A/N: Hey peeps! I am so sorry it's taken me so long to update! I think I've told you already but I started school so I have twice as many things to worry about as before. I hope you all enjoy the chapter! Don't forget to review! Love you all!

The hospital released Alandra two days later, not even bothering to question her sudden recovery. They had become attuned to not questioning what goes on in Sunnydale now. Both Angel and Spike were there to help her home, despite her arguments against it. At first all she did was chuckle at the way her boys would fight, but by the time they had gotten to her home it had become exhausting.

She stepped out of Angel's black Plymouth, slamming the door behind her, stomping her way to the front door. Angel could sense her frustration and exhaustion but Spike had pushed his buttons far enough to make him not acknowledge it. Angel carried on his argument with the blonde vampire, their voices making Alandra cringe, forcing her to spin around to glare at them.

"Will you two shut up already? You haven't stopped arguing since before we left the hospital," Alandra hissed before turning back around to make her way back to the house. Angel stared at her back before turning to Spike, an angry glare in his eyes.

"Do you ever shut up," Angel asked angrily, trying to keep as quiet as possible so as not to alert Alandra to their arguing once again.

"Do you ever stop acting like such a fucking poofter," Spike countered as he got out of the car himself. He quickly followed Alandra into the house, leaving Angel with his thoughts. Angel was happy, despite Spike's ever annoying presence. He had Alandra back, she had forgiven him. But Spike had fallen in love with her. He probably wouldn't admit out loud, maybe not even to himself, but Angel could see it. He also knew that Alandra held strong feelings for the blonde, not as strong as she held for him, not yet. He knew that he should feel angry or jealous, but he didn't. He trusted Alandra implicitly, but it went beyond that. His gut was telling him to not worry, to not think of Spike as stealing Alandra. Something big was going to happen soon, he just didn't know what yet. He looked up as Alandra and Spike ran out of the house back to the car. Alandra's eyes were wide and fearful, but also held that light of hope that she carried around with her.

"Faith has escaped the hospital," was all Alandra needed to say to get Angel back into the driver's seat, speeding off to Giles's house.

~0~0~

Faith walked around Sunnydale confused. Everything felt new but it was also so familiar. Sunnydale was her home for so long, but the people that she cared about the most had betrayed her. She didn't know what to do, what to think, except to want to see all of the Scoobies pay for what they had done to her. And the first one that she would be looking to cash in with was Buffy. And after her, Alandra.

A dark smile lifted Faith's lips as she made her way towards UC Sunnydale, ignoring the small voice in her head that she might be doing the wrong thing.

~0~0~

Alandra, Angel, and Spike walked into Giles's home, every one of them having different things on their minds. Alandra's mind was filled with thoughts of Faith and trying to save her. Angel's mind was filled with memories of Giles's betrayal and whether or not to tell Alandra about it. And Spike was filled with thoughts of Alandra. Her acceptance of him into her heart and his want, his need, to absorb her into him.

He could see the darkness within her, and it called to him. He could practically see it writhing within her, filling every part of her. Except her heart. Her heart was pure light and warmth and it also called to him. He wanted every part of her, the darkness and the light. The cold and the warmth. He's seen her in a fight or trying to protect something that she loves. She's cold and calculating and will stop at nearly nothing to get it. But she can also be so kind and loving. Her warmth is what keeps her from falling completely into the darkness, from falling completely into the abyss that everything in her past has created. He craved everything about her.

"We need to find Faith as soon as possible," Alandra's voice rang into the room, drawing Spike from his thoughts. She was pacing back and forth in the room, biting her nails in worry. Alandra rarely if ever bit her nails, but when she did it she went at them with full force.

"And do what exactly," Xander's said in reply, sarcasm practically dripping in his voice. Alandra turned to look at him, disbelief clear on her face.

"Help her of course. What the hell else are we gonna do," she asked, looking around at the others. The Scoobies looked away, not wanting to meet her eyes as she slowly began to realize what they wanted to do with Faith.

"You all wanted to get rid of her," Alandra whispered, her body frozen in shock. Giles opened his mouth to reply when his front door opened, allowing for Cordelia and Wesley to enter the apartment. Willow was the only one amongst the Scoobies to say Hello and sound like she genuinely meant it. Alandra walked over to Cordelia and gave her a warm hug, missing her and everything she brought to the group, which was mostly sarcasm. Alandra looked at Wesley and could see the change in him. He was no longer the uptight rule-abiding Watcher. He seemed much more genial and willing to go with whatever flow Angel and Cordelia set up for themselves.

"Hey Wesley," Alandra said to him as she also wrapped him in a quick hug, "It's nice to see you again. You look well."

"Uh—uh," Wesley spluttered a moment, shocked at Alandra's warm welcome before getting control of himself, "It's lovely to see you as well Alandra. And yes, I am doing very well thank you."

"Not that it's not great to see ya Cordy, but who invited you two," Xander said crassly, making the smile that was on Alandra's face fall into a look annoyance.

"I invited them here," Angel replied, his tone dark and brook no argument, "They're my team. Either you work with them or you work without me."

"Fine by me," Xander retorted, clearly trying to goad Angel into a fight, but before Angel could reply Alandra stepped between them, preventing Angel from speaking.

"Enough," Alandra bellowed, her hands clenched into fists, her eyes flickering between storm grey and bright amber as she looked at the other Scoobies, "I will not give up on Faith again. We have always helped our friends when they've needed it, why should it change now?"

"She's not our friend anymore Alandra, she's lied about everything, she joined up with the Mayor. She left us," Buffy countered, her voice pleading for Alandra to understand. There was no more hope for a person like Faith, who was selfish and had a blatant disregard for others and didn't hesitate to lie and to hurt others if it helped herself.

"I will not give up on her again. I will not abandon her. I'll help her, with or with out you," Alandra replied, standing and waiting for Buffy's answer. When a heavy silence fell over all of them, Alandra knew. The Scoobies wouldn't help her, whether it was pride, fear, or anger, Alandra didn't know. All she knew was that she wasn't going to get their help with this one, and she could feel her heart begin to crumble at the thought of losing her friends as the price to save the other one.

"Fine, it looks like it's going to be with out you," Alandra said before spinning around and walking out of the apartment. She barely noticed Angel, Spike, Cordelia, and Wesley follow behind her. They walked over to Angel's car, Alandra pausing just next to it. She could feel her anger roiling just underneath her skin, making it itch with heat. She clenched her fists, closing her eyes to calm down before she punched something or someone.

"Alandra," Angel's voice carried over to her, the gentleness forcing her to open her eyes to look at him. Tears were welling in them, sadness mixing with the anger. Her eyes burned amber, fangs dipping past her top lip as she bit into her bottom one.

"I know what you're doing," he told her, his hand gripping onto her arm. His love washed over her, centering her, helping her think past the anger.

"This isn't your fault," Angel said, his voice filled with passion as he pulled Alandra towards him, wrapping his arms around her. She wrapped hers around his waist, resting her cheek over where his heart was, she felt comfort in finding no heart beat there. This was warm and familiar and she needed it.

"I could have done more. I could have helped her more," Alandra said to him, her voice hoarse with emotion. She felt as if she had let Faith down. She could have made sure that the other slayer knew that she was important, and loved.

"You couldn't have changed anything and you know that. Faith chose this, no matter how much she was pushed towards it. Are you sure you want to do this? To try to bring her back," Angel asked her, concern filling his voice and his bond. Alandra stepped back from him, allowing her arms to drop away from him. Determination filled her features.

"Yes, I'm sure," she told him before looking at Spike, Wesley, and Cordelia, "I won't ask you to help me with this. If you don't want to then that's fine."

"Good, because she gives me the heebie-jeebies," Cordelia said loudly, getting a small elbow from Wesley, making her cough in pain, "Ow, Wesley, why did you elbow me?"

"What Cordelia meant to say was Faith is very irrational and angry right now. She is unstable which makes for a very dangerous slayer. She won't just suddenly want help because you're offering it. It may be better to do as the others suggested," Wesley said, his voice trying to be placating so as not to anger Alandra. She appreciated the man's honesty, but the words angered her none the less.

"I'm going to tell you what I told them Wesley," Alandra began, taking a deep breath to calm some of her anger, "I didn't give up on Angel when he became Angelus, I didn't give up on Spike even though he doesn't have a soul, I will not give up on Faith. She deserves at least that much."

"Oh, but I really don't," Faith's voice carried over to them from where she stood. The group turned to see Faith standing not even fifty feet away from them. Her skin was pale, with dark bags underneath her eyes. She was dressed in her usual style, but Alandra knew that it had been stolen, or bought with stolen money.

"Faith, you look well," Alandra said, her body tensing, ready for a fight. Spike and Angel stood on either side of her, ready to protect her at a moment's notice.

"Isn't this cute, you have your own little band of misfits. Finally separated from the Scoobies I see, good on you," Faith replied as she stepped closer to them, she sent Angel a charming smile, "Hello lover, looking good as always. And lookie here, we have a new player to the game. Spike, interesting seeing you here, no longer with the queen of darkness?"

"Faith, listen to me, we can help you through this," Alandra started saying, but Faith cut her off, a coldness to her voice that Alandra had yet to hear towards her.

"Is this where you tell me that deep down I'm a good person and that it's not too late for me. Well, I hate to burst your bubble Al, but I'm as bad as bad comes, might as well give up on me like every one else has. Or better yet, why don't you come with me. We can get out of this hell hole and have some fun, what do you say," Faith finished, a slightly crazed gleam in her eyes. Alandra shook her head, taking a small step forward to the rogue slayer.

"I know what it's like, to question who you are, your very soul and being," Alandra told her, her voice soft and nearly pleading for Faith to listen, "To never feel loved until you meet that one person who seems to open up your entire world. And you want to do anything to please them, to prove your love to them. I know what darkness looks like. I know what it feels like to have it eat its way through you. We all have. We can help you through this," Alandra's voice cracked on her last few words, her earlier unshed tears now slowly falling down her face, "Please, let us help you. I want my best friend back."

Faith hesitated, a vulnerability coming over her face that Alandra hadn't seen in a while. She could see the glimmer of hope in the other woman's eyes. She wanted to come back, Alandra could see it, feel it. Faith had good in her, but she was too scared. Of what, Alandra wasn't sure, but it was the fear now that was holding Faith back. Suddenly the vulnerability was swept away by hardness.

"The Faith you knew is dead. She died when Buffy stabbed her to save your little boy friend. Looks like you've added a new boy toy to your shelf. Hey lover, how does it feel to know that you've been replaced. I bet they fucked every single night while you were all alone in LA," Faith said as she stepped closer to Angel, their chests nearly touching. Neither Alandra, Spike, nor Angel moved, and when Wesley and Cordelia made for the slayer Alandra simply shook her head, halting them immediately. Alandra knew what Faith was doing, and she refused to rise to the bait.

"Maybe we should punish her with a little tumble ourselves," Faith whispered huskily, looking up at Angel from underneath her dark lashes, "But to be honest, I don't think Alandra would mind joining in the fun, would you Al."

"Are you done being an annoying little bitch," Spike finally said, pulling a cigarette out and placing it between his lips before lighting it. He took a deep drag than allowed the smoke to slowly exit his nose, the grey wisps curling into the night air. Faith backed away from Angel, releasing the tension that had begun to build between the group.

"Aww, does poor Spike feel left out. You never could measure up to Angelus could you. Always second best, always second chosen. First your sire and now Alandra. All of the women you love seem to love him more," Faith said, making everyone immediately tense up at her words. Alandra looked at Spike with wide eyes. Something flooded her body at Faith's words. It was a mixture of fear, knowing, acceptance, and love. She turned her head to Angel, knowing what feelings came from him and looked into his eyes. His jaw muscle flexed as he looked at her, the fear and acceptance in his eyes. She looked back to see Spike's crystal blue piercing hers. His also held fear as he looked at her. She took a deep breath as she tried to sort all of the feelings that were roiling inside of her. She didn't know what to think, what to feel, all she could do was look into his eyes.

"Oops, did I spill the beans," Faith said in pretend innocence before dropping the façade for amusement as she looked around at all of the shocked faces, "Oh come on, you three can't be that surprised. I would even bet that Spike has been in love with her since Angel's small trip to hell. You couldn't sense the chemistry between you? Couldn't sense the yearning that he had for you Al? Or maybe you did but it was just easier to pretend that it wasn't there. Either way it doesn't matter," Faith said as she turned back to Spike, "You'll never measure up. You'll never have her the way you want her, and I bet that just burns you up inside."

Spike felt the anger at her words finally reach its peak, forcing his hand into a fist and punching her in the jaw. Spike immediately screamed in pain, falling to his knees as he clutched his head. It took longer for the pain to subside. Faith immediately righted herself from nearly falling over. Blood trickled down her lip, but Faith ignored it as she smirked down at Spike.

"I heard about your little problem. Interesting," Faith said before pulling out a knife and making her way towards Spike's prone form. Alandra quickly stepped between them, blocking the attack with her arm.

"Don't do this Faith," Alandra said through gritted teeth. No matter how strong Alandra got she would never be a match for slayer strength. She couldn't tell how hard Faith was trying, but it was enough to give her a struggle. Faith gave a light chuckle before ducking and knocking Alandra's feet from under her, making her crash to the ground. Faith then spun around, throwing the knife deep into Spike's chest, forcing him to cry out in pain.

"See you next time Al. Lover," Faith said before running out into the dark. Alandra jumped to her feet and made her way over to Spike who was clutching the knife in his chest.

"Tell me again why we're not just getting rid of her," Cordelia said as she and Wesley and Angel also swarmed around Spike as he continued to kneel on the ground. Alandra knelt down beside him as she glared at Cordelia before wrapping her hands around the hilt of the knife.

"Make it quick sunshine," Spike said through gritted teeth, looking her in the eye. Alandra nodded before pulling the knife from his body. Spike roared in pain as the knife was brought free from his body, blood dripping down the metal. Angel wrapped an arm around Spike's waist, lifting him up from the ground.

"We'll go back to Alandra's house. Wesley, Cordelia, can you two go to Crawford Mansion and see if you can find any books that might be able to help us with Faith," Angel ordered them before helping Spike into the back seat of his car. Alandra was beside him, her hands on his chest, trying to staunch the blood that gushed from the wound.

"You expect us to walk all of the way there," Cordelia said incredulously, flipping her long hair behind her.

"No Cordy, you're going back to Giles's place and tell them what happened and have Xander drive you," Angel replied, exasperation clear in his voice.

"They don't need to know what happened," Alandra cut in, looking in between Angel and his team. Angel sighed as he looked back at his love, holding back the urge to roll his eyes.

"Mo chroí, I understand why you don't want to tell them, but they need to know," Angel replied, his arm resting against the back rest of the passenger seat to help him get a better look at her. A single brow raised itself as she glared back at him.

"They don't need to know anything," Alandra countered, "What would have been the point of my dramatic exit and telling them that I would do this without them and then they show up telling them everything!"

Just as Angel opened his mouth to reply Spike spoke, drawing everyone's attention to him, "As great as this argument is to listen to, maybe we can remember that I'm bleeding here," finished off in a yell before hissing in a pain at the renewed pressure that Alandra applied.

"Please, stop being a big baby, I've seen you with worse injuries," Alandra told him then turned back to Angel, "The Scoobies don't need to know shit Angel."

"Stop being so stubborn, Wesley and Cordelia are going to go and tell them what happened whether you like it or not," Angel told her, making Alandra growl in anger. The couple simply glared at one another for a moment, the tension filling the air.

"So, are we going or not," Cordelia finally asked, releasing the angry air around them. Wesley picked the unfortunate moment to answer Cordelia's question.

"Since Angel is our employer Cordelia I believe we should follow his orders to go inform Giles and the others," Wesley said, his voice sounding like its former pompousness. Alandra looked at the man, her eyes flickering between stormy grey and bright amber.

"You know I still have the knife don't you Wesley," she asked him in a dark tone. Fear entered Wesley's features, and he stepped back and moved slightly behind Cordelia, placing his hand on her arm. Cordelia tried to shake the man off but he held on.

"She's not going to hurt you with the knife Wesley," Angel told the other man, but he didn't sound so sure himself and looked at her, "You're not going to hurt him with the knife Alandra."

"Hello, bleeding, if I were alive I would be half dead by now," Spike said in exasperation. Alandra released the British man from her glare and remained silent for the rest of the time, her hands never releasing the pressure she held on Spike's wound. Satisfied with her silence as a form of acquiescence Angel turned around to face the wheel, starting his Plymouth up.

"We'll bring whatever we find back to Alandra's house," Wesley told Angel, who simply nodded in reply before driving off. The cool air ran through her hair as Angel drove, caressing the strands like a gentle lover. The breeze calmed some her anger, the silence forcing Alandra to contemplate everything that was going on around her. Spike loved her. She could feel it deep down within her when faith said those words out loud, she knew it to be true. The looks, the caresses, the way he took care of her. Spike loved her the best way he knew how, all without a soul. Just the thought of it warmed her from the inside, filling her with happiness. She glanced at Spike before looking at Angel and feeling her heart swell at the sight of him. She had him back, and despite everything that had been going on she was happy.

Angel pulled into the space in front of her garage and got out to walk around to where Spike was laying on Alandra, her arms wrapped around him as he leaned his back into her chest, her hands still applying pressure to the wound. Spike had gotten pale and it had begun to worry her.

"Vampires don't normally bleed this much, even when stabbed in the chest with a knife," Alandra said, casting a worried glance over Spike's head to Angel. Angel looked back, his chocolate brown eyes saying his agreement for him. He opened the car door and grabbed one of Spike's arms and placing it around his shoulder. He felt Spike begin to shake with the effort of holding himself up, so Angel bent down and lifted Spike completely into his arms.

"Oi, I can walk, you poofter," Spike argued weakly, making Angel chuckle lightly.

"Shut up, you know you enjoy being treated like the pretty little Princess you are," Angel countered, making Spike release a large laugh and then groaning in pain after.

"I knew you always thought I was pretty," Spike replied, his fists clenched in pain, trying not hiss with every step Angel took. Once Alandra opened the door Angel took Spike immediately up the stairs and she went to the kitchen to grab the first aid kit that had grown since she had begun training and fighting vampires. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and followed her boys up the stairs.