Faith The Series

Faith: The Series S1 Ep 7

“Oh! You better watch out,
You better not cry,
You better not pout,
I'm telling you why:
Santa Claus is coming to town!”

Faith struggled to hide a smirk as she hurried through the busy mall, her excited eyes flickering from side to side as she soaked in the sights, sounds, and smells of Christmas. All around her there were garishly coloured streamers, every store was highlighted with decorations – spray-on snow, Merry Christmas signs and the like, and every half-a-dozen shops or so there was an illuminated artificial Christmas tree. Christmas pop songs and carols blasted out of the crowded mall’s sound system and delicious festive smells wafted out from a number of the shopping centre’s restaurants. And the kids, with all their grinning faces.

Faith’s own smile slipped as she remembered her own childhood, the beatings from one of her mom’s boyfriends for having her TV on too loud, trying to cook the Christmas dinner, listening to some of the other kids talk about what they were getting and wondering why she was so bad that she didn’t get anything. And standing outside the decorated houses and wondering why nobody loved her.

But this year, Faith forced her memories down deep, this year was gonna be different. Last year had been pretty good, G was a wicked cook, and he’d decorated, bought her presents, made a real effort. But she’d been too much of a suspicious bitch to enjoy it, wondering when she’d have to show G her ‘appreciation’.

This time though, she was going to show G how much she lov-, cared about him. She had a ton of presents planned, paid for out of her Council stipend that she split 50/50 with G – she wouldn’t take a free ride, for G and for her friends. G was getting a signed Derek and the Dominoes first edition lp, a new guitar case, and a Sex Pistols’ T-shirt, Faith smirked, her Watcher had wicked cool music taste for such a stuffy guy. She’d got Cordy a purse, Willow was getting this PC game she’d been raving about, and Jonathan and Jesse were getting Playstation games. But Xander, Faith’s smile wavered, she had to get Xan something real special to make up to him.

She hadn’t meant shit by what she’d said to him, but it had really hurt him, embarrassed him. She kinda knew he had feelings for her but she wasn’t her type, but she’d never been much good at letting people down gently. But he was a good guy, and she kinda missed him joking with her. They still hung in the same gang and everything, but he never spoke to her anymore and that hurt. When she came into the room, he usually either shut up or moved away from her. And the shine in his eyes and his smile, they weren't there anymore when she occasionally managed to catch his eyes... All of that, it hurt... Hurt far more than it should have... hurt more than she thought it would.

Shaking off her melancholy, Faith stopped in the centre of the shopping mall’s third floor. Her smile returned as she watched the queue of kids waiting to meet Santa. She’d never done it herself, Ma didn’t have time to waste on her, but just watching the look of excited innocence on all those little kids’ faces reminded her why she fought. She watched avidly as the elf led the kid at the front of the queue to Santa who lifted the little boy onto his knee and the elf took the previous kid to pet the reindeer.

“HO! HO! HO! HO!”

Her eyes widened. “Oh shit,” she muttered as she saw a red-skinned, white-faced horned demon suddenly appear by the grotto, grab Santa Claus and fling him to the ground. Thinking quickly, she hurdled over the landing vault. “Supergirl to the rescue!” Maybe the kids would think it was part of the show and not get scared.

Leaping into the air, she drop kicked the seven foot tall demon in its face, knocking the thickly-muscled gargantuan back a step. Landing on her feet, she screamed as the monster raked her across her right arm, her leather jacket only slightly protecting her from its claws. “Oh sh-,” spying the near-by children she amended what she was about to say. “Supergirl to the rescue!” Leaping forward, she ducked under the beast’s claws and planted a palm-strike into the monster’s distended stomach. The monster grunted again and stumbled backwards, she followed after it but caught a right to her jaw, lifting her off her feet and dumping her into a near-by Christmas tree, knocking her and the tree to the ground.

Instantly she was back on her feet and chasing the monster as he ran away, rotating her jaw gingerly as she pursued it – shit, he could punch. The demon reached the floor railing just feet in front of her and leapt over.

Faith’s eyes widened as the monster barged into a frightened child stood by the railing and knocked him into the air. Faith picked up some extra speed, fear pushing her to even great efforts. Diving into the air, she grabbed the small boy just as he cleared the railing. “Gotcha!” she winked as she hit the ground and rolled to her feet. “Hey,” she was alarmed when the frightened kid burst into tears. “It’s okay, you’re gonna be cool.”

Slightly panicked by the child’s tears, she looked at the child’s older brother and grinned. “Guess who jumped to the front of the queue,” she whispered. “Follow me.” Pushing through the crowd, she hurried over to the Santa. “Father Christmas,” she said, “this is your next kid.”

The store employee snorted. “Screw that girlie, I’m going home.”

Faith stepped into the man’s space. “No you’re not,” she snarled. “You’re not disappointing the kids,” she warned. “If I have to break your kneecaps to make you stay I will.” The man gulped and sat down. She nodded approvingly. “Good choice, now I think you’re gonna give all these kids,” she glanced over her shoulder to all the now crying children, “extra presents today. You dig?” the store employee nodded. “Smart man.”

* * *

Giles watched with a professional eye as his students sparred. To his surprise, the best of his trainees was Cordelia, her dancer’s agility, stamina, flexibility, and co-ordination putting her just ahead of Xander whose capacity to take punishment awed him as well as worrying him as to how he’d developed such a talent. Jesse was third, the boy’s lack of focus preventing him from seriously challenging Xander for second place.

Willow and Jonathan, Giles winced, the two picked up the techniques well enough, but when it came to sparring, a combination of queasiness and a lack of confidence meant they were awful. Still, they were first class minds, and were more than helpful with research, while the others rivalled Faith for their incapacity for academia.

“Yo G!”

Giles glanced over his shoulder, surprised that his daughter was here. He’d called the others in for extra training at her request as cover for her Christmas shopping. His surprise turned to worry when he noticed the blood leaking from the Bostonian’s upper right arm. “What happened!” he started forward, followed closely by Xander only for the youth to stop and the others to overtake the boy who stepped to one side, an uncomfortable and confused expression on his face.

Pushing aside his worries about the duo’s continuing estrangement, he quickly examined his charge’s wound. To his relief, Slayer healing was already kicking in, still… “Willow, could you get me the-,” he smiled as the red-head passed him the first aid box, “thank you.”

“G, don’t fuss.” Faith looked embarrassed, but then his girl always had to be tough, especially in front of a crowd. “Slayer healing.”

”And Slayers generally need two arms to be fully effective,” he pointed out as he dabbed some antiseptic into the girl’s wound. “So let’s make sure it doesn’t get infected.”

Faith groaned. “Yes G.”

“And don’t pout, young ladies don’t pout.” He sensed rather than saw Faith’s theatrical roll of the eyes. “What happened?”

”Yeah Faith,” Cordelia broke in. “Isn’t it rather light for vampires?”

“Oh there’s a couple working on their tans C,” Faith chuckled before shaking her head. “No – shit G!” the Bostonian unleashed a barrage of swear words. “That hurt goddamn it!”

“Don’t be such a baby,” Cordelia scolded.

“Tell you what C, have Lectar here operate on you.” Faith shot back.

“You two please be quiet,” he snapped “I’m trying to clean this wound; Dr. Finlay never had to operate under these conditions.”

“Who?” asked a confused sounding Jonathan.

“No Dr. Finlay, Dr. Who was a time lord,” Giles joked.

“You were into Dr. Who?” Jesse asked incredulously.

”I was young once,” he sniffed.

“Can I have written proof?” Faith shot back.

”Very amusing, now,” he looked into his charge’s face. “What happened?” In a few terse sentences, Faith explained. Giles nodded. “I think it’s time we researched.”

”Oh joy.”

He chose to ignore Faith’s mutterings. “Now let’s get a search started. Xander, you and -,” he was about to say Faith but decided that forcing the two together was not wise. “Willow and Jesse investigate clawed demons. The others help me look for red demons.”

“Miss Giles, my office now!”

* * *

Snyder glared at the scowling girl sat opposite him. Just half-a-hour ago he’d been home with his feet up. And then he’d got a phone call from the Mayor informing him of Faith’s behaviour. “So Miss. Giles,” he sniffed, what an educated man like Giles was doing associating himself with such a low-life as her he really had no idea. “I knew you were a troublemaker from your permanent record. Well let me tell you missy, Mr. Flutie might have let you run riot, but I,” he jabbed his thumb at his head, “I am a completely different matter.”

The troublesome teen bristled. “I haven’t done nothing.”

“Except wreck a shopping mall, the damage to the school’s reputation is incalculable!”

“Hey! There was a lunatic with a knife, I was helping!”

He snorted. “Don’t lie to me young lady. What about you threatening to assault a mall employee?”

He smugly noted the girl’s squirming. Guilt, he could smell it a mile away. “He was going to leave the kids waiting to see Father Christmas,” the delinquent muttered.

Now if that wasn’t the most pathetic excuse he’d ever heard. “Christmas,” he snorted. “If it was up to me, you little brats wouldn’t get a Christmas!”

“HEY!” the girl was on her feet in an instant. “You’re a miserable -.”

“Faith,” his office door crashed open to reveal his librarian stood in the doorway, a forbidding expression on his face. “Go to the library.”

* * *

By the time Snyder had recovered from his shock, the Boston transplant had disappeared. Recovering, he bristled indignantly and pulled himself up to his less than considerable height. “Now see here -.”

“Let me make myself clear,” the Englishman’s cold tone silenced him instantly. “If I get the slightest hint that you are signalling my child out or unfairly disparaging her.” The librarian chuckled. “Well let’s just say you’ll regret it.”

Gathering his courage, Snyder sniffed. “Sorry. I'm not convinced.”

He attempted to push past the taller man only to be grabbed by his lapel and pushed back against his desk. His blood chilled at the man’s vicious grin. “Would you like me to convince you?”

* * *

Giles blood was boiling as he stormed out of Snyder’s office. That little pillock, he’d been so tempted to introduce Snyder to some of the best London pub-fighting techniques. Faith tried so hard to be good and to have people like Snyder sneering at her.

”Thanks G.”

Surprised by the soft voice, he turned to see Faith leant by the wall. “Quite alright my girl,” he smiled. “We’re a team aren’t we?”

“Yeah, like Batman and Robin,” Faith stepped in beside him.

“I rather thought Holmes and Watson.”

“Who?”

Giles shook his head, sometimes this girl. “I thought I told you to go back to the library?”

“And research,” Faith shuddered theatrically. “No thanks!”

“It wouldn’t kill you to pick up a book more often,” he scolded.

Faith winked at him. “This girl’s taking no chances.” He chuckled, Faith’s face turned serious. “You think Xan will ever forgive me?”

Giles squeezed his girl’s shoulders. “Mr. Harris is a fine young man, but being hurt by someone you care about like you hurt him is the deepest hurt of all. But just give him time, you can’t force these things.”

“But I miss him being my bud,” Faith looked down at the floor. “I mean Jess and Jonathan are cool but Xan,” she shrugged, “I ain’t never had guy friends before and I don’t want to lose one.”

“Faith,” Giles struggled for the words to comfort his Slayer. “The very fact that Xander continues to train with us shows he feels loyalty to our cause at the least.”

“I guess,” Faith nodded slightly as they reached the library doors.

* * *

“We’ve found it!” Willow beamed as she held up a book.

“Correction,” Cordelia said loftily as she looked up with concern at her best friend’s drawn face. “I found it.” Getting up, she hurried over to her friend and dragged her away from the others. “What’s wrong Faith? Has Snyder said something, my dad’s on the governor’s-.”

”Nah, it’s nothing,” Faith shrugged.

”No it isn’t,” she insisted. “I know something’s wrong, now talk!”

Faith’s eyes flashed. “Man you’ve got nerve C,” Faith chuckled. “It’s X, it kinda hurts way he is.”

“Does it now!” Cordelia’s eyes flashed. “Well if Jesse thinks he’s getting the use of my lips until he talks to him-.”

“No!” Faith’s eyes widened in panic. “You can’t, it’s my mess, I’ve got to sort it.”

A light bulb came on in her head. “Do you like Xander?” Cordelia asked. This was ridiculous Faith liking the geek. On the other hand, she was dating Jesse. “Because if you want I could set you up with him, we could double-date?”

“No way, me and X,” Faith shook her head. “Xan is so not my type.”

“But-.”

“When you two have finished gossiping?”

After a glare at Giles and an even more ferocious one at Xander, Cordelia sniffed as she and Faith moved back to the table. “We were discussing battle strategies.” Well dating was a type of war.

* * *

“Now,” Giles read the notes from the books. “At one time in early history there was a Scandinavian demon that in the winter would attack groups of children at parties,” Faith raised an eyebrow, this sounded like a fairy tale. In a minute G would be handing out cookies and milk. “A mighty mage rose and banished it from this plane of dimension. That mage was Nicholas, who over a period of decades became known as St. Nicholas, and the demon was Satan Claws,” Faith squinted at Giles’ look at her, this was obviously meant to mean something but she didn’t have a clue. “Over time folklore built up over the demon, perhaps by people anxious to banish the memories, parents telling children that if they were good Santa Claus would leave them presents.”

Then it hit her. “Wait a minute! You’re telling me Santa Claus was a demon?”

“Indeed he was,” Giles nodded, “the only question is why and how he’s back?”

* * *

He chuckled as he locked his hotel room and hurried towards his car. He was glad to get out of this bloody desolate outpost. “Merry Christmas Ripper,” he chuckled. “I hope you and your bloody chit of a Slayer enjoy your present.” Nobody, but nobody turned on him.

* * *

“Sir,” he looked up at his deputy. “Another attack at a carol service.”

Wilkins scowled. “That’s the sixth in the past week?” Finch nodded. “This is just unacceptable, the sort of thing that will be remembered come election day. Increase patrols!”

”Yes sir,” the deputy Mayor hesitated. “Sir, Mrs. Walsh is here for her job interview.”

“Oh really?” Wilkins raised an eyebrow. His agents had told him that the woman represented a government agency dedicated to researching demonology. His first instinct was to put up every obstacle to her getting tenure at the college, but on the other hand, there was the maxim of keeping one’s enemies closer. If her agency was based in Sunnydale, he could kill them as soon as he ascended, before they had chance to formulate a plan to counter him. “Please, invite her in.” He was most eager to meet his soon to be victim.

* * *

“Come on G!” Faith cursed, “there’s too many damn parties and stuff going on, its Christmas, I can’t be everywhere!”

”Yes Faith,” Giles sighed. “I’m well aware of that. However I have come up with a plan.”

“Really?” Faith beamed. “Spill.” the Slayer’s face fell and she glanced at her companions before looking back at him after his explanation. “Tell me you are joking!”

“Faith,” Giles groaned at the children’s expressions. “Do you seriously think I want to do this?”

“Well I want to go on record, there’s no way I’m sitting on your knee!” Faith snapped.

“And neither’s Cordy!” Jesse added, a protective arm around his girlfriend’s shoulder.

”Thank goodness for that,” Giles muttered. What had he done to deserve being the surrogate parent to this rabble? Ripper hadn’t been that evil.

* * *

Faith laughed as Giles walked out of his office. “If that ain’t the scrawniest Father Christmas I’ve ever seen!”

Giles glared at the teen for a second before smirking. “Well, Faith you and Cordelia look quite delightful in your elf costumes.” He chuckled when the Bostonian flipped him the bird. “Well really, should one of Santa’s elves be making such a rude gesture?” He looked up to see the others entering, Willow and Jonathan dressed as snowmen, and Jesse and Xander the most sheepish-looking reindeers he’d ever seen.

“G,” Faith whined. “Do we have to, I feel ridiculous.”

“Don’t worry Faith,” Jesse broke in cheerfully. “You still look really hot.”

Faith broke off from her moaning to glare at Jesse. “C, muzzle your boy-toy,” the Slayer turned back to him. “This isn’t fair.”

“Faith, you know I concur.” Giles replied through gritted teeth. “However it is only logical that Satan Claws will strike at the children’s orphanage. All those children getting their presents, decorations, happiness. Like a magnet to Satan Claws.”

“Yeah, but why do we have to go undercover?” Faith whined.

“Because it’s the only way to get in, I volunteered our group to help out as fancy dress atmosphere.”

“Couldn’t you have said something else?”

“I was hardly going to offer you as chef was I?”

“Hey!” Faith sounded offended. “I dial a great pizza!”

* * *

“Come on this way to see Santa Claus!” Faith beckoned the next beaming child to the grotto, ruffling the five year old’s sandy-brown hair as he tottered past her, a beaming grin on his cherubic face. Faith had to admit she was enjoying herself, looking after the kids, making them smile, kinda made her feel good inside. Course if anyone called her on it, well she’d kick their asses from here to Bosto-.

“HO! HO! HO! HO!”

Faith tensed instantly at the chilling laugh. Turning, she saw Satan Claws lumber out from behind one of the Christmas trees, a casual backhand swipe sending the eight foot pine tree crashing to the ground. “Showtime,” she muttered before glancing towards her Watcher. “G! My sword!”

“Here my dear.”

Faith plucked the thrown sword out of mid-air. “Thanks!”

She started towards the demon, bustling kids out of her way. Her eyes widened when one of the kids bundled into the path of the advancing demon. At this distance, she’d never get there in time.

Suddenly Xander hurtled into the kid, his leap carrying both Xan and the kid out of the demon’s way. Ballsy, Faith nodded approvingly, real ballsy. She stopped in front of the demon. “Hey asshole,” she cocked her head to one side. “Ready for round two?”

“HO! HO! HO! HO!”

Faith dodged out of the monster’s flashing claws, twisting her body left and right to avoid its attack. “You could,” she grunted as a fist caught her in the mouth, drawing blood, “have just said yes.”

She kicked out, the point of her foot connecting with the monster’s distended belly, staggering it. “HO! HO! HO!”

“You know,” she directed a heel kick at the beast’s knee only to wince when its claws caught her bare lower leg, ripping a trio of bloody furrows across it. “That HO, HO HO crap, kinda getting boring.” Stepping into the monster’s space, she feinted with a left elbow to the face, while bringing her sword up on its other side, and ripping it through its neck. The moment the monster hit the floor it exploded into dust.

“And that,” Faith glanced behind her to a wildly-smiling Cordelia trying to calm the crying kids. “Is the end of the show!”

* * *

Carl Balbo resisted the urge to pick up the small girl by her collar and fling her out of the door. When the doe-eyed beauty had walked into the comic shop where he’d worked, he’d fallen over himself to be the one who got to serve her. But that was almost a hour ago, and every suggestion of a comic for her friend had been met by a shake of the head and the words, ‘nah not X’, or ‘not special enough for Xan’, or the classic, ‘you’re jerking my chain right, how much for a comic?’. Finally he decided a new tact. “Okay what’s your friend into?”

The girl stared at him as if he was stupid. “I’m in a comic store, what do ya think?”

He sighed. “Other than comics.”

“I don’t know,” the young woman’s face brightened. “Sci Fi and vampires.”

Carl grinned. “Vampires, I’ve got just the thing. Wait there.” He hurried off to return with a comic.

The brunette stared doubtfully at the cling-filmed item. “What’s so special about this?” the leather-clad teen’s beaming smile as he explained the comic’s significance made all his trouble worthwhile. “That’s wicked, thanks man!”

* * *

Faith took a breath as she watched Xander’s house, his bedroom light having gone out some twenty minutes ago. She’d told herself that the only reason she hadn’t knocked on the front door yet was because she didn’t want Xander’s pa leering at her when she opened the door, but that was bullshit, she’d gotten used to guys leering at her years ago. No, the fear was X would just slam the door in her face. But if she broke in, left his present behind, then at least he’d know she gave a shit about him.

Leaping up she grabbed hold of a branch of the tree just opposite X’s bedroom window. With cat-like agility she climbed onto the branch. Leaning forward, she used a combination of her Slayer strength and house-breaking skills to force the window lock. Grinning triumphantly, she eased the window open and slid inside. Placing the comic on Xander’s cluttered desk, she moved to the window. “Faith?”

She froze at Xander’s voice and the sound of a bedside light going on. Forcing a casual expression, she turned to face the bleary-eyed youth. “Hey X,” Faith passed the comic over. “’Tomb of Dracula #10’, guy in the shop said it’s the first appearance of Blade. So Merry Christmas from one vamp-hunter to another. Anyway,” she shrugged before turning back to the window. “Be seeing ya.”

“Oh thanks,” the Californian looked up from the comic to her and swallowed nervously. “Faith, do you want to stay, talk for a while?”

Faith grinned. She reached into her pocket, pulled out her mobile, and dialled home. “Yeah G, it’s me. No, I’m five by five, I’ll be home late though, I’m hanging with my bud Xander.”

* * *

“Hello,” the bearded man spoke into the phone. “She’s arrived on the Hellmouth. The time of our prophesied revenge is at hand.” He paused as the voice at the other end spoke for a couple of minutes. “I’m sure, I’ve seen her in action myself, she could almost be of the blood herself. It’s time to send Janna.” He listened to some instructions before hanging up, he walked out of the phone box and back to his hotel room. Soon, the Scourge would pay the price for their crimes against the clans.