sometimes people leave you halfway through the wood

[madskilled]

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[madskilled]

( faith helps the witches climb back out of the sewers. they take their time, regrouping and refusing to leave without danny. she isn't looking to leave them in the lurch, either, so she stays put and planted. some of the witches check in with family, or worry when their family doesn't answer their calls or messages.

the signal returns to her cell and it buzzes in her pocket.

faith would listen to her message, but, yeah, isn't it easier to just call mia back? she'd tell her what she hears, anyway. so, with one eye on grieving, scared witches, she takes a seat on a stoop and calls her protegé back. )

[blackstarred]

[The moment her phone rings, she answers. Probably mid-sentence on the lecture William is gearing up for. There's a quick "It's Faith" by way of explanation, before she moves into another part of the room, trying for some semblance of privacy.]

Hey. You okay?

[madskilled]

( With Gloria in the adjacent foyer, William was gearing up for a conversation, not a lecture. He'd leave the lecture for their father, but you can bet he's geared up to tell her he'd call Oliver if Mia didn't. None of that matters because he doesn't even get into it. She picks up a call.

"Mia."

Faith drags out a cigarette from his pack, balanced her phone with her neck and flicks open her lighter. )

This a bad time?

[blackstarred]

No, it's fine.

[Though she should probably explain ... all of that.]

Remember that family I'm hiding from? My brother was trapped in the city too.

[madskilled]

Hell of a coincidence.

( She takes a drag, then pulls the cigarette from her mouth with two fingers. )

I'm top side from the sewers waiting with some Sabrinas for Danny Boy. Barrier's down. Guess his sister's who put it up.

[blackstarred]

Was her name Bridget?

[She doesn't remember any mention of the girl having sisters.]

She's dead, if it is. Hunters got her when we were trying to find a way out.

[And then, there's a long pause because there's a part she doesn't want to say, but she doesn't know how to avoid it.]

Spike's dead too.

[madskilled]

Yeah.

( She scratches the stoop under her with a nail as she answers. She feels for the kid. )

Yeah, that got through.

( He lost it down in the sewer. Faith's eyes blink as she looks front. She lets out a shaky breath as she drops back, balancing her elbows against the steps, head ducking. )

He go down swinging?

[blackstarred]

Yeah.

[The lie comes easily - in fact, it doesn't even feel like a lie, even if it's not necessarily the truth.]

Yeah, he did.

[madskilled]

Not many vamps get to die twice.

( He's in the Buffy club now. )

You back in the room?

[blackstarred]

Yeah. Sort of. My brother was actually staying in the same hotel so I'm down in his room. But text me when you get back and I'll head to you.

[Because she should at least let William yell at her a little.]

[madskilled]

He's -- who is this kid? Your brother stalking you? I told you your family'd come calling.

( She just thought it would be on the phone. )

Might be a while. Once Danny's in the sun, I'll be on my way. You want me to call B?

[blackstarred]

Something like that.

[And her being a while means William has plenty of time to yell at her. But at the last offer, she shakes her head.]

No, I've got it. I'll call her.

[It's not a call she wants to make, but she can do it. It'll be better coming from her. She was there.]

[madskilled]

( Maybe she's underestimating her brother, who's letting her have this conversation by the way. He's sat down on the edge of the bed as she relays tough information. )

K. You need anything else? Need me to knock around your big bro?

[blackstarred]

[She laughs.]

Nah, I think I can handle him. I'll see you when you get back.

[And after they say their goodbyes, she hangs up and makes her way back over to William.]

Okay. You were saying?

[madskilled]

Yeah, you too. Don't kill him, he's blood.

( Granted, everyone of Faith's blood. Low-lifes. But Mia? She's not a low-life.

William tries, tries not to slap on a glare that flattens his face. But, Mia's dismissal - it's not easy to take in stride. He settles, though, and slides over so she can sit beside him. )

I was asking why you disappeared. Why you couldn't at least send one message, anything about clearing your head or extending your vacations. Even ditching J.J. I would've understood.

[blackstarred]

[She takes a deep breath as she moves to sit next to him.]

Because I didn't know what was happening. I thought I was suddenly becoming a meta, and I didn't want to hurt anyone. And then when I found out what was actually happening, I didn't want you guys to get hurt because of me.

[slavophile]

What was actually happening, Mia? What's a slayer?

( And how is that not being a meta? )

[blackstarred]

A Slayer ....

[Part of her feels like she sat down to soon. Part of her wants to pace as she drums up an explanation that would make the most sense. But she can do this.

Straight-forward and to the point.]

A long time ago, these ancient priests infused a girl with the power of a demon. She became strong and fast like vampires so that she could kill them before they killed other people. She became the first Slayer. And when she died, the power passed to the next girl and the next and the next until you get to me.

[Though her being a Slayer is slightly more complicated, but she'll let William digest the first part first.]

[slavophile]

... A demon, like uncle Constantine?

( Like what he deals with? The occult? )

How... of anyone, you're a slayer? You didn't need any more power under belt.

[blackstarred]

It's not like I chose this!

[She does stand now, throwing out her hands to the sides as the urge to move becomes too much.]

Buffy says there's hundreds of potentials in a given generation, and maybe twenty years ago, she did a spell to wake up a lot of them. So now every time one of the existing Slayers out there dies, another one wakes up and one of them just so happened to be me.

[She'd like to think that if the odds were smaller it might have missed her. But she also knows her family doesn't get that lucky.]

[slavophile]

Buffy, who's Buffy?

( He's playing catch up and you're throwing out a lot of names. Okay, it's just one name, but it's not a recognizable one! )

She's a slayer?

[blackstarred]

She's the Slayer.

[No offense, Faith, but it's kind of true.]

She was the last Slayer to be called the old fashioned way. She's got a going rate of stopping like ... one apocalypse a year. She's ... terrifying.

[slavophile]

For how many years?

( Not the point. )

Do you work for Buffy? Is -- it work?

[blackstarred]

Since she was sixteen. And she's like ... dad's age now?

[So ... a good long time.]

It's kind of work? She pays for room and board and stuff but it's not like I get benefits and PTO.

[slavophile]

You just get to shirk the Queen title for a few more years. I can't - believe - you're like a meta. Except, magic. Are you magic?

( Dad's age is advanced comparatively. )