Orright ppl: This is much like the prologue in setting up how the people are gonna be receiving their letters.  But, cos I can't be bothered setting up both Angel and Faith's, lets just say that Faith is out of jail and is staying with Angel at the Hyperion.  I haven't been keeping up with the Angel scripts, nor have I been downloading the episodes, like I have been with Buffy (who loves downloads!!!) so, I'm taking liberties here. 

Angel and Connor are alright with each other, not horribly chummy, but they're not trying to kill each other.  I'm ignoring the Cordy/Angel thing, cos I don't like Cordy, so she's not in this at all, and neither are Gunn, Fred or Wes.  Faith's at the hotel.  Cool? 

INTERLUDE

Angel, Faith and Connor had gone out for the evening, the three of them getting slightly claustrophobic within the hotel, even though the hotel was massive.  Faith had been feeling slightly off all day, something that she couldn't describe had been unsettling her stomach since early that morning.  She didn't know what it was, but she did know that when she'd drifted off whilst watching tv with Connor earlier that afternoon, she hadn't had a single dream, which had been unusual. 

Faith had been having strange dreams for a few months, dreaming about girls that she didn't know being killed off by guys in black robes and hoods.  For her to not have one was incredibly relieving for her, and Faith could only hope that she would have a dreamless sleep for the rest of the week.

Angel opened the doors to the Hyperion and stopped short, is heart sinking the instant he saw the tiny figure sitting on his couch, a look f complete despair on her face. 

"Dawn," Angel whispered.

He was reminded instantly of the last time any of the Scooby Gang had come to LA.  Tat had been when Buffy had died after defeating Glory.  But instead of Buffy's best friend, he found Buffy's younger sister.  Faith heard the whispered word and felt her heart sink.

So this was what her 'spider-sense' had been telling her all day. 

Connor looked between his father and the woman that took great pleasure in riling up his father at every opportunity.  He saw the looks of utter shock and despair on their faces.

Angel swallowed hard and forced himself to say the same words that he'd uttered last time.

"It's Buffy…isn't it?"

Dawn nodded and stood shakily. 

Connor looked at his father, completely chocked to see tears in the mans eyes.  He'd never seen Angel cry, and seeing it now was a very new experience.  Connor looked towards Faith who had a tear rolling down her cheek as well.  To see the two strongest people he knew in tears was making Connor uncomfortable. 

He debated who would be the best person to ask his question to and decided on Faith, not wanting to ask Angel when he was so obviously not wanting anything to disturb him.

"Who's Buffy?" Connor whispered to Faith.

Faith swallowed hard and tried to think of an explanation that was quick and concise.  How could she possibly put Buffy into words so that Connor could understand.

"She was B," Faith replied absently.  "My sister."

Faith walked away from him towards Dawn, pulling the younger girl into a hug.  Dawn completely lost it at the contact and hugged Faith back, the two girls crying for their sister.  Angel just stared at them absently, neither seeing nor hearing anything around him, just letting the pure void flow through him.

They finally composed themselves and Faith pulled back.

"How?" Faith asked.

Dawn swallowed and sat down, her body too weak to remain standing.

"Do you remember her going up against the First?" Dawn asked quietly.

Faith nodded.  That had been on Christmas Eve so many years ago.  That had been before Faith had turned against everyone and before Faith had accidentally killed the Deputy Mayor.

"It came back," Dawn said.  "And she defeated it."

"And it killed her," Faith finished.

Dawn nodded, not wanting to reveal the true nature of Buffy's death to them.  The Scoobies had all gone to the hellmouth to retrieve Buffy's body after they'd finished reading their letters, and they'd been horrified to see Buffy lying lifelessly in the basement, a gunshot wound to her head.  Dawn had turned away instantly, shielding herself in Xander's chest. 

The others had been morbidly fascinated by the Slayer's lifeless body and hadn't been able to tear their eyes away from her.  For the second time in his life, Giles had been the one to carry Buffy's body away from the place of her death.

Dawn stood and walked towards Angel who was still standing stiff as a statue on the top landing of the doorway.  Dawn approached him tentatively, knowing that if she startled him, it could be potentially dangerous.

"Angel?" she whispered softly.

Angel snapped out of his trance and looked at his soulmate's sister.  He stepped down the stairs and engulfed Dawn in a hug.  Dawn clung to him tightly and just let the dark-haired vampire stroke her hair gently.

Angel pressed a gentle kiss to the crown of Dawn's head.  Connor just watched in amazement.  He'd never seen Angel be like that with anyone.  He couldn't help but wonder who exactly it was that these people were mourning.  He knew for a fact that Faith didn't have a sister, had asked her about her family a long time ago.  She'd got a funny smile on her face as she answered, and said that she had no blood relatives.

Dawn finally pulled away and sniffled miserably.  She put a hand into her pocket and got out one slip of paper and one envelope.  She handed the envelope to Angel and gave the paper to Faith.

Faith took it, a look of surprise coming over her face.  "She had time to write these?"

Dawn nodded and Faith felt her stomach sink even further. 

"She knew that she was gonna die, didn't she?"

"Yeah," Dawn replied softly.  "She knew."

Faith nodded and unfolded her paper to read the last words that her sister would ever get to say to her.