EVERY SAINT LOVES A SINNER
Author's Note- Ok where my Faith Lehane fans at?! This is her story, only told a little differently.
Enjoy!
As always I own nothing, all rights go to their respective owners.
Chapter One: A Second Slayer
The bus was packed when Faith climbed aboard. She rolled her eyes at the destination she was headed for; Sunnydale. Even the name was just asking for trouble. She imagined that it was some cute little surburban complex with small shops and a bright, wholesome looking school when really the town held the whole of hell beneath it, well, so she'd been told.
Anyway, it didn't matter. She'd heard that there was another slayer in town and what kind of person would she be if she didn't help out her sister slayer?
It was a long ride and to be honest, she slept through most of it.
Only when the bus stopped and it jerked, did she wake up.
Everyone else walked past her as she grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder, heading out into the dark.
Faith looked around at Sunnydale, or what she could see of it and nodded.
It could be a nice place to settle but really, she was more interested in the slayer.
She wondered if they were the same. There had never been two active at once before so this would be new.
She smiled as she headed for the nearest motel.
She wanted to get some rest first and then tomorrow night she would see what this slayer was all about.
The motel was small and shabby. The guy running the place looked like he hadn't showered in about six months and Faith tried her best not to turn her nose up in disgust as she didn't have much choice in the way of places to stay.
So she plastered a tight smile on her face and went inside.
"Hey, so look I need a room."
He didn't even look up at her.
"Yep, that's what I'm here for." He muttered as he ticked off a box on his paper.
"Look dude, I'm tired and I just want a room." She said, giving up the pleasant act.
He looked up at her and then back down at his paper.
"It's fifty a night."
"Fifty?!" She exclaimed as she looked at the motel and it's sticky floor.
"For this shit hole?"
He looked up at her again and raised an eyebrow.
"You got anywhere else to stay?"
She clenched her teeth behind her lips and gave him a death glare as she slapped a few notes on the desk.
He then reached back and tossed a key to her.
She snatched it out of the air and turned around, heading back out of the motel lobby and following the numbers on the doors until one matched with key he had given her.
She put the key in the lock, even that was stuck, and turned it, finding that she had to knee the door just to get it open.
Fifity bucks for this hell hole, she thought as she looked at the dark room before flicking on the light. A sickly, yellow glow showed that the room hadn't been dusted in ages. The bed wasn't even made and it looked like someone had been doing a little more than just sleeping in here.
Faith raked her hair back and stripped the bed. There was no way in hell that she would sleeping on those sheets tonight and she would be having a word with the manager in the morning.
There was a small TV on a table and a picture of Sunnydale from a hill top view but even that was covered in a thin layer of dust and grime.
Shrugging out of her jacket, she put it on the back of the arm chair and decided that she could sleep in that, at least for tonight anyway. It looked comfortable enough.
It would have to do, she decided as she flicked the TV on and found that it only played in black and white.
She sighed and turned it off again, taking another look around the room.
They really needed to talk prices in the morning, there was no way she was paying what he was asking for to stay in here, not unless he got some decorators in anyway.
Finally, she decided to settle down and get some rest before heading out tomorrow to take a look at the town.
It was as Faith expected, a bright, happy little town...on the surface anyway.
She walked around the small shops and looked in at the cafes' but she felt really out of place. Her edgy rock look with the black leather pants, white tank top, black leather jacket and black combat boots made people look at her with strange expressions on their faces. Not that this bothered Faith, she couldn't care less what people thought of her. She imagined that this other Slayer, Buffy (God, what a name) must be all prim and propper too. How else would she be able to move around unnoticed or if not unnoticed, at least she must be discreet.
Sunnydale High loomed in front of her and Faith put her hands in the pockets of her leather pants as she watched students having lunch on the fresh green grass or the jocks play catch or pick on some nerdy kid with glasses.
She smirked. School, who needed it? She certainly hadn't. She'd dropped out before she'd even had her foot in the door. The counselors often spoke to her about career prospects and jobs she would be well suited to. Kicking ass wasn't something they seemed particulary interested in whenever she mentioned it. Only the ones who were trying to prove themselves in their job, suggested security courses or anger management programs where she could channel her anger into something a little more productive.
All the talks and sessions in the world hadn't helped and she'd still dropped out.
Did she care? Nah, she had too many other things to contend with than the normal, everyday working life.
Faith moved on from the school and eventually came to a club called the Bronze.
She raised her eyebrows. Now this was something she might be interested in.
She pushed on the door and found that it opened. Smiling to herself, she stepped inside and found herself in a very dimly lit club with subtle music playing in the background.
"We're closed." A voice came from the stage.
Faith turned around and saw a man fixing a mic to it's stand.
"Oh hey, no problem. I'm new here. I was just checking out the scenery." She said with a small smile. She didn't really smile much, she just did it to become more approachable.
"We open at six. You should come back then. We have a band playing and it's two for one on drinks tonight if you wanna bring a friend."
I don't have any friends. Faith wanted to say but she only nodded and backed out of the club.
"Cool. thanks. See you later."
The sun was almost too bright as she stepped out of the club.
Faith nodded to herself. The Bronze. Sounded like a cool place but she'd find that out later tonight.
...
The club was heaving but damn it was the place to be in Sunnydale!
People danced as though they hadn't a care in the world and they laughed and drank just as though there wasn't a Hellmouth sitting right beneath them.
Maybe this is how they dealt with all their problems. They were living in a constant state of denial.
Faith shrugged. She could deal with that. After all, once she teamed up with the resident slayer, no one would ever have to worry again.
Speaking of which, where was she?
Faith looked around the club. There was a goth girl and guy standing near the pool table, a group of clicky girls taking pouty photos of each other and then there was just three people sitting by themselves having a nice little chat. There was a red head, a dark haired guy and-that's her. Faith's brain signalled.
Faith did a double take. That couldn't be her! The pretty little blonde thing? Really? Faith knew she would look all proper to blend in with the town but the sorority girl look? She studied her a little more closely and saw that she was indeed chatting with her friends but her eyes were everywhere. She knew her surroundings and she was on edge. As every good slayer should be when out and about after sun down.
Faith circled the table without getting too close. She didn't want to meet the slayer yet. Sorry, the other slayer. She wasn't the only one anymore. Ok, so she'd heard about Kendra but that was short lived and now there was this one; the blonde peppy cheerleader.
Faith was willing to bet everything she had (which wasn't much) that this girl used to be a cheerleader or still was one.
The brunette frowned as she went through the little bit of information on Buffy that her watcher had given her before...well, just before Faith's life went to shit basically.
Buffy transferred from LA after being expelled for burning her school down so at least she seemed cool in that aspect. There might be something Faith could relate to underneath all that good girl image.
She made her way to the bar and ordered a beer while watching Buffy with her friends. Didn't she ever go on patrol? Faith wanted to see this girl in action already!
It took another hour or so but eventually, Buffy got up and left her friends.
Faith grinned. Finally.
She followed Buffy to Sunnydale's local cemetery and kept her distance as the blonde sat on a bench and waited for the vamps to show.
It didn't take long before one of them emerged, all sharp fangs and shit.
It ran at her and Faith watched as Buffy ducked one of it's punches, jabbing him with the heel of her boot during a roundhouse kick.
Faith smiled appreciatively. Nicely done.
He then ran at Buffy again and kicked her legs out from underneath her. She went down and Faith winced, hoping she wouldn't have to intervene but she needn't have worried, Buffy got back up and staked the sucker as he took his third and final run at her.
The blonde allowed herself a small smile as Faith made her appearence known by stepping out of the shadows and clapping slowly.
Buffy frowned in her direction and quickly put her stake away.
"Very good, B."
"Do I know you?"
"Name's Faith. I'm the other slayer."
Buffy stared at her for a while as if trying to get her head around what Faith had just said.
Then another vampire decided to show and Faith grinned.
"Allow me to prove it to you."
Buffy watched as Faith fought the vampire- a little more aggressively than her- she pumpled him a few times- and made sure that he wasn't getting back up before finally staking him.
Buffy stared at her as Faith brushed the dust off herself.
"So I take it you were called after Kendra died." Buffy said.
Faith nodded.
"That's the way it works, so yeah."
Buffy gave Faith the once over. She was nothing like Kendra but she wasn't like herself either.
Buffy knew she shouldn't make judgements based on looks but this girl looked hard.
She tried to think of something to say to the other slayer.
"Is your watcher with you?"
Something in Faith's eyes revealed a deep seated fear and then they hardened again.
"She's dead."
Buffy winced inwardly.
"I'm sorry..."
"It's cool. You didn't know." Faith said with a shrug, masking how she really felt.
Buffy licked her lips, wondering how far she could go with this girl.
"How did she die?"
Faith raked her dark hair back and frowned as her gaze went to the ground, almost as if she was reliving it all over again.
"There was this vampire. An old one. I couldn't get to her in time... He killed her right in front of me."
Buffy reached out to put a comforting hand on her shoulder and Faith moved back slightly, plastering a grin onto her dark red lips.
"Hey, it's fine. I'm good."
But Buffy didn't believe her for a second.
Faith looked around at the cemetery.
"So, Sunnydale. I heard this place has a Hellmouth underneath it. That true?"
Buffy nodded, relieved that she had changed the subject.
"Unfortunately, yes. Giles-my watcher- is looking into it."
Faith nodded.
"Good to know."
Buffy smiled slightly.
"So I should probably take you to meet him."
"Oh, no it's fine. It's late and I don't wanna disturb him while he's getting some rest."
Buffy chuckled a little.
"If he does sleep, I've never seen it. He'll be at the library. Come on, he'd want to meet you."
Faith put her hands in the pockets of her leather pants and shrugged again.
"Ok, lead the way."
Author's Note- Hope you guys liked the first chapter.
Let me know what you guys think so far. X