Originally Posted: Mar. 8th, 2007
Length/Rating: 256 words, PG, Gen
AU: The Secret Lives of Superheroes
Pairing/Warnings: none
Summary: Xander’s tired of riding shotgun.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER is owned, trademark and copyright by Twentieth Century Fox, Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and the WB Network. All rights reserved. No copyright infringement is intended nor implied.

Faith never lets him drive and that rankles, at least until he realizes she’s not really in control. Ruth may let her steer, but in the end they go where the mustang wants. Once he’s looking for them he catches the small corrections that drift them from one lane to the next, and curves them onto offramps; changes in temperature that coax them to sleep or eat; music in perky beats or lulling melodies providing emotional soundtracks to the monotonous scenery. All subtle enough that Faith doesn’t notice, or can pretend she doesn’t.

It doesn’t take him long after that to figure out the random encounters they keep having aren’t random at all. Ruth has a knack for finding people in distress, and a keen sense of pragmatism when it comes to who’s worth saving and who isn’t. On one hand comforting, on the other just downright creepy. But that means the first night it was Ruth who rescued him, even if it was Faith who did the fighting.

It’s a little odd, having his life dictated by a car. So the next time they stop he waits until Faith is asleep and whispers to Ruth about life and destiny and happily ever after, and how Faith has always been too willing to follow and how he’s getting tired of never being able to lead.

The next day Ruth lets him drive, and when they end up playing caped crusader yet again she doesn’t say I told you so, but he hears it just the same.