Disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognise. Please don't sue. I have enough financial problems as it is. I promise I'll play nice… maybe. For other details see part one.
"The Consequences of Prevailing".
Chapter 3: Foundation.
"We went out last night! I just don't see why we need to go out again tonight!" Willow told Kennedy, exasperated.
"It'll be fun! Come on! We've been housebound for months!" Kennedy cajoled.
"That was for our own protection," Willow defended.
"Yeah, and now I'm a Slayer, you're a super powerful witch and the First has gone bye byes. We'll be fine."
"I'm not saying we won't. I promised Rona I'd visit," Willow told her.
"We can pop in say hi before we go out," Kennedy offered, obviously uninterested in that idea.
"But I don't WANT to go out!"
"Why not!?" Now Kennedy was the one exasperated. Neither Kennedy or Willow noticed the door slipping closed behind Faith as she walked out of the motel room and into the parking lot.
Running a hand through her hair Faith breathed in the cool night air before walking over to the beat up piece of crap Xander had bought with Council funds for the Scoobies use. The beat up piece of crap was all they could afford for the time being but, hopefully, the Council would be able to get them some more funds so they could trade up, maybe get another car. Robin was looking into getting a loan for a car for himself. Currently that was the plan- they get cars, they load their paltry possessions into them- and themselves- and they drive up to Cleveland looking for Slayers on the way. There was talk of the two or three groups going different routes to cover the most ground. Apparently she and Robin would be taking Willow and Kennedy with them. Man was that sounding like no fun whatsoever.
She hopped up onto the bonnet, kinda tentatively, wondering if the piece of shit would fall apart on her, and took the smokes out of her jacket pocket. Sliding one out, as well as the conveniently stored lighter, she lit up and sighed. It was at times like these, when it was kinda cold and far too quiet, that she kinda missed Spike. He had always been good for some company while she slowly killed herself with nicotine and tar and all that other crap these things had in them. Not that she really believed her Slayer healing powers would allow her to be killed by something as mundane as smoking, but on her darker days the thought that these things could kill her was somewhat of a… comfort. She was too desperate to redeem herself to seriously consider suicide anymore. And even before she had been too defiant and too much of a fighter to really give in to those impulses. She had always taken the slow routes to self destruction. Cigarettes were just another form of that side of herself.
She sighed again. Man that was the reason she just didn't like being alone with her thoughts. They always invariably lead back to the same old shit, the same old mistakes, the same old problems.
A car went past and Faith instinctively ducked her head, letting her hair fall over her face while she checked through the curtain of hair the identity of the car. It was just your typical old family car, mid blue, one passenger. This being on the run thing was no fun anymore. When she had been younger and had known that the police were after her she had flirted with the idea of being caught, had practically taunted the police, before eventually turning herself in. She hadn't cared about being caught, had known she could break out at any time, didn't really care if a cop decided to shoot her as she fled or whatever. She just simply hadn't cared, about anything, not even about herself. But now that she was… older, saner, she didn't want to be caught but would not resist if they did manage to find and recognise her- as long as they weren't evil, or possessed, or planning to kill her. It wasn't that she feared the cops or being in prison- she was kinda used to them now. It was simply that she didn't want to loose this… her second (third? fourth?) chance that felt like it was her last. She didn't want to waste away in jail. She wanted to do her duty, fight the good fight, even if that meant she had to spend half her time looking over her shoulder and the other half putting up with Buffy's shit.
Still she wasn't sure that, even if she wasn't wanted by the cops, she wouldn't still screw up. She had always been a screw up, never managed to do anything properly. Had never been able to control her temper or her emotions. Had a habit of acting impulsively. She supposed that she had gotten pretty good at avoiding conflicts in prison but this was the real world, with real people, and more ways to screw up. She wasn't sure she wouldn't end up killing someone again even if she had no intention of doing so. Of course, before that first time she had never had any intention of killing anyone, she had intended to do her duty. Unsurprisingly she'd screwed up then so, she figured, she could do it again, probably would. Maybe she'd be better off back in prison- or the world would be.
She heard footsteps approaching her direction and looked up, subtly readying herself for a fight. It was just Xander. He smiled at her, a wide smile that was trying to hide nothing. He seemed better today. It had been a week since Sunnydale was destroyed and Xander was managing to get back to his old self. He was still grieving- there was an aspect of pain in his eye (man she hated having to say that) at all times- but he wasn't falling apart under it. She didn't know how he could manage it. Buffy sure as hell wasn't. She was grouchy and whiney and pouting all the time now. She checked on the girls, was there as each one left, and made sure that Dawn was ok but it all seemed like a chore, something she had no choice in and resented. Xander was looking out for all of them, had lost more, and yet he was still able to smile and make it seem like he didn't mind. Faith was sure that he really didn't.
"Heya Faith," Xander called to her as he walked up.
"Hey."
"You ok?" Xander asked.
"Peachy."
"Good. You were looking all serious and kinda upset, thought I better come make sure you didn't decided to stay in seriousville," Xander said with a smile
"Nah. Just thinking," Faith told him smiling easily.
"Thinking? Did it hurt? I try and avoid thinking," Xander told her.
"Me too, but sometimes it just creeps up on you."
"I hear you."
He was standing besides her now, leaning against the car. He watched the stars, and she joined him, quiet in their companionable way. Faith snuck a look at him, now it was him who looked all serious.
"Whatcha thinking about?" Faith asked quietly, almost tentatively. She didn't think he'd mind, but her truce with the Scoobies was so uncertain that sometimes she wasn't sure what she was allowed to say or how she should act.
"The stars," Xander replied equally a quiet.
"What about them?"
"When I was little, like really little, my Mom used to tell me stories about the stars- you know the myths," Xander told her. "I'd kinda forgotten but it just popped on in there."
"Oh. Still not found out if they were still in town when it fell?" Faith asked.
"They were there. I just told the others they weren't. Dad would never have left just for something as stupid as a "bad feeling and rumours". And Mom would never have disagreed with Dad. So no, I'm certain they were there. Also, called Aunt Karen and she says she spoke to Mom the day before and they were still in town, despite Aunt Karen telling them they should just get out, just for a while," Xander told her, turning to face her, his face strangely unreadable.
"So they're dead," it was a statement not a fact.
"Yeah. Don't tell the others though. Don't want the sympathy and the tenterhooks and all that shit. Spech over two people I really can't find it in me to care about," Xander told her, his eyes… eye… flashing with guilt.
"I won't," Faith assured him, smiling sympathetically, although more in sympathy with his desire to avoid the others finding out than with the loss of his parents.
"Didn't think you would," Xander agreed, smiling brightly once more. There was another pause and then: "So why are you sitting out here anyway?"
"Kennedy wants Willow to go out tonight," Faith said, as if that explained everything. It did.
"Still bickering?"
"More like fighting now. They are definitely getting worse," Faith explained.
"You and Robin still planning to travel up with them?" Xander asked, eyes twinkling with humour.
"If we have to."
"Poor Faith," he chuckled. She smacked his arm lightly… well lightly for a Slayer, it'd still sting him a bit. He smiled at her. She smiled back before fishing out her smokes again, wondering if she should have another or just go back inside. She didn't much wanna do either.
"Wanna go get a drink? Avoid Kennedy and Willow a bit longer?" Xander asked Faith, noticing the look of uncertainty as she glanced at the door to her room.
"Would love to, but my cash is in the room," Faith told him.
"No matter, I'm sure I can stretch to a couple of drinks. You can pay me back next time we need to escape," Xander offered brightly.
"In that case, sure."
She put her smokes back in her pocket, did up her jacket and slid off the bonnet of the piece of crap. Smiling they walked out of the parking lot and started down the road.
A/N: Hmmm. Not sure how much I like this chapter. Did everything I wanted, covered the right bases, but I dunno, not sure it gels. Ah well. More to follow soon.
Oh and this hasn't been proof read so there may be mistakes. Sorry. If you see one just point it out and I'll try and fix it.