"Are you ever going to come out of there?" Giles asked, sounding amused as he watched the closed bathroom door.
"No," Faith replied, her voice slightly muffled.
"It can't be that bad," he reasoned, glancing towards the middle door that connected his room with the room Faith was sharing with the Winchesters.
"Until you're the one putting a dress on, you can't possibly know how bad it is," she shot back.
Giles chuckled.
Dean & Sam
Dean smiled charmingly as he passed a blonde in the hallway, not at all feeling out of place in the fancy hotel with his leather jacket and dirty biker boots.
"I think this is it," Sam found the door and knocked sharply.
"Faith?!" he called out.
Giles and Faith
"I'll get it, you keep getting dressed," Giles told Faith, before getting up from his place at the desk and striding to the door.
He looked through the peephole and nodded, recognising Sam, then opened the door.
"Come in. She's just... in the bathroom."
"I am so not coming out in this thing."
Sam & Dean
"Hey," Sam smiled with a nod, walking straight past and heading for the bathroom.
"Faith? It's me!"
Dean strode in after him, closing the door behind.
"And you are?" he raised an eyebrow at Giles.
Giles and Faith
"Rupert Giles," Giles said, holding his hand out for Dean.
"Giles, I'm not wearing this!" Faith called from the bathroom, standing against the door and facing the mirror.
"I'm sure it looks fine, Faith," he replied.
"It's a tent."
Dean & Sam
"Dean Winchester," Dean shook his hand.
"What is it?" Sam frowned, pushing on the door but finding it held shut.
"Faith, let me in."
Faith and Giles
Faith reluctantly opened the door, standing in a long midnight blue ball gown, tight bodiced, long flowing skirt. She wore matching gloves on her arms.
"So, how are we doing here?" she asked, looking nervous.
Giles turned and smiled, taking his glasses off, polishing them and slipping them back on his face.
"Five by five," he smiled.
Sam & Dean
Sam's eyebrows rose as Dean's jaw almost hit the floor.
"Wow," Sam breathed, his eyes lighting up.
Faith and Giles
Faith stood awkwardly for a moment. "It's a little binding."
"It's fine, Faith," Giles smiled.
Dean & Sam
"Like you've ever minded that before," Dean mused, stepping forward with his eyes still on her.
"You look amazing," Sam insisted.
Faith and Giles
Faith looked at Sam for a minute, before turning her attention to Giles.
"Can I take this off now?" she asked.
Giles nodded. "Just leave it in the bathroom, I just wanted to make sure it fit."
Dean & Sam
Dean tilted his head as he looked her up and down, Sam turning back to Giles.
"What's the occasion?" he asked.
Faith and Giles
Faith retreated into the bathroom, locking the door behind her.
"Ah, I imagine Faith told you that I needed her help with something?" Giles asked, settling back down at his desk.
Dean
"She was vague on the what," Dean replied, having walked back into the room once Faith was out of sight.
Giles and Faith
"Ah, yes, that would be my fault," Giles smiled sheepishly. "I wasn't exactly forthcoming with information until I arrived here."
He paused.
"There's a bit of a delicate situation with a young Slayer in England, and Faith is the only one I can think of who can stop her."
"That's coz I'm the go-to girl for dirty deeds done dirt cheap," Faith quipped, coming out of the bathroom and joining the group.
"Yes, quite," Giles replied.
Sam & Dean
"You're going to England?" Sam frowned, looking at Faith.
Dean raised an eyebrow, ready to debate getting on a plane if the need arose.
Giles and Faith
"I apologise for the short notice," Giles cut in, before Faith could answer. "I had to procure some documents for Faith, and didn't have them finalised until a few days ago."
Faith nodded, looking at Sam. "Yeah, found out this morning. I won't be there long, though. Right?"
Giles nodded. "Right."
Sam & Dean
Sam looked between them, shaking his head.
"You guys are unbelievable."
"Well hey, if it's a Slayer thing..." Dean shrugged.
"Tell me this isn't connected to the council," Sam turned back to Faith.
Giles and Faith
"No, it's not," Giles said, shaking his head. "Truthfully, there isn't much of a Council left after... well, nevermind that. But this is something I got wind of through my own contacts."
Faith reached out for Sam.
"It's ok, it's actually pretty simple, as far as my normal missions go."
Sam
"But it's still dangerous, right?" Sam's eyebrows rose, looking down at her.
Faith and Giles
Faith laughed at that. "Isn't everything we do dangerous?"
"I will watch out for her, Sam," Giles said quietly. "I wouldn't have come to Faith if I didn't think - didn't know - that she could handle herself."
"I'll be ok," Faith said, looking up at Sam. "Promise."
Sam & Dean
"Then let me come with you," Sam insisted, ignoring Giles.
"How long is it gonna take?" Dean asked him instead.
Giles and Faith
"I would say up to two weeks, at most," Giles said to Dean. "I have to train with Faith before the actual event."
"We talking like fighting training or like... brain training?" Faith asked.
"Brain training," Giles said, shaking his head slightly.
Sam & Dean
"Right. So if she's the best person you can think of for the job, why does she need training?" Sam demanded.
Dean shrugged.
"Good point."
Giles and Faith
"She has to fit the part I'm asking her to walk into," Giles explained carefully. "I'll need to train her in the ways of British aristocracy."
"Really?" Faith raised an eyebrow. "Wow, I see this mission being a huge fail cat."
Dean
"Pardon the ignorance, but the girl can kick ass without learning how to balance a book on her head. What's the point?" Dean asked, confused. "Why should she have to 'play a part' at all?"
Giles and Faith
"While that is true, getting to our target is going to be a little trickier than just walking through the front doors," Giles told him.
"She'll need an invitation."
"It's ok, really," Faith said, looking at Sam. "I will be fine."
Sam
"This just doesn't make sense," Sam covered his face, exasperated.
"We did the same thing at the museum to get the book on Lilith. Whatmore could you possibly have to learn?!"
Faith and Giles
"Well, which fork is which, I guess," Faith shrugged. "Sam, it's not a set up. I trust Giles. I've never had a reason not to trust him."
Giles smiled at that, clearing his throat to cover his embarrassment.
Sam & Dean
"You used to trust Wesley," Sam's voice lowered.
Dean suddenly grabbed sam by the shirt and shoved him into the next room.
"Back in a moment," he smiled to Faith and Giles, before closing the doors.
"What?!" Sam demanded, straightening his shirt.
"What is wrong with you?" Dean hit back.
"You really have to ask?"
"Yeah, I do."
"We don't even know him," Sam pointed to the door, "and you just want to let him take her halfway across the world for some pathetic Slayer 'mission'?"
"It's her job, Sam."
"She quit her job!"
"Sam," Dean grabbed his arm, "I know what this is."
"What?" Sam scowled, pulling it back, "what do you mean?"
"It's about Jessica again, isn't it?" Dean said solemnly.
"What do you mean?" Sam repeated, voice softer.
"I mean you let her out of your sight for two days, and look what happened," Dean shrugged, "don't think I haven't noticed how possessive you are of her. Everyone's noticed."
Giles and Faith
"Well," Giles said, polishing his glasses. "That didn't go as well as I'd hoped."
Faith smiled and sat down on the bed, cross legged. "He's worried, is all."
"With good reason," Giles replied, looking across at her. "I am asking a lot."
"Hey," she said, shaking her head. "No. This is... I mean, it's sorta... this girl has made the mistakes that I made, and if there's the slightest chance - "
"There's no chance for rehabilitation, Faith," Giles told her quietly.
"Time was, Rupert, you all said the same about me."
Sam & Dean
"I can't let her go Dean," Sam fumed.
"Tough," Dean lay down the law.
"Excuse me?"
"She's a person, Sam. Her own person. She does not belong to you. And if she wants to go, how do you possibly think you're gonna stop her? Azazel's dead, Sam."
"I know already!" Sam exclaimed, "how many times do you think I need to be told?!"
Dean grabbed Sam by the shirt again.
"Azazel is the one that killed Jessica. Azazel is the one that killed Mom. He's not gonna get to Faith, we made sure of that!"
Sam closed his eyes, taking a few deep breaths.
"You made sure of that," he said finally.
"What?"
"You did. We didn't," Sam bit his lip.
Dean hesitated, then let him go.
"I couldn't have done it alone," he looked Sam up and down, before going back to the doors and walking through.
"He just needs a moment," he told Faith and Giles.
Faith and Giles
Faith made a move to get off the bed, but remained sitting, eyes on the door.
"I know I am asking a lot, Faith," Giles said quietly. "This isn't a vampire, it's not a demon, it's a human being."
Faith nodded, her eyes moving to the floor. "Yeah, I heard you. It's messed up, but I'll do it."
She looked up at Giles.
"What Willow did. It was a mistake."
"I know."
Dean
"Who's Willow?" Dean asked, looking between them.
Giles and Faith
"She was the Wiccan that cast the spell to activate all of the Slayers in the world," Giles replied.
"Yeah, ordered by Queen B herself," Faith snarked.
"Faith..."
"No, you know, B was always on my case about how she had to clean up my messes, when she made the biggest mess of all," Faith snapped. "None of those girls were ready to become what they became. We haven't even found all of them yet. That's a lot of firepower in one person, Giles, and you know as well as I do that people don't always make the best decisions."
And with that, Faith got up and left the room, slamming the door hard behind her.
Giles sighed, massaging his temple lightly. "That... didn't go well."
Dean
"Oh yeah, you seem to have a way with words today," Dean mused, walking over to get himself a drink.
Giles
Giles nodded, sighing again.
"Well, Faith and I have always had a tricky relationship. Although, she's had tricky relationships with... most people, I suppose."
Dean
Dean gulped the drink down and sighed appreciatively.
"Most people except us," he smirked.
He turned and looked over his shoulder as Sam opened the doors to the other room cautiously.
"Everything ok?" Dean asked.
Sam nodded, walking in like a dog with its tail between its legs.
"Giles, right?" he looked sheepish.
Giles
"Correct."
Giles looked up at Sam.
Sam & Dean
"I'm... sorry about earlier," Sam dug his hands into his pockets.
"Sammy gets a little overprotective sometimes," Dean spoke for him.
"Nothing personal," Sam smiled hopefully.
Giles and Faith
"I understand," Giles said, nodding. "And it's quite alright."
He paused.
"I would not like to see Faith come to harm either, uh, if you want to see her, I imagine she's gone to the gym to um... blow off some steam."
~*~*~*~
And just as Giles had suspected, Faith was in the gym of the hotel, beating the holy hell out of a punching bag and barely breaking a sweat.
Sam & Dean
"Thanks," Sam nodded, walking past and stepping through the front door.
Dean watched after him, pouring himself another drink.
"He's a little untrusting after what happened with Wesley. Like he said, nothing personal," Dean assured.
~*~
Minutes later Sam appeared in the gym, walking up to Faith gingerly.
"Hey," he greeted softly.
Giles and Faith
"Ah, I did hear about that," Giles said, looking over at Dean. "Wesley and I... ah, we don't always see eye to eye on things."
~*~*~*~
Faith stopped punching and turned to see Sam. She smiled faintly.
"Hey you."
Dean & Sam
"Which story?" Dean smirked, "the Faith one or the Sam one?"
~*~
"Hey," Sam repeated with a smile, glad she wasn't annoyed with him.
He walked up and stopped just in front of her.
"Sorry," he apologised, biting his lip.
Giles and Faith
"Well, both actually," Giles replied. "Angel filled me in."
~*~*~*~
Faith tugged on Sam's shirt, pulling him closer to her.
"Why are you sorry?"
Dean & Sam
"I see," Dean looked up at him, judgement in his eyes.
He wondered exactly how much this guy knew about Sam...
~*~
Sam took a deep breath.
"For being overly possessive?" he pulled a guilty face.
Giles and Faith
"Wesley has done some questionable things in the past, but I had trouble believing these recent events," Giles said, returning his attention to the documents which were laid out on his desk.
~*~*~*~
Faith smiled and touched his chin lightly.
"You like me. I guess that's not a crime, right?"
Dean & Sam
"Why?" Dean turned to lean back against the bench.
~*~
"I know it's not," Sam shook his head, "but I still feel like the bad guy."
Giles and Faith
"It just seemed... like too much," Giles said, after thinking about it for a second. "In such a short time, too."
~*~*~*~
"If you want, we can have a fight," Faith suggested.
"But I'm not mad at you."
Dean & Sam
"How do you mean?" Dean looked confused.
~*~
"You know I'm not the fighting type," Sam rolled his eyes, taking a step back.
"But thankyou. I'm glad."
Giles and Faith
"Well, it all happened within the same month," Giles pointed out. "Although, with the lives you lead, I suppose that's probably standard."
~*~*~*~
Faith smiled and reached for Sam's hand.
"Just don't get crazy possessive. I don't... thrive well in that situation."
Dean & Sam
"Yeah," Dean considered, scratching his head.
"I guess it is. Especially since these two hooked up, it's been a wild ride."
~*~
"You don't think I am already?" Sam asked awkwardly.
Giles and Faith
"Well, I suppose separately you invite trouble, and collectively... well, offing the three of you would be something to brag about."
Giles shrugged.
~*~*~*~
"Well, you actually let me go to the bathroom by myself," Faith pointed out.
"It'll be ok. It's only two weeks, and... well, I do expect a birthday present when I get back."
She grinned cheekily.
Dean grinned.
"I'm gonna choose to take that as a compliment," he nodded.
~*~
"I'll have it waiting," Sam assured.
He leant in to kiss her.
Giles and Faith
Giles chuckled.
"Well, I suppose it means you're doing your job correctly."
~*~*~*~
Faith grinned and kissed him softly, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Worried you'll be getting no sex for two weeks?" she teased.
Dean & Sam
"Guess so," Dean agreed, folding his arms.
~*~
"You would think so low of me?" Sam feigned hurt.
Giles and Faith
"How did you meet Faith, by the way?" Giles asked, curious.
~*~*~*~
Faith grinned.
"No, but I do think you're human. And well, not waking up with me every morning? That's pretty terrible."
Dean & Sam
"High school, in Boston," Dean said matter-of-factly.
"Ran into her again about a year ago now working a job."
~*~
"I agree," Sam sighed, hugging her.
"I'm gonna miss you like crazy."
Giles and Faith
"Ah," Giles nodded. "Bit of a shock for both of you, I imagine."
~*~*~*~
"Awww," Faith teased. "I'm getting the feeling you like having me around."
She kissed him again.
"We'll still be able to talk, just not... face to face, is all."
Dean & Sam
Dean shrugged.
"You work the job long enough... nothing really is."
~*~
"Which, might I add, is really going to suck," Sam smirked.
Giles and Faith
"Fair point," Giles nodded.
"Well, we leave tomorrow evening on a red eye."
~*~*~*~
Faith smiled and reached up for another kiss.
"Oh, I'm sure you'll find something to amuse yourself with."
Dean & Sam
"What, no teleporters?" Dean took the stab.
~*~
"Oh yeah, I'll probably go and get myself killed by a wendigo or something. Am I making you feel guilty yet?" Sam's eyebrows rose.
Giles and Faith
"It's a large leap, and I'm not very trusting of them, to be honest," Giles admitted.
~*~*~*~
Faith laughed.
"Nope, I told you, I'm immune to the puppy eyes."
Dean & Sam
"I hear ya," Dean nodded.
"Granted... I don't trust planes either."
~*~
"Well ther goes that plan," Sam rolled his eyes again.
Giles and Faith
"Not an irrational fear, by any means," Giles said. "Planes do crash."
~*~*~*~
Faith laughed and pulled him down for another kiss.
"But if you go and get yourself killed, I'll be mad at you. So there, incentive to stay alive."
Dean & Sam
"Exactly! Sam doesn't get it!" Dean exclaimed.
~*~
"But you're not gonna be here to be mad at me," Sam pointed out.
Giles and Faith
"He's not afraid of flying?" Giles asked. "Well, he probably has a fear of his own."
~*~*~*~
"True, but I also know you're not gonna get killed. For one, you know you have to wait for me to come back before you can die anyway, and secondly, Dean's not gonna let it happen either."
Faith nodded.
"Proof. Pudding."
Dean & Sam
"Yeah, Ronald McDonald," Dean couldn't help but chuckle.
~*~
"Pudding?" Sam blanched, "what?"
Giles and Faith
"The... McDonalds clown?" Giles asked, confused.
~*~*~*~
Faith shook her head, smiling.
"Nevermind. Should we go back and tell Giles that you've decided to let me go?"
Dean & Sam
"Or just clowns in general," Dean shrugged, "but when he was little he used to cry whenever a McDonalds ad came on tv."
~*~
"Who said I'd decided anything?" Sam raised his chin indignantly.
Giles and Faith
Giles chuckled slightly.
"Well, he and Faith are certainly a match then. I take it she's told you she is also afraid of clowns?"
~*~*~*~
"Oh, like that, is it?"
Faith poked him gently in the chest.
"Do I have to convince you somehow?"
Dean & Sam
Dean looked at Giles sideways, a grin forming on his face.
"No, she hasn't..."
~*~
"I guess that means you do," Sam swayed her a little.
Giles and Faith
Giles chuckled again.
"Although, I must say, that one is quite a common fear."
~*~*~*~
"Hmm, now, how would I do that?" Faith asked innocently.
Dean & Sam
"Never thought of it as one," Dean shrugged.
"We worked a job a few years ago where this rakshasa was impersonating clowns in order for kids to let them into their houses. Creeped the hell out of Sammy."
He chuckled.
"Which was hilarious."
~*~
"I guess thats something you're gonna have to figure out before you go," Sam shrugged.
Giles and Faith
Giles smiled.
"Well, I'm not actually sure why Faith is scared of them. She's never gone into it."
~*~*~*~
Faith reached up and kissed him.
"I think it has something to do with this."
Dean & Sam
"I don't know why Sammy is either," Dean shrugged.
"Just figured it was irrational. After all, irrational fear."
~*~
"And you'd be wrong," Sam kissed her back.
Giles and Faith
"True," Giles agreed.
"So, I imagine I'm going to have two weeks of Faith talking about Sam?"
~*~*~*~
"Oh really?"
Faith rested her head against Sam's chest for a moment.
Dean & Sam
"It probably won't be as bad as having a paranoid Sammy," Dean assured.
~*~
"Really," Sam nodded, before looking around.
"Come on," he took her had, leading her across the gym.
Giles and Faith
Giles chuckled.
"Well, hopefully I can keep Faith's mind occupied with training. Might try and squeeze in some martial arts as well."
~*~*~*~
"I get the feeling we're not going to go for a cup of tea," Faith said, letting Sam pull her along.
Sam
Sam just grinned, pulling her into the gym showers and finding the furtherest cubicle.
Pulling her inside and pushing her back against the wall, he leant in to kiss her neck as his hands ventured down her hips.
Faith
Faith laughed and tilted her head back slightly, her own hands slipping under Sam's shirt.
"If we get arrested, I'm so blaming you."
Sam
"As if anyone could arrest us," Sam groaned as he rubbed against her body, his elbow flicking the cold water on.
Faith
Faith yelped in surprise as the cold water hit her back.
"Eep!"
Sam
Sam ignored her, pressing her harder into the wall as he undid her belt.
Faith
Faith's head hit the wall hard and she stood on tippy toes to kiss him while her hands unbuttoned his shirt.
Sam
One of Sam's hands went under her rear, lifting her up so their shoulders were level.
"So are you gonna miss me?" he whispered, cold water running down his face as he stared at her.
Faith
Faith wrapped her legs around Sam's waist and kissed him gently.
"Nope. What do you think?"
Sam
"I think you're lying."
And Sam continued to gnaw at her throat as he removed his own pants.
Faith
"Yeah, I think you'd be right."
And so Faith and Sam did that thing that they're becoming awfully good at.