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The elevator descended into the apartment, as Angel opened the grill and led Faith into his room, coaxing her onto the bed, before laying a towel upon her
"I'll be nearby if you need me," he said softly
"Angel?" Faith said, her voice barely above a whisper
"Yeah?"
"Nothing"
Faith rested on the bed, staring into nothing, as Angel left her, heading upstairs where he found Cordelia at the desk. A minute later, Wesley walked in and Cordelia dropped her pen when she saw the state of her friend
"Oh my God. And I thought I had it bad," she said, getting up, "Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine," Wesley said, before seeing her bruise, "Bitch. Uh, I meant Faith," he added when Cordelia recoiled in shock
"You didn't have to come in, Wes," Angel said, "You could have stayed home"
"So, what's gonna happen with Little Miss-Likes-To-Kill?" Cordelia asked
"She needs help," Angel replied, "And I'm gonna help her"
He pulled Cordelia into a hug, kissing her forehead
"You two should get some rest. I can handle it from here"
"I'm not gonna leave you," Cordelia said, "Even though it's Faith and she's a little crazy, as in murderous and could kill us all"
"I'm not so sure that Faith could be helped," Wesley said, "She's an animal"
"I'm not gonna turn her in. Jail won't contain her for long. She needs help," Angel said, "I'm gonna save her soul"
"I could try and help you with that, but I don't think I'd be much help," Cordelia said
"You don't have to," Angel said, "Go home actually. I can handle it, honestly. Go home, get some rest. Probably stay out of her way, just in case"
"Well, what about you?" Cordelia asked, looking at Angel's injuries
"I'll be fine. Seriously, go home, both of you"
"If you insist"
Cordelia and Wesley left the office, as Angel headed back downstairs, seeing that Faith wasn't on the bed. He started to panic, before finding her in the kitchen
"Couldn't sleep?" he asked
"Had enough sleep for a lifetime," Faith replied, "So, how does this work?"
"Well, it's not gonna be easy," Angel answered, "Just because you want to change, doesn't mean the world is ready for you to change. It's gonna be hard, a long and rocky road ahead for you. Doesn't mean you won't overcome it, as long as you fight hard for it. It's a tough job, but it has to be done"
"I meant this," Faith said, pointing at the microwave, "How does this work?"
"Oh"
Angel headed over and set the timer on the microwave
"So, it'll be hard?" Faith asked, "I figured it as much. I don't think I can do it"
"You will. You can do it. You can't just give up. It gets you nowhere, trust me, I know"
"But, goddamn, it hurts so much. All this pain I inflicted on everyone"
"It's supposed to hurt. The consequences of your actions will come back and haunt you"
"I don't think I can make it through the next ten minutes"
"So make it through the next five, the next one minute. You'll make it through"
"I must be the only slayer in history to be sponsored by a vampire"
"It's not gonna be easy. I've had a hundred years. You've only just started out"
"I screwed around with everyone," Faith said, "Buffy. Oh God, what I did to her. The only person who tried to be my friend and I screwed her over. Her boyfriend too, only him more literally"
"Faith, you and I never-"
"Not you, the new one"
Angel frowned at that, as Faith realized what she said
"Oh God, Angel, I'm sorry"
"No, it's okay. I'm over it. But see, you can say sorry. It won't be that hard"
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"We give her money and she makes us look like fools," Lindsey said
"So, what do yo propose we do?" Lilah asked
The pair then looked at Lee, whose face was covered in bruises and was wearing a neck brace
"I say we kill her," he gritted out
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Wesley threw the darts, before drinking from his mug and heading over to take them out of the dartboard. Just as he did, a dart sailed past his ear into the board. Wesley whirled around, seeing three men at his seat
"Hello, Wesley," said Collins
"What can I do for you?" Wesley asked, joining them
"Let's talk somewhere just a little private"
The three Watchers led Wesley to a booth, as they ordered a beer each
"So, Wes, Los Angeles huh?" Weatherby said, "Wouldn't expected this from you"
"I like the weather"
"They wouldn't pay for your flight home?"
"No"
"The Council admits they have made a mistake," said Collins, "They are willing to bring you back home, as a Watcher, for your cooperation"
"Faith? Why do you need my help?" Wesley asked, "You are the Council elite. Oh wait, she got one over you?"
"She's abandoned her calling," Collins said, "With your help, we can take her back home to begin her rehabilitation"
"You really think she can be rehabilitated?" Wesley asked
Collins slid a napkin across to the former Watcher, who unfolded it, revealing a syringe containing yellow liquid. Wesley frowned when he gently picked it up
"Careful with that. The sedative contained inside is powerful to bring down a man twice your size or a slayer," Collins warned
"What do I do with this?" Wesley asked
"You jab her with it, duh," Weatherby replied mockingly
"One condition. No harm comes to Angel or Cordelia, especially the latter"
"Loyalty to a vampire now?"
"That's it, unless you agree to that, you get no help from me"
"Very well then," Collins agreed, "Let's shake on it"
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"Everything okay?" Angel asked, popping out of the shower
"It was touch and go, but I'm fine now," Faith replied
Angel headed back into the shower, as Faith continued watching the television while eating popcorn. She was bored, channel surfing, until she hit on a channel where Detective Kate Lockley was making a speech about finding a dangerous person: her. Caught up in shock, Faith knocked the bowl over, as Angel came out, dressed in pants and an unbuttoned shirt, as he knelt by Faith and saw the news. He promptly switched it off, before turning to Faith
"It's okay. We expected something like this. It'll be fine"
Just then, something came crashing down, sending the pair in opposite directions. Angel was swiftly on his feet, kicking the blue-skinned, four-eyed demon in the stomach, followed by a left punch, as the demon smacked him through the air. Faith grabbed a kitchen knife, ducking the demon's backhand, before stabbing it repeatedly, until it fell over in a small pool of blood. Faith looked at her blood-stained hands and dropped the knife, as Angel appeared by her side, pulling her into a hug as they sat down on the bed
"It's okay," he whispered
He heard a noise and looked up at the stairs, his eyes widening slightly when he saw Buffy standing at the top of the stairs, a look of shock upon her face
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