With a surge of energy, a twelve year old Faith refrained from picking up speed. "No can do, little C. I'm already holding back," she shouted over her shoulder. It was one of those rare days that hers and Chris's grades had lunch together. On those days they skipped lunch and took recess. They ended recess with a five minute race around the track before going back to class. This day, however, Faith had had to miss recess, so she agreed that they would skip the bus and race home.

Chris wasn't alone in pondering his sister's unusual speed. Faith didn't understand it at all when she'd be running full speed, and suddenly a burst of energy would push her even faster. When she first noticed it, she pegged it down to adrenaline, but now she wasn't too sure what to think. The young girl felt a force running through her veins similar to energy, but not: it was almost liquid life. One thing was for certain: Faith Richards was going to be a star on her high school track team in a few years.

"Come on, Faithy!" He whined as they turned into their street. It was the only time the boy had begged for Faith to hold back: he usually enjoyed a challenge. "I need to talk to you, dammit!"

Once Chris caught up to a concerned Faith, she took him in her arms and asked, "Is everything okay?" She smiled and ruffled his hair.

"Today's their anniversary," he sighed at Faith's confusion and hurriedly clarified. "Mom and…and Dad. Did you forget too?" Hope and fear rose in a lump in his throat. "Because if you got them something…maybe you could say it's from me, too."

Faith shook her head. "No, I forgot. But it's fine, they won't get pissed. I have a backup plan for in case something like this happened." Chris visibly relaxed at this. "We'll get them out of the house, even. I've made reservations for them at Chez Romano. It's a French/Italian place. You and I will chip in and cover them for food and a bottle of champagne. Any other booze they gotta pay for themselves. They'll totally go for it and we'll be free for the night. We'll be safe."

"Faith? Faith, what's wrong?" Ileana watched as her new friend's glazed over eyes refocused. The shivers wracking her body lessened and she looked around at her surroundings. "Faith, it's me, Leana. You're with me in the library lobby at UC Sunnydale…you remember?" She moved to place a hand on Faith's shoulder, but the younger girl stepped back and straightened her posture.

"Yeah, I'm five by five. I mean, I'm cool. Sorry about that Just remembered something and spaced out," Faith grinned, hoping Ileana would move on. "You ask me something?"

Ileana sighed. It would obviously take time for the girl to open up to her. "It doesn't matter," sweetie, she wanted to say. "As long as you're alright, let's…let's get our books, and then check out the town, eh?"

Faith nodded and smiled. "Thanks…and, yeah, let's go," as she held open the door, she frowned slightly. What was it she said before I freaked out? Her mind went over the day's events. She called me Faithy…I must've gotten a look on my face because she asked me if it's alright to call me that…It has been six years since he died…and she sounds cute when she says it…

"Faith, you're out of it again," this time Ileana gently poked Faith out of her musings. "You gonna stand there holding the door forever?" Hopefully some friendly teasing would cheer her up.

Realizing that she was indeed just standing there, Faith blushed. "I guess Super Chica is seeming super pathetic-a today," her smirk indicated that she wasn't too embarrassed to laugh at herself, and made Ileana feel less concerned. "I was just thinking. I've made it beyond my 'remembering' phase, and now I'm in my 'thinking too much' phase."

Ileana rolled her eyes and grabbed Faith by the arm, pulling her towards the front desk. "You also seem to be in your 'babbling' phase and your 'getting too annoying to be cute' phase. So why don't you take it easy while we get our books, eh? Then we can get some coffee to wake you up?" A twinkle in her eyes masked her nervousness at letting the word 'cute' slip through her lips.

Faith's eyes widened and she involuntarily smirked. "Oh, we'll get coffee alright. But it won't be to wake me up. It'll be to discuss you thinking I'm cute."