DISCLAIMER: No harm, no foul towards Joss or any of his amazing
writing team. I do not own any of the characters represented in this
fanfic except those I create myself, nor do I claim otherwise.
DEDICATION: This story is dedicated to Miss Kitty of the BuffyNFaith and
DAoV yahoo groups. For giving me Faith (pun intended) in fanfic and in
Buffy/Faith fic in particular. Without her brilliant writing none of this
would've been possible.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This fic was originally started with 2 versions of the same
story but due to the incredible creative stress it put on me I kept the
first version and stopped writing the second version. I may go back and
finish the second version when this version is finished (whenever that'll
be) but for now I'm just writing the one version. Enjoy.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Forgotten Conscience
Two roads, one path
By Christopher Andrews
"Patient B12 has escaped sir."
"What? How could she have escaped?"
"I don't know sir, I went in to check on her like I always do and she was gone."
"Coma patients do not just get up and walk away."
"I'm sorry sir, but this one did."
"Find her you fools, I want this whole hospital searched, find her or I'll nail your balls to the floor."
"Yes, sir"
Someone's POV
Where the hell am I, and why the hell am I so out of breath?
I'm running, but what am I running from?
I-I can't remember, why can't I remember?
Running seems to be working for me so I'll keep doing it.
I wish I knew what I was running from.
I hear a noise in the distance, it's a train.
Good I can get out of this fucking town. Wait a second I don't even know where it is I'm running from so how do I know I want out? Might as well, it's not like I have any family in this town.
Now how the fuck would I know that?
The train slowly gets faster as I run along side it and search for a car to hop on. Hmm, medical syringes? No, I don't think so, eww garbage; too stinky. Hey, pillow factory supplies, sounds promising. I can survive that long until I get to LA. When did I decide on LA? Oh well at least it's away from her.
Elsewhere
"Did you find her?"
"No sir, she's gone."
"The boss will have our asses if she's not returned. Go and find her, you have one week, if she's not returned don't ever show your face in this town again. Now go"
"B-But sir it's noon."
"So you'll get an extreme tan, so what? Find her or the boss will find you, and you know what that'll mean."
"Yes sir."
Someone's POV
Fuck I must have dosed off because I was so comfortable. The train comes to a stop and I look out to see where the fuck I've woken up in.
Los Angeles? Well at least my brain knows what its doing because I sure don't.
I take a moment to look around and jump off just as the train starts pulling away. I turn toward the city and start walking. Voices yell out.
"Hey you, what the hell do you think you're doing?"
Uh-oh, it's time to start running again. Of course for me to run away my legs would actually have to move. Okay legs, MOVE. MOVE damn you. I turn around and face the two large men now heading my way.
This was not quite what I had in mind. I'd rather not deal with going to jail right now. Now I better stop fucking around and RUN THE OTHER WAY. Against my better judgement I start walking towards them and for some reason I feel like swaying my hips as I do.
What the hell am I doing? Maybe I can talk my way out of this.
"What's a pretty young thing like you train hopping for?"
God, why do men have to be such pigs?
"Well I needed a ride and I don't have any money."
I don't, do I? I stuff my hands in my pockets and fish around in the emptiness, nope, nothing. I pull my pockets inside out.
"See, broke doesn't really go over well with the ticket booth."
"Well train hopping is illegal, we're gonna have to turn you in."
"Hey now, maybe we can come to some sort of… agreement."
I'm sure if I wasn't eerily calm that I would have felt a shiver by now. Yet still I seem to be sauntering toward them. Even as they start circling me like a pair of hungry tigers the only thing that hits me is this sudden wave of adrenaline.
"Well what if I promised never to do it again."
Oh great, I don't think they'll accept your solemn oath. Circling like a pair of vultures they close the gap and I can smell the sweat of anticipation on them.
"Oh I dunno babe it's our civic duty to report anything illegal."
"You might have to promise us a little something… more."
I feel a sharp pinch on my ass and it's like I just snap. I do a 180, grabbing the hand on my ass as I do and I twist it hard bringing him to a bent over position.
"You fucking bitch, get her Manny!"
The other guy runs toward me but a swift kick in the gut sends him flying ten feet into a pile of wood. I guess this is why I wasn't afraid. I think it's time I opened negotiations.
"So what kind of…" I twist his arm a little harder. "… agreement did you have in mind?"
"N-Never mind"
"No really! I'd really like to know."
"I-I'm sorry I... please let me go."
He seems reluctant, I twist his arm a little more and he screams with pain.
"I'm not sure we're communicating properly, let's try this again."
I raise my leg, bend my knee and hover it over his shoulder.
"Don't please, don't."
I drop all my weight on his shoulder. I feel his shoulder break as it hits the gravel and he screams in pain. Surprisingly he didn't pass out from the pain. Surprisingly, Have I broken arms before? He starts crying like a baby.
"Please stop, PLEASE I'm sorry."
I hear the other get up and head this way. What the fuck am I doing? I should have run by now, why haven't I run away?
"Maybe your buddy will be a little more receptive."
The other guy inches toward me in a boxing stance, he throws the first punch and I dodge it like avoiding a fly. In a blur, I bend his arm back at the elbow and sweep his legs out from under him. In moments I'm sitting on his stomach and leaning on his shoulder with my full weight.
"I guess not."
What the fuck am I saying? Leave! Just go and they won't bother you ever again.
I see a piece of wood next to his head. I get this urge to pick it up and break a piece off. My arm is shaking as I lord the stake over him. He looks up at me with fear and disbelief but for some reason it fills me with joy. I feel this weird vibe as I thrust the stake into his heart, it's like this energy starts flowing through my veins as the life seems to drain from his eyes.
I roll off him and sit in the dirt. What the fuck am I doing? H-He's dead, I-I killed him. Oh my god I just killed a man.
Please someone tell me I didn't just kill a man, someone? I have to do something, I have to get away from here.
I hear footsteps edging towards me.
"Please go away, I-I don't wanna have to hurt you."
I look up at him and he takes a few steps back.
"Run, please, before I have to kill you too."
He starts backing away slowly like avoiding a snake on alert. I get up to square off with him and he bolts out of here like a dog off his leash. I stand watching him run until he becomes a blur. As soon as I see he's out of range I look down at the dead body beside me.
What have I done? What am I doing? What am I going to do? I feel the tears in my eyes and my head drop into my hands. Oh my god, I just killed a man. I feel the tears start pouring like a flood. Oh my god, I just killed a man. That thought just keeps running through my head. I just killed a man. I killed a man. Dear god I just killed someone.
I hear people coming this way. I-I have to get out of here… B-Before someone sees me. I get up to run and wipe the tears from my eyes with my shirt. I look down at my shirt and realize none of my make up came off, I feel my face. It's probably because I don't have any make-up on.
I hear people getting closer and I decide whether or not I put on make up this morning is NOT my biggest problem right now.
Two men and a woman come around the corner. I think it's time I make a hasty retreat.
"Hey you, what are you doing?"
So much for a hasty retreat, I bolt out of there in the opposite direction, I hear two people coming after me which stops as I hear one of them trip over the dead body. Wait, I don't actually know that he's dead, he could still be alive.
Okay I think that's what's known as grasping at straws. You stabbed him in the fucking heart, and you think he's still alive? Where the fuck's your head at? Well I guess if you knew where your head was you wouldn't have amnesia would you? I hope I wasn't this stupid when I had a memory. Then again I probably went around KILLING people for no particular reason so I didn't have time to think. I gotta find a place to hide before someone recognizes me.
I finally get out of the train station and into the city. People disappear in LA all the time I won't be any different. I turn down an alley and shift into high gear.
Angel's POV
He hits me with a flurry of punches. For fuck's sake Angel, you're 300 years old, you've faced Armageddon more times than you can count and you let a little punk get the best of you. Okay stop complaining about it and FIGHT BACK! I grab his right arm and twist it forward. He flips out of it and runs toward the girl.
Christ man, you're SUPPOSED to be a protector of the innocent, START PROTECTING! I run after him and manage to tackle him before he gets to her. I look up at her and she's shaking in fear.
"Run!"
She runs down the alley to freedom, good, now I can concentrate on… FUCK. I fall backwards as he elbows me in the head. There's a loud noise from down the alley, I think its two people colliding. Damn, the stupid punk has friends. I get up to square off and prepare for a two on one situation. I hear the innocent and the vamp talking.
"The-the-there is a-a, there's a…"
"There's a what?"
I know that voice.
"It's a…"
"There's a what? Come on lady, I haven't got all night."
She can't be here she's… I block a jab and return the favour with three of my own which connect with his face. He's thrown against a dumpster and he has to take a moment to regroup.
"There's a… there's a…"
"See the problem with 20 questions is that I'm not allowed to ask the same question twice."
Why didn't someone tell me she was here?
"To hell with you, I'll go find out for myself."
I see her come into view. It is, it's, it's…
"FAITH"
Chapter 2
Confessions of a Deadly Mind
Angel's POV
Why didn't Buffy tell me she was out of her coma? I know we aren't exactly on speaking terms but this is big. She should've sent word.
Faith looks over at me, then at the vampire and then back at me. We lock eyes. Wait, something's different, something in her eyes I've never seen before. She attacks the vamp, a roundhouse kick and a stake to the heart makes quick work of the vampire. Faith looks over at the young girl, stake still in hand, and she starts toward the victim.
Oh shit, I've gotta stop her before she goes on another killing spree. I sprint to her and manage to grab her in a chicken wing type hold.
"Don't do it Faith. I can't let you do it."
Maybe I can still saver her.
"Do what? I was just gonna help her up."
Who the hell do you think you're kidding Faith?
"Yeah and I'm supposed to believe you were gonna stake an innocent as a token of our friendship? Not after what you've done. Run, GO!"
The young woman runs until she turns the corner of the alley.
Ah shit. She hits me with an elbow to my stomach, then two more. I don't have time to react as she head butts me and I'm forced to break the hold. I step back a few steps and take a fighting stance.
"I-I didn't mean to kill them, the-they attacked m-me."
Things are never easy with Faith. There it is again, that look of… something.
"Yeah and all those people just sort of lined up to be staked right?"
I throw three punches and each of them misses. Come on Angel, you gotta step it up a notch if you're gonna stop a slayer.
"All those people…"
"Yeah, don't play dumb with me Faith. I know you're smarter than that."
Why isn't she attacking? I throw two more punches and a roundhouse and again she backs off. The look on her face almost makes me believe she's afraid of me.
"I-I please, it-I only, I don't want to… I don't wanna hurt you I…"
"Yeah, okay, last time we met you tried to poison me."
I throw a fake jab and duck for a leg sweep and it finally takes her down. I quickly scramble on top of her and we struggle for an edge. She's not using all her slayer strength, this is too easy. What game are you playing?
"I-I, it was just, I didn't…"
"Didn't what? What game are you playing Faith?"
"There were two of them, I-I didn't mean to…"
There's that look again, but it quickly turns to a look of desperation as I pin her arms to the pavement.
Cool mo Faith with desperation on her face, something is seriously wrong with this picture. She struggles like a little girl and I know this is wrong.
"There were only two… only two of them."
I move off of her and she starts hitting me like a weakling. Her punches are so soft I barely feel them. I stand up and step away from her. As I look down at her I can tell this is not the cold blooded killer I used to know.
"Please go away, there, I-I don't wanna hurt you I… please, don't, I…"
She looks down at her hands and sees the blood on them. She panics. She curls up into the fetal position and tries to wipe the blood off on the ground.
What's wrong with her? Does she not remember what she's done? I crouch down next to her and extend a hand to calm her.
"Faith"
She scrambles to back away until she's stopped by the dumpster.
"Don't; don't come any… anywhere near me. I-I don't wanna hurt y-you."
I gotta calm her down before she freaks out and hurts someone. She takes a swing at me before I can get too close.
"Faith please, you have to calm down. You're gonna hurt yourself."
"I… there were two of them, I just, I just wanted…"
"What Faith? What did you want?"
She lets me get close enough to touch her shoulder and she seems to calm under my touch. This is not the Faith that tried to kill me. Something has happened to her, something horrible.
"I just didn't want them to, hurt me and I…"
I get close enough to hug her and she starts to calm down. As I put my arms around her she reaches out and hugs my ribs.
"It's okay Faith, its okay. You can trust me."
"I-I-I-... I, I…"
"What did you do?"
"I… it… they… and I…"
Don't push her Angel. You'll risk total breakdown. She isn't giving you much right now and if you push her she'll shut down.
"It's okay you can trust me. What have you done?"
Shit, you shouldn't have said it THAT way.
"I-I-I-I-I-…"
Uh-Oh, here it comes.
I-I can't."
She pushes me away and gets up trying to run. She stops and looks back at me. She wants to tell me, I can see it in her eyes. She's afraid to tell me because she thinks I'll turn her in.
"It's okay, I won't tell anyone. I won't turn you in."
Stop it Angel, being direct is not what she needs right now. I need to do something; I need to show her that I won't hurt her. I get up and walk towards her, slowly so as not to startle her and make her run off. I manage to get close enough to put my arm around her; I pull her in close and hold her tight.
"It's okay, it's, okay you, you don't have to tell me. I can help you, its okay."
She squeezes my ribs and I know this isn't gonna be easy.
Chapter 3
Trust
John's POV
"We have to find her; we came all the way to L.A. to find her on a fucking rumour."
"Yeah well if she ain't here that guy's dead."
"Actually it wasn't a he."
"She's dead."
"It's actually not a she either."
Fuck I need to kill Dave one of these days. He's always correcting me.
"Well whatever the fuck it was I'm gonna slit its fucking throat if it was lying to us."
"You can't kill a Carthedge demon by slitting its throat John."
"Well I'll fucking set it on fire or drown it or some shit like that all right? Jesus Christ in a fucking taxi cab Dave sometimes I wonder why the boss hasn't dusted you yet. You're always pissing everyone the fuck off."
"Hey I'm the only one who actually takes the time to learn the shit so… Holy shit, stop the car."
I slam on the breaks and brace myself for the pile of cars that never crash. This better be fucking important.
"John, look"
I look out his window at the street and don't see her.
"What? What the fuck am I looking for?"
Look, look there."
I follow his finger with my eyes. I smack him as I see what he's pointing at.
"We don't have time for you to whack off, put your dick back in your fucking…"
"Look, look on the street it's her!"
Holy shit he's right.
"Holy shit, you're right."
All this time we've been searching without sleep and all we had to do is drive down one little street and there she is. But wait, who's she with?
"Hey Dave, who is that she's with"
"I-I don't know, he seems to be helping her though. Get a little closer and maybe we can identify him."
I release the parking break and start to follow him down the street. Jesus Christ, this isn't obvious, we need a better plan.
"Can you see who it is yet?"
"I-I can't quite make… Oh shit! I-We have to get reinforcements."
"What? Why? Who is it?"
"I-It's Angel."
"Angel? You mean Angelus Angel, the same Angel who kills hundreds of us a week Angel, protector of the innocent Angel?"
"Yes that Angel."
"Well then I guess it's a good thing I'm gonna ram him with the car ain't it?"
Angel's POV
That car has been following us for a couple blocks now, whoever it is must want me to know they're following us; I better come up with an escape plan fast otherwise… I hear someone gun their motor; I guess I'm out of time. Faith, I have to protect Faith. She's obviously in no condition to fight. Okay so where's the quickest easiest way to escape.
I look behind me and I see a bouncer standing at the entrance of a building. Perfect, a club, I can just disappear into the crowd with Faith. She's clinging to like it was for dear life so I don't think I'm gonna lose her. Well it's still my best option, and as I look at the car barrelling down on us I realize it's our only option. As Faith sees the car I feel her trying to pull away but I hold on. Just a few seconds more, just a few seconds more Faith.
NOW! I jump out of the way just in time pulling Faith with me, making sure she lands on me and not the other way around. Oh fuck, that's gonna hurt tomorrow, Faith.
"Faith, are you okay?"
"I dunno about this Faith person you keep talking about but I think I'm okay."
Hun…? That didn't sound like a joke to me. I-It couldn't be, could it? Oops no time to finish that thought the stalker thugs are coming to, time to disappear. I get up and dust myself off before helping Faith up.
"All right, come on Faith let's…"
As I try to lead her away she rips her hand from mine.
"You tried to kill me…"
This isn't the time for this.
"No actually I think that was the guy trying to run us over with the car."
"How do I know they were trying to run me over? Maybe they just wanted to run YOU over."
"Would you like to stick around and ask them?"
She looks over at the thugs for a moment and then back at me, I can almost see the wheels turning in her head. After a moment of indecision she grabs my outstretched hand and off we go. We walk down the street so as to try and blend in with the crowd but I look back and see the two thugs starting to follow us, okay time to get into high gear. We reach the club but get stopped by the bouncer.
"Authorization"
Fuck, I don't have time for this.
"I don't have time for this."
"Authorization"
He seems reluctant to cooperate.
"Look we just need to use the exit in the back."
"That exit is for use by authorised customers only."
Oh come on.
"Authorization"
I didn't wanna have to do this, but those guys behind us ain't gonna slow down.
"You leave me no choice, I'm sorry."
I take a quick wind up and sock him a super human strength punch. Sometimes being a vampire with a soul has its advantages you know? We enter the club as the bouncer takes a second to regroup. Wow, I can see why they hired him I can't see many humans being able to take him down. I take a few steps in and see, okay this isn't the kind of club I was hoping it was.
Bouncer's POV
What the fuck? I'm gonna fucking kill whoever that guy was. I see two people running toward the club. Not again, okay I ain't letting these guys through. It doesn't matter what their reasons. I stop them at the door and they protest.
"Hey, let us in."
Be tough.
"Authorization"
I love the looks on people's faces when I say that.
"Look just let us in, we have to…"
"You don't have to nothing."
Don't have to nothing? Is that even a real sentence?
"Go do your circle jacking somewhere else."
Ha, I make a jacking off motion so they know what I'm talking about.
"Hey, we don't wanna see the fucking show, we just… That guy that just decked you, he's Angel."
Whoa, really? That was "the" Angel?
"Really, you mean that was 'the' Angel? Wow, so why didn't he just show me his authorization when he had the chance? He is a vampire after all?"
Wow, THE Angel just decked me? How cool.
"Why what kind of club is this?"
Duh, it's…
"The Vampire Lounge only vamps allowed."
The two of them smile at each other but suddenly their faces get all contorted and their fangs grow.
"Let us in."
Well, they've got authorization.
I step to the side and pull back the curtain.
"Right this way gentleman, enjoy."
I hope they destroy each other.
Chapter 4
Backfiring
Faith's POV
"This is not what I had in mind."
Oh great, I have no fucking clue who I am, I've got two people trying to kill me and the only one I seem to trust's plan just backfired. He starts to lead me through the barrage of horny men for some reason I feel drawn to them. Even though everything about them makes me wanna slit their throats.
We enter the backstage area and it hits me.
I wanted every person in that room dead. That thought just triggers something in me. Everything starts to blur and I trip over my own feet and I drop to the floor. I lay there for a minute as this guy realizes what's going on. All of the sudden I feel a sharp pain in the back of my head.
I'm standing in front of this girl; I think we're squaring off. She throws three punches and I'm dodging them easy, I duck for a leg sweep and she drops flat on her back. I quickly crawl on top of her and try and pin her down, she tries grabbing at me to escape but I pin her arms above her head. God she's beautiful. I brush her blonde bangs out of her face and stare down into her beautiful eyes.
"FAITH"
What? What's going on?
"Hun"
"We have to get out of here or those guys will catch us and you're in no condition to fight."
What the hell was that? I hear someone coming this way. Screw it, I'll figure it all out later as weird as this guy is I trust him, at least I trust him more than I trust whoever's chasing us. I get up off the floor and we get out the back door.
John's POV
We burst into the backstage area. I can't see them.
"Do you see them Dave?"
"No"
Fuck, we gotta find a better plan.
"The boss is gonna have our asses for this."
Not if we can stop her before SHE gets to her. A door closes and we both jump. We race towards it and find ourselves in a back alley. I look left he looks right, we switch directions.
"I don't see them."
I don't see them, either.
"It doesn't matter; we know where they're going."
"It doesn't matter? Are you KIDDING ME? If she's with Angel then it's only a matter of time before SHE gets here."
"Fuck, don't you think I already fucking know that?"
"Then you know what will happen if she gets here don't you?"
Jesus Christ of course I know what will happen. It's all the boss ever talks about, that's why we were assigned to keep the girl from waking up.
"We don't know for sure what will happen."
"Would you like to just stand around and find out?"
"No god damn it let's get ourselves some picks and shovels and some other tools."
"What for…?"
"Cause we're gonna dig us some graves."
Cordelia's POV
I wonder if I should get the black pumps or the heels today. Hmm, maybe I should get them both. Angel will know, he's good at this kind of thing. It's too bad Buffy burned him the way she did, or was it he who burned her? Anyway he'd be a great guy to work for if he wasn't so Buffy broody all the time. Where the hell is he anyway?
He's usually come out of that dank pit he calls home by the time I get to work. I get into the elevator and press down. Something must be wrong. Oh good work Cordy, that thought crosses your mind AFTER you trap yourself in a basement with very few exits and something that probably KILLED Angel. Wow what a great detective you are. You know what? Fuck that this thing may be big and bad but it has never faced anything like Queen C the Super Bitch.
I start tip toeing around the basement, if I can get the jump on it I may actually stand a better chance at living through this. I peek around the corner to Angel's bedroom and something goes flying out of there so fast it knocks me over.
"Ow fuck, so much for the element of surprise."
I look up at what knocked me over, Angel.
"All right Angel what the hell is going on?"
He whispers his answer back.
"Shush, Cordelia not so loud."
Who the hell does he think he is telling me…? Wait, why am I supposed to be quiet?
"Why?"
"You'll wake her."
As soon as he said that he cringed.
Her…? Oh no, her? I get up and head towards Angel's bedroom. If he and Buffy… then Angel must be all evil and… Oh my god, it's Faith! What? Wait, Faith, Angel and Faith? No wait, Faith still has her clothes on, oh good. Now all I have to do is deal with the psychopathic SERIAL KILLER IN THE BASEMENT!
Angel runs up behind me and covers my mouth right before I scream.
"Wait, whoa, shush. Let's not let's not have this conversation here."
We walk towards the elevator and get on. As we go up I take his hand off my mouth.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing, Faith? You just woke up last night and decided what the hell; I think I'll kidnap a psychotic killer coma patient or something?"
"No I… I didn't think…"
We get to the top; he opens the doors and starts back walking.
Yeah you better believe it.
"That's right Angel you obviously weren't thinking, you need to get her back to that hospital before someone realizes she's gone."
"I think they already know."
Oh good this is gonna be fun.
"You're gonna get arrested for kidnapping you know? What if they put you in a cell with a nice sunrise view? You won't have time to become somebody's bitch cause you'll be a pile of dust. What the f…"
"Cordelia, shut up. I didn't kidnap her. I didn't find her, she found me."
Oh okay, well of course that makes it okay to have an evil killing machine move in downstairs.
"Besides you didn't see the shape she was in when I saw her."
"Oh so she looked cold and lonely and slightly less whorish than usual so you said 'Ah what the hell'?"
"Damn it Cordelia would you just shut up and let me explain?"
Oh this should be good, I step back and shift all my weight on to my back foot crossing my arms in front of me as I do.
"Look Cordy when she came out of nowhere it sounded like the old Faith but as she took out the vamp I was fighting I could see there was something different. When she dusted him she panicked as if she'd never seen one before, then she went into full on hysterical mode. She kept begging me to get away so she couldn't hurt me."
God how gullible can Angel get?
"And it never occurred to you that she might be faking it to get you to trust her? She's faked our friendship before; she might be doing it all over again."
Yeah good point Cordy, stick it to him.
"Look, I can smell fear and she reeked of it last night. She's not faking anything."
Awe shit, can't fight the nose, with that vamp sense of smell and all.
"Well… well what the hell are you gonna do with her now?"
"I'm not sure; I don't think she recognized me when she saw me but something deep down told her to trust me. All I can do right now is attempt and build on that, everything else will come later."
I walk over to my desk and pick up the phone.
"Who are you calling?"
"A friend"
Chapter 5
Wesley
Cordelia's POV
I listen to the phone ring. Damn it Wesley pick up the fucking phone already.
Why is it people never pick up the phone when you're in a crisis situation?
"Hello?"
"Hey Wesley"
"Cordelia, what's wrong?"
Every time I call someone that's all I hear, what's wrong?
"Is the world coming to an end?"
"No not yet anyway but you never know."
"So what do you need?"
"It's Faith."
"What about her?"
"She's…"
"She's what? Is she waking up?"
"She's here."
"What? What do you mean she's here? She's where?"
"She's here, at the office. Angel found her wandering the streets."
"I'll bring my shotgun…"
The phone clicks. OH SHIT…
"Wait Wesley, no!"
Angel grabs the phone from me and slams it on the table.
"You called Wesley? What the hell are you trying to get her killed? You know how Wesley feels about Faith, what if he panics and calls the Watcher's Council? They'll raid the place and take her away."
Yeah, and?
"So what if they did? She's a killer Angel, a vicious cold blooded killer and I can't understand why you're protecting her."
She's and evil killing machine nothing more.
"Everyone deserves a second chance Cordelia."
"There are some people who just don't deserve it."
"Did you?"
Hun
"What?"
"Did you deserve a second chance?"
"What are you talking about?"
"When I first met you I thought you were a self absorbed money grubbing bitch, but when you came to work for me I decided to give you a second chance. You've proven to be a good and noble person, not like the person I thought you were."
Awe gee the guilt card.
"Yeah but…"
"All I'm asking for is for you to give her the same chance."
"Angel I didn't kill half the people in Sunnydale and try and kill the other half."
"I did."
"What?"
"I tried to kill half of Sunnydale and send everyone to hell. I've done horrible evil things and killed more people than I can count…"
"That's different."
"Why?"
"Because you were evil then, but you're a good person now and…"
"So why should Faith be any different? Why can't she learn to be a good person and help people?"
"It's just not the same."
It isn't.
"Why not"
"She had a soul from the beginning, she had a choice and she chose to be evil."
"You're wrong. I had my choice made for me; I was cursed with a soul, to live with the pain and suffering I had caused. Faith has a choice now; can she live with what she's done? And we have to help her through it no matter what that choice may be. We all have to make that choice sometime. Can we live with knowing what we know? We have to make a choice, but more than that we have to decide what kind of person we want to be. Faith ahs seen the deepest darkest part of herself and she has to learn to live with that."
What about the amnesia? Wait is it amnesia? We don't even know if she has anything at all. She could still be lying to us.
"What about her forget me everything memory? If she can't remember any of the horrible things she's done, then what?"
"Then we teach her. We teach her about being a slayer and about her destiny."
"What if she can't deal and goes all psycho killer, trying to kill us and all that fun stuff?"
"Then we'll have to stop her."
"How, by sitting her down and explain what she did was wrong? Why don't I just bend her over my knees and spank her?"
Whoa, now that's a disturbing visual, me sitting in a chair with Faith lying face first on my knees while I... Okay what the hell am I doing? God I really need a boyfriend.
"I'll stop her by any means necessary if I have to."
"Yeah and while you try she picks us off one by one."
"Look there is only 3 ways out of the basement and if you're that concerned about it I'll block off the stairs and the elevator so the only person she can hurt is me."
Wait, but, he's gonna lock himself down there with her? That's suicide she's a slayer, he's a vampire it's bound to end badly. He must really believe she has no memory or he'd never do that. I…
"Okay, if you need my help then, I'll…"
The door bursts open and Wesley charges through, shotgun raised. Oh shit, he's gonna kill her.
John's POV
"Yes sir, I understand sir, I'm sorry sir. Yes sir, I know I understand the significance of what this means for you. Yes sir, for us too, I know sir…"
The boss is really letting him have it. I'm glad I made Dave call the boss instead of doing it myself.
"Yes sir, I understand sir. Two into one sir, yes sir. Two into one must be stopped, yes sir. That's why I called you sir. We have a plan sir. Yes sir, that's the idea sir. We called you to request the army sir. Yes sir, I know you didn't raise the army for this reason sir but if she's with Angel then we have to go through him to get to her before SHE gets here; the 9th platoon? Yes sir, I appreciate, we appreciate your willingness to help sir."
The 9th platoon; perfect, we can do it with the 9th platoon.
Dave looks over at me looking for my approval and I nod. Hey maybe if I'm lucky Dave will get caught in the crossfire and the boss will have to give me a new partner. Hmm, idea accepted, concept approved.
"They'll be here by sundown? Yes sir, we appreciate your expedience on this issue, it will be resolved by midnight tonight, thank you sir, goodbye sir."
Dave hangs up his phone and turns to me.
"The 9th platoon is coming; they'll be here by…"
"I have ears Dave. I could hear everything. We need to get started."
Faith's POV
I'm standing in front of that girl again. I look around but can't make anything out, it's a big room but well that's about all I can make out. It feels familiar somehow but… shit, she throws the same three punches and the first one nicks my chin but the other two I dodge without effort.
I duck for a leg sweep and take her feet out from under her as she drops flat on her back. I crawl on top of her again and pin her down. She tries grabbing at me and I pin her arms about her head with one hand and look down at her and I think I stopped breathing, her beauty just hits me like a punch in the face. I brush her blonde bangs out of her face and stare down into her beautiful eyes.
I can see by the look on her face she's not afraid of me, I guess we're not trying to kill each other.
All of the sudden I pull my hand back and the look on her face changes to pure terror. I feel my hand clench and I have this uncontrollable urge and I punch her in the face.
I sit up.
Holy shit what the hell was that? Is-is-what did I do? Could that be what I was running from? How far did it go? How far did I go? Could I have..? No, I… but after what happened how could I not have? Maybe I lost control and just... why can't I remember? I… I have to remember what I've done, I can't live just not… I hear a bang. Oh my god, what's going on? I, where the hell am I? What? How did I get here? I-I can't remember. Oh good, I can't remember jack shit about anything since before, well… since before. Now to top it off I'm blacking the fuck out and waking up god knows where in some guy's bed. What the fuck is wrong with me?
I hear loud footsteps getting louder.
Oh fuck someone's coming. What do I do? Where do I go? I don't even know where the hell I am, how the hell am I supposed to know where to go?
I get out of bed and get away from the door. I hear the footsteps get closer.
"Hello?"
Good idea, yell out and let the big angry mean guy know exactly where you are. That'll stop it. What if those weird stalker guys tracked me down? What if they've come to turn me over to the police? What if?
He walks into the room.
Who is he? The look on his face says he knows me, but he's not happy to see me. What if she? What if she and he? What if there was a she and he and then I… Oh god no.
I look down and he's got a shotgun in his hand.