(PM conversation between Faith and Tara)
Faith
Walking ahead of the main group Faith sets a casual pace. She rolls her shoulders and stretches her arms she scans her surroundings and she tokes happily on her cigarette.
Noticing Tara nearby she pauses.
- 'Uh, this isn't bothering you is it?' She gestures to her smoke and then frowns a bit, 'Not sure if you can...can you even smell stuff?'
Tara.
Tara looks at Faith, "l don't know" she said back. "l haven't tried" she said giving Faith a puzzled look.
Faith
Faith tilts her head at that.
- 'Gotta say that's pretty whack. Let's see.' She inhales deeply before pursing her lips and blowing the smoke near Tara's face.
- 'Now try.' She smiles, 'Teaching you how to inhale. That's me all over, bad influence on every damn thing.'
Tara
Tara took a breath "Feels funny " she said with a giggle.
"Why do you do that?" she said softy looking at Faith with a half smile on her face.
Faith
Faith grins as she continues to look around at the countryside.
- 'Sorry to say that I don't have any 'funny' cigarettes Glinda, but I'll keep that in mind for ya when we all get outta here.' She glances over at the ghost, 'Uh, and why do I do what?'
Tara
Tara smiles at Faith " l hold you to that " she said looking at Faith.
Then she gives Faith a sad look "Put yourself down like that. You're not a bad influence Faith "she said getting close to Faith.
Faith
Faith shrugs uneasily when Tara stares at her.
- 'It is what it is, 'kay. Ask B or Dawn or any of the Potentials and they'll fill in the blanks...its my rep. Not down on myself or nothin', just the way I'm built.'
Looking to change the subject away from herself Faith jabs a thumb over her shoulder.
- 'So, you and Red kiss and make up already?'
Tara
Tara chuckles " l can't kiss remember " she said looking back at Faith . " She said she has a new girlfriend. How is she " Tara said looking guilty.
Faith
- 'Kennedy? Yeah, she's alright. Green but eager, y'know. Kinda a brat, pushy, but hey, you needed a bit of that in a tight spot like we were in. Think she'll be okay with the whole slayer-package, s'long as somebody's around to keep her in line.' She smiles at that last thought.
Faith hesitates for a moment and then shrugs again,
- 'She and Willow seem...happy.' She shrugs in discomfort, ' That kinda thing- when you think you're gonna die at any moment- you get the good stuff while you can.' She shakes her head ruefully, 'Hell, I did too.'
Tara
Tara runs her hand down Faith arm softy " l though that when I came back I could continue with Willow, but I love her enough to let her go " she said softy to Faith. "And there you go putting your self down again. Don't forget I can still read auras so I see the truth of you." She said giving Faith a loving look.
Faith
Faith looks skeptical at this.
- 'My aura, huh? So how does that work 'xactly- like word-clouds floating around my head or somethin'? Or could be colours. Either way reckon my aura needs a good wipe-down with a shammy.'
She waves her hand dismissivly, 'And that ain't me putting myself down, I'm not gonna beat on myself when there's a line o' people ready to do that for me.'
Faith pauses. 'I got no illusions 'bout what I am, thats all.'
-'...So, you got any theories about what's going on around here? Magical insights or somethin', however that works.'
Tara
Tara smiles gently at Faith. "You shouldn't do that Faith. Everyone's not going to do that . I see colors around a person & what I see in you shows that you a good person " she said looking at Faith. "And even when I first met you in Buffy body you weren't evil . I saw a lot of red showing anger but no black showing evil " she said looking into Faith eyes.
"You a good person " she said in a firm voice.
Faith
Faith frowns at Tara's soft-spoken but firm voice. She stops walking for a moment and frowns at the ground, pensive. She glances back at the group to make sure they're far enough away so as not to overhear.
- 'Look Tara, you seem like a sweet girl and all and I guess you're tryin' t'be nice, ' Faith says, staring at the other girl hard, 'But you don't know me or the things I did. Getting the skinny on me from Willow is one thing but...bottom line; people are dead that shouldn't be 'cause of me. I did a lot of damage, hurt a lot of people and didn't give a whole hell of a damn until it was way too late. Good people don't do the things I did.'
Faith drops the remains of her cigarette and grinds it in the dirt.
- 'The sooner you figure that out, the better.' She says bitterly.
Tara
Tara looks at Faith with what looks like tears in her eyes & starts reaching out to Faith before putting her hand down.
"You shouldn't be so hard on your self Faith . You a good person since you went to prison to make up for what you did " she said softy. " You don't know them but my family except my mom were bad people & your so much nicer than they are " she said sniffling . "If you were bad like you said then why are you here now " she said softy looking at Faith and getting close to Faith so she could run her hand over Faith arm.
Then she said to herself " I wonder if Willow was right " not meaning to say it out loud.
Faith
Faith shakes her head and takes a step back from Tara.
- 'I'm sorry you had it tough, okay? But its not being hard on myself to...remember the things I did. I don't make a thing of it because its my problem, no one elses deal. But it still matters, and I guess it always will. Probably always should.'
Faith looks back at the group as they follow along. She mutters;
- 'I'm here 'cause its my job, simple as that. So we all better keep moving.'
With that Faith stalks away, across the dirt track.
Tara .
Tara looks at Faith walking & says softy to herself. "You not fooling me Faith. You a beautiful person & I not giving up on you." she said before following after.