Angel watched Faith from a distance. Watching her read a magazine, drink her soda, run her fingers threw her hair.

"Stalker much?" came a voice from behind.

He spun around seeing Cordelia standing behind him with raised eyebrows.

"What?" He said a little surprised.

"You. Your not going evil again are you?"

"I don't know what your talking about."

"Please. Since Faith has come here you've practically turned into her shadow."

"I just worry about her. She gets into to trouble easy." He said walking back into his office with Cordelia following him and closing the door behind her.

"Look. Faith gets into trouble but she can pretty much take care of herself. And that's not the reason and you and I both know it. You better hope Wesley doesn't find out."

"What are you talking about?" He said pretending not to know.

"You have a little crush on Faith."

"I do NOT have a crush on Faith." He said out loud. 'It's much deeper then that' he wanted to say but he kept that part to himself.

"Then what is it then? The truth."

"Look Faith is always getting in trouble and she's going to get hurt. I take her out places so she stays safe, that's ALL. That's the reason why I've been staying so close to her." He knew she would never believe that. It was the worst lie he had ever told. His voice even shook while he said it. He thought he heard something from the other side of the door.

"Angel...." Cordelia started

"I just....like her Cordelia. She's a lot like me. She's fun to be around. She's my best friend. I care about her....a lot."

"You care about her more then that. Why I'll never know. She tried to kill you Angel. She tried to kill the girl you were in love with. She hurt your friends, she almost killed Wesley."

"That's no where near as bad as the things I've done. The only difference is that I didn't do them to you, I may have done some things in Sunnydale when I lost my soul, but that was nothing. Faith is trying to change and has save are lives a few times. I'm not asking you to like her or be her best friend but I'm asking you not to hate her for the things she's done." He said trying to change her mind.

"I'll try. No promises though." She said leaving.

"No promises." He said walking out behind her.

He looked over into the lobby. But something was missing. Where was Faith? He looked over and saw the door left wide open.



Faith looked up from her magazine to see Angel walked in his office and Cordelia follow him and then the door close. What are they doing? She got up and walked over to the door and pressed her ear against it.

Angel's voce came in loud and clear. "Look Faith is always getting in trouble and she's going to get hurt. I take her out places so she stays safe, that's ALL. That's the reason why I've been staying so close to her."

Faith backed away. The door made a small noise when her weight left it but by the now muffled voices she could tell neither of them had noticed. She walked away and went into the lobby but didn't stop. Instead she went out the front door. She didn't hear the door close behind her. She didn't care. She just kept walking.

That's why he took her shopping? To the opera? Talked her the way he did? It hurt. She remembered early this morning, she had been thinking about him. How he was the only friend she had ever had. How he made her feel unique, special. He was the person who knew her. No one. NO ONE had ever been closer to her. She never cared for any so much. She had actually thought of him as more then a friend. She was so stupid. She was just another one of his charity cases. Stupid. Stupid stupid stupid stupid. She tried to kill him. The people he cared about. It was so ridiculous to think that he cared about her. He just didn't want her to go homicidal again. He didn't like talking to her, being with her. She kept walking. By now she could feel the tears streaming down her face. No on had ever cared for her before, why should anyone start now.

She remembered holding his hand as they left the opera house. That was nothing to him. She got angry with herself every time she pushed him away. She laughed bitterly. That's what she should have done all along. She had wanted so much for him to be the one to make everything better. She was so stupid.



Angel looked at the window. He couldn't look out of it he would burst into flames. Faith couldn't be found anywhere. She was gone. She had left her soda on the table the other night. He hadn't touched it. Where was she? She just took off the other night. She would have told him where she was going right?

"Where are you Faith?" he said out loud.

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