Angel comes down the elevator, opening the door, a betten and battered Faith with him

Angel comes down the elevator, opening the door, a beaten and battered Faith with him. He motions her inside the apartment, "Here we go."

Alexis watches from the bedroom door off to the side as Angel ushers the young brunette inside the apartment. She steps more clearly into their line of sight and Faith tenses. Alexis can see the wild look in her eyes and looks to Angel for an answer to the silent question.

"Faith this is Alexis she's staying here too." Angel says, "Alexis, this is Faith."

"As in trying to kill you Faith?" the younger brown haired girl asks amazement in her voice, "As in kidnapped Wesley, Faith?"

"Alexis," Angel's voice is warning, "Faith wants redemption."

Alexis laughs a little, "You really will bring anybody here huh?" she shakes her head, and moves closer. "I'm not going to hurt you okay?" she says quietly she reaches out and takes Faith's bag from Angel, "I'll help her settle into my room, I'll sleep on the couch."

"No," Faith shakes her head, "You can't."

"I have before," Alexis reaches out her free hand and moves Faith's hair, "Either way we need to clean those cuts. And get you out of those clothes, they're soaked."

Faith doesn't answer but shrinks back from Alexis touch. Alexis pulls her hand back and gently leads Faith toward the bedroom.

"I have clothes that will fit, let me get them and get the first aid kit." Alexis says leaving Faith setting on the edge of the bed.

"Is she okay?" Angel asks.

"She's pretty beaten up Angel, but I think that she'll be okay." She pauses, "Physically at least. What happened?"

"She begged me to kill her," Angel says, "Are you going to be okay dealing with her?"

"I'll be fine," Alexis waves away his worry. "I'm need the first aid kid, and then I'm going to let her lay down."

"She's unstable," Angel says not moving, "And could be dangerous."

"Trust me I understand that Angel." Alexis looks him in the eyes, "I know a thing or two about dangerous remember?"

Angel nods and sighs a little. ""Just be careful."

"Always," Alexis says, grabbing the first aid kit and heading back into the room. "My name is Alexis," She says bending down in front of Faith, "This will sting a little." Faith pulls back, "But I won't hurt you on purpose okay? I'm going to tell you everything before I do it." She watches Faith for a long moment, "I'm going to clean the cut on your forehead first."

Slowly and telling Faith every move she's going to make she cleans the wounds. She then helps Faith get undressed and into some of her clothes. Faith finally is tucked under the covers of Alexis's bed, and Alexis sets down next to her.

"I'll stay till you fall asleep, okay?" She asks softly. The brunette nods her head a little, but her eyes are wide open. Gently Alexis runs her hand through the mess that is Faith's brunette hair. She begins to sing softly, and sees Faith's eyes getting heavy.

Finally Faith is asleep and Alexis gets up and leaves the room, leaving the door cracked a little.

Angel stands up, "How is she?"

"She's sleeping," Alexis says, "As to how she is, I couldn't honestly say." She runs a hand through her brown hair, "So tell me this story."

Angel sighs, "Faith is a slayer, but she accidentally stabbed a man. We tried to reform her, but she didn't want it. Then Wesley sent in goons and we lost her. Buffy ended up stabbing her and she was in a coma for eight months and when she woke up…."

"She came to LA and got hired to kill you. That's the basic version right?" Alexis asks and get up, "Something to drink?"

"Sure," Angel says. "Are you okay with her being here?"

Alexis comes back holding a cup of blood and a coke. "If she's looking for an easy out this isn't it Angel. But if she truly wants redemption then I'm all for it. She just has to understand it's not easy to win."

The two fall into a comfortable silence that stretches well into the night. Alexis having dozed off at some point, and Angel watching over his charges. Remembering the many sleepless nights and days he'd spent trying to help Alexis in her year with him. Nobody ever said redemption was easy to win either.

Hearing stirring coming from Alexis's room, Angel looks over. Faith is standing arms wrapped around herself looking at him.

"Faith?" He says softly slowly rising to his feet.

"I uh," Faith pauses, "I musta fella sleep."

"That's okay," Angel says never raising his voice, "Did you sleep well?"

Faith runs a hand through her brunette hair, "I guess so…." She looks back at Alexis curled up in the chair, "I didn't mean to take her bed."

Angel glances back at Alexis and laughs a little, "Took nearly three months to get to sleep anywhere but that chair."

Faith looks up at him in silent question, but he doesn't answer. "Are you hungry?"

Faith seems to debate telling him with her self. She was hungry, starving in fact, but that was a weakness and she's pretty sure she's showed a lot of that lately.

"She's starving Angel," A gentle voice says behind them, Alexis stretches in the chair a huge satisfied smile on her face, "MMM, so am I matter of fact. Whatcha say I cook us something Faith?"

"Yeah," Faith nods, "that'd be okay I guess…."

Alexis gets out of the chair, and heads toward the kitchen. Angel following, "Just make sure you keep it light."

"French toast it is," Alexis says, looking over her shoulder at Faith, "I won't bite, well at least not today."

Faith frowns, as Angel sends Alexis a warning look. Alexis shrugs and turns back to her French toast going silent.

"Will the two of you be okay if I take a shower?" Angel asks.

"We'll be fine." Alexis says rolling her eyes, "I'm sure she'll tie me down if I get out of control."

"Not funny," Angel growls at her.

"Well," Alexis turns toward him, "I must say your since of humor is not that great this morning. But please, go shower, because Faith and I will be fine. I want to talk to her anyways. There's a few things we need to work out."

"Like?" Angel asks.

"Like girl stuff that you need not know about it, now head to the shower." Alexis says and Angel resigns to not knowing, heading toward the shower.

Ounce Angel is out of earshot, with the water running Alexis finishes breakfast and sets a plate down in front of Faith. "I'm running to the store today, we're almost out of a lot of things, and I need to call into work I guess. But anyways, is there anything you need?"

"No."

"I thought I'd pick you up a couple outfits, do you have any preference?" Alexis watches Faith carefully.

"You don't have to."

"So I thought purple pigs would fly off the rooftop, wanna come watch?"

"No."

Alexis laughs and shakes her head. "Faith, okay you have to tell me what's going on in that head of yours. I can't help unless you do, and there's things you'll need."

Faith looks up at Alexis, "I uh…why are you here?"

Alexis frowns and looks down at her plate, "You could say I'm looking for redemption as well. Only I guess I might have found a little of it."

"Look, I don't think I'm looking for redemption, I mean I don't think I can get it. I'm a murderer and everywhere I keep seeing blood, and hearing B yelling 'No!'." Faith says picking at her breakfast.

"The darkness if a funny thing," Alexis says quietly, "You think maybe you can just touch it a little. Cause it looks so cool, but before you know it all you can see is the darkness. And at first it's really scary, but then you learn to love it. Then it's hard to give it up." She pauses for a moment still not looking at Faith, "It's like this, you're going to see the blood, you're going to have nightmares, you're going hurt, physically hurt. There's gonna be a period that you want to die. But you can step out of the darkness, you have. That's what hurts so much. And if you didn't care, you wouldn't have begged Angel to kill you. So you are looking for redemption."

Faith watches Alexis for a moment turning her attention back to her breakfast. Silence falls between them, both girls lost in their own thoughts. Finally breakfast is finished and Alexis gets up to put the plates in the sink, but Faith beats her to it. She moves to the kitchen and places them in there, she's just set them down when she hears something.

Angel walks out of his bedroom now fully dressed, as Alexis moves toward the bathroom, but both stop short frowning. Alexis looks around but doesn't see anything. One look at the kitchen says Faith has heard it too, because she's tense. Alexis and Angel instinctively move toward the Dark Slayer. But before they get there a demon falls from the ceiling.

Faith fights back, Alexis, who's closer, rushes in and pulls the demon off Faith throwing it into the living room. She begins hand to well…something with it, but it knocks her down. Faith grabs a knife and slices at the demon. Angel gets there just as Faith is stabbing the demon, and pulls her off it. Alexis groans and stands up.

Faith looks down at her hands, which are covered in blood. Angel takes the knife gently, and ushers Faith over to the couch, hugging the crying girl to him.

"I….There's….." Faith stumbles, Angel gently rocks and makes shhing noises at the distraught slayer. Alexis bends down her hands on Faith's knee.

There's foot steps on the stairs and Alexis and Angel look toward them, seeing a curly blonde standing there.

"So this is what you do?" She asks, "You coddle murders?"

"Buffy," Angel says, "This isn't what it looks like."

"Looks a whole hell of a lot like you're hugging a wanted murderer." Buffy says crossing her arms.

"What are you doing here?" Angel moves away from Faith and closer to Buffy.

"I came to see if you were okay, Giles said he talked to you." Buffy says putting her hands on her hips.

Alexis watches from her place, growling lowly. Every muscle in her body is tense, and it's upsetting Faith even more.

Faith stands up, "B…"

"You apologize to me and I will beat you to death, do you hear me?" Buffy growls out.

"Go ahead," Faith whispers.

Alexis steps in front of Faith, growling.

"What the hell is wrong with her?" Buffy asks looking over Alexis, "And who is she?"

"She's a friend," Angel says, "Alexis, take Faith into the bedroom."

Alexis growls louder, and stairs Angel down.

"NOW!" He yells, "Get your head back and do what I say."

That seems to pull her out of whatever she's in and she gently takes Faith by the arm, and without another word they move toward the bedroom.

Faith paces back and forward, "B wants to kill me. And I don't blame her I'm evil."

"You're not evil." Alexis says still in a low growl, "You made some bad choices, that's it. I can't believe that Miss. Slayer perfection out there is really that perfect."

There's yelling and Alexis moves to the door, "Stay here." She instructs Faith before stepping back out there.

"YOU CAN'T KEEP A MURDERER AS A PET ANGEL!" Buffy screams.

"She wants to change." Angel says.

"She's to far gone, she's evil Angel." Buffy says and before either of them know what's happening Alexis is between them and Buffy is on the floor.

"Lets get this straight bitch," Alexis's voice is low and has a dangerous note to it, "She is not evil. And if she wants redemption, you're not going to stand in her way."

"What the hell? She slapped me!" Buffy says getting to her feet, "What are you?"

"None of your business just remember what I said." Alexis says.

"You're not human." Buffy looks her over, "Are you charity case? Angel helping you too?"

Alexis raises her hand to back slap Buffy again but a small voice pulls her attention.

"She's right, I'm evil." Faith says, "Don't hit her."

Alexis lowers her hand and looks back at Buffy, then Faith, "You aren't the evil one among us."

"I am not evil!" Buffy almost laughs, "I'm the good one."

"Good is over rated." Alexis says, "Look Faith get back in the bedroom."

"Why are you protecting her?" Buffy questions, "Why are you letting her Angel?"

"Because she wants redemption and everybody needs a second chance." Angel says simply.

"But it's Faith!" Buffy yells. "She can't be helped!"

"She has a soul," Angel says. He moves out from behind Alexis, "Take her back into the bedroom and stay there."

"Fuck you," Alexis says.

Angel grabs her upper arms forcing her to look at him, and not Buffy. "I said take her into the bedroom and watch over her. Don't take that tone with me Alexis."

Alexis pulls out of his grip and steps closer to Buffy, "One wrong move, and I might not be as redeemed as I thought." With that she moves toward Faith leading her back into the bedroom.

"You gave me a second chance, you knew I was evil." Angel says quietly.

"But you were different." Buffy insists.

"Why because you loved me? I caused hell for all of you." Angel says, "I killed."

"But, you lost your soul!" Buffy shakes her head.

"Buffy, if you can give me a second chance, then why not her? She wants this, and I intend on giving it to her." Angel says.

Buffy huffs loudly and is about to answer when Wesley comes down the stairs, "Uh problem guys."

"Not know Wesley," Angel says not looking around.

"I'm afraid there's no other time," Wesley says, "It seems the council is after Faith."

Angel turns around to look at Wesley, seeing him holding a syringe, "I'm supposed to inject her with this and then give the signal, however I much prefer we get out of here."

Angel gives a small nod, "Alexis!" The door opens and Alexis steps out, "We need to hit the sewers, they're after Faith."

Alexis nods and turns back to Faith, but she isn't there. Looking around she frowns, "Where'd she go?"

"She was just here," Buffy says looking around.

"Roof," Angel says, "They'll have choppers or something."

"I'll go," Alexis says, running toward the stairs.

"Not without me!" Buffy calls behind her.

"We'll hit the sewers, tell Alexis to meet up at the safe house." Angel says moving toward the stairs leading to the sewers.

"You're just bound and determined you're going to see her die aren't you?" Alexis asks as she throws open the door to the roof.

"Faith!" Alexis sees her standing on the roof, "Come on we gotta go."

"No, they want me dead, they'll get me dead." Faith says.

"But I don't want you dead," Alexis says, "Come on, you don't have to die Faith. You have to live."

"I'm Sorry B. I just got so lost and confused and…" Faith says.

"You don't get to play victim here, victim is me Faith." Buffy bites out.

"Maybe you're right, I don't. But it hurts Buffy, it hurts so bad." Faith says tears in her eyes.

"You can't make that pain stop," Alexis says, "For the rest of your life you'll know what you done, and it'll hurt. But the visions will stop, the pain will lessen."

"That's not even fair," Buffy says looking at Alexis.

"Shut the fuck up bitch!" Alexis says, "Just shut up. You act like all of this is Faith's fault, but what was your part in all this?"

"This is not my fault." Buffy says.

"Look, everybody places their own role. Did you try to help her?" Alexis asks, "Or did you just take the answers she gave and not see the pain?"

Buffy is about to answer when they hear the chopper. "Get down!" She yells, as she runs for cover.

Alexis grabs Faith and pulls her down. "I think we can make it to the next building." Buffy yells, "Come on."

Alexis nods, as her and Faith follow Buffy. There's a huge crash as Angel crashes threw the glass window to help take out the chopper. There's a guy at the door with a gun, and Alexis motions for Buffy to take Faith to the other roof, then moves to take out the guy.

When it's all said and done, the chopper is set down, Buffy and Faith return from the other roof and Alexis has taken out the guy at the door. Together the four move back toward the apartment. Alexis moving slower then usual.

Faith stops and holds the door, as Alexis moves through Faith sees blood. "You're hit, how long have you been bleeding?"

"It's nothing," Alexis says, but Angel's attention has been gotten.

"When were you hit?" he asks.

Alexis sighs a little, "When I tackled Faith on the roof, it's nothing though."

Angel looks at the wound, "That's not nothing, that's a pretty bad wound Alexis."

"You took my bullet?" Faith asks looking amazed.

Alexis smiles and reaches out to cup Faith's cheek, "I believe in you. You need to live Faith."

Buffy watches the exchange, "I don't understand."

"Look, I know what it's like to touch darkness, hell I fell through the darkness. But there's a light on the other side." Alexis looks at Buffy, "And if you'll just give her a chance, I believe that Faith can find that light." She pauses, "I'm willing to stake my life on it, in fact, I pretty much just did."

"She needs to be jail." Buffy says.

"No jail can hold her until she's ready." Alexis says, and Angel helps her out of her jacket.

"So what when she's ready she turns herself in?" Buffy look incredibly at Alexis.

"When she is ready to face that, then yes. Until then she stays here, and you go home." Alexis hisses in a breath when Angel touches the wound. "Easy there Angel."

"I'll get the first aid kit," Faith says moving toward the bedroom.

"Let me see," Buffy moves behind Alexis as well to look at the wound in her shoulder. "She should be at the hospital."

"No," Alexis says, "I'm not a big fan."

"Me either but still." Buffy says.

"You said I wasn't human," Alexis reminds her, "And you're partly right."

"I'll stitch it and she'll be okay." Angel says, "Unless you want to try and trank her and take her to the hospital."

"Nobody is tranking me." Alexis rolls her eyes.

Faith comes back with the first aid kit, "I can't believe you took a bullet for me. That was pretty stupid."

"Yeah well, I've done worse," Alexis says.

Two weeks later…

"Come on Faith!" Alexis says, "Please?!"

"No, absolutely not, I'm not taking you to a club." Faith shakes her head and moves toward the girl who's perched on the counter.

"But Faithy!" Alexis whines, "I'm going crazy, and it's my day off."

"And you're seventeen." Faith says, "And you just got all healed from a bullet wound."

"Come on that was so last week." Alexis says putting her hands on Faith's shoulders, "Please?"

"No," Faith shakes her head, "Do you ever give up?"

"Where would you be if I did?" Alexis asks as Faith steps closer.

"Dead." Faith answer leaning in slightly, "But this can't happen."

"I don't think we turn back." Alexis says leaning down.

Faith's lips brush Alexis's, "This…"

"Don't Faith," Alexis says brushing her lips against Faith's, "Just don't."

Faith reaches up and cups Alexis's cheek. She searches the other girl's eyes, but can't really figure anything out.

Faith had learned very little about Alexis in her time with her and Angel. She has spent the first two days going threw withdrawals of a sort. Alexis had lay in bed and held her for hours. That was after the big Buffy showing up thing. Then the nightmares happened, and for two more days she set awake afraid of what she'd see in her dreams. Alexis has set up with her for those many hours, and then got up and went to work the next day. Then there was the sleeping. Faith had slept for two days after that. By the end of those six days, she was feeling better. And Alexis was almost healed form the bullet she'd taken for Faith.

Now Faith was a little more stable, she was attached to Alexis. But she didn't know anything about her, other then she had fought for redemption herself. She also new the girl wasn't totally human. When she started to get back up on her feet it was the first thing she noticed was that her slayer senses tingled whenever the girl was around. But she wasn't a threat.

She also new that Alexis worked at a store near the apartment. Mostly she worked days, but two nights a week she stayed over and helped stock, making a total of 48 hours a week. It wasn't much pay, and Faith didn't exactly understand why she was working but she hadn't questioned the girl on it. Angel paid everything basically; Faith supposed it was just spending money.

Then there was the fact that Angel took her on patrol with him. Faith wasn't sure what, but that had to mean something. But for the last four nights, they'd went out patrolling, and Wesley had stayed with Faith. They didn't want her alone in the apartment just yet. She could sense that something big was going on, but she couldn't bring herself to ask, because she wasn't ready to hunt again. It was just too soon, and she was still unstable.

Angel makes his way down the stairs, "Alexis, get ready, we have to go."

"What's wrong?" Alexis asks her attention now on Angel.

"Just get ready, and we'll have to take Faith. Wesley's been hurt." Angel says.

Alexis jumps off the counter, and moves to ready her weapons, "Are you sure we can take her?"

"We can't leave her here, they could come looking." Angel says looking at Faith, "You'll need a weapon."

"I'm not sure I can…." Faith shakes her head, backing away.

"I'll be right there, Faith. Just put this in your belt." Alexis hands her a knife, and for a moment Faith stares at it. Finally she takes the knife, "Stay behind me." Alexis says, "And you'll be fine." She gently reaches in and kisses Faith, before turning back to Angel.

Together the three make their way upstairs, and out onto the street. It's night so it's dark, but that doesn't bother the three, they've all got night vision. Faith tenses behind Alexis, this is her first night out, at all since she got here.

Slowly they make their way down the sidewalk, to what Faith isn't sure of. About six blocks down Angel turns into a little alley way. He puts his hand out to tell Alexis and Faith to stop, and they do. Faith's slayer senses are going crazy, and it's driving her crazy.

Alexis pushes Faith against the wall, "Stay here, anything comes at you stab it."

Faith nods and watches Alexis move toward Angel, she's crouched down like a true fighter. Pulling the knife from her waste band she studies it. Hearing a noise she looks up and Angel and Alexis are fighting these big ass demons. Alexis does a round kick and knocks one demon backwards, but one jumps her from behind. Without thinking Faith lunges forward stabbing the demon in the back. He falls to the ground, and she just keeps stabbing and slashing. Until finally she feels somebody pulling her off the demon,

"He's dead, it's okay, he's dead," Alexis's voice says.

Faith drops the knife looking in horror at what she'd done. Her breathing is erratic and she's shaking her head. Alexis's arm still wrapped around Faith's midsection. Faith falls to her knees crying, and Alexis rocks her.

"Shhh, it's okay. You're okay, you did good." Alexis says, holding tightly to Faith.

Faith calms down a little, and looks at Alexis. She stands up, and moves away from her, before Alexis or Angel can grab her she takes off running. Faith isn't sure where she's running to, but she's running. Then she looks up she's in front of the police station. It's time to turn herself in.

Thirty minutes later Alexis and Angel come through the door of the police station, "Faith!" Alexis yells. Angel grabs her before she can get to close.

Faith stands up, and looks at the detective, "I'd like to make a confession."

"NO!" Alexis screams, "NO!"

"Alexis, she has to do this. Please." Angel says, "Shhh, Alexis" Angel says but she's still screaming and fighting against him.

She breaks free and rushing to Faith, "No, you can't." she says tears streaming down her face.

"I have to." Faith says reaching out to gently caress her cheek.

"No, you don't. You're better, you don't have to. You don't," Alexis shakes her head.

"This is part of me getting redemption." Faith says quietly, "I have to do this." She leans in and kisses Alexis's forehead, "You saved me. You're walking the road to redemption, but I can't walk it with you. I have to walk my own." Faith pulls back and holds her hands behind her back as the detectives put the handcuffs on.

Alexis sinks to the floor, "No…" she says tears still falling.

Angel helps Alexis up, and takes her out of the police station, "She'll be okay." He says moving back to the office building with her.

Alexis fights to regain control, but Angel can feel it slipping. Ounce inside he lets go of her, and she starts pacing.

"She doesn't have to do this, she can't do this." She mumbles, losing more control with every step. Finally she sinks to the floor, and Angel watches as she morphs from her human self into werewolf form. He's caughtious as he approaches, and he doesn't get to close.

"You have to get control back," he says softly as Alexis growls at him, "You can't do this again. She'll be okay."

It takes a few minutes but slowly Alexis morphs back, tears streaming down her face again.

Six months later….

Angel sets down in the chair across form Faith and picks up the little phone. "Hello Faith."

"Fang," Faith shifts uncomfortably. "How's things going?"

"Good," Angel says, then pauses, "Busy but good."

"And Lexi?" Faith asks.

Angel sighs, "Alexis took you going to jail hard. It was a struggle to get her to regain complete control, but she's better know."

Faith nods, "She wrote."

"I thought she had." Angel replies. "Are they treating you okay in here?"

Again Faith shifts, "It's okay, three square, a roof."

"You done the right thing Faith." Angel says quietly.

"Then why does it feel so bad leaving Lexi out there?" Faith asks quietly, but before he can answer Faith is ushered by to her cell, saying her time is up.

Note: This is at the request of Faith's Fangs. Updates WILL be slow, so be warned. Okay here it is, enjoy.