PART SIX: Reliving the Past...
WARNING: This part may be a little dark. Most of this I never shared with anyone. It is descriptive about Christine's (my) life... involves self mutilation, attempted suicide and even rape. It's descriptive...sorry.
She had to be strong, she had to be strong...that's what Christine kept telling herself as she ran down the dark alley in her mind, hearing the pounding feet behind her. "Stop!" Christine yelled, "Please, stop," Christine cried, stumbling, tears clouding her vision. HE was going to catch up to her soon...
Faith was very weak, lying limply in Buffy's arms. The brunette slayer had opened her eyes again. "Buffy..." She lightly whispered. The older slayer would not of heard her if it wasn't for her slayer hearing. Buffy looked at the lost girl that lay in her arms. Faith seemed so fragile at the moment.
"Get Willow," Faith managed to say. Buffy started to panic with worry.
"What...Why? Is everything ok..." the blonde asked. Faith managed one of her cocky lopsided grins.
"W-Watch it there B...I might actually think you care..." the brunette said joking. As soon as the words left her mouth, Faith felt bad. She saw the look in the older slayer's eyes and what she said had hurt her.
"Faith...that's...that's not true. Don't say things like that, it's not funny," Buffy stated avoiding eye contact with the younger slayer. Faith sighed and saw Willow walk into the room with another mixing bowl.
The redhead looked over at Faith and the brunette weakly waved at her to come over. The witch carefully knelt next to the couch that the two slayers were on. Faith leaned in to whisper in Willow's ear even though she knew the other slayer could hear her.
"WHAT!?" Buffy shouted.
Christine was a little girl now. She stood in the middle of a group of girls that she had called friends. Tears ran down her face as the other little girls laughed and threw rocks at her, grazing and cutting her skin. The young girl just stood there and took it as the other girls continued to torment her.
Now she was with the same group of girls but in a basement...it was a birthday party. Christine laid on the floor, huddled into a ball, as the girls laughed and kicked her repeatedly, even spitting on her.
One of the girls tried to reach under the young potential's shirt as Christine tried not to cry. When one tear came, they started to ridicule her even more, making everything worse...
Now Christine stood alone in some big room. Props, trees, various swords and costumes hung around. It was the prop room to her high school. She remembered all too well what happened here...
Christine felt a hand on her shoulder and she swung around frightened at first. "FAITH!" Christine yelled, throwing her arms around the tall brunette. Faith lightly smiled and hugged the girl in her arms. "What are you doing here? You came..." Christine said, feeling safe for the first time.
"I had Willow put me into your mind so I can get you out of here...listen Christine..." Faith started to say, getting serious. She caught Christine's attention. "You HAVE to get out of here. Ok? It's very important...or you're going to die here..." Faith tried to explain as lightly as possible.
The potential searched Faith's eyes for a moment. The brunette saw this but didn't know what she was looking for and sighed, thinking that Christine didn't understand her.
"You shouldn't be here," Christine stated turning around and walking away from Faith. The brunette slayer was confused by this and opened her mouth to speak. But Christine put her hand up, silencing her. "You're taking a huge risk Faith...I can read your mind...your mind being in my head...leaves things sort of ...open..." Christine concluded, waving her hands about a little. Faith looked at her stupidly before laughing a little bit. Figures that she would miss the obvious.
"I don't want you to see these things..." Christine said looking up at Faith briefly. The brunette didn't understand. The potential looked at the door to the prop room and Faith followed her gaze. Sure enough, a younger version of Christine came collapsing through the door, tears streaming down her face, sobbing. Faith's heart broke.
This younger Christine seemed to be a sophomore or junior in high school. The girl stumbled as she finally collapsed in a heap on the floor sobbing uncontrollably. The real Christine looked at her with tears in her eyes. Why was this scene so important?
"Chris...what's going on?" Faith asked looking between the two. Christine sighed.
"This was when I truly gave up. I was worn and tired and in so much pain. Everyone left me...I was accused of something horrible that I didn't do and no one believed me...I had been beat up and abused most of my life by my Father and friends...and other people. I was cutting up my body really badly for I had no one to go to and it was the only way I could relieve what I felt... I dropped from a size 18/16 down to size 9. I starved myself and if I ever did eat, I threw it back up. My hair was falling out, I was passing out...then I was raped...things were so...dark. I wanted it to stop. All I felt...all my life...all the time...was pain. I had just gotten into a fight with the one and only person I had left...and loved...and she left me...all alone..." Christine tried to explain, looking back up at Faith briefly before looking away.
The brunette looked away from the scene before her. She knew that pain. Most of what Christine went through, Faith herself went through. "We may not have gone through the exact same thing...but the feeling is the same..." Faith stated looking at Christine. She knew she had very little time left and she didn't want Christine stuck in the prison of her own mind.
"Christine, you got to listen to me..." Faith started, trying to get the potential's attention...but Christine didn't hear a word she said. Faith's body started to flicker like a light, and the brunette looked down at her self in confusion for a moment. Willow must have started the counter spell to get her out of there. She had been in Christine's mind far too long, and time was running out. Faith knew she had to come get Christine. She was important some how in the whole plan to save the world...that, and she was her friend. Buffy protested, saying it was too dangerous but Faith knew she had to come back for her. Christine was a strong person and she knew she could get out of this.
Faith knew that she had to go back but willed herself to stay as long as she could to see what was going to happen. To see if Christine would be alright. The younger Christine stood up awkwardly on wobbly legs. She seemed to be deciding something. Faith looked over at the real Christine and saw that she was crying. What was about to happen?
"Faith....back....now..." the brunette slayer heard. It was Willow trying to get her to come back. Just a little bit longer. Faith willed herself to stay just a little bit longer. The younger Christine stumbled over her own feet as she walked over to the garage like door that the prop room had to be able to transport bigger things into the theater.
Faith flickered and faded some more as she fought to stay. The brunette slayer turned to look at the real Christine...but she was gone...which only meant one thing. The potential WAS reliving this memory, this moment. Only because it was a memory...and in her own mind...Christine, herself, was the only one who could personally change the outcome of it.
Christine sobbed as she got closer to the garage door stepping up on a prop tree stump. She then reached for the chain that hung next to the door, that pulled it up, and wrapped it around her neck.
"NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" Faith screamed as she then realized what Christine was doing. But it was too late, Willow finally succeeded in pulling her back and everything went black.
Christine lost her footing and slipped, the chain cutting more into her throat. Everything was hazy and her mind was blank...oxygen was being cut off from her brain...she was dying...
"NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" Faith screamed as she sat up, scaring the hell out of Buffy, who was leaning over the dark girl. Willow collapsed near by, who was using all of her essence to bring the brunette back.
Faith crawled over to Christine. "What's wrong with her?" Kennedy asked panicked, coming into the room. Christine was gasping and tossing from side to side on the couch. Buffy was confused.
"What's going on?" the older slayer asked after helping Willow up. Faith ignored her and shook Christine.
"Come on Christine. You can do it. Don't let it kill you...please" the brunette slayer pleaded, sobbing the last part. She had to help her...Christine was just like her...so alone...so lost. The potential then started choking, tossing around violently, as if she was struggling. Tears went down Faith's face as Kennedy stood next to her helpless.
Then it all stopped...and Christine laid still. Buffy managed to bring Willow over as all four girls stared at the motionless body. Faith stared through tear filled eyes at Christine hoping she would move. After a few moments passed with no movement from the other girl, Faith started to sob loudly, grasping the potential's hand as she leaned her forehead down on top of the other girl's. The brunette's tears slipped down her cheeks, on to her fallen friend's face.
"No...." Kennedy whispered watching the scene unfold before her as a tear slipped down her cheek. Faith then felt a twitch from Christine's hand that she was holding. Then felt a hand in her hair.
"Faith?" came a whisper. The brunette slayer looked up to see Christine's eyes looking back at her.
"Christine!" Faith yelled happily, throwing her arms around the girl.
"Watch it there tiger..." Christine gasped as Faith practically climbed on her.
"Sorry," Faith replied letting go. Faith was so happy at the moment that she couldn't hide it. Buffy was just glad that Christine was alright. Willow smiled at the sight and was just glad that everyone was ok.
Kennedy was so relived that Christine was alright and wanted nothing more then to be closer to her and be the one to hold her...but Faith was there...
"I'm ok...really," Christine stated, chuckling a bit, as she ran her fingertips down the bruised side of Faith's face. The brunette leaned into the caring touch, placing her hand over the potential's.
"It's just a bruise, it'll go away," Faith stated as she looked into Christine's caring eyes. Kennedy looked at them a little hurt. Knowing that Christine was alright, Kennedy willed herself to walk away. She cared for Christine...a lot. And couldn't bear to see her and Faith the way that they were.
Buffy felt a little uncomfortable. "We're glad you're back," Willow said as she sat down in a near by chair, wincing a little at how drained she felt. Christine looked back at Faith.
"I heard you...speaking to me...and followed your voice..." Christine said, looking into the dark slayer's brown eyes. Faith smiled and hugged the potential as Buffy quietly walked away.
Somewhere in a cave far away....
"AAAAAAAAARRRGHHHHHHHHH!" Came a yell. Caleb stood in the corner a little frightened. "She was supposed to die! Now they are going to know..." The First said in the form of Christine.
Caleb walked into the center where The First was. "I'll take care of it," he stated.
"You better...or it shall be YOUR death..." The First stated angrily.
