A/N: Buffy the Vampire Slayer belongs to Joss Whedon, I do not own the series, I am a fan writing some fiction. The back story for this piece goes as follows. Many years ago, I used to roleplay as Faith Lehane and she was a great character to write for (I was all for the Faith spin off show when it was being developed) and during that time, I stumbled upon a roleplay story (even though it was brief) that has always stuck with me. It inspired me to create this piece, this story is not identical to the roleplay one but it provided me with the fuel and drive to craft this. Thank you to this person wherever you may be. I was also watching series three and came across the actor who played Deputy Mayor Allan Finch (Jack Plotnick) and it gave me the face to mould when working on the character of Bruce Greenwood for this story. As Tom Lenk played Cyrus and Andrew Wells, Jeff Kober played Zachary Kralik and Rack; I have cast Jack Plotnick (in my head) as Bruce as I wanted it to be a tribute to these actors playing multiple characters in the tv series. Right, let's get on with the show. There is a vast amount of adult themes and scenes in this story, so you have been warned about mature content. I hope you enjoy it, comment with your thoughts/feedback, constructive criticism is most welcome. Happy reading.-EA.
Fire
Acquiring her own personal space was something Faith Lehane had longed for the past couple of weeks, going on the straight and narrow road was something she'd been doing for the last year and it was knocking at her confidence. Well, the part nobody ever saw. She sat outside the Summers household in Sunnydale and listened to the chatter of the Potentials who had camped out in the front room. Faith breathed in a puff of nicotine from her cigarette and she blew the smoke out through her nose like a dragon. She glanced back at the Summers house, they were all so friendly with one another but nobody ever asked how she was in the morning, it was as if she wasn't there or she was simply not worth it to talk to. Faith wondered if she deserved it and when she thought about it, she knew she definitely did but she was righting her wrongs now; she at least deserved a pat on the shoulder for that, didn't she?
She was being treated like a criminal and an outsider. Everybody else got the special treatment, but Faith Lehane was not allowed it. She eavesdropped on the Potentials conversation and heard one of them bring up the whole Buffy and Angel thing and she rolled her eyes. They compared it to Beauty and the Beast, Count Dracula and Mina Harker, the Romeo and Juliet forbidden doomed to the very end romance. The way they talked about it was as if they'd never heard about that sort of relationship before, silly really especially with all of the gothic novels there were out there. The whole Buffy and Angel deal wasn't original really, in fact it was everywhere, hasn't everyone had a true love story?
Well, Faith Lehane had a true love; she never used to believe in it because she was born into a world, to a mother and father that never showed her that. But now she wanted to share her story but because of her past, nobody ever wanted to know.
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Rewind a couple of months
The Echo Bar was reasonable for its location, it wasn't too shabby or glitzy, the drinks and food were sufficient and the music they played was decent if you were into the grunge rock persuasion. All Faith knew was that it was better than jail having to face the Butch sisters each morning for the breakfast queue. She was turning over a new leaf, reinventing herself (well certain parts of herself) and that meant pushing her inspirations towards the benefits of the greater good. No matter how snarky Wesley had put it, she needed something to focus on and heading back to Sunnydale to help out Buffy Summers with training and hunting down the Potential Slayers and knocking The First back to where it came from sounded like a good plan for the new chapter in her life.
"Another one?" the barman asked.
"Yeah sure," Faith said and she stared out at the people on the dance floor.
A couple of years ago, that was where she would be, twisting her fingers into the loops of any guy's pants no matter if he was taken. She'd have no problem brawling with anyone who had a problem with her behaviour, once it nearly cost her everything and it resulted lying on her back sucking life through a cable. That was something Faith vowed would never happen to her again.
The barman swayed the drink over the counter towards her. "Is the first time you've been here?"
"Yep, and it'll be the last, I'm only passing through."
"How do you find it?"
"Five by five," she said, knocking back the shot in one gulp.
The barman blanched. "I'm sorry, I've only ever heard that said by one person...no it couldn't be, Faith Lehane?"
She felt her fist ball up around the glass and she got ready as she turned to him. "Yeah, that's right." She watched him cautiously. "How do you know my name?"
"It's me, Bruce, Bruce Greenwood," he said and he searched her predatory expression. "We used to go to high school together before you dropped out. I was in the same year as you, in the same Biology class...?"
Faith shrugged. "Can't recall."
"I interviewed you for my Sociology project, you were sitting on the bleachers smoking and you called me a perv because I had that big video camera with me."
She laughed. "That does sound like something I'd probably do." Faith studied the barman, he had black hair, pale skin, sharp facial features with the lower half of his face covered in a night's beard and he wore black rimmed glasses. He was well built, slim but muscular and he wore a tight blue t-shirt and black jeans. "Take your glasses off." He did so and then she saw them. "Oh yeah, Blue Eyes."
"It's Bruce."
"I know." She remembered a puny geek with a caved in chest, glasses falling down his nose and he seemed to quick step more than walk. From what she could recollect, the guy was always falling over and having his head pounded against the lockers. "You look...different."
"Thanks, you haven't changed at all...still pretty badass." Bruce stared at her hour glass figure, from her leather boots to her skin clad pants, her black gym top which highlighted her breasts and her blue jacket just emphasised them. Then he found her smoky eyes and strikingly steely smile. "Even more bad ass."
Faith smirked back.
"Want another shot?" Bruce asked.
"Is it free?"
"Of course."
Her smile grew wider. "Well fill 'em up."
Bruce announced that he was going for his break and she could tag along if she wanted a cigarette. He'd agreed to walk Faith back to her motel when she was finished, she didn't need the surveillance, she was perfectly capable to look after herself but she secretly enjoyed the invitation. By the time they got outside, the heavens had opened up and the rain hailed down. Faith stuffed her hands into her jacket pocket searching for cigarettes.
"Hey, you got a light?" Faith asked, flinching from the rain catching her bare skin.
"Yeah in my car, it's just in the parking lot," Bruce said and he pointed to the side of the building.
With that, Faith started down the little alleyway.
"It's a shame you're not staying," Bruce called. "I've enjoyed getting to know you and reminiscing...but I guess that's the way things go sometimes."
Faith laughed, it was as if they'd spent an eternity together and he was serenading her. She turned around and he stood still, his fists clenched into hammers and his face had morphed into the bumps that she saw only too much in her lifetime.
"It's a shame we can't do this again," he added and he walked towards her.
Faith nodded. "Me too."
"Try not to scream, it won't hurt...well, no I'm lying there. It's going to hurt alot."
He vanished before Faith could ready herself and then she saw a shadow swoop across her gaze and ice cold knuckles smashed into her jaw. Faith felt her body careen into the opposing wall and she pushed her hands out to stop herself. Bruce wrapped an arm around her shoulders and yanked her hair to side and she felt the wind stroke against her bare neck. She could feel the adrenaline running under her skin; she kicked him in the legs and punched out as she span to face him. The blows knocked Bruce clean from her and he uncoiled his arms from her shoulders.
She smirked and held up her fists, guarding her neck. "I don't think so, Blue Eyes."
"Shit you're tough for a chick," Bruce spat and he pushed himself back up. "We all thought it was an act."
"This isn't," Faith hissed and she punched him again.
Bruce took it and when her knee came for another traumatic hit, he grabbed her leg and pushed her up against the club wall. He pressed his body against hers to keep her pinned and he slammed her arm against the alley wall. "A Slayer, you're a God damn Slayer, should've known that before I guess." Faith pushed against his stone strong presence and she growled, baring her teeth like a sabre tooth tiger. It was like a chain reaction when she was in fight and flight mode. "What about that time when you kissed me, Faith?" he asked as she fidgeted and wiggled. "Was that an act?"
"This might jog your memory." Faith locked her neck and smashed her forehead into his face and he broke away from her. She slammed her foot into his abdomen and threw him into the pile of rubbish bags. She scanned the alleyway; there was nothing wooden that was breakable. "Damn it." She held up her fists, she'd have to improvise on the staking. She couldn't help smirking as Bruce got back to his feet; she felt the pound of the music from the club and the pulse of electricity zip through her. She'd missed the violence, she'd been in apart from it for a while now and it felt great to be welcomed back. Her smile grew as she saw the anger flash in Bruce's eyes, she loved touching their nerves. "Even as a vamp, you're still getting beat down. Right Brucey?" She stared at him as she held his black rimmed glasses in her grasp and then she crushed them like powder. Faith felt the glass slip into her flesh but it didn't bother her. Pain was nothing to her anymore.
Bruce snarled, his pointed teeth slithered over his lips and then he raced towards her. Faith dodged his advances and danced around him, cackling and then she kicked him in the back. She flung her jacket to the sodden ground and she grabbed Bruce. "I've been aching for a fight like this." She smeared her blood dripping hand across his face and she smashed his head against the wall.
Faith laughed like a hyena and she edged further into the alleyway. Then she felt the pulse, the hold was there. She felt the warm sensation bloom between her legs and she arched her back, rolling out a sigh. Faith whipped her hair back and wiped the rain from her vision and then she felt Bruce's presence behind her. She turned to face him and Bruce had morphed back into his human self. His vibrant blue eyes darkened and he wiped the blood away and sipped at her blood dabbed on his fingertips. She watched him as the taste took hold of him and the whole of his body tightened and shuddered in unison.
"Wow the stories were true," Bruce replied softly, sucking at one of his fingers. "Slayer's blood truly is an aphrodisiac...like liquid Hell fire."
"Come and get some more if you want it, Blue Eyes." She basked in the smile on his face and then she took off down the alleyway as she felt his pace on her. Faith turned into twists and turns and then the alleyway began to feel more like a labyrinth.
Cold fingers lurched around her arm and her body was propelled against the wall and the pain in her back screamed. Bruce's rugged face leered down at her and she felt the air change between them. Bruce grabbed the back of her neck and he stared into her eyes. As Faith moved to breathe, he covered her mouth with his and she pushed against his chest, returning the kiss. She panted against his cold working lips and her fingers worked on his belt and she unzipped his pants. Bruce froze, prying his hungry mouth from hers and he watched her. Faith's stare was unmoving as she slipped her hands into his pants and squeezed hard.
Bruce spread her up the wall and pulled her pants down and Faith gasped as she felt him enter her. She curved her neck and back and rotated her pelvis against his urgent thrusts and she held onto him for dear life as the new found pleasure grew and grew, hooking onto her sanity. So much for turning over a new leaf, well she'd never had sex with a vampire before and that was something she could cross off her bucket list if she ever intended to keep one. But at that moment she understood why blondey Buffy Summers had been so attached to Angel. Also Faith had never had sex with a geek either, Xander Harris could've been classified as one and Bruce right at the moment did not represent the word "geek." But back in the day, before her Slayer days he definitely did. Except Bruce Greenwood was taller, broader, worldly, he possessed a sharp tongue and he'd obtained the powers that came being the living dead. He knew how to fight and it was a shame that the bullies that had tormented him couldn't see him nailing her. Faith heard the sounds rolling from her throat, the pleasure creaked up and she felt her and Bruce climax.
The pair collapsed against the wall, Faith panting for breath and in a dizzy blissful blur. Bruce broke from her and he wobbled to his feet, clasping his pants back up and then he started down the opposing way, heading back to the Echo Bar.
"So long!" she sang, laughing like a drunk and pushed herself back up the wall, using her arms as leverage to get her balance back. She pulled her pants over her shapely hips and she searched for an exit and then it hit her. "Damn, I lost my ride...and I could murder some barbecue ribs right about now."
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At Highschool in 1998, somewhere in Boston
The grunge rock blasted though his earphones as he slinked through the school corridors unnoticed, it was lunch time and he had nobody to sit with. Ah well, he pushed the idea of feeling sorry for himself and moping over his food and decided to push all of it into his video production project.
Little Bruce Greenwood sat on the grass outside of the football field and tried to get the bearings of the video camera the school had let him borrow. The screen would go blurry as he zoomed in and out and sometimes the camera lense would lock him out and shut down on him. When he'd come to terms with handling the camera, he practiced some panning and zooming shots on the football field. He got called a 'fag' and 'creep' a few times when the jocks caught him filming and he moved to the bleachers and practiced the same there.
The bleachers wasn't property for one certain social group in the school. The bimbos in bubblegum pink with their makeup and mirrors had lunch there, so did the geeks, sometimes the jocks would aim the football at their heads and the majority of the time, they'd always hit their target. But there were the art students, the Goths, the alternatives, the druggies, the basket cases, everyone - but Bruce didn't feel he slipped into any of those categories. Even if he was a geek, it would've been nice to have someone to talk to at lunch and break times. The geeks may have looked nerdy or weird to some people, but at least they had friends.
He panned the camera along the railings watching people and then he stopped on one particular person. They were in the same Biology class, she was by herself, sometimes Bruce would see her with a couple of the druggies and she always caught his eye.
Faith Lehane, was her name.
He stared at her through the camera as she smoked her cigarette. She looked amazing. Her dark hair were in curls down her back, her eyes were painted black, her lips streaked dark red, her wrists covered in bangles and her nails were painted as black as her eyes. Faith brought the cigarette to her lips and pushed out a perfect smoke ring. She looked like one of those rock chicks, except she looked better, her pants fitted her perfectly and the Doc Martin boots she wore just looked so right. He tried not to take in how her clothes hugged her body...
Shit she's looking over here, Bruce thought and she was.
Faith was staring straight at him.
"What the hell...?" he saw her mouth, thank God for cameras that could zoom and yet Bruce kept watching her. "PERV!" She marched down the steps and strode straight across the football field, towards him. Even her walk had attitude. "Hey, why are you filming me?"
"I'm not," Bruce said and he pulled the camera away from his face. "I'm not recording you honestly, look it's got no tape in it, I'm just playing around with it as I've gotta film something for my Sociology project."
Faith took it from him and examined it. "What is it about?"
"What is what about?"
Faith tossed the camera into his lap. "Your project."
"Oh...social divides in school." This was a long shot but he went for it. "Do you want to be in it?"
She frowned, staring down at him and all Bruce wanted was the ground to swallow him up whole. "Not really..."
"I thought not, just thought I'd check anyway." A football slammed right into face and it hurt. He pushed the ball out of his lap and glared towards one of the jocks who jeered at him from the field. Faith looked cool, there wasn't a flicker of shock or concern on her face when Bruce stared up at her.
"Hey Faith, why don't you talk to a real man instead of that faggot?" the jock taunted.
She watched Bruce calculatingly and noticed his earphones lying next to him. "What are you listening to?"
"Nirvana," Bruce replied.
"Got a favourite track?"
"Come As You Are."
She smirked and picked up the football. "That's my favourite too." Her voice was in a whisper and Bruce was incredibly confused. "I'll be in your project, Blue Eyes." She winked at him, turned on her heel and hurled the football back at the jock. It smacked him hard in the face, knocked his head back and then he fell over his feet and landed heavily on his back.
Faith turned back to Bruce and she laughed at his astounded reaction. "So when shall we do this thing?"
Say something. "Erm...uh...how about tomorrow? After school?"
"Sure, see you then." She twirled around and walked over the hill. Bruce watched her disappear and he didn't know how long he'd been sitting there. But all he could think of at that point was:
Oh my God.
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Trying to act human wasn't as hard as he thought it was going to be. When Bruce first realised he was dead, he had to come to terms with all of the 'new' applications that came with his new existence. The first thing that was a bitch to being a vampire was his hearing, it was more enhanced, clearer and Bruce could hear a pin drop from a mile away and at first it drove the guy crazy. His sight had improved and he didn't need his glasses really anymore, but he used them as a prop to sink in with the mortal race. Of course, there was the stronger use of scent and it made it easier when he was picking out his choice of meal.
Vampires didn't react like humans did, for example, Bruce never felt anxious or scared or threatened or worried. When he'd been human he found job interviews incredibly stressful yet for the job at The Echo Bar, Bruce strolled through and they hired him right then and there. Not knowing that he was dead, the living dead, whatever you wanted to call it. You know, how you've seen a movie advertised on the television and you can't wait to see it in the cinema? Bruce didn't have that reaction and it was something he missed, he used to love going to the movie theatre and getting caught up with the characters on screen.
Bruce would never fall ill; he wouldn't get giddy, be sick, have a temperature, or have to go to the Emergency Room. He used to suffer from terrible labyrinthitis when he was a kid, he'd get up and the room would be spinning like a carousel. Now, that was all gone.
All of this changed when he bumped into Faith Lehane the night before, and he wasn't expecting things to go down the way they did. Or maybe, that wasn't exactly true; he just didn't expect her to react the way she did. He'd expected them to fight, maybe he'd get a nibble of her neck, she'd die or he'd be staked through the heart. Maybe it was what had happened between them back in high school. He didn't expect Faith to respond to it and what happened after... took him completely by surprise. It was meant to be punch, bite, kiss, die.
Not...not that...or maybe that was entirely true...
It was running through his mind when he was spying on her, using his vamp abilities to track her. Slayers didn't know that they could be traced, vamps could hear a heartbeat, smell the aroma of blood, feel a pulse race. Bruce had tasted Faith, literally in every way, and he knew he wanted more.
He watched how she plunged the stake right into the vamp's chest and she smiled as it broke and fell into dust at her feet. Whenever his end would come, he was glad he wouldn't witness it.
Bruce kept a steady distance as he followed her back to the motel, she got a take out on the way, from the smell it was barbecue ribs. For the next hour or so, she flicked from channel to channel. Where were her friends? Her family? She came into the Echo Bar by herself and back at highschool she was on her own. But Bruce didn't get it, he'd always liked Faith, she was funny, always had a sharp tongue, plus she was gorgeous to boot.
Bruce heard the click of the television and the light switch. He felt Faith move through the room, whipping off her shirt. He felt his erection press against his zipper and he had the urgency to rub his hand over his crotch as his blood lust was rising. Faith stared through the curtain straight at him. Bruce held her gaze and she wafted over to the front door. She stood in the doorway, keeping her eyes fixed on him. She didn't appear to be shocked that he was there, instead she was calm, maybe she'd been waiting for him all along...
Faith unclipped her bra and shimmied out of the rest of her clothes. What was she doing? It was like a gift was being unwrapped for him. There was a beat of silence and she stepped back into the darkness. What was she up to? Her heartbeat hadn't changed at all, it was steady and confident.
Bruce paced over to the door and he hovered over the threshold. The room was so quiet, he couldn't see her, but he could smell her and he could feel her. Bruce closed the door behind him and he surveyed the area, breathing in her scent and he picked up her clothes and bunched them to his nose. He felt his erection swell as he could taste the salt from her skin. His immortal barrier was failing him like a ravenous mortal man.
"Where are you?" he whispered.
He heard the buzz of her deep laugh. "Try and find me, cowboy."
Bruce picked closed his eyes and used his senses. He felt the pound of the occupants from the next room, the murr of the light in the bathroom and her heartbeat. Strong and rapid...a wind brushed against his shoulder, he dropped the clothes and stepped into that direction. He traced the trail of her heartbeat and he saw the shadow of her shoulder. He followed and then he heard her laugh, he turned and he was kicked and he crashed onto the bed. Faith pinned him down and pressed her warm naked body against his. Bruce felt her warm tongue slide into his mouth and that was the moment when he felt his dark heart ignite. He didn't know what to say and he had no words as she pried her hungry lips from his. Faith pulled a wicked smile and she yanked the back of his neck up to her jaw line and bit into him – just like a predator. It hurt, vampires could still feel pain. Of course, he knew why he had really come to her room that night...
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At Highschool in 1998, somewhere in Boston
He couldn't stop the camera from shaking as he interviewed her and the coy look Faith Lehane gave him, she must've known how nervous he was. They'd met after school when the sky had darkened and the cold was in the air. Faith was cool throughout the entire interview and Bruce loved her answers, she hated cliques just like he did and Faith never "tagged" herself as a goth, rock chick, biker etc. She looked like that sometimes but it didn't define her personality. "Why put yourself in a box?" Faith had asked between her answer and then Bruce brought up the topic of bullying linked to social groups. She studied him for a while and then she said that everyone in some way had been bullied in their life.
"What time do you have to get back?" Bruce asked her afterwards.
"Doesn't matter, my parents don't care."
His would and he would have to get home before dinner was served.
"I'll get you home, Blue Eyes," Faith cut in and that had made him feel low. Not macho at all. What guys are escorted home by girls? It was meant to be the other way round. "Do you need any more footage?"
"No I've got enough - thanks for doing this," Bruce said. He turned his back and packed his equipment away and then he felt a presence, too close for comfort. A shiver spilled up his back then he was welcomed by the gaze of Faith's warm brown eyes. "Is there something wrong?"
She laughed scornfully. "Why does there have to be something wrong, Blue Eyes?"
He swallowed down hard. "Well...because...girls, don't look at me like you are...right now."
"I think you're pretty cute, Bruce."
She's mocking me...I don't believe her. Before he could retaliate, Faith pulled him into a hot and heavy kiss and all logic flew out of the window. He surrendered himself to her power. His fingers gripped at her full body as she threw him to the ground. He watched shakily as she undressed in front of him, a part of him wanted to weep with joy, while the other wanted to push her away. What was her deal? What was she doing? She could have anyone she wanted, any of the jocks would be on their knees at her command and she was choosing him!
The last remnants of Faith's clothing fell to the grass as her fingers danced to his shirt and she unbuttoned it very slowly – keeping her gaze fixed on him at all times. She leaned over him, kissing him so much when he was breathing in her scent and skin. Her fingers slid down to his pants and they were off along with her clothes. The cold wind whistled around them both as they spooned.
This is happening, this is really happening...
He kissed Faith, running his fingers along her subtle skin. He cradled her face, loving her and he took the time to drink her in, remembering the moment. Then he stared down at her, but her gaze had changed, instead of intimacy, it had turned to discomfort.
"What?" he asked, his voice in a whisper.
Bruce turned his head; he knew he should have flown with his instincts. A line of jocks gagged at the sight of them whilst the leader stepped out. From behind his back, he brought out a rock and he toyed with it. It was the one who had called Bruce a fag and Faith had hit him with the football. Revenge was written all over his face.
"Run, little rabbit," he said to Bruce.
The teenager leapt off Faith shaking to his core as he gathered his clothes and his camera. Faith turned to the line of them, naked, free and without care to their thoughts. "What the hell is your problem?"
"He is," the jock pressed.
Before he could do anything, tears spilled from Bruce's eyes and he ran from them.
"Wait, where are you going Bruce?" Faith called. "Don't be afraid."
Fear riddled every spectre of his being as he fled from them. His bare feet were cut with branches and stones and he could hear all of their cat calls. Then he heard her scream...
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Faith wasn't expecting it to be quite like that, she simply wasn't used to it. She'd only experienced it once before and she'd been wearing somebody else's skin. And the body had belonged to someone she'd despised for a very long time. But she wasn't wearing any skin; she didn't have her shields up, not this time...
Bruce traced his icy fingers across her belly and she secretly relished the intimacy.
"Why are you so quiet?" he asked, propping himself up on his elbow.
Faith looked at the naked vampire lying on her bed. "What is this?"
He laughed. "What is what?"
"This," she replied softly.
Bruce turned his head pensively. "What do you think it is?"
"I don't know, that's why I'm asking you."
"You've never made love to anyone, have you?" Bruce asked.
Make love? Ugh. The idea made her sick, sex was sex. Maybe, only once – but it wasn't about me. Faith remembered Riley's eyes burning down into her when she'd transformed into Buffy's body, they were burning with love. It was never about me, it was always about her. She already had a forbidden love in the shape of Angel under her belt, she didn't deserve to have another – that wasn't fair. Throughout Faith and Bruce's bed fun, her animalistic moves she was used to dancing to melted and then Bruce turned the tide and eventually she lost the track of time and got lost it in all. She never did that...
"Faith," Bruce whispered, watching her. "Have you ever been in love?"
That word made her feel sick and the concept of 'romance' didn't exist in her at all. But maybe, if someone had shown her that world, things could've been different. "No..."
"Not even once?"
She glared at him. "Is that a problem?"
"Not at all, I just think it's a shame..."
Faith scooted away and peeked at his pant pocket, it was small and compact and Faith being the curious creature she was, she had to look. "What's this?"
Bruce stretched out on the bed. "That's my son."
"You've got a kid?"
"Yeah, is it so surprising?"
"No, I guess not." Faith put the picture back. "What's his name?"
"Matthew."
"Where is he?"
"In New York with his mother," he replied.
That was hours and hours from where they were. "What happened to you?"
"To me?" Bruce resumed stroking his fingers along her skin. "I'd got my doctorate, I was Doctor Greenwood ready to start my career, Matthew was young, only a baby and things between me and his mother weren't going very well so we took some time off. I'd finished a shift at the hospital and I was out with colleagues enjoying the evening, I hooked up with this woman...except, she wasn't a woman."
"So you just broke away?" Faith asked.
Bruce shrugged. "I had to, I couldn't have my son being brought up in this world. What was I going to do? See him at night times? Take him on walks when there were creatures out there just like me? They'd devour him in seconds. I did what I had to do."
"And that would be what?" Faith asked, letting the question float.
"To be dead to him..."
Poor kid, Faith thought. "What about the she-vamp?"
Bruce leaned over her. "I killed her."
Faith grinned. "I bet it felt good."
"Not as good as this," he whispered and trailed a set of kisses down her belly and his face morphed. She saw the fangs, white and sharp, just like a wolf. She felt his kiss and she loved the pain. Faith pressed her fingers to his bumpy face and traced them down his chest. "Why did you leave Boston?"
That caught her off guard. "I had to, something came up."
"Was it because of me?"
"No."
"Do you hate me?"
"Why do you ask so many questions?"
Bruce snarled and she stared up at him, she'd only been bitten once in her lifetime and that was when Angelus had arisen again and he nearly ripped her throat out. There wasn't hint of humanity in his eyes when he did it, and she understood when he sunk her fangs into her skin why Blondey had to kick his ass back to Hell. Except, humanity filled Bruce's gaze and she found it bizarre.
"Don't be afraid," Bruce whispered. Faith stared at him as he stroked the back of his knuckles against his cheek. "You told me that once and I didn't listen..."
Faith did and she remembered what entailed after he fled. It could have swung another way because that was the day that was the moment that changed her life, when she found her calling. That was when her Slayer journey had begun. She gave a simple nod and Bruce traced more kisses up and along her body, running his cold tongue along her belly. The pain felt like fire when he plunged his teeth into her skin and Faith gasped. The pleasure crawled across her body and she held onto Bruce as the room began to spin and dance as he drank from her.
"Don't stop," she heard herself cry out. "Never stop."
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At Highschool in 1998, somewhere in Boston
Bruce kept his gaze low as he felt their eyes and words burning into him. The whole school had heard how he had Faith there unpackaged like a present and how he got cold feet and scarpered like a frightened thing. That wasn't true, it was far from the truth, but he had been scared but it wasn't because Faith was there. He remembered their threatening eyes and the pain of the rock hitting him. He remembered her shouting after him as he ran away, falling over his feet, covering his naked body.
He shoved himself into his seat when Biology class started and for the whole session, Faith Lehane had not made an appearance. Where was she? He heard her name mentioned at the back of the class and he faced their accusing eyes.
"Where's Faith?" Bruce asked.
"We'd thought you'd know prude," they mocked.
"Cut the shit! Where is she?"
They laughed in shock and amazement. "Alright, calm your horses. She's gone, okay."
"Gone?"
"Yeah, she left Boston last night, after you left she beat up Jerry and his buds and took off."
When he heard her scream, he thought she was in danger. Bruce wanted to cry at that point, he wondered if she felt angry with him. Why did she leave? Why take off like that? I'm so sorry Faith, he said inside. Please don't hate me.
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What am I doing? Faith thought. I should be in Sunnydale right now acting like a God damn square looking for those hunted girls. She still hadn't left the motel and she stared at her stomach, running her fingertips over the bite marks. It felt wonderful being fed from, especially Bruce doing it. With those thoughts and feelings, Faith grew felt anxious about Bruce, letting him into her bed, letting him bite her, letting him talk...
The old Faith wouldn't have allowed it, she would've booted him to the curb when the fun had finished. But she wasn't her, not anymore, the old Faith was dead. She didn't like it when he brought up the concept of love. She'd never understood it and she used to turn her head when Buffy and Angel were together. But, a part of her liked being with Bruce, that was why all of those years ago she made the move on him, wasn't it?
Faith started to laugh, shaking her head. No, no, no, no. Nu-uh, not true. I'm not. The idea of being in love with Bruce Greenwood was beginning to scare her. I don't have a single romantic bone in my body.
Her trail of thought was broken when she heard a whistle from the parking lot outside her room. She moved to look and she laughed at the sight of leather clad vamps congregated outside. There must have been at least of them out there.
"Hey, are you Faith?" one of them asked.
She crossed her arms over her chest. "Who's asking?"
"We heard there was a Slayer in town...who likes to screw vampires."
Only one, she thought but she shrugged her shoulders. "Got the wrong room pal, maybe you mean Buffy Summers, blonde blue eyed cheerleader type."
They laughed in unison. "Not that type of screwing, sweetheart."
"Don't sweet talk me."
The leader walked forward, he was huge, she had to look up at him as he edged towards her. "You killed a whole load of my boys back in L.A, remember?"
"Not really, I've done jail time since I've done a ton of vamps who looked like a cheap version of the Terminator." Her heart bloomed and she smiled as she mimed gutting something. "I've killed alot of vampires." Her fingers were so tight on the door, the wood cut into the flesh. She stared into the leader's face, holding her smile. His lips twitched with irritation and then she felt welcomed the chaos.
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Bruce could sense from a mile away that something wasn't right when it came to Faith Lehane. His abilities were flushed with the smell of dead blood and salty tears. He could hear her crying and he raced to the motel. Faith's room was open and he found her weeping, her face and hands were bloody and dust covered her messy bed. He'd smelt vampire blood before and he'd seen vampire dust before...and Faith was covered in it.
He knelt down before her, stroking her hair out of her face. "Faith...?"
She cried hysterically. "I didn't mean to lose it!"
"What happened?"
She closed her eyes shivering. "They came to my room..." She covered her mouth as if she was going to be sick. "They tried to...no vampires have ever done that...then I... I butchered them."
Bruce hooked his arms under her legs and hauled her off the ground. Faith whimpered slightly and laid her head against his chest. Being dead, her weight was not an issue. He moved into the bathroom, turning on the taps of the bath. The warm filled the tub and he stripped Faith of all of her clothes. He washed the dead blood and vampire dust from her hands and face and he checked her body for any wounds. The only ones were created by his fangs and not by any other vampire. She began to come round, staring at him, tears still falling from her eyes.
"Bruce," she whispered every so lightly. "I think I..."
If he was alive, he would've wanted to cry. Faith leaned forward almost drunk in her despair and she kissed him. The vampire felt her warm lips against his cold ones and he kissed back, wrapping and snaking his arms around the damaged Slayer, holding her close.
"I killed someone once," she said, against his mouth. Inside he could really feel the invisible tears wanting to fall. "He was innocent like you. Just trying to get through life and I cut him down." Faith touched his face. "He had your blue eyes." Bruce tightened his arms around her as she hid her face in the crook of his neck. "You're too good for me." Bruce held Faith in his grip; he didn't know how long he was there for. It was bizarre, in the underworld, vampires were the creatures that created the problems and the Slayer was meant to rid the innocent of them. Where did it say that a vampire could form a bond with a Slayer? Where did it say that a vampire could love a Slayer?
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The shakes in her hands had faded and the pain in her head and eyes from all of those tears had ceased to be. She watched with guilt as Bruce fished out money from his pocket and stamped money into her hand. Faith stared at the wedge of cash in her palm. "I don't want this, Bruce."
"And these," he said, passing her some keys.
"No Bruce, I don't want your truck!"
"Please, just have it. You need it to get to wherever you need to be."
She stared over at the horizon and she felt embarrassed, it stung so much she couldn't really look at him. "I'm not used to guys giving me stuff...guys don't do that."
Bruce smiled lightly. "Well, I'm different."
"Why are you doing this?"
"Doing what?"
"This!" Faith yelled. "Giving me things, taking care of me, being you know...nice." She wiped her head in frustration. "You're dead too, vamps do that."
"So you're saying I'm not allowed to act nice because I'm a man and a vampire?" He stared at her then he began to laugh. "You can talk, what was with all that William Shakespeare stuff you were saying back at the motel?"
Blood rushed to her cheeks. "If you tell anyone about that, I'll kill you, got it?"
"I'm already dead, so it won't work."
"Fine, I'll stake your ass!"
"Okay, I won't tell."
Faith stamped her foot and twiddled his keys in hand. "Thanks, anyway."
"For the amazing sex?"
A laugh escaped her throat and she covered her mouth. "Yeah, for that too." She hopped into his truck and the exhaust burst to life.
"Good luck with whatever you've got to do," Bruce said.
Faith stared at him, she leaned through the window and she kissed him. "I'll come back and see you when I'm done, Blue Eyes."
Bruce smiled. "Drinks are on me."
"They better be," she said and she drove away.
She didn't look back because she knew she'd probably break down again and have to drive over to the side of the road and pick herself up. She lit up one of Bruce's cigarettes and she turned on the radio. She felt a sense of serenity as she drove. He had only walked in the night, but he had shown her the light.