Disclaimer: I own Aurelius, Alexia, and Hope, but that's it.

Part One of the Redemption Series.

Degenerate- somebody who is in bad condition, especially as a result of immoral behavior.

This story of the series basically focuses on Wesley and Faith, the next story? Well, you'll have to read this one first.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: My own, special little AU story. This is what should have happened in Season 4, although my apologies for not saving us from the yucky Cordy/Connor scene, just close your eyes, it'll be okay. Oh, Fred and Gunn are still together.

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Los Angeles, California, April 16, 2003

Standing outside on the glass doors, and leaning over the railing, Faith could smell the garden in the back of the old hotel. It was in full bloom this time of year, and wreaked of jasmine. Beside her, Angel leaned against the railing, thinking through the proposition she had just presented him with.

"Go with you to Sunnydale?"

Nodding again, Faith shifted, uncomfortably. She really didn't know why she had asked Angel to bring the Fang Gang to Sunnydale. Maybe she just missed the old days, when they all fought together in one city, or maybe she had alternative motives, that weren't even clear to her, yet.

"That's a. . .long way from Los Angeles. I mean, could turn day before we get there."

"I highly doubt it, Angel, and so do you. Come on, you know you could use a vacation. A deadly, world-saving, could get you killed vacation. I highly recommend them over the Bahamas any day."

Rolling his eyes, Angel looked around the garden, hoping an answer would pop out of thin air.

"I dunno. . .there's the sun, there's the girls, there's. . ."

"Buffy."

"That's not what I was. . .okay, I was getting to her."

"What are you so afraid of? You and B have been over for years."

"Yeah, but, we're not really over. I mean, a love like that. . .okay, we're over."

"I thought so, and you know, it's good that you're finally able to admit it, I mean, it's not healthy to hang on."

Raising and eyebrow to her, Angel looked back at the ground.

"I don't know about Sunnydale."

"Why not? I mean, other than Buffy, why not?"

"I was evil, Faith, I could turn evil again, and attack all those girls."

"Not unless you fell in love with one of them, and bedded 'em, and let's face it, the chance of that happening twice is just. . .it's not possible."

"I just don't. . ."

"You know, this is going to take all night. So, why don't you just say yes, save me from having to kick your ass, and throw you in the back of Willow's car, and we'll go."

Looking at her, with his mouth hanging open, Angel snapped out of it when she took his hand, and began pulling him back into the hotel to tell the others of their decision.

"You'd really kick my ass AND throw me in the back of Willow's car?"

Rolling her eyes, Faith came back into the lobby to see Willow and Wesley cleaning from the spell, and Fred and Gunn sitting on the lobby sofa, snuggling. For some reason, she got the vibe that Wesley didn't like this at all, though, it may have been the glares, he sent their way over his shoulder every now and then, that tipped her off.

"Angel has an announcement."

"I do? Oh, yeah, we're all going to Sunnydale to help defeat the First thing."

"Sunnydale?"

"Yeah."

"When?"

"An hour. Could you let Cordy and Connor know, please?"

Rushing upstairs, hand-in-hand with Gunn, Fred panicked. She had to pack, right now, and Cordy and Connor had to know. Turning to Wesley, Faith saw his eyes follow them.

"Aren't you gonna go back to your place and pack, Wes?"

"Yes, I was, right now, actually."

As he walked away, Faith stepped towards him.

"Do you need some help?"

"I think I can handle it, thanks."

"Well, you know, I mean, I could drive you."

"That's okay, Faith, I'm not drunk, and the designated driver is really not needed."

"Well, can I tag along, then?"

Fixing her with a serious look, Wesley nodded after a moment of considering it. If he had some help, things might get done faster, plus, he really didn't want to stick around and have to watch Fred and Gunn cuddle one another, and Faith was taking up his time with arguing.

Walking, briskly, to his SUV outside the Hyperion, Wesley walked around to the driver's side, and climbed in, joined by Faith a moment later. Starting the car, and pulling away from the curb, Wesley appreciated Faith staying quiet, at least for a moment.

She decided to break the awkward silence half-way to his apartment.

"Do you have a thing for Fred?"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"Di. . .is that any of your business?"

"Well, since you can't keep your eyes off her, then, yes, I'm making it my business. Do you?"

"Perhaps, but I'm not telling you."

"Wesley, you're broadcasting it for all of Los Angeles to see."

"What do you mean? I'm not broadcasting anything."

"No, your just broodcasting."

"Maybe we shouldn't talk for the rest of this ride."

"No, you have some serious emotions you need to get out, and I'm here to talk about them."

"Thank you, Doctor, but please, wait in the car."

Pulling up to his parking spot, beside the sidewalk, Wesley got out, making sure to take his keys with him. To his dismay, Faith followed him. Quickening his pace, he unlocked his apartment door, and Faith followed.

Going into his room, he grabbed a suitcase, and began throwing clothing in it, all while Faith watched from the doorway. Turning, he grabbed some boxers from his dresser, and threw them in there, then, slammed it shut, only having difficulties, because it was so full.

"Here, let me. . ."

"I've got it."

Stepping back, with her hands in the air in surrender, Faith had to smile at how frustrated Wesley was. Turning to her, and seeing her smile made him feel like an idiot. Here he was, standing in the middle of his apartment, pissed off at a suitcase and now, at the woman, who was giggling at him.

"What!"

Pushing him aside, Faith opened the suitcase and began folding the clothing, then, laid it neatly in the open suitcase, and shut it with a snap. Turning to him with a smug smile on her face, Faith found herself being kissed a moment later.

Kissing him back, and surprised at how much she was enjoying herself, Faith, instinctively, began taking off his black dress shirt, ripping it open, and sending buttons everywhere.

Pushing him onto his bed, she stood, looking at him. He was muscular under all those clothes, with a very nice chest and stomach. She was going to enjoy this, and she knew it.

"You know, Faith, I expect a little compensation for that shirt, it was one of my favorites."

Climbing on top of him, and straddling him, Faith smiled. How long had she wanted this? Had she wanted to bang the Sunnydale Wes? Leaning down, she kissed him, and he began taking off her shirt.

As she un-did his belt, he pulled his mouth away from hers.

"You're sure you want this?"

"If I didn't want to, would I being doing it?"

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An hour later, the two returned, Wesley, in a new gray, long-sleeve shirt, carried his suitcase to the front desk, and looked around at all the curious faces of his friends, Faith followed him in a moment later.

"What's wrong?"

"It's Cordy, she's pregnant. . .with Conner's child."

Wesley grimaced as he heard this, but Faith looked indifferent, she was still on cloud nine from her and Wesley's little romp.

"So. . .that means they. . ."

"Yes!"

"Oh, and what are we going to do?"

"Well. . ."

"We have to let my baby be born."

Looking up at Cordy, who was standing on the stairs and holding her stomach, Wesley grimaced, she looked as if she was nine months pregnant and this baby was ready to come anytime.

"Cordelia."

"Yes, Wesley, I'm pregnant with a beautiful life."

"But. . .when?"

"The rain of fire, Conner and I, we're in love."

"But, how. . ."

"Well, Conner and I are both mystical, maybe the baby is, too."

"I see. . .but this should still be researched."

"Yes, I agree, we can't go to Sunnydale."

"But B nee. . ."

"Buffy can handle it on her own, I mean, she's saved the world how many times?"

"A lot, but this is different, this is the first evil, the main evil, the big kahuna!"

"Willow, don't you think you can handle it?"

"I. . .no."

"I agree with Willow, we need to be there, but we need to look into Cordelia's pregnancy, as well. I'll bring some of my books."

Disappearing into the office, Wesley left the group for a moment, in which Angel spent his time glaring at Conner and Cordelia. Coming back from his office, Wesley smiled to Faith, even in this situation, he couldn't forget what they had just done. Had he been wanting that for some time?

"Yes, I'll research it while we're riding to Sunnydale."

"Great, Cordelia can sit up front, and you, Angel, and Faith can sit in the back and research. I mean, if Conner doesn't mind riding with Gunn and Fred, and if they don't mind riding with him."

Picking up a battle ax, Gunn shook his head.

"No, no problem having Conner ride with us."

"What about Lorne?"

"He's offered to stay behind, and look after the place."

"Alright."

"Are we ready to go?"

"Yeah, we're ready."

Saying their goodbyes to Lorne, the Fang Gang, Willow, and Faith made their way out to their assigned cars. Faith situated herself between Wesley and Angel, and Willow and Cordelia climbed in the front seat.

"Alright, buckle up, the road to Sunnydale is a bumpy one."

All three knew this was true, not in the literal sense, but who knew what dangers lay ahead.

"So, Willow, care to fill us in on the full situation?"

"Well, we have an uber vampire, really strange things going on, a bunch of girls living in Buffy's house, we're traing them, and Buffy's a counselor at Dawnie's school, now."

"Really? A counselor?"

"Yeah."

As Angel and Willow chatted, Faith and Wesley shared a lustful look with one another. Oh, the first rest stop they hit, Wesley vowed that no matter how dirty it was, he was getting Faith out of those jeans again.

Surprising him by laying her head on his shoulder, Faith smiled up at him.

"Damn, I'm so tired."

Smiling to one another, they thought they had a little secret, but Angel's vampire senses, and Willow's Wicca senses had picked up on what had happened, the moment the two stepped foot in the hotel lobby. Of course, little did anyone know at the time, that it was more than just lust that held Faith and Wesley together. They had something much deeper.

Of course, this would be put off by the plot Cordelia, or rather the entity posing as Cordelia, had in mind for the Fang Gang and Scoobies. The enemy was among them.