Props go to Mutant Enemy, Joss Whedon & co. I make no profit from this ('cept an occasional ego stroke).

Author's Note: I'll probably take a while to update this (kinda standard by me at this point, right?), but it's relatively short, or at least I plan on it being relatively short in comparison to "Vacancy". Still, the summer isn't over yet, and so I have free time. And I have plans for this. Which include outlines and doodles. More of the latter than the former at this point. ;)

Timeline: Post- Season Eight Comics, AU (doesn't follow completely, although I am a huge fan of the comics!)


Suggested music:

"Landlocked Blues" by Bright Eyes

"Swim" by Jack's Mannequin


"And even if you tell me you hate me, I'll still be here the next day, 'cause at least I know you feel something."

Faith toed the rock on the side of the road, as she walked along, remembering back to when Buffy had whispered that single sentence in her ear, her arms holding the struggling Slayer against her smaller frame, trying to – now that Faith could look back with hindsight – get through to the wild and unbridled slayer that the whole world was not in fact against her.

That even someone she had hurt so much, had manipulated and attacked, had cruelly toyed with and fought to an almost death, could find it in herself to forgive her. To try.

At the time, Faith had scoffed at the smaller woman, voicing her beliefs that Buffy always thought she was better than everyone else, always able to rise above. It was with that drunken, violent comment where Faith realized that – despite everything she had been trying to do in prison – the original Chosen One had a hold over her emotions that no one else ever had. In that moment of comprehension, Faith had finally seen the blonde Slayer for who she was –

Blinking, Faith swallowed, guilt washing over her at how easily she could revert to the old emotions and hurt feelings from long ago, when both of them had been young and immature. Looking to the older Slayer, intent on apologizing immediately, Faith felt her jaw go slack at how the other woman had suddenly shrunk, sinking into the closest chair, her face turning grey, an unknown sadness and guilt emanating from her.

"I…I'm not perfect…Faith…Even I fall sometimes…"

Faith had been dumbstruck. This Slayer, who was a fantastic – if not sometimes annoying – leader, this woman, had failed in ways in which Faith could relate to? Faith hadn't wanted to think that. The Golden Slayer must always remain so. It was that inability to see Buffy as the fallible, human being that she in fact was which drove her away from Scotland.

For years she had avoided Buffy. The first chance she could get, she grabbed a flight to L.A., intent on finding out from the only other person she could trust just where she could be sent that would do the most damage to the Big Bads. Angel did not fail her.

In fact, he did almost too good of a job in helping her. Faith was sent –repeatedly – on missions where she would be forced to either help save large numbers of other people who would be sure to thank her, thus reinforcing Faith's knowledge that she was needed in this world, or she would be sent on solitary missions where she would be forced to face herself – something perhaps worse than any demon.

It was this repeated psychological and emotional training that Angel had intentionally put her through that forced her to grow up, in more ways than one. Faith had an inkling that Angel did this to her so that one day she'd be able to again work with the team which had welcomed her back when she had first started down the road of redemption. Faith had no doubt that the Scoobies would let her back into the fold – they forgave things like running away – but she was more afraid of being let back into their lives. That was the tricky part. Forgiveness is easy when you yourself are imperfect, and thus compassion and empathy come far more easily. But trust is something completely different.

Guess I'll just hafta see what happens. Faith thought, watching a car's headlights coming nearer as the vehicle slowed down.

Ducking down to glance into the window, Faith suppressed a smile at the familiar face.

"Care for a lift?" Ah yes, the ruffled and combed back hair, more grey now that when she last saw him, a dark brown V-neck sweater pulled over a cream t-shirt, brown corduroy pants disappearing into the darkness where his foot held down the brake pedal. The glasses reflected more of the car's internal light than his eyes, perhaps a good thing right now.

"Ya know me, G, always rollin' with the next thing that comes by," Faith shrugged, unslinging her backpack from her shoulder as she pulled open the car door.

Shutting the door and tossing her pack into the backseat, Faith clicked her seat belt into place while Giles began accelerating again down the road.

"No car?" Giles asked, his eyes scanning the side of the road before pulling a smooth U-turn.

"Nah, hitched a ride to the last station, started walking 'round 6 after makin' the call," Faith replied, pulling her boots off and lifting her feet out of the window, glad to finally be off of them.

"You've been walking for almost ten hours?" Giles' surprise was not concealed.

"Really?" Faith's sarcasm seeped through her voice, "Had no idea, G. Figured when I left the message, ya know, people would haul ass. Big A said you guys needed me soon or somethin'," Then, under her breath, "Thought the Big Bad always trumped Scooby issues."

"Faith…" Giles sighed, "Things have changed quite a bit since you left. You might be surprised. I've been driving for almost seven hours as it is, once Buffy called me about the message. Where you placed your call and this current location are both rather remote."

"It took her three fucking hours to tell you to get me? What the fuck?" Faith swiveled slightly, keeping her feet out the window, "Jesus, you'd think she'd…"

"No one was at home, Faith, it isn't her fault. We were at a graduation party, which went a bit longer than expected," Giles explained, his grip on the steering wheel tightening ever so slightly, "You mustn't always be so quick to blame Buffy for everything."

"Save it," Faith snorted, "I wonder, did you ever think to say the same thing to her about me?"

Giles sighed, "I'd rather not count how many times I have, Faith," his voice quiet in the admission.

Faith gave him a sidelong glance before crossing her arms under her chest and staring silently out the window. She did not want to get into this right now. The man had been her only friend for some time after the Sunnydale implosion. They were a team, and even in her frustration at Buffy – who could always so easily get under her skin – Faith didn't want to ruin the relationship she had with Giles. Sighing finally, Faith softened and relaxed, then, as if asking the world out the window and not Giles next to her,

"Who's graduation?"

Giles started for moment, turning his head to look at Faith before looking back at the dark road, "Dawn's."

"Christ, it's been that long?" Faith turned to look over at Giles, who nodded his head, "Fuck. I remember when the runt was still bitchin' about Algebra II."

Giles chuckled, "Well, she never did take to the math and sciences all that much. It appears the monks really did make her out of Buffy."

Faith grinned at that, "What'd she study? Or where even?"

"Cambridge, actually. She got a degree in Theology and Religious Studies," then, almost wistfully, "Seems she has really taken a liking to being on the Watcher's Council."

"You don't say," Faith remarked, her tone conveying her lack of surprise.

"You aren't surprised? I would have figured that out of every woman in the Summers lineage I have known, Dawn would opt to get away from our lifestyle, to lead a far more normal life, since she has the best opportunity to do so," Giles mused.

"Let me tell it to ya straight, G," Faith began, adjusting herself in the small car, pulling her feet back in and placing them on the floor, pressing the button to put the window up, "When I came back to pre-cratered Sunny D, that girl was doing her own translations of Turkish to help her big sis, don't ya remember? She may not have liked bein' the youngest of the Scoobs, but she was always a willing part of the team."

Giles regarded Faith for a moment, a small smile appearing fleetingly across his face before returning his attention to the dark road. The silence which resumed was more comfortable this time, the pair adjusting to being in one another's company once again. Faith stared out the window, trying to catch sight of the stars through the trees, knowing it was a hopeless quest. Lifting her arm to the edge of the window, Faith placed her temple against her closed fist, her eyes falling shut with ease.

Feeling the car come to a stop woke Faith, the lack of motion making her realize her current situation had changed, and the Slayer in her went on alert. Cracking open her eyes, Faith saw the pink hues of dawn in the sky, and heard Giles shut his car door, the car shifting after his weight exited the vehicle. Opening her eyes fully, Faith took in where they were.

The gas station had a few broken down cars parked near a service garage and a old, battered sign reading "Next service station: 50km." Faith turned her head to look at where Giles had gone, and saw the door of the attendant station swing shut, her only clue as to the direction he had gone. Sitting up straighter, Faith cracked her neck, feeling the strain from how she had slept. Glancing at her wristwatch, Faith saw that it was just after six a.m. Only two hours of sleep. Fanastic.

Unbuckling her seatbelt, Faith opened her door and got out, stretching her legs. The morning air was chilly, and Faith could see her breath slightly when she exhaled. Shivering, Faith zipped up the lightweight North Face jacket she had on. Shoving her hands into her jeans' pockets, Faith turned when she heard footsteps behind her. Giles smiled gently as he approached the car, holding two cups of some steaming liquid. Placing them on the rooftop, Giles opened the door and moved them inside.

"I just need to fill up and we can head out. If you need the rest room, you can ask the attendant for the key," Giles informed her.

"Pass. Middle-of-nowhere place like this probably has one helluva ugly shit shooter," Faith commented, opening her door and climbing back into the car.

Picking up the cup closest to her, Faith sipped the steaming black liquid. Ah sludge, nothin' like it. Replacing the cup in the holder, Faith drummed her fingers on the window edge, impatiently waiting for Giles.

The one thing all her experiences had never really taught her – patience. Faith hated waiting, and only did it when absolutely necessary. Reconnaissance was not her thing years ago, but when there is no one else to do it… Faith had learned to become more flexible with her inborn desires (not waiting being one of them) over the years, and learning first hand a couple of times that waiting could very well save her life.

This was not one of those situations. And so she drummed her fingers, her thigh beginning to bounce in time to their beat.

The sound of Giles closing the tank cover and finishing up at the pump caused Faith to cease her impatient movements. Snapping her seat belt into place, Faith watched Giles climb into the car and shut the door, buckling his belt before placing the key in the ignition. His hands free, Giles grabbed his cup of coffee and lifted it to his mouth, sipping slowly. Grimacing, Giles replaced the cup and shook his head.

"I'll never get used to that revolting drink. I don't know why Americans think it is so wonderful."

"Whoa G-man, don't take your Colonial disgust out on me, I'm just a by-product of a material mishap, not a musket fighter for ol' George Dubs," Faith drawled sarcastically.

Giles glanced at her after starting the car and taking the parking brake off, "Material mishap?"

Faith arched an eyebrow, an amused look on her face, "Condom broke."

A look of sympathy flashed across his face, but Giles remained silent and instead began driving onto the road again. Giles had learned when they first worked together that it was easier to not ask twenty questions, and better to just accept her small revelations of her past whenever she decided to share. Other people had not learned that however, and Faith clenched her jaw, the muscles bulging slightly as she thought back to a less than comfortable...interview, that Andrew had once subjected her to. It was only Kennedy's ability to distract him with cooking duties that had saved her – or him rather – from killing another human.

"I bet the coffee made during Washington's era as General was better than this, even during your battle of independence," Giles remarked, smoothly moving the topic along.

"Am I the rep for the States now? Not my battle," Faith scoffed, then lower, "Not my country."

"What do you mean?" Giles inquired, glancing over at her in mild surprise at her comment.

Faith shrugged, "Haven't been there in years, G. Don't really belong anywhere anymore. Definitely didn't belong where I was born," Faith explained quietly, feeling her walls slipping slightly, knowing it was because Giles had always been able to understand her, just like Angel, "When you spend most of your life moving from place to place, never mind country to country, kinda makes it hard to say you belong somewhere…Other than in battle, I guess."

"And you think that is all you are good for? Fighting?" Off of Faith's shrug, "You don't think that you might belong with certain people instead of a certain place?"

"All I've been great at, and feel best is in battle, G. I may not have a place I call home, but I have a place where I feel I am meant to be," Faith explained, crossing her arms under her chest, "And as for people…" Faith trailed off.

"They were hurt when you left without warning, Faith. They miss you," Faith snorted, and Giles shot a look her way. Rolling her eyes, Faith gestured for Giles to continue, "You worked well within the group dynamic, Faith. You had the experience that Buffy had in years, helping balance the other Slayers so that neither one of you shouldered all of the work as the main Slayer. You worked well with Xander and the Operations, helped Dawn with her focusing and studies. You were integral to the group, even if you didn't think so."

"Save the guilt trip, G," Faith snorted.

"No, dammit, you need to listen!" Giles slapped his palm against the steering wheel. Faith jerked her body, surprised at the outburst. "You have this, this set mentality that the whole world is against you, that we won't ever forgive you, that you are only worth your place in the battle! It is not true, Faith. You must understand this. You stayed with the group when the world was turned against all of us by Twilight. You kept morale up against the onslaught of the government and military forces constantly teaming up against us. You were a part of something bigger than just the battle.

"You are not just a tool through which the Council fights evil, Faith. You, like Buffy, have evolved beyond that. You are more than just a Slayer, whose sole mission is to fight the forces of darkness for the men who sit in their stuffy London building, fashionably dressed in tweed, who have never even staked a vampire. By working together, you defied the former code by which a Slayer used to be bound. You are a Slayer, yes, but Faith, if any of the time you spent working with us could tell you anything, you are also a person," Giles finished, sighing in frustration. Then, much quieter, "and a friend."

Faith started at that, her already wide eyes widening even more at the admission. This man who had once been a temporary watcher, a mentor, turned enemy, turned informant, turned partner – who she had abandoned in the middle of the night along with the rest of the Scooby Gang – this man considered her a friend. It was something she had never really been used to, or known for that matter. Then again, Faith mused, Giles always could relate to her on a level which Buffy and the other Scoobies could not. Murder does that to you.

"I'm sorry Giles," Faith murmured softly, her eyes downcast. Then, her voice quivering, belying her joking tone, "I guess the shit I've been learnin' all these years isn't really stickin', is it?"

Giles glanced at her, then, his tone conveying a personal knowledge of the statement, "Those who knew us before we've changed have a more intimate understanding of us, Faith. It is not easy to be who we try to be when faced with people who have trouble seeing past who we once were. What you must remember however, is that we are all human. We are not perfect, and each and every one of us knows that. You must equally trust in us to forgive you and accept the new person you are as much as we must trust you to see us for who we now are."

Faith nodded at his statement, feeling a calm come over them in the car. Looking out the window again, Faith laid her head back against the seat and watched the scenery go by.

It was the sound of a horn honking that jolted Faith awake, instantly bolting upright, her eyes looking around for any sign of attack. The landscape had changed drastically now, and Faith could see they were in suburbs of some kind, the morning now fully lighting the sky, and people out and about. Glancing at her watch, Faith raised her brows at seeing the digital blink of 10:35. Dropping her arm into her lap, Faith looked at her coffee, a look of disgust crossing her face at the solidifying liquid.

"Tell me you didn't pay much for that shit," Faith commented, gesturing to the cup.

"I may have haggled," Giles smirked slightly, eying Faith.

"Where are we?" Faith asked after grinning at Giles' answer, looking around at the expansive lawns and well-manicured foliage that pleasantly accented each of the large mansions on the street, "'Cause this definitely doesn't look like Hogwarts to me."

"We don't have a castle anymore Faith. We now are attempting to blend in with the rest of society as much as possible," Giles replied.

"High profile didn't work, so you're tryin' low profile again?" Faith commented, her tone sarcastic.

A tight smile appeared on his face as he took a turn near the end of the road, "It worked in Sunnydale…"

"Why not here?" Faith finished, smiling as she thought back to a certain yellow house.

"Exactly," Giles finished.

Coming to the end of the road, Faith's eyed widened in surprise at the large house – no make that mansion – which Giles was turning the car towards. The mansion hid behind tasteful iron gates, which preceded the long lawn that was beautifully peppered with various trees and gardens. The landscaping was something that only…

"Andrew design this place?" Faith asked, her tone sarcastic.

"How did you guess?" Giles replied, his tone equally sarcastic. Off of her look, "We needed to blend in with the rest of the street, and he was the only one to take a real interest."

"What a surprise," Faith remarked, unbuckling her belt when Giles shut the car off after wheeling around the circular drive in front of the main entrance, "This place is huge, G."

"We needed large accommodations, considering the size of the entire operation we're running," Giles explained as they got out of the car and began walking towards the door.

"Operation?" Faith asked, turning to look at Giles, only to turn back to the front door when she heard it open.

A familiar face with a large, genuinely happy smile stretching the width of it met Faith. He was more built than she remembered, his black hair cropped close to his head. The black uniform Faith had last seen him in was gone, replaced by black slacks and a dark grey sweater over a white shirt.

"Welcome back, Faith," Xander greeted her, pulling her in for a hug, "We missed you."