YELLOW BRICK ROAD
By: Lisette (lisette@chaletian.co.uk)
Rating: PG-13 so far - might change later on.
Distribution: Want, take, have. Just e-mail me first.
Summary: Faith is released from prison - but there's a catch.
Feedback: God, please.
Angel, Buffy, the whole lot, belong to JW, Mutant Enemy, and anyone else who officially owns them. I don't. Big surprise. Brother Anselm is all mine, though!
Okay, a few notes. Firstly, I haven't seen any of season 3 yet, though I know vaguely what happens. So, definitely after "Billy", and Fred and Gunn are getting with the happy, but "WITW" never happened.
Please, please review - I need to know what people think! I have a fragile ego and it needs bolstering! Thanks to everyone who has already reviewed - you have made me a happy person!
Okay, normally I hate songfics, but, hey, this is Caritas! The song is by Jewel: "Please Don't Say I Love You".
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Chapter Twenty-One - Sing Something Simple
Faith sat on a bar stool, silently cursing Cordelia for her enthusiastic seconding of Lorne's proposal. Then she cursed Wesley for not putting a stop to it. Then Lorne, for being able to read auras in the first place. And finally she cursed Fred and Gunn, who, unfortunately, as far as Faith was concerned, had wandered in to find out what all the noise was.
Please don't say I love you
Those words touch me much too deeply
And they make my core tremble
Don't think you realise the effect you have over me
And please don't come so close
It just makes me want to make you near me always
She was obviously not used to singing, and she wavered slightly on some of the notes, clearly uncomfortable about being in the spotlight. It was a soft, almost plaintive song, and Wesley listened intently.
Please don't kiss me so sweet
It makes me crave a thousand kisses to follow
And please don't touch me like that
Makes every other embrace seem pale and shallow
Please don't look at me like that
It jsut makes me want to make you near me always
Faith felt like dying, right there and then. What on earth had possessed her to sing that song? Why couldn't she have gone with some rock number, or something along the lines of, "Bitch"? Instead she chose a song that, as she sang it, seemed to tear open everything she felt inside.
Please don't send me flowers
They only whisper the sweet things you'd say
Don't try to understand me
Your hands already know too much anyway
It just makes me want to make you near me always
She stopped abruptly, even though there was another verse to go, and slid off the stool, crossing her arms against her middle. Wesley was propped up against the bar, his eyes fixed on her, and he smiled as she looked at him. Cordelia stood to one side, her head tilted assessingly; Fred and Gunn sat at one of the tables together. Then Faith turned to Lorne, the one who was supposed to be reading her aura.
"Well?"
"You are mixed up, aren't you, sweetie?" She didn't say anything, just continued to stare at himm until he gave an exaggerated sigh. "Okay, you want to know what I see?"
"Don't tell me. I'm at a crossroads. I have to make a decision."
"Oh no, sweetie. You made your decision a long time ago." That sardonic half smile fell from Faith's lips, and she looked at him in undisguised fear.
"What? God, I made a mistake, but I want to make it right!"
"Okay, Lorne, you can't just say she's stuck in kill-pussycat-kill world. I mean, yep, violent hell bitch, but if she wants to change, she can. Plus, let's not forget, your aura reading - not top of the line." Bizarrely, it was Cordelia who spoke, and Faith looked at her, amazed, before turning back to Lorne, a defiant expression on her face, noticing, from the corner of her eye, Wesley's concerned look. But the green-skinned singer was shaking his head at her.
"No, cupcake, you misunderstand. You made your decision - you've decided you want to be on the side of the - forgive the pun - angels. That's not your problem."
"Then what-"
"Guilt. That's your biggie. It's streaming off you, sweetie, and really fouling up your aura. You're in grave danger of becoming as bad as our resident brooder. And that's no laughing matter. You want to get out of the darkness, but first you have to get the darkness out of yourself. Let the past go - learn from it, but don't go all angstville about it."
"That's what..." Faith trailed off, but her eyes flitted towards Wesley, and Lorne couldn't withold a grin. He leaned forward.
"Between you and me, cupcake, that's a pretty wise little owl you've got over there."