milliways_bar | (no subject)

*Meg's stare is gradually changing to a glare.*

What the - I'm not plotting anything. Par Dieu, don't you think I've got better things to do with my time than sit around cackling about my Clever Schemes Muahahahaha?

Faith stares at her for a minute, then, very calmly, pulls out a knife, still gripping Meg's wrist, and rest the blade just over Meg's left knee. "It's going to come off, Meg. Right now."

*Meg freezes.

The look on her face is something like et tu, Brute? Except imagine if Brute had been the first one to stab.*

"You know what I think? I think you were gonna make a little paradox," Faith says, low and cold. "Your friend, the ballerina that Nick killed...I think you were gonna save her. Maybe by killing him before he could kill her? Was that the plan, Meg? Kill him, and to Hell with all the people who care about him?"

Kill Nick?

*Meg attempts to wrench away.* You've gone fou. Absolument fou.

*Her voice is shaking badly. She's trying very, very hard not to look at the knife, hovering near her legs.*

"Crazy? Is that what that means?" Faith laughs, unpleasantly. "Maybe I have. Maybe two weeks of dreaming about blood and death and people I love suffering has left me a little unhinged. Maybe finding out from Bernard that it is possible to die in the bar has me scared. Maybe dreaming of you sewing Nick's body into a quilt and then telling me I was next is a little disturbing. Maybe I am a little crazy...but that doesn't mean I'm wrong, does it?"

It was, *Meg says, her voice cold and hard,* a dream. You bloody idiot.

Maybe I've thought about saving her. But bloody inferne, Faith - I'm not going to kill anyone, and if you're going to chop off my leg you might as well kill me. So go on. Do it. You won't have to worry about me anymore, that's for sure -

Faith snarls, puts the knife away, and leans in a little closer. "You stupid, selfish little hypocrite. Weren't you the one who told me you hated paradoxes? And now here you are thinking about changing Nick's past...I know she's your friend, and I'm sorry, but you know not to mess with time like that. Did you ever think about what might happen if he hadn't killed your friend? Who else he might have killed that night instead? You, maybe? Or your mother? Maybe he would still be killing people today. He's been coming in from earlier and earlier times...maybe he'd come in from when he was still feeding, and like I said, Bernard says you can die here...he could feed off anybody, Meg. You, me...Andrew...so I guess the question here is, how many lives are you willing to trade to save one?"

Oh?

*Meg's voice is cold and clear.*

So you're not willing to sacrifice me to save all those lives?

Shame, Faith. What, aren't you seeing the bigger picture? How many lives are you willing to trade to save one?

Faith Looks At Her. Capital letters intentional. "You think I don't know about sacrifice? Ask Andrew what I know about Sacrifice. Willing to sacrifice you? Yes. I was going to kill Warren and Andrew, if the Powers told me I had to. Am I going to kill you now? No, I'm not. Not because you're my friend, though you are. Not because I love you, although no matter how angry I get I really do care about you. But you're the past of a lot of people here, and I do not want to inadvertantly cause entire worlds to explode due to paradox."

Neither do I.

*Meg's words are careful and measured.*

And, in fact, if you'd asked, I'd have told you that my idea about saving her was only half an idea anyways, and I'm getting less and less convinced of its wisdom day by day, and anyways who says I'll be around in seven years to help her anyways?

But you didn't ask. Or at least, not without a knife.

"I asked you what you were plotting," Faith says, very quietly. "And I told you I was worried that Nick was involved. And you said nothing. Not a word, not a hint. You saw how tired I was, how scared for Nick I've been. And you...well." She shrugs and pulls back, releasing Meg. "I'm sorry about the knife. And I do love you, Meg, you're one of my best friends. Whatever you may think of me now, I do care about you. And I am very, very sorry about your friend. I can't even imagine what it's like." The anger, suddenly, is gone from her voice (too tiring, really), and her eyes are dark with sympathy. "I wish I could help you save her."

I had no idea what you were talking about, *Meg points out. She is, very slowly, relaxing. Very slowly.*

It's an idea that's been in the back of my head for a while, but it's not like I go around scheming it, you know?

"...yeah." Faith slumps against the bar, suddenly weary, covering her face with her hands. "Fuck. Meg. I'm sorry. I just...Charlie, and the tired, and Nick's one of my best friends, and there's...I had dreams about somebody here dying that I happen to know weren't of the past, and I was afraid...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have...your legs, I know they...I wouldn't, really...fuck." She laughs, softly. "Way to make friends and influence people, huh?"

*Meg is a sucker for forgive-me voices and self-hatred.

She sighs.*

It's okay.

I know it's been really really really rough for you. And all.

*Her knees are drawn up to her chest now, her arms clasped around them.

She's not entirely reassured yet.*

Faith is silent for a minute, and then, very quietly, she says, "I saw Tonks. And I think she was dead."

*Meg pales.*

But that doesn't necessarily mean it's going to happen, right?

"Not necessarily. But...Meg, you can't tell anybody. Especially Tonks or Bernard, 'cause...well, obviously. But I mean, nobody." Faith is very, very white herself. "I'm going to do everything I can to stop it...but they can't know."

*Meg nods, once, her face determined and hard.*

'course not. I won't tell a soul.

Faith nods back. "OK. Good. Thanks." She sighs, running her hand through her hair. "It's so messed up. Charlie having to kill that guy, and Tonks, and all this...I need to sleep. I need to tell Nick nobody's trying to kill him, and then I need to sleep."

Yes.

On all acounts, *Meg agrees fervently,* yes.

Faith nods, hesitates, and then hugs Meg tightly. "Forgive me?"

*Meg is frozen for a long moment.

But finally hugs her back.*

Yes.

Faith closes her eyes, sensing the hesitation, and releases her. "I will never, ever do anything to your legs," she says, quietly. "I promise."

And off she goes, without another word.