TITLE: Crosses to Bear (2/?)
EMAIL: LaVelleBelle@aol.com
RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: Brilliant brilliant Joss owns
all.
DEDICATION: To Naomi, who co-wrote the first part with me. Your
spirit remains- hope I didn't screw up Faith too much :)
Lindsey held onto the phone, hearing the dial tone on the other end and took a deep breath. He would dial those 7 numbers and everything would change. Everything in his world would be spun out of control and that idea, more than anything, invigorated him.
He turned around, staring at her in his bed- the sheets covering her naked form; her blonde hair spread out on the pillow. He smiled, remembering last night and how it seemed she was less stiff than their first few nights. She wasn't the reason he was doing this, but it was a nice bonus.
He moved into the living room, dialing the numbers that had been circulating in his head for the last few weeks since this plan had been formed. After only two rings, he picked up.
"Hello?" the voice said.
"Angel, it's Lindsey," he said, smiling as he sat down on the edge of the couch and listened to the few seconds of silence that came after.
"What do you want?" Angel asked roughly and Lindsey could close his eyes and imagine the look on the vampire's face now. They weren't exactly on the best of terms.
"Just thought you would like to know that Faith is being released from prison today at 6:30 PM. Right after sundown, it seems. Thought you might want to be there to pick her up."
Angel held onto the phone, his mind racing. "How?" he asked.
"Wolfram & Hart appealed her case and due to a technicality, we were able to get her term shortened to time already served. She'll be a free woman tonight," Lindsey answered.
"OK, then, why?" Angel asked, suspicious.
"We have our reasons," Lindsey said, hanging up the phone and grinning, his arms locked. This was going to be so much fun.
****
"Hello?" Cordelia asked, walking into the lobby of the hotel, placing her bag on the front desk. "Angel? Wes?"
"Cordelia," Angel said, walking out of the manager's office. "You're early."
"Well, Dennis was playing thermostat commando again," Cordelia said, shrugging. "I figure I'd come here and enjoy the heat."
"OK," Angel said, pacing. "It's good that you're here. I need to talk to you about something important."
Cordelia frowned, watching Angel walk back and forth. "What's going on, Angel? You look like you just found out your favorite hair gel brand was discontinued."
"Faith," Angel said, looking up at Cordelia.
"Your favorite hair gel is called Faith?"
"No," Angel said, smiling. "Faith is getting let out of prison tonight. Lindsey called me this morning to let me know."
"OK," Cordelia said, shaking her head. "This is not good, Angel. Lindsey "Big Bad #1" McDonald is calling you to let you know that Faith 'Psycho Slayer who's tried to kill us all on numerous occasions' whatever her last name is is being let out of prison? This just has 'TRAP' written all over it."
"I don't know Cordelia," Angel said, running his fingers through his hair. "I know that's how it looks but Faith is making amends for what she's done."
"Well, maybe she's changed her mind," Cordelia said, her hands on her waist. "I remember when she pulled that 'redeeming herself' act right before she tried to help the Mayor eat the whole town."
"Not this time, Cordelia," Angel said, his voice strong. "I've seen her in prison- The things she's dealt with there- If she wasn't 100% committed to going straight, she would have snapped by now."
"Well then why would Wolfram & Hart be getting her out of prison? She played them, Angel, and last time I checked they didn't reward that."
"What about Lindsey? He helped us stop Vanessa Brewer and he got a promotion. Wolfram & Hart doesn't often make sense, Cordelia," Angel remarked.
"I know," she said, sighing. She took a deep breath, carefully tucking her hair behind her ears. "What time does she get out?"
"6:30. The way Lindsey made it sound, it was planned right after sunset just for me."
"Well, I'm going with you," Cordelia said, shrugging her shoulders. "And so is Wes."
"I don't know." Angel shook his head. "I know you'll go, but Wes is a different case. He still has a lot of issues with the whole Faith thing. I had hoped we would have some more time before having to deal with it again but-"
"But the time is now and you know what, Angel?" Cordelia asked, smiling, "You don't give Wesley enough credit. He'd follow you to the ends of the Earth and if you say you want him to go with you, he will."
"I know," Angel said. "Wesley's loyal but I also don't want to force him to deal with something he's not ready to yet."
"OK. Fair enough. Then my company will just have to be enough!" Cordelia smiled. "Good thing we have 50 rooms at our disposal, huh? Looks like we'll have another guest checking in tonight."
****
Buffy woke up, one eye opening before the other and looking around the room. She frowned as she sat up in bed, clutching the sheet to her. Lindsey was nowhere to be seen and for that, she was relieved.
The previous night had been enjoyable, to a point. Lindsey was a skilled lover, but Buffy knew the word "love" belonged nowhere in a term she had for him. She was a pawn in his little game of revenge and she knew it.
Buffy slid off the bed, letting the sheet fall to the floor and walked towards the bathroom, her feet stepping on the cold tile. She stood in front of the mirror, examining her face as if she had never seen it before. Sometimes she would do this for hours, just trying to figure out who she was. She wasn't Buffy Summers, Slayer, Chosen One anymore. She was something else and she didn't like it at all. She was Buffy Summers, whore.
Buffy turned away from the mirror and leaned into the shower stall. She quickly turned the dial and felt the hot water beat against her back. She was sore from a long fight she had with a group of vampires the night before and being pressed into the bed under Lindsey's thrusts hadn't helped matters much.
She stepped inside, wincing at the heat of the water, but closing her eyes as she felt herself emerged in the water. She leaned against the shower, her hand to her head and felt all those familiar emotions flood her- rage, sorrow, shame- She felt them all and she couldn't help but cry. Her body shook as she let out a guttural sob.
****
Faith fidgeted nervously as she paced the waiting area. It was almost 6:30 and Angel was going to be here soon. She had no idea what she was going to say or how she would explain her 'Get out of jail free' card. She hoped more than anything that he couldn't tell she was lying when she told him she had no idea why she was free. She knew. She knew damn well- Buffy had bought her freedom with her body. Buffy had sold her soul so Faith could be free to get a chance to fuck it all up again. But she wasn't going to let that happen.
"Hey Dave," Faith called out and smiled when the guard turned around. "Is my friend here yet or what?"
"Well, aren't we in a rush to get out of here? Not enjoying my company?"
"Oh yeah, it's just great," Faith said, sitting down. "Really, I was thinkin' of callin' ya up afterwards. Maybe hookin' up on the outside."
"Tease," Dave said, grinning as Faith flipped him the bird. "Looks like your friend's here, Faith."
Faith sprung from her seat, running her fingers through her hair and shifting her weight from foot to foot. She took a deep breath and waited for Angel.
Angel walked into the room, his hands and his pockets and smiled at Faith. "Hey," he said, walking over to her and pulling her into a hug. "Looks like you're out of here, huh?"
Faith relaxed into the hug, glad for the human contact not forced upon you. "Seems like," she said, her head on his shoulder, unwilling to break away. "Thanks for coming."
"You know I'll always come for you," Angel said, smiling. "Uh, well, you know what I mean," he said, pulling out of the hug reluctantly. "How are you? Are you OK?"
"I'm five by five Angel," Faith said, shrugging her shoulders. "Glad to be gettin' outta this hellhole."
"Yeah," Angel said, leaning against the table and staring at her. "Anything new go on since I last saw you?"
"Nah," Faith said, looking down and letting her hair cover her face. "Just the usual bitch trying to show she's got bigger balls than me. I dealt."
"Good," Angel said, smiling as he folded his arms. "Let's get you home."
"I ain't gonna argue," Faith said, looking up at Angel. "Aren't ya gonna ask me?"
"Ask you what?"
"You know what," Faith said, running her hands along her pants and looking away from the vampire.
"I'm not going to," Angel said, stepping towards her. He took her chin in his hand and turned her face to his. "I know you're not working for them again."
"But ya thought about it," Faith said, shrugging out of his grasp and turning away. "Angel, I don't know how I can ever prove to ya-"
"You don't have to Faith," Angel said, sighing. "And I mean that. Let's just get you home. I think you're gonna like the new place."
Faith turned around, smiling at him weakly. "You're too good to me, Angel."
Angel smiled in response, walking towards the door.
Faith followed, and as they walked out of the prison together Faith frowned. How did it make sense that she felt worse once she walked outside of the confines of the prison?
"Are you OK?" Angel asked as he opened the car door for her. "Somehow I thought being let out of prison would make you happier."
"I got issues," Faith said, watching as Angel sat down beside her. "I don't feel like I deserve this, ya know? Like I'm buyin' my way out." Faith gulped. Why had she said that? Angel was sure to pick up on it.
Angel frowned. "Just because you're free from prison, doesn't mean your free."
"Yeah," Faith said, shrugging. "Ya keep saying that."
"Is it any less true?" Angel asked, starting the car engine and pulling out into the street.
"No." Faith turned to him. "Can we just not have this whole pep talk right now? Somehow I think we've got a long time for it."
"Of course." Angel nodded understandingly. They drove the rest of the way to the hotel in silence, Angel occasionally stealing a glance at the slayer, making sure she was alright.
***
"And Angel picked her up?" Lindsey asked, adjusting the phone to his ear.
"6:36 PM, Mr. McDonald," the voice on the other end of the line responded. "They arrived at the Hyperion at approximately 7:28."
"Good," Lindsey said, smiling as he hung up the phone, staring at Buffy as she slowly ate the dinner he had cooked her. She tried to look as if she wasn't paying attention, but it was obvious she had hung on every word. "Everything's going according to plan, Buffy. Now comes the hard part."
Buffy nodded, swallowing her bite of food. "I know."
"Remember, you can't say anything to Angel to let him know our arrangement. If you do-"
"I know Lindsey," Buffy said, pushing her plate aside. "I know this may be blonde hair atop my head, but I did understand 'the plan' the first 10 to 20 times you told me."
Lindsey sighed, sliding into the seat next to her at the table. "I'm sorry, I know you did. This is just a very delicate situation."
"You're telling me," Buffy said, frowning as she got up from the table, heading towards the living room. She needed to be by herself for a while and hoped Lindsey respected that.
To be Continued...
