Title: Further Along the Rocky Path
Rating: PG
Pairing: Faith/Robin
Spoilers: Pretty much everything
Word Count: 788
Feedback: Makes my day
Disclaimer: If it was in the show, it's not mine.
Archive: At my site Checkmate () , Fanfiction.net; anywhere else, please ask.
Summary: The road to redemption's a rocky path
Notes: For the LiveJournal Writer's Choice "Redemption" challenge
***
The road to redemption's a rocky path.
Angel said that to her once, and Faith believes him, because after all, Angel knows all there is to know about redemption, having had two hundred odd years to find out.
However, Faith also knows that even with two hundred years to find redemption, Angel still doesn't feel like he's anywhere near to being absolved for his previous sins. That's always caused her more than a little concern, because after all, she's mortal and she doesn't have that kind of time.
Not that she lets that stop her, because giving up is not in her nature. Instead, she turns herself in, goes meekly to jail, tries to atone for what she's done that way, even though she knows she could break out without breaking a nail.
Then, when she hears that Angelus is back, she breaks out. She has to, because he saved her life; it's only fair that she saves him back. Save him she does, takes a walk through his brain to boot, and she feels like that should balance some sort of cosmic scale, another step along the rocky road.
That rocky road, strictly speaking, should take her straight back to jail. Instead, she finds herself retracing her steps, going back to the scene of her worst crimes, Sunnydale. There, she joins Buffy's rag-tag band of Slayerettes and Scoobies, and by the end, she's beginning to think that she's finally, finally, found a place where she can belong.
So it's kinda ironic that in trying to save the world, she ends up being part of its destruction. Sunnydale falls into a crater, sign and all, but the world is safe and she is alive, and for once, she's not alone. Not only has she made her peace with Buffy, but they're no longer the Chosen Two, and there is a man in her life, a man who surprises her by wanting to stick around, a man she surprises herself by wanting him to stick around.
But she knows that she's not done yet, that there is more for her to do.
She could go back to LA, though that's gonna be dangerous, what with the arrest warrants and all, and even though Angel could probably help her out, he's in with Wolfram and Hart now, and having already been in thrall to that place once before, it's not a place she's willing to go back to.
Instead, she keeps on moving, travelling around the country with Robin by her side, seeking out activated Potentials, telling them who and what they are, inviting them to train with them, occasionally sending them to Giles and his newly formed Watcher's Council in England.
Not all they do is work though; they find time to kick back too. And it's on one such occasion that she finds herself dancing in the middle of a crowded room, lost in the music, and suddenly, she knows she's being watched. The hairs on the back of her neck stand up, usually a sure sign of danger, and she turns as unobtrusively as possible, because there's no sense in tipping anyone off if they are looking for her.
What she sees instead makes her stop in the middle of the floor.
Robin is leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, a slow smile spreading across his face when he sees her looking at him. That's not what makes her stop though; that's to do with the look in his eyes, the same look she's seen in his eyes a hundred times, a look that she's beginning to get very used to. It's a look that draws her over to him, makes her rest her hands on his chest, all without ever breaking eye contact. His hands go to her hips, fingers finding their way underneath her top, and even though she's warm, even though his hands are warm, a shiver goes up her spine.
He lowers his head, brings his lips to hers, and Faith responds, pressing herself against him in a kiss that literally makes her knees weak, makes her heart hammer against her chest.
They've kissed a thousand times, and it's always been like this, but this time, she realises something.
That she's happy.
It sounds like such a simple thing, but she can't remember the last time that she was able to say that; doesn't think that she's ever been able to say that. But there it is – she's roaming around the country, trying to keep one step ahead of the law, training Slayers with her boyfriend, and she's happy.
The road to redemption may be a rocky path, but here like this, she swears it's just got a lot smoother.