posted to rippers_game
Faith pushed the door open, stepping inside the library. She'd been back for a few days but had made herself pretty scarce around the house. Mostly because she didn't want to deal with anyone, she just wanted to be alone. She'd not even spoken to Giles since she'd returned from the States, figuring Wesley had filled him in on the details. As she strolled up to the counter, running her hand along the cool wooden surface absently, she silently hoped that if he had spilled the details it hadn't included everything. Stopping in the center of the counter, she smirked, her eyes falling upon the tiny bell sitting there. Unable to resist temptation, she reached forward and pushed it in, the loud ding resounding through the quiet room. No response. Another smirk as she continued to push the bell, trying to illicit a response.
Rupert hurriedly exited the uppermost stacks upon hearing the bell, beliving it be yet another impatient student. "Bloody hell, I hear you," he called out rather loudly. He stopped short of the top step to see Faith standing at the counter. He smiled and promptly lost his footing, stumbling down the stairs.
Faith raised her eyebrow, trying to contain her laughter as Giles stumbled down the stairs. Moving quickly, she managed to catch him before he hit the bottom. Helping him to his feet, she tilted her head to the side and looked at him amused. "What can I say, I'm used to knockin' guys off their feet." She winked with a smirk, shoving her hands in her backpockets as she regarded him. "Good to see some things ain't changed since I been gone. At least I caught you before you knocked yourself unconscious this time."
"Small comfort," he grinned in reply. "Good to see you're back. The last report I was forward came from Wesley, informing me of an interesting find in Las Vegas."
"Yeah guess you could say that." Faith replied, following him back over towards the counter. "Among other things." She muttered under her breath. "Looks like your boy is up to no good, just like Padre tried to tell ya." She looked at him then frowned. "Not that I'm tryin' to be all with the 'I told ya so' or nothin'."
Rupert blushed slightly. "No, you did. And I should have been more receptive." He brushed off his pants and placing his recollected the books on the countertop. "And in your absence, I've been putting a plan in place."
Tilting her head to the side, she looked at him curiously. "Yeah? What's up?" She turned her back to him, putting both hands behind her back, onto the surface, and hoisted herself up onto the counter.
Rupert retreated behind the counter before continuing. "As it stands, we aren't a match against Cain. Each Gate has increased his power. Physical strength won't win the day alone. Coffee?" He didn't wait for Faith's response, instead running into his office to retrieve a decanter and two mugs. "And attacking him with magicks would prove ineffective, unless we struck at the one moment he would be completely vulnerable."
"So Red's mojo ain't no match in this case is what you're sayin'? Unless we can get him while he's all with the vulnerable. I'm almost scared to ask when that is."
Rupert poured the still hot coffee into two cups, offering one to Faith. "When he tries to open the fifth Gate."
Wrinkling her nose in disgust, she took the offered coffee. She wasn't much of a coffee fan, but she'd grown to like it more than she used to because of Giles. Taking a small sip, she recoiled slightly, flinching at the temperature before setting the cup down beside her on the counter. "So, back to Vegas? Make with the mojo when he's doin' the big gate opening?"
Rupert blew over the ceramic cup before taking a sip. "Right. Willow is working on a spell that will act as, if you will, a battery drainer. Beth's club has opened and we now have the resources to train people to effectively to fight any resistance we encounter, which I hope you can share with her. And it's my hope that Wes can gather more intelligence on when Cain plans to act."
"Looks like you got it all covered. That's cool. 'Course I ain't really surprised. You always got the sitch under control Giles." Faith grinned, picking up her cup and taking a sip. She frowned at the bitter taste. "Man this is some heavy shit going down huh? Guess the whole me helpin' Kennedy thing didn't really pan out. I ain't been able to find her since I got back. Ain't sure what's up with that. But...." She shrugged. "You still want me to keep that little game up?"
"Kennedy was a friend once." Rupert's eyes fell slightly. "It pains me to think that she's so blind to Cain. Do you feel this is a lost cause, Faith?"
Faith looked thoughtful and sad for a moment. All hardness of her features were gone. Her eyes met his and she wrinkled her brow slightly. "Everybody thought I was a lost cause too Giles. Only one who never gave up on me was Angel. Be kinda fucked up if I did that to the brat." She shrugged, looking down at her boots. "Just sayin'."
Rupert smiled briefly, recognizing just how much Faith had grown in such a short time. "Then yes, continue with Kennedy. I support you whole-heartedly."
Faith returned his smile with a nod. "Done. Well, whenever I track her down anyway." She took another drink of the coffee. "Anything else go down while I was gone?"
Rupert's expression considerably brightened. "Genesis and I are engaged. I'd hoped you and Wes could be there on Christmas Eve as I wanted to propose in front of all my friends."
"No fuckin' way!" Faith nearly choked on her coffee, putting her cup down and smiling, looking at him surprised. "G-man all with the engaged. Now that, I woulda totally loved to see. I'm guessin' you did the whole gettin' down on one knee and all that other sappy shit?" She teased him in good humor.
"Er," he stumbled. "More that our favourite redhead caught my almost derailed intentions and set them right," Rupert continued with a chuckle.
Faith laughed, shaking her head. "Good ol' Red, always tryin' to save the day. You know, when she ain't tryin' to end the world and everything. How's she doin' anyway? I ain't talked to her for awhile. Then again, ain't really talked to anybody."
"Willow's opened her magic shop and is rooming with Illyria," Rupert offered. "And aside from a visit from a vampire and Lilah's indiscretion of spying on them -- which she's been admonished for, Lilah I mean -- Willow seems very centered." He took a larger gulp of his now cooling coffee.
Raising her eyebrow in confusion, Faith tilted her head and looked at Giles. "Illyria?" She frowned slightly, more to herself than outwardly. Had Willow started seeing someone? She thought about the last time she'd talked to the witch. The kiss they'd shared. She shook it off and nodded. "Cool. She needed it. The whole bein' centered and all."
"Aside from what I've already learned in Wes' mission updates," he chuckled at the phrasing, "anything else exciting in your travels?"
"That's kinda why I'm here." She looked down at the coffee cup in her hand before drinking the rest of it and setting it aside. "I uh, need your help with somethin'."
He took a final gulp of the coffee, setting it down on the counter, then pressing his palms on same. "Anything you need, Faith."
Faith took a deep breath, looking a bit troubled. "You can't tell nobody this shit. I swear to God Giles. I'll totally kick your ass." She looked to him for affirmation, to which he readily gave. "Okay...." She took another deep breath, frowning as she continued. "I need some info on gettin' a marriage annulled." She blurted out all at once.
"Marriage annulled? I don't--" His voice trailed off, realizing what Faith had just said. "You mean that... you and Wesley..." Rupert's stoic expression quickly fell away as he burst into a fit of giggles.
"Knock it off. It ain't fuckin' funny. Wes and his fuckin' bright ideas." She was becoming angry. It was a sore subject with her. "Wait, how'd you know it was Wes I got hitched to? Maybe it was somebody else. You never know." Faith frowned deeply, clenching her jaw in anger.
"You're right Faith, this is no laughing matter," Rupert replied, attempting to contain his laughter. "But you and Wes were the only two in America, unless you met someone knew and were impulsive." He bit his lower lip, trying to regain his composure. And failed.
Continuing to frown, she hopped down off the counter, wiping her hands down the front of her jeans. "Look just fuckin' forget it okay? I'll figure it out."
"Faith!" he called out. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to make light of the situation. Of course I'll help you."
Faith shrugged. "Whatever. It was just this whole thing. Believe me, it wasn't my fuckin' idea. I kinda got stuck doin' it. We had to avoid some dudes with guns, it was this whole big thing. Anyway, the courthouse was closed the day after and I couldn't do it then and nobody ever returned my call." She stopped, thinking for a minute before she went on. "Unless somebody got the message and didn't tell me. Fuck, I hope not." She ran her hands through her hair. This whole thing was obviously perplexing and stressing her.
"I've checked the answering machine and not heard a word."
"Oh well, not important. Maybe nobody ever called. I'm sure if Hollywood got it, I woulda got the third fuckin' degree already. But, then again, I ain't even seen her so..."
Rupert thought back. He'd seen the back-end of Dora leaving the flat two days' prior but not since. "Neither have I. Not in a few days," he offered.
Shrugging, she crossed her arms over her chest. "Guess we'll find out. Anyway, so, I need that info like yesterday. How soon can you find out the 411 on what I need to do?"
"I'll telephone my family's barrister and ask him to prepare the paperwork." Rupert ran one hand through his hair. "You should have something to sign by the end of the week I'd expect."
Faith smiled, breathing a small sigh of relief. "Cool. Thanks Giles." She looked at the door and back at him. "Look I gotta get outta here. Just keep this quiet okay? Ain't like I want everybody to know this shit. And if you see Wes, don't act like you know nothin'. I ain't really talkin' to him these days and all, so I would prefer he didn't know I came to you about this."
"I'll cancel the china pattern as a wedding gift then," Rupert winked, hoping Faith would catch the joke. "And my lips are sealed."
"Yeah, whatever. Maybe you oughta keep 'em for yourself Mister Engaged." She started walking towards the door. Turning back she smiled. "Catch ya later G-man." Pushing the door open, she stepped out and headed towards her bike parked out front.
Rupert hurriedly exited the uppermost stacks upon hearing the bell, beliving it be yet another impatient student. "Bloody hell, I hear you," he called out rather loudly. He stopped short of the top step to see Faith standing at the counter. He smiled and promptly lost his footing, stumbling down the stairs.
Faith raised her eyebrow, trying to contain her laughter as Giles stumbled down the stairs. Moving quickly, she managed to catch him before he hit the bottom. Helping him to his feet, she tilted her head to the side and looked at him amused. "What can I say, I'm used to knockin' guys off their feet." She winked with a smirk, shoving her hands in her backpockets as she regarded him. "Good to see some things ain't changed since I been gone. At least I caught you before you knocked yourself unconscious this time."
"Small comfort," he grinned in reply. "Good to see you're back. The last report I was forward came from Wesley, informing me of an interesting find in Las Vegas."
"Yeah guess you could say that." Faith replied, following him back over towards the counter. "Among other things." She muttered under her breath. "Looks like your boy is up to no good, just like Padre tried to tell ya." She looked at him then frowned. "Not that I'm tryin' to be all with the 'I told ya so' or nothin'."
Rupert blushed slightly. "No, you did. And I should have been more receptive." He brushed off his pants and placing his recollected the books on the countertop. "And in your absence, I've been putting a plan in place."
Tilting her head to the side, she looked at him curiously. "Yeah? What's up?" She turned her back to him, putting both hands behind her back, onto the surface, and hoisted herself up onto the counter.
Rupert retreated behind the counter before continuing. "As it stands, we aren't a match against Cain. Each Gate has increased his power. Physical strength won't win the day alone. Coffee?" He didn't wait for Faith's response, instead running into his office to retrieve a decanter and two mugs. "And attacking him with magicks would prove ineffective, unless we struck at the one moment he would be completely vulnerable."
"So Red's mojo ain't no match in this case is what you're sayin'? Unless we can get him while he's all with the vulnerable. I'm almost scared to ask when that is."
Rupert poured the still hot coffee into two cups, offering one to Faith. "When he tries to open the fifth Gate."
Wrinkling her nose in disgust, she took the offered coffee. She wasn't much of a coffee fan, but she'd grown to like it more than she used to because of Giles. Taking a small sip, she recoiled slightly, flinching at the temperature before setting the cup down beside her on the counter. "So, back to Vegas? Make with the mojo when he's doin' the big gate opening?"
Rupert blew over the ceramic cup before taking a sip. "Right. Willow is working on a spell that will act as, if you will, a battery drainer. Beth's club has opened and we now have the resources to train people to effectively to fight any resistance we encounter, which I hope you can share with her. And it's my hope that Wes can gather more intelligence on when Cain plans to act."
"Looks like you got it all covered. That's cool. 'Course I ain't really surprised. You always got the sitch under control Giles." Faith grinned, picking up her cup and taking a sip. She frowned at the bitter taste. "Man this is some heavy shit going down huh? Guess the whole me helpin' Kennedy thing didn't really pan out. I ain't been able to find her since I got back. Ain't sure what's up with that. But...." She shrugged. "You still want me to keep that little game up?"
"Kennedy was a friend once." Rupert's eyes fell slightly. "It pains me to think that she's so blind to Cain. Do you feel this is a lost cause, Faith?"
Faith looked thoughtful and sad for a moment. All hardness of her features were gone. Her eyes met his and she wrinkled her brow slightly. "Everybody thought I was a lost cause too Giles. Only one who never gave up on me was Angel. Be kinda fucked up if I did that to the brat." She shrugged, looking down at her boots. "Just sayin'."
Rupert smiled briefly, recognizing just how much Faith had grown in such a short time. "Then yes, continue with Kennedy. I support you whole-heartedly."
Faith returned his smile with a nod. "Done. Well, whenever I track her down anyway." She took another drink of the coffee. "Anything else go down while I was gone?"
Rupert's expression considerably brightened. "Genesis and I are engaged. I'd hoped you and Wes could be there on Christmas Eve as I wanted to propose in front of all my friends."
"No fuckin' way!" Faith nearly choked on her coffee, putting her cup down and smiling, looking at him surprised. "G-man all with the engaged. Now that, I woulda totally loved to see. I'm guessin' you did the whole gettin' down on one knee and all that other sappy shit?" She teased him in good humor.
"Er," he stumbled. "More that our favourite redhead caught my almost derailed intentions and set them right," Rupert continued with a chuckle.
Faith laughed, shaking her head. "Good ol' Red, always tryin' to save the day. You know, when she ain't tryin' to end the world and everything. How's she doin' anyway? I ain't talked to her for awhile. Then again, ain't really talked to anybody."
"Willow's opened her magic shop and is rooming with Illyria," Rupert offered. "And aside from a visit from a vampire and Lilah's indiscretion of spying on them -- which she's been admonished for, Lilah I mean -- Willow seems very centered." He took a larger gulp of his now cooling coffee.
Raising her eyebrow in confusion, Faith tilted her head and looked at Giles. "Illyria?" She frowned slightly, more to herself than outwardly. Had Willow started seeing someone? She thought about the last time she'd talked to the witch. The kiss they'd shared. She shook it off and nodded. "Cool. She needed it. The whole bein' centered and all."
"Aside from what I've already learned in Wes' mission updates," he chuckled at the phrasing, "anything else exciting in your travels?"
"That's kinda why I'm here." She looked down at the coffee cup in her hand before drinking the rest of it and setting it aside. "I uh, need your help with somethin'."
He took a final gulp of the coffee, setting it down on the counter, then pressing his palms on same. "Anything you need, Faith."
Faith took a deep breath, looking a bit troubled. "You can't tell nobody this shit. I swear to God Giles. I'll totally kick your ass." She looked to him for affirmation, to which he readily gave. "Okay...." She took another deep breath, frowning as she continued. "I need some info on gettin' a marriage annulled." She blurted out all at once.
"Marriage annulled? I don't--" His voice trailed off, realizing what Faith had just said. "You mean that... you and Wesley..." Rupert's stoic expression quickly fell away as he burst into a fit of giggles.
"Knock it off. It ain't fuckin' funny. Wes and his fuckin' bright ideas." She was becoming angry. It was a sore subject with her. "Wait, how'd you know it was Wes I got hitched to? Maybe it was somebody else. You never know." Faith frowned deeply, clenching her jaw in anger.
"You're right Faith, this is no laughing matter," Rupert replied, attempting to contain his laughter. "But you and Wes were the only two in America, unless you met someone knew and were impulsive." He bit his lower lip, trying to regain his composure. And failed.
Continuing to frown, she hopped down off the counter, wiping her hands down the front of her jeans. "Look just fuckin' forget it okay? I'll figure it out."
"Faith!" he called out. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to make light of the situation. Of course I'll help you."
Faith shrugged. "Whatever. It was just this whole thing. Believe me, it wasn't my fuckin' idea. I kinda got stuck doin' it. We had to avoid some dudes with guns, it was this whole big thing. Anyway, the courthouse was closed the day after and I couldn't do it then and nobody ever returned my call." She stopped, thinking for a minute before she went on. "Unless somebody got the message and didn't tell me. Fuck, I hope not." She ran her hands through her hair. This whole thing was obviously perplexing and stressing her.
"I've checked the answering machine and not heard a word."
"Oh well, not important. Maybe nobody ever called. I'm sure if Hollywood got it, I woulda got the third fuckin' degree already. But, then again, I ain't even seen her so..."
Rupert thought back. He'd seen the back-end of Dora leaving the flat two days' prior but not since. "Neither have I. Not in a few days," he offered.
Shrugging, she crossed her arms over her chest. "Guess we'll find out. Anyway, so, I need that info like yesterday. How soon can you find out the 411 on what I need to do?"
"I'll telephone my family's barrister and ask him to prepare the paperwork." Rupert ran one hand through his hair. "You should have something to sign by the end of the week I'd expect."
Faith smiled, breathing a small sigh of relief. "Cool. Thanks Giles." She looked at the door and back at him. "Look I gotta get outta here. Just keep this quiet okay? Ain't like I want everybody to know this shit. And if you see Wes, don't act like you know nothin'. I ain't really talkin' to him these days and all, so I would prefer he didn't know I came to you about this."
"I'll cancel the china pattern as a wedding gift then," Rupert winked, hoping Faith would catch the joke. "And my lips are sealed."
"Yeah, whatever. Maybe you oughta keep 'em for yourself Mister Engaged." She started walking towards the door. Turning back she smiled. "Catch ya later G-man." Pushing the door open, she stepped out and headed towards her bike parked out front.