"I don't pretend to know what you know
now please don't pretend to know what's on my mind
if we already knew everything that everybody knows
we would have nothing to learn tonight
and we would have nothing to show tonight…"
"Faith?" Robin calls, waking up alone in the large bed.
"Over here. By the window," Faith replies. Robin gets up and slowly makes his way over to her side.
"Everything okay?" He asks.
"Yeah. No. This sucks. I mean, you're in pain and…" Faith starts to rant.
Robin kisses her, silencing her before she can get started. "Faith. It's all working out. We're doing better today than yesterday, right? Did you call Buffy and the others with your new number?"
"Yeah. 'B said that Angel's been waiting for me to call, he knew I was coming. They're keeping in touch or something. She was surprised I had seen Wes. She said he's been out of touch with everyone in the L.A. crowd. Hasn't been going to work and stuff."
"What is it between you and Wes. You ready to tell me about that 'complicated history'?" Robin asks, sitting down in the window seat with her.
"He was my watcher. He was different then, anal and controlling. Really green, didn't know what he was doing. After I got out of my coma…during the evil Faith days…I came to L.A. Tortured him. Nearly killed him. I turned myself in…Wes kept the watcher's council's goons from killing me…he busted me out of jail when he needed help a few months ago. That's the condensed version," Faith says, quietly.
"What are you going to do, Faith?"
"I'm going to see Angel," Faith replies.
Wes barely registers the sound of knocking at his door. He blinks away the familiar hangover pain and manages to stumble to the door. Lilah is gone, as she is every morning. He opens the door a crack, the chain still on.
"Wesley?"
"Fred." He unchains the door and opens it for her. She steps inside before he can invite her.
"I found you. I told Angel he should be sending someone to your house. What's going on, Wes?" Fred's face is drawn with concern.
"Nothing new. How are you, Fred?" Wes asks, pulling a shirt on and trying to conceal his trembling hands.
"Okay. You haven't been at work. You've missed the meeting six days in a row. We're worried about you," Fred says, quietly, glancing around the apartment. It is immaculate, as if no one lives in the apartment.
"I'm fine. It's been kind of quiet. I just assumed if I was needed that I would be found," Wes replies.
"You are needed, Wes. Maybe not because of an imminent apocalypse or anything, but you're still needed. Lilah…she waits for you in your office every day. She just sits there…" Fred starts.
"I know," Wes says, turning away.
"It's her, isn't it? Lilah," Fred gasps.
"No, Fred. Nothing's wrong. I promise. I'll come to work today. See what Angel wants. Will I need an appointment?" Wes questions, not facing Fred as he speaks.
"No, Wes. You know that. I'll wait for you to get ready…" Fred starts.
"No, that's okay. I'll be sitting at my desk in under an hour. Okay?" Wes asks, finally turning and meeting her steady gaze.
"Okay, Wes. You…you'd tell me if something were wrong, right? You know you could tell me," Fred says, quietly.
"I know, Fred. Everything's okay," Wes replies. Fred sighs. She leaves and Wes makes his breakfast of scotch and coffee and gets ready to head into the office.
"Tell Angel that Faith is here to see him. He'll know who I am," Faith tells the receptionist in the lobby of the Hyperion.
"Have a seat over there," The lady instructs, pointing to a seating area beside a fountain in the lobby.
Faith sits down, nervous in the big, impersonal lobby. She glances around, but sees no one that she recognizes.
"Talking about moving on up…" She mutters.
"Faith. We finally got a piece of the pie," Angel smiles, startling her.
"I'll say."
"Let's go to my office. You're looking…healthy as always," Angel says, escorting her into the elevator.
"Thanks, I think. I talked to 'B today. She said you've been expecting me?"
"Buffy filled me in on the Sunnydale stuff. She said you and the principal…Robin, I think…were coming to set up shop in L.A. I assumed you'd get in touch when you got here," Angel replies, leading her into his office.
"I…I talked to Wes last night," Faith replies, quietly.
"You found Wes? Damn, girl. We've been trying to catch up to him for days. Is he…" Angel's face flashes with relief for a moment before returning to its normal indifference.
"He's…I guess he's still Wes. Smelled like a liquor store, but he's kicking ass like a pro. I asked him if he would patrol with me until Robin gets better and he agreed. He came back with me to meet Robin, saw our shitty apartment and he's letting us stay in this house he owns over on Sunset," Faith explains.
Angel is pensive. "That's good. Wes is taking care of you," He says.
"What?" Faith asks, seeing his confused expression.
"Something's going on with Wes. Everyone else has settled into our new situation…but Wes seems to be distancing himself from everyone and everything. What did you think when you saw him?"
Faith sighs. "He…I don't know Angel. Besides the drinking, I mean…he looks beaten. Like he just doesn't care. When we were fighting together last night, it was like he had purpose, he was possessed or something, but when we killed all the vamps…he was cold again. Dead."
There is a timid knock on Angel's office door.
"Come in, Fred," Angel calls.
"Hey, Angel. Hi, Faith. You made it through the apocalypse?" Fred gives a tentative smile toward the dark slayer.
"You, too. Yay for us," Faith replies.
"I went by Wesley's this morning. He promised he'd show up for today's meeting. He promised," Fred says.
"Faith saw him last night. He's helping her out," Angel says. "Good job tracking him down, Fred. I should have listened to you and posted someone at his apartment."
"Should we make Lilah…" Fred starts.
"Lilah? I thought she was dead," Faith questions, startled.
"Not entirely. She has a contract with Wolfram and Hart that extends beyond death. We don't really know how to classify her…she's not dead, but she's…dead," Fred explains.
"What does she want? I thought you were a good law firm now," Faith asks.
"She's our…damn, why do we keep her around?" Fred asks Angel.
"She's only here for a few more days and then her obligation is over. She'll be sent back to hell. I sent out a memo," Angel replies, seriously.
"Didn't Wes…kind of…chop her head off?" Faith asks, hesitant.
"Yeah. You can see the stitches when she takes off her creepy scarf. It's not keeping her down. Angel…I think she's got something to do with why Wes doesn't come in to work."
"What are you thinking?" Angel asks, after a thoughtful pause.
"She's creepy. That's about as far as I got," Fred replies.
"Sounds like a pretty good reason to me. Creepy chick that he decapitated chilling in his office, well, it sounds creepy to me," Faith agrees.
"Not to mention that Wes and Lilah have a history…" Angel sighs.
"What kind of history?" Faith asks, alert.
"They were…fuck-buddies," Fred replies.
"Fred. Language," Angel says, smiling slightly.
"Are you serious? Lilah and Wes? Damn…you don't think they're still…" Faith says.
"No. I mean…Angel?" Fred is clearly surprised by the question. "Angel, do you think…"
"I don't know. I haven't thought about it. I know Wes feels guilty for the whole decapitation thing but I didn't consider that they might still be…involved…" Angel replies, honestly.
"I'm going to go ahead and head up to the board room for the meeting. Maybe Lorne knows something," Fred sighs. "Faith. Are you coming to the meeting?"
"Does Wes have you on the payroll yet?" Angel asks Faith.
"No. He said he'd stop by sometime today…" Faith begins.
"Let's go by his office, see if he's in yet," Angel says, and they follow Fred out into the lobby.
"So where's the rest of your crew?" Faith asks. "Haven't seen Cordy…"
"She's around. Comatose. Probably permanently, we can't find a cure," Angel replies, quickly. "Lorne and Gunn are still around. Gunn…he's different now. It seems he's our guidance now. Lorne's still the same empath demon he's always been, just richer now."
They stop in front of an office across the building from Angel's office. Angel walks in without knocking and they find Lilah sitting at Wes' desk. She has several black candles burning as well as some incense. She is reading something from a spellbook.
"What the hell are you doing?" Angel asks, jerking the book from her hands. Faith takes the book from him as he pushes Lilah against the wall.
"Aren't you late for your meeting?" Lilah asks, trying to cover her surprise.
"I can't read this, Angel," Faith says, studying the page that Lilah was reading from.
"Lilah. I know you only have a few days left. What are you doing with this book? Don't lie, I'll find out the truth…" Angel growls, leaning closer to her.
"I…I…" Lilah stammers.
"Lilah." Angel realizes something and releases her. "You've been with Wesley. Does this spell have to do with Wesley?"
"Angel. Wes and I…" Lilah begins.
"You've cast a spell on him, haven't you? Is this it?" Angel asks, taking the book from Faith and looking at it for the first time. "A binding of souls…eternally entwined…"
"You want to take Wes down with you?" Faith accuses.
"No, not exactly…" Lilah replies.
"What have you done?" Angel asks, putting the book down.
"Fuck both of you for judging me. I'm damned. It's my fault and I'm not offering excuses for it, but it's fact. I'm going back to hell. I just wanted…I just wanted to feel loved for the short time I was here…Wes is…I think he loved me before…in his own way…I was just trying to have something real while I was here…" She stammers, flushed.
"It's not real, Lilah, you're putting a spell on him to make him want you. How long have you been doing this?" Angel asks. Faith is silent, thoughtful.
"It…it only works sometimes. This spell…it's different from the others, it's real…" Lilah starts.
"What other spells?" Angel demands.
"I'm not hurting him, Angel…" Lilah protests.
"Like hell you aren't. What other spells?" Angel repeats.
Lilah names off several spells and Angel jots them down. "You can't take this away from me, Angel…he's all I have…"
"He's not yours!" Faith snaps. "He doesn't belong to you, Lilah. The only reason he's with you is because you're casting these fucking spells."
Angel glances at her, a concerned expression on his face.
"He tried to save me, to break my contract…he loves me, I know he does…" Lilah replies, uncertainly.
"Wesley tries to save everyone, Lilah. Out of duty, not always out of love. Face it. You're not special. You're evil. Leave him alone," Angel says.
"No. I won't. I can't…" Lilah says.
"I'll have you taken away, Lilah. I can lock you up until they come to take you to hell. Is that what you want?" Angel asks, quietly.
"Why do you care, Angel? I've been doing this for weeks now, and you never noticed. You haven't seen Wes in weeks, why do you suddenly care now?" Lilah questions, angry.
Angel pushes a button on Wes' desk. Lilah seems to deflate. She collapses in Wes' chair. "Wes is family, Lilah. And you're hurting him. I'm sorry."
Several men in business suits rush into the office.
"Take Mrs. Morgan to a holding area. Make her comfortable. Make it clear that no one is to be admitted visitation except myself. She's to be monitored constantly until her time is up," Angel tells the men. They escort her from the room.
"I'm going to head up to the meeting and get my people on these spells. See what she's been doing to Wes. Can you find him?" Angel asks, stopping by the door.
"I guess. You got an address for me to start?" Faith asks.
Angel scrawls down Wes' address and hands it to Faith. "You are going to be on the payroll, right?"
"We'll discuss my salary once I bring Wes in. You want him here?" Faith asks.
"Yeah. Call me when you find him…hopefully we'll know more then," Angel smiles.
