Chapter 1: Forgiving

Take me home,
I'm through fighting it.
Broken,
Lifeless,
I give up,
You're my only strength.

Storm outside raged on, lightening continued to flash. The rain fell harder, Faith continued to hold Angel. She could hear him whimpering. She watched him her eyes never leaving his sleeping body.

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Angel stirred, he couldn't sleep. He didn't know if Faith was awake or not. He didn't want to wake her. He buried his head into her neck. Tried not to think, not breathe, not to move. Not to do anything. Just be there in her arms. Angel heard a knock at the door.

Faith looked down at Angel and noticed he was awake. She moved him softly off of her. He grabbed her arm quickly and looked into her eyes. She leaned forward and gently kissed his cheek. She left him sitting on the bed as she walked to the door. Wesley was on the other side, he walked into the apartment.

"What's going on?" Faith asked quickly.

"Demon," Wesley said.

"So everything's normal?" Faith said sarcastically.

"It's coming tomorrow night."

"And you woke me now?"

Angel stepped out of the bedroom. Wesley's eyes focused on him. Shock, Faith could see it in her eyes. Faith turned around to see Angel. He was looking at her, his eyes still held the look, the look that said he was broken. He made his way to the door, but Faith grabbed his arm and pulled him back. She lost him before, it wasn't gonna happen again.

He looked her into eyes, pleading to be let go. She increased her grip, squeezing his arm, he winced, and she let go. She pulled him into her arms and held him there for minutes. Faith wasn't embarrassed by her emotions anymore. Years ago, she would've pushed him away but still managed to keep him here. She couldn't do that now, and embracing what she felt made her stronger, and wiser.

Faith whispered something into Angel's ear, he went back into their bedroom. Wesley looked at Faith. His eyes cold and bleak.

"When did he get back?" Wesley asked his voice hushed.

"Just tonight, he-he was hurt when he got here, badly, and I'm not sending him away," Faith said her voice fell silent.

"How do you think he's gonna react when he finds out about your boyfriend?" Wesley asked.

"I don't want to hurt him," Faith said.

"Well, by the way you were holding him it looks like you picked up exactly were your relationship with him left off" Wesley said, "you're gonna hurt him even more than he has been already, and its gonna kill you, the guilt of hurting him."

"He won't get hurt with me," Faith said.

There was a dead quiet for a few minutes.

"So what kind of demon are we dealing with?" Faith said changing the subject.

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Faith slipped back into bed, she pulled Angel back into her arms.

"So for hurting you earlier," Faith said kissing the top of his head.

Angel rested his head of her heart, he listened to her heart beating. Thump. He took an unneeded breath. Thump. He looked into Faith's eyes. Thump. Her eyes were filled with sympathy and love. She stroked the back of his head. He closed his eyes listening to her heartbeat.

&&&&&&

Sunlight creeped through thew window in the living room. Angel tried to get closer to Faith, in his sleep he struggled to, but couldn't he felt like he was too far away. He felt empty, hollow, alone. He whimpered, his breathing became rampant. He woke with a start, Faith awoke soon after and immediately pulled Angel into her arms. She stroked the back of his head.

"Shh, love, shh," she whispered into his ear.

She kissed his forehead, and held him. She tried to comfort him but it failed all attempts were useless.

&&&&&&

Faith walked into the living room and shut the shades. Angel followed her, and stood directly behind her, he eyed two marks on her neck. His mark. She turned around and looked at him, she moved her hair over the bite marks.

She walked into the kitchen and began to make some tea.