TITLE: Gotta Deal and Move On
SERIES: Faith, Rogue Slayer: Prologue
AUTHOR: elizafan568
EMAIL: elizfaith568@yahoo.com
FEEDBACK: Yes, please.
ARCHIVE/DISTRIBUTION: This site. If you want to post on on your site, just ask.
SUMMARY: Prolgue to Faith fanfic series. Faith gets word from Angel and heads to L.A. Dark forces stir.
SPOILERS: Buffy season 7 and Angel season 5
CONTENT/WARNINGS: n/a
RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: All character are property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, etc. I do not own them. Written for fun not profit.
NOTE: Set post-"Not Fade Away"
Prologue: Gotta Deal and Move On
Lorne knew he shouldn’t have gone back. Never should of looked back.
Never should of thought about them again.
He also knew that he had to. Had to know what had happened. Were they alive or dead? Had they succeeded of failed? He couldn’t in good conscience not go back.
When Lorne reached the alley he had the answers he needed. There was nothing there. No sign of an apocalyptic battle. Nothing at all. Just the same old alley that had always been there. Lorne didn’t need his psychic powers to tell him what had happened. It was painfully obvious. They were gone, all gone. And he couldn’t help regret choosing to not be there with them at the end.
Tears began to stream down Lorne’s face as he slowly sank to his knees. He didn’t really know what to do with himself now. Not after all he had seen and done. Only one thing was certain, he was alone.
**********************
Faith was in a foul mood. Had been for months. Ever since the big fight with Buffy that had totally driven a wedge between them. “Not that things have ever been all that kosher between us before” Faith thought. “Just when I thought B and I had finally reached a place that we could both at least move forward from, this shit has to go and happen.”
The event in question, of course, was the huge argument abut Angel and his new base of operations at Wolfram & Hart. Buffy was completely convinced that Angel had gone off the deep end and could no longer be trusted. The majority of the Scoobs tended to agree with her.
“Even Robin was on her side. Thought I had found a decent guy who I could count on and trust and he completely turns on me. I understand where they are coming from, but I know Angel. I know him better than anyone else here, even B. At least I think I do anyway.”
Faith began pacing her room as had become a custom of hers in the past few weeks. “If Angel has decided to take the reigns of Wolfram & Hart, then I know he had a damn good reason. He’s done way too much for me to start doubting him now.”
Faith dropped to the floor and began doing some serious crunches. Exercising had become a good way for her to let out that inner rage that she now knew would always be apart of her. It was just a matter of control. Control she thought she had finally achieved.
“I was more surprised than anyone when Xander and Willow and spoken up on my behalf and sided with me” Faith thought with a smile. She had grown pretty close to the two of them since the Hellmouth was closed. Willow had been to that dark place and understood Faith on a level that the others really couldn’t. And Xander…. “Well, we sure have had our problems in the past, and I still think he is a little weary around me, but we seem to have moved on and found a bit of common ground.”
After Buffy had sent Andrew and a group of newbie Slayers to LA to bring back Dana, it was the straw that broke the camels back so to speak. Faith and Buffy had not spoken since. Nor had Faith and Robin for that matter. “I really think we may have had something there, but he just wasn’t what I thought he was. Best not to dwell on the past.”
“Faith.” A voice came from the other side of her hotel room door. “Its me, Willow. Can I come in?”
“It’s open Red,” Faith called back. Willow walked in with a somber look on her face.
“What is it Red, I thought I told everyone that I wanted to be left alone for a couple of days.”
“I know, and I was respecting that, but……..” Willow looked down at the floor, unsure of how to continue.
“But what Red?” Faith could tell something was wrong. The look in Willows eyes always gave away here true feelings. And Faith didn’t like what they were telling her right now.
“We just got a letter from Angel. Its addressed to you. I haven’t opened it but I am getting a strong since that it’s not good news.”
Faith’s heart skipped a beat. She hoped it wasn’t what she thought it might be but she had a sinking feeling that her worst fears may be coming true. She had only spoken to Angel once since leaving LA and had felt bad about it. This just made things all the worse.
Faith frantically snatched the letter from Willow’s hand and ripped it open. Willow watched Faith’s eyes as she read the letter. Faith was usually an expert at hiding here true feelings, but nothing could hide the pain that was welling up in her eyes. Faith dropped the letter and sat down on her bed. A near blank expression on her face.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Willow asked as she bent down to pick up the letter and started reading it.
Faith uttered out a barely audible “Gone, he’s gone….”
Willow read the letter out loud. The meaning slowly sunk in as she read:
[To Faith:
I know we haven’t spoken much lately and I am sorry about that but things have been kinda crazy around here. Trying to turn an evil law firm into a instrument of good isn’t as easy as you would think it’d be. I don’t wanna bore you with all the details, mostly because I don’t think I could fit them in all in this letter. Things are just coming to ahead. Death, mayhem, apocalypse, you know the drill. Its different this time.
I just wanted to tie up any loose ends that may still be laying around. Being in charge of a huge law firm does have its perks. I think you have more than proved yourself to me and hopefully to Buffy that you have changed. I know you have and I know you will continue to fight the good fight no matter what. Your champion in my eyes now, Faith. And I think you have earned yourself a small reward. I’ve used my connections here and got all charges against you dropped. You won’t have to worry about the cops anymore. Its safe your you in the state if you ever decide you want to come back. I think you have at least earned that.
Remember, this isn’t the end of the of the road. Just the beginning. The road to redemption is indeed a rocky path as you well know. Just don’t give up. Never stop fighting. You always have my support no matter what Faith.
I know how you hate the mushy stuff so I’ll stop myself here. Take care of yourself.
Angel]
Willow looked up from the letter to see Faith hurriedly packing a bag. Tossing in a few clothes, a box of cigarettes, and a few other things.
“Faith, what are you doing? Where are you going?”
“To LA, where else. I can’t leave it like this Red. I have to know. Have to know what’s happened. Help if I can. If its not to late.”
“But Faith, we still need you here. There’s still a lot of work we have to do. More Slayers to find and….”
Faith stopped her with a look. A look from days long past. That look of killer intent. Willow knew there was nothing she could do or say that would change Faith’s mind. Faith was going and there was no stopping her.
Faith threw the gray duffle bag over her shoulder and headed for the door. She stopped just outside the door and turned to face Willow. She was holding back the tears but she couldn’t hide the look of deep hurt and concern in her eyes.
“I don’t have the time to take a more formal leave of the rest of the guys. If you don’t mind, could you tell them for me. I don’t care how you tell them or even what you tell them. Just tell them I am gone for now and I’m not sure when I’ll be back. There’s just to much going on between B, Angel, and I. I just can’t…..”
“I know Faith. I understand. I’ll take care of it. Just, be careful.”
“Thanks Red. I really………Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it. Just, call us soon. Let us know something.”
“I will. Later.”
With that, Faith was gone. Willow knew Faith had plenty of experience taking care of herself, but she knew it was bothering her a lot more than she was letting on. She just hoped she’s be alright. Willow then started back home trying to decide how to break the news to the others. She just hoped Buffy handled it well and that this wouldn’t strain her relationship with Faith more than things already had.
***************************
From across the street, a dark figure watched as Faith exited the hotel. It watched here with intensity as she hailed a taxi and quickly hopped in. As the taxi turned the corner and vanished from sight, the figure stepped from the shadows.
“Looks like the master was right after all. The other slayer has split from the others and is alone. Alone just like we need her to be. I’d best get back to the master and inform him of this development. He will surely be pleased.”
With that the figure quickly disappeared down a manhole into the maze of sewers.
****************************
Faith had an odd feeling from the moment she left the hotel. Her slayer senses where telling her that something was watching her. Something with bad intentions.
She did not have time to worry with some off feeling she was having right now. She had to get to LA. Had to know what happened. If Angel really was gone, she didn’t know if she could go on. Her support net was gone. The one person who never gave up on her, who believed in her no matter what, was gone. The very thought of that made Faith think that if Angel was gone, what chance did she have at being any help to anyone, of finding redemption.
“Stop right there Faith,” she told herself. “I can’t start thinking like that now. Its having thoughts like that that got me into trouble in the first place. And I know Angel wouldn’t do that. Wouldn’t want me to do that.
“I gotta keep my head straight. Gotta deal with this and move on. Not just for Angel, but for myself too. It’s the right thing to do. I know it. I just gotta believe it. I hope I can.”
Faith watched blankly out the window of the cab. Not really seeing anything. Just lost in her own thoughts. So lost in fact the she didn’t even notice the tear roll down her cheek. She knew that her road to redemption just got a whole lot harder.
******************************
As Faith walked up to the airport ticket counter, she wasn’t really surprised to find Giles and Buffy waiting for her. “Probably here to try and talk me out of it. Well, no can do. True, I still have a lot to make up for to you guys. And I fully intend to. But, sorry guys, this is something I just have to do. Its too important to me.”
Then she saw it. A plane ticket in Giles’ hand with her name on. A one way ticket to LA. Faith wasn’t sure what to think, so she did the classic thing she was known for, put her hands on her hips and put on the unreadable expression of hers that she had regrettably perfected.
“What is….? What’s going on her?” she asked a little more angry than she meant too.
Buffy stood, arms crossed against her chest, with an equally unreadable expression on her face.
“Willow told us about the letter and your taking off. I knew there would be no stopping you so I decided I might as well help you.” Giles replied.
“Really….” Faith said with just a hint of sarcasm.
“Yes, well, I know you don’t have much money and that you’ll need as much as you can get in LA, so I bought you this ticket.” Giles handed the ticket over to Faith which she slowly took from him and looked at with curiosity.
“I also brought you this.” Giles handed Faith a blank, white envelop. She took it from him and opened it up. Her eyes went wide when she realized what was inside. Money. A lot of money.
“Giles, what….why?” Faith stuttered out in a tone of low disbelief.
“To show you Faith that we do trust you. We do believe in you I trust you to do what’s right and come back to us. If Angel truly is gone, I just wanted you to know, that you have us too.”
Faith’s mental jaw hit the floor, but she kept up the pretense of the unreadable face. She looked at Buffy who still had not said a word or made any kind of recognition of what had been said.
“Giles, I……Thanks. I mean it.”
“Yes, well, with the negativity that has been flying around lately I thought it would be good for all those concerned.”
“Well, I guess I better head out. Don’t wanna miss my flight.”
“Yes, take care of yourself Faith. And keep in touch.”
Faith hoisted the duffle bag over her shoulder and turned toward the gates.
“Faith, wait,” Buffy called from behind her. Faith slowly turned to face the smaller but older blonde slayer.
“What is it B?” Faith said expecting Buffy to give another one of her famous speeches about responsibility.
“I just wanted to say that. I’m fine with this. Really. I know we both have a lot of issues to deal with between us still, but, I do believe that I can trust you now. And while I still disagree with you about the whole Angel thing, I understand, completely.”
Faith just stared blankly at Buffy. She could hardly believe that this was the same girl who just last week she had been at complete odds with. Truly, Buffy never ceased to surprise her, although she would never openly admit that, to anyone.
“Call us soon Faith. I really do care what happened too. Just be careful.”
“Ya, I will. Later B.”
“Later……F.” Buffy said with a slight grin.
Faith shot her back that famous shit-eating grin of hers.
With that Faith headed through the gate and towards her future. She could not know that this trip would change her life forever. That her true destiny had just begun.
****************************
The figure that had been watching Faith exit the hotel had reached a wide-open area of the sewers. A large junction of pipes hung overhead. In a rare, dry section of the sewer was an very ornate table. An assuming, dark figure sat, studying various scrolls.
The vamp wearily approached the table, his nervousness obvious to anyone with eyes.
“Master, I have returned from the mission you sent me on. You were right. The other slayer, Faith, has left the hotel and is on her own.” “Good,” the figure replied “Where did she go after that?”
“Well, I didn’t follow her after that. I thought it would be best to come here and inform you of her departure.”
“Oh, you thought. I don’t recall it being in your job description to think.”
“I know, its just….” the vamp stuttered out, beginning to sweat.
“Now, now. There is no cause for alarm my boy. I know that she took the taxi to the airport and is currently on a flight bound for Los Angeles, California. I cover all my bases.”
The figure stood from his chair and walked around the table coming face to face with the quaking vamp. He was seven feet tall, with pitch black, armored skin and piercing red eyes. The vamp could make out the faces and features of various, well known demons imbedded in his skin. Demons he knew as powerful. Demons he knew had been slaughtered by the one who now stood before him.
“So, you see, I have all the information I need. There is no cause for alarm, well, for me anyway.” he said with a smirk.
The vamp’s eyes grew wide as he searched his mind for something to say, something to do to belay his masters anger. He eyed the sword at the waist of the demon before him.
“The problem, however, is that you took it upon yourself to decide what was best. And that….” In less time than it takes for a human eye to blink, he drew his sword, slashed through the neck of the vamp, and sheathed it, while to anyone watching it would have looked as if he had not even moved..
“…..I cannot forgive.” The vamp’s head hit the ground and exploded into dust in conjunction with his body. “Good help is so hard to find these days. Oh well, I guess I better prepare for my trip to tinsel town. My destiny, and that of my race is about to unfold. And oh how glorious it will be.”
End Prologue.
