Author's Note: This chapter is mostly unchanged, with just a little more dialogue at the end. I think this was the last chapter of the original version that I actually liked.

For those of you confused as to the origins of various characters – everyone is from either 'Angel/Buffy the Vampire Slayer' or 'X-Men' (although as is the way of the Movieverse, the X-Men characters have somewhat altered backgrounds), except Veronica Sawyer, of whom I will say that 'Heathers' is absolutely the best High School black comedy ever. If for some reason or another you can't go to the source materials, E-mail me with your questions.

Chapter Four

The music was loud, the lighting dim and erratic, the dance floor crowded. It wasn't the place Faith had remembered from three years previously, which had since closed down, but it was like enough as to be almost indistinguishable. She had an instinct for these places.

Against one wall, Rogue and Gambit stood, watching as Faith and Jubilee flung themselves about the dance floor with only marginally disparate levels of enthusiasm but vastly different styles. Faith oozed cheap lust, her every movement seeming to promise sex. Jubilee was simply having fun, fast and noisy, and somehow attracting almost as many would-be partners as the older girl.

Remy, under normal circumstances, would have been out there, but he couldn't just abandon Rogue. He made a couple of attempts to make conversation, but their voices were drowned out by the music and in the end he settled for simply gesturing towards the floor and gently but insistently pulling Rogue on to dance, rather less frenetically that their friends.

Breaking off the dance Faith looked round, seeming for a moment to scan the room, and then grabbed Jubilee's arm and headed for the bar, dragging her companion after her.

'Two beers.' She yelled at the bartender. 'They're paying.' She gestured at the two young men she had arrived next to, who looked up at this. One of them grinned at her, and then pulled out his wallet. Faith leered back.

Jubilee sipped her beer and glanced at the two guys. She hadn't needed them in a while, but the Asian teenager normally had good instincts, and right now they were screaming at her that something was wrong in a way not seen since LA and Gunn's neverending war.

'Faith.' She tried to whisper, wondering if the girl had any idea. She had no idea how to explain what she was trying to say, except that everything about these two men added up wrong.

Even here the noise precluded all but the briefest of conversations, but that's what Faith managed to have with the two guys. After a few minutes she stood up, finished her beer, and grabbed Jubilee's arm to drag her towards the back of the club.

Across the room, Remy spotted this, and gave Rogue an inquisitive look. She shrugged, and then her eyes widened and she pointed to the two men who were now following their friends across the dance floor. Their movements were purposeful, their faces lustful. Gambit pulled her off the floor, and they began working their way around the edge of the club.

Charles Xavier spent the evening in his study, reading.

He was close to seventy years old, though he wore his years exceptionally well, and in the course of his life he had travelled all over the world. He had lost the use of his legs in the Korean War, while still a young man (and he still sent a Christmas card every year, without fail, to the now long retired doctor who had saved his life. Whenever Xavier had reason to visit Maine he made a point of meeting up with the man), and had taken a long convalescence in Europe and North Africa. His travels had ended in Israel, where he had met the man who would one day become known as Magneto, but before then he had seen many remarkable sights. Although crippled, his unequalled telepathic abilities had let him experience far more of the world than an ordinary traveller.

Then, one day, he had seen a man who was not there.

Xavier's powers gave him an awareness of the presence of everyone around him, everyone within a radius of several miles, without his ever needing to think about it. As he looked at the world his eyes and mind automatically correlated, confirming that this mind belonged to that body.

It had been in Rome that he saw a man with his eyes who did not exist to his mind, moving through the tourists and residents like a predator. He had hurriedly steered his chair to follow, intent on asking what the man was, only to find himself trapped in an alleyway with a creature of legend and nightmare.

He survived because of the vampire's instinctual sadism, its desire to play with its meal. It prevented him from screaming for help, but could do nothing to stop him from calling with his mind. He was rescued by a young priest, who drove his attacker away with his crucifix and a phial of Holy Water, and then attempted to persuade Xavier that he had been mistaken as to what his attacker had been. It hadn't worked, and the priest, a young servant of the Holy Office named Arturo Cava, had reluctantly explained a little of the secret side of the world to the young American with the remarkable power.

They had stayed in contact, Xavier's wealth serving to help those who fought the darkness where his powers could not, and their friendship had gradually settled into a casual intimacy. Xavier had followed his friend's career in the Holy Office from a distance, and Arturo had in return learned a little of his friend's work with mutants in America. The long-ago chance meeting between the eventual founder of the X-Men and the current Cardinal of the Inquisition was one of the main reasons for the Catholic church's acceptance of human mutancy as either a sign of divine favour or, in the case of disadvantageous mutations, a trial of faith.

It had also resulted in Xavier's personal library being used as a depository for various ancient texts of no immediate use but immense long-term value. Faith's half-joking attempt at explaining her abilities had reminded him of information encountered herein, and it was because of this that he went back over a small selection of these works, making notes and comparing the ancient accounts of magic and monsters to the medical terminology of the Mansion's recently returned resident biochemist and the files Bishop had sent him.

By the end of the evening he had decided that he and Faith really needed to have a talk, but that first of all he should call Arturo. Fortunately, by that time it was close to one in the morning, and with the time difference his old friend should have just been finishing breakfast.

Faith hauled Jubilee into the alleyway behind the club.

'Faith,' the mutant girl began.

'Hide.' Was the reply, as Faith shoved her towards a dumpster, simultaneously smashing her free hand through the side of an old wooden packing crate behind which a couple of the club's younger patrons were thrusting violently. Wrenching off a reasonably sharp length of wood, she shoved it under her jacket.

'Faith, listen. I don't think those dudes are human. Back in LA I saw . . .' Jubilee trailed off as she noticed the makeshift stake.

'I know.' Faith pushed her into cover as the two men emerged behind them.

'Where's your friend?' the shorter one asked, glancing round. Faith shrugged.

'Listen, I just suck at the banter thing, so can we cut to the part where you try to eat me and I kill you both?' Faces shifted as they moved forward, the spokesman edging to one side, trying to flank her.

'Little girl thinks she's the slayer.' He commented. Even round his fangs he managed to sound amused. Faith kicked him hard enough to break a couple of ribs and hurl him across the alley, and then spun back to deliver a backhand punch that broke several of his companion's teeth.

'Wrong.' She said, and set about doing what she did best.

Forcing a path through the crowd, Rogue and Gambit reached the exit almost a minute behind their friends. They emerged into a massive fight.

'Hey, guys.' Jubilee called from her seat atop the same dumpster behind which Faith had pushed her. 'Siddown and enjoy the show.'

In the main part of the alleyway Faith was taking her time about beating the ever-loving crap out of the men who had followed her out. The two mutants stared for a moment.

'Mon dieu.' Whispered Gambit, as Rogue gasped, 'Vampires!'

'Yep. Hop on up. Didja bring popcorn?' A short distance away Faith vaulted over one of her opponents and snapped his neck, and then began beating on the other. There was a look of raw pleasure on her face.

'Dat girl, she is enthusiastic, no?' Gambit commented.

'Yeah. Remind me not to piss her off.' The luckless demon flew across the alleyway to smash into the wall ten feet above the ground, sliding down it bonelessly. Faith pulled her makeshift stake from the back of her belt and finished his quadriplegic companion as she walked past.

'You're no fun any more.' She told the survivor, and then stabbed him. She turned, and smiled at her audience.

'Them vampires, me Slayer. Any other explanation can wait. I need something to eat. Let's go.'

They ended up in Burger King.

'So, uh, you know about vampires?' Jubilee asked Rogue once they were all sitting down.

'Uh-huh. Logan had some memories. There was this bar in Toronto, about ten years back . . .' She blushed. 'You?'

'Back in LA. They liked to prey on street kids. Gunn used to organise us against them. Always did pretty well, but I never saw anything like that.' Both girls turned to glance at Faith, who swallowed the last mouthful of her burger and looked up. 'How did you know they were vampires, chica?'

She shrugged. 'Slayer sense. Told you I wasn't a mutant. Killing vampires is my job.' She glanced at Gambit. 'You okay?'

The young mutant was staring at his three companions with a shell-shocked expression on his face.

'Remy heard de rumours.' He said quietly. 'But he never believed dem for a second.' He turned his gaze on her. 'Vampires are real?'

'Vamps, demons, werewolves, witches, zombies. I'll fill you in later. Right now I need to unwind. Let's go.' She stood up, yanking him along by a fistful of trenchcoat.

Their two companions, still eating, watched them walk out. Rogue made as if to follow.

'No rush, babe.' Jubilee told her, holding up the key to the jeep.

'Remy can hotwire it, can't he?'

'Ya think he'll leave us behind? He came along to keep an eye on us.'

A short time later the two young mutants finished their meals and headed out. They were back within a minute.

'So.' Said Jubilee.

'Yeah.' Rogue agreed.

'I could go for another Sprite. You want something to drink, Rogue?'

'Oh, yeah.' They walked to the counter in silence, bought their drinks, sat back at the table they had abandoned so recently.

'So.' Said Jubilee.

'Yeah.'

A grin suddenly broke across the younger girl's face.

'Let's just hope they don't put any dents in the jeep.'

'Jubilee!'

'Sawyer.' Lucas acknowledged, emerging from the bathroom. Veronica turned to enjoy the sight of her partner clad only in a motel towel for a long moment, and almost pouted as he retreated into the bathroom with a few articles of clothing. She frowned to herself.

'I told Price and Chase to meet us here at eight.' She called. 'They should be here any moment.' Lucas reappeared, wearing jeans and a T-Shirt that stretched across his torso, and she clapped a carefully neutral expression onto her face. 'Nice tattoo, by the way.'

'Which one?' The big man replied.

'The arm.' It was a simple one, a scroll bearing the words 'Semper Fideles', wrapped around his left bicep. The alternative was the jagged scar in the shape of a letter 'M' that marred his face; Veronica had never felt justified in asking about it.

'Something is troubling you.' He commented. She looked at him, and then stood up.

'It can wait.'

'Is it that I investigated your background?'

'I said, it can wait, Bishop.' She hissed. He raised an eyebrow at that, but sat down on the end of the bed to wait in silence.

Sawyer paced.

'Veronica.' He said after a moment, and her head snapped round. 'We are partners.'

'Yeah, you know, I'm aware of that. And if you're going to give me a speech about working together to get the job done, I'm on top of it.'

'We should trust each other.' She glared at him, and was just considering how to phrase her retort when a knock on the door interrupted her. Turning, she admitted Wesley and Cordelia.

'Good morning, Miss Sawyer.' Wesley began. 'Agent Bishop.' Veronica scowled at this. Cordelia followed the Englishman in, yawning through flawless makeup. 'Has there been any progress in the hunt?'

'The credit card company is not being very forthcoming.' Bishop rumbled. 'They maintain that when the account was reactivated details of transactions became private.'

'Duh.' Mumbled Cordelia. 'I need coffee.' She turned towards the door.

'Milk, no sugar.' Wesley said to her back. She stopped dead.

'Okay.' She turned back round, smiling a sweet, and patently false, smile. 'Would anyone else like coffee?'

'Black.' Sawyer told her.

'The same.' Added her partner.

'This is Starbucks I'm going to. What kind of coffee do you want?'

'Just . . . use your discretion, Cordelia.' Wesley suggested. She shrugged, and headed out. 'Not that she's got any, mind you.' He added quietly.

'I heard that.' Shouted from the corridor. The Englishman turned back to the agents.

'What about violent incidents? The last time Faith was loose we were able to track her down by the trail of injured bystanders.'

'I already thought of that.' Sawyer replied. 'No violent incidents involving super-strong young women in the past forty-eight hours. In fact, no violent incidents involving super-strong young women in New York since 1977.' Bishop looked up at her, an inscrutable look on his face. 'We need to liase with the local field office and call in to the Task Force. Do you have anything?'

'The first thing to consider is whether or not Faith is being held against her will. She entered custody of her own accord, and stayed there by choice; what exactly was offered to her to persuade her to leave is an interesting question. She is a very impulsive young woman who has a lot of trouble with self-control,' ('I mean, if I kill him, would that help? Or just be really funny?') 'but I rather doubt that she would have left the prison willingly unless an opportunity for redemption presented itself.'

'Excuse me?' Veronica was slightly puzzled by this. Wesley paused for a long moment.

'Why exactly are you investigating Faith?' He asked.

'Why do you think?'

'Because she's unusually strong?' The Briton seemed rather cautious.

'There is rather more to her than her strength.' Bishop rumbled.

'And you want to know what we know, so you can decide how much to reveal.' Sawyer went on.

'That would be an accurate summation.'

'She's a mutant, isn't she?' The young woman asked. Something odd flitted across Wesley's face, before he answered.

'Her abilities include enhanced strength and durability, heightened reflexes, and accelerated healing. When I met Faith, I was unfamiliar with the concept of mutation.' He paused. 'I actually only became aware of them late last year, while investigating a case involving a young woman with telekinetic abilities. However, from very early in our acquaintance I understood that Faith was quite exceptionally dangerous.' He looked up. 'Faith went to prison of her own accord. She had a… breakthrough, I suppose is the best word, and accepted that she had done wrong. But there is, so far as I know, no prison on Earth that could hold her against her will.'

'A breakthrough?'

'Faith killed three people, but the first was an accident. After that, though, she began to enjoy the violence. Her abilities led her to see herself as being better than others, and therefore having the right to kill. Eventually, Angel persuaded her otherwise. He might have done so earlier, saving two lives and preventing much suffering, had it not been for my ham-handed intervention.' Things were beginning to clarify to Veronica; whatever the real story of Faith and Wesley was, it had left him feeling guilty. About his treatment of the girl who had probably tortured him half to death.

'What exactly was your relationship?' Bishop asked. He'd moved behind the Briton, who had to crane round to meet his gaze.

'I was supposed to be her mentor.' Wesley replied. 'Unfortunately, I was too arrogant even to begin. In many ways, everything that has happened to Faith in the last two and a half years is my fault.'

'And everything she has done to others?'

'Nobody is born evil.'

'Are you sure of that?' Wesley paused, thinking of countless demons, of all the misery and suffering that filled the world, and of a little child who had terrified the demon that possessed him.

'Yes, I'm sure.' He told the bigger man.

'And who made you her mentor?' Sawyer asked.

'I'm sorry.' Wesley replied. 'I'm not going to answer that question.'