Part 9

CLEVELAND: May 18th

The last drops of dew desperately clung to the blades of grass as the morning sun rose. In a few moments, they too would disappear into the warmth of the day. Sounds of the city coming to life could be heard even through the tightly shut house.

Faith sat motionless in a large wicker chair by the window in her room. Her eyes were heavy with sleep. She had stayed awake the entire night watching the three girls who now layed sprawled out on her bed. She wasn't sure whether the man in their dreams would return again, but she wasn't taking any chances. Across her lap lay a long jagged blade. Nothing was going to hurt these girls, not on her watch.

After calling Buffy, she checked in with Rona in New York and Amanda in Syndey, Australia. She knew by the shaky voices, that these girls, along with the slayers they were training, were beyond frightened. And who could blame them, she was too. But somehow, with Buffy looking into it, calmed their fears.

Faith gazed outside the window. The sun was rising steadily in the sky. People, in their suits and skirts, got into their new expensive cars and drove off to work. "It's just another day to them. Just regular people. They'll never know how many times their pitiful, boring lives were saved. They live in some shiny, happy bubble. The kind that's just waiting to be popped by some vamp or demon. It's always something. Always something ready to destroy the world. Hell.. sometimes... I just wish it'd happen already. Just want the world to fade away and leave me alone... Damn tired.. Too tired.."

Her eyes began to close as her thoughts were pushed back in her mind. Her head began to slowly fall forward. Faith's limp body sank into the chair, her tense muscles relaxed. And before she knew it, she was dreaming.

Popcorn. Hotdogs. She knew this. She had been here before. The children laughing and screaming with delight, she knew this. "Buffy?" she called out. Instinctively, she made her way to the Fun House. The crowd had thinned and the light was dim there. "Buffy, are you here?" The noise of the fair seemed to fade away as her voice echoed in the dark. Looking behind her, she saw that everyone had left now. There was nobody there at all. Just darkness. All around now.. darkness... silence.. fear.

"Somebody?!.... Anybody!?.... I'm scared. Help me." Faith collapsed to the dusty ground clutching at the leather jacket she wore. Her breaths came quick now, terror was taking over. With one hand, she reached into the dark only to feel the emptiness there. "I don't know what to do... I don't know what.. what to do.. I don't know..." she rocked herself as she mumbled to herself over and over again.

Out of the silence, she heard a faint sound. Footsteps. Someone was coming, but the echo was too great to tell from where. Louder and louder, closer and closer. Suddenly, a hand rest on her shoulder. Faith screamed with all her might, paralyzed, unable to move. "There, there Faith. It's not time yet." Faith snapped her head up to see Buffy, smiling sweetly down on her. "Faith... Faith... Faith.." she repeated patting her shoulder. "Buffy?..."

"Faith? Faith??" Trish stood over the sleeping girl, gently shaking her to wake her.

Faith jerked awake, dazed and pale. She looked around as reality flooded back. Trish, Lena, and Jackie stood around her, watching. The blood rushed back to her face as she regained her composure. "Breakfast?"