Faith
Faith got out of her shower, towel drying her hair slightly. She looked into the mirror and almost started at the gaunt pale reflection.
"You look like shit," Faith said to herself.
She ran a comb through her hair and then grabbed some clothes. She slipped into what were once tight jeans, but with all the weight she'd lost, they hung loosely on her. She slipped a brown tank top over her head and then went and lay down on her bed.
God, she felt like she'd been hit by a train, she was so sore and tired.
Reaching over slowly, she lifted her phone and dialled in Zac's number.
"Hey Zac?"
Zac
Zac was smiling in amusement at Saku racing up and down and clawing at his scratching post (it had been a good buy that) when his phone rang.
When he answered it he nearly dropped it in shock.
"Faithy?"
Faith
"Hey you."
Faith smiled slightly.
"Surprise."
Zac
"YOu're... you're... you're alive?" Zac gasped. "Oh my gosh... Faithy, I thought... I thought you were dead!"
Faith
"So did I."
Faith rubbed her eyes.
"Turns out Hell's really hot."
Zac
Zac had to sit down.
"You're alive," he repeated.
Faith
"Yeah, apparently so."
Faith nodded.
"I don't think I technically died."
Zac
Zac swallowed.
"Faithy... oh my gosh, I've missed you so much."
He had to be dreaming.
Faith
Faith smiled slowly.
"I missed you too."
Zac
Zac thought he was going to cry.
"What happened? Where are you? When can I see you?"
Faith
"I'm at home, you can see me whenever you want."
Airlia walked into the room, looking slightly put out.
Faith panicked.
Where was Brand?
Zac
"Okay, I'm coming over right now," Zac said.
He had to find Ike. Ask him to keep and eye on Saku. He would never believe him when he told him Faith was alive.
Faith was alive!
Faith
"See you soon."
Faith lifted Airlia up and kissed her nose, tossing her phone down.
"Hungry?"
"Not really," Airlia replied.
"But I could eat."
"You can always eat."
"Yes, yes I can."
Zac and Isaac
"Okay."
Zac hung up and bounded up the stairs.
"Ike! Can you mind Saku?"
"Uhh sure, why?"
"I have to visit Faithy!"
"Faith? But isn't she -"
"She's alive Ike!" Zac grinned widely. "She alive! I just spoke to her. Ike, Faithy's alive!"
Isaac smiled as he watched Zac bound down the stairs and out the door. Well, he hoped Zac was right - for his sake. It would really suck if he came back all depressed - again - because she was really dead after all.
A few minutes later, Zac arrived.
Faith
Airlia sniffed and smiled.
"Daddy's here!"
She bounded over and opened the door.
"Hi!"
Faith appeared behind her slowly, appearance haggard.
"Hey."
Zac
"Hey Airlia," Zac said.
Then his eyes fell on Faith. He rushed over and kissed her with all the passion he could muster.
Faith
Faith kissed Zac back and breathed in his scent.
"I take it, I was missed?"
Zac
"Yes," Zac replied. "I missed you more than anything ever. I missed you like the flower misses the sun in winter. I missed you like the whales in acquariums miss the ocean. I missed you like the blind man misses cartoons."
He traced her jaw gently.
"I'm an empty shell without you."
Faith
Faith smiled.
"Ok, Hallmark... I just have one question. Where's Brand?"
Zac
Zac looked down.
"That winged woman got him," he said. "Oh dang, Faithy, I'm so sorry! I tried to protect him! I did! But she took him anyway."
Faith
Faith sighed.
"It's ok, it really is."
She kissed his cheek.
Zac
"You, you sure?" Zac asked quietly. "Because I... I really felt terrible... The last thing you asked me to do and I failed."
Faith
"No, it's ok."
Faith nodded and led him into the living room.
"Just means I'll have to go... to wherever he is. But don't worry about that now. How is everyone?"
Zac
"Everyone is good. Well, Taylor's not. He's having some problems, but I'm personally hoping they're all tied to the telepathic damage to his mind."
Zac chewed his lip, then reached into his pocket.
"I... I have something for you," he said. "A... a friend of mine gave me this, as umm, a thank you. But it... it doesn't really suit me, and in any case I think you have more use of it than I do."
He opened up the box to reveal the good luck charm that Shannon had made for him.
"It's an Elven good luck charm."
Faith
"Oh, yes, Mouse asked me to tell you to tell Tay that he should go home."
Faith took the box slowly and smiled.
"Thanks."
Zac
"I'll pass that along," Zac said. "I've been trying to tell him the same thing."
He kissed her cheek softly.
"You're welcome. Oh, Faithy, I'm so glad you're back!"
Faith
Faith smiled.
"Glad to be back. Where there are changes in weather."
Zac
Zac smiled.
"Want me to cool things down a bit?" he offered.
Then he shook his head.
"You were in Hell?"
Faith
"Shocking, isn't it?"
Faith lay down on the couch, leaning against Zac.
"It started out nice, I met Tobey. Oh the devil. And he was pretty nice."
Zac
"How can the devil be nice?" Zac asked. "Isn't that a contraction of terms?"
He gently stroked her hair. It felt so good to have her in his arms again.
Faith
"I don't know. But then I was put somewhere else, and that wasn't so nice."
Faith shook her head and pushed the memories aside.
Zac
Zac kissed her forehead.
"Well, you don't have to tell me about it if you don't want to," he said. "But always remember that I'm going to be here for you. Always. Because I love you Faithy."
Faith
Faith smiled slightly.
"I love you too."
She looked away.
"So, what did you feel like doing?"
Zac
"I don't care what I do," Zac said. "As long as it's with you. I don't want to leave your presense ever again."
Faith
"Might get a little difficult when one of us has to use the bathroom."
Faith nodded.
"I love you and all, but I am not sitting there smelling your crap."
Zac
Zac laughed and wrapped his arms tighter around her.
"Wow..." he said suddenly. "You've lost a lot of weight... Are you okay? Okay that's a stupid question seeing as you just came back from hell, but you know what I mean, right?"
Faith
"Yeah, well, I wasn't exactly fed."
Faith relaxed in his arms.
"I'll be ok. Angel found me and fed me and yeah... I'll be ok, Just give me a few days. I heal fast, you know?"
Zac
"Okay," Zac said softly. "You want me to get you anything? I'm not the cook Ike is, but I can try. Or we could order something."
He kissed her head again.
Faith
"Um... I guess order. Or maybe just invite Ike over."
Faith grinned.
Zac
Zac laughed.
"Aww, I'm not that bad am I?" He grinned. "Okay what will it be? Pizza? Chinese?"
Faith
"You decide."
Faith really didn't remember what any of those choices tasted like.
Zac
"Umm, okay... lets get pizza. Can't go wrong with pizza. Why don't you just sit here and relax and I'll call okay?" Zac suggested.
Faith
"Ok, thanks."
Faith lay back against the couch as Airlia wandered in.
"Where's Saku?" the little girl asked.
Faith shrugged.
"Ask Zac."
Zac
"Saku's at home," Zac replied. "Ike's looking after him. Sorry, I should have thought to bring him over."
He walked over to the phone and dialed.
Faith
Airlia pouted, but shrugged.
"Mmmmkay."
Faith ran a hand through her hair.
Zac
Zac made the order and then returned.
"Be here in about half an hour," he said, putting his arms back around Faith.
He kissed her softly.
Faith
Faith kissed him back lightly.
"Thanks... so what did you do while I was... indisposed?"
Zac
"Moped," Zac replied. "Got high on antifreeze cupcakes. Tried to distract myself with Julie being in a coma. Didn't work too well because she was only absorbed by Rogue, so it's hardly likely to last much longer."
He paused.
"Ooh, and I did do some house hunting. I figured I'd probably still move out and get the nanny. Didn't do too much - I had been looking forward to doing it with you."
Faith
"Ah, I see."
Faith smiled.
"Any good houses?"
Zac
"Oh yeah. Actually, the last one I looked at was amazing. Two storeys. Eight bedrooms, and four bathrooms, not including the main bedroom with ensuite. And it had this huge hall. And a room you could easily use as a gym. And - yeah okay I admit it. The house hunting was during my self delsion phase where I thought everyone was wrong and you were really alive and you'd come back."
Zac paused thoughtfully.
"Hey! I wasn't deluding myself after all! HA!"
Faith
Faith smiled.
"Yeah... well, it took them long enough to work out how to get me back. Unimpressed with Xander and the rest."
She cracked her knuckles.
"You'll have to show me the house."
Zac
Zac nodded.
"Yes, yes I will," he agreed.
He kissed her again.
"I'm so glad to have you back."
Faith
Faith nodded.
"It's nice to be back."
Understatement.
Zac
Not long thereafter, the pizza arrived. Zac paid for it and brought it out.
"Hmm, garlic bread too. Yum yum."
The he realised something.
"Oh hey, it's not a problem it being hot is it?"
Faith
Faith shook her head.
"Nah, it's ok."
She picked up a piece of pizza and started picking at it.
Zac
"Okay that's good."
Zac chewed his lip, watching as Faith picked at her food. He thought he should say something, but he didn't know what.
Faith
"So... how is everything?" Faith asked, concentrating on her pizza.
Zac
"Everything is good," Zac replied. "Everything is even better now you're here. Been writing lots of songs and practicing and stuff. And yeah."
Faith
"Am I to assume the new record is coming out soon?"
Faith raised an eyebrow.
"How long have the fans been waiting now? 10, 20 years?"
Zac
Zac poked his tongue out at her.
"Three, almost four. And even then, it's only really beeen a couple of months because we had the Accoustic record last year."
Faith
"And how long did they have to wait for the acoustic record?"
Faith grinned.
Zac
"Umm, three years?" Zac smiled innocently. "But anyway. It's gonna be great to be on tour again."
He bit into another slice of pizza.
Faith
"You guys love making people wait."
Faith shook her head slightly.
"And then after this record... they'll have to wait... what 6 years?"
Zac
"Aww, we don't purposely try to make people wait. And in any case, last time it was the label's fault. This is why we have our own one now," Zac pouted.
Faith
Faith kissed his pout gently.
"Hmm, well what about that five year wait between Middle Of Nowhere and This Time Around? Oh I remember complaints from everyone I spoke to."
Zac
"It was only three years," Zac corrected. "And we had a Christmas album and a rerealease of eariler songs inbetween. So there."
Faith
"Not really a real album though."
Faith stuck her tongue out at him.
Zac
"But we were still putting out. Albums that is," Zac said. "And I can think of better uses for that tongue."
Faith
"You were putting out in general."
Faith nodded.
Zac
"Well, that's because it's fun. In case you havent noticed," Zac replied.
Faith
"I see."
Faith nodded again.
"Well, I guess it is."
Zac
"Yep," Zac agreed.
He wondered if her should sent things in that direction... but he wasn't really sure if now was the best time. Probably not. He'd keep his mouth shut.
Faith
"So... how bout that local sports team?"
Faith wondered briefly why things seemed so awkward.
Zac
"They're pretty good, but I think their uniforms make them look gay," Zac said.
Faith
"They might think you look gay," Faith said, nodding seriously.
"With your... pants."
Zac
"Really?" Zac asked. "You think these pants make me look gay? Maybe I should take them off them."
He gave her a cheeky grin.
Faith
"Oh hush you."
Faith rolled her eyes good naturedly.
Zac
"Well, you asked for it," Zac grinned, putting his hands on his fly.
Faith
"Bad Zac!"
Faith paused.
"And no, I won't spank you."
Zac
Zac laughed.
"I got over the spanking phase," he said.
Faith
"Are you sure? I may not be at full strength yet, but I can still hit harder than Rachel."
Faith smiled evilly.
Zac
"Yeah... I guess I'm not the masochistic type I thought I was," Zac replied.
Faith
"Yeah, or maybe you just know I could take you and you're scared."
Faith nodded.
"Look at you, so girly."
Zac
"Girly?" Zac repeated.
Okay that did it. He undid his pants and pulled them down.
"Does this look girly to you? I think not... girly."
Faith
"So, what am I looking at?"
Faith grinned.
Zac
"Oooh, dems fighting words," Zac declared.
He sat back down again.
"And as to that, I'm just going to eat this pizza."
Faith
"Oh you're tough."
Faith lay back against her seat.
Zac
Zac ate some more pizza. Then abruptly he leant over and kissed Faith passionately.
"I love you," he said.
Faith
Faith smiled weakly.
"I love you too."