Well, it's Sunday which means it's time for that update! I'm working on an update for Renewed Hope, so thank you all for your patience and your continued support. I appreciate it more than I think any of you realize, so with that said, on to the chapter!
"Wake up, Squirt; you've got early training." Faith peaks into Amanda's room the next morning. Amanda groans and rolls over, glaring at the clock that blinks back brightly 5:48 am. She groans louder,
"Faith, I just got to sleep an hour ago." She whines. Faith snorts but leans against the open doorway.
"I told you to go to sleep early," she says moving into the room. She pokes Amanda in the shoulder and Amanda pouts and looks up at her.
"I know I was just excited." She says yawning and rubbing her eyes.
"About what?" Faith asks curiously. Amanda shrugs and looks at Faith's knee.
"About staying up with Cordelia and having girl-talk." She says quietly. "No offense, but I don't really get it much here and before … well Dawn was sweet but everything usually went back to stories about sneaking out to follow Buffy." She says with a shrug. Faith nods, wetting her lips and looking away.
"Look, Kid, I get that you're happy to have someone to share all your secrets or whatever with, but we really need to work on you sleeping at a decent hour." She says firmly. "Get up and get dressed. I'll feed ya before I work you and your little partner in crime into the ground." She says patting Amanda on the arm.
"Andrew's training with me? Why?" she asks, her eyes widening. Faith glances at her over her shoulder.
"Because if he asks me again, I'm going to kill him." She calls.
"Ugh, what the hell Road to Redemption, it's not even six am!" Cordelia glares walking into Faith's kitchen. Faith chuckles to herself, not even bothering to look up.
"Man up, Queen C, you're suffering with the runt since you kept her up." she says. "Besides, it's six thirty." She says plating some eggs.
"It's not my fault the girl doesn't know how to have a proper girl's night; she could have said she was tired." She mutters. Faith just shakes her head with a smile; she was in a great mood today and nothing would change it. She adds some bacon to the plate and turns to hand it to Cordelia; almost choking when she notices the tank-top Cordelia is in. her eyes linger on Cordelia's chest area for a few seconds before she recovers and hands her neighbor her plate.
"Angel ever teach you to fight?" she asks turning back to the stove. Cordelia doesn't speak at first but finally speaks up.
"He taught me a few moves, why?" she hears. Faith shrugs a solitary shoulder.
"Wanna help me with the two half-pints?" she asks. Cordelia doesn't answer verbally but makes a sound in the back of her throat. Faith takes it as a yes.
Cordelia watches Faith closely, paying attention to the patience that Faith uses when trying to help Andrew understand a few defensive moves. It's the first time since she met Faith that she's really just watched her while she was in her slaying element and she can't help but be surprised. She'd heard stories from the Buffy gang as well as Angel that Faith was a reckless fighter, that she was impulsive even. But watching her now, the calmness on her face and the genuine smile of amusement when Andrew huffs in annoyance she can't help but wonder what they were talking about.
"She said that prison was good for her." Amanda says flopping down beside Cordelia.
"What?" the older woman questions. Amanda waves her water bottle at the two,
"Faith," she explains. "I told her that I heard she was a sucky fighter and she said she used to be, but prison was good for her. It taught her patience and she even learned some skill in there." She says gulping the water happily. Cordelia 'hums' in her throat and nods, going back to studying Faith.
"Would it be better if you saw it happen a few times instead of trying to do it?" Faith asks finally. Andrew nods, just ready to sit down. Faith snorts,
"Alright, Runt, let's show Tinkerbel-"
"I'll do it." Cordelia volunteers. Faith raises an eyebrow,
"You?" she asks, her tone amused. Cordelia huffs and waves a hand.
"Uh, hello, worked with a slayer and her band of misfits as well as a broodsome vampire who has a knack for attracting danger; do you really think I can't handle a few defensive moves?" she asks, genuinely insulted. Faith raises her hand in surrender.
"Well, Queenie, bring it on." She says stepping back and cracking her knuckles. Cordelia stands with a happy smile.
"Glad too." She says with a smirk.
Annie sighs and looks around her small apartment, grabbing one of the taped up boxes and tearing into it quickly. It takes her a few hours and several boxes, but she finally finds an old family photo album and opens it with a happy smile. A young brunette girl with her arms around a tall man greets her first and she can't help but smile.
"Oh, Patrick," she says wistfully. "Things could have been so different." she adds, a single tear rolling down her cheek.