Disclaimer: I own nothing but this plot.

A/N: The only reason why I'm writing this is because it won't get out of my head.

Boston twenty-something years ago

Faith woke up atop the bare lumpy mattress that was masquerading as a bed. She got up and walked through the living room and over the prone body of her passed out mother on the way to the bathroom. Faith pulled the last clean towel out of the cupboard over the toilet and draped it over the shower rod. The brunette turned her dark chestnut eyes toward the somewhat rusted shower head as she rubbed the sleep out of one eye with her fingertips.

"Thank God it's Saturday."

She didn't have to go to work until ten so she had time to pick up some old stray clothes for her friend Jennifer. Faith's shower went by quickly, partly due to the fact that she only had a bottle of shampoo and that bottle was almost empty. It didn't help that the water went from hot to cold bypassing lukewarm completely.

"Get your but up, you little ------"

"I'm up, Ma!" Faith left the bathroom in her towel, hair still dripping with water to face the angry visage of her mother in the hall.

"You'd better no go too far today brat! Rico wants to talk to you about your little stunt."

"I can't stay here, Ma. I have to work at the diner today."

"What about tonight?"

"I promised Jen I'd bring her some material. Sides, I was planning on going to the library tonight and getting some homework done."

"Don't bother. You're not smart enough for the books to do you any good."

"I got to get dressed, Ma."

"You better wear the knee-highs!"

"I'm wearing my uniform, Ma!"

Faith walked around her mother, getting a swat on the behind as she went and slammed the door once she was inside her room. Faith quickly dressed herself in the red and white waitress uniform. It was a knee-length dress with short sleeves and she wore plain white tennis shoes with it, in the restaurant anyway. Her tennis shoes were hanging from her neck by the tied laces. Faith picked up a blue milk crate from her collecting that was piled against the wall.

When she left her room Faith could hear her hung-over mother retching in the bathroom. She started picking up the leftover clothes from the night before in the living room that didn't belong to herself or her mother, Harriet.

"The perfect start to another wonderful day in the life of Faith Lehane." She could hear a voice calling through her front door.

"Hey Faye! It's eight-thirty!"

"I'll be right there, Babs! Goodbye, Ma! I'm going to work!"

Faith grabbed her snow boots from under her bed and put them on over her red socks. She grabbed her warm winter coat from behind the couch and made sure that she bundled herself up against the Boston winter.

"Faye, hurry up! Don't make me come in there after you!"

"Keep your shirt on I'm comin'."

Faith grabbed her patchwork purse and the crate with the clothes in it then she walked out the door. She was then tackled by her redheaded friend. Babs Jingleheimer was a sweet girl but the victim of her mother's odd tastes. That was the reason behind Babs' full name of Babbette Jingleheimer.

"Come on, let's go!"

"All right, but where are we going?"

"Campus to visit Jade."

"Jade's so awesome."

"You only say that because she adopted you as a Riser."

"She's the first one to get into college. Besides, Babs you're the one who adopted me as part of the gang."

"True. When do you have to work today?" The girls walked down the hallway of the rundown apartment complex and down the stairs to the lobby.

"Ten till two and then four to eight." Babs let out a low whistle.

"That's what, eight hours?"

"Yep. It is Saturday after all. The college kids overload the place on the weekends."

The pair stopped on the street corner waiting for the 'Don't walk' sign to change. The moment the light changed both girls stepped off the curb in unison only to be separated by the oncoming rush of people. A young man bumped into Faith and they both went down in the middle of the street. He helped her pick up the clothes and put them back in the crate. As soon as they both stood up he grabbed Faith's arm and pulled her in the direction she had been walking.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?"

"Getting you out of the street before someone runs over you." Faith allowed herself to be dragged to the opposite street corner. Once they were both standing on the curb she spoke.

"Okay, we're off the street. Can I have my arm back now?"
"Oh, sorry." The young man blushed slightly and dropped her arm. He then stuck out his hand for her to shake it.

"By the way, I'm Jimmy, Jimmy Wilson." Faith grabbed his hand and gave it a hearty shake.

"Faith Lehane. It's nice to meet'cha, James." Faith then looked down at their joined hands, and then gave Jimmy a pointed look. He let go of her hand slowly.

"A little reluctant to let me go, James?" Jimmy rolled his eyes at her tone.

"Honestly, I'm lost." Faith laughed.

"Where are you headed?"

"The campus at Boston University."

"I'm headed there myself. Pay attention now, cutie. Take a right on Main, then a left onto Lincoln, go straight for three lights then take a right on University Lane."

"Uh, what?"

The thought that entered Faith's head was how cute James was when he was confused. His unruly light brown hair fell onto his forehead about an inch above very bushy eyebrows and warm chocolate brown eyes. Something about his eyes made her hungry. She sighed and shook her head to clear such thoughts.

"Just because I'm lost doesn't give you the right to patronize me."

"Actually, because I'm a native, it does." Babs burst through the small crowd of people on the corner to Faith and Jimmy.

"Hey, Faye, there you are! Who's the tourist, babe?"

"James Wilson. He goes to Boston U."

"Did you give him directions?"

"Yeah, but he got confused."

"Could you two let me get a word in edgewise? Or at least not talk about me like I'm not here?" Jimmy interrupts the two girls' chatter. Faith gives him a glance and quips, "Nope."

"Where are you from hon, Delaware?"

"New Jersey. So what's your name?" Jimmy answers Babs' question.

"Babs Jingleheimer."

Faith glared at her friend briefly before whispering in her ear. The redhead smiled and whispered back something. The dark-haired girl sent her friend a grateful look.

"You two are talking about me aren't you?"

"You're really intuitive, aren't you Jersey?"

Babs countered Jimmy's question with one of her own. Jimmy rolled his eyes and groaned. Faith grabbed his left arm and looked at his watch. He didn't seem to mind.

"Time's marching on. If we hurry we can catch Jade coming out of her 6:00 class."

Immediately Babs grabbed Faith's crate with one hand and grabbed her resulting freehand. Faith still had Jimmy's wrist incased in her own hand. The redhead was dragging the two brunettes behind her down the street. Jimmy grabbed Faith's hand to avoid losing her in the crowd.

"Don't let go unless you want to get lost again." Faith called over her shoulder. Jimmy had a short reply for her.

"I won't."