"Hey, wait up!", called Emma as she span around outside the coffee shop trying to find Faith who was currently stomping along the sidewalk, shoulders hanging low and profanities blowing in the wind as she kicked an empty Pepsi can into the gutter. The slayer's mind a maelstrom of confusion for now it seemed that all she ever wanted was being offered to her, but she knew from bitter experience that nothing in this world was altruistic.
"What?", the slayer snorted back as Emma caught up with her putting a hand on her shoulder making Faith spin round with a simmering menace etched on to her single syllable.
"Man, you walk fast. Especially in jeans that tight", Emma said trying to catch her breath.
"Pfft, you're one to talk", replied Faith nodding towards Emma's equally tight pants, "I mean, I'm sixteen so I can get away with it. You must be knocking on thirty so what's your excuse?"
"Hey, I may be slightly out of my teens…."
"Slightly?"
"Ok, maybe a few years….."
"And ain't you a Mom too? Should people who've given birth really wear jeans that tight, don't it… y'know…. with the friction an' all…well, doesn't it cause a little trouble in the gypsy village?", Faith grinned esoterically nodding to her crotch.
"The what? I've no idea what you're talking about"
"God, you are so old"
"I'm not that…..", Emma started but she drew a calming breath and steadied her smile for she was on a mission and for her true love, Regina, she would brave any sling or barbed arrow, "Look, can we start over. All I want is to talk"
"Who the hell are you anyway?", the slayer snorted back with a raised eyebrow as she span back round to continue her walking which, reluctantly, Emma followed suit.
"Oh, did we skip the introductions? I'm Emma, your Mom's…..well….er…."
"Fuck buddy?"
"Hey! No, we're more than that. But I mean, oh crap I suck at this heart-to-heart stuff, I'm just saying that 'girlfriend' or 'lover' aren't strong enough terms for what Regina means to me", Emma said as a dopey smile blossomed on her face making Faith roll her eyes.
"Fine, you're all loved up. I get it, but why the hell should I want to talk to you, I don't even know you… I don't even know her"
"You mean your Mom?"
"Look, she might have spewed me out but there's a helluva lot more to being a Mom than just…"
"I know that all too well. I just thought that if you gave her a chance, a real chance, you'd see what a remarkable woman she truly is. She's been through a lot, as have you, I'm just saying that two wounded people can find how to mend their hearts together. Trust me on this", Emma said earnestly.
"Well huzzah to you for finding your high heeled heroine to explore the windy pits with", grunted Faith, "I just wanna know how the hell you found me anyway?"
"It's what I do. I find people who don't want to be found. But it was your dreams that provided all the clues to where you were"
"My dreams?", Faith said puzzled as she realised she had now synchronised her pace with Emma, not intentionally though.
"Yeah, you see your Mom is one kick ass witch, she could spank anyone's ass with magic. So she honed her feelings and sought out your aura or something, she explained it much better than me. But she visited your dreams as in your dreams you can't lie, all your truths are exposed"
"That's really creepy"
"Tell me about it. But do you really think she would do all this if she wasn't willing to go all out to get you back in her life? You were stolen from her, she was betrayed by that fucktard Snow White and she's been suffering all these years without you, and now she has a chance to get her daughter back, well you have no idea the lengths she'd go to for you"
"S-she really would do that…for me? Be Ripley to my Newt?", gulped Faith not knowing how to feel that someone could love her so unconditionally.
"Hell yeah. She has such mind blowing magic at her disposal that she could bring this world to its knees, or that's what she and her ego claims, but I know for a fact she would give it all up for her family"
"I thought Quentin said she was meant to be some kinda unstoppable bad ass? Not Mary Poppins with a grudge. Man, for an uber powerful witch she sounds totally pussy whipped"
"Oh, she is", Emma chuckled nudging Faith's shoulder which made the slayer let out an involuntary blast of laughter.
"Er….you got any smokes?", Faith asked as she patted her leather jacket down one more time in case she had missed a half smoked blunt.
"Yeah…it's my last one though", the Sheriff said pulling out the pack she kept hidden for those rare occasions when she needed a hit of nicotine, "Just don't tell your Mom or she'll kill me"
"Just who is the pussy whipped one again?", Faith chuckled as she lit her cigarette and breathed in the beautiful toxins.
"Hey, Just 'cos I…..nevermind", replied the Sheriff as she and the slayer passed the smoke back between them and settled into a strangely empathetic moment of silence.
"So….Emma….what were you saying?", the brunette said letting the silver phantoms roll from her nostrils.
"About what? Oh right, yeah. When Regina checked out your dreams there was all this stuff about slayer's and demon's and things, looked pretty scary", Emma said feeling strangely at ease with this girl she'd only just met, for the Sheriff had unearthed all she could on the young slayer and felt such a kinship knowing full well the disposable attitude of paycheck hungry foster families in that part of town.
"You have no idea. But how come you're so willing to believe in all that?"
"Hey, I come from a world of magic and trolls and stuff so this isn't much of a leap"
"So…these dreams….my dreams…"
"Don't think that she was spying on you like that, but she was desperate to find you. Thanks to your dreams she knows what you do to protect the Hellmouth, is that what it's called? Anyway, she knows the strength of your heart and how much you love that bunny"
"What bunny? I don't have a bunny", Faith said with a scowl, her mood lightening as the easy going converse rebounded between the two.
"The blonde girl in the pigtails and the school uniform who was bent over your lap as you….."
"Oh jesus! She saw that dream?!", Faith spluttered out as a blush crept across her face.
"She didn't mean to, 'Gina told me about it as I needed to know everything she could find before I started my search for you. It just sort of spilled out…..but to be honest", said Emma lowering her voice to a mischievous whisper, "You're not the only one to have dreams like that"
"Ok, I really didn't need to know that", Faith quickly replied, "Anyway, her name isn't bunny, it's Buffy"
"That's her real name?", Emma said with wide eyes, "Was her Mom stoned when she had her?"
"Probably. Her Mom was an art student so it'd make sense for her to hit the bong"
"Like you never have?"
"Haven't you?"
"Hey, I wasn't always the stable Mom and reliable girlfriend figure. I've had my fair share of the old herbal confusion too"
"But what about snortin'…..er…nevermind", Faith said cutting off the truth of her hedonistic youth, "So this Queenie….er…Regina, c-could she see my nightmares too?
"She knows how much you were hurt as a child, it tears her apart knowing that she could do nothing to protect you back then", Emma said empathetically daring to place a comforting hand on the slayer's shoulder which, to both their surprise, wasn't shrugged off, "That's why she wants to help you now, Faith listen to me. I know most people had cast you off and expected the only valuable skill you'd pick up at school was how to make a shiv out of a toothbrush, that's why I know how much you're in need of a Mom…."
"No, I don't. I don't need anything. I've survived all this time without a real Mom and I can…."
"Faith", Emma said softly staring into her doe eyes, "I can always tell when people lie, it's a gift. Your Mom could be everything you've ever needed and wanted from this crappy old world. Don't throw it away just 'cos of your pride, you don't want to regret this. I would've done anything to have my parents back in my life, now you have that opportunity, I know you're scared…."
"I'm not scared of anything", bluffed Faith.
"Not even the Judean People's Front?"
"So not funny"
"Sorry. Anyway, you might be apprehensive of what may lie ahead, I sure as hell am, but I think…..I know Regina is worth trying for. Trust me, having her in your life is a blessing and no mistake"
"Just click my heels three times and everything will be peachy? Then we can all go back to the Hundred Acre Wood?", Faith said flippantly as she flicked the cigarette butt away.
"You mean the Enchanted Forest"
"Same diff. So how come you didn't go back there when the curse broke?"
"Beats me, it's not like the curse came with an instruction manual and a handy eight page pull-out troubleshooting guide"
"Look, this is way too much for me to handle. It's not like I haven't got enough shit to deal with, slaying is a regular gig and Buffy is kinda high maintenance. And now I got pressganged by Mrs S into going back to school….and we got careers days soon and I ain't got a clue what I wanna do with my life"
"Your life? You're a Princess, and the daughter of a shit kickin' witch….."
"Pfft, she doesn't even have any flying monkeys", Faith shrugged trying to gather her nonchalance but failing.
"Oh, you don't want to know the argument we had on my last birthday about that. I mean I only asked for one but she said no, I told her it's such a waste to have this power and not use it. It'd be like having laser eyes and only ever using them to heat up soup", Emma said with a shrug. "Believe me, I can't imagine a world without having Regina in it, she could be everything to you. Like me, when she finally said to me those three little words…"
"Murder suicide pact?"
"What the hell is wrong with you?", Emma said with a smirk.
"Too many Troma flicks", shrugged Faith in reply.
"Fair enough. But as I was saying, when Regina finally told me she loved me…man, I haven't cried like that since the death of Tasha Yar"
"You too, huh?"
"See, we're not that different. Y'see I was like you, lost, alone, pissed at the world. I made so many mistakes when I was your age, things I wish more than anything to change but I can't. You've been given the chance to change your life for the better, just listen to your heart as it'll tell you what you already know but are too afraid to….."
"Who said I'm afraid yo?"
"'Yo?'. Reel it in there Feminem. But you gotta walking lie detector here. You try to lie but you're just fooling yourself, don't let your pride rob you of the greatest thing you could ever hope for, when I realised just how much Regina loved me …..well, best day of my life. Don't you want that too?"
"The best day of my life happened a few months back when that travelling wet bikini contortionist troupe came to town. Man, me and Xander must've spent two hundred bucks that night", Faith said trying to wander off track for she hated having someone read her so easily, though in her heart it felt comforting to know someone else had been through the same trials as she.
"I bet Buffy wasn't too happy about that"
"Oh, we weren't together back then. But when she found out she got all pissy and we had this massive fight and that's when she told me how she really felt about me. So it was a good thing in the end"
"Look, we're flying off on a tangent again. But the nuts and bolts of it all is that Regina wants more than anything to have a chance to prove herself to you. And believe me, what Regina wants Regina gets….it's why I spent Valentine's with a gallon of ice cream, a bottle of tequila and a Twister mat when we…."
"Ok, that's way too much info!", Faith blustered in again, "But… how long do I have to think about it?"
"Take all the time you need as we're not going anywhere", Emma said softly with the flicker of motherly concern parading in her eyes.
"So you're staying then?"
"Yes. I'm sure once Regina is Mayor…like I said, she always gets what she wants"
"Want. Take. Have"
"Huh?"
"Nothing", Faith said dismissively not wanting to own up to certain deeds.
"Anyway, like I was saying, once Regina is in charge I'm sure I could get a job as Sheriff of this town"
"Wouldn't be hard, all the cops round here are fuckin' retarded. Hang on, you're a pig?", Faith said feeling slightly guilty for things she hadn't even done yet.
"Yep", Emma said flashing her badge, though it meant little on this side of the country, "But first and foremost I'm a Mom…..maybe even….a stepmom….. to you?"
"A s-step…oh….christ I think my brain is about to melt…..", the young brunette said as her eyes bulged a little as now, after years of hoping, she was being smothered by members of her strange and extended family.
"So, I have to ask….what is a slayer anyway?"
"I could give you the usual spiel about how one girl in every generation is called to fight demons n' shit but it's total crap. I mean, this town's had three slayer's in the last three years, so it seems that every generation has at least a dozen slayer's born into it, it's utter bullshit", Faith grunted.
"Ok, you lost me here"
"A slayer, always a hot chick, is super strong and agile, heals faster and can sense vampires n' stuff, it's a pretty rockin' gig. Despite the whole fighting-for-your-life thing every night, but the double H's make up for it"
"Ok, that's even more vague. I can see I'm gonna need some kind of translator talking to you"
"Well…look, if you're gonna be staying in Sunnydale there's a lot you need to know about things that go bump in the night. Me and B and gonna be sparring later, I'm all worked up and not in a good way, I need some grunt and grind, but first I gotta talk to someone"
"Huh?"
"Nevermind. Meet me in an hour so you can check out what a slayer is capable of…. you and….Mom", said Faith feeling the unusual warm tickle in her innards at using such a term as she bounded away up the path to the house on Revello Drive where she knew there was friendly ear for her worries.
"Faith, you're back early. Did you have another spat with Buffy?"
"No, not yet anyway. You busy, Mrs S?"
"I'm never too busy for you honey, you know that. What's on your mind?", Joyce said ushering the young girl inside where the smell of freshly brewed coffee flooded her senses.
"Man, where do I start?"
Meanwhile, across town
"That stupid witch. How dare she come to my town and think she can get away with this?", ranted Willow in embarrassed rage as she threw her rucksack across her bedroom before pulling open her favored spell book, an ancient tome it certainly was, "I'll show her. I'll show Faith too, how can that old witch think she's better than me?"
"Oh, but she is better than you. Everyone is", came an eerie voice from the shadows of the room.
"W-who are you? W-what do you want?"
"Who I am is not important. But what I want…..is very important. I have come so you may repay me"
"Repay you? B-but I don't owe you anything", Willow squeaked out in terror as she backed away.
"That's where you're wrong dearie", said the man who emerged from the shadows, "For all magic comes with a price!"