Faith goes looking for her father to answer some of her questions left by her mother's return. Buffy tries to help as best she can, leading her to ask questions about her own relationship with her father and whether she should do the same.
I look over at Faith sitting next to me. She looks back at me for a second and smiles before she goes back to focusing on the floor.
I didn't think it would be, but it's starting to feel okay. It might have only been a few months, but I do feel something approaching normal. Having Faith around has a lot to do with that. She's been so good to me in so many ways. Even when she was recovering after what her mom tried to do to her, she was there if I needed her to be. Or she tried to be anyway. I could tell that something was off but that she wasn't really ready to talk about it. She needed time and I was okay with giving it to her.
After the way she's recovered though, I figured it was time to bring it up. She's been real quiet lately and I knew there was something on her mind. Last night felt like the time to do it. Not that it was any kind of plan or anything. More of an impulse that I had to follow or it was going to keep bugging me. Thankfully, it didn't end badly the way most things have with us. I think we both feel better that we talked about it. Now it's just a question of what happens next.
I want Faith to get what she wants.I want her to find the answers she's looking for. Of course, there's no real way to know if she'll get it. She could end up with more questions than answers depending on what Giles says. Her mother wasn't the nicest person in the world and she kept a lot to herself. She did try to kill her own daughter to bring back her evil lover. That doesn't tend to be good for answers. Not that I know what her questions are.
We didn't exactly talk about what her questions are. I didn't want to push her further than she wanted to go. I figured I'd let her ask them herself. That felt like the friendly thing to do. And then I'll just help her deal with whatever the fallout of the answers are. I'm sure it'll all be fine. It has to be after everything we've been through. She deserves to have her answers.
I'll just have to find a way to make sure she gets them.
Giles comes in from the kitchen with a cup of tea, setting it down on his coffee table before sitting down across from us in his chair.
"My apologies for that."
Faith comments before I can.
"It's cool, you British do love your tea."
He doesn't say anything right away.
I love the way he gets uncomfortable when we say stuff like that.
"Indeed... so how can I assist you both?"
Not both of us.
"Well, it's mostly Faith that needs your help."
That has Giles look to Faith. She decides to just say it.
"I need answers."
He gets a curious look on her face.
"Answers to what, exactly?"
She looks at me for a moment and I try to give her a supportive look. It makes Faith turn back to Giles at her words.
"Mostly about my mother."
Again he takes a second for Giles to see anything.
"I see... and you feel that you're ready for this?"
Faith gets kind've annoyed at that.
"What do you mean?"
He glances at me for a second, then goes back to Faith.
"I'm aware of what you've been through recently. I do not wish to do anything that might cause problems."
He's just trying to help.
"I appreciate it G man, but... I'm good. B and I talked about it and, we think we're both in a good enough place to handle it."
Giles turns to me again and I nod so he knows I'm okay with it. He takes a deep breath.
"In anticipation of the possibility that you might have questions, I took the liberty of reading up on your mother and what is known of her."
I knew he'd be thinking ahead like this. He was the right person to go to.
"What do you wish to know?"
There's a long silence in the room as Faith considers the question for a moment before speaking.
"Was she who she said she was?"
"It would appear so."
"How is that even a thing?"
He takes a moment.
"It's... unclear. Up until the moment you both told me what had happened with your mother, I was unaware of these facts. It seems that only a select few in the Watcher's Council had knowledge of the true circumstances of how things had happened with the First Slayer."
What the hell?
"And they kept it from people? From us?"
"Unfortunately, yes."
Faith lets out an angry sigh.
"Well if I didn't have reason to hate them before, I definitely do now."
I look at her and her expression is kind've unreadable. It has me reaching out and putting my hand on hers.
"Are you okay?"
She turns her focus to me for a second.
"Yeah... I'm good."
Her attention returns to Giles.
"So what does that make me?"
What?
"It doesn't make you anything Faith. You're just you."
She looks at me when responding.
"Except that I'm not B. You heard what my mom said. The power that I have, it's different. And she said it comes from her."
Again she focuses on Giles.
"Is that true?"
Giles gives her a sympathetic smile.
"It is more than likely. However that does not necessarily mean you should be concerned."
It's not?
She gets there before I do.
"Why not?"
"From what I have surmised of Angel's son, he is simply an enhanced human being. Despite the circumstances of his birth, he is otherwise normal. There is no reason to think you would be any different."
Faith seems to consider that for a while.
I should do something... say something.
"See Faith? You're the same person you always have been."
She looks at me.
I'm not sure she entirely believes that. There's still doubt in her eyes.
"What about my father?"
Her father?
"What about him?"
Her focus turns back to Giles.
"With my mom dead, is he going to show up and try to attack me too?"
"I do not believe so. Your mother's history had certain indicators which were ignored. Having gone through your father's history, he has none of the same indicators of concern. He is simply an ordinary human."
She takes a deep breath at that.
"I thought my mother was ordinary too. Turns out not so much."
"I assure you. He is who he claimed to be. However, you could contact him and find out for yourself."
Contact her Dad? Is that something she could do?
"How?"
"I was able to track down his information... if you wish."
Faith doesn't say anything in response.
Could Faith really do that? Is she ready for it?
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