Disclaimer: I own nothing, not even the sofa.
Author's Note: This has been reposted because I made a slight adjustment to the end of the chapter for two reasons. Firstly, the original ending didn't sit right with me and secondly to get a cheap laugh at the beginning of the next chapter.
"It went pretty well today, considering."
"Yeah, it went so well that three people are leaving town."
Faith was hanging out with Angel in the Summers house living room, although with Buffy and Joyce dead and with Dawn leaving for boarding school it would not be for long as Hank Summers had decided to sell the place.
"You know that you're not the reason that Dawn, Xander & Anya are leaving."
"I know it's just that I wish they could stay around so they could see how much I've changed and how I want to try and make amends for the suffering I've caused them, Dawn especially."
"They all suffered, and make no mistake this is not going to be easy. But what's done is done and everyone has to move on with their lives, you're the Slayer now and that's a big enough responsibility to cope with, without having to worry about the feelings of those around you."
"But that was what B did, she always put everyone else before herself."
"You're not Buffy Faith you're your own person and it's time you realized that, things will be different round here but that's to be expected. Remember Faith you're a champion."
"Dude! Champion, how cheesy is that word, I prefer kick-ass superchick."
"Kick-ass superchick it is then." Angel's tone suddenly changed from mirthful to serious. "Are you sure that you're ok with this, I mean I know you agreed to come back, but you also chose to go to prison to make up for your past."
"Boss, I told you before it's fine, it's like this yo, I realize I need to be out here taking names and whooping ass that's my destiny. It's inescapable."
"Inescapable? That's a big word for you Faith!!!" Angel replied in mock horror.
"Shut up man, you want me to sweep your dust off the carpet cause ya know how much I despise cleaning."
"This whole house needs cleaning after having trash like you in it." Spike said as he staggered into the room cradling a bottle of Jack Daniels, which was bordering on empty.
"Hey Captain Peroxide why don't you crawl back to your little crypt and leave the adults alone like a good little boy."
"Screw you gel-boy I've got a better reason for being here than that trash bag ho." Spike replied while taking another swig from the bottle, thereby draining it of its contents "And another thing."
Spike did not get a chance to finish whatever further derogatory remarks he was going to heap on Faith as she rose from the sofa, punched him spark out and then returned to her place next to Angel
"Nice job." Angel said looking over to where the corner of the room where Spike was now slumped, his Jack Daniel's bottle dribbling the remnants onto the floor. "Of course you do realize you're gonna have to clear that up."
"The Jack Daniel's or Spike?"
"Funny."
"I thought so, but ya gotta wonder why he's so pissed, I mean he might hate you a lot but it's not something he'd get drunk over is it?"
"It's because of Dawn." A voice called from behind them.
Angel and Faith turned round to see Anya, who was seemingly oblivious to them and looked to be searching for something.
"Have you guys seen the ledger for the Magic Box's record of profits, I must have left it here the other night when Xander and I were fooling around on the dining table."
"Woah there demon-girl back up a sec, what do ya mean it's 'cause of Dawn?"
"Please, he feels like he failed in his perceived duty to protect Buffy so he transferred that duty to Dawn and now that she's leaving he feels like he's failed again."
"How has he failed Dawn?" asked Angel
"Simple, because he won't be able to protect her any more."
"Why doesn't he just go off with her, it'll save us from having to deal with him." said Faith
"She's being enrolled in a boarding school, even if he could somehow find a way to still be around, what's he gonna protect her from, getting bad grades?" Anya pointed out
"He can't be that upset about it though. Can he?" Faith asked
"He spent a year in love with Buffy, not being able to protect the only remaining fragment of her is gonna cut him deeply." Anya replied
"WHAT!!!"
"Hey, calm down Angel, you'll give yourself a heart attack." Faith said, trying very hard not to burst out laughing.
"He can't have a heart attack, he's a vampire remember. Ah, there it is." She said as she picked up the ledger from behind the TV "How'd it get there?" Sudden a look of comprehension spread across her face. "That's right, Xander had me up against the wall, and I was playing the naughty housewife and."
"Please Anya, just go. Otherwise you might just give me and Angel nightmares for months to come."
"It wasn't unpleasant let me assure you, in fact it was rather."
"ANYA" yelled Faith
"All right I'm gone."
Faith caught Angel glaring daggers at Spike's unconscious corpse. "Hey Angel, you know if the wind changes, your face will stay that way."
"It's just." Angel tried to express his frustration but couldn't.
"I know man, I know. Come on, lets get some sleep, Spanky there can wait till morning."
"You do realize the morning sun could dust him."
"It'll be his fault and anyway it's the perfect hangover cure, plus since when do you care?"
"Good point."
Author's Note: This has been reposted because I made a slight adjustment to the end of the chapter for two reasons. Firstly, the original ending didn't sit right with me and secondly to get a cheap laugh at the beginning of the next chapter.
"It went pretty well today, considering."
"Yeah, it went so well that three people are leaving town."
Faith was hanging out with Angel in the Summers house living room, although with Buffy and Joyce dead and with Dawn leaving for boarding school it would not be for long as Hank Summers had decided to sell the place.
"You know that you're not the reason that Dawn, Xander & Anya are leaving."
"I know it's just that I wish they could stay around so they could see how much I've changed and how I want to try and make amends for the suffering I've caused them, Dawn especially."
"They all suffered, and make no mistake this is not going to be easy. But what's done is done and everyone has to move on with their lives, you're the Slayer now and that's a big enough responsibility to cope with, without having to worry about the feelings of those around you."
"But that was what B did, she always put everyone else before herself."
"You're not Buffy Faith you're your own person and it's time you realized that, things will be different round here but that's to be expected. Remember Faith you're a champion."
"Dude! Champion, how cheesy is that word, I prefer kick-ass superchick."
"Kick-ass superchick it is then." Angel's tone suddenly changed from mirthful to serious. "Are you sure that you're ok with this, I mean I know you agreed to come back, but you also chose to go to prison to make up for your past."
"Boss, I told you before it's fine, it's like this yo, I realize I need to be out here taking names and whooping ass that's my destiny. It's inescapable."
"Inescapable? That's a big word for you Faith!!!" Angel replied in mock horror.
"Shut up man, you want me to sweep your dust off the carpet cause ya know how much I despise cleaning."
"This whole house needs cleaning after having trash like you in it." Spike said as he staggered into the room cradling a bottle of Jack Daniels, which was bordering on empty.
"Hey Captain Peroxide why don't you crawl back to your little crypt and leave the adults alone like a good little boy."
"Screw you gel-boy I've got a better reason for being here than that trash bag ho." Spike replied while taking another swig from the bottle, thereby draining it of its contents "And another thing."
Spike did not get a chance to finish whatever further derogatory remarks he was going to heap on Faith as she rose from the sofa, punched him spark out and then returned to her place next to Angel
"Nice job." Angel said looking over to where the corner of the room where Spike was now slumped, his Jack Daniel's bottle dribbling the remnants onto the floor. "Of course you do realize you're gonna have to clear that up."
"The Jack Daniel's or Spike?"
"Funny."
"I thought so, but ya gotta wonder why he's so pissed, I mean he might hate you a lot but it's not something he'd get drunk over is it?"
"It's because of Dawn." A voice called from behind them.
Angel and Faith turned round to see Anya, who was seemingly oblivious to them and looked to be searching for something.
"Have you guys seen the ledger for the Magic Box's record of profits, I must have left it here the other night when Xander and I were fooling around on the dining table."
"Woah there demon-girl back up a sec, what do ya mean it's 'cause of Dawn?"
"Please, he feels like he failed in his perceived duty to protect Buffy so he transferred that duty to Dawn and now that she's leaving he feels like he's failed again."
"How has he failed Dawn?" asked Angel
"Simple, because he won't be able to protect her any more."
"Why doesn't he just go off with her, it'll save us from having to deal with him." said Faith
"She's being enrolled in a boarding school, even if he could somehow find a way to still be around, what's he gonna protect her from, getting bad grades?" Anya pointed out
"He can't be that upset about it though. Can he?" Faith asked
"He spent a year in love with Buffy, not being able to protect the only remaining fragment of her is gonna cut him deeply." Anya replied
"WHAT!!!"
"Hey, calm down Angel, you'll give yourself a heart attack." Faith said, trying very hard not to burst out laughing.
"He can't have a heart attack, he's a vampire remember. Ah, there it is." She said as she picked up the ledger from behind the TV "How'd it get there?" Sudden a look of comprehension spread across her face. "That's right, Xander had me up against the wall, and I was playing the naughty housewife and."
"Please Anya, just go. Otherwise you might just give me and Angel nightmares for months to come."
"It wasn't unpleasant let me assure you, in fact it was rather."
"ANYA" yelled Faith
"All right I'm gone."
Faith caught Angel glaring daggers at Spike's unconscious corpse. "Hey Angel, you know if the wind changes, your face will stay that way."
"It's just." Angel tried to express his frustration but couldn't.
"I know man, I know. Come on, lets get some sleep, Spanky there can wait till morning."
"You do realize the morning sun could dust him."
"It'll be his fault and anyway it's the perfect hangover cure, plus since when do you care?"
"Good point."