Chapter 5 Last night I was flying but today I'm so low

AN: The Rose of Tralee is an international Irish Beauty contest for girls of Irish heritage.

Faith woke up at seven thirty am to Constantine's cell alarm. She was amused to see his ring tone was set to 'Woke Up This Morning' from 'the Sopranos'.

John tightened his arm around her instinctively, as Faith detached herself, grabbed her robe and went into her own motel room.

Constantine knocked on Faith's door half an hour later. Ready to take her to breakfast. His eyes bulged at the 'Rose of Tralee' standing before him.

Today Faith was wearing a white mini dress with a Celtic border, and her hair was tied back in a pony tail. Her crucifix was a Celtic cross and hung over her dress. Faith looked ready to dance a jig to a number from Riverdance, at a click of the fingers.

"You're missing the Miss Dublin sash." John told her. He was freshly shaved, and in a white shirt and tie.

"You look like you've been sent from the funeral parlour." Faith shot back.

Breakfast for Constantine was an orange juice and black coffee, the same as Faith. They read the paper together in companionable silence.

Faith paid for breakfast and they went to the Irish Consul.

The Irish consul was a stuffy officious man who did not seem inclined to make their divorce or annulment easy. At least he got Faith's travel documents ready for her promptly.

Faith and Constantine walked out into the sun, both reaching for their cigarette packets.

"Asshole" said Constantine annoyed, at the officious dick. "He wants us to go through maximum inconvenience and money, to get divorced."

"Maybe he's got connections with Wolfram and Hart." Faith joked lighting his cigarette and touching his face with her fingers.

"Look I was going to the Netherlands tomorrow night anyway. Can I visit you in London after, tie up any loose ends?" Constantine asked her putting his arm round her waist, and pulling her firmly into him. He just couldn't stop himself, he found her completely adorable.

"That would be great." Faith said pleased, cuddling into him "Better than talking over the phone."

"I thought so. At least the shithead let you book your flights on his computer. Let's go to the airport." Constantine suggested as he exhaled slowly.

Constantine asked Faith about the work she did for the Watchers Council, on the way to the airport. When they arrived, he helped her get her bag out of the car. An amusing courtesy as Faith was twice as strong as him. She travelled light like Constantine he noticed, only one suitcase and a large carry on bag.

"Well goodbye I guess." Faith said to him regretfully, she raised her head to kiss him goodbye on the cheek and was surprised at Constantine's savage goodbye kiss on her mouth as if he wanted to devour her.

"Don't let the bureaucrats grind you down in Dublin Faith." Constantine told her pushing her away from him abruptly. He hated to see her go. "I'll see you next week."

"That'll be good John." Faith waved good bye to him and walked away feeling grey inside, while the rest of the hot summer day seemed to hold such promise for everyone else.

She sat in the airport lounge dismally and sent a text to Xander. 'U suck X. Faith.' Even that didn't cheer her up.

Ireland was a pain in the ass affair with officialdom and she finally arrived back in London on Saturday morning. She queued in the Heathrow airport E.U. passport holders' line bored, weighed down by duty free cigarettes and booze.

Faith noticed a blonde head bob up and down as if to see what was happening in the North American passport holders' line. It was Buffy.

"B!" called Faith.

Buffy turned round delighted. "Faith!" she waved in pleasure at the sight her former enemy.

Faith cleared the Immigration counter first and waited for Buffy on the other side. The two women hugged excitedly. They had not seen each other for three months.

"The meeting got postponed till tomorrow, you heard?" Buffy said quickly grabbing her numerous bags off the carousel.

"Yeah, Slayer strength really works out for you at times doesn't it B?" Faith said amazed. Watching impressed, as her petite friend successfully juggled her luggage. "How many suitcases are clothes, and how many weapons?"

"Three of each" Buffy said chirpily.

Faith could tell Buffy was worried about something. There was a certain set to Buffy's mouth.

The girls had to queue in the customs line with their bags "Can you tell me something Faith?" Buffy asked Faith, getting out her passport again. "These incredible rumours are going round the demon world at the moment." Buffy went on. "Apparently, John Constantine (the American Constantine), got hitched in some Vegas wedding last week. An angel, demon or a slayer, no one's sure who this girl is. She's only eighteen apparently brunette and not that pretty."

"Oh, that's right. You work with Constantine sometimes in Rome." Faith remembered, grabbing her one case.

Buffy piled her bags in front of the customs officer. "Quite a few times now, in the past two years."

The customs officer looked alarmed at the weapons, Buffy was bringing in from Italy and it took half an hour to sort out.

"What do you think of Constantine?" Faith asked casually, once they were outside the airport.

"Total hottie on the outside, and then the cruel bastard opens his mouth and says something incredibly rude!" Buffy hailed them a black London cab. "He's old of course. He must be what, mid forties? Anyhoo you meet him in Las Vegas last week?'

"Oh yeah, seemed nice enough guy." Faith said vaguely, getting in the back seat of the cab.

"Well did you see him with a plain looking, yet slutty brunette teenager?" Buffy asked interested, joining her in the back seat.

"Honestly no." Faith said trying not to choke. 'Plain looking?' "Why didn't you ask Xander?"

"It was his new girlfriend that told me the rumour. It was at a party in my apartment in Rome last night." Buffy made a face remembering Ellie. Ellie was bad news. "Constantine was there you see, without the mysterious new wife."

"And did he try and pick anyone up?" Faith asked interested, pretending to check she had English pound notes in her billfold.

"No, he spoke to Andrew all night, asking questions about werewolves." Buffy said disgusted. Andrew and his stories, he'd never change. "Some older women threw themselves at him of course, Constantine's quite the catch. Ha, look at me I'm gossiping."

"Churned up about Xander's girlfriend?" Faith said knowingly. So that was what Buffy was really het up about. "She's a bitch alright."

"She's a demon bitch from hell." Buffy said worried.

Their London cab driver turned round and glared at them disapprovingly. "You Yankee girls are so bloody catty, talking about a bloke's girlfriend like that."

Faith and Buffy collapsed into giggles.

Faith came home to the flat she had in the Watchers Council building. An ex Benedictine Abbey built during Tudor times. Her cat (a domestic legacy from living with Robin) saw her. The feline turned his back on Faith in disgust.

"Don't guilt trip me cat." Faith smiled down at her pet, unlocking her flat door. "Rona told me you slept on her bed, every night I've been away."

One of the custodial staff came up to Faith carrying some flowers, "Mrs Woods you had these arrive for you."

Faith took the bouquet of red tulips in surprise. "Who are these from?"

The custodian shrugged. "Me Mam was a florist, always said red tulips meant a declaration of love."

Faith tore open the card and read the message. "Deported a Demon back to hell in Amsterdam two days ago, that reminded me of you. I'm in London tomorrow morning. John Constantine."

"Why Mrs Woods, you're blushing." The kindly custodian smiled at Faith amused. So Mrs Woods was seeing someone again? Poor young lass, deserved a bit of happiness after what had happened with Mr Woods.

Faith went patrolling that night with some young slayers, and dusted vampires with frenzy.

"Faith leave some of the undead, for the girls." Giles chided her gently, "Something on your mind?"

Faith sat on a tombstone with him. "Do you know John Constantine?"

"I know both of the bastards which one do you mean?" Giles asked her, bumming one of her cigarettes. He had redeveloped bad habits the past year when his relationship with Olivia didn't work out again.

"The LA one," Faith clarified, lighting a cigarette herself.

"Watch your back Yoko!" She called out encouragingly to the fifteen year old from Osaka.

Giles frowned. Faith knew the girl didn't speak English "Hiyake-dome wa arimasu," he yelled to her. Yoko looked puzzled. "My Japanese is frightful, why we couldn't have an ancient Sumerian slayer…"

Faith laughed and lit Giles cigarette. "So why do you think he's a bastard?"

"Arrogant, ruthless, reckless at times" Giles snorted. "I last ran into him fifteen years ago and I haven't heard he's changed."

"Is he a player, a ladies man?" Faith asked her friend. It had been hard-earned the right to call Giles her friend.

"None of the Constantines' in the business are, but they all have completely disastrous love lives. Whole family must be cursed I'd suspect. In any case I heard the idiot got married to a sixteen year old prostitute in Arizona last week." Giles smiled ruefully "Must be having a midlife crisis."

Giles threw a stake to a young blonde girl, who had hers knocked out of her hand. "Eile mit Weile Gretchen" he yelled encouragingly. Giles was good at German.

"Why do you want to know?" Giles said to her.

"I met him in Vegas," Faith mentioned. "He seemed interesting."

"So are car accidents." Giles observed shrewdly. "Stay well away from him, would be my advice."