Disclaimers: See Part 1.

Faith's Journal

 

June 2000

 
So when did this happen to me?
 
When did I change from the slayer in complete control over emotions, thoughts and motor functions into this crazy, burning, babbling idiot sat in this sleazepit writing words that don’t even sound like me?
 
How did I let her in my heart? Shit, I never even realised it had a key, let alone that it was in easy reach of her hands. I never saw her coming, and that’s the weird part. I mean I’m no fool when it comes to the L word. Maybe the Scooby’s think I’m incapable, maybe even she thinks that, and I sure as hell know Army Boy thinks all I’m good for is a vertical slaying and a horizontal laying. But I’ve been there. I know the signs to dodge and drive around. There’s no actual road map, I know that, but all the same there’s some familiar landmarks to watch out for. Breathlessness for one thing just catching a glimpse of her smile. Losing the ability to say anything more intelligent than “five by five” whenever she asks me how I am. Laying awake night after night thinking about when I’ll next see her. These I should have seen as the warning signs that they are. Hell they practically have a big flashing light on top of them and if you strain hard enough…yep..there’s definitely a siren screeching “Stop! Trouble ahead!!!!”
 
But no! Instead it’s WHAM! There it was one morning when I woke up. Like FederalExpress delivered it over night, all neatly boxed up with a bright red ribbon and glittery gold writing on the outside. “To Faith with love from the demon of the heart, priest of all things fucked up, keeper of there’s no way out of this one.”
 
And I tried not to open it man. I’ve really tried. In fact some days didn’t even notice there was this massive package hanging around my neck, weighing me down yet making me feel light headed at the same time. A yin and yang kinda deal, balancing themselves out so one moment I’m all woo-hoo, suns out, Giles got me some new boxing gloves for training, and I got to spend five minutes of non-slayer time with B when she didn’t mention Army Boy once. Then the next its like this fucking weight is pressing me down, heavier than all the shitheads that have wailed me rolled into one, and I’m off my game, miss some easy stakes and have to explain that to Giles, and its all I can do not to knock that smug look off of Army Boys cardboard face every time B walks in and give him a “hello big boy” kiss on the mouth. God its like my skin grows a life of its own and wants off my body, to pound him into the ground just for being that close to B. I have to admit it now, there’s been more of the weightier moments than the light, more of the yang…or would it be the yin??? Oh who gives a fuck right? Same difference. Its been shitty not opening up that box, so I went ahead and opened it, only I had to do it in my own fucked up why didn’t I?
 
Guess who showed up for a visit a few days ago? An old buddy of mine decided to swing by Sunnydale, didn’t say where she was going to but thought our quaint little doorway to hell seemed a good enough spot to park up her leathers, kick off her boots and put on the darkest, reddest lipstick she could find. Hadn’t seen her in a long time, she can be kinda fun, so I invited her to stay awhile. Wasn’t until she’d been around a few days did I realise why I had avoided her for so long. She’s a bitch, not one of little Dawnie’s bee-atchs either, but a cold hearted, foolish, selfish grown-up variety of bitch. What’s her name?
 
Faith.