Chapter 16 - Faith/James - On Watch

Chapter 16 - Faith/James - On Watch

She should have anticipated something bad was going to happen. But her one failing in her powers was that she could never see things about herself too clearly. Faith was more focused on getting them to safe ground with James than paying attention to Nick. She should have realized people don't make such quick turn-arounds in their personality, not really, at least not in her world. 

Earlier while talking to Nick and protecting the room she had felt a slight stab in her heart, just a prick, really. She hadn't thought too much about it. In her experience demon attacks were more mental than anything. She had experience with these sorts of attacks. She had been attacked practically all her life. Mostly by family but others too. 

Faith opened the door to the outside when she realized she was in trouble. She could see James and the relief on his face. Then Nick shoved her down and escaped out the back way. 

Faith wasn't sure what had happened. She had felt fine moments earlier. Opening the door had somehow changed her fate. She had made the choice, she realized to give up on Deacon. The evidence was too solid, too damning. Now everything in her was numb.

 James and Danny appeared by her side in an instant. James' voice was distant and frantic. She could tell he was saying her name but had no idea she was so close to death. 

***

James glanced at Danny, the anguish on his face apparent. He had made a choice too. In an instant he knew but hadn't admitted to himself yet. Faith was more important to him than he realized. 

"What do we do? I don't even see a wound on her."

Danny listened to her chest. The shocked expression on his face said it all. "There's no heartbeat. "

James could hear Kara's voice chuckling in his ear "That's because there is no heart in there any more. No more faith in action. No more truth in action. Only Kara in action to bring the Dark Lord to earth. Lord God will reign again."

Dark Lord? Lord God? What was she talking about? James and Danny exchanged glances. 

"Did you hear that?" James asked. 

"Unfortunately, yes."

James felt Faith's hand clutch his and draw it to her chest.  "Heal me," she mentally whispered.  Her inner voice was so soft it filled him with an icy dread. 

"Faith... I..."

" You can. We have a connection. Intend it.  Ask God to do it for you," she said. "Heal me James before it's too late."

James' hands shook. He wasn't a healer. He couldn't do this.

"Please," she whispered. "Try,"

"I'll help you," Danny said.  " I'll pray. You heal."

They weren't sure how long they had stayed like that. The drone of far off machinery pierced the air but they didn't notice. Their minds were only filled with Faith. 

Crickets chirped. It was a lonely sound. "Please God," James whispered. Not like this, he thought. Don't let her go like this. 

"Imagine it, James," said a voice. "Imagine the healing light surrounding her heart. Call her heart back to her. You have the authority. You are the only one who can do it."

"God?" He looked up and saw the north star wink at him. " Please God, let this work,"

He did as God asked and imagined it. The light came out being a green colored with white and silver surrounding her heart center  Star essence. It came to him as a knowing. Then he asked for her heart to return. It was almost like a daydream. He could see it travel through space and land in her chest cavity. 

Her body lurched and Danny jerked back. "Her heart is beating again."

"Oh, thank God, James whispered, his breathing ragged. He pulled Faith to his chest hugging her. It was in that moment he had the realization. Faith had some how snuck into his heart and he hadn't even realized it. 

His entire body quaked as their energy merged. Danny stepped back. "Woah, what was that?"

James couldn't hear him. A spiritual healing was occurring and neither were aware of anything but each other. 

***

Deacon stood back and watched as the men worked on Faith. Beside him was an unconscious Nick Ransom. It was in that moment he realized a choice had finally been made. And it hadn't been made in his favor. 

He should have realized she'd be different. He should have known the Arthur legend would finally come out.  King Arthur wasn't any one special. He should know since he was Arthur. The Robin Hood myth was also him. Deacon had stolen Lancelot's Legacy and claimed it as his own. Deacon's legacy was stealing from the rich and giving to himself. He masked himself as a Merlin but he was the true huntsman in the Snow White legend. Kara was bound and gagged in the back if his SUV. She'd need some magical intervention to get Jax extracted from her energy and get back to the Gwen he loved. He'd try again in another lifetime. This game never got old. 

He had actually been the one to sneak into the author's story. He was good at manipulation. All the demon attacks came from him. Baal was his true name but no one would ever know it. 

He did  know one thing. Faith was his new secret adversary and the game wasn't over yet. 

He drug Nick's body to James' black Jeep and then faded into the darkness. There were new plans to make. "Miles to go, Faith," he whispered. "Miles to go."