Disclaimer: Again, I own nothing. The nothings I especially do not own are ... any and all references to the characters and universes of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'. The aforementioned is owned by someone way more powerful and respected than myself. 'Bad Company' owns the song title... I think.

Note(s):

Alright, lets see. A few things... things will be getting, confusing, to say the least from now on. I've done my best to make it not confusing, but I think I failed there, you'll see. It took me ... a few minutes to make all the time things work, flashbacks... dreams... and the like. That doesn't really take place now, but it will in future chapters... starting around Ch. 13, I think. If you oh so dedicated readers will allow me time to get there. Secondly, I'll probably end up posting little ... hints... more like explanations about the ... well you'll see. Hopefully my style has improved. Thirdly, forgive the bad grammar, spelling and tenses... and lastly, a big thanks to those people who continue to read and have gotten past my horrible beginning. The rest of the story should be better... and there is more (I hope). Thanks!

Bad Company

My room was dark and damp, I had little trouble getting there, and the halls were empty. Words travelled long and fast throughout the castle, I'm sure everyone heard what I had to say. I had a duffel bag packed and ready for a situation like this, I was always prepared. Just had the basics in the bag, I'd only need to grab my not-so-perfect leather jacket and the combat knife Angel gave me. It's pretty sweet, seven inch carbon steel blade, gets the job done. Not as flashy as my old knife and since I'm not the greatest with a broadsword, it works just fine.

The bag was in the closet, so was my jacket, my knife was under the pillow. Giles had said it wasn't that great an idea if I wore it around while I was in the castle. I listened, never regretted it either. My full attention was on getting the fuck out of the castle unharmed, my senses were all over the place, couldn't pinpoint anyone, or feel anyone but B. Ken snuck up on me, scared me half to death.

"So you're fuckin' off then. Pussy." I flinched harshly, I was glad it was only Kennedy otherwise the flinch would have been my last action on this cold, green world.

"You don't get it." Let it go.

"Don't get what? That you're a pussy? Old Faith would never let Buffy get to her this way, she'd fight. She'd at least stick up for herself! Shit! You let them walk all over you, you call yourself a Slayer? You're nothing." I couldn't tell how serious she was being, I hoped she was just trying to enrage me enough to see I was worth it, see I was more but I doubted it.

"I am nothing, and this nothing is taking all her 'nothings' and leaving." She sighed, obviously I sounded more pathetic than I hoped.

"Faith, don't leave. We need you here, like it or not you are a great teacher. You are a great slayer." Total one-eighty, way to go Ken. "You think no one wants you here, but that's not true, the people that matter want you here."

"Buffy matters Ken, and if she says I'm no good then she's right, I'm no good. Didn't you hear? I'm going to kill you." I throw the pillows off my bed and stick my knife in my boot. One down, two to go.

"Yeah bullshit, Will would have you inside out two seconds before you even thought of killing me. Don't doubt it." She laughed, it was probably true. "Will's trying to calm Buffy down, at least that's what it sounded like, and there was a lot of shouting when Giles and I left them in the library. He's looking for you; he went to check surveillance whereas I knew exactly where you'd be. Here. Leaving, like a pussy."

"He'll see me leaving then, can find me that way. The longer I stay, the harder it'll be for me to leave alive. Look, you are tryin' to help, but it won't do any good. Go, before I hurt you." I really didn't want to hurt her, I thought I had gotten past all that shit but it all came back, like a giant tidal wave. B had set it off, now Ken was going to pay for it, wasn't fair, just hoped she'd leave before big bad Faith stopped by.

"I really would rather not, come on boss, fight the good fight. Stick up for yourself!" I grabbed the small duffel from my closet and my jacket from the hanger. There would be no fighting, yet at least, there would be no good fight, and there would be no forgiving, for anyone. I hope B can forgive you all. I stared at Ken, who stood unwavering. I could hear shouting from the library, I'm sure Ken could as well.

"You better go rescue Hood, I'm sure B is getting close to usin' her new moves." Liar. There was really no way B would hurt Hood, physically. Emotionally? Sure she did that to us all.

Ken crossed her arms and sighed. "At least talk to Giles, I should go make sure Willow doesn't turn Buffy into a frog… horny toad, something." She moved to the side. "See you soon Faith?" I walked past her, what response could I give her. Yeah, I'll be back soon. There was no truth to that. I was leaving, and wasn't coming back for a long time, how right was I?

My boots made hollow echoes down the long stretch of hallways, I was taking the road less travelled to get out of the castle, less security cams and less people, no one took this path, no one really knew about it. I'd end up at the rear of the castle, would walk right out of the old storm drain, facing south. I'd walk a little way then slowly turn around to the north, north seemed like an okay way to go. As the floor turned to soggy dirt my boots made squishing noises, soon there was more water, and then light. The smell was definitely something else, rotting leaves mixed with grass clippings; it was something I was sure I wouldn't miss.

"Faith," He started slowly -he was waiting. My escape plan was either really shitty or totally obvious. Why wouldn't I escape thought the storm drain, who else would do that? "Where do you plan on running too?" He was emotionless.

"I ain't runnin' G. Don'tcha remember? Got kicked out." I said I wouldn't run. I was angry, he was there he saw what happened, and he damn well heard it all.

"It'll take some time to work out this prophecy, the dialect is…"

"I get it man, knew this'd happen eventually. B is always right."

"Faith, you aren't evil, I do believe you wouldn't turn on us. What you said before-"

"I said what I said to prove a point; it's hard to take the word of a murderer." I'm not. "I get it, and I'm gone." I started to walk past him, what more was I going to do. If he tried to stop me, I'd probably hurt him. If he kept talking, I'd probably just keep walking. My options were shit, both bad… one worse than the other.

"Where do you plan on going?"

"Don't know." Don't care.

"I have a friend up north; it's a half-day's drive from Inverness. I never thought to ask the name of the town... She should be fairly easy to get a hold of; I'll send a letter this afternoon."

"You can't call her?" Why am I listening to this shit… it's probably a trap.

"I cannot, nor would I if I could. Faith, you have to find your own way. Your own path, you won't learn anything if I take you. Besides, if I left with you I would not return, and something tells me I will be needed here." A little emotion creeps through his resolve but I still can't turn and look at him.

"What's his name? He's not an old friend from your Ripper days huh?"

"Her name is Temperance, Temperance Kane. She was studying to become a Watcher, but it didn't take…"

"Fuck, she better not be some old stuffy British hag with a stick so far up her ass it's playin' hockey with her tonsils…" I smirked, that one was forced but shit, and I really wasn't ready to deal with the female version of Wes.

"Spare me the mental image, you two should fair well together. That is, if you have chosen to go?" He raised his voice, as if hopeful.

"Send the letter, but… don't tell her to expect me soon. That's a long walk, and I might change my mind…I might be lying too." Bad idea.

"Yes, yes, of course. Faith…"

"Don't say anything else to me, or tell anyone where I am going or not going... When you decipher the prophecy, if it turns out that B is right… have Hood –Willow, practice some, I dunno, 'one-hit-kill' spells… I'll probably be hard to take out. Later, G." I mumbled and kept on walking, the water was getting colder and deeper. The sky was a dull grey, clouds were looming: looked like rain. Temperance Kane.The name rung true in my mind, there would be no promises that I would make it to Inverness, that's a long walk.

"Faith! Wait!" The splash of his shoes in the puddle irked me a little, I told him not to say anything else. "Look, here's a tip. Go to Glasgow, or Perth. From there it's a, as they say, cake walk. A little help, a little guidance, it's late I know." His shoes made a squelching noise as he walked back through the storm drain, finally I was alone. I closed my eyes and tried to listen, but the stone of the castle proved to be a formidable foe, I couldn't hear if Hood and B were still at each others throats, maybe Ken had calmed them down. Maybe they had taken a potty break, maybe I just didn't try hard enough. I continued my walk; I needed to make a stop before I went into the wilderness to decide my fate.