The Quickening

Previously:

"I was gonna grab some food. Wanna come with?" She asked when the silence between them had grown a bit uncomfortable. This time, Xander's head snapped up and he grinned.

Chapter Four:

"So what brought you to Sunnydale, anyway? I mean, it's not really a happening hot spot," Xander said as he set his tray down on the sticky, fast food table and sat. Faith hesitated a moment before doing the same. She wasn't entirely sure why she had invited him to come along. She had never really had any male friends, at least, male friends that she didn't occasionally sleep with also. Then again, she had never really had any female friends either. Faith supposed that friends were supposed to share things about themselves, cry on each other's shoulders when things got rough and laugh together when life was good.

"Like I said before, my Watcher's at that retreat. Thought it would be good to come out here and meet the infamous Buffy Summers, super slayer," Faith said a bit sarcastically.

"You don't like Buffy?" Xander asked, taking a large bite of his hamburger.

"It's not that I don't like her. I just don't think she likes me," Faith said, wondering where her words were coming from. It was almost easy to talk to him.

"Sure she does. She just gets weird when a new slayer comes to town. Feels threatened. That's all. You should have seen her when Kendra came. She was a wreck," Xander said.

"Kendra was the slayer before me," Faith stated. "How did she die?"

"Your Watcher didn't tell you?" Xander asked, surprised. Faith shook her head.

"No, my Watcher didn't like…doesn't like," Faith quickly amended, looking up to see if Xander had caught her mistake. He didn't seem to notice. "She doesn't like to dwell on the negative. Something about negative energy forces, I don't know."

Xander nodded. "Fair enough. Well, this vampire, Drusilla, kinda slit her throat. Wasn't pretty and Buffy got blamed for it because the police came just when Buffy had discovered Kendra's body. But the whole thing got squared away and the Buffster was allowed back in school."

"Buffy got kicked out of school?" Faith asked in surprise.

"Yeah," Xander replied, chomping away on a French fry.

"I guess we have more in common than I thought," Faith mumbled. Xander looked up at her. "Well, I dropped out. But same thing almost."

"Why did you drop out?" Xander asked.

"Not really one for the book learning," Faith replied. Xander just looked at her. Faith sighed and sat her hamburger down. "When I got called, it was this whole new world that opened up for me. School just took me away from it. When I was there, I wasn't being a slayer, I was just Faith, the kid no one really liked. But when I was training, or researching, or even reading that stupid handbook, I was it. There was no one better than me…well, except for Buffy," Faith added a bit scornfully.

"Buffy's not better than you," Xander replied forcefully. "You just have different talents." Faith raised her eyebrow at him. "What? It's true," Xander defended himself.

"Whatever you say, X," Faith said, though she smiled slightly.

"So when does your Watcher come back from this retreat?" Xander asked.

"I don't really know," Faith replied, looking away.

"That's cool. Are you gonna stay when she does?" Xander replied. Faith thought she caught a tinge of hope in his voice, but dismissed it.

"Don't see why not. Sunnydale may not be the coolest place in the world, but it ain't that bad," Faith replied. "It was built on a Hellmouth after all, it's like the perfect place for a slayer." Xander laughed.

"And here I thought being built on a Hellmouth was a bad thing," he said.

"How mistaken you are," Faith bantered back. They both smiled and a comfortable silence fell between them as they continued to eat. Faith noticed Xander slowing down.

"You gonna finish those fries?" She asked. Xander looked up at her in surprise.

"Seriously?"

"Slayer metabolism, X. I'm always hungry," Faith replied. Xander smiled and slid the fries over to her. "You're sure you're done with them?"

"Yeah," Xander replied. "So, the whole pick pocketing thing, that like a regular job for you?"

"Pays the rent," Faith responded. Xander raised an eyebrow, but didn't reply. Faith shook her head. "Don't even get into some kinda ethical debate with me, Harris," she replied. "The way I figure it, I'm out there bustin' my ass to save people's lives every night. A couple wallets here and there isn't gonna make any difference in the grand scheme of things. But if I don't got the energy and stamina to keep doin' what I do because I'm out on the street somewhere livin' in a cardboard box, then everyone else suffers."

"Yeah, you could also get a job," Xander said.

"Come on, can you really picture me workin' a nine to five? Besides, I dropped out of high school. Where am I gonna work? This place?" Faith asked, motioning around the dirty restaurant. "I make more money doing what I'm doing."

Xander laughed. "Yeah, I imagine you do." Faith gathered their trash together and stood, tossing it in the nearest trashcan.

"Ready?" She asked. Xander stood and joined her. Together they walked outside. The chill air brushed against their faces and Faith involuntarily shivered.

"Cold?" Xander asked.

"Nah, I'm good," Faith lied.

"So, mind if I walk you home?" Xander asked. Faith looked over at him incredulously.

"Shouldn't I walk you home? I'm a slayer after all," Faith replied.

"Yeah, but spare my manly pride and just say yes, please? Please?" Xander whined. Faith finally caved.

"Fine, but if you get eaten on the way home, it's not my fault," she shot back. Xander smiled. They began walking the short distance to Faith's motel in comfortable silence. It was beyond late and the town was dark. Their surroundings gradually began to shift, growing more desperate looking, more forlorn. Finally, they reached the motel.

"You're staying here?" Xander asked, trying to keep the disdain out of his voice. Xander knew that Faith wouldn't be happy if she knew he pitied her for the place she had to live.

"Don't knock it 'til you try it," Faith replied.

"I did. My parents kicked me out one time. I stayed here a night, but I couldn't stand it, so I went back home and basically licked their feet like a dog until they let me back in," Xander said. He hated that motel. Looking at it reminded him of how much he hated his family and how much his family hated him in return.

Faith wasn't entirely sure how to respond. "Well, it's the only place I got," she finally said, looking at it a little differently herself.

"That's not true," Xander replied, looking over at her.

"What, I'm supposed to stay with you, after that lovely picture you painted. No thanks," Faith responded as they walked to her room.

"I wasn't suggesting myself. What about Giles?" Xander replied.

"I don't even know him. How do I know he's not some old, perverted librarian," Faith asked. Xander laughed.

"I can personally guarantee you that he's not. I don't even think Giles knows what sex is," Xander replied.

"You're wrong there, X," Faith said. "I'm bettin' G-man was a player in his day."

"Oh God don't ever say that again," Xander pleaded. Faith smiled. They reached her door and Xander shoved his hands into his pockets. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow then," he said. Faith nodded and threw him a crooked smile before opening her door and closing it gently behind her. Xander stood outside of the motel for a little while, wondering how she could stand to live there. When he started walking back home, he was determined to find her a better place to call home.