Have Faith

Chapter 4

"The things you own end up owning you. It's only after you lose everything that you're free to do anything." Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club

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Chapter Four

Faith furrowed her eyebrows. "I beg your pardon?"

Cassian chuckled softly. "Don't you know me, Faith?"

Faith shook her head slowly. Cassian noticed her grip tightening on Lucy's hand. She was nervous. "Should I?" she asked quietly.

Even though his face was not as gaunt as it once was, Cassian still tucked his wayward black curls behind his ears so she could better see his face. "Do you not remember the half-dead boy you once met on the side of the road?"

Faith's shoulders immediately relaxed as her mouth opened in shock. He could see it in her eyes. She remembered. She may not have recognised him but she did remember him. Faith covered her mouth with her hand as she gasped.

Lucy tugged on the skirt of Faith's dress. "Mama?" she questioned.

Faith did not seem to even hear her. Her brown eyes were appraising him, looking over his entire person in utter shock. He had certainly changed. When last they met he had not owned a pair of boots.

"Yes, I remember you, Cassian," she finally said.

Cassian smiled. She remembered his name.

Faith released Lucy's hand and left her holding her doll. She walked slowly towards him, still searching him with her eyes. She stopped not even a foot from him. She looked up into his eyes and cocked her head once more, a smile teasing her lips.

Cassian could not look away. Her stare was captivating.

"I can see you now," she whispered. She was so close that he could feel her breath on his throat. Goose pimples quickly covered his body and he shivered.

Cassian had wanted to reunite with his angel for so long. He had dreamed of her countless nights. He had seen her in crowds dozens of times, only to realise it was another. Her voice had haunted him.

Before Faith had found him, he could count on one hand the number of souls he had spoken to. He had been a poor, street urchin, worthy of nothing and no-one. People avoided him and ignored him. His death would not have affected anyone. One less urchin that polluted the street.

Cassian's existence had been meaningless until he had met Faith.

Faith had stopped. She had given up everything to help a stranger. She had been travelling as a rich woman and was now living in a tiny flat. Perhaps she had given Cassian everything.

"You saved my life, Faith," he said softly, "and I have been waiting three years to thank you."

Faith's eyes became glassy and he watched a tear travel down her cheek. "You cannot know how often I wondered about you. I felt such guilt for not taking you back into the village, or to a doctor. But you must understand, I could not, there was something that I desperately needed to do on that day."

Cassian recalled her driver urging her away from the man with possible "crawlers". They were anxious to be somewhere. He wondered where. But she did not need to feel guilty. "I was dying," he emphasised. "I felt myself dying. Had you not stopped I would have been dead within the hour, I know it. You saved my life. You were an angel," he said sincerely. "Are an angel," he corrected.

"Angel," she repeated. "Angel Faith ... is that supposed to be me?" she asked.

"An offering to the woman responsible for my success," replied Cassian, "and a thank you. Faith, I want you to know that I made something of myself, just as you asked. I am a success because of you."