The Defense

By The Shadower

Chapter Three

Disclaimer: See previous chapters

Distribution: Greatly appreciated, but please let me know where so I can look it up.

AN: First of all, I owe everyone an apology for taking forever to update. I've been depressed and there have been some problems, but I'm writing again and I'm sorry it took so long. Also, I would like to thank all of my reviewers, particularly kitty-kat12, for getting me to write this.

Dedication: To Gemini-moon1, someone I'm WAY late with reviewing, and a great AF writer. And to kitty-kat12 and LectersLittleStarling, who are reminded me of this story and pushed me into writing this chapter.

Feedback: Have you ever, EVER, seen a fanfiction writer who didn't live off feedback? What I thought.

Chapter Three

The first thought that entered Angel's head upon seeing Faith was that she was even more beautiful than he remembered.

He shook his head to clear it. He had more important things to be thinking about. Faith had just come crashing through a window. He could smell her blood. Was she hurt? He saw she was clutching her left shoulder, trying to pressurize the wound there.

Faith wanted to say something, but she was finding it hard to speak. This was Angel. Here. Now. She was seeing him for the first time in five years. She wanted to go to him, let him take her in his arms and make it all okay.

But there wasn't time. She had to get away before the cops figured out where she'd gone.

Then it hit her. The cops. She'd killed one of them, maybe more.

Angel took a step toward her, hesitantly extending a hand.

"Faith?"

Panic surged through her. She couldn't do this, couldn't deal with this right now. With a choked sob, she turned and ran out of the alley and into the night.

Angel strode up to the apartment and opened the door without knocking. He crossed over the threshold without difficulty, entered the room, and shut the door.

It was only then that he looked at the man sitting in the middle of the room. Four years of separation were contained in a single word.

"Wesley."

"Hell, Angel."

"The last time I saw you, you were walking."

"Three days ago I was dispatched to slay five vampires in an abandoned building on fifth. One of them got the drop on me and damaged my spinal cord."

Angel nodded, saying nothing.

"From the reports of the officers on the scene, I would guess that you don't have Faith."

"I saw her. She saw me. She ran."

"And you have no idea where she is."

"No. Why would she run? Did she think I was going to hurt her?"

"She's probably not thinking very clearly, running on instinct. Everyone is a threat."

"I -we- have to find her."

"I'm aware of that, Angel. However, the places Faith could have run to are limitless. There are only so many police, and you have little chance of finding her on your own."

"So what are you suggesting, Wesley!? That we just give up, stop searching 'cause she's too hard to find?!"

"I had a different idea."

Angel waited. Wesley paused for a long moment, then plunged ahead.

"The week before Faith escaped, a new prisoner was transferred onto her cellblock. He may have had something to do with her escape."

"So you get this guy, interrogate him, hurt him if you have to, and he tells us what we want to know."

Wesley paused, looking unsure once again.

"This particular prisoner won't be vulnerable to that type of pressure."

Wesley slid a manila folder from his jacket pocket and handed it to Angel. Angel opened it and looked inside, then paused for a long moment.

"Have you talked to him?"

"If you think there's any chance he would talk to me, I'll see him tomorrow."

Angel stared at Wesley, an odd expression on his face. Almost a smile, but one that didn't touch his eyes.

"That's why you contacted me, isn't it. You want me to talk to him."

"There's a decent chance he'll talk to you. I can get you in, if you're willing to try."

Angel thought about the terror in Faith's eyes as she turned to run from him.

"I'll do it."

AN: Obviously, I owe a great debt to Thomas Harris who inspired a large part of this. Please let me know what you think by reviewing, it helps me update quicker.

Kitty-kat12: Thank you for adding this story to your archive, I'm honored. Regarding your earlier question about your Angel/Faith shipper board, I am again honored. Could you tell me the address? I'd love to see it.