Mind Stealer

AN: Sorry its been so long with the update, I've been properly distracted these days, but here's hoping I can get some more your way soon.




~~“Giles, it’s like looking at a three year old, Faith doesn’t know what I’m saying, she isn’t speaking, and she can barely walk. What has happened to her?”

“I’m not too sure Buffy, but I think I have a pretty good idea. Why don’t you go and freshen up while I call around. Hopefully we can have this cracked soon.” Buffy wearily smiled and walked up the stairs. Faith took one look at Giles and scampered up the stairs following Buffy.

Giles couldn’t hide his amusement. True he didn’t know what had happened, and it did hold some serious issues, but Faith’s actions just made him smile.~~

Upstairs Buffy scavenged their emergency clothes the pair stashed with Giles in case of, well and emergency. And right now, this was a pretty big problem. “I was wondering where this top was, whoda thunk it was here!” Buffy heard noises behind her, looking around she saw Faith standing by the banister. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she used the banister to pull herself up to stand. “Faith, what are you doing up here! But now you’re here may as well get you into some clean clothes.” The blonde shot her a lopsided grin.

Faith’s legs were wobbling a bit, but she was beginning to get her balance back, she looked up at Buffy smiling at her accomplishment. “B…B…B” She slammed her hand down in frustration; quickly her hand recoiled in the sting of pain. The sedatives had taken full effect; at least she would have a hard job breaking things now. Well here’s hoping. The blonde couldn’t help but feel for her, she walked over to the taller girl and took one of her hands and placed it around her shoulders and the other around Faith’s waist. “Come on you, let’s get you washed up.”

Down in the living room people had already started to arrive to help out or hit the books. Giles had explained all he could over the phone; he even called up a few of the old “potentials” to cover Faith’s patrols for the unforeseeable future. “Yes, yes come in please, make yourselves comfortable.” Willow, Kennedy, Xander and Dawn filed into the room. “Buffy is with Faith upstairs, hopefully they won’t be too long.”

“So what happened Giles? Is she gonna be ok?” Dawn sat between Willow and Kennedy; out of eye shot she received a glare from both of them. Playing with the sleeve of her sweater she ignored the eyes boring into her skull in sheer annoyance.

“Buffy said that they were attacked by something that looked like a large crocodile, so looking up reptilian Demons is a start. Not the best thing to go on, but it’s a start. Tea anyone?” A loud groan rose from the group, “Just me then.”

Meanwhile Buffy was upstairs sorting out her hair in Giles’ mirror; she had managed to get herself all clean and dry, now it was Faith’s turn. At least Faith was managing to walk, even if she had to use a little support, but that was about the sum of her skills at present. She was still frustrated that she couldn’t remember the other girl’s entire name. “Now, time to get you all cleaned up.” Buffy reached for the buttons holding Faith’s jacket closed, the younger girl yelped and swatted the intruding hands away. “Hey, it’s ok Faith. I’m not going to hurt you I promise. Your clothes are all damp and dirty we need to get some clean and dry ones on you else you’re going to get ill!” She covered her chest with crossed arms and looked pleadingly at the blonde through her hair.

Smiling she cupped the other girl’s face with warm hands, “It’s alright, its just me, I won’t hurt you.” Placing a caring kiss on her forehead she stood up and tried again to undo the buttons on her jacket. Slowly Faith moved her hands aside and sat perfectly still as the other fumbled with the buttons. Removing the jacket revealed cuts and scathes that hadn’t healed over night. Buffy smiled sympathetically, she tried to remove Faith’s shirt and was amazed as the taller girl silently complied. “Come on you, let’s get you clean.” Using Buffy as a support she was coaxed into the bathroom and sat on the toilet.

Filling the sink with warm soapy water Faith looked on unsure of what was going on. Taking a flannel from the side of the bath Buffy soaked it in the water; she kept her eyes focused on Faith’s. Taking one of the other girls hands in her own she brought the cloth down onto the broken skin and carefully wiped away the dirt and dried blood. Faith had yelped at the contact but remained still regardless, each time the water touched her skin she winced in pain but she didn’t move. “There all done, good job Faith.” She ruffled the other girl’s hair and received a grin in return. “Let’s go get you some clothes,” Buffy leant down to help her up, but Faith pushed her back, the look on her face denoted some kind of urgency. Not being able to vocalise her distress Faith just kept pushing her back. Using the sink as support she managed to push her all the way out of the room.

As Buffy stepped forward to protest the bathroom door was shut in her face. “Some gratitude there Faith. Anyone would think you were back to normal.” Stood outside the door Buffy waited nervously, she had heard a few crashes and bangs in there, but not enough to cause alarm. A few minutes later she heard the toilet flush and water running, she opened the door to see Faith propping herself on the sink whilst she washed her hands. “Well thank God you remember that one.” Faith just smiled as Buffy helped her from the bathroom to the bedroom.

Sitting her on the bed Buffy collected Faith’s clothes, “Here, see if you remember this.” Handing her the clothes the look on her face was enough to tell her that she hadn’t got the faintest clue. Before Faith could get frustrated again her clothes were taken from her, “Don’t worry, that’s why I’m here,” Taking her cues from the blonde Faith soon worked out where here hands and legs needed to be to make the whole thing that little bit easier. “See, all done. Clean and dry, now lets go see what Giles’ has got cooking downstairs.” Supporting her down the stairs the two girls quickly rejoined the group.

In the living room the older girl quickly took the remaining space on the sofa, Faith looked around at the sea of faces she couldn’t recognise. She sat on the floor between Buffy’s calves hugging onto one of them. Reaching down the blonde reassuringly stroked her hair causing the grip on her leg to lessen.

“Hey guys. So anyone cooked up a plan?” Looking around for a response everyone she looked to was too taken with staring at Faith. Someone once so strong to now be so vulnerable, they had no idea what the effects of the attack were. “Um, guys?”

Shaking themselves out of their thoughts they each acknowledged the two girls presence. “Buffy what happened to her? She looks like a child,” Willow’s eyebrows knitted in concern. Dawn rose from the sofa and sat on the floor Indian style in front of Faith. She was smiling sweetly and not making any sudden moves, slowly Faith began to react to someone in her personal space. It was curiosity more than anything, she turned from Buffy’s leg and looked with scared eyes at the teenager in front of her.

Raising her hand slowly Dawn whispered out a quiet “Hi,” She still wrapped her arms around Buffy’s leg but Faith returned the gesture so quietly it looked like she had mouthed it. Dawn kept her hand up as she watched the petrified brunette release a hand from Buffy to match the gesture. Dawn’s smile widened making Faith smile just a little. Above their heads the rest of the scoobies were in deep discussion and research mode.

Giles had been watching the interaction between Faith and Buffy, “Extraordinary.” All the faces turned to look at him, all the eyes questioned him without saying a word. “From here it looks like Faith is suffering from something akin to the effects of Glory,” before he could continue both Summers girls were looking frantic and raising their voices.

“That’s impossible, Glory’s gone, y…you killed her Giles.” Dawn’s face was full of fear. Giles just smiled that fatherly grin he has.

“Indeed I did Dawn, don’t worry. I was merely making a comparison between Faith’s affliction and what Glory did to so many people. It’s almost the same.” Just at the sound of her name a flash of mourning crossed through Willow, feeling her tense up Kennedy pulled the red head closer to her.

“You remember that Glory reduced her victims to gibbering wrecks of their former selves. Faith is somewhat different; her attacker appears to have taken her memory, her entire memory. Which would include her speech and basic human skills. As well as her memories of us.”

Buffy had guiltily lowered her head, “Maybe some of it is for the best, if she could forget those few years. But it’s not a fresh start is it, she’s lost and confused. She can barely stand let alone fend for herself. She can’t remember who or what she is. And it’s all my fault, we should have come home. We shouldn’t have stayed.”

“Ohh pack your bags for a guilt trip.” All faces turned and glared at Kennedy, “What did I do?” Willow swatted her arm before reassuring the blonde slayer that it was just an accident. Dawn looked around at the sea of faces; it was going to be a long day.

Soon the evening rolled in and the group were no further forward. Willow had established that there was nothing medically or magically wrong with Faith, there was no spell on her nor was she sick. The news filled the group equally with hope and dread. Happy that Faith was ok, but at the same time if it had been a spell or even a curse a reversal was possible. Faith was just changed, and it appeared there was nothing that could be done.

Willow had driven them all back to the house and Xander made his own way back home. In the car Faith had fallen asleep and rested against a distant Buffy, the entire drive she was staring out the window thinking of nothing in particular. When the arrived back at the house Faith had sleepily but dutifully followed them into the house. She couldn’t figure much out right now, but the blonde girl was nice to her, so she at least figured maybe it would be a good idea to stick with her.

Walking up the drive Dawn took Faith’s hand and led her inside as Willow took the other slayer aside. “What are we going to do Buffy? She can’t sleep on her own, not like this. What if she freaks out in the middle of the night?”

Buffy’s face held the same concerned look she had when they left Giles’ house. “Well, she hasn’t got all of her powers right now, and as long as I give her a jab every day it will stay that way. I just hope we figure something out before the end of the week. But I guess someone is going to have to stay with her through the night.”

The two girls turned to head into the house, “It’s not a problem for me to stay up with her some nights Buff, I’m sure Dawn will help out too.” She tried to reassure her best friend with a smile, Buffy just shook her head.

“I couldn’t ask you to. Besides, I got her into this mess. It’s my responsibility, and besides, I’m not sure she would trust anyone else at the moment. She still doesn’t remember who you guys are.” Willow just nodded, she knew Buffy’s reasons were right, but it wasn’t her fault. But as much as she kept telling her the blonde still felt that it was her responsibility.

“You want us to set up the living room for you two, or are you going to put her in your room?”

“I think its best if she stays in my room, let her get familiar with it again. I guess it might help. Thanks for everything Will; I’ll see you guys in the morning.” The two friends shared a comforting hug before Buffy sought out the powerless slayer within her home.