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Hope Jefferson, junior deputy turned savior, blames Bliss when she kisses Faith Seed for the first time.
She was with Grace and Boomer and had finished helping Sharky kill some angels when all of a sudden, her vision was filled with stars. The next thing she knew, she was in a dream state of sorts, and the most beautiful woman was in front of her. She knew from the initial confrontation of Joseph Seed that the woman was Faith Seed, adopted sister of the Seeds.
Faith was telling her about her backstory, how she ended up working with the Seeds. Hope knew it was tragic; it had to be if she ended up doing what she was doing for the Seeds, turning innocent people into essentially brainless zombies. She was warned by Dutch that Faith was known for lying, but even in her drug-induced state, Hope knew that the words coming out of Faith’s mouth were 100% the truth.
Faith told her to jump, Hope looked down and knew that she would not survive the fall. Or maybe she would in her drug-induced state. But, still, the chances were very slim. Hope looked back to the woman standing next to her, and her breath caught in her throat.
Faith was slightly shorter than her, but she was so beautiful in her white dress laced with flowers. Faith was looking at the deputy expectantly, waiting for her to jump. Hope knew that doing so would lead to the end of the drug-induced state, either in death or in severe pain afterward.
Instead of jumping, Hope kissed Faith. The younger woman was shocked at first but soon began kissing back feverishly. Hope wrapped her arms around Faith’s waist, and Faith laced her arms around the deputy’s neck.
Faith pulled back first and smiled shyly at the deputy, “That’s not the leap of faith I meant.”
Hope smirked, vision still swimming, “Worth a shot.”
Hope then turned and jumped off the cliff.
Grace and Boomer later found her, Grace helped her sit up while Boomer scouted the perimeter to make sure no angels or cultists were nearby.
“Quite the leap you took there, Deputy.”
“You saw that?”
“Oh, no, but I saw you laying down here and I assumed that’s what happened.”
Neither of them said anything after that. As Hope got her bearings back, she realized she kissed Faith Seed. Definitely the work of Bliss, she thought.
Hope can’t blame Bliss on her second kiss with Faith.
And, really, their names are Faith and Hope. It’s almost poetic how they keep being drawn to each other, knowing just how wrong their relationship is.
Hope is alone this time, her first mistake. She’s chasing the cultist through the woods when suddenly, they encounter a cabin in the middle of it. Faith seems to be familiar with the cabin and runs in.
Hope has no time to make sure the cabin is actually not full of cultists and angels, so she bursts in, rifle drawn and pistol attached to her hip.
The cabin is surprisingly empty, but Hope still keeps her guard up. She knows Faith is in here somewhere.
She’s searching the bedroom when suddenly, hands cover her eyes and a voice whispers in her ears, “My, my deputy. You should really learn how to clear a room better.”
Hope whips around and points her rifle at Faith. Faith is unarmed and looking at her with some glint in her eye that Hope is having trouble identifying. Glee? Confidence? Hope? (Hope rolls her eyes internally at that. Faith has hope in her eyes in more ways than one, and that would be the true crime).
“I’m not going to hurt you, Hope Jefferson.”
Still, Hope does not let her guard down. She clutches the rifle even tighter in her hands.
“Well, forgive me for not believing you. I’ve seen proof all around this region of your little experiments.”
Faith nods, “It is true that I do that. But, I do not want to do that to you. You...intrigue me, Rook.”
Hope finally lowers her rifle a little bit, “What do you mean?”
Faith admits, “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since our kiss.”
“That kiss was a mistake.”
“Was it? Bliss is known for revealing your innermost desires. I bet you’ve wanted to do that since you saw me in that church all those months ago.”
It’s true, Hope was immediately taken by the beautiful young woman, but she knew that this woman was a terrible person and quickly got her bearings back.
Hope responds, “Don’t be delusional. You’re insane, I don’t want anything to do with you.”
“You’re wrong.”
And she flings herself at Hope. Hope catches her in her arms. Faith begins kissing her and Hope does not even hesitate to kiss her back.
And, fuck, Hope is so gone.
The two of them continued to meet in that cabin for the next few months, even as Hope slowly worked to dismantle the region.
Hope learned more about Faith. While Faith was initially following Joseph’s demands with no qualms, she later learned to see the destruction of her ways. She told Rook that she really just wanted to leave Hope County and start fresh somewhere else.
Faith never wanted the destruction to go as far as it did. Getting to know Hope caused her to want to be a better person. Hope had taught her that the ways of the Seeds were wrong.
Faith had found solace in the Seeds. But, after spending months in Hope’s arms, Faith had found a healthier way to cope with her demons. Hope taught her to love.
Faith didn’t know how to cure the angels. But, she did promise to stop. She told Hope that Joseph had essentially just left Faith to handle the region herself. Even after John’s death, and with Faith’s region crumbling to the resistance, Joseph was still stubborn enough to believe that he would come out of this victorious. The Lord would assure his win.
“I don’t want to hurt anyone anymore.”
“I believe you, Faith.”
As Hope continued to build the resistance in the Henbane River region, Faith would outwardly continue her threats to take Hope down.
But at night, as they met in that cabin, Hope knew that Faith would no longer hurt a fly.
They’re laying in bed, naked, limbs tangled. Hope is running her left hand down Faith’s back and Faith is cuddling into the older woman’s chest. Technically, Hope should be working to take Faith down. The region is essentially liberated. All that’s left is Hope to confront Faith, outside of the confines of their bed, of course.
“I’m leaving Hope County.”
It is Faith that breaks the silence with those words.
“I can help you leave.”
And Hope knows that no one would ever accept Faith leaving. They want nothing less than her death. So, Faith and Hope begin their plan.
Hope confronted John alone, and so Hope will also confront Faith alone. Back up will be waiting nearby in case it is needed.
Hope will fake shooting Faith. Meanwhile, Faith will get into a vehicle and peel out of there as quickly as she can. The resistance will demand proof of Faith’s body, but Hope will ensure that the takedown takes place in an area known for black bears. She will say that bears dragged her corpse away, but that she shot Faith several times.
The actual takedown occurs later that week. Everything goes according to plan. The resistance doesn’t even bat an eye as Hope insists that Faith’s corpse was eaten by bears.
There is a hole in Hope’s life that she tries not to focus on.
Hope takes down Jacob and Joseph before she retires from the force. No one blames her. She took down a cult and definitely deserved a break from that life.
Hope takes the first flight available to Las Vegas. She takes a cab to the Venetian hotel, where she knows that a certain someone is waiting for her. She takes her room key from the front desk and takes the elevator up to her room.
She unlocks the door and the most beautiful woman in the world is sitting on the bed, waiting for her.
Faith looks different now. Obviously. She was a cultist known across the country. Her brown hair has been dyed a dirty blonde, the same shade as Hope’s hair. It is cropped to a bob. Faith also knows that she is going by a different name now: Amanda Lively.
“My love.”
Hope smiles. She is home.