"Faith? What day is it?" Wesley asks, walking out of his bedroom.

"You're awake?" Faith replies, jumping up from her seat on his couch, surprised. "You've been sleeping for three days."

"Three days?" Wes replies, startled. "I know I feel rested, but I had no idea…"

"You look better, Wes. How do you feel?" She asks.

"Better," He says, sitting down.

"Really?" She asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. Really. I don't remember too much after waking up in the hospital, I think Willow was here…and Angel…it's a little blurry. I also know that you explained to me the outcome of the battle with evil Cordelia, but I don't really recall. Everything turned out okay?" He asks.

"Yep. Except for you, everyone is fine. Angel's been by, a lot. Cordelia and the others. Lorne is actually the surprising one. He's been calling a lot. Wanting to talk to you. He won't tell me what's the what," Faith explains.

"Thank you for staying…" Wes begins.

"Connor's been crashing here, too. I hope you don't mind, but he isn't really comfortable around Cordelia or Angel right now. He's been adjusting, not bolting for the hills whenever they arrive, but he asked me if it was okay."

"It's fine," Wes replies.

"There's some other things, too," Faith says, quietly.

"First off. I'm starving. I'm going to order some food. Can it wait?" Wesley asks. She nods and sits quietly until Wesley is finished ordering his food.

"Okay. I'm ready."

"Are you?" Faith responds. "I mean, you just woke up and…"

"I'm not necessarily ready for another apocalypse, Faith, but I can listen to you. Fill me in," He says.

She looks at him, with a curious look on her face. She stands up and walks over to him.

"Faith?" He asks, as she continues to examine him.

She leans forward and kisses him softly on the lips. He is surprised, but returns it after several moments.

He pulls away, flushed. "We can't do this," He says.

"We can do anything we want, Wes. I just want you to know how important you are. To me, anyway. You really scared the hell out of me…" Faith says, turning away from him.

"You don't know me, Faith, you just got out of prison…" He starts.

"Wes, I don't need you to discourage me. Faith and Wes is something that I never ever considered. But you're different now. I'm different now. We work well together, you can't deny it. I don't care if nothing ever comes of it, I just want you to know that I care about you," She says.

He puts his hand on her arm and she turns around to embrace him.

"You said the other day, when you were out of it, that you were incapable of love. That's not true. You're incapable of anything else, Wesley…you can't not care…that's your curse," She whispers, holding him against her.

"Faith…"

"We have other stuff to talk about, though. Actual important stuff," She says, shaking off her sentiment and sitting down on the couch.

"That seemed pretty important to me," He says, quietly, sitting down beside her.

"Buffy says that I could really help them out in Sunnydale. The first evil is throwing some pretty heavy shit their way," Faith admits.

"They need you. From what I understand, they have all the potential slayers that are left in the world gathered there. You're in danger and the safest place for you is with them. You're strong now, you know what to do…" Wes begins.

"But you can't come with me, can you?" She interrupts. "I'm strongest when I'm with you, but you can't come because the First Evil will eat you alive from the inside. That's per Willow…" Faith adds.

"You don't need me, Faith. If anything, it's the other way around. I wouldn't have made it through the last few days without you. You will be fine without me…"

"But I won't. You're my home base. You give me perspective. I haven't needed anyone in a long time, I trained myself to be self-sufficient…" Faith starts.

"Faith. Willow's right, I probably shouldn't be in close proximity with the First, but I will still be there if you need me. I'll find a way. But you can't doubt yourself. You are strong. You will go and you will train those girls and protect them. It's what you were meant to do," Wes interrupts her. "You may think you need me, but you don't."

"What if I want to?" She asks, timidly.

Wes touches her face, tenderly and she turns her face to him. He kisses her gently. "I will be here, Faith. I can't promise you anything…"

"I don't want you to…" Faith replies, kissing him more urgently. "I can't promise you anything either…but…"

"Shh…" Wes says, kissing her.

They find solace in each other's arms for several minutes before Wes' phone rings.

"I should get that," Faith says, panting for breath.

"It's my phone, shouldn't I answer it?" Wes questions.

"Sure, but I'm warning you, it's probably the hotel…they call almost every hour on the hour," Faith replies, readjusting her clothes.

"Wesley," He answers.

"Wes? You're awake?" Cordelia voice chirps.

"For the moment. Is everything okay?" Wes asks.

"Oh yeah, we're just worried about you, you've been asleep for a few days…" Cordelia begins, rambling nervously.

"Faith is with me. I'm feeling much better, Cordelia, you can stop worrying…" Wesley starts.

"I won't stop worrying until you bring your ass over her and talk to us. We messed up, Wesley, before, we abandoned you…"

"Cordelia, stop. There is a time for explanations and excuses and for us, that time has passed. Nothing can be said that will change what has happened," Wes interrupts.

"I don't believe that, Wes," She replies, quiet now.

"We have to move on. There is a bigger picture that we have to focus on. Our lives, our happiness is unimportant in the bigger picture…" Wes says.

"Stop it. Faith said you were hard, now, colder, but I didn't believe it. You're wrong, Wesley…" Cordelia starts.

"Maybe," Wes replies.

There is a knock on the door. Faith gets up to answer it.

"Angel's coming to see you, hopefully he can talk some sense into you…" Cordelia sighs. Wes realizes that she is crying. He hangs up the phone.

Faith opens the door and finds Angel standing in the doorway, holding a pizza box.

"Business cannot possibly be that slow," Wes says, his face blank.

Faith laughs, despite herself as Angel walks in.

"When did you wake up?" Angel asks.

"A little while ago," Wesley replies, taking the pizza from him.

"He's hungry," Faith explains as Wesley begins eating the pizza.

"You haven't been taking care of yourself, Wes," Angel says, sitting down.

Wes eats in silence.
"I'm supposed to meet Connor at the gym so I'll leave you two alone," Faith says, standing up.

"At the gym?" Angel asks, surprised.

"We're training with each other. I'm going to need all the training I can get if I'm going to Sunnydale," Faith says, looking at Wesley.

"I'll be here," He replies, nodding to her.

Faith leaves quickly and silence descends on the apartment.

"Cordelia just called, checking up on me," Wesley remarks, finally.

"We want you to come back. You've proved yourself…" Angel begins.

"Angel, I don't think you want to get into this with me. Really. It's in the past, it can't be changed. It's done," Wes states, flatly.

"You can't forgive us?" Angel asks.

"There's nothing to forgive, Angel. It's over. The words have been spoken or unspoken for too long. We prevented another apocalypse…" Wes replies.

"You prevented another apocalypse…" Angel interrupts.

"I didn't do it alone. Gunn, Fred and Lorne would have found a way…" Wes begins.

"No, Wes. They wouldn't. You know that. Not because they're not dedicated but because it's what you do. You fight for people even when no one will fight with you. You stood by us all when we abandoned you…" Angel starts.

"I can't do it, Angel. I can't. I'm sorry," Wes says, quietly.

"Why? We're your family…"

"Things are different now. I'm different now. I'll be around if you need me, but I can't…" He meets Angel's gaze. "It is actually painful for me to be around you, any of you…just knowing…"

"Knowing what?" Angel asks.

"Knowing that I'm dispensable. No one needs me, Angel. You are the important one. I was brushed aside like I was nothing, like I meant nothing…I'm insignificant to all of you. I can't live my life like that. Now, after I've 'proved myself' as you say, I'm supposed to let myself fall back into the family? I can't. Sure, people make mistakes, no one knows that better than me, but I won't allow myself to fall back into this pattern. I need my friends to care about me…"

"We do, Wesley. We always have. We always will," Angel replies, sadly.

"Angel, you have enough to deal with right now without concerning yourself with me. Let's just let everything fall into place and we'll pick up the pieces," Wesley says.

"That's what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to put my life back together. You're a part of my life. You're my partner. I need you. Angel Investigations needs you," Angel replies.

"I'm a consultant. Nothing more," Wes says.

Angel looks at him, his face concerned. "Why did you do all this if we don't matter to you? You rescued me from the ocean, you decided to save me instead of killing Angelus, why did you do it?"

"Because the world needs its champion. I never said you didn't matter…" Wes replies.

"I don't understand you, Wesley. You can't be saying that all our history, all our time together means so little that you can't accept our forgiveness, you can't forgive us in turn…"

"Listen to yourself, Angel…" Wes closes the lid on his unfinished pizza. "I've lost my appetite. Excuse me for a minute…"

Angel sighs but doesn't push. He waits patiently for several minutes before following his ears into the bedroom.

Wesley is vomiting up the pizza into the toilet. He finally finishes and Angel returns to the living room before he is spotted.

"Feel better?" Angel asks.

"Is that supposed to be funny?" Wes replies, his patience stretched too thin.

"Wesley…"

"I'm sorry. I'm still a little edgy," Wes apologizes.

"Have you seen a doctor, Wes? About why you can't keep food down?" Angel asks, quietly.

"Nerves. I had a nervous stomach when I was younger…"

"What did you do then?" Angel questions.

"Smoked a lot of marijuana," He replies flatly.

"Well, I guess that's not an option," Angel smiles slightly.

"Not really. I'll be fine…"

"You keep saying that but I don't believe you. You are going to need us, Wesley…"

"I know, but that's no longer an option. If I learned anything from you and the others its that I have no one that I can depend on other than myself. I will not ask you for help, Angel. I will not allow myself to ask you for help. I will however, ask you to leave," Wesley says, with a sigh. "I'm still very tired and I need to gather my thoughts."

"This isn't the end of the discussion, Wes, not by a long shot. I do not give up on my friends," Angel replies, standing up.

"Tell the others that I'm sorry," Wesley sighs.

"You can tell them yourself. I'm sure they'll be by to try and talk some sense into you," Angel says. He turns when he reaches the door. "Are you going to Sunnydale to help battle the First?"

"I can't. I'm not strong enough to control myself. The First Evil would take control," Wes acknowledges.

"But you're sending Faith alone?"

"She won't be alone…" Wes protests.

"She'll be in the middle of something worse than anything we've ever faced. I haven't spoken with Buffy in a while, but its going to be tough on Faith…" Angel begins.

"Buffy knows she's coming. This is bigger than individual emotions, Angel. They can't fight the First Evil. Just like we couldn't defeat the beast. We just had a tough fight, but it's nothing compared to what they're fighting in Sunnydale. Faith has to go. I would go if I could. I would ask you to go if I thought it would help…"

"I wouldn't help?" Angel asks, surprised.

"The First can only take the form of beings that are dead. Buffy and the others are having a difficult time distinguishing between truth and illusion. If you were there, the First would tear you apart…Spike is there…he has a soul…" Wes says, quietly.

"What? Spike has a soul?"

Wes nods. "I think that he is helping enough right now and you need to stay in LA to get things back under control. You would only complicate things at this point…"

"Wes, how do you know these things?" Angel questions. "When did you talk to the Sunnydale folks?"

Wes looks up, surprised. "I haven't…I just know," He replies. "I can't explain it."

Angel raises an eyebrow.

"I can't explain it, Angel," Wes replies.

"Cordelia, she lost the visions. When you bound her…she lost all her powers…" Angel starts.

"I know. What else was I supposed to do, Angel? Before I could figure out a way to fix what I had done, summoning her spirit here so she could defeat Darla…I didn't have time…" Wesley starts.

"What? Wait, Wesley, you're saying if you hadn't bound her spirit then…you could have brought her back intact, with the same powers?" Angel gasps, paling.

"I don't know. I haven't really been conscious enough lately to think about it. You should go," Wesley says.

Angel shakes his head. "No, Wes, this is important…"

"Not as important as other things. It's inconsequential. It cannot be changed now," Wesley states.

"But now, I have no connection to the Powers, how am I supposed to know what to do?" Angel questions.

"I don't know, Angel. I'll see what I can find out. I'll let you know," Wesley states.

Angel seems to realize that the conversation is over. He sighs. "Thank you, Wesley, for everything that you've done. I will find a way to make things right, I can promise you that," He says, exiting.

Wesley picks up the phone to call Sunnydale.

*****

Wesley is sitting silently on the couch when Faith returns. He doesn't acknowledge her. She notices that he has showered and dressed. He is holding a half-empty bottle of whiskey in one hand.

"Wesley?" Faith calls, dropping his keys on the table.

"Come and have a drink with me, Faith," Wesley says, holding out the bottle.

"Are you okay? I mean, this can't be healthy…"

"Fuck all that, Faith. Just sit down. Let's have a drink and forget about all the other shit for a few hours. Don't we deserve it?" His voice is hoarse from disuse.

She sits down beside him and takes several generous swallow of scotch. He puts his arm around her and she automatically moulds her body to his, accepting his shelter.

"You're beautiful," He says, suddenly kissing her forehead.

"You're already getting me drunk, you don't have to try that hard," Faith jokes.

"Your skin is like porcelain glass…fragile…pure…you hair…"

Faith kisses him and tastes his liquor, his heat. They lose themselves in each other.

"Wesley. Telephone."

Connor's voice freezes them. Faith disentangles her limbs from Wes'. The young man doesn't react, he silently holds out the phone to Wesley.

"Thank you. Hello?"

"Wesley? You're out of breath, what were you doing?" Rupert Giles asks.

"Nothing I can't start over," Wes replies, ignoring Faith's look.

"Yes. Well. Buffy is asking when Faith is going to arrive. She is needed."

Wes glances at Faith. "I will talk to her."

"Is everything stable in LA?"

"For the moment," Wes replies.

"Then I would like to suggest that you accompany Faith to the Hellmouth. We could really use your input and your support of Faith couldn't hurt. And as to your new condition, I think that it would be worth the risk."

"Giles…"

"Listen Wesley, we've got an insane vampire and the most powerful witch since Lilith working for the side of the good down here. You can keep control if they can. You're British, you never lose face, Wesley. Just think about it."

"Okay. I'll tell Faith to call you soon." Wesley hangs up. He turns to Faith but she stops him from speaking with a hard kiss.

"Not now. We're drinking it all away, remember?" She breathes into his ear.

*****

"Wes?"

"Hmm?"

"When do you want me to leave for Sunnydale?" Faith asks, her chin on his shoulder as they lay beside each other.

"When you're ready," He replies.

"They need me?"

"Yes."

"I'll go tomorrow."

He turns over to face her. "Giles wants me to come, too. He thinks I can keep control of my new abilities. He thinks, I suppose, that I'm strong enough to fight it."

"I'll watch your back if you watch mine," Faith says, after a pause.

"That's not a problem," Wes smiles.

She pokes him, playfully.

His face hardens and she sees his eyes grow cold. "You…you couldn't stop me, if I lost it, Faith. You'd have to kill me. Could you do that?"

Faith's eyes react. "What are you talking about?" She gasps.

"Faith. If I go all black-eyed and start taking people out, you'll have to kill me. Could you do that?" Wes asks.

"I'd find another way," She replies, hardening her face to match his.

"If there was no other way, Faith. What would you do? What would I want you to do?" He asks.

"Kill you…" She whispers, shaking her head, negatively.

"Faith. Not because I want you to hurt. I care about you, I don't want a stranger or a casual acquaintance to do it…I trust you and your judgement…" Wes starts, the cold gleam dropping from his eyes for a second as Faith sees how hard he is trying to explain.

"Stop. You don't have to say anything else. If it comes to that, we'll play the cards we're given. That's it," She says, pulling him against her.

"You realize that we're not tough…" Wes smiles. "Curled up in each others arms, whispering to each other, this will really make the vampire and demon population cringe," He jokes.

"No one's here but us, Wes. We can be hard and cold once we walk out of this room but when it's just us…this is nice…" Faith replies.

He kisses her, tenderly. "This is nice…" He replies.

"So you're coming with me?" Faith asks. "Be my backup?"

"Yes…I would like to have a day or so to research before I follow you. I think you should go ahead of me to try and get a feel for their strategy," Wes replies.

"Sounds like a plan. I'll leave tomorrow morning. Willow and Giles say that the Summers' house is pretty crowded…" Faith starts.

"I have already contacted a real estate agency in Sunnydale. There is a vacant house on Revello Drive that I've put a bid on. I should know something by later today. If the deal goes through, we'll be renting the house and we'll make it a second home base for the potentials. It would take some of the strain off Buffy and the others," Wes explains.

"So you're on top of all of this already?" Faith asks, surprised.

"I wasn't planning on joining you in Sunnydale until I spoke with Giles, but I have been trying to do what I can from here. I'll go to the hotel later to gather some books and do a little research. I'll try to join you by tomorrow night or the next day…" Wes replies.

"Can't stand to tear yourself away from me?" Faith smiles, kissing him.

"Actually…that is a good reason…" Wes responds.

"Are you going to tell them that you're leaving?" Faith asks.

"Angel and I…we didn't exactly settle anything today," He replies, with a sigh. "Hopefully it won't be too big of a deal."

"I think it is a big deal to them, Wes. They fucked up and they're just trying to make it right," Faith replies. "You and I know how that story goes."

"Just because they're apologetic, it doesn't change anything. It's over and finished," Wes responds. "Nothing they do will make a difference either way."

Faith snuggles closer to him. "It doesn't have to make a difference to you. Just suck it up, tell them everything's cool and just roll with it. They don't have to know how you feel on the inside," She says.

"Doesn't that make me a hypocrite?"

Faith smiles. "We're all hypocrites, Wes. It doesn't make us evil. It makes us human."

*****