| Have a Little Faith, Part 8 |
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DISCLAIMER: Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt wrote "City of..."
Part 8
"He's watching you," Lindsey told her, during their monthly calls.
"We gotta work out some way where we meet up. This stalking crap is driving me bonkers."
"It's better this way," Lindsey said.
Faith did not like how he sounded. He sounded frazzled and
frustrated. "I think Lee's found Penn and
I've barely even looked for Dru."
"You sound tired, Shortcake," she said. "You want out?"
"Out?" for the first time she heard in Lindsey's voice that he was actually considering it.
"Yeah, you've done good."
"I've done nothing at all," he said, deadpan.
"What's wrong?" Faith asked. "Is it Angelus?"
"No, it's Russell Winters," he explained.
"He likes young women. I have to find them for him. He just
killed one that I found a few months ago
and now he's after another who got away. I know that I'm here to
keep Angelus at bay, but I don't know how long I can go on with turning
a blind eye to what else is going on."
"Lindsey, maybe it's time."
"Maybe it is-" he admitted. "I'll think about it. Listen shortie, I got to go."
She did not want to stop talking, but they had to for his safety. "Take care, shortcake and remember you want out, you get out. All right? Even if you don't feel like you've done anything. Just doing what you can for me is enough."
"Thanks, Faith." Faith knew he was distressed because he rarely called her by name.
"Bye hon."
As she hung up the cell phone, the regular phone rang. Faith ran out of the phone do get it.
"Hello?"
"Darling, it's Doyle. I just got another
vision about a girl named Tina."
Tina was frustrated. She was desperate for work, but Tom, the counter guy, would only give it to the girls who put out. She was not going to do it. She might be desperate for money to get out of LA, but she still had her dignity. She had pleaded just to work Saturday. She only needed a few shifts in a row to have enough money to get home and as far away from Russell as possible.
She walked towards a table and stopped because she saw a white dog. She bent down to pet him. Oh sometimes she wished she was dog. No care in the world.
Doyle, who was sitting in the next booth from Tina, nudged Faith that this was the woman in his vision.
"Hey miss!" Faith screamed out as Tina went to pet the dog. Doyle merely put his hand over his face.
"Are you talking to-" She asked. Tina spun around and knocked over a full coffee cup. Faith caught it before it reached the ground.
"Sorry," Faith said. But Tina was still stunned over seeing how fast Faith caught the cup.
"I got good reflexes," she explained, giving her the cup. "I eat a lot of junk food," Doyle just smiled at Tina.
"Thanks, these come out of my paycheck. If anything breaks in my vinicity, it gets taken out of my paycheck."
"You're welcome."
"So I guess this means you want to order?"
"Yep, I'll have a cheeseburger deluxe with
mushrooms, bacon, guacamole, onions, fried onions, chocolate milkshake
and a basket of onion rings?"
"You must like onions."
"Yeah sure."
"And you?" she says to Doyle.
"I'll have a salad." He said, kicking her
since this was the girl he was supposed to help. Faith
kicked back hard and he groaned. He
was obviously the better choice to try talking to her.
"Miss, sorry to say this you look sort of down." Doyle said.
"Are you trying to hit on me." Tina asked.
Doyle looked down. "Does it matter, you still look kind of down?"
"Do you often hit on women when you're with
your girlfriend?" Tina said and smiled to show she was
joking.
"Oh, Faith, she's my kid sister."
"Shut up," Faith said.
"See how obnoxious they can be."
"I have a kid sister," Tina said.
"You see, we have one thing in common. How about a drink afterwards? We can just talk."
"Talk?" she asked.
"Maybe I should be here alone?" Doyle asked. "She wants to go out with me,"
"Yeah, but I'm the one who's gonna save her."
"Yeah, but how do you know what she needs
saving from? Maybe some other guy tried to pick her
up and I already saved her."
The conversation ended when they spied Tina
came out of the coffee shop dressed in black sleeveless
evening dress.
"Wow," Doyle said. "I thought it was
just gonna be a drink? You know, after I drop the kid
sister home--"
Doyle was startled when Tina pulls bottle
of mace out of her purse. She aims it at their faces "I
know who you are and what you're doing here.
Stay the hell away from me. And you tell Russell to leave me alone."
"Hey, hey," Faith said. "I don't know any Russell."
"You're lying. You two are siblings? You're from County Galway and you're from the midwest."
"No I ain't. I mean I am from the midwest, but I'm not lying."
"Then what's this 'let's talk crap.' I don't even know you either of you."
"I've been in your place, girl. Having
to beg scumbuckets for shifts. It sucks. Besides my friend
thinks you're cute. Listen, we help
people-um-get off the streets. I know you're not on the streets,
but it looks like-it looks like you were heading there. That's what we
do-you know-for the church and stuff. Doyle here, he's a priest."
"Considering to be one," Doyle shot in.
Tina put the mace back in her purse. "You work for the church?"
"Yeah, helping runaways. I was one myself."
"Sorry. It's hard to tell who's legitimate and who's not."
"So who's this Russell guy sounds like a mucho creep."
Tina shook her head and started to walk past them.
"Listen, I've been there too."
"I just need a ticket home. And that wasn't me asking for money."
"Where's home."
"Missoula, Montana. "
"Never been there."
"It's beautiful--" Her voice trailed off. "Look, I got a fabulous Hollywood party to go to. Hence the glamour. The girl giving it owes my security deposit. With that I might have enough for a ticket home and some spending cash left over."
"Um, I-" Doyle said.
"He's trying to say he wants to go.
Francis has to go to seminary soon. He always wanted to see one
of those Hollywood parties. Besides
you look like you need help."
"Tina! Smile for the camera. And who are these two?"
"Just friends. Margo, I really need to talk
to you." Tina said. Faith could hear the frustration and
despair in her voice. She assumed
it was Russell she needed to save her from.
"Uh, grab yourself a drink. I'll be right
there."
Tina sighed, but she was hungry. She
was tired of eating ramen soup for dinner everynight.
"So, who this Russell? I could beat
the crap out of him if you want me too." Faith said, helping
herself to about eight of the sandwiches.
"He is someone I made the mistake of trusting."
"Here I am." Margo said, returning.
"This won't take long." Tina said and smiled and walked off with Margo.
Faith helped herself to more sandwiches, but suddenly froze when she heard a familiar voice.
"What's wrong, darling."
"Oh shit, Doyle we have to hide." But it was too late, Cordelia spotted her.
"I cannot believe it. Faith, is that really you?"
"Hi, Cordelia," she said. She pulled
her close. "If you mentioned anything about Lindsey or
Angelus, I will break your nose right now."
Cordelia moved back startled. "Well it was nice seeing you again, Faith." She moved away and quickly said. "I would never mention anything about them."
"Who was that?" Doyle asked.
"Oh someone Buffy knows. I just needed to warn her to keep her mouth shut."
"She's cute-"
Before Faith had a chance to respond, they
are interrupted by the sound of Tina's voice. Faith
rushed over to her because she sounded like
she was under stress. Faith found a harassing her.
"Russell just wants to see you!" he said trying to grab her shoulders.
"Leave me alone!" she said, pulling away.
"What's the problem here," Faith asked.
"None of your fuckign business," the man said.
"Ithink I heard her said she wanted to be left alone."
"That's right, you tell him, it's over and
I'm out of here," Tina added. The man looked frustrated,
but walked away. Tina looked over to Faith
and tried to smile. "Of course she doesn't have the money yet."
"Who's that? Is that Russell?"
"Stacy? He's just a creep. Can we please go?" She said to Doyle.
"Yeah. Sure unless you would like me to bust Stacy's balls," Faith said and smiled.
"Is she always this violent?" Tina asked Doyle.
"Yep," Doyle replied. "You know how kid sisters are."