Chapter 2:

Hyperion - the next morning

They all came back at the hyperion a few minutes ago and Faith was with them. He guided her upstairs in his room. Wesley and Cordelia went back to their apartment. The Halliwell stayed however, they didn't want to leave Faith.

None of them were mad at the slayer for what she did to Wesley. They just couldn't. They didn't understand why but they just couldn't.

They all stayed there, in silence, in their thoughts.

Phoebe was the most affected by what happened. Because of her power, she could feel what Faith felt and it killed her inside. She was also very confused, cause she started to get feelings for the rogue slayer.

How weird is that, can you tell me ? I don't even know her, I mean, I didn't even talk to her... I'm going insane. Phoebe get a hold of yourself, this is so not the moment!

They didn't know what they were doing upstairs. Angel just came down to get doughnuts but none of them talked about it. Wesley nor Cordelia showed up at all. They could understand. But they were gonna stay.

Faith was siting on Angel's bed after her shower. Images of her killing Allan Finch and her telling Buffy she didn't care came to her. She couldn't stand it. She had this urge to flee. She then gets up and packs her backpack.

"Faith." Angel said, coming in.

She just just looks at him then goes back to packing.

"You're in no condition to leave here. You walk out that door now and you'll be running for the rest of your life, and my bet is, it'll be a pretty short run."

She walks past him: " You know what? It doesn't matter." She runs downstairs. Everyone stands up and look at her, not understanding. They were about to stop her, but Angel steps between her and the door.

"It does matter. It matters to me."

"Why are you doing this? Why are you being nice to me? Just stop it. You're gonna step aside or do we throw down? I mean, am I your prisoner here?"

"No. You're not my prisoner."

"So I'm free."

"I don't know about that." He steps aside. "But the door is open."

"Angel..." Phoebe said.

She starts walking towards the door.

"Where are you gonna go? Back out in that darkness? (Faith hesitates then keeps walking) I once told you that you didn't have to go out in that darkness. (Faith slowly comes to a stop, her back to Angel) Remember? That it was your choice. Well, you chose. You thought that you could just touch it. (Walks slowly closer) That you'd be okay. Five by five right, Faith? But it swallowed you whole. So tell me (comes to stand behind her) how did you like it?"

Faith turns and slugs him hard. He doesn't retaliate, just slowly turns back to look at her. The bostonian stares for a moment then looks anywhere but at him.

"Help me?" She had never sound so vulnerable in her whole life. And she hated herself for it.

"Yeah." He then took her bag and leaded her again upstairs.

"Poor girl... I feel so bad for her." Lorne said, sadly.

"He is going to help her... Angel... I know he will." Connor said. It was Angel's last chance to gain his son's trust. Cause Connor needed Faith to be okay. She had to be. Cause, if she was, he would be too.

"Yeah..." Fred said.

After a while, Faith came downstairs and went to the microwave. Angel right behind her. The A.I team was pretending to be busy doing something else.

"So, how does this work?" She said, turning to Angel.

"There is no real simple answer to that. I won't lie to you and tell you that it'll be easy because it won't be. Just because you've decided to change doesn't mean that the world is ready for you to. The truth is no matter how much you suffer, no matter how many good deeds you do to try to make up for the past - you may never balance out the cosmic scale. The only thing I can promise you is that you'll probably be haunted and may be for the rest of your life."

Smooth Angel, real smooth Paige thought. Actually, they all had the same thought.

The slayer looks at him and indicates the microwave "So how does *this* work?"

Angel blinks a couple times, then walks over to program it "Uh - power level, time, start. Sure that popcorn is gonna be enough for you?"

"Yeah, I can live off the stuff. Tell, Cordelia I'll pay her back"

Damn, even her voice is sexy. God, Gunn, you're with Fred, shut up.. Oh my god, is Fred checking her ass?

"Actually I think it belonged to Wesley."

"Oh. Maybe we just don't mention it then."

"Maybe we do."

God Angelcakes is doing a really fine job. I guess she has a chance. I'm really glad for her. I hope she will stick with us.

"Are you saying I got to apologize?"

"Think you can?"

I need to find a way to block this power, her pain is killing me, it's too much. Phoebe thought.

"I don't know. How do you say 'Gee, I'm really sorry tortured you nearly to death?'"

"Well, first off I think I'd leave off the 'Gee.' And secondly I think you have to ask yourself: are you?"

"What?"

Poor girl... She is just a kid, god Angel give her some rest. Piper was starting to get mad at the vampire for pushing the girl too much.

"Sorry."

A long pause. Faith thinks it over.

"And what if I *can't* say it? There are some things you can't just take back, no matter how sorry you *are*, right?"

"Yeah, there are. I've got some experience in that area."

"Right. And you've been doing this for a hundred years! I'm not gonna make it through the next ten minutes."

"So make it through the next five, the next minute."

"I don't think I can."

"Yes, you can."

"Aaaaaaaaaah" Phoebe screams, in pain. The sisters instantly comes to her.

"Phoebe what's going on?" Piper asks, worried.

"I can't take it Piper, aaaaah..."

"Paige, orb her to the manor now!"

Paige took Phoebe's hand and orbed together, away.

Faith looked at them, unreadable.

"You see Faith, she can feel your pain. It's supposed to hurt, all that pain, all that suffering you caused is coming back on you. Feel it! Deal with it! Then maybe you've got a shot at being free."

She walks away and lets out something between a laugh and a sob.

"I've got to be the first Slayer in history sponsored by a vampire."

"Yeah, well, I've got some experience in that area, too."

"Oh god. B. How am I ever going to make things right with her?"

"Faith, this isn't about Buffy."

"All my life there was only one person that tried to be my friend, went out of her way when I had no right or reason to expect her to and I screwed her. Not to mention her boyfriend, only him literally."

"Faith, you and I never actually..."

"No, not you. The new one." They all stares at Angel, looking for his reaction. He stares back for a moment and then look down. Understanding her mistake, Faith feels bad.

"Oh, my god. Angel, I'm so sorry I..."

"No, there. You *can* say it. That's good. (Turns away to leave) Good."

At the Halliwell manor.

"Phoebe what happened back there? You scared me!" Paige asks, worry in her voice.

"Im sorry, all her pain, it was... overwhelming. I couldn't deal with.. it." Phoebe reassured her sister, out of breath.

"Are you sure you're gonna be okay? We can stay here if you want..."

"No Paige, I... I gotta help her. I really do."

"Phoebe I get it really, and we all do, but if it's too much for you, you don't have to... "

"No Paige, you don't get it. I *need* to help her. I *need* to be close to her. I don't know why. I just do. And I feel even worse being away now."

Paige just stares at her sister, not understanding at first. Then she gets it, and without saying a word, takes her hand and orbs them back to the hotel.

Once they get there, they see most of the team down, and Faith holding a knife with blood on it. A demon is dead on the ground. Faith is staring at the bloody knife in her hand as Angel picks himself up.

"No."

She drops the knife and stares at her hands, gasping and shaking her head.

"Hey. Hey. Hey. Shh. Hey. (Leads her over to the day bed) Sit down. Shh. It's- it's okay. (Faith wraps her arms around Angel's neck, careful not to touch him with her bloody hands) Hey. It's gonna be okay. Okay? (Angel holds her) Shh. Alright."

They all look over but Faith as they hear someone coming in.