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New town, new start |
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mercredi, 10 mai 2006 |
A small man was anxiously patting on his desk with his pencil and his look did not cease referring to the wall clock then to the watch at his wrist.
The room he was in, was small and badly lit by a desk lamp put down on a pile of books in a dangerous equilibrium.
There was a blow on the door and the man jumped on his chair where he was hauled down just before.
The door opened and a policeman appeared.
« Still not there Mr. Morris? »
The man called Morris shook his head with a weary air.
« No. Late again. »
« If they don’t come, you’ll have to tell … »
« I know my job Peter » the other one muttered.
« This girl is dangerous » Peter insisted. « Don’t be a lax person. »
"Ok, ok" Morris told off while raising his eyes to the sky. « I follow her for months. She’s on the right tracks. I know what I’m doing. »
« I say this for you, guy. They're always late. And you signal nothing. But do as you want. »
And with this, the policeman took out again and closed the door. Morris blew and looked at the clock once again. Soon nine hours would be pointed out by the needles that he looked at for the hundredth time that evening. His eyes returned then on the file put down in front of him. The photograph of a dark-haired young woman with a sullen air was stapled on a blank sheet that gave her identity summarily.
Morris read the following pages absent-mindedly while sighing.
Then, the door opened again, this time with a loud crash, and Morris jumped once again.
This time, a big and brown-haired man and the young woman of the photograph had just burst into the room, obviously both out of breath.
« Almost in time» Morris muttered while making them a sign to sit down.
The man closed the door behind him and both set up in front of Morris's desk. The man itemized them and frowned, seeing the dirty, full of dust, clothes of the two new comers.
« Almost in time and wholly presentable in addition to that » he added on a sarcastic tone.
« We’re really sorry. A small unexpected event. »
« Listen, Angel » Morris interrupted firmly. « Faith's situation is particular and under high surveillance. Your systematic delays are going to end up being back up. »
« I know, I know. We’re sorry. » Angel repeated on a tone of excuse.
Morris moved back in his chair and his look went to Faith who looked at her hands and made her as discreet as possible.
« I do what I can for you because I trust you. I believe in you Angel. But I won’t risk my career therefore. »
« We thank you Jack for what you’re doing. This won’t happen any more. » Angel promised.
« I warn you for her. » Morris answered. « You know that at her first misdemeanor, her probation will be abolished and she’ll go back to prison. And I think like you that being so young, her place is not in prison »
« We shall be on time consequently » Angel insisted.
"Definitely " Morris said while itemizing a still silent Faith once again. « And then also try to make sure not to look like you're just going out of a brawl when you come to the police station. »
***
« Why I had to come with you? »
Wesley raised his eyes to the sky and blew heavily.
« Cordelia, you asked me this about fifty times. »
Wesley raised his neck to try to see what blocked the circulation in front of the car in which he and Cordelia had set up. He consulted his watch then and blew once again.
« We're going to be late if this is going on » he grumbled while standing more again.
« Fifty times and I still don’t have an answer » Cordelia shot back as though Wesley had not spoken.
The watcher turned to her.
« You came to accompany me » he agreed to answer. « So that I don’t get bored during itinerary»
« And what about I get bored? Nobody is concerned about that? » Cordelia retorted.
« Obviously no » Wesley concluded.
« Can I know at least what we’re going to do? »
« I’ve already said this to you. We’re going to catch this girl at the bus station. »
« And who’s she? »
« She’s a friend of the scooby gang. Xander called to ask us to accommodate her during some time. »
« And what does she come to do here? »
« Take a break obviously »
Cordelia shrugged.
« A break from the city of terror, how surprising this is! Probably a girlfriend to whom he broke her heart » she grumbled.
« I don’t know about it more » Wesley said. « Only Angel may have some details »
« Why ‘s not Angel in charge of this himself then? If he’s the one who agreed to have this girl here? »
« He’s to Faith's appointment »
Cordelia raised her eyes to the sky and grimaced.
« Faith. Useful »
***
Tara went down from the bus, her thin baggage on her shoulder and searched a man who could match Xander's description for Wesley or Angel. There were a lot of people at the bus station and she noticed nobody who seemed to wait or to search somebody without finding. She waited for long minutes, immobile near the stopping of the bus without anybody approaching her.
Tara pouted finally while deciding to move. Her guests had perhaps simply forgotten her. Or Xander had forgotten to phone them to specify them the hour of the bus’ arrival. It didn't really matter.
She made her way into the crowd, looking frantically around her. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned round roughly.
"Hey " said a big and brown-haired man who was now standing in front of her.
"Hi" Tara answered on a halting tone while itemizing the foreigner. « You’re Wesley? Or Angel?»
The man nodded his head while smiling with all his teeth.
« Yes, that's right, I'm Angel. »
« Nice to meet you. I'm Tara »
« The pleasure is mine, Tara. Come with me.»
The blonde witch followed the man. This one moved away quickly from the arrival zone and took out a cigarettes pack from his pocket.
« You want one? » he offered.
"No, thank you" Tara said while shaking her head.
The man lit the cigarette and resumed walking with a quick step while throwing glances to the young woman. For an indefinable reason, this one felt very uneasy in his presence and did not cease looking around her, in case some monster flowed from darkness.
« Where are we going? » Tara asked after an instant of silence.
« Not very far » the other one answered.
He looked at her with a little more insistence and smiled.
« You’re nervous, I’d say »
"A little" Tara admitted.
« Don't be. There's no reason for you to be.»
***
« The bus from Sunnydale? At what time did it arrive? » Wesley asked while knocking the bar wildly. « Is it clear what I’m asking for? »
The employee behind the desk jumped lightly and turned round to look at a list hung on the wall behind her.
« About fifteen minutes ago, mister » she answered.
« Where are the passengers who went down from it? »
The woman had a small laugh.
« It was fifteen minutes ago. They left. »
« I came to catch somebody. And I don’t see her. A blonde young woman. A little more than twenty years. Blue-eyed. »
« If you think I look at all persons who go down from the bus » answered him mechanically the other one.
Wesley fulminated one more time against her but turned away and took Cordelia who waited for him patiently.
« Then? » she asked.
« About fifteen minutes ago » Wesley answered, totally irritated. « Of course she didn’t see her»
« Are you sure that Angel didn’t finish earlier with Faith and came to take her? »
« He would have told me I think »
Cordelia pouted, giving so her opinion on this affirmation.
« Ok. Call him on his cell. I’m going to have a quick look hereabouts. Stay here in case she comes back »
« Yes boss. » Cordelia grumbled.
The young woman took out her cell and made Angel's number while Wesley moved away from her at a quick pace, all senses on the lookout. He quicly reached a dark alley, which sank towards an industrial zone, still attentive to the slightest noise.
He didn’t have to move away a very long time before a scream hit his ears. The watcher started to run as quickly as he could in the direction where the noise came from. Going past a fence, he stopped dead of terror when he saw a big and strong vampire, hung on the neck of a young woman he had plated to the wall behind her. Wesley started running immediately while taking out a stake from his jacket.
As he arrived near the drama’s stage, he saw the vampire disappeared in dust and the body of the young woman subsided on the soil.
Wesley crossed quickly the distance between them and knelt near the young woman who held a stake in her shaking hands. Her face was pallid as death and Wesley pointed out a broad bite right away on her neck.
« You’re Tara, that's right? »
The young woman nodded her head barely by way of an answer.
« I’m Wesley. You don't have to be afraid any more. Can you get up? »
Wesley put his arm under the witch's shoulders to help her to get up but when she was just standing, her legs gave in under her. Wesley caught her and raised her in his arms. Then he seized the bag of the young woman, which was lying at his feet and hurried to go back towards Cordelia.
"Tara" he said to her while giving her a quick look. « Don’t lose consciousness. Stay with me »
But nothing could prevent it from happening. Wesley saw the blonde witch struggling for keeping her eyes open but her eyelids beat one or two times to end up closing up.
« Cordelia! » he howled as he almost reached the bus station.
The young woman rushed in his direction as she heard his anxious shouting.
« Wesley, it’s not Angel who’s… » she began.
« Ah, looks like you found her. » she finished, seeing that Wesley did not come back alone.
« Angel has just finished with Faith. He said that they’re on their way. »
"Useless" Wesley answered quickly. « Call him again and tell him rather to come back to the hotel and to prepare what will be needed to cure her. She was attacked by a vampire »
Cordelia raised an eyebrow and grimaced, seeing the broad wound on Tara's neck.
« This girl comes from Sunnydale. No doubt » she commented while composing Angel's number on her cell once again.
***
« How could this happen? » Angel asked on an energetic tone while pacing the living room in front of Wesley and Cordelia who were sat on the couch.
« There were traffic jams » Wesley explained. « We arrived late »
« Relax Angel » Faith threw from behind the bar where she ate a sandwich. « Your new protégée is going to make it. Besides, if I believe the traces I saw, she was already bitten recently»
« Another vampire girl» Cordelia commented coldly. « But hell, I get it, a fair-haired woman who comes from Sunnydale, why this would surprise me »
« Be wary she doesn’t wanna put her hands on the boss » Faith said before attacking a second sandwich.
« I’m not her type » Angel grumbled.
« How can you know that? » Cordelia retorted.
« I know» Angel simply argued. Then he turned to Wesley once again. « You say she killed the vampire herself? »
Wesley nodded.
« In front of me. He had time to bite her but she succeeded to take out her stake. I guess she’s used to go out with the scooby-gang »
" Yes " Angel confirmed. « It’s what Xander said to me. And she's a witch »
« A witch ? » Cordelia asked grimacing.
Angel nodded again.
« She's the one who initiated Willow. »
Cordelia issued a growling of protest.
« Willow was iniate even before Faith was called to be a Slayer and long before I left Sunnydale. I saw her making her first spell. Besides, it should remind you of something. And I didn’t know this girl »
"It doesn't much matter " Angel said, irritated. « A witch, she could have interesting knowledge.»
Wesley nodded thoughtfully.
« Really. A witch. It’s an interesting thing. She could turn out to be useful. »
"Careful" Angel tranquilized immediately. « We won’t make her take the slightest risk. Xander was very clear thereupon. I want her to come back to the gang in a single piece. »
« Then, if Xander said it! » Cordelia said, on an ironic tone.
« Buffy cares about her » Angel specified.
« And we wouldn’t disappoint Queen B! » Faith concluded.
Angel sighed and threw her a black look but refrained from answering.
« This conversation stops here. It’s late. You all should go to sleep. I’d watch over her. I call Sunnydale. »
His tone made it clear not to debate and no one tried. Wesley and Cordelia got up from the chesterfield and headed for the staircase, followed by Faith who took the remaining sandwiches with her.
***
When Faith got up the following morning and took down the steps which led to the lobby, she found the group gathered and in big debate.
« You sure this is a good idea? » Wesley asked Angel, his tone implying that he was not at all convinced.
The vampire nodded however with confidence.
« I’m sure. She’ll pull through very well »
« Hey. » Faith said, arriving near them.
« Good morning Faith » Wesley greeted her.
The Slayer perched herself on the bar and itemized both men, as well as Cordelia and Fred which both were sat on the chesterfield.
« Looks like to me you’re all ready to leave. A mission? »
"More or less " Angel answered. « We have a patron to see in town. »
« I’ll be ready in five minutes » Faith assured. « Time to pass by the kitchen and to slip on something more … »
Her look went down on her underpants and her docker and she concluded finally:
« Dressed. »
" Useless Faith " answered Angel. « You don’t come »
« Why? » the Slayer protested.
« I have a mission for you here. »
« A mission for me? »
« Somebody has to stay here to watch over Tara »
Faith made an eloquent grimace to show her lack of enthusiasm.
« What? You're kidding me? »
« No, we can’t leave her alone here. Somebody must stay »
« Why me? » Faith exclaimed.
« I prefer a girl. And I need the two others with me »
« Angel, I’m not a nurse » Faith protested vehemently once again.
« Don’t worry about this. She hasn’t regained consciousness yet but her state is stable and without risk. You should probably have nothing special to do. »
After this, Angel grabbed his coat, which was put down on the bar next to the Slayer and made a sign to the others to follow him. Cordelia and Fred got up and followed close on both men's heels.
« Have a good day Faith! » Cordelia said with a jolly tone.
"Bitch" Faith muttered, loud enough for the young woman to hear.
« See you later Faith. » Angel said.
« Angel! » Faith exclaimed. « Wait! »
The vampire stopped and turned to her.
« Yes? »
« And what if she wakes up? » asked the Slayer on a halting tone.
Angel smiled to her and raised his eyebrows as a sign of entertainment.
« Speak to her. Make dialogue. Girls' things »
« I don’t know how to make girls' things. » Faith protested. « I’m not even a real girl. »
« Not a real girl? » Angel asked, trying to control the smile the nervousness of the young woman made appear on his lips.
« I’m a Slayer. » Faith explained.
« Slayers are girls. Believe me »
And he opened the door to follow the others who had just taken out.
« You’ll go through this very well»
And the door closed again, leaving Faith upset on her bar.
***
After having drunk her coffee, swallowed dozens of pancakes and doughnuts left by the rest of the group, gone to take a shower and get dressed before getting back down to eat the rest of pastries once again, Faith decided that it was time to complete the mission given by Angel.
She headed towards the room where the group had installed Tara.
The Slayer opened the door delicately and entered the room. Blinds were half drawn, but she was seeing enough.
She blew once again, seeing that the young woman still slept, at the same time of relief and boredom.
Faith drew a chair and established herself next to Tara. She opened a drawer of the dresser, which was meadows of the bed and found an old comics there. She grimaced but decided that it would still be better than nothing to help her to spend her time.
She attacked her reading while having a quick look to the injured woman from time to time. Her look remained one instant on the trace of bite Tara had on her neck. She could not help going up to look closely and saw that there were several marks.
« At least two vampires » she said for herself. « What the hell the Slayer is doing? »
Her cogitation stopped there and Faith recovered in her chair and went back to her comics.
She was at the last third when Tara moved an arm. Faith raised her eyes towards her and saw Tara's hand clutching nervously on the sheets and her eyes fluttered two or three times before remaining opened. Faith put down her book on the dresser and looked at the witch without knowing really what to do. Finally, Tara's head turned to her and the fair-haired woman had to take some seconds before clarifying her view and asking her:
« Where... where am I? »
« At Angel's » Faith answered, relieved to see that she would have been able to at least, answer one of the wait of the young woman.
The fair-haired woman nodded and turned away from her, fixing the ceiling instead.
« Do you want something? » asked Faith whom silence made uneasy.
Tara looked at her once again and seemed to think about it one second before answering.
« Some water please? »
« Nothing else? »
Tara made a sign to say no then Faith nodded and got up. She went out of the room, went down the staircase four by four and went to the kitchen where she filled a big glass of water. She used this descent to the kitchen to swallow some marshmallows and left again to where she had come from.
Tara had straightened up during her absence and Faith tightened her the glass without other form of ceremony.
"Thank you " the fair-haired woman said simply, before putting the glass to her lips and drinking some sips slowly.
Faith remained silent, looking at her, wondering once again what to do now.
« You’re Faith, aren’t you? »
The Slayer was unexpectedly completely taken aback by the question. She looked at Tara and frowned, wondering if she knew her or if the young woman had simply acknowledged her according to descriptions - probably not very gratifying - made by the scoobies.
« We already met? » Faith asked.
"More or less " Tara answered on a cryptic tone.
Faith frowned a little more and itemized traits of the blonde, trying to replace her without succeeding. Tara pointed out her efforts and smiled a light and a bit bitter smile.
« I... I'm not somebody people usually remembers » she said simply, mumbling lightly in the process.
Faith answered nothing and thought Tara was going to explain from where they knew each other. But the blonde added nothing more and Faith preferred asking for nothing, not wishing that she reminded her of another not very glorious episode of her stay in Sunnydale. Tara drank once again and silence fell in the room, leaving Faith particularly uneasy and at a loose end. She took the glass from Tara's hands when this one had ended up drinking and prayed that the witch would need something else, which would allow her to escape for some instants.
« Something else? »
Tara shook her head.
"No, thank you"
The fair-haired woman indented in her pillows and Faith remained standing meadows to the bed, stupid, unable to know how to act.
« I...I th...» Tara began but stopped there noting that she stuttered once again.
She cursed her nervousness, which brought back this damn stammer on the front of the stage after a so long time, and inspired heavily to try to formulate her sentence.
And there, hearing the halting voice, seeing the embarrassed gaze, which was trying to avoid hers, Faith remembered. The blonde with Willow. At the Bronze. During the exchange of body with Buffy. A wave of shame immersed her one instant and the dark-haired Slayer felt even worse comfortable than before.
« You were in prison? » Tara ended up going out.
" Yes " Faith confirmed. « I’m on probation »
"Ah " Tara said simply, still without looking at Faith.
This one felt suddenly the urge to reassure the witch on her state.
« I’m in full redemption mode. You don’t have to get worried. I’m not dangerous any more. I …»
« You don’t have to justify yourself » Tara interrupted her. And she was very pleased with herself to have succeeded in saying what she wanted without stuttering once again.
Faith nodded her head and remained silent. The silence that followed seemed to her even more embarrassing than the previous. She looked around her, in search of the inspiration to take back any dialogue with the young woman. But this one soon drew her of embarrassment.
« I thi - think that I go to re - to rest now. You... you can go… »
Faith looked at Tara who had drawn the sheets almost up to her chin and had already closed her eyes.
« Ok. If you need anything, call me. I shall hear. »
***
« So? »
Faith raised her head from her newspaper when she heard Angel's voice. Hauled down on the lobby's couch, the Slayer hadn’t even raised her head towards the group when they had crossed the door.
« How is she ? » Wesley asked.
Faith rested the newspaper meadows of her and got up.
« She regained consciousness, drank a little and went back to sleep. » Faith said.
« She’s still sleeping? How long? »
« Two hours I think » Faith said, making a vague sign with her hand.
« You’re sure she was ok ? » Wesley insisted. « You wouldn’t perhaps have left her alone for a so long time. »
« I went regularly to see her. She’s sleeping, that's all » Faith argued, a bit bored.
Wesley and Angel nodded.
« Ok, I’m going to go and see her state with Fred » the former Watcher announced. « Fred? »
The young woman nodded and both moved away towards the staircase.
« I’m going to make some coffee » announced Cordelia who came back from going to deposit her topcoat. « You want some? Angel? Faith? »
« Ok for a coffee Queen C » Faith threw.
« Thank you Cordelia » Angel answered with a nod of his head.
Cordelia disappeared at her turn towards the kitchen, leaving Faith and Angel alone.
« So? » Angel repeated after a silence he took to observe the young woman.
« I said to you » Faith answered on an evasive tone. « She's ok. »
« You knew her in Sunnydale? » Angel asked shortly.
Faith made a grimace.
« A bit. I met her once, with Red, at the Bronze. In Buffy's body. »
« And? » Angel questioned, feeling the Slayer hesitated to go farther.
« And I was distasteful. » Faith concluded.
« I was me, that's all» she added, an ounce of bitterness in her voice. « Well, that's not the worst thing I made. I didn’t threaten her with death or hit her. »
« That's a good thing » Angel admitted. « So what did you do? »
Faith hesitated a second then told the vampire her short meeting with Tara at the Bronze two years earlier. When she had finished, she remained silent and stared at her hands reached in front of her, the same shame as earlier going on the surface again. Noting the absence of reaction of the vampire, she ended up raising her eyes towards him. Their looks crossed and Angel gave her a reassuring smile.
« I suggest that you offer her your apologies. »
« Excuses? For a thing just like that? » Faith exclaimed. « Anyway, I suck at apologies »
« More reason to make it. And you’re very able of it. You already proved it, remember. So, apologize »
Faith grimaced, clearly pointing out her lack of will to collaborate on this idea.
« We'll see» she mumbled after one minute of silence.
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