Title: Angel of Hope
Author: Venus Blue
Summary: Faith gets a visit from her sister; Angel gets to meet Hope, and feelings arise.
Note: Darla never came back. The gang was never fired. All is well in the Venus Blue-verse.
Spoilers: I will Remember You
Disclaimer: You know the drill. Joss, I love ya, but why can't you give them to me? I promise I'll be nice to 'em! Hope's still mine. He hasn't gotten to her yet! And THC owns the lyrics.
Rating: PG
I sat down at the window, and picked up the telephone.
"Hey, Faith."
She smiled brightly at me and said, "It's good to see you again, Angel. Haven't seen you in awhile. Wasn't expecting you, figured you were fighting the good fight."
"I had to stop in to see my favorite girl."
Her eyes were tired, and her face had more lines than I'd remembered, but she looked happy and at peace. That was all I wanted for her.
I hadn't gone to see Faith in several weeks. What with all the new developments in my life, I hadn't had time to even think about her, and I regretted it.
We talked for a long time, the guards being very lenient about our visiting time.
"One of the inmates taught me how to-"
Her words died off, and I noticed she was staring over my shoulder. I glanced behind me, and was stunned by what I saw.
She was tall and lean, with hair of gold, and eyes as blue as the ocean. She wore tight black leather pants, a purple halter top, and a black coat not unlike my own. I was instantly drawn to her.
"Hope," I heard Faith whisper.
Tears came to the other girl's eyes, and she said, "Faith…I've missed you."
"Angel," Faith said, her voice full of emotion, "this is Hope. My sister."
I just stared.
********************
"So, you're the infamous Angel. You're exactly as I pictured you."
"Thank you…I think."
After talking to her sister for almost two hours, Hope had come back to the hotel with me. She was currently kicked back on the couch, talking to Cordy, Wes, Gunn, and I. I couldn't keep my eyes off of her.
"So, you're Giles' girlfriend?" Cordelia asked incredulously.
A pained look crossed her face, and she said, "Ex. We broke up awhile back."
"Why?" Wesley asked. Clearly, he was confused as I about why Giles would let such a girl go.
She looked down at her long, dark fingernails, and said, "I…I didn't tell the gang that Faith was my sister. When she attacked Buffy, the secret came out, and Rupert couldn't forgive me for not telling him."
There was a moment of silence, and then she said, "Any good clubs around here?"
Cordy brightened up and said, "There's some good dance clubs on the other side of town. I haven't been there in awhile."
"Why? This is L.A. If I lived here, I wouldn't be able to do anything except go to clubs."
Wesley smiled and said, "You and Faith have a lot in common."
She smiled meakly, and said, "We didn't use to. After…well, after the breakup, I really just let loose. I didn't want to deal with the real world. I quit my teaching job, and I've been party gal ever since."
She and Cordy discussed the clubs in town, and I continued to watch Hope. There was a magnetism about her that amazed me. It was as though she was drawing me in, and I couldn't escape.
"Hello? Earth to Angel?"
I snapped to attention, and saw Cordy staring at me with that exasperated look. Hope just smiled at me.
"Did you want to come out with us tonight?"
"Oh, I, uh-"
"Oh, come on," Hope said, uncrossing her legs and standing up. "We're both total night people. What's wrong with a little fun every now and then?"
Those gorgeous eyes stared straight through me, not unkindly, and I felt my resolve fade.
********************
"She really is remarkable, isn't she?"
I sat at a small table with Wesley and Gunn at the dance club, watching Hope and Cordelia dance. I glanced over when Wesley spoke, and said, "Huh?"
"Hope. She's a very remarkable young lady."
"Sure. I guess."
Gunn and Wesley exchanged glances, and Gunn said, "Angel, man, you drool anymore, and I'm gonna need to get me some rubber boots. Why don't you go dance with her?"
"I don't dance."
Gunn rolled his eyes, and went out to the dance floor. I saw him ask Cordy to dance, and Hope walked up to a young man on the floor, and they started to dance. I felt a pang of jealousy, and quickly fought it back.
"Angel," Wesley said, sipping his drink, "you remember what the Oracles told you, don't you?"
"Wesley, we've discussed this…"
"Yes, and you said you're not ready to date. Angel, you haven't taken your eyes off that young lady since you met. And from the looks she gives you, I don't think she finds you entirely unattractive."
"It doesn't matter. I can't-"
"Your soul is permanent, Angel. That was your gift for returning your humanity. I understand that you didn't want to upset Buffy's life by informing her of this, but that does not mean that you can't date."
"I'm 247 years old, Wesley. I'm a little too old to date."
I glanced back out at the dance floor, where Hope was now dancing by herself to an upbeat song. She moved and gyrated, and ran her hands through her hair and over her body. Her eyes were closed, and her hair thrown back. I felt a stirring, and quickly looked away.
I took a sip of my drink, and looked anywhere but the dance floor.
Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to look, and Hope was standing there, eyes twinkling.
"Dance with me?"
"I-"
"Please? I'll steer you around the curves."
I let her pull me onto the dance floor, and I said, "I should warn you…I really don't dance."
She put my finger on my lips to silence me, then took my hands and placed them on her hips.
"Follow my lead."
You might become something I need
And you must not
Must not get closer
Couldn't I go away?
With the dust of your words in my mouth?
She wrapped her hands around my neck, and started moving her hips in time with the music. I tightened my arms around her waist, and began to move with her. Soon, we were in sync with each other, and she began pressing her body tighter to mine.
She stared up into my eyes, and wrapped one leg around my waist.
When the song ended, another song came on, and she made a face.
"I can't stand this song. Want to get some air?"
Tongue-tied, I followed her out onto the balcony outside the club.
She ran her hands through her hair, pulling it up and off of her neck.
"Whew. It's so hot in there. So…I thought you said you couldn't dance."
"I've never danced like that before."
"You were amazing."
She walked over to the edge of the balcony, and looked down over the side.
"I know what it's like, you know."
I glanced over at her, puzzled.
"What do you mean?"
"To be in the world, but not a real part of it. I know what that's like. At least when you had Buffy…I felt whole only when I was with Rupert. He was so…"
Her voice faded away, and I walked up behind her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. She straightened up, sniffled, and said, "But that's the way life is. You take the good with the bad, right?"
"Seem like it."
She looked up at me, and I found myself unable to take my eyes off of hers.
One of her hands snaked behind my neck, and she gently pulled my head down to hers.
The minute my lips touched hers, I was gone. I pulled her close to me, and kissed her with more passion than I knew I had.
She pulled away gasping, and said, "I know you don't have to breathe, but if I don't get some air soon…"
I smiled, and said, "I'm sorry."
She rested her head on my chest, and said, "Angel? I know you're still in love with Buffy, so…"
I gently kissed her lips and said, "Do you want to know something?"
"What?"
"The entire time I've spent with you, I haven't even thought of Buffy."
"Well, I know that you can't really be in a relationship. I mean, the sex thing isn't a huge issue, but-"
"My soul's fixed," I said without thinking.
She threw her arms around my neck, and kissed me again.