Warming a mug of cow blood, Angel turned on the pot of coffee, which was becoming a habit for him. The gang were all spread out in the various spots in the lounge area, all-trying to get comfortable in their awkward positions, as if attempting to get some kind of sleep. Echoing throughout the spacious hotel, Hope's screams were wearing everyone down. Hope was in one of the many rooms, shackled to the bedposts, sweating, and growing paler, never losing her resolve of screaming during all waking and night hours. She was was deathly sick, unable to drink or consume anything. Her screams for Marius only agitated everyone around the hotel, causing them to lose hours of sleep, each taking turns watching her, making sure the metal would hold her. They had lost eight pairs of handcuffs already, and they had the bruises to prove it. Faith never left Hope's bedside, talking to her in all hours of the day, giving her the shots necessary to help her breathing and allowing her sleep from the fever that never seemed to go away. The gang were running out of ideas to help her, trying to get Faith to believe that there was no cure, that this blood vow was eternal. Hope would never die, never grow old, have all the pleasures of being a vampire, strength, immortality but with a soul and the ability to be in the sun, without blood although she would crave blood in which would make her stronger. But if away from Marius too long, Hope would grow insane, slowly losing the sparkle of life that she carried always. Isabel and Todd took regular visits to see Hope after getting an apartment with Angel's help. Isabel got a job working with Angel, helping in research and telling of the many places vampire dwelled in, as Marius took them to many parts of the world.
One night, Faith awoke to the presence of a vampire in Hope's room. Climbing the stairs, Faith grabbed a stake from a nearby table and crept into Hope's room. Marius was sitting on Hope's window ledge, singing a song that seemed to calm Hope down, as she slowly drifted off to sleep. Wearing a knowing smile, Marius stared at Faith and said "Well slayer, looks like we got a problem don't we. You know she'll go crazy if she doesn't come with me. I'm leaving for Paris now, and I wish to take her with me. That is, if I have the blessing of the sister." Faith's face held a look of pain as she looked upon her sister's sleeping form. "just…just don't hurt her" Faith whispered as her pain filled voice reached Marius's ears. "No promises, slayer, no promises, but she will be treated like a queen,…my queen" Marius said as he broke away Hope's chains and tossed her over his shoulder. As she watched his retreating form, jump from the window, Faith let her tears fall.
10 years later
Everyone said their goodbyes to the Scooby gang as they left to return to Sunnydale. Seeing Spike with Buffy made Angel's heart break a little bit, but knowing he had Faith by his side, he knew he could handle Spike whispering in Buffy's ears and her blushing cheeks. It seemed everyone had moved on and had grown up in some way or another. Cordelia married to Wesely, Gunn to Fred, Xander to Anya, Willow and Tara, Dawn and a young Italian man by the name of Anthoney, even Giles and a retired librarian who just happened to fight the creatures of the night. Isabel and now adult Todd managed to grow into wonderful, vibrant people, that everyone grew to love dearly. Yes, everyone was older, settling down in life, even having kids whom loved to see Uncle Angel change into his vampire face. Yes, Alexander jr, was a chip of the old block as Angel looked at the now empty fridge. Angel smiled as he felt Faith's arms go around him, and he turned to face his slayer. "you know, seeing buffy and spike all snuggly, kinda makes me horny…that and the fifty pound, Yaticamba they helped us kill. Angel all to ready to fill Faiths sexual needs, whisked her off her feet and ran laughing up the stairs to their room. The only thing missing, was a certain brown-haired girl, who everyone remembered as the one they couldn't save.
5 years later
"Oh god, Faith, just hold on" Angel said as he kneeled by Faith's bedside. The gang were doing a routine demon killing when, Angel's head turned at the sound of Faith's scream. Angel rushed to Faith as he saw the large, yellow-red demon, put one of his spikes on his hands through Faith. Smelling internal bleeding, Angel let out an angry growl, as he tore the demon in pieces with his bare hands. Rushing home, with Faith in his arms, Angel knew that it was too late. Faith was dying, and there was nothing anyone could do. After doing the vampire ceremony for marriage, Faith made Angel promise, if anything ever happened to her, to never turn her. Respecting Faith's wishes, Angel could only hold on to Faith's hand and whisper words of love and dedication.
"Hey, who said you could die without me, eh Faith, you too Angel, or should I say brother-in-law" said a voice from the windowsill. Angel could barely believe his eyes, at the sight of the girl he thought he would never see again. Hope leapt for the sill, and walked over to Faith's bedside and took as seat at the edge. "How…" Angel started to speak but his voice was lost over his shock. Wearing one of her famous smiles, Hope answered for him. "you mean, how did I get away from eternal slavery from one of the most powerful vamps out there. Let's just say a little birdie showed me a spell older than blood vows, and the rest is dust if you catch my drift" Hope said as she looked up at the stars, and smiled as she saw one twinkle much like a wink of an angel. Placing her hand on Faith's forehead, she spoke again softly. "Hey Faith, I missed you, slavery ain't the same without you, you know. Faith…sis…I don't want you to go,...There's this thing...a spell, one that can cure ya, so you can be with me forever, so what do ya say?" Hope pleaded as the tears rolled down here eternally youthful face. Faith turned her head to her sister and managed to speak. " Hey…cough..Hope, I missed you too…I don't wanna leave….you either but…its my time as they say in the movies. "Don't worry, hopefully, someone's watchin me down here…coughcough…kickin those damn demon asses, and will remember me in those pearly gates, I hear so much about." Faith said right before she let out a chain of coughs. "God, Faith, I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner, if I had been there" Hope said before she cursed as Faith managed to smack her upside the head. "Don't you dare blame yourself, I though you learned your lesson." Faith said weakly. Hope managed a smile as she suddenly grabbed a hold of Faiths sickly body and hugged her for dear life. Patting Hope's back, she let Hope cry into her now damp blankets, and whispered words of love. Hope let go, as Faith shuddered beneath her, and slowly closed her eyes for the last time. Hope and Angel both held each other as they let out their tears of grief, obvious to the gang standing outside the doorway, crying just as hard for the return of a loved one and the loss of one also
Somewhere above
"Hmm, gotta say, not what I expected" Faith thought to herself as she was welcomed into a bright, warm light, that seemed fill her with love and happiness. Faith felt a feeling of completion as she was filled with the knowledge that everything was going to be fine, for her and for the ones back on earth. "Hey you must be Faith, name's Megan" came a voice behind Faith as a bright-eyed, blond girl held out a hand in greeting. " And you must be the little bird" Faith said as she drew the girl into a hug. "Here, yeah…I couldn't leave my bestest bud, with that creature could I. It's about time, she let go of me too, I always knew she was stubborn, but man, blaming my death on her, was just too far. I can't wait until she comes up here and I can knock her around for awhile, even if it won't be for a couple centuries," Megan said as she held Faith's hand and headed into an even brighter light that seemed to call their names.
Angel Investigations
Still clutching Angel's grieving form, Hope couldn't help ignoring the sound of laughter that seemed to come from the stars above. Somehow, Hope knew that things would change for the better, slowly and first, but things would change, that and Hope got the feeling that Megan would probably want to smack her for not getting rid of the burden of Megan's death on her shoulders sooner.