Faith sat on a park bench all alone with her arms rapped around her knees. Every once in a while a love struck couple would pass by. The man would always glance at her quickly or sometimes just stare then the woman would glare at her. "The story of my life" Faith thought to herself. What did they see when she looked at her? What did anyone see when they looked at her. She hated people looking at her, especially men. She never let anyone look at her. At least not the real her. No, that's not true, Angel. She had broken down and let him see, even in jail she would tell him how she felt. She hadn't meant to, every time he came to see her she said she wouldn't open up this time but she did, she always, always did. She wasn't a person meant to be seen, she should be kept hidden. What the hell is wrong with me? I used to be bold confident, bold. What happened she thought to herself. Why is it so hard to just think, why can't I make my body move!?! Move hand, move!! It didn't, it just lay there. WHAT!?!!? Why wont......why is it so dark!?! Move! Her whole body was shaking. Move! MOVE MOVE MOVE MOVE MOVE!!!! Suddenly hands gripped her shoulder. She could already feel the tears going down her face. Why? Why do I keep thinking that, no I'm not, those aren't my thoughts, but they're in my head they must. No there not. WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY!!!! Stop thinking that just stop. Suddenly her whole body turned around quickly against her will and she looked at the stranger looming over her "why..." she heard herself say in a quiet whisper. Then everything went black.

Earlier That Day At The Hotel

"What do you mean she ISN'T there!? Of course she is, I just saw her there three days ago, she's there on a murder charge, if she had gotten out she would have told, or come to see me!" Angel said with a straight face, of course on the inside he was panicing. If she's out she would have come see me or at least called, unless she was kidnapped, or a vampire got her when she wasn't looking, and killed her or changed her into a soulless monster, or she's hurt and she's all alone and there is no one to help her and she's scared. "Well our own homicidal maniac was set free." Cordy said with her usual mock humor. "Well where is she NOW!?!" Wesley looked up from the table. "They don't know, they let her go and that's the last time they saw her." "And that's it, they just let her go? They didn't know if she had a place to go or if any one was waiting for her! Just, I hope you enjoyed your stay in prison, have a nice life!?!" "Angel, Faith can take care of herself, she'll be fine. We can look for her in the mourning." "Fine, you look for her in the mourning I'll look now." "Angel come back!" To late thought Cordy as she watched her friend leave. She and Wesley hopelessly as he stared at the."



Gotta find her. Were the only thoughts that seemed to be Angels only thought as he ran threw the park. Oh yeah that's great genus just run like a idiot through the whole city, that's the best way to find her, what do you think you'll just look over you shoulder and she'll just be sitting on a bench some where waiting for you to come and get her. Well there she is, sitting on a bench right in front of her wanna go ask her? WAIT! WHAT?!? He look over and recognized her pretty dark form immediately. Every muscle in his body relaxed and he gave out a sigh. She's all right. No, she isn't.

It may have been dark he could see her as if it were as bright as day. She was huddled together like a scared child, and her could see her shake violently. He came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. She stopped shaking and went deathly still. Nothing happened for about a minute then she turned around like she had heard a gunshot and looked up at him. "why...." Her voice, usually bold and confident, was sad quite and sounded almost like a whimper. Then he watched her eyes close and her body go limp. "NO!!" He reached down and caught her before she hit the ground.



Faith opened her eyes. Where am I? was her first thought. She had been in the park sitting on the bench feeling sorry for herself like a spoiled bitch, now she was...in a hotel room? Apartment? Hotel room turned apartment? It was obviously still being worked on. Nothing like Torry's place. He hadn't found her had he? Torry was an okay guy if not for his constant attention. He was always trying to hug him and pull her close to him. If she had been the way she used to she would have screwed him, but she wasn't like that now. She was good. Still a whore and a slut but at least not acting like it any more. She looked around. Some one had taken her shoes off and put her in a warm bed of silk and satin. Who? Suddenly the door began to open. Oh no..... Angel.



I come up the stairs with a warm plate of food. Faith might want to eat when she wakes up. Faith. I'm not worried anymore. I'm angry. Three days and she doesn't come to see me or even call. I thought we were friends. Didn't she want to come see me? Didn't she like me? Did she just talk to me when I came to visit out of boredom? A man. She smelt like another man. She hadn't slept with him there wasn't enough of a sent for that, but she let him hold her, for no reason. She only let me hold her after she had a breakdown. I care about her more, I know I do, I.....love her? I can't really finish the thought, I opened the door and see her sitting on the bed staring right at me. Something comes to me. She just didn't me to see her, She didn't want anyone to see her. Why? Why had she said why? She was so warm when he found her, and shaking had she had a fever? I went over and sat in a chair next to the bed and put the food on the night stand. "I brought you some food" My anger turning into concern, how does she always do that? She looks so helpless sitting there under the covers. My slayer, my goddess, my Faith. MY Faith? She isn't yours stupid. "Thanks." "Faith what were you doing on that park bench?" "I don't know, I just went out to kill some vamps, I sat down and couldn't stand up." "How long were you there for?" "I don't know around three, four hours." "What!? Why?" "I don't know, I couldn't move." I see tears in her eyes again and I know how scared she was. Hardly anything makes Faith cry. I lean over and pull her close into a hug. I know I shouldn't but I can't help it.



"I don't know, I couldn't move." And I was scared, I think to myself, but I keep that to myself. The last person I told I was scared like that was when I was four years old. I told "Stacy", my mom when she got home from the bar. I called her mommy and told her I was scared she started hitting me, and screaming at me never to call her mommy. She was Stacy not mommy. She didn't want to be my mommy. I start to cry as I think about it. I feel Angel's arms go around me and pull me into a hug. He's holding me tight like I'll turn to dust if he lets go. My night in shining armor I think to myself sarcastically only to bring up another unwanted memory. "What 15 and still a virgin! What, you waiting for your knight in shining armor to come save you? No you ones going to save you? Why would they?" "Stacy" begins to laugh. I feel myself stiffen and pull out of Angels arms. He saved me, he always does but he doesn't want me. I look at him, he looks a little hurt, but that's just my imagination. He looks away quickly and asks "Where have you been staying?" "A motel 6 across town." He gets a sad look on his face, I know he thinks it's pathetic. "Why didn't you tell me you were out?" Now he's looking at me. "I didn't want to be out. I wanted to be alone closed up. Not out. I was going to see but I wasn't ready." "Who was the man?" he asks slowly like it was something he didn't want to know. "I'm not always with a man, Angel. I don't always act like a whore." My voice dripped with venom. I'm different now, you now that right? I'm not like that anymore. I changed. Do you care or notice? Or am I still the same to if I am I might as well change back. "N..NO! I didn't think that! When you I carried you in you had the sent of a man on you. I know you didn't....do any...there wasn't enough sent on you for...." "It's okay" I say to try to stop his stuttering. He knows I've changed, he is to embarrassed for me to think otherwise. I smile at him "He is a guy I meet, he's sweet but a little creepy. He's always trying to hug me and stuff but he's nice.



He's always trying to hug me and stuff but he's nice Okay, I REALLY don't like that. Some "creepy" guy can hug her but if I touch her she pulls away. Just thinking about sends a shot pain through me. I care about you more then he could. "Angel, you okay? Your like spacing out on me." "Yeah, just maybe he's not the kind of guy you should hang around if he acts like that." She smiles again, I love her smiles. "He's not that bad, just a little clingy." "Umm, maybe, seeing as you don't have a place to stay yet, you could live here there are plenty of rooms, it used to be a hotel." "Hotel?" "Long story, I'll tell you later." "Sure I'll stay." I try not to look insanely happy and start jumping up and down. "I'll go with you to get your stuff tomorrow." "It's just some clothes." She says quietly. "I'll go with you anyway." I'm glad I can talk to her with her without the glass between us. I can be near her now and it makes me happy. I wonder if she feels the same.



It was just me and Angel the next day. Cordy had a date and spent all day getting ready. Wesley talked on the phone all mourning with some guy named, Lorne. Apparently there is something going on at Wolfram & Hart. Big surprise there. Angel had Wes come in and check up on me the next mourning to see why I was so sick the night before. He just took some blood samples and left. I can kind of see why he wouldn't want to be around me. You don't want to be in the same room long with someone who once spent hours sadistically torturing you. As soon as night came Angel drove me to the motel where I was staying, Angel was practically glued to my side the way up the stairs. Had it been any one else I would have shoved them away. But Angels special. We get to my room and open the door. Someone is inside. "Torry"

Next chapter there will be more evil doing and more slaying.