(no subject)

[faithful-slayer.livejournal.com]

[OOM. Faith, in her room, reflects on what's happening to her, and a new symptom starts.]

Faith comes out of her room in the Staff Quarters, a handkerchief pressed to her upturned head, and picks her way through the crowd, sitting at Bar and acquiring coffee and painkillers.

The handkerchief is slowly turning red.

Comments

[guppy_sandhu]

Guppy is attracted to blood like a mosquito. Except he doesn't want to drink it, he just notices it.

"You want to put your head forward, not back, and pinch the fleshy part." he says gently, coming up beside her. "Otherwise you'll swallow blood and that will make you feel even worse."

[faithful-slayer.livejournal.com]

Faith ought to know that, really.

Chalk it up to major headache frying brain circuits.

"...yeah. Shouldve remembered. Thanks," she says, and tilts her head the right way, pinching obediently.

[guppy_sandhu]

"How long has it been bleeding like that? Did it just start or did someone smack you?"

He looks concerned. That's quite a bit of blood.

[faithful-slayer.livejournal.com]

"It started a few minutes before I came out here," Faith explains. "I think it's a side effect of the curse."

[guppy_sandhu]

"Mind if I take a look? You seem to have bled quite a lot for just a few minutes."

I just hope it's stoppable. The last thing she needs right now is curse-related haemophilia.

[faithful-slayer.livejournal.com]

Faith shrugs. "If you want."

[guppy_sandhu]

Guppy gently pulls her hand down and has a look.

"I can't see much." He says, putting it over again. "If it doesn't stop in ten minutes I can pack it for you if you want."

[eternal-boy.livejournal.com]

Nick trots downstairs and blinks as he smells blood...or rather, specific blood.

"Faith?"

[faithful-slayer.livejournal.com]

She looks up at him, and smiles around the handkerchief.

"Hey Nicky."

It comes out sounding a bit nasal.

[eternal-boy.livejournal.com]

He steps closer and looks at her nose.

"Faith? Your nose...did someone hurt you?"

He takes a better look at her and his eyes harden.

"Who?"

[faithful-slayer.livejournal.com]

"It's kind of a long story."

Still nasal.

"Short version, there's a magical curse on me. Lots of other people too."

[eternal-boy.livejournal.com]

He nods.

"But you."

Translation: yes, it's wrong that someone has cursed a lot of people, but among them is YOU and this I find an even greater problem with than everything else.

[faithful-slayer.livejournal.com]

Faith rolls her eyes, but doesn't look displeased.

"Yes, Nick. Me too. That blind spot's gonna get you in trouble one of these days, y'know.

[the_lioness]

Faith?

*About to take a sip of coffee, Alanna gapes, her hand stopping halfway to her mouth.*

What the... are you alright?

[faithful-slayer.livejournal.com]

Faith looks up at her friend, with a wry half-smile.

"You saw the note I left in the Office? New symptom."

[the_lioness]

Bleeding? That's more than just a symptom, that's a rather large problem in and of itself. *She blinks.* You seem rather nonchalant about this... can I do anything?

[faithful-slayer.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I'm not nonchalant, I'm scared shitless," Faith admits. "That ritual...well, there's a lot I never told anybody about it, like, uhm, only one person beside me ever survived doing it, and she went nuts. The others...their brains liquefied. Which I guess is what's happening to me."

[the_lioness]

*Alanna goes sheet white and stares. For quite awhile, there is very little else she can do.*

How... the Other made this happen?

[faithful-slayer.livejournal.com]

Faith nods.

"Looks that way. I doubt if I'm gonna die - probably more fun for him if I'm alive and in a lot of pain - but I might start going a little nutso."

[watcher-g-man.livejournal.com]

Giles had been in discussion with Andrew (currently slowtimed), and planning strategies for the Other.

He happened to glance up, and saw Faith. He got up to approach, and as he got closer, he saw red seeping through the handkerchief.

His mind immediately clicked, remembering her curse, and what had happened...
The Ritual... oh Dear God... no...
The approach was now a run.
I thought she had escaped it, been spared. Damn that Other!
And there was a litany of profanity in his head in several obscure languages as he rushed toward the Slayer.

[faithful-slayer.livejournal.com]

Faith looks up at the sound of running footsteps, blinking.

"Hey, Giles. Where's the fire?"

[watcher-g-man.livejournal.com]

"Faith, it's the Ritual, isn't it? Because of the relapse?" There was a pained expression on his face.

Awww, now look what you did, making your Watcher cry.

[faithful-slayer.livejournal.com]

"Oh."

Faith nods, slowly.

"Yeah, it looks that way."

[watcher-g-man.livejournal.com]

Giles closed his eyes briefly in pain.
"When did this start?"

Not yet... so close to getting the bastard responsible for all of this. Not now...

[faithful-slayer.livejournal.com]

"The nosebleed just started this morning."