FIC: Daddy Dearest (11?)

"What happened between you and G-Man?"

Faith tensed as Xander re-entered their room. "Where's little sis?"

"Training with Connor. Don't change the subject. I saw Giles in the corridor, he looked ill."

"We argued about Jack," Faith shrugged. "Told him it was none of his damn business."

Xander sighed as he dropped onto the bed beside her. "Why do I think there was more to it than that?"

She shrugged again. "'Cause you have a nasty, suspicious mind." Xander stared at her, she shrivelled inside at the intensity in her boyfriend's single eye. "He kept on pushing me, so I bawled him out about the past. Told him considering how great a job he made of being my Watcher he had no right to pretend to give a shit about me now."

"Faith," Xander groaned. "Holding grudges doesn't do you any good."

"Getting told to do what I don't want to by a stuck-up limey who's never given a shit about any Slayer who's name isn't Buffy doesn't do me any good either," she shot back.

Xander took a breath. "Faith, you keep pushing people away they're going to stop trying to get close to you."

"Uh," she snorted. "There's only one reason guys try to get close to me."

The moment she'd said the words she regretted them. Pain flickered across her boyfriend's face. She reached out to grab his arm but he stood. "I suppose that includes me?" Before she had chance to say anything, Xander was out of the door, slamming it behind him.

Faith stared at the door for a second. "Oh fuck."

Giles stared at his cooling coffee, unable to summon the energy or will to drink it. He was barely conscious of the conversations going on around him until a strong deep voice spoke directly to him. "Can I sit here?"

He looked up to see Angel stood by the table. "There's other places," he commented, his face as stone.

"I know," despite his unenthusiastic greeting, the vampire sat down. "But I prefer sitting someone who doesn't ask me if I really sleep in a coffin. The joke gets old after the first two centuries." Giles stared at the Irish demon. "We never really talked after-."

"You murdered Jenny," he interrupted, his tone as cold as he could make it.

The vampire winced and nodded. "I never did apologise did I?" the demon paused. "You know why not? It would have been pointless, an insult to her memory to think a few words could make what I did alright. Plus," his companion glanced at the floor, "I freely admit I was a coward, too scared to speak to you."

"And yet you do now," he glared at the vampire.

"You look like you need someone to talk to."

Giles chuckled, it was a harsh, brittle sound. "You must think I'm stupid Angel. If I did need someone to talk to, it would be a friend, not someone who would only use such information against me at a later time," he stood. "Now goodbye."

"She doesn't mean it."

Giles halted and turned to look over his shoulder at the vampire. "I beg your pardon?"

The demon appeared unaffected by his icy tone. "Whatever Faith said when you spoke to her about Colonel O'Neill, she didn't mean it. When she's hurt, she lashes out."

"And how," he demanded through gritted teeth, "do you know that I've spoken to Faith about her father?"

Again the vampire remained unmoved by his growing anger. "I was with Connor when Xander dropped Dana off earlier, he said you were visiting Faith. I assumed -."

"Let me make this very clear," Giles interrupted, his harsh voice cutting through the canteen's babble, the other people silencing as they turned to watch the confrontation. He carried on regardless of their audience. "Whatever Faith and I discussed is nothing at all to do with you unless Faith speaks to you about it. For some reason the Powers That Be have decreed that I have to work with my Jenny's murderer. But that will be the extent of our relationship. We are not and never will be friends or confidantes. I only hope for the day your soul disappears and I have the opportunity to send a dozen or so Slayers after you to end your miserable existence."

Angel sighed as the Englishman strode away. "Thank you very much Angelus," he muttered. After a century of seclusion as Angel he had thought his victims' faces would only confront him in his dreams. And then '98 had happened. His murder of Jenny was far from the worse of his crimes – driving Drusilla insane and massacring Holtz's family were his most terrible sins. But a man like Giles… The Englishman was as honourable as they came, but under his gentlemanly veneer there beat the heart of a passionate warrior. Not the sort who would ever forgive his evil.

"And no should he."

"Mind if I sit down?"

He knew without looking up or even hearing the voice that it was Colonel O'Neill, the scent was enough. "Sure."

There was the creak of the man sitting down opposite him and then silence. Well silence if you weren't a vampire who could hear the soldier's pounding heart. "Mr. Giles doesn't like you much does he?"

He chuckled darkly. "You've got to expect that when you murder someone's lover."

"Oh," there was a pause. "Well according to what little my daughter has said to me you are the sole reason she's alive. So thank you." Angel looked up, the man swallowed. "If you're going to hit me do me a favour, make it above the waist. I'm still limping from the kick in the balls Faith gave me."

Angel chuckled at the man's words. "I'm not going to hit you. I'd be the last person to judge anyone. Not after the evil I've done. What's important you're trying to do the right thing now."

"Yeah," the greying man's shoulders slumped. "But I somehow doubt she'll let me in."

"Keep trying," Angel counselled. "Faith can be hard work, but she's worth it."

"The Jackson is here. We have made certain modifications for our guests," Thor announced. "We can leave as soon as you ready."

"Oh boy," Xander muttered, his mouth drying. All his life he'd dreamed of travelling to alien worlds, now it was here he was terrified. He looked around the crowded 'Ready Room', the new Slayers having arrived overnight, bringing their number to forty-three. "Anyone bring travel sickness tablets?"

"There is no need for such medication Alexander Harris," Thor assured him. "The Jackson is the smoothest ship in the Asgard fleet and the galaxy."

"Uh, uh," Xander was less than convinced.

Faith grinned as she heard the bathroom door slide open. It had been two days since their voyage had begun and five days since her argument with X. Since then they'd shared a bed, but hadn't had sex or even a conversation. Sounded like her drought was over though. "Hey baby," she put the seductive purr into her voice that always made X blush, "wanna join me in the shower?"

"Thank you Miss Doolan but I do not excrete body waste and therefore have no need of such primitive -."

"WHAT THE FUCK!" Faith jerked the shower door open and glared down at Thor stood in the middle of the bathroom looking up at her. "Have you no concept of privacy?" Even as she spoke she checked out Thor's groin. She saw any sign of life down there and she was ripping his throat out.

"Why?" the Asgard queried. "Have I broken some ancient custom?"

"Look," Faith groaned. She could hardly pretend to be a prude and it wasn't like she had a body to be ashamed of. Besides it might be fun to have Thor teleport himself into Red's quarters when her and Kennedy were getting down to it. That'd teach the squirt better than any ass-kicking she could hand out. "No it's five by five," she lied. "Just thought it was someone else is all." She began towelling herself off. "What ya want titch?"

"I have a matter I wish to discuss with you."

"Oh yeah?" she arched an eyebrow as she dried her hair off. "Well talk."

"I need to show you something."

"K," she nodded. "Give me a moment to dress. And then we'll go." She quickly dressed, pulling on a pair of leather pants and a black muscle vest. "Ready?" The alien nodded. "Where are we teleporting to?"

"I would rather we walked."

She glanced down when the alien took her tiny hand in his even smaller one. Surprised, she allowed the Asgardian to lead her out of the room before speaking. "Look," she struggled for words. "You're a wicked nice guy and everything Thor. But you're a little short for me." Like by three feet. "So if you're crushing on me." She felt more than a little ridiculous talking like as the alien led her into the corridor. "It really ain't going to work."

"Crushing on you?" Thor looked up at her, puzzlement in his eyes. "Why would I want to crush you? Would that not hurt?"

"No that's not-," Faith paused and shrugged, he'd never get it. "Nevermind." Noting a Slayer giggling at them as they passed her, she stopped and turned her head towards her fellow warrior. "Yes?" she raised a challenging eyebrow. The Slayer paled and hurried off.

Satisfied, she continued on her way. "Your fellow warriors hold you great esteem," commented her guide.

More likely they were shit scared of her kicking their asses if they got smart with her. "Uh, uh," she agreed. "Look, not that I ain't enjoying the walk but where are you taking me?"

"Into here." A door to her right slid open and the alien led her into a small sterile-looking room surrounded on all four walls by large video-screens. "When we first came into contact with the Tau'ri, we scanned their minds to find out if they were ready for contact. This is what we found in Colonel O'Neill's mind."

"What?" Faith's eyes widened in outraged realisation. "You lousy little bastard!" She lunged at the alien only for him to teleport out of the room. Still fuming, she grabbed at the door.

And found it locked. Then Thor began to speak, his voice piped through the walls. "Patience Miss. Doolan-."

"I swear I'm gonna wring your scrawny neck!" she threatened, eyes searching the room for a sign of an exit. "Let me out you little runt!"

She heard Thor gulp then continue. "I have noted from your behaviour that you have certain misapprehensions about Colonel O'Neill. I thought seeing some of his most important memories would rid you of these."

Faith's eyes widened. "Don't you fucking dare!" she screamed, panic overwhelming her. She needed to hate the bastard for the hell that had been her early life, being friends with him was like saying all the bad shit she'd been through didn't matter. "I'm warning you."

"This is for your own good Miss. Doolan, Colonel O'Neill is a fine man."

Unable to escape, Faith helplessly watched. She saw her father battle earth-bound enemies in the desert, jungles, and cities. Next, she saw her father convince Teal'c to turn on his god to fight with them. Then she saw her father face aliens, bad-mouthing them with a relish that her Xander would be proud of. She saw her father blowing up pyramid ships over earth. She watched as the Colonel stood up to a politician she sorta recognised from TV. She observed her dad save the world maybe half a dozen times. And one other thing. She heard the door slide open. "As you can see Miss Doolan your father is a very fine man. A true and extraordinary hero."

"Yeah," she nodded. "Say, who was the kid who blew his head off?"

"Ah," Thor hesitated. "In 1987, Charlie O'Neill was born-," Faith blinked, she had a half-brother? "In 1995, Charlie wanted his father to play catch with him. Colonel O'Neill was too busy so Charlie went inside. Because he wanted to be like his father, he started to play -."

"Take me to him," Faith forced her voice to remain calm. "I wanna see my dad."

Thor beamed. "Excellent!"