A/N: This is a tough one, trying to get the voices just right. Fair warning that I have glossed over an important part, the fight with Faith and Angel in the rain where she breaks down. There is no way I could possibly write a better scene and rather than try and find a script online and try to bring the same emotion to it, I will only refer to it. For those of you that have seen it, even if you don't remember it word for word the imagery and emotion evoked are hard to forget, if you haven't seen it, I suggest you do!

Chapter Four

Angel had wanted to go after her, find out where they took Cordelia but he could hear Wesley breathing, or, not breathing. He would stop, wheeze, he was just in horrible shape and needed to be looked at immediately. So to the hospital they went. Angel apologizing for every moan or groan every wince at the jarring race. Luckily they took him back immediately. It just left Angel pacing the waiting room, answering questions he really couldn't find words for. He finally got the update, he'd survive, physically. No permanent damage done but so many burns, wounds, he'd have scars for sure and needed rest. They had sedated him before Angel could see him and he was told to come back, later. He didn't ignore the looks, he couldn't. They looked at him as if he somehow might be to blame for Wesley's condition, and they were right. So he left.

He headed back to the office, in hopes to simply change out of the bloodstained shirt and weapon up before going to Wolfram and Hart to find Cordelia. He wanted to have them both back and to make sure Lindsey never tried anything like this again. He hadn't expected to run into Faith again. There in the alley outside his apartment entrance, in the rain. He hadn't expected her to fight him. It wasn't' the way you killed someone, it wasn't an attack to finally finish what she claimed to have started. No, this was, a purging. He recognized it as such and didn't' give in to fighting back. Only defending and keeping his voice calm, until finally, she'd tired, and he reached her. The realization of what she wanted. Not his death, but her own. He spent the rest of the night, in the apartment with her. Talking. Helping. He hoped. Just before she fell asleep, physically and emotionally exhausted, he asked about Cordelia. All Faith knew, was that they wouldn't have brought her to the office. Lindsey mentioned getting to Angel, to break him, and his connection to the powers, so he had no idea where she was, and right now, couldn't leave to find her. Not yet.

AA

Spike had just barely made it into the car with Lindsey. Cordelia tossed in another with the armed men. It was a quiet ride at first until Spike finally sat back and stared at him.

"So, where we headed to, mate?"

"You, can go where you'd like. As long as Faith finished the job you two were hired to do."

"And the girl?"

Lindsey smiled and adjusted his suit.

"Why, I didn't know you cared."

Spike shifted uncomfortably.

"Didn' say I did. Maybe I jus' wasn' done playin' with her. Said we could take our time an' all."

Lindsey laughed.

"It's okay, I know all about your penchant for the dark haired ones. Just like Angel's blonde preference. Unfortunately, we don't' have time to play. The girl also has a connection to the Powers. We plan on taking full advantage of that."

"Thought it was Angel you lot was after."

"Oh it is. See, if Angel somehow comes out of this alive, as he has a habit of doing, then we can cut him off from his link. See without the girl, he has no connection to the Powers, no visions, no helpless, hopeless to save. Not that he'd let that happen of course. Saving his link as well as what he perceives as an innocent is just another way of controlling him."

Spike stayed silent until they arrived. He slipped out as if interested and followed them towards the building, once he saw Cordelia he growled and attacked the guard trying to grab her and run. Unfortunately he didn't get far. As soon as he knocked a guard out, Spike was on the ground in pain. It was like lightening through his brain and he moaned, hands on his head. Arms grabbed him and he was dragged somewhere. By the time the pain stopped he was on the floor of a cell. Looking up at Lindsey and breathing hard, though he didn't need to it was all pain induced.

"Did you really think we were going to just let you loose without some sort of control? You have a bad habit of switching sides, Spike."

Lindsey held up a remote.

"You wanker! You said you took the chip out!"

"And we lied. We do that. Oh, and no biting. You do, and you will drown in pain before you taste a drop."

With that he left and closed the door. Spike got up and growled rushing the door and trying to get it open but it was steel, opening from outside. Looking behind him he realized what Lindsey meant. Cordelia had been tossed on a small bed inside the cell.

"Stupid chit. Wouldn' be stuck here if it weren't for you."

He knew he sounded like he was pouting. He just didn't care. He was pissed, and promised he'd rip that lawyers throat out.

Lindsey nodded to the guards outside and one stopped him.

"Excuse me sir, is it a good idea to leave the vampire unchained around, well, food?"

Lindsey glanced back at the cell.

"I have a feeling about this guy. He seemed a little too interested. Not to mention he has a long history with a seer that Angelus turned. We can use that. Just keep an eye on them."

AA

Wesley woke with a jerk, trying to remember where he was. Finally he did and let his eyes drift again as he relaxed on the bed. He was still in pain but he had to admit it was much less. The light was barely reaching the window and so he didn't expect to see Angel. He prayed Angel and Cordelia were both safe.

"Lookin' pretty bad there watcher. Sorry, ex watcher. Kind of what we wanted to talk to you about actually."

His eyes snapped open and he turned his head to the voice. Four men stood there and it took no time at all for him to recognize them.

"Rogue squad."

The leader, the speaker, grinned.

"Nice t' see you as well. Y'know. You watchers keep making this mistakes and here we are cleaning it up for you. But see, this time, there's no second chances. We got you an offer. Council is willing to bring you back on. Help us find this one. We'll bring her in and not only do you get your job back, but you get the new slayer when she's called."

Wes knew that as easy as he was making it sound, it was anything but. He was asking Wesley to help sentence Faith to death. Before he might have believed she deserved it. Part of him still did, but her words had sunk in and he couldn't help to wonder, was she really irredeemable? Or was it all due to watchers and their treatment of her? He realized he had failed her. He had learned so much with Angel and knew he was doing more good now then he had as a watcher or in training. What he didn't know was had the entire system, in place for hundreds of years, failed her? Forgotten to take girls like Faith into account. Girls that needed more than just training and fighting. He couldn't keep them waiting all day with an answer so smiled weakly.

"I know how to find her."

The man grinned and patted his shoulder.

"Thought you might."

AA

Angel walked into the apartment with a bag of food. He stopped when he noticed she was up. Standing there with a knife. He'd have worried except, she wasn't holding it as she used to. No loving caress of a blade, no threatening posture. If anything she looked dazed, and unaware. Putting the bag on the table he walked over to her to take the knife away.

"Faith? Hey, how are you feeling?"

She seemed to notice him then. Eyes slowly sliding up to his. Her face seeming younger than it ever had, even with the remnants of too much make up on. She tried for a smile that came out more like a sad smirk and shook her head. She was shaking all over.

"Like I should be dead. I, can't do this. "

"Do what?"

He knew exactly how she felt, finally letting the pain she'd caused settle into her in and heart, the feeling of being unable to breathe because of the weight of your own sins. Still he kept his voice calm, conversational. There wasn't a reason to yell or push, he'd gotten through that barrier of understanding. Or it had just broken on it's own. Either way, Faith had faced up to what she'd done, and was now struggling with what to do about it.

"Live! What am I supposed to do Angel? Huh? March to Sunnydale and tell B I'm sorry? My bad! I killed a guy, attacked your friends, your mom? Damn it, Joyce was nice to me!"

"So, apologizing is out?"

She was getting frustrated, and he grabbed the cup of coffee and handed it to her. Let her hold something, keep her hands busy. The warmth would help. He remembered the cold feeling. Not the usual lack of being alive, but a cold that hit your bones down to your soul. She took it and stared at it. Sitting in one of the kitchen chairs she brought her legs up, knees high like a small child and wrapped her hands around it.

"Apologizing doesn't mean shit."

"That's where you're wrong. Apologizing means everything. As long as you mean it. As long as you don't stop there."

She looked up at him, disbelief obvious, but he could see that flicker of hope. That there was hope for her. Angel took the seat opposite and looked at her.

"They may not want your apology. They may not believe it, they probably won't. But you'll know if you do. And you don't stop there. You make amends."

"How?"

Her voice was so quiet, he felt a little lost himself. Was he really instruction a human, worse, a slayer in redemption? He wasn't always sure he was on the right path, or had hope of making amends, but he knew it was important to try. So he shrugged and gave her a reassuring smile.

"By fighting. For those that can't. We, aren't like other people Faith."

She snorted and he blinked. With a wave of a hand she explained.

"Uh, yeah. You're a vampire first of all. And I'm descended from a long line of super girls. That's just the tip of the iceburg."

She sighed, realizing, maybe more than she wanted to. He reached over and grabbed the nervous hand.

"Yeah, we are, so there's things we can do others can't. If you stop, and look, you'll see we aren't the only ones dealing with this stuff. Demons, vampires, they are destroying people who have no way of coping. No way of defending themselves."

She chewed at her lower lip, looked at him then back at their hands.

"So, what, instead of attacking people save them? It can't be that easy. It shouldn't be."

"Who said it was easy? Besides, that's step two, don't forget that means first you, "

"Apologize."

He nodded and went back to his own mug of coffee. She sighed and stared at her coffee then as if making a decision, she took a sip. Angel relaxed slightly. It was a start. This wasn't easy, he could attest to that, but it was a start.

AA

Spike was pacing. His cellmate had woken up and before he could answer any of her questions, they came for her. Oh he was invited, but it was to help with 'working her over' and he was pretty sure he'd end up trying to beat on the guards and he wasn't sure why. He didn't want to protect her, he didn't think. Maybe he just really wanted to be the one to break her. So he declined. Now he was stuck in the cell just waiting, which he was just not good at. He wasn't a patient vampire, he could be, but he didn't like it. What it did was leave him to think. What the hell did it matter if they broke the seer? With a growl he searched his pockets for a smoke.

Right now they could be trying to get her to give up information and the thought had him rolling his neck. He had been turned by Drusilla and had heard more than enough that she was Angelus' greatest work. He'd always hated that. He wondered what Dru would be like if she didn't have that dependence on the poof. Those few clear moments she had were important. He remembered each one, that was when she was his. He had no lighter and still he put the filter to his lips. Then the anger set in. Why him? Why Angel? As Angelus no one could touch him, he knew, he tried and was laughed at enough for it. No, never as bad ass as Angelus. Then in Sunnydale, even when he was helping, and he'd saved the lives of those damn Scoobies more than once, he was still looked down upon. Not respected and looked at in awe like Angel.

He growled, and now he leaves behind the slayer to come here and set up shop. Get himself another set of groupies, including a seer! Why does he get a second chance? No, not this time. That was one thing he agreed with Lindsey on, Angel was getting his link to the powers cut. He'd had his chance, he'd had too many chances. It was Spike's turn now.

It was on that smirk, that decision that they brought her back and dumped her on the bed. The guard looked at him and tossed him a package, which he caught.

"Boss says to eat. That. Not the girl."

They left, he heard the door close as he looked down and opened the bag. A blood bag. With a snort he tossed it aside and looked at Cordelia. Shit, kid took one hell of a session. Not as bad at the watcher but there was some blood, there was just more tears. He sat on the edge of the bed and she scooted away. Draping an arm over her waist he frowned.

"Not gonna hurt ya pet. Seems, there's enough o' that."

He pushed her hair from her face, her eyes were lighter than Drusilla's. Dru had eyes that could go black as void, Cordelia's were hazel, an intriguing mix of browns and greens with gold flecks that seemed to change easily with every emotion. So easily readable.

"Didn' give him up though did ya?"

"What do you care Spike?"

He shrugged, but looked her over, assessing the damage.

"Didn' say I did. Stuck here though wit' you now aren't I?"

She gave a small laugh and tried to sit up.

"Yeah, those manly choices of yours catching up with you huh?"

She winced thinking what a bad idea to piss off the vampire she was stuck with while injured. She was surprised at his smile.

"Always do, luv. Come on now, let me see what we can do to clean you up."

She still wasn't sure she could trust him, hell she was sure she couldn't, but he was already looking over her shoulder and face. Hands careful, more delicate than she thought they could be. So she relaxed a bit.

AA

Lindsey sat in his office watching. He watched as they spoke, as the vampire took care of her before even going near the blood. He waited until she was taken care of, then yelled at the guards that the girl needed real food. They shoved in a tray and he made her eat. While he turned his back to eat. Surprisingly, the seer had told him to sit with her. She didn't care that he drank blood from the bag, surprising the vampire as well. She even fell asleep against him on the bed, both sitting with backs to the wall. Spike had raised his arm and let her fall into his lap so she'd be comfortable and Lindsey smiled.

"This is going to work out just fine."

AA

Wesley should have stayed in the hospital, he knew that. He was also horribly aware that time was running out. At least if he wanted to make a decision. So he checked himself out and headed to the office. He had to find Angel before the squad did. He was also anxious to make sure that Cordelia and Angel were all right. The office was quiet, for the first time he had ever seen, there was no one manning the desk. He moved to the basement steps and Angel's apartment. Stopping as Angel took to the bottom of the stairs. Wesley was relieved but suddenly on guard again as Angel blocked him from descending and glanced to the side.

"Angel. We have to talk."

"Yeah I know Wes. Wes, why are you here, you should be in the hospital."

"Cordelia, she wasn't in the hospital when I left."

Angel lowered his eyes.

"No, I, didn't find her. Well I did but, Lindsey found her first."

His voice got hard and Wes sucked in a breath. The vampire looked up at him questioning.

"She, had a vision. Angel, while we were there she saw Lindsey he. . . "

He couldn't say it, because it couldn't be true. His hope had been that with it just being Faith and Spike, as bad as that was, the vision wouldn't come true. Then Angel showed up and he was sure that it was simply another vision thwarted. Angel's hand tightened on the banister and he took a step up towards Wesley.

"Lindsey what? What did she see Wesley?"

"She, saw her death. She said she dies alone."

He wasn't sure the words were even audible but shouldn't have doubted Angel's ability to hear. Neither of them could react when interrupted by Faith. She stepped into view, and as much as anger colored his vision of her, Wes could still see a difference in how she stood. Small, lost, afraid.

"When he found out we uh, had her, he said not to 'damage' her. Said something about being able to use the link."

Wes shook his head.

"We don't have time, Angel. There's another problem. The council, they sent the rogue squad."

Faith, surprisingly, didn't react really. She just nodded and stepped forward.

"Wes, before they, come for me, I needed to, apologize. I, shouldn't, I mean, "

Wes waved her off and started down the stairs, still blocked by Angel he looked at him then back to Faith.

"We don't have time."

"Wes! Let her apologize."

The two men looked at each other and Angel lowered his voice.

"She needs to do this."

Wesley kept moving and then with a look to Angel, moved his arm from the banister and walked up to Faith.

"I'd like to be able to say I forgive you, but that will take time. I know that, I am not entirely blameless and need to make my own apologies. For now though, I hope that we will have time for apologies, and forgiveness. Later."

Faith looked up at him surprised and Wes looked at Angel.

"They'll come looking for her, and they aren't thinking rehabilitation. We need to get her out of here."

The sound of heavy footsteps and kicked in door above took all their attention.

"I think our time is up."

AA

A/N: yes another one! Okay for those of you wondering, no, there will be no Buffy in here! For those of you that have read my other stories so far, I am working on my version of season four to follow Step It Up, PTB. I just need a name! So am open to suggestions! The PTB will be having less of an impact as the gang starts taking their destiny in their own hands so I need something different!