'Uptown Girls'
Chapter 1: Touching space
She chewed silently on her bottom lip. From her vantage point of the highest branch of the tallest tree in the garden, Faith was queen of all she surveyed. Stretching her small arms out, her legs firmly wrapped around the branch, she grasped for the acorn currently just out of her reach. She lurched forward suddenly. Then, with the acorn clasped in her hand, she turned swiftly, prepared, at last, to face her sworn enemy.
'So, squirrel-brain, we meet again.' The squirrel blinked disdainfully. Faith snorted,
'Think you're so damn smart, dontcha? Well let me ask you something. Are you feelin' lucky punk?'
And with that Faith let rip an ear-piercing battle cry, and threw the acorn directly at the squirrel. It ducked.
'Get back here you dumbass squirrel! Bastard! Twat! Tosser-' Faith paused, apparently out of British swear words. She then resorted to Mr. Giles' own particular brand of cursing.
'Oh...bother! Oh my goodness! OH DEAR!!!' She settled back on her haunches, satisfied. Mr. Giles had his uses after all. Unlike some other stupid, horrible people she could think of.
'Faith Eliza Wyndham-Pryce, get down from that tree this instant!' Faith glanced down casually.
'So Wes, by instantly you mean...?' She swung her legs nonchalantly, searching the face beneath her for signs of a reaction. It remained neutral.
'Instantly,' he replied firmly. Faith shrugged. If that was what he wanted, that was what he'd get. Faith leapt from branch to branch in a display of acrobatics worthy of the Olympics, and landed in a pile at her father's feet grinning sheepishly, still a little delirious from the sensation of touching space. Wesley sighed, and lifted her gently, pushing the tangled brown locks off his daughter's face.
'Faith, I expressly asked you not to climb that tree. And especially not at that height! It's quite...' words failed him briefly, as Faith scuffed her worn boots in the grass, '...preposterous, Faith. Look at me, my girl,' he lifted her chin, 'I can't watch you all the time, you know Mr. Giles and I are trying to rebuild the museum. So until that new nanny arrives I need you to be extra good.' Faith tugged her glance away again.
'Don't want a new nanny. 'Specially not one that's been bedroom dancin' with the Whelp. Plus, don't really need one, Daddy-O, in case you hadn't noticed, been getting along fine by myself. I'm five by five, me.'
And with that she turned on her heel and ran back into the house. Wesley watched the small figure go, wondering just how long it would be before his child would open her heart again.
Chapter 1: Touching space
She chewed silently on her bottom lip. From her vantage point of the highest branch of the tallest tree in the garden, Faith was queen of all she surveyed. Stretching her small arms out, her legs firmly wrapped around the branch, she grasped for the acorn currently just out of her reach. She lurched forward suddenly. Then, with the acorn clasped in her hand, she turned swiftly, prepared, at last, to face her sworn enemy.
'So, squirrel-brain, we meet again.' The squirrel blinked disdainfully. Faith snorted,
'Think you're so damn smart, dontcha? Well let me ask you something. Are you feelin' lucky punk?'
And with that Faith let rip an ear-piercing battle cry, and threw the acorn directly at the squirrel. It ducked.
'Get back here you dumbass squirrel! Bastard! Twat! Tosser-' Faith paused, apparently out of British swear words. She then resorted to Mr. Giles' own particular brand of cursing.
'Oh...bother! Oh my goodness! OH DEAR!!!' She settled back on her haunches, satisfied. Mr. Giles had his uses after all. Unlike some other stupid, horrible people she could think of.
'Faith Eliza Wyndham-Pryce, get down from that tree this instant!' Faith glanced down casually.
'So Wes, by instantly you mean...?' She swung her legs nonchalantly, searching the face beneath her for signs of a reaction. It remained neutral.
'Instantly,' he replied firmly. Faith shrugged. If that was what he wanted, that was what he'd get. Faith leapt from branch to branch in a display of acrobatics worthy of the Olympics, and landed in a pile at her father's feet grinning sheepishly, still a little delirious from the sensation of touching space. Wesley sighed, and lifted her gently, pushing the tangled brown locks off his daughter's face.
'Faith, I expressly asked you not to climb that tree. And especially not at that height! It's quite...' words failed him briefly, as Faith scuffed her worn boots in the grass, '...preposterous, Faith. Look at me, my girl,' he lifted her chin, 'I can't watch you all the time, you know Mr. Giles and I are trying to rebuild the museum. So until that new nanny arrives I need you to be extra good.' Faith tugged her glance away again.
'Don't want a new nanny. 'Specially not one that's been bedroom dancin' with the Whelp. Plus, don't really need one, Daddy-O, in case you hadn't noticed, been getting along fine by myself. I'm five by five, me.'
And with that she turned on her heel and ran back into the house. Wesley watched the small figure go, wondering just how long it would be before his child would open her heart again.