Episode 6.7
Good To Be Home
By Karen

When they left the hotel, instead of turning left to go back to the apartment, Spike turned right. Faith stared after him a moment, before catching up to him, "Dude, you're going the wrong way."

"I know."

"Where are you going?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" he asked. She sighed, running once more to catch up to his long strides. She fell into step beside him and they walked for some time in silence. "I found a nest of vampires feeding on the locals in the area," he finally explained, "Figured we didn't need to bother the Fearless Leader with this, when I all needed was a bit of back up. Decided that I'd give you the honor, rather than one of those pimply girls. They don't have the experience I want at my back."

"You want me to watch your back?" she said, skeptical.

"Not as fun as watching yours, but…" he trailed off, grinning at her suggestively.

"So, how'd you and B start working together?" she asked, ignoring his comment, "How'd you get your soul? I got the cliff note version of Angel's little escapade, and I don't think you're stupid enough to follow his example, though looks could be deceiving…"

"Tried to kill her a few times, tried to kill the Poof, ended up getting caught by this government agency, got a behavior modification chip put in my head, fell into lusty love for the Slayer, and won myself a soul for her sake," he shrugged, "My blood doesn't tend to rush in the direction of my brain," he said by way of explaining. She laughed. "I've heard quite a bit about you, though," he went on, "Not sure how much of it I believe, though."

"Like what?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" he asked, then he took a look around, "Sh. We're close."

"I know how to stalk," Faith whispered, pushing in front of him, shaking her butt a little as she walked to the door. She knocked on it, looking around hurriedly for something, before taking the neck of her T-shirt and ripping it halfway to her belly button to show her black sports bra underneath. She hurriedly ripped two strips from either side of the collar to imitate the current fashion of ripped and shredded clothing.

Spike was shocked and a little tickled, figuring out her game plan within seconds of hearing the ripping fabric. He grinned, and couldn't help but comparing her to the blonde slayer; there was no way Buffy would use sex appeal to get into a building, she was just too naive to try it. But this slayer, on the other hand…he shook his head. Fight now, think later.

When the door opened, she leaned against the doorframe, "I heard it was someone's birthday," she said in a slightly husky voice, looking up at the guy through her lashes, taking a moment to look him up and down, before smiling at him knowingly.

The guy looked her up and down, in her ripped t-shirt and her skintight black jeans that barely covered her hips, and grinned. Then he noticed Spike, "Who's he?"

"My boyfriend. He just likes to watch," she said suggestively, pushing her way past him. Spike followed.

"Who was it?" one guy called.

"Some chick. She said she heard it was somebody's birthday," the guy snickered from behind her.

"Birthday? Opps, I meant Death-day," Faith giggled into her hand, cocking her head to one side like a stupid broad they obviously thought she was. The group of six or seven vampires started to laugh.

"The only death that's gonna happen today is yours," one guy said.

"I don't think so," Faith said, sidling up to him, pulling out a stake. Once she was in reach, she rammed the stake home, and the guy dusted.

"What the hell!" some of the others cried.

Faith grinned at them innocently as she spun around and staked a vampire that was charging her. Then it was a free for all, most of the vampires attacking Faith, while one went after Spike. They were making quick work of the vampires when the door was kicked open, and a whole bunch of guys dressed in black stormed in.

The fight stopped when the door burst open, and Spike looked up with recognition, "Bullocks, not-" two guys shot at Faith and Spike as the rest took care of the vampires, and the world went dark.

---

Angel sat at the kitchen table, trying to read a book he had picked up somewhere, but at every noise he looked at the apartment door. Who knew he'd be worried about Spike and Faith? Boy, he thought, what a couple those two would make…

Gunn came in at around two am, and shook his head at the vampire, "You haven't slept in days. I'll wait up for them. And wake you when they get in," he said in a rush to cut off Angel's intended words.

Angel sighed, nodding, before heading towards one of the bedrooms.

"What's going on?" Jade asked Gunn as he sat at the table.

"Couldn't sleep?" he asked.

"Nah, my stomach's all queasy. Thought maybe some warm milk might help."

Gunn nodded, "Faith and Spike haven't come back yet," he answered her question.

"Shouldn't we go look for them or something? Maybe they're in trouble," Jade said nervously. She had only known them for a couple days, but she liked Faith; she wasn't sure about Spike. He made her stomach hurt, but then so did Angel. She didn't know if it was a so-called slayer thing, or if it was just her. She hadn't asked the others mostly because she didn't think Briana would know, and Sarah was aloof with her, always looking down on her like she was inferior.

"Nah, we'll give them till dawn before we call in the cavalry. Don't worry, they'll show up eventually. Go on back to bed." She nodded and left the kitchen without her warm milk.

---

When the tranquilizer wore off, Spike and Faith found themselves in a large white room, with one wall made out of glass. On the other side of the glass, they could see people working.

"What the fu-" Faith started, but Spike interrupted her.

"Bloody government. I should have known they'd be here."

"What?" But Spike didn't have a chance to explain as a sandy-haired man walked up to the glass and hit the intercom button.

"Spike. I wish it was pleasant to see you again."

"Same here."

"Hey, I know you," Faith said, drawing the guy's attention from Spike, "You're that boy toy B was dating. You probably wouldn't recognize me though, I wasn't exactly myself," she said, grinning slightly at the memory, before remembering she was trying to reform. Of course, that memory brought back the conversation with Spike in Buffy's body, and all of a sudden she was torn in hoping that Spike didn't know that was her, and yet she wanted him to know…

"What are you doing here?" Spike asked Riley, ignoring Faith's sidetracking revelation, glaring at Riley through the glass. His question brought Riley's questioning gaze from Faith to Spike, but with the shifting of the gaze, it turned hard and cold.

"Cleaning up the mess, what do you think? Do you know the manpower going into covering this up? There's no way the habitants are going to believe this was a gang on PCP or the excuses that have been used in the past. And I'm almost certain that you and your new girlfriend have something to do with this."

Faith snorted, "Then we're on the same side. Let us out," Faith said, glaring at him.

"Who is she?" Riley asked Spike.

"I'm a slayer, now let me out before I break out," she threatened.

"This glass is the strongest glass known to man kind, it can stop an SUV going up to 50 miles per hour with minimal cracking," Riley told her idly.

"What the hell do you want?" Faith asked, trying not to lose her temper.

"Either your cooperation, or the knowledge that you will no longer interfere with our operations."

"We didn't know that that nest was one of your 'operations'!" Faith exploded. "We were simply doing a civil service." She didn't mention their guilt in all of the things that had been going on in the past few weeks.

"Like I believe that," Riley said, cutting his eyes to Spike, "Soul or not, I don't see you doing anything for the good of mankind, 'Doctor,'" Riley said sarcastically.

"Everyone makes mistakes in their youth," Spike said, leaning against the glass, staring at Faith rather than Riley as an intentional slight. "I think even you aren't immune to youthfulness, or do I have to remind you of the reason why you and the Slayer broke up?"

"Maybe she just didn't compare to me," Faith said, trying to hide her irritation at being kept against her will. Riley looked at her strangely once more, and Faith laughed on the inside, he still didn't know who she was! "Dawn!" she cried suddenly, pounding her fist against her forehead, and both Riley and Spike looked at her, worried, both obviously thinking about the younger Summers girl, "We're supposed to be back before dawn," Faith reminded Spike. "If we're not A-"

Spike interrupted her, "Yeah, or Charlie will flip," Spike gave her a look, and Faith realized that he didn't want Riley knowing about Angel. Faith also realized that there might be some issues there, since Riley had dated Buffy, and she mentally cringed, feeling sorry for Riley.

"How about this, you keep us in the loop, and we'll decide when we want to participate?" Faith said, trying to get out of lock up. "And that way, we'll know which operations we want to interrupt," she said, giving him a half smile.

"Not good enough. Either we have your full participation, or we need your word that you will not interfere."

"Look, Mister," Faith said, narrowing her eyes, "We've got some unfinished business in town, some payback that needs to be liberally distributed. We're no one's lap dogs, a-a mercenary you can call in when the need suits you. Either you take the occasional help we can offer, or get the hell out of our faces," Faith said.

After a moment Riley pushed another button and the door slid open. Faith and Spike walked out. Faith grabbed the pen out of Riley's shirt pocket and his hand, writing something on the back of his hand, "That's my number, business only." she told him, before tossing the pen at him and stalking off to find the exit. Spike smirked and followed her.

Once they were outside and a ways away from the building, Faith stripped off her ripped shirt, tossing it aside, walking down the street in just her black sports bra. Spike looked at her out of the corner of his eye, thinking that she looked rather sexy in her skintight pants and bra, with her toned midriff bared for the world to see.

Looking at her reminded of his surprise when she had pulled out the stake back at the house, "Where did you get that stake, anyway?" he asked her as they walked towards the general direction of the hotel and the apartment. "It's not like you've got any place to hide it."

"You mean this stake?" she asked, twirling it around in her fingers, smiling at him, "Your pocket. I wasn't exactly prepared to go off fighting vampires when I decided to leave Angel alone at the hotel."

"Ah," Spike said, quickening his pace. He was surprised, he had never even felt her picking his pocket.

"What's your rush?"

"Dawn. It's about half an hour away, and I'm not sure where the hell we are." She nodded, as they both broke stride into a quick jog, heading towards the center of the city.

---

"They're not back yet." It wasn't a question, and Gunn just nodded his head. "Go wake the girls," Angel told him.

"No need," Briana said, coming into the kitchen, "We were worried, and we couldn't sleep."

"Speak for yourself," Sarah muttered.

"Okay, Sarah, you stay here in case they come back. Jade and Briana go with Connor and search the south side. Gunn, you and I will search the north side." Just then the door opened, and Faith and Spike came in, Faith breathing a bit heavier than usual. "Where have you been?" he barked at them

"Ran into a bit of trouble, but nothing we couldn't handle, right?" Spike said, bumping Faith with his shoulder.

"Where's your shirt?" Angel asked Faith.

Faith looked down, as if she had forgotten, "That went with the trouble." She looked around at everyone's weary faces, "I'm beat. How about we all get some rest, and we'll explain at a more reasonable time?" She didn't wait for an answer, however, as she headed towards the room she shared with the slayers. Briana, Jade and Sarah followed her. As they went into the room, they heard Faith say, "If you so much as make a peep, I'm hogtying you, girl," before the door was closed.

Six hours later, Angel found Faith in the kitchen, cooking a grilled cheese sandwich for herself. Within a half hour, everyone else had trickled in, and Faith and Spike started telling what had happened to them. Angel watched the two banter and play off each other's words, and how they interrupted each other almost seamlessly.

After they had finished their story, and he had calmed down from the knowledge that Buffy's ex was in LA, Angel told them the idea that had been bombarding his brain ever since Jade and Connor had joined their group. They all seemed to agree that it was a good idea, and Angel asked Faith to help him out while everyone else caught up on sleep, knowing the slayer would agree. They took the tunnels, since they had only settled on an apartment building with sewer access, when Angel started the conversation with the question, "So, what do you think of Spike?"

Faith laughed, "That's a loaded question that could go in so many directions…"

"I mean, did he back you up before the commandos showed up?"

"We already went through that," Faith said, averting her gaze, "I think so. Everything happened pretty quickly, but yeah, he held his own. Why?"

"No reason," Angel said, then a minute later her asked, "So, do you like him?"

Faith laughed, "You're really bad at this prying thing, you know that, right?" She looked at him, and he was looking at her, "I don't know," she said once she was certain Angel wasn't going to give this up, "He's a nice guy and all, but I've learned all I need to know about this love crap from you and B. Heartache and misery. Not sure I want to go down that path."

"But it's not-" she looked at him, "Okay, so most of the time it is, but-"

"In the past, I would pull a one night stand, he's hot enough for at least that, and I've never slept with the undead before," she said, "all this fighting and slaying and stress is seriously getting to me, and it's not like I got any before this mess started. But…"

"But what?" he asked.

"I'm not so sure one night would be enough," she said softly. Angel didn't say anything, allowing her to think as he led the way up the ladder into the old hotel.

Within a week or so of almost round the clock work, the Hyperion was livable again. They moved in twenty-eight days after the battle in the alley behind the hotel. Angel offered a room to the Morris family, but they had declined. As requested, Angel had taken Connor over to meet them, and Briana as well, and though they were all on good terms with the family, they were thinking about leaving the city. Angel had encouraged them, and was almost relieved they hadn't wanted a room at the hotel, because he knew it would soon be demon central once they got organized, and he didn't want the family to know what he was, what he did.

Angel had stayed up almost two nights thinking about which rooms each of the team would like most. Finally, he put them in groups of two rooms with adjoining doors that could always be kept locked, and for some pairs, he hoped they would. Briana and Sarah he put closest to the stairs, knowing that the two, though they didn't get along very well, had history, even if it was only a year's worth. Across the hall he put Jade and Connor, since the girl seemed to be infatuated with his son, and Connor seemed to like looking out for the girl in a brotherly sort of way. Angel hoped that was all the feelings Connor would have for the girl. A couple rooms down from Sarah and Briana, Angel decided to put Faith and Spike, since they seemed to be spending a lot of time together, and though he knew the problems that might occur if a relationship occurred, he wanted Faith to be happy, and Spike if he had to be. Across from Faith and Spike's rooms, he put himself and Gunn, the only two left from the original Angel Investigations team.

On the day Angel gave out room assignments, he told them, "This should be our permanent home from now on, barring any unforeseen problems. It's not much now, there are still things to be fixed up, and things to buy, but your room is yours. You can do anything to it, barring any major remodeling. Plumbing should be working within a day, the water and electric bill has been paid."

The three girls rushed off to check out their rooms, already talking about changes they wanted to make without even seeing the room.

"I guess I should go find out what dump Peaches stuck me with," Spike said. Faith laughed and walked away with him.

"Are you sure you two are okay with this?" Angel asked in a low voice, looking from Connor to Gunn. "I know that sometimes memories can be overpowering…"

"It's fine, Dad," Connor said, "at least there's more room, more bathrooms, and no one has to sleep on the couch or floor."

Gunn agreed, "The place is a sight for sore eyes. It'll be fine."

Angel nodded, and the three of them stood there a moment, whether trying to remember, or fighting away memories the old hotel brought, none were sure. But it did mark a turning point in the war. They were no longer refugees, eating stolen food and living in an abandoned apartment. This would be home for all of them, not to mention a base of operations.

It was good to be home.

---

As Spike was looking around the room that would be his, a knock came at the locked door across from his bathroom. He opened it to find Faith standing here. "Pretty nifty, huh?" she asked, walking into the room.

"Yeah. And this door could come in handy," Spike said with feigned disinterest.

"There's, ah, something I wanted to tell you, something that's been bothering me for awhile, and I wanted to get it off my chest," Faith said.

"Not like I could stop you," Spike said, more interested than he liked.

"You know that time in, oh, February of 2000, when you met Buffy at the Bronze?" she started, not looking at him, "when she said that stuff about being able to have anything and one she wanted? That wasn't B. That was me."

"It didn't look like you," Spike said, his voice void of emotion.

Faith sighed, having to bear more of her soul, "Mayor Wilkins left me a gift that switched B and my bodies. When she said those things, about riding you and warm champagne, that was me in her body. I'm really sorry if it caused any problems for you," she said softly.

"Why, pet?" he asked, "Why are you telling me this? Don't tell me you're feeling guilty after all these years."

"I don't know," she said, "with everything that's happened, I'm trying to be a better person, and I'm really confused right now, and I just wanted to tell you I was sorry, since you seem nice as far as vampires go, and-"

He brushed his lips against hers, and she stopped mid-sentence. He pulled her to him and kissed her soundly for a moment, before letting her go, "I knew it was you all along, pet. The Slayer explained it to me after I confronted her about it. And just because you're sorry better not mean you didn't mean what you said. I was kinda waiting for the right moment to feel those muscles you were talking about," he said, his voice a low growl, before he turned away from her and left his room.

She stood there a moment, staring after him, before going into her room and closing the adjoining door. She stood staring at the door a moment, undecided about whether to lock it or not, before she turned and left it as it was.

All in all, things were going to get much more complicated before things settled out.

.END.