Chapter 4
Cruelty, thy name is Lileth! Lily-pad most Wondrous! Why dost thou leave me so very seatless? Forced to hop on leaves and mediocre pads, unbecoming to mine feet. Oh, woe! Fie this God, that could misplace you! numerous croakings and ribbits of various varieties
Nah...tempting as it is, I feel my frog soliloquy may die a death, as indeed may Sir Frogalot, he's pretty darn suicidal. Ikea didn't include any instructions in his new 'Build-your-own' lily-pad. Damn Swiss. So lets see if I can't do something a little less...amphibian. Oh yeah, and thanks to reviewers, may the bluebird of happiness fly up you nostrils! Doubly so if you review again.
OOO
'Soo...' Buffy twiddled her thumbs. 'What can we do.' Faith briefly stopped picking blades of grass.
'B, we can do anything so long as we don't get caught,' she said grinning wickedly, and sprinkling the desiccated leaves over her friend's fair head. Buffy looked thoughtful.
'Can we get that squirrel?' Faith's head jerked up and followed Buffy's pointed finger. A familiar grey face poked round the trunk of a small tree.
'Damn squirrel! Why don't you learn? I'll go get a fork in a minute!' Faith jumped to her feet, swiftly followed by an excited Buffy.
'Yeah, Mr McJumpy pants! And I'll go get my...umm...my brother, and he'll bite you so hard, you'll wish you'd stayed an acorn forever!' Buffy's grasp of evolution had always been a little shaky, and generally consisted of the theory 'You are what you eat.' Buffy had had a long, illustrious life as a hamburger. The two girls exchanged glances, masterminding a plan. Faith spoke.
'Or...we could just...RUN!!' The girls started after the rodent as fast as their legs could carry them. The squirrel ran half-way across the lawn and then nimbly climbed a tree. Faith's foot, however, sought out a half- exposed root, and she tripped, landing painfully on one knee. She bit her lip hard as she tried not to cry.
'Faith? You alright? Hey, I'll go get someone, stay here!' Buffy ran off back into the house. She bumped straight into Cordy.
'Woah, slow down there Speedy. Huh, didn't know you existed. You ok kiddo? What's up?' Buffy grabbed the strange woman by the hand and dragged her outside. Upon reaching Faith the child knelt down next to her friend.
'Buffy fell over.' Faith started in recollection.
OOO
Daddy was out at work, Faith knew that. That meant Mom was home. They'd planned work very carefully, so they never had to see each other. 'Or maybe so they don't have to see you so much.'
Five-year old Faith shook her head firmly, trying to ignore the voice. The Mean Mister Mom voice that had been part of her as long as she could remember. Daddy loved her, Faith knew that too. Sometimes when Mom was out he'd pick her up and swing her round and round 'til she'd giggle like she was still little and dizzy and didn't ever have to make sure to be extra quiet. And he'd call her his Faith-girl, and his Faith; the thing that kept him believing when he woke up in the middle of the night.
Faith opened the door to the kitchen silently. The door on the other side was firmly shut; Mom was working again. She'd go to the big court and argue with a man in a wig, and then come home and argue with anyone else. Faith didn't even have a wig.
'Big hands at 5...' Faith muttered, looking at the clock. She pulled out a chair and stood on it, reaching to get a box of cornflakes and a bowl. Putting the chair back, she filled the bowl with cereal, dropped a messy splash of milk in the bowl and grabbed a spoon. This was a well-rehearsed routine.
'So what did you have for tea Faith?' Daddy would ask when he got home. Mom would shout from the other room.
'She insisted on having cornflakes again, didn't you Faith. Really, Wesley, I try my hardest for her, and she just throws it back in my face.' See, Faith was a bad girl. She needed to try harder.
She clumsily put the empty bowl by the wink, and watched in despair as the spoon clattered to the tiled floor. Footsteps. The door opened.
'Mommy's working Faith.' The suit of grey stared down coldly at the child. 'Why are you making noise?'
Faith shrugged. 'Din't mean to.' Faith bent and picked up the spoon. Her mother snatched it out of her hand. Faith stared ahead blankly.
'Why am I having to do this for you Faith?'
'You just took it...' the child stated casually.
The ringing slap took Faith completely by surprise. She stumbled sideways, rubbing her reddening cheek. Unwanted tears filled her eyes. Her mother turned away, unfeeling, to leave.
A key turned in the front door. Faith wiped the tears off her smarting face, and felt cold grey arms enveloping her tiny torso. She shrank from the touch.
'What's the matter Faith-baby' Wesley asked, concerned. Faith looked him in the eye, trying to make him understand.
The child suppressed a shuddering sob as the arms closed around her like a vice.
'Faith fell over.'
OOO
Faith blinked slowly back into consciousness, arms still holding her. These arms were soft though, and were rubbing her back in soothing motions.
'Hey kid.' Cordy smiled at the child. Faith sat up slowly, wincing at the graze on her knee.'
'Ow, yes? Ow is bad. Bad is evil. Evil must be crushed in all its forms, at least, that's what I've been led to believe.' Cordelia helped a slightly confused Faith to her feet, hugging the girl briefly and awkwardly. Faith looked around. Buffy was shouting at the squirrel for hurting her friends. Otherwise, the rest of the yard was empty.
Faith rubbed her red eyes tiredly. She crooked a finger, beckoning Cordy closer.
'Why...why'd you hug me if no-one was lookin'?' Faith looked away from Cordy's searching eyes. Cordy sighed, stood up, and took Faith's hand.
'Because, Faith. Hugs are good, and needed for the crushing of evil, didn't I explain this already?' she joked, cursing her own flippancy. Faith nodded.
'Is the bad in me gone then?' she whispered. Cordy stopped dead, and forced Faith to look her directly in the eye.
'There is none. Don't ever believe anyone that tells you that Faith. There never was any.' Cordy looked almost angry, and led Faith inside without another word. Their hands remained tightly clasped.
OOO
A/N ooh, angst, wasn't expecting that. Not sure if I like, was cathartic to write though. Lol, basically an amalgam of my own childhood, without the nice Wesley figure sob. Oh yeah, and who is Faith's mother??? Oooh look, a review button. It's tempting isn't it. So darn seductive. Or maybe its just mine that's wearing suspenders and brandishing a whip. Go on! Press it!! twiddles thumbs
Cruelty, thy name is Lileth! Lily-pad most Wondrous! Why dost thou leave me so very seatless? Forced to hop on leaves and mediocre pads, unbecoming to mine feet. Oh, woe! Fie this God, that could misplace you! numerous croakings and ribbits of various varieties
Nah...tempting as it is, I feel my frog soliloquy may die a death, as indeed may Sir Frogalot, he's pretty darn suicidal. Ikea didn't include any instructions in his new 'Build-your-own' lily-pad. Damn Swiss. So lets see if I can't do something a little less...amphibian. Oh yeah, and thanks to reviewers, may the bluebird of happiness fly up you nostrils! Doubly so if you review again.
OOO
'Soo...' Buffy twiddled her thumbs. 'What can we do.' Faith briefly stopped picking blades of grass.
'B, we can do anything so long as we don't get caught,' she said grinning wickedly, and sprinkling the desiccated leaves over her friend's fair head. Buffy looked thoughtful.
'Can we get that squirrel?' Faith's head jerked up and followed Buffy's pointed finger. A familiar grey face poked round the trunk of a small tree.
'Damn squirrel! Why don't you learn? I'll go get a fork in a minute!' Faith jumped to her feet, swiftly followed by an excited Buffy.
'Yeah, Mr McJumpy pants! And I'll go get my...umm...my brother, and he'll bite you so hard, you'll wish you'd stayed an acorn forever!' Buffy's grasp of evolution had always been a little shaky, and generally consisted of the theory 'You are what you eat.' Buffy had had a long, illustrious life as a hamburger. The two girls exchanged glances, masterminding a plan. Faith spoke.
'Or...we could just...RUN!!' The girls started after the rodent as fast as their legs could carry them. The squirrel ran half-way across the lawn and then nimbly climbed a tree. Faith's foot, however, sought out a half- exposed root, and she tripped, landing painfully on one knee. She bit her lip hard as she tried not to cry.
'Faith? You alright? Hey, I'll go get someone, stay here!' Buffy ran off back into the house. She bumped straight into Cordy.
'Woah, slow down there Speedy. Huh, didn't know you existed. You ok kiddo? What's up?' Buffy grabbed the strange woman by the hand and dragged her outside. Upon reaching Faith the child knelt down next to her friend.
'Buffy fell over.' Faith started in recollection.
OOO
Daddy was out at work, Faith knew that. That meant Mom was home. They'd planned work very carefully, so they never had to see each other. 'Or maybe so they don't have to see you so much.'
Five-year old Faith shook her head firmly, trying to ignore the voice. The Mean Mister Mom voice that had been part of her as long as she could remember. Daddy loved her, Faith knew that too. Sometimes when Mom was out he'd pick her up and swing her round and round 'til she'd giggle like she was still little and dizzy and didn't ever have to make sure to be extra quiet. And he'd call her his Faith-girl, and his Faith; the thing that kept him believing when he woke up in the middle of the night.
Faith opened the door to the kitchen silently. The door on the other side was firmly shut; Mom was working again. She'd go to the big court and argue with a man in a wig, and then come home and argue with anyone else. Faith didn't even have a wig.
'Big hands at 5...' Faith muttered, looking at the clock. She pulled out a chair and stood on it, reaching to get a box of cornflakes and a bowl. Putting the chair back, she filled the bowl with cereal, dropped a messy splash of milk in the bowl and grabbed a spoon. This was a well-rehearsed routine.
'So what did you have for tea Faith?' Daddy would ask when he got home. Mom would shout from the other room.
'She insisted on having cornflakes again, didn't you Faith. Really, Wesley, I try my hardest for her, and she just throws it back in my face.' See, Faith was a bad girl. She needed to try harder.
She clumsily put the empty bowl by the wink, and watched in despair as the spoon clattered to the tiled floor. Footsteps. The door opened.
'Mommy's working Faith.' The suit of grey stared down coldly at the child. 'Why are you making noise?'
Faith shrugged. 'Din't mean to.' Faith bent and picked up the spoon. Her mother snatched it out of her hand. Faith stared ahead blankly.
'Why am I having to do this for you Faith?'
'You just took it...' the child stated casually.
The ringing slap took Faith completely by surprise. She stumbled sideways, rubbing her reddening cheek. Unwanted tears filled her eyes. Her mother turned away, unfeeling, to leave.
A key turned in the front door. Faith wiped the tears off her smarting face, and felt cold grey arms enveloping her tiny torso. She shrank from the touch.
'What's the matter Faith-baby' Wesley asked, concerned. Faith looked him in the eye, trying to make him understand.
The child suppressed a shuddering sob as the arms closed around her like a vice.
'Faith fell over.'
OOO
Faith blinked slowly back into consciousness, arms still holding her. These arms were soft though, and were rubbing her back in soothing motions.
'Hey kid.' Cordy smiled at the child. Faith sat up slowly, wincing at the graze on her knee.'
'Ow, yes? Ow is bad. Bad is evil. Evil must be crushed in all its forms, at least, that's what I've been led to believe.' Cordelia helped a slightly confused Faith to her feet, hugging the girl briefly and awkwardly. Faith looked around. Buffy was shouting at the squirrel for hurting her friends. Otherwise, the rest of the yard was empty.
Faith rubbed her red eyes tiredly. She crooked a finger, beckoning Cordy closer.
'Why...why'd you hug me if no-one was lookin'?' Faith looked away from Cordy's searching eyes. Cordy sighed, stood up, and took Faith's hand.
'Because, Faith. Hugs are good, and needed for the crushing of evil, didn't I explain this already?' she joked, cursing her own flippancy. Faith nodded.
'Is the bad in me gone then?' she whispered. Cordy stopped dead, and forced Faith to look her directly in the eye.
'There is none. Don't ever believe anyone that tells you that Faith. There never was any.' Cordy looked almost angry, and led Faith inside without another word. Their hands remained tightly clasped.
OOO
A/N ooh, angst, wasn't expecting that. Not sure if I like, was cathartic to write though. Lol, basically an amalgam of my own childhood, without the nice Wesley figure sob. Oh yeah, and who is Faith's mother??? Oooh look, a review button. It's tempting isn't it. So darn seductive. Or maybe its just mine that's wearing suspenders and brandishing a whip. Go on! Press it!! twiddles thumbs