"Wha-Faith, no of course you're not crazy. Someone has been messing with you for a long time, it's only natural for you to start questioning yourself but I promise you there is nothing wrong with you, you are fine," Buffy said tightening the arm she had around the younger girl's shoulders so that Faith was pulled uncomfortably close to her side.

"Well I wouldn't say fine," Willow mused, the faraway look in her eye as she got cutlery out of the drawer making it clear that she hadn't meant to voice that thought out loud. The sharp look she got from the blonde Slayer as she pushed the utensils across the bench towards them told her that she had and her face reddened, "Of course I didn't mean you Faith, you're fine, you're more than fine, you are awesome with just a little smidgen of cool."

"It's okay Red," Faith mumbled the corners of her mouth turned up in a smile.

Buffy had to hand it to her friend, by not covering her slip up well and turning to her patented Willow babble she had managed to drag a semblance of a smile from the younger Slayer. Giving Faith's arm a quick squeeze she removed it and pushed a plate of food towards the other girl, indicating with her head for the other girl to eat. She offered Dawn a quick smile when she entered the kitchen, throwing a quick glance over to Faith to see if the other Slayer had noticed the teenager's presence. If she had the dark Slayer didn't give any indication concentrating solely on getting the food from her plate into her mouth.

"Buffy," Dawn said and Buffy didn't miss the way Faith flinched next to her, "Principal Wood is on the phone, he said he needed you to come in for a few hours, something about a few kids really needing to see you."

Faith looked up sharply at this, her eyes betraying the fear she was obviously trying to shield from Willow and Dawn. Buffy discretely put her hand on Faith's knee under the bench, hating the way she could feel the other girl trembling beneath her touch.

"Tell him I'll be there in about an hour," Buffy said turning back to her meal, "Wait. Dawn why aren't you there?"

"I thought with the First being all I'm going to get you," Dawn said making a face and claws out of her hands, "School just doesn't rate as highly as saving the world."

"You're coming in with me. You will keep going to school, the First won't make his move during school hours, I've been told evil likes to sleep in," Buffy said shooing Dawn out of the kitchen.

"It'll be okay," she said turning to Faith, "You can come with me."

**********************************************************************************************

"Do you want a book or magazine to read?" Buffy asked Faith who was sitting in a chair in the corner of the cubicle.

"I'm okay B, you don't have to babysit me or nothin'," Faith said, the brief flash of fear at being left alone contradicting the words coming from her lips.

"Thought you might like to see the new school," Buffy shrugged handing Faith a pile of magazines she had pulled from her desk drawer, "The kids are pretty cool, most of them just want someone to talk to who isn't all grey and wrinkly."

"It's a cool gig B," Faith nodded moving her chair closer to her blonde counterparts when a student squealed with laughter out in the hall.

"The new principal is different to, you'd like him, he's all dark and mysterious, oh and he's the son of a Slayer, did you know Slayer's could have kids? I just kind of thought it didn't really come with the territory but after meeting Robin, well I guess it just kinda makes you think," Buffy said.

"Can't say I ever really thought about it. Not really parent material ya know," Faith mumbled casting her eyes downward.

"Faith," Buffy said softly reaching out to take the other Slayer's hand.

"It's alright B, it is what it is ya know," Faith said.

"Look, I know I've never been someone you thought you could confide in, but I want it to be different this time, a-and I think they are, and you can trust me, t-talk to me, and I really mean it this time. I want to be someone that you feel safe with," Buffy finished quietly.

"You are the only one B," Faith said softly.

Buffy's reply was cut off by a dark haired boy knocking on the cubicle wall and peeking in nervously.

"Miss Summers?" he asked glancing between the two women.

"Uh yeah hi, Ethan isn't it, come in," Buffy said warmly pointing to the seat opposite her own. The teen had a seat and looked nervously over into the corner where Faith was sitting, trying hard to disappear into the wall behind her.

"Ethan this is Faith, she is a uh colleague of mine, she'll be sitting in with us for today if that's okay with you," Buffy said and the teen nodded.

The morning was fairly uneventful, the handful of students that came in to speak to the blonde didn't seem to worry about the brunette woman in the corner of the room who as the morning proceeded had managed to subtly move her chair so her elbow was nearly touching her counterparts.

"Oh, crap," Buffy said as she read her email.

"What is it B?" Faith asked around a mouthful of sandwich.

"One of the teacher's has called in sick and they need me to cover her study hall," Buffy said.

"Oh," Faith said the sandwich now completely forgotten.

"It's okay, I'll go and talk to Principal Wood maybe I can get out of it," Buffy said.

"No," Faith said loudly, "No it's o-okay I'll be alright."

Buffy could see that the younger girl was determined to stick by her word, the determinedness in her eyes reminding the older Slayer of a Faith from earlier years.

"Okay, but just stay here while I'm gone, you can use the computer or something, just don't go wondering the halls," Buffy said standing and resting a hand on Faith's shoulder.

"Don't worry B I'll be five by five."

Buffy had only been gone for ten minutes before the bravado the younger girl had put up had disappeared completely. Her fingers drummed nervously on the mouse as she clicked aimlessly around Buffy's computer trying to find anything that would keep her mind from wandering and reminding her that she was completely alone.

"You're not alone Faithy, we're right here."

The terrified yelp that escaped was covered by the sound of the files falling from Buffy's desk as her hands swung out wildly trying to hit at whoever had startled her.

"Leave me alone," she mumbled shaking her head as they circled around her, the putrid smell of death that she knew couldn't possibly be there following them around the desk.

"Oh yes we are here. Do you know where you are Faithy? You're on the mouth of hell. Can you feel it? The darkness. It's where you belong you know. Not here, not with her. She's too good for your darkness Faithy, you're only going to bring her down. You don't want that do you? You don't want to be the reason she fails."

"No," she said shrinking back in the chair as they leaned over her.

"You don't belong up here. You belong with us in the darkness, come with us Faithy, come back to where you belong."

"Get away from me," she ground out with more strength than she was feeling.

"When the time is right, you will learn your place. You don't deserve her help, you are pathetic, worthless, you belong with us and the sooner you accept that the sooner everything will get better. Remember that Faithy, you belong in the darkness."

When Buffy returned thirty minutes later her senses were immediately on alert when she noticed her files scattered all over the floor and the brunette Slayer that was noticeably missing from where she had left her. Kneeling to pick up her files quickly she nearly fell backwards on the floor when she realised there was someone under the desk. Reaching up to the top of the desk she grabbed a letter opener and peered slowly around the drawers that obscured her vision. The letter opener clattered to the floor when she saw the missing girl huddled under the desk her knees pulled tightly to her chest.

"Faith."

The younger girl was trembling, her hands gripping tightly to her hair as she shook her head over and over trying to shake all they had said from her mind. Buffy crawled slowly under the desk pulling the other girl tightly against her. Faith struggled at first, trying to pull away from the other girls embrace, but her Slayer strength hadn't fully returned so she was no match for the older Slayer. It was a tight fit under the desk but as Faith relaxed in her arms Buffy managed to manoeuvre them so the younger girl was practically sitting in her lap.

"What are you doing under the desk?" Buffy asked rubbing her hand up and down Faith's back.

"T-the darkness w-where I belong, in the darkness," Faith mumbled her whole body shuddering, "I'm bad, evil, in the darkness."