Quid Pro Quo

by SpikesKat

Giles picks the lock to Faith’s apartment and lets himself inside. She’s out, obviously. Slaying.  

Atoning, he can’t help but think.  

Though he is now based in London, he receives word from the Cleveland hellmouth on a regular basis. He knows that Faith takes the difficult assignments, that she’s distanced herself from the others so she’s more of a free lance agent than one of the gang. 

On the one hand, it makes his job easier. 

On the other…  

Sighing, Giles rummages through her cupboards; it gives him something to do to pass the time until she returns. He’s surprised that the shelves are stocked with teas. That, and not much else. Even the refrigerator is bare but for a few boxes of Chinese takeout, and from the smell, they’ve been there for awhile. The girl obviously needs a keeper. 

He’s drinking Earl Grey when Faith returns. She doesn’t notice him, of course, too busy banging on the wall with her stake to realize that she’s not alone. He regrets his flip, “Long night?” when she turns his way and he sees the anguish in her eyes before the mask descends and she gifts him with a smile that is anything but sincere.  

For one brief moment Giles debates not asking for her help, especially when she demands to know what he wants and refers to herself as the “go-to girl for dirty deeds”, because what he’s going to ask her to do is just that. But, he pushes ahead and explains what he needs.  

Watches her face fall when he says the target is a slayer. 

~*~*~*~*~ 

The first thing Giles does when she agrees is shuffle her out of her dank apartment and back to his hotel suite. He nudges her in the direction of the bathroom after securing the lock, telling her to take her time, and that they’ll talk more once she gets freshened up. 

She offers up a weary half-smile and walks off, shutting the door softly behind her. A moment later the water switches on.  

Giles is on the phone to room service when he hears her singing. The lyrics are oddly familiar, but he can’t place the song. He no sooner finishes his order and hangs up than a crash sounds followed by a few more jarring thumps.

A fist through the porcelain. Faith then falling to her knees to give vent to her grief.

He prays the noise goes unnoticed by the hotel staff; he’s not up for explanations this late in the evening. 

Giles starts towards the bathroom to check on Faith, then stops. Wearily pulls off his glasses and pinches the bridge of his nose. His sigh this time is long and heartfelt. He hates putting Faith in the position he has.  

If the situation weren’t so dire… 

It bothers him that he cannot ask anyone else. That Faith will be given a new life, courtesy of the Council – him – once the task is complete only makes him feel more guilty somehow. Like he was paying off an assassin rather than asking a slayer to do her duty. 

He drinks whisky instead of tea as he waits for the food to arrive and Faith to finish her shower. She emerges from the bathroom clad in a white, fluffy bathrobe that covers her from head to toe; her hair is wrapped in a towel. As she walks by and settles on the couch, he catches a faint whiff of lavender.  

There’s nothing in her body language to indicate her inner turmoil, that the shower, in all likelihood, doesn’t bear the brunt of her pain. In fact, she looks like nothing more than a child as she tucks her legs up under her and stares off into space.  

“Food will be here soon,” Giles says to break the silence.  

She mumbles something that could be an affirmative or just an acknowledgment of his statement, but doesn’t look his way. She’s still staring at the wall as if it holds the key to the meaning of life.  

Giles sighs again – it’s getting to be a habit – and crosses to the bar to pour himself a refill, debates for a moment, then pours a second glass for Faith. She looks like she could use it, and he figures it’s the least of his sins he’s committed against her. 

“Here,” he says, handing her the tumbler of whisky. He expects her to toss the shot back in one go, but she surprises him, taking just a sip before setting it on the table beside her. He doesn’t comment on how her hand shakes. 

“I killed a bunch of kids tonight,” Faith says out of nowhere, and Giles nearly drops the glass he’s holding.  

“Vampires,” she clarifies, looking at him for the first time. Her eyes are haunted again, moist, like she’s on the verge of tears.   

“Faith…” His voice is full of sympathy. 

Before he knows it, he’s sitting on the couch beside her, his arm around her shoulder. Giving her the comfort she desperately needs but is too stubborn – too afraid – to ask for.  

Her head comes to rest on his shoulder and she tells him how the Cleveland team took out a nest of vampires. That she’d received a call from Wood about one of the vampires being a single mother.  

“I went there to rescue them. Thinking I’d have to send them off to Child Services. I…,” she trails off. A shudder goes through her body. “Maybe it’s better they were turned. They probably would have been split up. The foster system sucks – I should know. Had a coupla friends…” 

Giles shushes her, a soothing cooing sound. Pats her shoulder in sympathy. He knows firsthand the kind of life she’s had. And still has. 

They sit there in silence until a knock at the door signals the arrival of dinner. Giles curses under his breath about the timing, knowing that as soon as he gets up, the moment will be over and Faith will have her guard back up. 

She turns the television on as he wheels the cart over to the couch. Together they devour the food on the various plates. He hasn’t eaten all day, and by the condition of her apartment, doubts Faith has either. 

When Giles can eat no more, he pushes the cart closer to Faith and leans back into the couch. He gives a cursory glance at what is on the television and when it doesn’t capture his attention, focuses back on Faith. She’s still eating, eyes glued to the screen as she does so, completely ignoring him.  

She smiles suddenly and her eyes sparkle with mirth.  

Giles decides right then that tomorrow is soon enough to explain about Lady Genevieve. He stands and excuses himself, saying he’s going to turn in. It’s past midnight, after all, and he has an early meeting. 

“What about…?” Faith frowns, fork halfway to her mouth. 

“It can wait until tomorrow,” Giles replies. “Enjoy your program.” 

She shrugs as if it doesn’t matter, but Giles is good at reading people. Her body is tense, and the unguarded expression on her face is a thing of the past. 

“But—” 

“Your room is through that door,” Giles says, ignoring her objection as he points towards her bedroom. “There are pajamas laid out on the bed for you. Sleep as late as you like. I have a meeting first thing, so if I’m not here when you wake up, just help yourself. Room services’ number is by the telephone, along with the menu. Goodnight, Faith.” 

Giles turns and walks towards his room on the other side of the suite. He feels Faith’s eyes on him until he closes the door quietly behind him. A moment later, he hears her chuckle, once more immersed in her show.

The End

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