Sorry for the wait... what I'm posting right now I wrote a little while ago, and I have the next two chapters or so already written, but when I start actually writing more I'll be making the chapters longer. Anyway, here's more.
Kate glanced up at the clock. Five minutes had passed. She couldn't believe she'd even allowed Angel ten minutes to come and pick up this extremely traumatized girl. It had taken a few minutes for her to calm Buffy down after the phone call, and still her tears fell. She couldn't possibly imagine the pain the girl had gone though. She had considered letting Faith out again, but their disagreement still stood. Funny having a lasting disagreement with a convict.
Stranger still the thought of letting Faith out in the first place. Before tonight, she wouldn't have considered it, but there was something about her. Maybe the strange need to protect the girl called Buffy who seemed to radiate helplessness, or maybe the fact that Faith wasn't like most convicts. She had turned herself in, and had wandered around the office for a while unbound, making no move to escape. Half the reason that Faith was back in her cell right now was that Kate had finally realized that friend of Buffy or not, Faith was dangerous, and she should tread carefully.
Faith had murdered people, and was probably capable of taking Kate out, regardless of her strange desire to remain captive and make amends for her crimes. She would have to be more careful in the future. To make amends… Angel… She glanced at the clock. He had about four minutes now. To busy herself, she decided to see if she could find anything else out about Buffy Summers, who sat in front of her trembling and crying.
Angel… No! Help me! Please! Kate glanced up sharply. She could have sworn she'd just heard the girl talk, but she hadn't moved, unless one counted the fact that her eyes were more glazed than before.
'B?' Faith asked shakily. Kate turned to the other's direction.
'You heard that?' She asked, surprised. Before either could respond, it happened again.
No! Why are you doing this to me? I love you!
'She's speaking?' Faith asked, surprised.
'No, her lips aren't moving…' Apparently Faith didn't have a response to that either, so Kate proceeded to continue to search for information, now with a new purpose. Who was this girl? How was she speaking to them when she couldn't really speak? She said she loved Angel? What kind of history did the two have together? Finding something, she clicked on it, opening up the school records for Sunnydale High. Buffy's name was mentioned on the search, something about a class protector award…
A few passwords and she was scanning through student names… Summers… Summers… Summers…
NO! ANGEL! HELP ME! The mental cry for help was deafening, then she was silent, save the occasional sob or whimper. Kate stared at her in amazement. How had she done that? Pulling her eyes back to the computer, she found what she was looking for. Summers, Buffy Anne. She clicked on it. Date of birth… 1980… she'd be nineteen now then… she looked younger, but that was probably because of her current state. Used to attend Hemry High in LA… expelled for setting the school gym on fire… several absences from school… she was cut short by Faith yelling.
'Turn some light on, they won't find us!' Kate looked over at the clock. Two minutes left. A mother… a sister… her parents had been divorced for about four years… Huh. So that was the official line. She'd probably find out more from other sources though. This girl had her curiosity piqued. She tried another search.
Slayer… spyware slayer, no, that couldn't be right… … she clicked on that one. Slayer… Vampire Slayer… one girl in all the world with the strength and skill to stop the vampires… Kate looked at the trembling mess in front of her, wondering how she could be a vampire killer. Faith seemed more the type… Faith had said something earlier… was Faith a slayer? How could that be possible? It said only one… She scanned the page. When one died, another was called? But neither were dead…
Faith would have some explaining to do, whether she liked it or not… And Angel too for that matter… At that moment, the door opened, and the vampire in question stepped in.
'Kate.' He said simply, fear and guilt in his eyes. She stood, staring at the vampire. At that moment, he looked more like a man than she'd ever seen him, his emotions threatening to envelop him. She stood.
'Angel.' He walked slowly over, uncomprehending of the sight in front of him.
'Buffy…' His voice was choked; horrified that he'd caused her so much pain. She didn't respond, just kept crying.
'Angel.' Faith said, satisfied, as she walked into the room.
'How did you get out?' Kate snapped. Her mind was reeling with all the emotional battles playing out around her. Faith shrugged.
'I could've gotten out a long time ago if I wanted to, there was no point though. They would've just tranked me. Which wouldn't have worked anyways, but hey. What're you gonna do.' She grinned, pleased with the shocked look on Kate's face. She looked over at Angel. 'How is she?' Angel sighed.
'Just about to find that out.' He told her, touching Buffy gently on the arm. She whimpered slightly, and her shoulders shook as she started sobbing again. He bent down, picking her up as though she weighed nothing. Kate watched in shock. How deep did their ties go?
He made soft crooning noises, stroking her hair and holding her closer to himself, careful not to damage her already bruised and broken body. Gradually, the whimpering stopped and she clung to him, still trembling.
The other two occupants of the room were amazed, Kate especially. Maybe it was a good thing Angel had come after all.
'You can take her.' Kate said when he looked up at her calmly. 'You really love her, don't you?' This was one of the rare moments where the detective let her true emotions through. Thing she had long ago learned to do without.
Angel looked away, pain flaring up inside him.
'We had a troubled relationship when we were together.' He said tersely, not looking up.
Faith felt a deep sympathy for them, remembering the many tales of the love they had while she was still living in Sunnydale. The emotion was new to her and she treasured it, willing herself to let it be shown, and not bottle it up inside of her like she'd done in the past. All the pain she'd caused them… the guilt she felt was nearly unbearable as it was, not helped in the least by the heartbreaking scene in front of her.
'Why did you split up?' Kate asked. It was one of those things she knew shouldn't be pressed upon, and it was probably painful for him, but she needed to know.
'It was what was best, I couldn't give her anything…' he trailed off. Buffy whimpered, clutching at him and shivering more. Faith grinned.
'Looks like B doesn't think so.' She said affectionately. Angel gave her a weak smile. Outside, a car horn blared loudly. Angel winced.
'I have to leave.' He said, unrecognizable emotions in his voice. Faith touched his shoulder briefly, flashing him a smile.
'You know I still have to call her father.' Kate said, hating to break up the moment. It had to be said though.
'I'll call her mother.' Angel said firmly. 'She's nineteen, a legal adult now.' Kate nodded; having forgotten momentarily that the small figure the vampire held in his arms was indeed an adult.
He nodded back, leaving Kate and Faith alone in the office. They looked at each other for a moment, not sure of what to say or do next.