Like I said, writing up a storm! (I just thought how funny it would be if the last chapter was called "In which team bondage" occurs. Get it? 'cause she gets tied up! haha... :( )

It's so unbelievably difficult to write a story in the third person with names like "the Exterminator" and "the Repairman"

Mr. X, Cross, and Fox, are slightly easier to work with :)

And FIRST WESLEY SIGHTING!

*glomps!* For you, Peaches :) Thanks for the quick review haha

In which team bonding occurs

Evangeline awoke feeling something heavy sitting on her chest, and a thin sheath covering the contours of her face. Sputtering, she drew in a shaky breath, restricted by the heavy block of wax. She struggled to move the muscles of her face, each time creating tiny feather-like cracks in her face.

"Hey, look who's up?" Immediately, she felt a strong par of hands roughly brushing the stray pieces of the healing solution from her face.

"What the hell am I lying in?" Her limited range of motion only allowed her to see a fraction of the room. It looked dank and dungeon like, both characteristics that did not work to her advantage. The stark environment she suddenly found herself in made her wonder if she had done something stupid before she passed out; maybe got blood on the Loom of Fate or something.

She grimaced as the hands that were previously helping to crack the waxy layer patted her cheeks roughly. "Don't worry, you're in the healing room. The Repairman did quite a number on you, little lady." Looking up, she noticed for the first time that the voice belonged to Cross. "And to answer your question, it's some special healing formula. Don't ask me exactly what it is, I don't like chemistry."

"Am I naked…" She looked up at the man accusingly. He simply held his hands up in a gesture of innocence.

"Don't worry. Fox took care of all that. I didn't see any girly parts."

Evangeline released the breath she was holding and closed her eyes, wincing when she realized that her body still ached. A man identified as the Exterminator earlier came forward from the shadows, cradling a rat in one hand and a bottle of Russian vodka in the other.

"Oooh! Wakey, wakey." He thrust the bottle into the hands of Cross who promptly unscrewed the cap and took a swig for himself before holding it towards Evangeline, still trapped in the tub.

"Oh, wait. I forgot. You're just a kid, and the Fraternity does not condone underage drinking." Evangeline simply rolled her eyes.

"But I suppose tying people down to chairs and beating them senseless is ok?"

"Ok, since you want it so badly. Shh. Don't tell Sloane." Closing with a wink, he fills the cap with the clear liquid and fed it gently to the girl. Evangeline felt the liquor burn its way down her throat and coughed lightly.

"Am I allowed to get out?"

"You'll have to wait for Fox. Unless I'm allowed to see." Looking from the acerbic glare on her face, he lurched himself to his feet and departed with a short wave over his shoulder. The Exterminator took his place, still petting the rat.

"Is that a watch on the rat?" The man, obviously not used to people being interested in his designs, perked up considerably.

"Yes. It's an idea that I'm working on. You strap explosives to these little critters here and release them." Evangeline raised her eyebrow. "You'd need thousands."

"How would you get them?" she questioned innocently.

"They're smart creatures, but they love… peanut butter." She almost burst out laughing. Peanut butter. The man's accent was pleasantly laced with a foreign one. Russian if she would have to guess, and she was actually enjoying his company before the sound of heels clicking against stone announced the arrival of Fox, who thankfully was carrying a set of clothing.

"I'll take over from here." Truth be told, Evangeline was always a little weary of the woman. She always watched with an air of amusement as Evangeline was training. Her characteristic smirk was unsettling and there was always the sneaking suspicion in Evangeline's mind that the woman was some sort of sadist. But the way she looked at her now, with a sort of softness in her eyes made her think twice about the classification.

"Heard you took quite a beating yesterday."

Evangeline shot her a crooked grin. "I'm in here, aren't I?"

There was a slight pause as Fox turned up a dial on the floor next to the tub. The hard wax began to soften, eventually turning clear and liquidized enough to allow Evangeline to pull herself from the hole. Just as she rose from the tub, trying pitifully to cover her nakedness, Fox tossed a towel at her.

"Nice job, kid." And with that she turned on her heel and walked out of the room, leaving the newest recruit to dress alone.

Minutes later, Evangeline was back in her room at the window on the far wall. She pulled gingerly at her lips, examining her remaining cuts and bruises in the reflection of the glass panes. A sudden sound a truck door slamming directed her attention past the barrier of glass. It looked like a delivery of some sort. The Butcher was out back in the loading docks waiting for Mr. X who went around to the back of the truck and opened it. The two men stepped forward and pulled something out. It was covered in a bloody sheet, but was unmistakably a body. Evangeline felt the blood run cold in her veins. She turned away and caught Sloane just as he was preparing to knock on the doorframe.

"I hope you're feeling better, Ms. Chang, but we do have much to do, today, and a very limited time to do it." Resigned, Evangeline followed the man out the door.

It was another several hours before she was allowed to rest again. She stumbled into the dining area and all but collapsed, or rather unceremoniously dumped herself in a seat next to the Exterminator. "Look who it is." A frown spread across his face as he took in her disheveled appearance. "Whew. Could've taken a shower before you came to dinner."

Too tired to protest, Evangeline presented a rather rude gesture, catching the attention of Cross as he passed with a plate of food balanced in his hands. "That's not a very lady-like gesture." He slipped onto the bench across from her. The man was taking a rather paternal interest in the girl and was having just as much fun watching over her as he was teasing her. It seemed strange to any other passer by that he would form such an attachment so quickly, but to those who knew him, it was hardly a surprise.

This trait in him made things especially difficult when he had to be separated from his wife and newborn son. In fact, whenever he looked at Evangeline, he was vaguely reminded that she younger than Wesley would be. He would be lying if he didn't admit to keeping tabs on his boy. Right now, his son lived a perfectly ordinary life, perfectly boring life, completely unaware of the genetic gift he had.

In the last few hours, he had found himself looking at the small girl, wondering to himself why wasn't it Wesley who was here instead of her. She was too young. Only eighteen. Wesley was in his twenties already, more than ready to take on the task. Sure, he was a bit more spastic than she was, but he could be taught, coached.

There was nothing to be done. Since he couldn't be with Wesley, Evangeline would have to do. No doubt, she would miss her father. No doubt, he missed his son. It was a win-win for everyone.

"What's your name going to be hm?" Evangeline looked up at Cross, clearly confused. What was her name going to be? The Exterminator piped up.

"That's right! Evangeline isn't exactly the most threatening of names." She couldn't help but crack a smile at that. It certainly wasn't.

"Well my parents didn't exactly have assassin in mind when they named me." Soon the entire table was involved. The Gunsmith, coming in soon after Evangeline sat next to Cross, Fox eating next to the Exterminator, and Mr. X who had come with the Butcher and were sitting at the far end of the bench.

"Kid?"

"What self-respecting assassin would call themselves 'Kid'"

"Worked for Billy the Kid didn't it?"

"Wasn't exactly an assassin, now was he?"

"Something about Angel?"

"Angel of Death?"

"That's tacky, and too long."

"What about just Eve, or Eva or something?"

"You might as well just have said let's give her a nickname."

"Fits her doesn't it?"

"Eh, we'll work on it…"

As the team jostled around her, Evangeline felt for the first tine in the days that she's been here, a sense of community. As corny as it was, it felt like a family, and for the first time, she felt like staying here wasn't going to be so bad after all.

I hope this chapter is as funny as I thnk it is...

I know we didn't get to see a lot of Cross in the movie, but I like writing these types of characters...so.. why not haha?

Review as always :D