Chapter 5: Death Takes a Halliwell
April 29, 2001 – Tuesday
Halliwell Manor
"I'm coming, I'm coming," Prue groaned at the incessant knocking. She opened the door to find her father at the door. "Dad?" she said in surprise.
"I thought you, Faith and I could talk," Victor said.
Faith's Dreamscape
The blackness of the night was all consuming and as she ran faster and faster down the dank and narrow alley, it felt like the world itself could swallow her up at any moment. Her muscles screamed in pain as she forced herself onward. She had to escape. She just had to. She had to keep running. On and on, never stopping. Her lungs were burning and every gasping breathe was an effort, but her pace never slowed, not even for a second. Because behind her in the darkness was the thing she feared most in this world. And to stop running would be to surrender herself to a fate so much worse than death.
So far, all she had been able to hear was the sound of her own heartbeat as she pounded onwards, but soon another sound joined it, one that made her blood run cold. It was the screaming of her Watcher, the pain and terror in that noise couldn't be mistaken. And as Faith carried on her endless run, the sounds of her Watcher's slow and agonizing death resounded in her head making her feel sick. God, if only she could get out of this place! She didn't even notice when the first of her tears began to well in her eyes, nor did she feel them tracking down her face as she moved relentlessly on. All that existed was cold, hard terror. She was in hell.
Halliwell Manor
"Faith!" Prue cried as she shook her daughter's shoulders, trying to wake Faith. Faith suddenly bolted straight up in bed and looked around as she tried to get her bearings. "Are you okay, Faith?" she asked with a touch of worry.
"Bad dream," Faith admitted.
"You want to talk about it?" Prue wondered as she sat down on the bed next to her daughter.
"No," Faith answered, then she saw Victor standing in the doorway. "What's he doing here?" she snapped.
"I'm here to apologize to both you and your mother," Victor answered as he walked into the room and sat in the chair next to the bed." He looked at Prue with a sigh. "For being a rotten father."
"Dad," Prue interjected.
"I know we have moved past it in the last two years," Victor told his daughter. "But if I hadn't been absent from your life. You never would have felt the need to hide Faith from me. I would have been there for the birth of my granddaughter. And when Faith was kidnapped, I would have done everything in my power to find her."
Prue glanced at her daughter and then back at her father. "I know, dad. But I am just as much to blame."
"You have nothing to be blamed for," Victor told his daughter. "Just let me have this, Prue. For you and for Faith."
Prue nodded. "Okay. Just don't hurt, Faith, okay?" she said.
"Hi," Faith interjected. "Remember me? Look, Gramps, I'm willing to give you a chance but, please, don't hurt me. I've been hurt enough in my life." She sighed. "Then again maybe I deserve to be hurt."
"No," Victor and Prue immediately objected.
"No one deserves to be hurt like how you were, sweetie," Prue told her daughter.
"Prue, I would like to take Faith out to lunch if she will let me," Victor suggested looking at his daughter.
"Ask her then," Prue stated looking at her father.
"Faith, would you like to join me for lunch?" Victor questioned looking at his granddaughter. "Just the two of us."
Faith looked at her grandfather for a lone moment and then nodded. "Sure, Gramps."
"I will be back to pick you up at around eleven o'clock this evening," Victor said with a smile.
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"You're aware she was lying about the dream, right?" Victor asked his daughter as they made their way to the front door.
"Yes," Prue answered. "It was more than just a bad dream. Given what she went through, it doesn't surprise me that she would have nightmares. I don't know how to help her, dad."
"I have a friend who is a psychiatrist," Victor offered. "I could give him a call."
"As much as I think that would be a good idea," Prue admitted. "She is part witch, part Slayer, remember. Some of what she might want to talk about…"
"She can't talk about to someone who doesn't know about magic," Victor said in understanding. "Maybe, we can try getting her to open up to us?" he suggested. "She does need to talk about it, that much I believe."
Acquerello
Faith sat across from Victor at the most expensive restaurant she had ever been in as the waitress took their orders. "I have an odd request," she said after a moment of hesitation. "And I am really sorry about this, but when you bring my food could you have someone taste it first to make sure it's not drugged?"
The waitress looked at Faith with a raised eyebrow. "May I ask why?"
Faith sighed as she glanced at Victor. "It's hard admitting to this," she said addressing her grandfather.
"It's okay, Faith, I'm here," Victor said.
Faith nodded as she looked back at the waitress. "When I was two-years-old I was kidnapped from my birth family. A year later I cause the accidental death of the guy who kidnapped me by inviting a robber into the house. After his death, his wife started abusing me and humiliating me. She even drugged my food and drink to keep me docile. Which before now why I always went to McDonalds or another burger place where I could watch as they made my food. This is my first time actually in a restaurant this nice. And that's thanks to my grandfather here."
Lily looked at Faith in complete shock at what she had just head. "Oh, you poor dear. I am so sorry that happened to you. Of course, when I bring your food, I will be more than happy when to personally taste it for you right in front of you."
"Thank you," Faith said as the waitress turned and walked toward the kitchen.
"Faith," Victor said. "Is that story true?" he questioned with a touch of anger in his voice.
Faith looked down deeply ashamed. "Yes, Gramps, it is," she answered. "Mrs. Lehane used laxatives, diuretics, muscle relaxants, mouth numbing agents and other drugs and put them in my baby dog food and drinks to humiliate and degrade me. With how much she drugged me I'm surprised I'm even alive."
"Baby dog food?" Victor said the anger in his voice growing by the second. "What is that and please don't lie?"
Faith sighed. "One-part baby food and one-part canned dog food. Let me tell you it tasted really had. But I was so hungry so I would have eaten a horse if it had been right in front of me."
"Why did you agree to come to lunch with me at a fancy restaurant?" Victor questioned.
Faith shrugged. "When you invited me out, I thought we would be going for burgers," she admitted. She looked around at all the other customers who were dressed in either suits or nice dresses or gowns. "I really feel underdressed for this place." She looked back at Victor. "I didn't want to disappoint you or mom or anyone. So I kept my mouth shut, I didn't want to be bad."
Victor looked at his granddaughter for a long moment. "You're not bad, honey. But next time, tell me what you want, okay?"
"Okay, Gramps," Faith answered as the waitress brought their food. She smiled at the woman who tasted it for her. "Thank you," she said.
"Your welcome, dear," the waitress replied.
"There will be a little bit of an extra tip for you," Victor told the waitress. "And I will be sure to ask for you the next we should come in."
"Thank you, sir," the waitress replied as she smiled at Victor. "Just ask for Lily."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lily," Victor said as the waitress turned and left. As the started on their meal he turned back to Faith. "I want to you to know, Faith. If you need to talk to someone. Your mother, your aunts and I are always there for you."
"Thanks, Gramps," Faith said as she sighed.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"Wow," Faith said with a chuckle as Victor helped her on with her jacket. "I've seen TV shows where this happened. But I've never had anyone actually help me with my jacket before."
"Well get used to it, Faith," Victor said. "After all I have eighteen years of spoiling you to make up for." He frowned as he noticed a scar that had long since healed on Faith's back just under the top of her shirt.
"Gramps," Faith said as they walked out of the restaurant and toward Victor's car. "I was wondering if we could go to a candy store and get some hard candy."
"Sure, honey," Victor agreed as he opened the passenger door of his car for his granddaughter. "Just out of curiosity, why do you want candy?"
As Faith got into the car she looked down obviously embarrassed. "I have an oral fixation to suck something and I really don't want to use a pacifier or my thumb. Since I doubt you or mom want me to smoke or have relations, if you know what I mean, I think I would rather get some hard candy."
Victor nodded as he closed Faith's door before moving around the car and getting in the driver's side. "Yes, I get what you mean. And yes, I can get you some candy. When it comes to sex, I'm sure your mom and I want to hear about it unless you want to tell us about it. But I will say this if you do, I want you to be safe. I don't want you pregnant after all before you're ready." He pulled the car away from the curb and started down the street.
"Do you think mom was ready?" Faith asked. "She was younger than I am now when she had me."
"I don't know." Victor shrugged. "I would like to think she was. Anyways as far as smoking. I don't know about your mother or your aunts for sure. But seeing how none of them smoke I would think they wouldn't want you smoking either. And I know both your grandmother and great grandmother definitely wouldn't. Both Patty and Penny hated when I smoked. When I lived with your grandmother I always went outside." He flashed her a small smile. "As I said earlier I have eighteen years of spoiling you to make up for. Anything else you would like before we head back to the Manor?"
Faith glanced out the window for a few moments before finally looking back at Victor. "A teddy bear," she whispered almost too low for him to hear.
Victor glanced briefly at Faith before returning his attention to the road. "One teddy bear coming right up."
Faith glanced back out the window at the passing buildings. "I remember Aunt Phoebe and Aunt Piper, of course Grams probably bought it for them, gave me a teddy bear when mom brought me home from the hospital."
"You remember something when you were still an infant," Victor said astonished.
"The spell the returned mom, Aunt Piper and Aunt Phoebe's memories. I mean the one that returned all of them," Faith explained. "Also returned them to me, even memories that would have long since been forgotten. Anyways I had the teddy bear with me when I was kidnapped, The Lehanes burned everything I owned. I figure the Watcher's Council wanted no ties to my past. Anyways I figure if Buffy has a stuffed pig that she cherishes to this day, then why can't I have a teddy bear?"
Victor reached across and patted Faith's arm. "Sure, honey. Anything you want."
Halliwell Manor
"Did you have fun, Faith?" Victor questioned as he walked Faith, who was carrying not one but three teddy bears, to the front door.
"Yes," Faith answered as she smiled at her grandfather. "I had a blast. I was wondering if I could spend the night with you tomorrow and since I am tired. I give you permission to tell mom, Aunt Piper and Aunt Phoebe what we talked about."
"Are you sure?" Victor asked.
"Just like you said earlier," Faith admitted as the front door opened and they saw Prue waiting for them.
"So, Faith, did you have fun with your grandfather?"
Faith smiled. "Just as I told Gramps just now. I had a blast, mom. I was wondering if it would be okay if tomorrow, I spent the night with Gramps."
"Faith, you're an adult you don't need my permission," Prue said.
"Habits die hard, mom," Faith said. "I always had to ask permission for everything with the Lehanes."
"It's really up to you, Faith," Prue said. "But if you want, you have my permission."
Faith smiled as she hugged Prue. "Thanks, mom." She looked at Victor. "See you tomorrow, Gramps." She looked back at her mother. "Night, mom." She walked past her mother and up the stairs.
Prue turned back toward her father. "How was it?" she asked.
"Get your sisters," Victor told his eldest daughter. "Might not be a bad idea to get my new son-in-law too as well as her friend. And you might want to summon your mother and Grams. What I found out isn't good."
Summers Home
Buffy was practicing her powers in the privacy of her backyard when orbing lights appeared and solidified into Patty. "Mrs. Halliwell?" she said startled at the ghost's appearance. "How did you come?"
"We can come down without being summoned," Patty said. "I wanted to talk to you privately. There is some stuff about Faith you need to know."
"What stuff?" Buffy wondered.
"As Faith admitted, she had been abused by Mrs. Lehane after her husband's death," Patty informed the blonde Slayer. "Given what my mother told me about Faith's abduction. It would not surprise me if Mr. Lehane was one of the people to take Faith."
"Wouldn't surprise me if he was," Buffy agreed. "Especially after what the Watcher's Council did to me a couple months ago on my eighteenth birthday."
"Yes," Patty agreed as she sat on a bench. "In fact, I believe the abuse started after his death."
"Yeah," Buffy said as she sat next to the ghost. "She told me that in that file that held her birth certificate was a documented history on her as well. She gave me the highlights."
"Then you understand," Patty said with a nod. "With everything she learned from that file. From everything she lived through. Faith is going to need you, Buffy, in ways she doesn't know yet. That is why I came down. Do you remember my telling Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Faith that I had a premonition given to me by Phoebe?" Buffy nodded. "It wasn't the first time Phoebe, while still in my womb, gave me a premonition, it was actually the third time. The first was a premonition of Prue, Piper and Phoebe traveling from the future and I meeting them. The second was of a time still in the future. A time where you and Faith are married. And on your knee was yours and Faith's daughter."
Buffy's jaw dropped at that revelation. "Married? Daughter?" she asked. "But…"
Patty smiled at the blonde Slayer. "I don't know all the particulars, Buffy," she admitted. "I know that what started when you acquired your powers will culminate in the two of you in love. You will help Faith and in turn she will help you, and together you both will become the longest living Slayers in history."
"Patty?"
Buffy and Patty turned at the sound of the voice and found Leo standing in front of them.
"I came down as I had information to pass on to Buffy," Patty said. "What is it?"
"Well it is good you came down," Leo said. "Because the Prue, Piper and Phoebe were about to summon you and Penny." He looked at the blonde Slayer. "And they need you in San Francisco as well."
Halliwell Manor
"What is it?" Buffy said as she appeared with Patty and Leo in the middle of the living room in a swirl of fiery flames.
"Faith said I could tell you all this," Victor said as he looked at Buffy, Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Leo, Grams, Patty and Cole, who had been with Phoebe when she got the call from Prue. "At lunch she asked the waitress to have someone test her food for drugs because she was drugged while living with that woman."
"What?" Prue said shocked.
"I think I know what the Lehane woman offered the Source," Cole said as everyone turned to look at her.
"What?" Phoebe wondered as she looked at her boyfriend, a touch of worry in her voice.
"Her soul," Cole answered. "The Demonic Training Academy was not the only way to convert humans. Some would actually sell their souls in exchange for different abilities. For example the Mayor of Sunnydale sold his soul and the souls of the first settlers of the town to the Source in exchange for extended life."
"That's not good," Buffy said. "I'm going to have to tell Giles and Wes about that."
"Do you know a woman by the name of Catherine Madison?" Cole asked looking at the blonde Slayer.
"Dealt with her not long after I moved to Sunnydale," Buffy said. "Why?"
"Then you know she was a warlock?" Cole questioned. "She sold her soul for power. She was a progenitor like Charlotte Warren. Her children would be gifted."
"Amy," Buffy said. "Yeah. I know about Amy too. She cast a spell that trapped her in the form of a rat."
"And I fear for your friend Willow," Cole stated.
"Why?" Buffy questioned with a concerned look.
"Because of the curse she did for Angel," Leo answered for the demon. "That is a very dangerous spell for someone as new to the craft as she is. If she does anymore dark magic like that. She could wind up becoming addicted to it and if something tragic enough happens while she was addicted, she could then become a warlock."
Prue looked at her sisters. "What if we went back in time like we did to stop Nicholas," she said. "And prevent the pact between the Lehane woman and the Source form happening in the first place?"
"There are problems with that plan," Leo told them. "The first is you would have no powers. The second would be…"
"If Mr. Lehane was a Watcher that means they knew Faith was a Potential," Buffy interjected. "And they likely had someone watching her after he died."
"Which means you would have no chance of that happening," Cole finished.
"What if we took Faith, when she was a baby, and hid her," Phoebe suggested.
"Girls, it isn't easy to change the past," Grams said reminding them of their trip to stop the pact with Nicholas.
"Besides if you change it too much," Buffy added. "Then I may never meet Faith. My entire history is rewritten."
"I know, Buffy," Prue said as she looked at the blonde Slayer with compassion. "But she is my daughter and she grew up abused and unloved."
"Faith told me what she was forced to eat baby food mixed with dog food mixed," Victor added. "While she didn't come out right and say it. I know she used to smoke."
"She did," Buffy said. "It actually surprises me she quit so easily."
"Pretty much she found a new addiction to keep from smoking around us," Victor replied motioning between himself and his daughters. "She had me take her to a candy store where she got some hard candy to suck on." She looked at Prue. "She said she has an oral fixation."
"Oh, god," Prue said with a look of shock. "She had oral sex, didn't she?"
"She didn't admit it to me, but that was what she was hinting at, I believe," Victor said. "She also wanted a teddy bear."
"We noticed you bought her three," Phoebe said. "Why?"
"Then one she remembered you and Piper getting her as a baby when she was born," Victor said as he looked at Penny. "Your spell to return their entire memories, woke Faith's of that time completely. She likely remembers learning to walk and talk and everything." He looked back at Piper and Phoebe. "Anyways the one you two got her along with her clothes that she was wearing at the time was burned. She believes the Watcher's Council wanted no links to her past."
"The onesie she was wearing the day she was taken I made myself," Grams stated. "It was one of the few things I did by hand without magic." She looked at Prue. "You even stitched…"
"Her name on it, I remember," Prue interjected.
Grams sighed. "That's it screw the timeline."
"If you are going to change my past," Buffy said as tears began to fill her eyes as she realized if they did what they were suggesting that she would lose her friend. The woman she was destined to marry, the woman she had slowly been falling in love with since she had first met Faith. "I'm going to go say goodbye."
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Faith woke with a start. As she sat up in bed, she shuddered as she remembered clearly Diana's death. Diana's death had been terrible and grisly, making even the hardened street kid that she had once been quiver in disgust and pity.
She had been forced to watch as Diana, screaming in agony and pain, had been literally torn to pieces. And Faith had known that she was next. She didn't remember exactly how she managed to escape. But she did remember running, desperately needing to get away from Boston.
"Hey, Faith," Buffy said as she stepped into the brunette Slayer's room.
"Buffy?" Faith said confused why her friend was there. "What are you doing here?" she questioned, then she saw the tears glistening on the blonde Slayer's face. "What's wrong?"
"I came to say goodbye," Buffy said. "Your family is going to do something that could removed you from my life and my memories forever. They want to try and stop the pact that Mrs. Lehane made with the Source. I believe their thinking of trying to hide you when you were a baby so that the Watcher's Council won't kidnap you." She sighed. "So, goodbye, Faith." She disappeared in a swirl of fiery flames.
"Mom?" Faith screamed as she got out of bed and ran downstairs. "You can't do that."
"I have to, Faith," Prue said knowing Buffy had told her daughter what they planned to do. "I'm sorry. I know what her friendship means to you. But I can't leave you with the Lehanes to be abused and unloved."
April 30, 2001 – Wednesday
Baker Beach
Prue stood watching Faith, who sat further down the beach looking at the waves. Grams without Patty's help was working on the spell that would take them back to when Faith was a baby. Patty had said she had her reasons for not helping with the spell. That she believed it was a mistake for them to try and change history.
Phoebe sat next to Prue building a sand castle. "I hereby proclaim this power of sand Kingdom Phoebeville!" she said excitedly as the waves splashed her elder sister. "Yay!"
"You know," Prue said with a glance at Phoebe. "I don't get it." She turned and headed toward her daughter.
"Wait, what don't you get?" Phoebe wondered as she hurried to catch her big sister.
"That you just spent an hour of your life building something that is just going to be completely destroyed and disappear in about five seconds flat," Prue explained.
"Ahh, but Phoebeville will live forever in the hearts of the villagers who come to love it," Phoebe said excitedly as they stopped beside Faith.
"Mm-hmm," Prue said before looking down at her daughter. "Faith, are you ready?"
"What's with the ba-hum castle attitude there?" Phoebe asked before Faith could answer Prue.
"What?" Prue wondered.
"The whole point of today was to relax and have fun," Phoebe said.
"See, and I thought the point was to give Piper and Leo some alone married people time since they decided to wait on their honeymoon," Prue replied.
"Okay. So, you're sure nothing's wrong?" Phoebe wondered.
Prue sighed. "You know, the beach isn't exactly my idea of a good time."
"Prue, how is that possible?" Phoebe asked.
"I know that one," Faith said as she stood up. "Grandma Patty drowned, remember?"
"On top of that," Prue added. "This is where Grams brought us after Mom's funeral to try and cheer us up."
"Oh, wow," Phoebe said shocked at the realization.
"Yeah. You know, but I know that you love the beach and I didn't want to ruin it for you but something about the sand and the ocean makes me feel angry," Prue said before she thought to herself that there was another thing that made her angry, that Faith had been abused by the people that had kidnapped her.
"Why does it make you angry?" Phoebe asked.
"Doesn't Mom's death make you angry?" Prue asked.
Phoebe sighed. "It makes me sad."
"Well, I don't really do sad that well, you know," Prue said. "I didn't even cry at her funeral."
"Which means mom is kind of cranky after seeing Grandma Patty at Aunt Piper's wedding," Faith said.
Prue nodded. "Yeah."
"Say no more," Phoebe said. "Princess Prue has spoken! By the orders of the Queen, that's me…"
"Ooh, I got that part," Prue said with a smirk as she noticed Faith trying to stifle a giggle.
"Phoebeville, and all of its glory will be abandoned for greater pastures and three lattes," Phoebe said.
"Oh, all hail the Queen," Prue and Faith said with a small laugh.
"Yay, I love to be hailed," Phoebe said.
It was at this moment that Faith noticed a woman taking pictures of Prue and the black shadow standing beside the woman. "Mom," she said.
Prue followed Faith's gaze and saw the woman. She raised her camera to get a better look. "Hey!" she yelled as the woman took off.
"What?" Phoebe said as she turned to see the woman running off.
"She was taking pictures of me," Prue said.
"Neither of you saw the shadow?" Faith asked.
"Shadow?" Prue and Phoebe asked with a raised eyebrow.
Faith nodded. "There was a shadow standing next to her."
"A shadow? Like, what do you mean? Like a Woogy?" Phoebe asked.
"Woogy?" Faith asked with some confusion.
"That's right you don't know about the Woogy," Phoebe said. "It's a demon that inhabits the basement of the Manor. It's kind of shadowy looking."
"Well I think we should skip the lattes," Prue suggested as Phoebe nodded. "Check this out and see if there is a new demon in town."
Halliwell Manor
Piper looked into the mirror in the foyer. "Shouldn't I be wearing white or something?" she asked her husband, who stood next to her. "I mean, it is a Whitelighter reception and all."
"Piper, what you have on is perfect," Leo told her. "You're beautiful. All my friends are going to love you. If we can ever get there."
"Fine, um, but I still don't understand why my sisters and Faith can't come," Piper said as Phoebe came down the stairs holding the Book of Shadows, "I mean, we could just do a group hug thing."
"Look, I can orb you because you're my wife but I'm not a cosmic taxi for the whole family," Leo said.
Phoebe let out a small laugh. "He said wife."
"Alright, I'm as ready as I'm ever going to be," Piper said.
"Wait, what about Faith's demon looking shadowy thingy?" Phoebe asked.
"Well, I promise we'll be in calling distance if any demon looking shadowy thingy attacks," Leo said. "And I already called Buffy for you. If need be she will blink here at a moment's notice."
"Alright, you two, have fun. Bring me back a cloud," Phoebe said. She watched as Piper and Leo cuddle up and orb out. She turned and saw Prue and Faith coming from the kitchen.
"Pheebs?" Prue said holding a batch of photos. "I have to get to Morris, see if he can track down this woman."
"Why?" Phoebe wondered. "What did you find?"
"Nothing, that's the problem," Faith said with a sigh. "The shadow didn't show up in any of the pictures mom took.
"Really?" Phoebe said as she put down the Book. "That's weird."
"Anything in the book?" Prue asked as the doorbell rang.
"No, nothing," Phoebe said as she headed for the door. "I didn't really have a lot to go on though." She opened the door to find a police inspector that she had met recently who was investigating Cole's disappearance. "Inspector, how can I help you?"
"You can tell me where to find Cole Turner," Inspector Reese Davidson said. "I know he's alive and I know he's in town."
"Really?" Phoebe asked.
"Yeah, really," he replied. "You want to know how? Because his former landlady was found brutally murdered at his old address."
"Mrs. Owens. That's awful," Phoebe said shocked.
"Awful like you can't imagine," Reese answered.
"Uh, Cole didn't do this," Phoebe said. "The Cole Turner I know…"
"The Cole Turner you know," Reese said. "See, now, that just doesn't sound like the words of a woman who claims her boyfriend left her without a word four months ago."
"I know what you're thinking, and I know what this looks like, and I am so sorry for what happened to…" Phoebe said.
"You're sorry?" he said. "Her eyes were frozen open in terror; her skull was punctured in two places …"
"Her skull?" Faith asked. "You don't mean her neck?"
"No," Reese answered as he glanced at Faith. "Her skull," he looked back at Phoebe, "and by the time the police got there, most of her brain had spilled out onto the floor. Be sick, be horrified, but don't stand there lying to me and say you're sorry."
"Alright, wait a second," Prue said remembering what Faith went through last week with the police. "You're talking to her like she did it."
"If she's lying to protect Turner, then she might as well have had. Now, for the last time. Where is he?" Reese said but received nothing but silence. "I'm going to find him, Miss Halliwell and then I'm going to bust his ass, and then I'm going to bust yours."
"You okay?" Prue asked when Reese had left.
Phoebe sighed. "He didn't do it, Prue, Faith," she said. "I know he didn't do it."
"Yeah, well, it's not us you have to convince," Prue said as she looked outside and saw the lady from the beach talking to Reese. "Oh my God. That's her, the woman from the beach."
"Mom," Faith said as she saw a dark shadow float behind the woman. "The shadow thing is back."
"I don't see it," Prue said. "Phoebe?"
"All I see is Inspector Davidson and a woman," Phoebe answered. "What does this mean? Is he having her follow us?"
"If what Faith is seeing is real, I'm more concerned about what's following her." Prue said. "I don't understand why we can't see it."
"That doesn't matter, Faith can, that is what matters," Phoebe said as Reese and the woman got into his car. "Do you think this has anything to do with the landlady's death?"
"Well, it would be a pretty big coincidence if it didn't," Prue said as Reese and the woman drive off. "Alright, Faith and I are going to follow her to protect her from it. If Faith is the only one who can see it that must mean she is meant to fight it."
"Alright, but the way the Inspector was describing the murder…" Phoebe said.
"We know," Faith said, "be careful."
"I think you should find Cole, tell him what happened and see if he knows anything about this shadow thing," Prue said. "Okay? Alright, bye."
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Prue pulled her car up behind Reese's car. She and Faith watched as Reese and the woman talked. The woman eventually got out and walked into the building alone. Prue and Faith got out and followed her in.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
The woman walked into Reese's office and found a man there.
"Oh my God," the woman said frightened to find anyone there. "Oh, you startled me. Uh, are you waiting for Inspector Davidson?"
"Are you expecting him?" the man asked.
"Uh, not tonight, he's in the field."
"Where?" the man asked.
"I'm sorry," she said as she noticed another man behind her. "I don't know."
"Are you sure about that?" he asked just as the second man grabbed her from behind and sunk his teeth into skull. She managed to let out a startled scream before she crumpled in his arms. He let her fall to the floor. "What did she know?"
"Nothing," the second man said. "She told me nothing."
"Which means he definitely knows something," the man said as the door flies open and Prue and Faith into to watch him and the second man disappear.
"Mom," Faith said as she noticed the black shadow floating above Andrea. She raised her hands and was surprised when she managed to telekinetically move a vase instead of him.
The shadow solidified into human form. "I'm beyond your powers," he said. He looked down at Angela's body. "It's time."
"Where is he?" Prue asked as Andrea's spirit rose out of her body.
"Who are you?" Faith asked ignoring her mother's question.
"I'm Death," Death said. "And I'll be back."
Halliwell Manor
Phoebe and Cole were looking through the Book of Shadows. "Here it is," Phoebe said indicating a page in the book. "The Seekers. They gather information by feeding on their victims' brain stem cells. Explains Faith's question, her first thought was vampires."
"They do share similar behavior," Cole said. "Anyways it means my landlady must have talked to Inspector Davidson about me, that's why they're after him. Does it say anything about demons taking on shadow form?"
Phoebe shook her head. "No, but it does have a vanquish. Do you want to see it?" she asked as she went to hand the book to Cole, who shied away.
"Oh, no," Cole replied. "Last time I touched that book it electrocuted me."
"Yeah, will, maybe because your intentions were evil," Phoebe said. "Maybe it knows now you're trying to be good."
"Better safe than sorry," Cole said.
It was just at that moment that Prue and Faith came home.
"Oh, alright, we need the Book," Prue said before she noticed Cole sitting next to Phoebe and the book. "Wait a second, what is he doing here next to it?"
"Keeping my distance, don't worry," Cole explained.
"Uh, pardon the potential understatement of a cliché, but you look like you've seen a ghost," Phoebe said looking at her niece.
"Yeah, among other things," Prue said. "We lost Faith's innocent…"
"Davidson?" Cole asked.
"No, his partner. I mean, she was out of our sight for two seconds and then they got her," Prue said.
"Was that them?" Phoebe asked as she turned the book toward Prue and Faith.
Faith looked at the book and then shook her head. "No. Why?"
"Their M.O. matches what we know. Remember Inspector Davidson mentioned twin puncture marks in their skull, not their neck?" Phoebe said. "They feed on their victims brain stims, which basically makes them demonic lie detectors. Only no one survives their test."
"They killed Mrs. Owens and now they're after Davidson," Cole said.
"To get to you?" Prue asked.
"Yes, to get to me," Cole said as he stood up. "Maybe I should deal with this on my own."
"No," Phoebe said as she too stood up. "You can't. You said it yourself. You don't know how to vanquish them."
"Um, unfortunately this isn't the only evil we're up against either," Prue said.
"You mean the shadow?" Phoebe asked.
Prue nodded. "Oh, yeah. Leo! Leo!"
Leo orbed in with Piper, they saw he was holding a crystal lamp.
"What's with the lamp?" Faith asked.
"A wedding present," Leo said with a grin.
"Bright isn't it?" Piper asked.
"Uh, yeah," Prue said. "Faith tell Leo what you saw?"
Faith sighed. "Leo, is there such a thing as death? Uh, I mean the Angel of Death."
"Yeah, sure," Leo said. "Why?"
"Because Faith met him," Prue answered.
"You mean you both met him?" Phoebe asked.
"No," Prue said. "Only Faith could see him."
"That's how the shadow introduced himself to me when he took Davidson's partner," Faith said. "And then he said that he would be back too. Mom's assuming for Davidson."
"He's not working with the demons," Cole said.
"No, he can't be," Leo agreed. "Angel of Death isn't evil."
"The hell he isn't," Prue said. "And if Faith can see him, that must mean that she's supposed to stop him."
"Prue, Faith can't stop him," Leo said. "The Angel of Death always gets what he comes for."
"Yeah, well, not this time," Prue said. "Alright, I need to get a hold of Davidson. If I can get him here, Faith and I can protect him better."
"Hold it. Davidson?" Piper asked. "As in Reese Davidson, the D.A. investigator? He's the innocent?"
"Yeah, so?" Faith replied.
"There is a problem," Piper said. "We can't protect him without telling him we're witches or that you, Faith, are a Slayer."
"We know that Piper but I don't care, okay?" Prue said. "I am not going to let Faith stand by and watch death take that man."
"But that's what Faith does," Phoebe said as Prue and Faith turned to look at her. "At least according to my premonition. Faith turns her back when the demons attack."
"What premonition?" Prue asked.
"I had a premonition while you all were out, that's how I knew to look for that particular demon in the book," Phoebe answered.
"That doesn't make any sense," Faith said. "I would never …"
"We know, sweetie," Phoebe said, "but that's what I saw."
"Yeah, well, then you saw wrong," Prue snapped. "We are not going to let Death take any more of Faith's innocents.
"I'm tired of losing people," Faith added with a sigh as she thought about Diana.
"Phoebe, do you have Davidson's card?" Prue asked.
"Mm-hm," Phoebe said as she left the room to get the card.
"Excuse me," Cole said as he too left the room.
A moment later Phoebe came back with the card and handed it to Prue. Prue went over to the phone and dialed the number on the card. Meanwhile Phoebe went looking for Cole as Leo went to find a place for the lamp.
"Okay, Davidson won't answer our page," Prue said as she hung up the phone. "Something must have happened to him."
"Cole's gone," Phoebe said as she came down the stairs.
"What do you mean gone?" Leo wondered.
"I mean, he's not here," Phoebe said. "I've looked everywhere. He must have gone after Davidson alone, to protect us."
"If the Seekers get him …" Faith said.
Prue sighed. "We've got to get Cole to bring him back here."
"The mausoleum," Phoebe said. "He could've taken him to the mausoleum. That's where Cole stays."
"Is there any chance that's where you saw the Inspector die in your premonition?" Piper asked.
"Maybe," Phoebe said as she, Piper and Prue headed for the door. "Let's go."
"I'm going to call Buffy and have her flame me there, it will be faster," Faith said.
"What if the demon shows up?" Leo said. "You can't vanquish them; you'll need the Power of Three."
"So, then I won't vanquish them," Faith snapped. "I'll just protect Reese long enough to get him out of there.
"Faith," Phoebe said.
"Aunt Phoebe," Faith replied looking at her youngest aunt. "Your premonition is not going to come true. I am not losing someone else to Death."
Streets of San Francisco
"What do you think she meant by losing someone else to Death?" Phoebe wondered looking at her older sister.
"I think she might mean Diana," Prue answered.
"Faith's Watcher?" Piper questioned, wondering what Prue knew that she and Phoebe didn't. "Why?"
Prue sighed as she glanced briefly at her sisters before turning her eyes back to the road. "You guys remember that Diana is dead, right?" she asked as Piper and Phoebe nodded. "Buffy told me what she had learned after Faith's arrival in Sunnydale. Faith was forced to watch as the vampire Kakistos killed Diana. Diana was more than just Faith's Watcher…she was…Faith's adopted mother. I think Faith blames herself for Diana's death."
Halliwell Manor
"Hey, Buffy," Faith said as she looked at the blonde Slayer. "I need a favor; I need you to flame me someplace and leave me there. I need to do this alone."
"Faith," replied Buffy. "You're not …"
"Alone, Buffy," Faith replied. "Please."
Buffy looked at her fellow Slayer, the woman according to Patty's premonition she would one day marry and raise a child with. She could see the pleading gaze in Faith's eyes. "Okay," she said reluctantly. "But just remember, you are not alone. I'm here if you need me."
"And I promise I will call if I need you," Faith said as she took Buffy's hand. She then told the blonde Slayer where she wanted to go and they disappeared in a swirl of fiery flames.
Memorial Cemetery
In the mausoleum Cole pushed Reese against the wall. "Stay the hell away from me," Reese shouted.
"I told you I'm not going to hurt you," Cole told the inspector just as the Seekers appeared.
"Belthazor, I assume," one of the Seekers asked.
"I'm sorry, who?" Cole asked pretending to not know what the seeker was talking about.
"We sensed your shimmer," said the Seeker as he chuckled. "You're losing your touch."
"Leave him out of this," Cole said dropping the facade.
"Why would we want him? Now that we have you," the Seeker replied.
The other Seeker smiled. "Unless the human knows something Belthazor doesn't want us to know."
It was at that moment a swirl of flames began to solidify into Buffy and Faith. Faith released her friend's hand and Buffy disappeared.
"Hi," Faith said looking at Cole. "Need a little help?"
"What are you doing here?" Cole asked with a raised eyebrow.
"How did you get here?" Reese questioned surprised to see Faith there. "What the hell's going on?"
"Well, well, well," the Seeker said. "The mighty Belthazor, in bed with a Slayer."
Faith mimed gagging. "Don't make me sick. I like Cole, but I don't like him that much," she said as Reese tried to get away but was instead thrown against a wall. Cole went after the seeker while Faith went after the other Seeker. She kicked her Seeker who flew into a cement statue just as Death appeared beside Reece. "No."
"Faith!" Cole called out as his Seeker held him to the ground. He pushed his Seeker off as Faith's jumped on him.
"Come out and fight you, miserable coward," Faith snapped at Death. She kicked and punched him but her attacks didn't faze him, it was like she was punching nothing but air."
"Faith," Cole called out again as the Seekers held him down preparing sink their fangs into him.
"I never lose," Death said. "It's his time."
"Over my dead body," Faith said as she continued to punch and kick at Death.
Cole pushed off the Seekers and looked over at Faith. He didn't see Death so to him it looked like she was kicking and punching nothing but empty air. He turned his attention back at the Seekers as an energy ball formed in his hand. Before he could throw it, both the Seekers and Death disappeared.
Halliwell Manor
Phoebe, Piper and Prue watched as Leo placed the lamp on a table.
"It's just so bright," Piper said.
Leo sighed. "Of course, it's bright. It's supposed to represent the light of eternal love."
"Please tell me that doesn't mean it can't be turned off," Prue pleaded.
"At this rate you're going to turn it off in record time," Phoebe quipped.
"I don't think it belongs in the living room," Piper said with a sigh.
Leo shook his head, so far, no place had been good enough for Piper as far as the lamp was concerned. "Or the parlor, the dining room, the foyer."
"Pheebs?" Piper said looking at her sisters for help. "Prue?"
"Oh, do you think we're stupid," Phoebe said.
"Phoebe is right," Prue agreed. "We're staying out of this. Besides, I'm more concerned about…"
It was just then that Cole and Faith shimmered in. They saw that Cole was carrying Reese.
"I wouldn't revert to my demon form and I could've used some help," Cole said as he moved over to the couch and laid Reese on it.
"I was busy saving Davidson," Faith snapped,
"No, that's what I was doing," Cole retorted.
"What happened?" Prue asked with concern.
"Is he okay?" Phoebe added.
"He almost wasn't," Cole answered. "The Seekers were at the Courthouse waiting for him."
"And then they tracked Cole to the mausoleum," Faith explained.
"Well, how do you know they didn't track you here," Leo wondered.
"They retreated first," Cole said. "They have to be close to a shimmer to track it."
"They retreated?" Phoebe said shocked.
"Of course, they did. They didn't want to go up against a Slayer," Faith said.
"She was kicking air," Cole countered.
Faith sighed as she glared at Cole. "I told you that I was fighting the Angel of Death and obviously I won."
"Faith, that's not possible," Leo interjected looking at the youngest Halliwell.
"Well he's alive, isn't he?" Faith asked motioning toward Reese.
"For now, maybe," Cole said. "But the Seekers will be back and they'll be out for blood, mine and yours. The only thing they don't know is how to find us."
"Bad thing is they know Davidson is the key," Prue said with understanding of the information at hand.
"If your daughter had have just worked with me…" Cole said looking at Prue.
"You know, you're not exactly the poster boy for teamwork, Cole," Prue retorted.
"Hey, Faith was supposed to stick with us, remember?" Piper reminded them.
"I was trying to protect you all," Cole interjected.
"By exposing yourself?" Phoebe wondered.
"Better me than you," Cole informed his girlfriend.
"You know, the one thing you failed to consider, Cole, is no matter how dangerous Davidson is to us, you were more dangerous," Prue reminded the demon.
"Oh, no, wait a minute," Cole objected, "I think that I proved myself to you…"
"No, Cole, that's not what she meant," Phoebe explained placing a hand on her boyfriend's arm. "You're a part of our lives now. You know almost everything about us. If you had lost…"
"The Seekers could use what they know to destroy you," Cole said. "The only saving grace is, unless the Seekers want to risk the Source's wrath. They won't go after Faith. But that doesn't mean they won't use her to get at you."
"I better check with the Elders, this is getting complicated," Leo said. He was orbing out just as Reese was waking up.
"Uh, Inspector, you hit your head," Prue said as she noticed he was beginning to freak out.
"I didn't hit it that hard," Reese said as he jumped up off the couch and pulled his gun out of its holster. "Whatever I just saw, it wasn't because I hit my head."
"Alright, look," Prue said, "I know that this may seem hard to believe after everything that you've been through tonight, but we are on your side, okay, we're the good guys."
"I don't know what you people are but good isn't topping my list of ideas," Reese retorted.
"Be that as it may, we can't let you leave," Cole said.
"Cole," Phoebe warned.
"Try and stop me," Reese countered glaring at Cole.
"Inspector," Cole said looking the inspector in the eyes. "You're in a room with three witches, one half-witch half-Slayer and a demon, do you really think that gun's going to help?"
"Look, I don't really know how to tell you this but it's not just demons that are after you," Prue added. "According to my daughter the Angel of Death wants you too. Now please, please, if you stay here, we can protect you."
"I'm not afraid of Death," Reese said as Cole walked towards him. "You on the other hand are a different matter." He turned and ran out the front door.
"Cole," Phoebe said.
"He's going to expose you," Cole said. "He'll gather evidence and…"
"Cole, we don't kidnap cops and then hold them against their will," Piper said.
"But we do follow them and protect them against their will. Come on," Phoebe said to her sisters. She then looked to her boyfriend. "Not you, you stay here."
"So, what?" Cole asked. "I'm just, I'm just meant to wait here?"
"Yeah, no shimmering and lock the door behind us," Prue said. "Faith?"
"Go on ahead," Faith answered.
"What about the demons?" Phoebe wondered.
"They're just pawns," Faith answered as she watched her mom and aunts leave. "I intend to go over their heads. But first I need to talk to someone." She turned and headed up the stairs.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"Hear these words, hear my cry. Spirit from the other side. Come to me, I summon thee. Cross now the great divide," Faith chanted as Grams appeared in the middle of the circle of candles.
"Faith, honey. I am so sorry for not finding you…" Grams said thinking that Faith had summoned her because she hadn't tried hard enough to find Faith. She looked around the attic confused. "Where are your mother and your aunts?" She had expected at least Prue, Piper or Phoebe to be there with Faith.
"Out chasing a demon," Faith answered. "I need to get out there too, but I have a question for you, first."
"Of course," Grams agreed. "What can I help with?"
"You said that the Watchers approached you, which meant…" Faith started.
"That I knew who took you," Grams finished for her great granddaughter. "I surmised, yes."
"So why didn't you storm the Watchers Council headquarters in England and demand my return?" Faith questioned. "Shoot I could have taken them down in an instant. And, Grams, don't give me same crap about the greater good. In the time since Piper's wedding I've been reading this book that's right here in front of me. I saw the page on the Slayer and he page on the Watcher's Council. Both of which are I believe in your handwriting."
"They are," Grams answered as she began to pace within the circle.
"You have magic," Faith reminded the ghost. "And since we are descendants of Melinda Warren. That means that even though you weren't a Charmed One, that you were still pretty powerful. So why didn't you come looking for me? I'm sure there are memory spells you could have used. Or maybe Leo's bosses, the Elders, could have done something to help. I guess I just wasn't important enough like I've been told my entire life."
"Faith, you are important," Grams told the young woman. "Don't let those people who hurt you place doubts in your head. You are not only a Slayer but a witch. The next generation in the Halliwell line. You are loved by everyone in this family."
Baker Beach
"Spirits of air, sand and sea, converge to set the Angel free, in the wind I send this rhyme, bring Death before me, before my time." Faith chanted. "Come on, I know that you can hear me." She had returned to the beach after her heart to heart with Grams to summon the Angel of Death. Thanks to Victor the day before and Grams today. Faith had been able to finally put some stuff behind her, or so she hoped anyways. But there was one thing she wasn't sure she could ever put behind her.
"Are you sure you really want to be here?" Death asked as he appeared before Faith.
Faith wasn't quite sure what she had intended with this action. "Uh…"
"Come on, I don't have all day," Death said. "There are people waiting. You definitely don't have all day. So, what is it? I took your father and you want him back? Brother? Watcher?"
"Don't talk about her, don't talk about Diana," Faith snapped.
"That should've been an easy guess where the sad little girl lies," Death said.
"You want Davidson and it's my job to protect him," Faith said. "So, what do you want from me? What do I have to do?"
"That's not why you called me," Death answered.
"Yes, it is," Faith replied.
Death shook his head. He knew it wasn't. "No, that's an excuse. You're mad at me for taking Diana."
"I told you not to talk about her," Faith growled.
"How long ago has it been now. "A year, two? I'm just guessing now."
"Just stop it!" Faith shouted,
"And now you think by saving this, which is it, Davidson, you think you'll have beat me somehow," Death said. "Somehow you'll have finally won."
"Just go away," Faith said. She was on the verge of throwing a punch at Death.
"No, you wanted me, now you've got me," Death said. "You're wasting precious time. It's of course not my time you're wasting, it's yours. You refuse to accept me for what I am which keeps you from mourning me."
"You don't know me," Faith said. "You don't know anything about me."
"But I've seen it so many times before. The anger, the pain," Death answered. "You lock up your tears and angrily steal yourself against me as if I was the ultimate evil."
"You are the ultimate evil," Faith answered.
"No, I'm not good or evil, I just am. I'm inevitable," Death retorted.
"What do I have to do to save Davidson?" Faith asked.
"Huh. You still don't get it do you? There's nothing you can do," Death answered.
"I can't just let an innocent man die," Faith said.
"You have to let him die, you have no choice," Death said. "And until you learn to accept that, you'll just keep missing the bigger picture."
"What bigger picture?" Faith wondered.
"I'll show you," Death said as Faith's eyes widened. "Oh, don't worry, it's not your time. Well, not just yet anyway." He held out his hand and Faith took it a little reluctantly. And then he wisped out with her.
Memorial Cemetery
Prue and Piper sat in Prue's car watching a funeral or more particular Reece. Phoebe herself was on her cellphone with Cole.
"Faith left right after we did," Phoebe said. "And she hasn't been back there?"
"No one's been here," Cole answered from the other end of the line. "I'm going out of my mind."
"Yeah, try sitting in a car for hours," Phoebe answered.
"No sign of any demons?" Cole asked.
"No, not yet. But Davidson lead us to a, uh…" Phoebe said.
"To a what?" Cole wondered when Phoebe hesitated.
"Never mind. Uh, if Faith comes back, tell her to call us. I love you," Phoebe said as she ended the call. "Okay, so now what?"
"Well, we can't crash the funeral. I guess we just watch from here," Prue said.
"I don't understand," Phoebe said. "You tell a guy that Death is after him and he goes to a cemetery. How smart is that?"
"I don't know," Prue said. "So, Cole hasn't seen Faith?"
"No," Phoebe answered. "Maybe you call for Leo and …"
"Not yet," Prue said. "I have a feeling she is trying to do something about Death."
"Prue, Phoebe," Piper said as they noticed the demons and Reece walk away from the funeral. They quickly got out of the car and followed them into a church. One of the demons closed a gate and locked it. Reece spun on the demons and pulled his gun firing at them.
"Reece, get out of there!" Phoebe shouted.
"Run!" Piper and Prue agreed.
One of the demons moved behind Reece. "You've been so brave, Inspector. Don't ruin it now. Where's Belthazor?" he asked.
"Belthazor?" Reece asked with a little confusion. He didn't recognize the name.
It was then that Faith and Death appeared just as the seeker behind Reece bit into Reece. Faith hesitated about to attack and then turned away from Reece looking for her mother and aunts.
"It's his time," Death said. "Just like it was Diana's time."
"Faith?" Prue shouted. "Open the gate!"
"Stop fighting me," Death said as the demons disappeared. He walked over to Reece as the inspector's spirit rose out of his body. Then he and the spirit wisped out.
Faith slowly made her way over to the gate and using her slayer strength she broke the lock and let her mother and aunts in.
"Faith," Prue said with obvious worry. "Are you okay?"
"I don't know," Faith admitted.
"Did the demons do something to you?" Piper wondered.
"No," Faith answered.
"How did you even get in here?" Piper asked.
"Death brought me," Faith informed them. "He wanted me to understand, though I don't completely understand."
"Faith, how can you stand there and let him die?" Piper wondered.
"Because it was his time, alright," Faith said curtly. "I wanted to save him but I couldn't."
"You didn't even try," Prue said.
Streets of San Francisco
On their way back to the manor Phoebe tried to call Cole. "Cole, if you're there, pick up the phone. Actually, don't pick up the phone, just get out of the manor," she said.
"Should I astral there?" Prue wondered. She was hesitant to even offer as she wasn't sure she should leave Faith alone.
"I think we should stick together," Piper said from the driver's seat. She had agreed to drive Prue's car back so that Prue could sit next to Faith.
"Faster," Phoebe said as Piper hit the accelerator and almost crashes into another car.
Halliwell Manor
One of the Seekers hit Cole with Leo's lamp causing him to fall into a table. He then jumped on Cole as he tried to bite him. Cole pushed him off and threw an energy ball which the demon dodged. The demon jumped on Cole knocking him back into some furniture and unconscious.
"Now, let's see what you don't want us to know," the other demon said just as Faith, Prue, Piper and Phoebe rushed in. Prue waved her hand and sent the demon on Cole flying off him. Faith rushed the other demon and with Slayer strength hit the other demon in the face knocking him back.
"I will not lose anyone else!" Faith screamed as she continued to hit the demon.
Phoebe moved quickly to her boyfriend and helped Cole to his feet. "Okay, come on, come on," Piper said as her sisters moved over to her.
"Faith," Cole said as she looked over at him. "Don't."
Faith looked at her mother and aunts and then nodded. She moved beside them as Prue, Piper and Phoebe began to chant. "Knowledge gained by murderous means is wisdom's bitter enemy. The mind that burns with stolen fire, will now become your funeral pyre."
Smoke rose from the Seekers engulfing them in flames and vanquishing them. Phoebe ran over to Cole and he kissed her in response.
"Well, at least we saved one," Prue said more to Faith than anyone else.
"Wow, did you hear that?" Phoebe asked. "You just reached innocent status."
Cole smiled. "Well, that's good."
"To Prue no one's more important," Phoebe said just as Leo orbed in.
"Wow, nice timing," Piper said as she smiled at her husband. "You missed the show."
"I know, but they told me to miss it," Leo said as he looked at Faith. "Are you okay?"
Faith nodded. "Yeah."
"What do you mean they told you to miss it?" Piper asked. "The Elders were behind this whole thing?"
Leo shook his head. "No, but they knew they had to let Faith learn a lesson by herself. The hard way."
"What lesson?" Cole wondered.
"That Death is not the evil," Faith answered as she turned and walked out of the Manor.
"She just needs some time," Leo said.
"And a friend," Prue said as she realized why her mother had not wanted to help Grams with the spell that would send them to the past. "Go tell Buffy that Faith needs her."
Leo nodded and orbed out as Prue started up the stairs.
"Where are you going?" Piper asked.
"To talk to mom," Prue answered.
Baker Beach
"You okay?" Buffy asked as she walked up next to Faith, who sat on some rocks on the same beach she, Prue and Phoebe were at the day before.
"No." Faith sighed. "I don't know.
It was at that moment that the shadow appeared beside the Slayers and solidified into Death. This time, unlike previous times, someone else besides Faith could see him.
"Contemplating the tides?" Death asked the brunette Slayer. "Can't control them anymore than me."
"Okay," Faith said with a sigh. "I get that you're not evil but what I don't get is why I wasn't supposed to fight the demons."
"Well, you were alone and outnumbered," Death interjected.
"She still could've fought," Buffy told the man.
"But she would have lost, Buffy," Death retorted.
Faith blinked as she looked between Buffy and Death. "How do you know her name?" she wondered.
"Slayers tend to be on my list quite often," Death answered. He looked at Buffy. "In fact, you've been on it numerous times just in the last year. I almost had you actually once."
"When Xander revived me," Buffy said as Death nodded.
"That's right," Death said as he looked back at Faith. "In fact, you both would have been the next ones after Reece Davidson."
"You were coming for me," Faith realized.
"If you hadn't have stopped fighting me, yes," Death said.
"And you would have come after me because I would have come here to avenge her," Buffy said.
"Yes," Death replied. "That's why you both can see me. It's why you have been able to see me, Faith, since before Angela died. It's the bigger picture. Focusing all your anger against me leaves you vulnerable to the real evils of this world. You do well to remember that in the future." He noticed that Faith was giving him a look. "What?"
"I don't know, you know," Faith said, "I've been mad at you since Diana died. I don't know how else to be."
"You grieve and then you move on," Death said as he wisped out.
Faith looked down as tears began to fall from her eyes. Buffy sat down next to her and held her close as she comforted the person, she would one day marry.
Halliwell Manor
Prue lit several candles in a circle on the floor and then walked over to the book and flipped through it to the page she was looking for. She then let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. "Hear these words, hear my cry. Spirit from the other side. Come to me, I summon thee. Cross now the great divide," she chanted.
Patty appeared within the circle. "Prue?" she said, wondering why she had been summoned.
"You had a premonition, didn't you? When you were still pregnant with Phoebe?" Prue questioned as she looked at her mother. "Of Faith's future."
"I did," Patty said. "I saw Faith and Buffy married and they had a daughter. That is why I am against the spell to send you back to change Faith's past, Prue. If you do that. You change the future I foresaw in who knows what ways."