Chapter 11 – Once You're Outside You're Still in the Middle of the Fucking Desert.

The next morning Angel was stood in his bedroom, dressed and ready to leave the hotel for the first time since he had been let home. His stomach felt a little queasy, about where he was going and about tonight. Wesley wasn't helping.

"Are you sure that you are up to this Angel? I am sure that Faith would quite understand if you don't feel quite well enough. I could go and…"

"Wesley, I am fine. You are worse than Cordelia and I thought that she was the ultimate Mother Hen in this group! I've had the lecture from Darla, from Gunn, from Cordy and from Spike. I think that I could tell you what you are meant to say to me, so spare me the lecture daddy. I have to go and see Faith. For one thing I owe it to her to explain what has happened to me and I need to let her know that I am still there for her."

"I appreciate that 'son', but you have only just got out of hospital. You are recovering from some major trauma. Also, well, what are you going to tell her about your injuries?"

"The truth. And I've been out a week."

"Five days. Do you think that is wise? This may mean that it is impossible for Buffy and Faith to ever be friends. Do you want that?"

"No, Wes I don't. But Faith measures herself and how others see her against Buffy. She needs to know that even Buffy – the Golden Child of the Watcher's Council – can make mistakes. Not only that but she needs to know that I will forgive Buffy for this. I need to give her the hope that people will forgive her eventually."

Wesley listened to what Angel said and was struck, not for the first time, by the compassion that the man who had once been the worst ever vampire was capable of. Not only that but at the extent of understanding that Angel had of the human psyche. It made him shiver to think about how that knowledge had been used in the past.

"I appreciate that Angel, really I do. I think that it is above commendable that you want to help Faith, especially after she almost killed you. But perhaps it would be better if you went to talk to Buffy first. I am sure that she is feeling terrible."

Angel looked Wesley dead in the eye and couldn't help but feel a little guilty that he hadn't talked to Buffy yet. He had invited them all over, but he had done it through Willow. He knew that Buffy had been banned from seeing him in the hospital and he hadn't done anything to lift that ban. He hadn't spoken to her in the week since the accident and truthfully he didn't want to. He wanted her to suffer but the damn conscious that he had developed and finely tuned over the past century wouldn't stop niggling at him; whispering that he wasn't being fair and that he should give her the benefit of the doubt. Hence, tonight, and the hotel full of angry exs, cheerleaders and assorted vagrants.

"I know Wes, I do… It's just that I am going to talk to her tonight. I can't bring myself to talk to her on her own just yet. Please don't mention this to the others but I am a little scared about seeing her. I am also still really hurt by what she did. She had no right to hit me. She did it once before, when I defended Faith. She got angry that I wouldn't let her follow Faith and take her revenge and she hit me. I sometimes worry that she'll end up relying upon her strength too much and one day will hurt someone that she really loves. She wouldn't cope if she killed someone. Faith's a lot stronger than Buffy and she hardly coped."

He let his sentence trail off as he saw the understanding enter into Wes' eyes. He had to wonder whether all watchers were so perceptive or whether Wes was the cream of the crop. If that was the case then Angel was glad to have him and the council had lost something of worth. What was that Othello quote? Oh yeah, "of one whose hand, Like the base Indian, threw a pearl away Richer than all his tribe". Sometimes he felt that that was the best way to describe the way the Council had treated Wes. He was a rare person.

"Ok Angel, I understand, I think. Is there anything that I can do to help? Take you to the prison perhaps?"

"No its ok, I want to drive. Haven't been out in the car since I became sun friendly. Looking forward to it." Angel smiled at the idea of the sun beating down on him and the wind whipping through his hair as he drove with the top down.

"I think that I understand that. What time will you be back?" Wes smiled at the excitement he heard bubbling under Angel's voice.

"Well my visit isn't until two and I'll be there for an hour so I'd say that I'll be back at about five. Depending on traffic. Want me to pick up the food on the way back?"

"No I think that it would be best to wait and see what everyone wants."

"Yeah, that sounds sensible. You'll help me tonight won't you? I know that you're mad at Buffy and that you hate the way the Sunnydale lot treat people, but I can't cope with keeping the peace and facing Buffy."

Angel's voice held a note of desperation, at was as if he was begging Wes for help. Wes was always a sucker for a desperate plea, and he knew that Angel was seriously worried about this evening. He knew that Angel was going to have a hard time tonight. Darla and Cordelia would be a handful. They were bad enough when they were separate but as a team, they would be a nightmare. Add Spike into that equation and Angel practically had the makings of World War Three in his hotel. Oh Wes was going to help him despite his own personal feelings.

"Don't worry about it Angel. I am sure that everyone will be on their best behaviour – after all I think that last week's performance will be hanging over their heads. Now go – it's quite a drive and you don't want to be late."

Wes smiled and watched as Angel began to leave the room. Buoyed up by Angel's own generous spirit he decided to follow Angel's example. "Give my best wishes to Faith."

The smile that he got in return for that simple sentence was worth more than all the praise his father could ever give him.

The drive to the prison that housed Faith was an experience that Angel would love to do over. It was a beautifully clear LA day. He hadn't seen skies that blue other than from behind a piece of glass and several feet of air, for over two hundred years. The sun was beating down making it hot when the car was at a standstill but when the car was moving – it was heaven. The breeze was heaven. He felt as if God was stroking him, wrapping his arms around him. He imagined that this was what flying felt like.

Wesley waited an hour until he picked up the phone and dialled the number for the hotel that the Sunnydale lot were staying at. Deciding that Willow was probably the best middle man he asked Giles if he could speak to them. He made sure that he was polite and courteous to Giles on the phone, he didn't want there to be any more problems than there were already.

"Hey Wesley, how are you and what can I do for you?" Willow sounded very chipper.

"I am fine Willow, I hope that you are enjoying LA. I was hoping that I might impose upon you. Tonight is going to be difficult, on both sides. I know that you are just as worried about it as I am, but my priority is Angel."

"I get that Wesley, I do. I'm just not sure what you want me to do about it." Willow felt a nervous tickle begin in her stomach, he was right that tonight would be bad.

"I think that we should all meet this afternoon, before Angel comes back. That way we can air out all of our grievances and it can be a calm atmosphere for Angel tonight. If I am honest, I am not at all bothered about anyone's feelings but Angel's. He has earned his redemption Willow; all he wanted to do is celebrate it with his friends."

There was a pause on the line, but Wes knew that Willow was merely considering how she could get everyone to the hotel. He was certain that he could hear her resolve face in her voice when she spoke.

"Right. Well I agree. Everyone will be at the hotel in an hour, is that ok? What time is Angel back?"

"He said about five. That would give us about three hours to hash out everything. You think that will be enough time?" There was the slightest glimmer of hope in his voice.

"Well we're not miracle workers or anything, and we have saved the world on a shorter time scale. This can't be any harder than that. Can it?"

The silence that followed her question gave her the answer that she needed.

"Ok then. See you in an hour. We'll bring lunch."

"Thank you Willow."

"Anything for Angel."

The dial tone was quite welcomed. Wes took a deep breath and went into the lobby to tell everyone what he had done. He wasn't sure who had the worse job, Willow or himself.

The leer jet touched down on the tarmac. As soon as it had come to a halt, the wheels had stopped smoking and the engines had been cut, a group of twenty men ran onto the runway. Within fifteen minutes they had erected a completely covered walkway that started at the plane door, went down the steps and finished at a stretch limo that came complete with necro-tempered glass. Whoever the visitor to LA was, they didn't want to see the light of day. Ten minutes later and the limo pulled away from the airport and onto the freeway bound for Wolfram and Hart.

Faith looked good. To say that she was living in a small cell with very few amenities and that she was surrounded by the detritus of human life, she looked good. She looked tanned and strong and peaceful. In a way Angel envied her. He'd never been able to find peace; he'd always been too cut up about what he had done. Then again he had done far worse things than Faith had ever done. Compared to him she had the right to peace.

He picked up the phone and smiled at her through the Perspex barrier.

"Hey, how goes it?"

She smiled back. Angel was her only true friend. He was the only one that came to see her and he was the only one that had made any effort to get her on the right track. She wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him. For most people being in jail was a bad thing. Whilst Faith wasn't disputing the fact that it wasn't the best place to be in, she was grateful that she was here. If she hadn't gone to Angel or gone into prison she would have killed again. She knew that.

"It's good. The walls haven't changed much and no one throws down with me any more, so it's all good. You? You looked pretty banged up." She gave him a critical once over. She could see the bruises and she had seen the slight limp when he sat down. Angel usually wasn't hurt when he came to visit her.

"That's good. Wes sends his regards."

Angel watched as a small look of fear passed across her face. It was quickly followed by the sweetest smile that he had ever seen. He or Wes rather, had just made her day by that one little thing. It was at times like this that he loved helping people. More importantly he got to see how far Faith had come. He was so very proud of her. More than he ever was of Buffy or Cordelia. Faith was his redemption; she was his proof that he was doing good in the world.

"Really? That's… Tell him… thanks. Say hi from me too."

There was a pause as Faith digested the fact that there was another person in the world that actually cared enough about her to say hello. It was a novel experience for her. She knew that Wes wouldn't be coming to visit any time soon but it was enough.

"So are you going to tell me what's with the bruises? Because black might be your colour but that shade of yellow is unattractive. And as a bruisee from way back, I know what I am talking about." She offered him a goofy grin.

Angel played with the hem of his shirt as he sounded out how to tell her. None of the ways he thought of sounded that clever. At least he had didn't have Darla or Cordy here to complicate things. Seeing that honesty was the best policy he began his tale, from the beginning.

The limo pulled up in the underground parking of Wolfram and Hart. A pair of dainty slippered feet stepped out and the individual was escorted to the lift in the garage.

The Scooby gang arrived at the hotel at two o'clock, none of them particularly happy to be there, but all agreeing that it was necessary for them to clear the air. If only for Angel's sake. It was like high noon at the OK Corral. On one side of the room stood the Scoobies and on the other, the Fang Gang (which now included Anya and Spike). A tense silence filled the hotel. Tumble weeds rolled across the tiled lobby floor, and vultures began to circle over head.

Seeing as he was the fool that decided to call this meeting, Wes took a deep breath and stepped forward. "Hello. Umm, come in… sit down. Would anyone care for a drink?" After a few calls for soda, coffees and a tea for Giles, Wes, deciding that divide and conquer might be the best method to pursue here, sent Gunn and Xander to the kitchen. He and Willow then begun to unpack the food. Buffy and Riley hadn't moved from their position near the door and had their respective gazes fixed on Darla and Spike. Cordelia, having had a stern talking to from Wesley went to talk to Giles and Tara, listening as Anya told her about the Magic Box that she ran with Giles. Tara seemed sweet and Giles hadn't changed at all really so she was quite happy for the moment.

The atmosphere was comfortable until Gunn and Xander returned with the drinks. Although the two seemed to be getting along, the drinks meant that everyone was to come and get food. Once again the barriers went up, Scoobies taking to one sofa and the Fang Gang, another. Unable to bear the tense atmosphere, Willow let out a frustrated snort and bit the bullet.

"So, um… Darla… what's it like to be human? I mean, after… ya know…" By the time she had finished the sub sentence, she was blushing a bright red. So vivid that it clashed with her hair.

Darla smiled at the girl, she loved the shy ones. Despite her animosity towards him, she gave Spike a quick glance. Had Angel been here, he would have been the one to receive it, but he wasn't and Darla knew that Spike would appreciate whatever games that she decided to play. She also noticed the scowl on the face of the Slayer. Knowing that Buffy wouldn't dare to do anything at the moment, she decided to have her fun whilst she could.

"Well, pretty, I have to say that it is better than where I was before." She smiled and licked her lips slightly, loving the deeper blush that came when she called her pretty.

"Uggh… hell?"

"No, Sunnydale."

Spike and Cordelia snickered. Darla wasn't going to give an inch. Wes shot her a disapproving look, glaring more when Darla simply smiled sweetly at him.

"Perhaps we should talk about the other night. I know that I for one would like to apologise for the way that we yelled at you all and threw you out of the hospital. I am sure that you understand that we were very worried about Angel." Wes hoped that this would be a simple way to get the ball moving. He would wait until they were all talking before bringing up the fact that Buffy still was enemy number one at the hotel.

"Ah, yes. Thank you. How is Angel?" Giles started to clean his glasses, it made Wesley smile.

"Forty men, dressed all in black; waiting for their orders, ready to attack." The dark ribbon of a blindfold slipped further down a porcelain face.

"Wow."

"Yeah."

"But… wow."

"Yup."

"Huh…"

Angel couldn't help the small bark of laughter that escaped him. Faith's face was a picture. There were too many emotions flickering over it and he wished that he had a sketch pad and pencil. He'd love to draw her right now, even if the outcome would only make her laugh. She looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights of a fast moving Mac truck had had an unfortunate breeding accident with a goldfish. He waited for her to come back from whatever cloud she was currently visiting.

"Good trip?"

"What!"

"You spaced out on me a little." He offered her a genuine smile, which was returned full force and then chased away again by real life.

"Well do you blame me? I mean I thought that the one thing that I could guarantee on was the fact that you were a vampire. Now? Well that's gone and… What the hell am I meant to say Angel? I mean congrats an' all but…"

She hung her head and his heart went out to her.

"You don't have to say anything Faith. I didn't come here to gloat or anything. I just came to tell you the truth – which you deserved and hopefully to offer you a little hope. Well two little bits of hope. One, Buffy isn't perfect; she makes pretty big mistakes and will be forgiven for them, just like you will be. Two, if the Powers can forgive me for the things that I did, things that make your darkness look like a sunny afternoon, then there is no way that you can't make amends."

"I guess… you're really forgiving her? After she put you in the hospital?" Faith still seemed to have problems with the idea of forgiveness.

"Yes I am. Not because I am alright with what she did or because I want to be her best friend at the moment, but because she needs me to." He saw a look of confusion flash across Faith's face and imagined that she was thinking that it always came down to Saint Buffy. "More importantly? I need to forgive her. In a way it's not about her. I'll forgive her because if I don't we'll never move on from this point. It'll always be there and it'll haunt us to the end of our days. I don't have the energy for that. I don't want to be Buffy's lover again, but I'm not averse to being her friend."

Faith snorted at something she heard, something that he didn't say.

"There never gonna forgive me Angel. No matter how exemplary your behaviour is."

He grinned at being caught out. She was a very smart girl. Maybe not school smarts but she knew people. She knew him.

"Maybe not. But they can't act so saintly anymore. Maybe one day they'll just get too tired of having to hate you and simply brush it away. Clean slate. Who knows?"

They drifted for a while in a comfortable silence. Both were contemplating the fact that Angel was speaking as much about him as he was about Faith. She admired him for that. She felt honoured that he had felt her worth the time and effort to come down here and tell her in person what had happened. She was angry at Buffy. She was eternally grateful that he wasn't going to abandon her. And, if she was honest? She did feel a little more hopeful. A little more convinced that she was on the right path.

She glanced up at the clock. They had fifteen minutes left. She wanted a juicer conversation and her mind hit upon something that he had dropped earlier.

"So, if you don't want to be Buffy's boy any more… you up for some conjugal visits?"

She smirked wickedly at him. She realised that he would get that this was a joke; after all he did seem a lot more fun at the moment. He was still Angel, just free from his demon and the guilt that the demon brought. Not that he wasn't still feeling bad for everything that he did. He just seemed to realise that he was allowed a little fun; although, she was waiting for him to panic at this comment. She choked on the answer that she did get.

"Could be. Although, I'll have to clear my schedule with Darla and Spike." The statement was said with such seriousness that the accompanying smirk did little to belie it.

"What? Darla and Spike? Thought Spike was a guy?"

Angel smiled. "What's you're point?"

Faith liked this new Angel and decided to see where his boundaries actually lay. "Just didn't know you swung that way. I'll keep you in mind for a threesome when I get out."

"Well, liking men hardly fit the profile of the penitent vampire and Buffy's true love. And as for the threesome? It all depends on the other guy…"

"Oooh you're mean! Getting me all hot and bothered like this and then you'll prance out of here and leave me unsatisfied!" Faith pouted into the phone. This was the most fun that she had had in ages.

"I don't prance." Angel's countenance was firm.

"Not the point of the sentence."

"I still don't prance."

Wesley was taking the fact that they had been talking for an hour and a half and no blood had been spilt yet. Spike and Darla seemed to still be on the periphery of being tolerated. Darla, a little more so because she was human. Anya still seemed a little frosty to the Sunnydale group, Xander especially, but other than that she was fine. The main problem still lay between the people that loved Angel the most. Darla, Spike and Cordy were unwilling to give Buffy any leeway. Although, they had cut the death threats back to mere sniping. Vicious sniping, but it was the best that anyone could hope for. Wes had to note that Riley seemed the most stand offish. It was worrying as he really seemed to view the world in terms of absolutes. Good and Evil. Humans and Demons. There wasn't room for anything else in his opinion. At the moment they were discussing a particularly grey area, the Host.

"So you have to sing?" Xander still couldn't get past the karaoke part.

"Well, it does make sense. After all… when you sing you bear your soul. It must be the easiest way to read an aura."

All heads turned to a pink Tara; that was the most that they had ever heard her say. She reminded Wes so much of him when he was younger. Too shy to speak out but right more often than not. He smiled at her.

"Yes, that's my thinking. Although the Host won't confirm anything."

"Personally I think that he just gets his jollies listenin' to us make total fools outta ourselves." Gunn glanced round the room as all heads had turned to him. "Not that I've sung."

"Sure you 'aven't Charlie! Can see you now… spotlight glintin' off your 'ead, mic in your hand, beltin out… oh I dunno…"

"Neil Diamond!" Cordy joined Spike in teasing her colleague. "Gunn and Wes doing their own version of 'You don't bring me flowers"!" She doubled over laughing at the picture of them on the stage serenading one another.

"I don't think that either of you are in a position to mock. Not after the cat impression, and that's singular not the show, that we get from you Cordy. What was you're last massacre?"

"The Greatest Love of All", Xander and Willow both answered Wes in unison, both recalling the horror that was the talent show. Giles couldn't hide the snort that came when his memory came back to him.

"So all demons go to this bar?" Buffy was picturing Willies with a stage.

"Yes, but the Transuding Furies put a sanctuary spell in place. No violence permitted in there. It makes for a pleasant evening. Perhaps you would join us there before you go back to Sunnydale?"

Once more Wes found himself extending an olive branch that just wasn't long enough. He glanced at the clock. 4.46, Angel should be back soon and then hopefully everything would calm down. Although he doubted that Buffy finding out that he had seen Faith would be welcome news.

"Is anyone else cold?"

Darla's saccharine voice cut through the silence that had settled. Everyone shook their heads indicating that they were fine.

"Must be just me."

"You're gettin old Granny."

Spike earned a clip round the back of his head for that one. He had been pushing it all night.

"Shut up Willie. Cordelia? May I borrow a sweater?"

"Sure there should be one in my room. Help yourself." Cordelia frowned as she tried to remember whether or not she had any spares at the hotel.

"Thanks. I'm sure whatever's there will at least be fit to be seen outside of a workhouse. You at least have taste." She fired the statements at Buffy before sauntering up the steps.

"What a bitch!"

"I don't know Buffy, but then again it takes one to know one I suppose." Cordelia shot a Cheshire Cat grin at Buffy.

"Well you should know Cor, after all didn't you hold the Miss Bitchydale title at high school? Or was it Lay Queen? I can't recall."

"At least half of the demon population of Sunnyhell don't know me by my underwear Slutty."

"No that's just the male population."

At this point both girls were stood toe to fashionable toe and neither giving an inch. Although, had Cordelia given an inch she suspected that Buffy wouldn't have to strain her neck looking up.

Before Cordy could make another comment, the basement doors, front and garden doors and the windows were all smashed open and around thirty men, all clad in black Kevlar and armed with stun guns and night-sticks stormed the hotel.

Smoke began to curl up from the basement were they had had to blow the doors off and Willow, Tara and Anya hurried to try to get the flames under control. Cordelia, Wes and Gunn made for the weapons cabinet, tossing a few crossbows and swords to their friends. Buffy ploughed into the men, Gunn and Riley not far behind her. Six against thirty… the odds weren't on their side…

Angel had left the prison just under half an hour ago and was currently driving through an expanse of desert. It was nice, not as hot as earlier, but not cold. His visit with Faith had been fun. They had spent the last quarter of an hour bickering and flirting. He had enjoyed making her smile. She was another person that he felt he didn't have to hide himself from. Despite the place, he had felt very relaxed in her presence.

When the guard had come to take her away he had promised that he would be back next visiting hour and joked that he would look into both the conjugal and the threesome. He had mused out loud that as long as she had nothing against vampires Spike would probably be up for it… She had laughed, moaned about leaving a girl unsatisfied and shooed him off.

He noticed a van parked by the side of the road. The driver seemed to be having problems with the engine.

He pulled in and cut off the engine.

He got out of the car.

"Need a hand?"

"Sure… don't really know what's wrong with her."

Angel stepped closer and peered in to the bonnet.

Suddenly an arm wrapped round his waist. Hands grabbed his arms and legs and a cloth smelling of chloroform was held over his nose.

The last thing that he heard before passing out was…

"Target acquired."

Lyrics to You don't bring Me Flowers. – Can't you just see Gunn and Wes?

(duet with barbra streisand) written by: neil diamond, alan bergman and marilyn bergman

You don't bring me flowers
You don't sing me love songs
You hardly talk to me anymore
When you come thru the door
At the end of the day

I remember when
You couldn't wait to love me
Used to hate to leave me
Now after lovin' me late at night
When it's good for you
And you're feelin' alright
Well you just roll over
And turn out the light
And you don't bring me flowers anymore

It used to be so natural
To talk about forever
But "used to be's" don't count anymore
They just lay on the floor
'til we sweep them away

And baby, i remember
All the things you taught me
I learned how to laugh
And i learned how to cry
Well i leared how to love
Even learned how to lie
You'd think i could learn
How to tell you goodbye
'cause you don't bring me flowers anymore