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.
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!
*** *** ***
Chapter Thirty-Six - Brother Anselm, Redux
"And thus did Father Robert decide that the dairy shed, built two score years ago by our reverend Brother Theodore, was no longer as bright nor white as once 'twas, and thus he spake to us at the breaking of our fast (which was broken by mead and water and the bread baked by the new miller whose wife was a fine and godly woman) that the Lord had spoken to him, and demanded that we do honour his goats and his sheep and his one lone cow called Daisychain and make once more the dairy shed a fine place.
"And such was the honour that I, Brother Anselm, was chosen by Father Robert to oversee the painting of the dairy shed with whitewash mixed by the fine wife of the miller. And Brother Edwin and Brother Alfred did do my bidding as they did that of the Lord, and they painted the dairy shed with the whitewash."
Faith paused, and looked across at the man lying in the bed. Not a flicker declared his awareness of her, and she sighed. The doctor had explained that prolonged unconsciousness was only to be expected, that after the trauma his body had suffered it needed rest, and he would wake when he was better. And that was all very well, but Faith had a sneaking suspicion that the doctor was talking a load of shite. It had been nearly three days, and Wesley still hadn't woken up. He hadn't been alone, though. One of the AI team had been by his bed all the time and… Faith suddenly stopped in her mental meanderings as what she had just thought struck her. One of the team. She gave a short laugh. She had never been part of a team. She just didn't work like that.
"Jesus, Faith, can you stop thinking about yourself for one second," she berated herself. She shook her head, self-condemnation writ large in her features.
"Okay, Wes, I really think we're going to have to skip the…" Faith looked up in disbelief, "twenty-seven pages Brother Anselm spends talking about whitewashing the dairy shed, and get to the good stuff." She cleared her throat portentously. "Okay, here goes. And on the Sabbath day, we did run the holy service for the village, and lo, the miller and his good wife did attend, and were much holy throughout. Father Robert did give a rousing sermon and we were much moved by his holiness. And the miller's wife must need brush away a tear from her fair cheek…" Faith slowed to a halt as a shadow darkened the door.
"Hey."
"Hi, Angel."
"How's he doing?" She shrugged.
"Pretty much the same." Angel entered, treading softly, as if he didn't want to wake the man sleeping there. "I thought I'd take over. You should get some sleep." Faith looked ready to argue, then gave in.
"Sure. I'll go back to the hotel." At his confused look, she explained. "I took my stuff back over. I mean, I was only staying at Wes's 'cause of the plan." Angel nodded understandingly.
"Okay." She had nearly left the room, when he called her name. "Faith!" She turned, curious.
"What?" Angel stood there, feeling guilty.
"About what happened - how Wolfram & Hart knew I was alive." She looked at him blankly.
"Angel, it really doesn't…"
"It was my fault." He looked down at his hands, and continued hurriedly. "These monk guys took Connor, and I went out looking for him. Course, they just wanted to bless him, and I - I totally screwed up, and it got you in trouble, and Wesley…" He stopped, then looked up. "I'm sorry, Faith. I - I should have thought before I acted." Faith looked at him for a moment, then smiled softly.
"Hey, no worries, right? You were just looking out for your kid. I'd probably have done the same. But," she hesitated, then continued, "thanks for thinking you had to apologise." She smiled again, then turned and walked out.
Angel watched her leave, feeling a weight lift from his shoulders. Now he only had Wesley to apologise to, if he woke up. No. When he woke up. He sat down in the chair recently vacated by Faith, and pulled a book from his pocket. The doctor had suggested that they talk or read to Wesley, and the others had jumped on the suggestion. Gunn had taken to reading the evening papers, while Faith was relying on Brother Anselm. As for Angel, well…
"Okay, so where were we? Right. Thor stared at his woman in disbelief. Wearing only a diaphanous robe of violet silk, she stood before him, daring to challenge his manhood. Her long raven hair flowed behind her like a swath of black satin and her emerald green eyes spat fire. Thor grabbed her and pulled her close to his hard, muscled chest…"