So, about that Watcher thing.. (Faith, Wesley)

[Lovely]

June 1, 2009
1:30pm
the hotel

The lobby was pretty well empty when Faith wandered in and started poking around a bit like she was looking for someone. In fact she was, Wesley of all people.. she was doing her nervous fidgiting, because.. well she was nervous. "Here Wesley.." She murmured softly, wondering how hard it would be to find a young, handsome, albeit somewhat pompus English dude.

Seeing the long hair in the shadows out of the corner of his eye as he straightened things around the lobby, he didn't think anything of who it was at first, but on closer inspection it was someone entirely different. "Something wrong Winifred? You look... um.. well actually nothing at all like Fred, Faith. Fancy ... well... seeing you here." In a way he feared Fred might be offended to know he'd made such a mistake.

"I was just thinking the same thing about you.. What the hell are you doing in this.. " Motions around with a grimace. "place?"

"Working. Sometimes," he sighed, not sure what to make of her reappearance. "It's called a hotel. With amenities if you're.. tired, thirsty.. "

"I'm both.. actually.. you know what I mean.. this place is..?" She sighed, brushing some dust off her jeans.

"They don't build hotels in 'nowhere'... usually. It's actually a nice, quiet town. Quite a bit like ... well... like my home. What would you like?"

"Love a beer if you have one..?" She smiled, flashing white teeth beyond the dark lipstick that she'd picked up in a drugstore at the last lay over. "Kind of reminds me of Sunnydale in a 'I need to run screaming for a city' kind of way. I totally understand your warm fuzzies though."

"A beer." He checked his watch but shouldn't be at all surprised at the request. He ducked behind the counter into the fridge to see if Dean bothered to leave any for anyone else. Surprised, it appeared the last ones were left untouched and he brought her one, offering one of their puffy seats for her to rest on. "Your observations haven't failed you. Once a slayer... Hm... right then. So you're here in Forks. Forgive the warm fuzzies, but... why?"

"Got kicked off my bus.." She shrugged and shook her head to the seat, too much nervous energy. She took the beer and had herself a nice long drink before looking at Wesley again. "Is that like once a Watcher always a Watcher?"

"Apparently." He gave her a side glance and stepped out of her reach to pace outside her path. "I think I may need to rephrase that. Where were you meaning to go that wasn't here? If it's not far, maybe someone could get you a ride." He was reluctant to say exactly who or offer their services unaware. It was making him wonder what turn of events would bring a slayer here, not believing coincidence to be so simple an explanation. Cordelia's visions hadn't brought them news of vampires lately, so what did it mean?

"Anywhere that wasn't Sunnydale... honestly. I mean your lawyer buddies sprung me from the slammer and cleared me of all the charges.. free and heading back to Sunnydale wasn't my shtick.. I saw the old offices though.. wow you guys love to blow shit up.. Are you still with Angel? I can in no way see little miss queen muffet in this place.." She was talking about Cordy, sipping her beer and looking around the lobby. "Who's Winifred?"

[Lovely]

"Eeeehhh... brunette," he smiled, dodging and considering the other questions carefully. "Queen 'muffet' if I understand to whom you refer... you won't see. Not until later today. She's out. And Angel is... ahem... yes, he's here."

"Really? Cordy's here huh? She's got more sticking power than I gave her credit for.. cool." She smiled and spun around, taking in the lobby quickly again, before stopping to look at him with 'her grin'. "So you and Angel and Cordelia are still a team.. relocated here.. must mean this town has some entertainment afterall.. So.. you guys could probably use a slayer on board.."

"I wasn't offering, Faith. The last I checked, you weren't terribly thrilled with continuing said profession in favor of ... personal ... pursuits. That was what kept you from excelling, your ability to focus on what was really important, hm? That being said, you're unfortunately probably right."

"You're still upset about the torture thing, huh?" She shrugged a little, putting one hand in her pocket. "You're right.. I went on a wrong path, fell in with a bad crowd.. look.. You were there, I turned myself in. I did the right thing.. paid my debt and maybe learned a bit. If Angel can forgive me for trying to kill him.." She growled a little and sighed. "I've grown some as a person.. seen my mistakes and.. did you just say I was right?" She suddenly realized, smiling a little and chuckling. "Sorry, it doesn't happen often.. "

"Sarcasm aside, I think I might sense a thank-you in there," he said pointedly, but softer than the insult had been meant. "As far as debts, you still got... kicked off the bus did you say? I'll hold the rest of my opinions on your growth and change until we speak with the others. That is what a team does, discussing and working together. Is that something you think you could handle now that you're all grown up?"

"Hey, I paid for my ticket.." She defended and took another sip of the beer. "I got kicked off for messing around with some guy in the back seat.. got a little carried away.. hey I may have grown as a person but I still have needs. Don't rush me into the nursing home with adult diapers." She was grinning now, relaxing a little. "Okay.. yes.. I can be part of a team.. I can! I'm so into this.. I'll even let you be my watcher again.. Hey rogue slayer.. rogue watcher.. it has a ring to it."

"You disowned me from that title. Although, I'd just as soon disown it myself," he said, sitting down under the weight of remembered events and images that were far less than comfortable. He absently ran a hand over his shoulder as if it ached a little. "Being a Watcher used to mean something once. Now there are no titles anymore, just the team working together."

She took another, this time longer sip of her beer and held it out in offer for him as she sat down near him. "Wesley. .. before I lose my nerve, for what it's worth. I am sorry."

There was no disguising the brief flash of fear as her hand came near him, though it held nothing more sinister than the nearly empty bottle. He refused it gently, taking a deep breath then focusing on her before he lost his own nerve. "Don't pretend to have regret or any other emotion you weren't born to have. That's what makes you what you are. It doesn't mean you have to pretend you ever liked me, either. You made that 'point' perfectly clear, apology or not. I accept, but I won't ask you to be something you can't be."

[Lovely]

She set the bottle down and nodded her head. "Thanks for the beer Wesley. I'll see you around.. If you guys do need help.. and you can get word to me... I'll come back, but I won't bother you. Obviously I'm not allowed to change in the slightest or be human. Buffy is the only slayer allowed to make mistakes and ever feel bad about anything." Her hands slipped into her pockets and she backed away a few steps, turned around then and walked toward the door. "Oh and for the record.. I did like you. I just hated myself and authority and what you represented.. and the whole 'I'd never be good enough because I wasn't the blonde perfect slayer' crap that I felt like I was drowning in.. " She lifted her hand in a wave and sighed as she reached to push the door open.

"And so you give up again and go? Go where? You're not bothering me. I just considered while we were being honest I'd try again to tell you what you can and should be... and it was not meant to make you into 'her'. If you want to stay, I'll get you another beer. At least stay until you've rested. And washed - you're covered with dust," he said, doing his usual poor job of trying to apologize.

"What am I supposed to be? I try to apologise and I'm not supposed to do that, I'm not supposed to feel? I feel Wesley.. trying not to is what got me into trouble. Trying not to feel and pushing it aside and pretending I was this big bad b*tch.. hey I'm okay with being a slayer and being tough.. and a b*tch, but how come Buffy can be all sorry and weepy and whiney all the time , but I can't even be sorry for doing some really horrible shit?" She laughed and turned looking at Wes as she shook her head. "I can't be weepy whiney, I can't be big bad evil b*tch, I can't just be genuinely sorry.. so you tell me Wes, what am I supposed to be?.. cause I'm out of ideas."

He grinned slowly, rocking with a chuckle that stayed silent. "Because I recognize you're not Buffy and that there is no comparison. It was my fault that you ever went down that path. If apologies are to be given, then there you have mine. You can be all those things if you think you need to be, but one thing I will not forgive you for being is a quitter. Clear? And beer... come on...I'll get you a room."

Faith stood there looking at him for a long moment, her eyes narrowed as she studied his expression. "You're serious? A minute ago.. okay. I'm not a quitter. I didn't quit.. I just got lost. So.. new rules here? No titles.. just doing what we do best?"

He didn't answer right away, standing to get her the next bottle as a peace offering if nothing else. He brought it to her, approaching slowly but not faltering. "What you do best as yourself and as part of the team, yes. Both. Our card," he offered as well, putting one of their business cards out with the bottle in his hand.

She looked at the card and chuckled a little as she went to hand it back, reaching for the beer. "You still have the old number on them.." She commented softly and just held the cold bottle in her hand. "A watcherless slayer.. you know how crazy that can get." She chuckled a little and tucked her hair behind her ear. "I think I might like this new improved team thing.. I can be me and everything."

"Cheers." Wesley looked at the card and frowned. Hopefully Cordelia hadn't noticed. "That's not to say you won't be watched. You haven't met some of our newest teammates. Not sure who needs the warning worse."

"New players?" Now she was really grinning, drinking to his cheers first, she then glanced around again. "What are we talking here? I can't wait to meet them."