YELLOW BRICK ROAD
By: Lisette (lisette@chaletian.co.uk)
Rating: PG-13 so far - might change later on.
Distribution: Want, take, have. Just e-mail me first.
Summary: Faith is released from prison - but there's a catch.
Feedback: God, please.
Angel, Buffy, the whole lot, belong to JW, Mutant Enemy, and anyone else who officially owns them. I don't. Big surprise.
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Chapter Four - Mr Redemption
Angel sat back on his heels, a frown furrowing his usually, well, furrowed brow.
"Faith-"
"Angel, much as I understand your desire to help Faith, I think we need to consider the immediate matter at hand." The soft voice broke the connection between vampire and slayer, and Faith turned towards her ex-watcher, eyes lowering as they met his. It was all very well trying to atone - although whether trying to kill the man responsible for trying to redeem her could actually be considered a form of atonement was a question she didn't really want to go into - but almost impossible to face the people she hurt so badly. Angel didn't really matter so much. The two of them could beat the crap out of each other seven ways from Sunday and not feel a thing the next day. And Angel didn't care. That was, he cared; he wanted to help her, but she couldn't hurt him, not like she had hurt Wesley. Wesley, who had been her watcher, who had wanted to help, but, honest to God, didn't have a clue about it all.
And spending hours lovingly torturing someone did not endear you to them.
"What's to consider? Wes, they're always trying to kill him! It's like, the status quo round -"
"No, it's not." Wesley interrupted Cordelia firmly. "Remember, Angel features in their plans; they don't want him dead - not yet, anyway. Faith, what did they say exactly?"
"Well, it was that lawyer chick, the bitch, you know?"
"Lilah," three voices spoke together, and Faith smothered a grin before nodding.
"Yeah, her. It was just all this crap, you know. Wolfram & Hart got me out, I fulfilled the…the terms of the agreement, she said. They paid me, I stayed out of jail. It's not like she went all super-villain on me and explained every detail of the plan. I am just the paid muscle, after all." The bitterness in her tone was obvious, but Wesley ignored it.
"What else?"
"Jeez, Wesley, we weren't exactly trading pleasantries. This was pretty much, business as usual." Wesley opened his mouth to question her again, then thought better of it.
"Go and get your things. You'd better stay here for the time being." Faith stared at him, bemusement evident in her face.
"What?" Wesley walked over to the desk, and busied himself with some papers lying there, seemingly oblivious to the fact that not only Faith, but Angel and Cordelia were staring at him. Not turning, he continued,
"It's only a matter of time before Wolfram & Hart realise that you haven't, er, fulfilled the terms of the agreement. You'll be safer here." He swung round, face impassive, as he looked coolly at the three of them. "Until then, there a couple of things I need to look into, so if you will excuse me…" His voice trailed off as he entered his office, closing the door decisively behind him, leaving three bewildered people behind him. Cordelia was, characteristically, the first to recover.
"Well, better do like the bossman says," she chirped, making shooing motions at Faith. "Go, Faith, go! Get your things, and move in with us, thereby making the hotel a safer place for us all."
"Cordelia." There was a warning note in Angel's voice, which was rather wasted as Cordelia payed not the slightest attention to it.
"Oh, come on, Angel! I mean, I understand you being all 'Mr Redemption' and 'ooh, let's help Faith, 'cause that's a plan', but Wesley? What's with that?"
"Okay, C, I didn't come here looking to move in…"
"Damn straight! You came here looking to kill Angel! And, as a plan, not making us love you, Faith. I mean, you try and get our entire graduating year eaten, try and kill Buffy and Angel, several times, you hit me, giving me one heck of a black eye, which I did not appreciate by the way, and, oh yeah, let's not forget the whole torturing Wesley thing. Then you're all 'I want to change', and confess to the police, but then, what? They let you out, and ten minutes later you're trying to kill Angel again? News flash, Faith! You haven't changed!"
"I-"
"Cordelia."
"Angel, I just think-"
"Connor's smelling a bit…maybe you should…" Cordelia's eyebrows climbed about three inches up her forehead, but after a moment's staring contest with Angel, she turned abruptly and strode up the stairs, Connor still in her arms.
"Angel -"
"Faith, just get your stuff. You heard what Wesley said - you'll be safer here while we decide what to do." She walked towards the slow, hesitating for an instant as she passed the fallen crossbow. "And, Faith?" She stopped.
"Make sure you come back. Or I will come and get you."