Series:
Memories of Old (II)Author: Saskia Mae
Rating: NC-17
Pairings: Non in this part.
Spoilers: Set after The Yoko Factor but changes arise from Season 3.
Summary: Faith sits in Jail with her memories to keep her company
Feedback: Hell yeah, anything… please feed me.aussieslayerette@yahoo.com
Note: Thoughts are in {{ }} Flash backs are in # # # # # # #
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me, Joss Whedon has that lovely. I just borrow.
Dedication: biggest hug goes to the lovely Wlfgrrl who did a wonderful job of going through this for me. You are just the best.
Remembered Emotions (2/4)
Faith sat down at her table and opened the book. She took the photo out and leaned it against the wall so she could see it. "For Willow" she said to herself quietly before taking up a pen.
I don’t know what to write, but Angel gave me the damn book and it just keeps sitting there waiting to be written in. Angel came and saw me the other day, said some shit about changing, for Willow. When I first opened this stupid book our snap fell out. The one Rupert took of us. Id almost forgotten about it, forgotten about that time, how things were going in my life. Look where destiny took me from there, great fucking life. I’m in jail waiting for a psych report. I honestly don’t know what to think any more. Angel said I could change, but Buffy, Buffy didn’t believe him. Can you believe that girl, hitting Angel. Don’t think he was all that happy about Buffy being in ‘his town’ or so he said. Not that I blame him, if I had gone through what they'd gone through I doubt I’d want my ex around. Shit that's just why I ran from Sunnydale. Well, that and the me swapping bodies with Buffy thing. I think she was kinda mad about that, and honestly, who wouldn’t be. But even that short time I was her I got to see what things could have been like. What if I’d stayed at home, had a family, friends? Hell, even if I hadn’t gone to the Mayor I might have made it, Red was willing to be friends, maybe even more. But I stuffed that all up. I had only begun to think of the possibilities and then I screwed it up, like everything else.
# # # # # # #
( SUNNYDALE DURING DOPPELGANGLAND)
Faith walked down the street soundlessly, as only a slayer hunting could be. <<Going to get Willow. How dare he try and kill my Willow. What would he know about what I want.>> Faith paused behind a dumpster trying to see where the Vampires were. <<Nice outfit Red, where did you get that thing? Never thought I’d see you in that much leather>> She thought as she caught a glimpse of their prey.
"Willow Rosenberg?" One of them asked. Faith moved forward. <<I gotta be closer if I’m going to be any help. But I can't let the vamps see my face, that’s why the prissy girl clothes>> she moved forward carefully.
"There must be some mistake, we were sent after a human."
<<Human?...Willow not human?...god, she’s a vamp. Hell when did that happen? I gotta keep an eye on this. Get in the Bronze, they're sure to go in there.>>
# # # # # # #
"So after much consideration we have decided that you would benefit much more from the facilities this hospital could offer. You have been cleared to go there, and once they decide you are stable you shall be released."
Even with the warning Faith was shocked. They were taking her to a psych hospital, she was out of this place, and if she was found to be mentally stable they would release her <<I just don’t believe this. How on earth did this happen, I was so sure I was going to rot away in this hell hole.>>
"Please collect any personal items you have and be ready to transfer before noon"
<<Personal items, don’t have many of them any more. Only the things Angel has brought for me. Wonder if he can still visit when I’m in the mad house>>
"This is your room." the nurse said opening a door and leading Faith inside. "Not much, but better then those cells. Don’t know how you could stand it over in that jail. Well, I think you will settle in very soon. It’s really nice here, all the people are, well, they are nice, and the staff are wonderful. Remember Faith, we are all here to help you get better. We all want to see you walk out of here, and in a good way, out on your own, able to live in the world again. Anyway, I will let you get settled, you can go anywhere in this building just stay inside for now. I’m sure you will find that suitable for the time being. We are a very trusting community here Faith, I would hate to see you moved to one of the more strict buildings. Just keep to the rules and you’ll be fine. I’ll call when Faith shook her head to try and clear it when the nurse walked out.
"Talk about your friendly people. Thought she'd never leave. Now, let's see what this room is like." Faith was surprised to see that she had a large room.
"Much better than that cell. Hell, not much could be worse." Images of the streets hit Faith. Dirty, dark, all alone, cold. "Okay, maybe jail wasn’t so bad, but this is still heaps better."
"Would have to agree with you there." Cordelia’s voice drifted across the room.
"So, this is the place they've got you. Gotta say, moving up in the world, maybe by the time you get out of here you'll be somewhere nearly normal."
"Um, thanks Cor. What're you doing here?"
"Angel wanted me to give you this. He would have come but it's kinda light outside and sun still doesn’t agree with his skin type." She handed over a bag.
"What is it?" Faith asked eyeing the bag suspiciously.
"Don’t know all of it, but some is clothes. Can you believe it, Angel sent me shopping for clothes to send to you. Like you could appreciate my fashion sense."
"Hey Cor, do you have to?" Cordelia blushed
"Sorry, you know me, always saying the first thing that comes into my head. Not always what people want to hear. Anyway, apart from that I have no idea what's in there. He just asked me to bring it, so I did."
"Thanks Cor. I mean that, thanks for coming. I could bet you weren’t too thrilled about it. Not after what I did to you all. I wanted to say sorry for all that. I can't say why I did it, but I’m sorry I did."
Cordelia nodded. "Yeah well, I kinda figured that if you were going straight maybe you would be sorry." Faith giggled, "Who said anything about straight Cor?"
Cordelia moved close enough to slap Faiths arm gently.
"Oh, I wasn’t talking about that. Hey, you know what I found out?" Cordelia asked sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Sure don’t. It’s kinda lacking in the information thing inside these places. Well, information that means anything."
"I found out that Willow is doing the whole witchy-dyke thing. Girl named Tara. They met at College. I mean, can you believe it?...Willow."
Faith sat down suddenly. <<Don’t let her know this bothers you Faith. She’ll only go and tell the others. Hell you already knew that. That’s what you tell her. Should confuse her enough.>>
"Yeah, worked that one out when I was there last." Cordelia’s face knotted in confusion.
"When I stole B’s body. Kinda bumped into Red and that chick, what did you say her name was?...Tara. Yeah, they were looking kinda chummy then. Figured they were seeing each other."
# # # # # # #
(BUFFY'S DORM ROOM DURING WHO ARE YOU)
"I can’t believe it" Faith said to herself as she stormed around the dorm room. "Why would Red go and get a girlfriend? She was happy with Oz. She told me so many times. Hell, she told me about Tara as well. I can only just remember it. She must have met her when I was out of it. Now I remember." Faith moved around the room looking through Buffy’s things.
"I gotta get outa here. Before something bad happens. How can I leave Red, she was so good to me. She's always been so good to me. Yeah, and look how you repay her, you kidnap her." Faith paused for a minute, her eyes glazed over as she remembered that night. "Kidnap her" she continued slightly shaken "try and kill her friend, come back and steal her best friend's body, yeah, great way to say ‘thank you’ ...I gotta get outa here." <<Letter, leave a letter. She’s sure to come back at some time. Where would Buffy have writing paper?>>
Faith stayed long enough to write a note and place it on Willow's bed before grabbing a packed bag.
"I'll miss you Red, wish things coulda been different." she said as she walked out the door.
# # # # # # #
"How did you get in here?" Cordelia asked Faith again.
"Huh?...sorry. I was thinking. How did I get in here, hell knows, why?" Faith shook her head to clear it <<seem to be off with the whatever a lot lately, don’t think Cor noticed that much.>>
"Just that this is a very exclusive hospital. I mean, it costs a fortune to get into this place, I was wondering how you got to be in here. Didn’t know you had any money."
"I don’t, have any money that is. You mean you gotta pay big to get in here?" Faith was confused, why would someone pay for her way through this hospital?
"Sure do, was thinking maybe you had heaps of cash now or something. At first I thought maybe Angel had sponsored you here, but nothing in any of his accounts says so." Cordelia paused as a smile spread across her face "I know I know, shouldn’t be peeking at his accounts, but I needed to know how much was in the account for work, you know that guy has some major untapped resources."
"I’m sure he does Cor, but you certain it wasn’t him?" Faith asked, worry creeping into her voice.
"Nope, managed to sneak into your files, said a Mr Byron got you the place. Whoever the hell he is, couldn’t pull anything up on him, not even when I got tips from Willow."
"Sorry to interrupt girls, but it’s time for Faith to join the group for a meal." A nurse said popping her head in the door.
"Okay, well I guess that's a nice way of telling me to run along. Hope you find something useful in that great lug of a thing." Cordelia gestured to the bag she had brought.
"Thanks Cor, thanks for the bag, and thanks for coming here." Faith said nervously. <<This shit is hard to get used to saying. I hope it gets easier, don’t know how much more of this I can take.>>
"Faith you have another visitor. Goodness me, you are popular, two people in one day." The nurse walked out, leaving Angel standing in the doorway.
"I see you got the bag." He said smiling at the pile of things surrounding Faith on the floor.
"Trust you to come just as I’m going through the stupid thing." Faith teased "Why did you send Cordelia if you were coming later?" Faith started to smile before Angel could even answer.
"So you could see Cordelia, she said she thinks you can improve. That was meant to be a complement I think. Somewhere around, she thinks you can change, that you're not a lost cause." He smiled to himself "I’m getting better at interpreting, don’t you think?"
"Oh yeah, you wouldn’t have known what to think about her saying that when you first hired her."
"So you actually went there and met Beefstick?" Faith laughed.
"Yeah, and I really didn’t like him."
"Now there's something I’m glad to hear you say." Faith paused nervously before continuing, "Um, Angel, did you happen to, perhaps run into, Willow when you were there?" << There I asked, who would've known it would be so hard to ask after her>>
"I did, actually she found me, asked me to do something as well."
"Yeah, and what was that?" Faith raised her eyebrows.
"Give you this." he answered, handing over an envelope. "I should go now, let you read that. If you want me to get anything back to her I can."
"Wait, there’s something I gotta ask you." Angel stood and looked at Faith, waiting for the question.
"How much does it cost to be in here?"
"Don’t know, I could find out if you want to know."
"So you aren’t paying for me to be here?" Angel shook his head.
"But someone is? Do you know who they are?"
"Yes Faith I know who's paying your way out, and I know that Cordelia told you."
"Why would he do something like that?" Faith asked
"I guess he just believes in his little girl, Faith"
* * * *
End Part Two
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