Feeling the blood drip down her cheek and off her chin, she zeroed in on the droplet. She watched it fall almost in slow motion. If she listened carefully she could hear the splat when it landed on the floor. She licked her lips as she looked around, she very clearly tasted the coppery blood. It brought back so many memories. So many fights, so many, demons. Demons, vampires, werewolves, so much blood.

"You can use the bathroom to wash up," Wesley's soft voice offered as he looked over his beaten and much bruised Slayer.

"Thanks, I won't be long." Faith responded walking towards the open door that was obviously the bathroom. She walked in and looked at the mirror, "You got beat." She said looking at herself while chuckling wryly. "So beat." She muttered to herself stripping out of her torn and bloodied clothes. She turned the knob for hot as far as it would go and stepped in the already steaming shower. The water quickly ran red off her body. She let the water wash away her blood and her sins, she lifted her head to the water and shut her eyes. The feeling of failure and defeat beat her down even more than the fists of that big dumb rock demon. Her eyes snapped open, she couldn't take it anymore, she screamed in rage and frustration, her own fists whaling on the clean white tiled shower wall getting even more bloodied up. "I made a mistake," She said, she knew now that she never should have sent Connor and Gunn away, "I'm not strong enough on my own, I need help."

With new resolve she left the shower and quickly grabbed the first fluffy towel that she noticed and dried off. A knock on the door, "Here's your bag, I figured you'd need new clothes" Wesley's voice came through the wood door. She walked up fast and whipped the door open, Wesley staggered back in shock. "Faith!" He exclaimed briefly taking in her nakedness and whirling around, "Wha—"

"I need help Wesley. I don't think I can do this on my own, but I'm not giving up, Angel never gave up on me, I'm not going to give up on him, but I need backup." Faith said resolutely. "I need the kid." She grabbed her bag off the floor where Wesley had dropped it in his shock and strode back into the restroom, shutting the door and dressing quickly.

"How is he supposed to be a help to you?" Wesley asked Faith as they loaded her bag into the car again. "He hates Angel, I doubt he would be willing to help without the ulterior motive of taking Angel out as soon as he has a chance." Wesley reasoned with her. "He won't do that to me, Faith explained looking at Wesley. "Kid's got the hots for me, I'm going to use that to put him on a leash." Wesley's eyes widened a fraction. "I don't thi—"

"It's the only way to keep him close enough to be a help but to make sure he doesn't do something I'll make him regret." Faith said, "It's sleazy, I know, he's a kid, but it has to be done, I need Angel back, we all do, and I need the kid's help."

"Connor." Wesley said regarding Faith as they got into his car. "If you're going to do this, you're going to need to call him Connor." He said silently giving his blessing. She smiled at him briefly.
"I doubt what I call him is going to matter much." She muttered under her breath as they started driving back to the Hyperion.

She was firm in her decision. She needed to sway him to her side and this was the fastest and best way she knew how. To use what the good lord gave her. It was for the greater good anyway, right?