"Hello," Kate rubbed her eyes, pulling the robe tighter. She turned around listening for any sign that Faith was awake.

"How are you?" Angel's voice came through the phone.

"Fine."

"Where's Faith?"

"Still asleep. We had a late night." Kate tried to cover a yawn.

"What has she told you?"

"Everything, well everything that she could handle. About the mayor and how it went down in Sunnydale last year."

"I made a call to Sunnydale last night. Turns out, Faith was telling the truth about what happened up there. Did she tell you about that?"

"We've covered most of it."

"So you've known her how long?"

"Four weeks. I bumped into her in Sunnydale."

"You went to Sunnydale?"

"Didn't Wesley tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"He gave me some information about evil things so I went up there four weeks ago." Angel didn't say anything for a few moments. "Ran into Faith after she had killed some�vampires."

"Yes, Giles said something about that."

"Giles, one of Faith's Watchers." Kate remembered that name. Seemed Faith went through a lot of these supposed guardians.

"She did tell a lot, then." Angel sounded surprised.

"Yes."

"So she's staying with you."

"When I met her she was at crisis stage. I wasn't about to let her out on the streets the way she was. Being a slayer must be one the worst jobs in the world."

"She hasn't been doing any more crimes?"

"No, she's been out slaying every day."

"With you?"

"Sometimes. She told me that after she woke from her coma she was dealt of dose of reality and decided she wanted to do the proper thing. In her own words, she said it was the right thing to do. She is a slayer, she wants to slay demons, not run errands for them. I'm sure you picked up on that last night."

"Yes, I was pleasantly surprised at that. I was all for trying to help Faith but something happened-"

"Wesley kidnapped her," Kate cut in.

"Yes," Angel would have blown out a breath if he had one. "Unfortunately it was at a critical time and for Faith there was no going back after that betrayal."

"Angel," Kate lowered her voice, "I honestly don't know what to do here. My gut says that she should keep doing what she's doing, but I'm a police officer too."

"I don't know either, Kate," Angel's voice came down the line sincerely. "I haven't spoken to the others and told Giles not to disclose what I told him, but it will be only a matter of time before someone is going to come looking for her if anyone else finds out. I don't think we want her to run. She's tried that and she went straight to a demon."

"I agree. But I don't think she wants to run. As I told her last night she's had plenty of chances to do so, but she's either come back or stayed put."

"Sounds like you have some influence with her."

"We've built up some trust."

"Then it's going to have to be you to help her deal with this. That might be a hard thing, Kate."

"I've been doing it for four weeks. It's been hard already." Angel nodded, although unseen by the intended recipient. "I'm not sure where I should go from here."

"What does Faith want?"

"She wants to be arrested. Well, that's not true. But I doubt she would resist if I did."

"She thinks she deserves to be punished."

"Yes. I don't know if that is the way to go."

"Problem is that Faith might not stay in jail and a cell can't hold her."

"She won't get the support she needs either. If she sees a psychologist it's not as if she can get over siding with a demon wanting to destroy the world," Kate chuckled.

"Yeah," Angel said wryly. "How do you feel about all this?"

"You know, Angel you are the last thing I want to be discussing this with."

"This is about Faith."

"I know and that's the only reason I'm talking to you now. I'm biased, I want Faith to continue as she has been."

"Do you think that's possible?"

Kate let out a breath, "I don't know. Part of me will never be able to get over Faith's crimes, but the other part � thinks that Faith needs all the support she can. She has these powers and they are no good if she's sitting in a cell." Kate gathered her thoughts. "The first night we went slaying we rescued this eight year old girl from a group of�evil evil things. Faith fought better than I could have, better than most people I know. If she can continue that, I would feel guilty about turning her in."

"Do you know why she turned evil in the first place?"

"She had no one, Angel. No support, no friends at the time she needed them the most."

"Others would argue that's not true, but I know that things should have gone differently."

"She turned to a place where she was appreciated for her skills. Someone was proud of her and that made her feel like she belonged. She just choose the wrong side."

"Has that changed?"

"Yes. I feel she knows that the mayor was evil, though she still grieves for him."

"I want to talk to her."

"Angel, I don't think that is a good idea."

"Why don't you ask her," Angel sighed.

"I don't think she's up for it."

"Up for what," Faith asked yawning as she padded out of the bedroom. "Are you talking to Angel?"

"Angel wants to talk to you." Kate put her hand over the mouthpiece.

"Now?" Kate took in Faith's rumpled state as she came closer.

"Do you want to?"

Faith looked hard at Kate, trying to work out how the cop was feeling the morning after. Kate's expression gave nothing away except for concern. "Maybe later."

Kate relayed that to Angel who responded, "Come by the offices sometime today."

"I don't know," Kate wrote 'Go see Angel?' on the pad and handed it to Faith. Faith shrugged.

"The others won't be in." Angel wondered what was going on at the other end. After more silence Kate came back and agreed they would be there late morning.

Hanging up the phone, Kate reached out. The embrace was accepted.

"This doesn't feel like a goodbye hug." Faith backed off.

"It's not."

"You're crazy, you know that." Faith chuckled and shook her head.

"I've done a lot of crazy things since I found out about demons."

Faith nodded. "You never told me how that happened."

"Later." Kate started to get breakfast. Faith followed her and sat down at the table. "You hungry?"

"Aren't I always?" Kate laughed. "So what does Soul Boy want to talk about?"

"He wasn't specific."

"What did you two talk about?" Faith took her cereal from Kate and poured milk over it.

"He wanted to know how you were doing."

"Anything else?" Faith studied her lover's face, not quite trusting her.

"We talked about what should be done next."

"Ah." Faith crunched her cereal.

"Angel seems to want to help."

"Has he spilt the beans to anyone?" Faith asked hesitantly.

"He said he had talked to Mr Giles. But," Kate held up her hand stopping Faith's protest, "Giles promised not to say anything until Angel told him more."

"Shit." Faith put down her spoon in disgust. "Giles doesn't keep things from B."

"I got the feeling Angel thought he would for a few days."

"So where we meeting?"

"At his offices."

"Offices?" Faith laughed. "What, he got a job?"

"PI."

"You're kidding me. How does that work?"

"He helps people, especially those with demon problems."

"Tapping into an exclusive market," Faith nodded. "Is that how you met?"

"Something like that."

"Wesley, he works for him?" Faith remembered Kate said something about that the night before.

"Yes, and he has an assistant as well." Kate finished her toast and started on her coffee.

"He does well?"

"I wouldn't say that, Cordelia seems to always be on about money."

"Cordelia? The bitch herself is working for Angel. No shit."

"You know her?" Kate thought it made sense, she didn't know much about the girl, but anyone who would be willing work for a vampire could only be from Sunnydale.

"She was part of the gang for a while until she found out Xander was screwing around."

"With you?" Kate had a mental list of Faith's previous lovers.

"No, that was much later. Anyways last I heard the IRS were after her parents." Faith smiled at the downfall of the self-acclaimed queen of Sunnydale.

"Angel said they won't be there." Faith nodded, relieved. "So we'll get ready and head over there, okay?"

"Kate?" Faith asked grimly.

"Hmm?"

"Whatever happens, just know that these last weeks have been the best in my life."

"Right back at you." They both smiled before Faith broke eye contact and headed for the bathroom. Kate watched her go, her heart being tugged in opposite directions. She had always been the professional and her job had always come first. But now, now she wasn't so sure she could uphold all those values instilled in her throughout her life. Faith had been there for her when she wasn't sure she could cope. She had come to depend on the young woman for support and comfort when dark dreams or thoughts overwhelmed her. She didn't want to let that go. She didn't know if she could let go. She desperately needed Faith in her life.

Faith was having similar thoughts as she showered. But she knew it was only a matter of time before someone caught up with her, be it the police, B or those Council guys that had kidnapped B in her body. She could only savour these last precious moments before it all went to hell. After that, who knew where she would be or even if she lived through it. She hoped it was Kate, if anyone, who turned her in. It would be easier on both of them if Kate thought she was in control of the situation. Faith didn't want Kate losing her in a fight, that would be too cruel. If it came to being arrested, she could live with that. She might even still be able to see Kate on occasion. Faith turned off the taps and as she stepped out of the shower, she promised herself she would do what was best for Kate.

*******************

Kate knocked on Angel's apartment uneasily. She didn't particularly want to see him, but she reminded herself this was for Faith.

"Come in." Angel threw back the door to allow the women inside. When they were seated around his kitchen table Angel looked at both of them. "Thank you for coming."

"No sweat." Faith shrugged, keeping her hands on her lap while she fidgeted.

"Kate says you've been slaying." Angel started glad to see Faith looking healthy.

"Yep." Faith kept her hands moving.

"You saved the life of a child." Angel peered at her.

"Yep."

"That's great." Angel nodded. "Were you planning to stick around?"

Faith looked at Kate for a moment, a motion not lost on Angel. "Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"While the slaying's good and I have a roof over my head," Faith said not looking at either of them.

"Are either going to stop anytime soon?" Angel took a quick look at Kate's blank expression.

"Depends on you two and everyone else gunning for me, doesn't it?" Faith looked intently at her hands.

"If no one tried to stop you, would you want to continue as you were?"

"Yeah." Faith looked up into the soulful eyes.

"Is that what you really want, Faith?" Angel said as he leaned in. Kate was surprised the vampire seemed to care about Faith's future.

Faith nodded without hesitation, "Yeah." She looked at Kate and gave her a small smile. "LA is a wicked place."

"Who is after you?"

Faith sniggered, "Who isn't?"

"I'm not." Faith did a double take then stared at the vampire. "I'm not into revenge. My job is to help people and I take it seriously."

"Yeah�well..." Faith didn't know what to say, she'd tried to kill the guy more than once and he didn't bear a grudge. "Sunnydale police, Council of English tight-asses and another slayer have a different take on it."

"Quite a collection of enemies." Angel's lips curled a little.

Faith smiled, "I try my best."

"How serious are these Council people?" Kate finally joined the conversation.

"Very, they kidnapped me from the back of a police car." Faith smiled as she told half a truth. It was better not to get into THAT. "I escaped. But these guys were wetworks."

"They'd rather deal with a new slayer." Angel said aloud what they all were thinking.

"The police caught you?" Kate asked, surprised Faith had let that happen.

"Long story."

"What about Buffy?" Angel asked uneasily.

"You know her." Faith looked down again. Kate switched her gaze from Faith to Angel and back again.

"What exactly happened, Faith?"

"Believe me, Angel, you don't want to get into this." Faith smiled weakly.

"Giles said something about terrorising Joyce and the others."

"You already know then." Faith put her hands on the table and clasped them.

"I would like to hear it from you."

"Woke up, found B, big fight, went to see Joyce, another fight, caught by police, kidnapped, escaped, found vamps killing at church, went, slayed, met Kate."

"Faith," Angel protested.

"It's not important. Well it is, but not to you." Faith looked down again. "I did more to B than sleep with her beefstick and hold her mother hostage, but I'm not spilling. The point is she is not one happy little slayer."

"You held her mother hostage?"

"I didn't hurt her�much. Besides someone had to visit her, seems her daughter's been too busy fucking."

Kate shook her head, not liking Faith's reasoning behind her violent tendencies. "Can you get your mind off sex and back to your future."

"You mean the two aren't connected," Faith leered at Kate.

"We have the police, assassins and a slayer after you, now is not the time to think about it." Kate avoided directly looking at Faith.

"Right." Angel added. "The police don't know about you," he looked pointedly at Kate, "unless someone tells them. I'm not going to do that." He looked at Kate waiting for an answer.

"I need time to think," Kate ran her hand through her hair.

Angel nodded. "The Council, I'm assuming, doesn't know either." Faith shook her head. "I doubt Giles or anyone in Sunnydale would be willing to tell them."

"Why not?" Faith looked up intrigued. She saw B's reluctance to do that after she woke up but she thought it was so she could finish it off herself.

"I forgot, you wouldn't know. Buffy left the Council last year."

"No shit. Why? I mean I know after that screwed up test, I wouldn't have been too happy to go along with them, but still."

"The way Wesley tells it, they wouldn't help find a cure for me." Angel, Faith realised, wasn't too comfortable with this topic.

"Jeez," Faith whistled. "I'm sorry about that poison, Angel." Angel nodded, accepting the sincere apology. "So that leaves B." They stared at each other for long moments, starting to see how the other slayer affected them both. Kate looked at them wishing Buffy didn't even exist.

"Maybe if you talked to her-" Angel suggested.

"No way!" Faith cut in vehemently shaking her head. "She'd rather punch me than talk to me."

"Maybe I should to talk to her," Kate proposed bringing two pairs of eyes on her. "Explain what Faith has been doing this last month."

"No one is going to talk to her," Faith said pointedly at both of them. "I say we keep quiet. She's only gonna bring trouble." The three of them considered Faith's words.

"It might work, but Giles was anxious to warn the others about you," Angel finally broke the uneasy silence.

"Well, you can tell him I split or something." Faith leaned back with a hopeful expression.

"Okay. You happy for Faith to continue what she is doing?" Angel questioned the blonde.

"I think so," Kate answered taking a deep breath.

"I'm willing to help any way I can," Angel offered.

"Thank you, but that won't be necessary," Kate replied firmly. Faith was stunned, but decided until later to question Kate's attitude towards the vampire.

"I would like to be kept informed at least." Angel watched Kate stand.

"Fine." Kate motioned Faith to follow her.

"Call me if you need anything," Angel directed to Faith. She nodded as she followed Kate to the door.

"Angel." Faith turned around and faced him. "Always knew you understood me more than anyone in Sunnydale. You know I'm not good with the thanking. But thanks."

Angel smiled and nodded, "Good luck." Faith returned an almost shy smile and strolled out after Kate who had already left the apartment.

"You gonna share on why Angel makes you so uneasy, other than his corpse state," Faith asked on the way back to Kate's apartment.

"The fact he killed for 150 years without mercy and without remorse," Kate shot back affected by the visit to the killer.

"Okay," Faith drew the word out. They looked at each other for a moment before Kate concentrated back on the road. "So what happens to the slayer that killed for a few months without mercy?"

"Faith, you're going to have to give me a little time to get over the shock. Okay?" She kept her eyes on the car in front.

"The shock? Kate, you meet killers every day. Why aren't you arresting me?" Faith pursued with the topic again.

"Because you're different," Kate matched Faith's loud volume, leaving her voice to reverberate through the car.

"I'm different," Faith laughed disbelievingly. "Because I give you good sex?"

"No, because you are a slayer." Kate tried to hide the hurt of Faith's comment. Damn it, she was so vulnerable and open with this girl.

"I'm a slayer," Faith repeated the words to herself.

"And a damn good one," Kate encouraged.

"I'm a murderer too," Faith didn't let up on her guilt. God, she wished there was something near her to punch.

"Technically only one murder," Kate clarified.

"One too many." Faith saw herself in the glass and couldn't resist giving it a bash.

"Faith," Kate turned her head slightly, "please don't do that."

"I don't understand it, Kate. Why the fuck do you care so much?" The anguish in her voice directed at her reflection.

"Because I can't help it," Kate pulled into a free space on her block. She shut off the engine and swivelled her legs to face Faith. "You're good to me, Faith. I haven't been treated like this in a long time."

"Ditto," Faith said trying to mask her pain. When Kate finally decided to turn her in it was going to be hard to let go.

"You were right." Kate tugged at a loose thread on her car seat.

"I was?" Faith sensed the cop was not in the most stable of minds. Better if I could end this soon, she thought.

"I'm partly attracted to you because sometimes we connect on a level that has to do with loneliness. After my father, I had no one."

"Until I invaded your life," Faith nodded, understanding what Kate was saying. She seemed to be only person in Faith's life that ever made sense to her, although for a while there, Angel was getting under her skin. But that was the past, Kate was in the here and now. And that's what she lived for.

"Not invaded, more like welcomed." Kate smiled a little seeing Faith's comprehension of her feelings.

"When you feel I've overstayed my welcome, arrest me." Faith got out of the car and slammed it. Kate followed quickly. But Faith had slipped away and wasn't in the apartment when she finally made it up in the elevator. Too weary to go chasing after her Kate sat down on the sofa after making a cup of tea, trying to decide what action she should take next. As she tried to get a grip on the situation, she found herself falling asleep.

*******************

She woke to the apartment door being opened. She rolled over on her back and listened as it took a while before the door slid back into its slot. It was dark outside, so she must have been asleep for hours. Her cup of tea sat cold on the coffee table. Footsteps slowly approached the room.

"Hi." Faith approached the sofa in the twilight.

"You okay?" Kate sat up and turned on the light.

"Five by five." Faith threw her keys on the table and flopped on the space of the sofa Kate had vacated.

"Hungry?" Kate asked feeling starved herself. She'd missed lunch.

"Not really," Faith sighed. She'd spent most of the afternoon down at the gym then joined in when one of the guys brought back take-out for the group.

"Sure?" Kate got up and wandered into the kitchen. Faith didn't answer. She heard the TV turn on as she started preparing her meal. When she sat down next to the slayer to eat, Faith barely acknowledged her. After trying to start several conversations with her Kate gave up and instead stared blankly at the TV, not following the story unfolding on the screen. She decided to take a shower after sitting through a movie that could barely be called entertainment.

"What are you doing?" Kate demanded as she stepped out of the bathroom. Faith was arranging a pillow and blanket on the sofa.

"What does it look like?" Faith continued her task not looking up. Kate watched shaking her head. They hadn't slept apart for more than a couple nights since they had been sleeping together. "I need some space." Kate let out a breath through her nose. Faith looked up, feeling a little guilty. Truth was she wanted to give Kate some breathing space. These days she was always putting Kate first.

"If that's the way you're gonna play," Kate huffed as she went to her room and slammed the door. Inside she flopped on her bed and stared out at the moon peeking through the clouds. She used her hand to rub her eyelids.

Pulling back the covers, she wished Faith was next to her. She didn't know when they had discovered that Faith was the cure for her nightmares getting out of control. Sure she still had them, but not as bad as the first week after her father's death. She didn't know if she wanted to sleep alone tonight. Sliding on the cold sheets she pulled the covers up and burrowed into the bed. Kate lay there thinking about the last few weeks. So much had happened. Changed in her life. A few months ago, she wouldn't have thought twice about hauling Faith down to the precinct and putting her away. She'd done it before to people she had known personally. But Faith was different. So different to anyone she had ever met. But she was also like a lot of the scum she dealt with every day on the job. She'd slept with a murderer. Let Faith into her life without knowing anything about her. Oh god, she groaned. Everything she had been taught in her job, she disregarded when it came to the slayer. The very accusation she had lauded against Angel, she was doing herself. Flouting the law because things were too hard to explain to the brass.

The cop in her knew she should put a stop to this, but her emotions were getting in the way. She shouldn't have gotten involved, but she didn't regret it. If she turned Faith in it might solve her crisis on conscience, but she didn't know how she was going to deal with the guilt or sadness afterwards. She felt like screaming. On the other hand, if she didn't take any action against the murderer there was part of her that would feel like she didn't deserve the badge she treasured dearly. What good was a cop who didn't do their duty? She wasn't corrupt. She wasn't going to become like her father. She didn't know how he got involved in taking bribes and she didn't want to know. Detective Kate Lockley was not a bent cop.

But Faith was helping rid her town of the monsters that murdered her father. If she was put away many innocent people may be murdered. If Faith hadn't been around four weeks ago a little girl would be dead and her parents grieving over the lost life. Faith prevented that and many more since she had been in the city. Then there was her relationship with her. She didn't want that to end. Faith was-- What was Faith to her? A lover. A friend. Someone she cared for. She was dating her, for godssake. From what she was told the night before, Faith's life before LA was never easy. The responsibility thrust on her by a group of people halfway around the world was too much especially with the little support she received after what happened to her female watcher. Even the police had tried to force counselling on her after her father died. Faith never mentioned anything like that. This Council treated her like a commodity. That wasn't on. The other slayer, Buffy, was wise to get out and so was Wesley. The world needed slyers to be free and fighting for a better world.

Kate sighed loudly. She couldn't decide what to do. Her heart wanted Faith free, her head told her that Faith must be punished for her crimes. She turned over on her other side. Why was Faith so adamant that she was going to be arrested? Did she think that was what Kate was going to do? Is that what she wanted Kate to do? She knew Faith was not the same since she had woken up from her coma. She had changed. Angel had seen it too. The pain she had seen in Faith confirmed that she was sorry for her actions. Siding with the mayor was a way to lash out at those she thought had abandoned her. Costly choice, but one that she regretted now. Still there were the victims to consider. Did they have families? Friends that wanted the killer brought to justice?

Face it, she told herself, Faith is a killer. But, she tried to reason, she also kills demons. She growled softly as she shifted position in her bed again. After more of the same thoughts going around her mind for the next hour, she was no closer to finding a solution. She drifted into a light sleep sometime in the early hours of the morning.

**************************************

The next few days Kate hardly saw anything of Faith. She was asleep when she went to work and gone by the time she came home. Faith left a note every day before she went out to exercise at the gym then go and to hunt down demons. Angel had called Kate on the Monday explaining he thought that Faith's location could be kept quiet. Giles had apparently relented to Angel's request to not say anything. Meanwhile Kate was getting less and less sleep and more worried about what she should be doing.

After a day of frustration chasing down a false lead she and Harlan went down to the Blue Bar. They both ordered a beer and grabbed a table.

"Is this a date?" Harlan leaned back and smiled at the blonde detective.

"No." Kate looked around trying to spot any of the other detectives. "Never gonna happen Harlan." They were a little early and the place was only starting to liven up.

"Never say never." Harlan knew he was being shafted again. What was it with Lockley?

"Let me put it this way." Kate stared hard at the detective. "You need to get out whatever fantasy world you live in and start living in this one." She leaned in closer. "And in this one you will never make it with me. Period. Case closed."

"Alright," Harlan said through gritted teeth. "It's that Angel guy. Isn't it? What does he have that I don't?"

Kate took a long drink of her beer before answering, "He's not my type either."

"What about that English dude?"

"Harlan," Kate hissed and took another gulp. "Don't get personal with me or I'll haul your ass up before our sexual harassment officer."

"Hey," Harlan protested with both hands held in the air, "I'm just asking."

"Then don't. I certainly don't ask which bimbo you're doing from week to week," Kate shot back noticing Detective Ryan approaching them. She finished her beer and intercepted him as she made her way to the bar. "Like one?"

"Sure," the experienced detective nodded as he went to sit down with Harlan. She brought the drinks back and sat back almost sculling her next beer as the men talked about the case Harlan was handling. When Ryan offered the next round, she gladly took him up on it.

"So, hear about that lawyer that got killed?" Ryan asked looking back and forth between Kate and Harlan. "Looks like our favourite law firm has lost one of their most valuable."

"Really?" Kate came out of her stupor.

"Don't know much, Wolfram & Hart are trying to keep it quiet. I heard it from someone who heard it from someone, you know how it goes."

"Do you know who it was?" Harlan asked voicing Kate's next question.

"Nah." Ryan shook his head. Harlan brought back the next round to the table after a silence had fallen.

"Ease up, Lockley," Ryan exclaimed as Kate drowned her fourth beer immediately.

"Man troubles," Harlan explained to Ryan.

"Fuck off," Kate pointed her bottle at Harlan.

"You've been walking around all week moping over something." Harlan snatched the bottle out of her hand. "Get over it." Kate stared hard at him before resolving to try to make it out of there with her dignity intact.

"I'm leaving now." She stood and tried to put the room in focus. It took a few seconds before she found her balance.

"Lockley, you shouldn't be driving," Ryan said concerned.

"I'm five by five," Kate replied firmly. She gave them each a stare before walking to the door. As she passed the patrons of the bar she heard a few comments thrown her way. Ignoring them she brushed the door open and stepped out into the spring night.

When she made it home thankfully Faith wasn't there. Taking a couple of aspirin, she retired to her room to sleep off the booze and her mood. Just before she drifted off a drunken mind told her not to worry about it anymore. Faith was a slayer and it was the right thing to do to let her slay.

*****
Part 9:

Faith found herself patrolling in the city the next afternoon after bashing some information out of a demon in the sewers. Word on the street was that a demon gang needed cash and fast. Faith didn't really listen to the demon whine on about it except for the part about what they looked like and where they were headed. She picked up their trail leading from the sewers into the busy LA streets. Wasn't hard, all she had to do was follow the panic-stricken faces of the public as the demons moved through the streets. If these demons were brazen enough to walk the street in full daylight, Faith reasoned, they could do just about anything.

A few blocks away Kate was listening to reports coming in about a gang of disfigured humans marching the streets. There was no reason a detective should be involved but she jumped in her car leaving the Harlan to question the suspect they were going to take down to the station. He called out to her, but she waved him away intent on following the activity described on the scanner.

Faith finally got a glimpse of the gang, bikie gang rejects from the look of them, in the distance turning down an alley. She quickened her pace. By the time they were out of the alley, she had gained a considerable distance on them. She watched as the leader sent two of them around the back to another alley, while he and three others continued on the sidewalk disregarding all who stared at them. She chose to stick with the leader and his goons. As she hurried to keep up with them, she grabbed her stake gripping it behind her jacket. The feeling she got when she knew she was about to fight came to the fore. Blood rushed to her muscles anxious for another workout. The demon stopped outside a building. A bank. Not stopping to think about the consequences of a demon bank robbery, Faith was already on the move to put a stop to it. As the demons entered the bank she slipped in behind the last one and dug a knife in his back. He fell. She quickly finished the job and rolled him away from the door. Faith looked at the knife with demon blood on it. Another time and she might have freaked, but this was now. She was a slayer. This was her job. Didn't matter if she was going to be arrested or not.

Screams and shouts surrounded her as a lead demon, oblivious to his fallen lackey, started going through a cliched spiel of bank robbery rules that had been heard a hundred times on television. But this was no Hollywood movie this was real. He finished and turned to order his troops around coming face to face with the slayer.

"Who the hell are you?" The leader smiled as though this was a casual meeting. He looked down to the fallen demon and his face darkened.

"Just your average garden variety Slayer," Faith sneered keeping her focus on where the other two demons were. She counted one near the vault and the other disarming the security guard who could nothing but stand frozen in shock. There were only a handful of customers around but she ignored their cries and panicked expressions.

"Slayer, huh?" He laughed. "Yeah sure, I've seen the Slayer and she doesn't look like you."

"Well that was before," Faith kicked the fallen demon, "this is now."

"The cops are coming," a bearded demon, who was trying to unlock the vault with a bizarre device, barked at the leader.

"Then hurry up," he growled. Turning back to Faith, he smiled. "It's hard to find good help."

"That's why I work alone." Faith cocked her head slightly. She watched a bald demon slip behind the tellers. The sirens were getting closer.

"So what's a demon like you want with a whole lotta dough?"

"Are you here to slay or to talk?"

"Just curious," Faith smiled.

"I'm broadening my horizons," the demon said dramatically. Faith took this moment to throw her stake at the chest of baldy. Bingo. All that practice at the gym wasn't for nothing.

"Two down, three to go," Faith said smugly.

"Not so fast, pretty one." The demon stepped closer. Crash! The vault door came down. "Told you," he gloated.

"Still have to make it out of here. You're down two men." Faith let the demon follow her over to near the tellers. When he was close enough she ducked a stray jab and tackled him into the teller barriers. "Everyone get out," she shouted. Without the extra demonpower customers easily rushed out of the doors. The demon growled and twisted himself so he was on top of Faith. They tussled for a dominant position.

"Hold it right there," boomed a voice. Both Faith and the demon looked at a dozen or so police surrounding them and the bearded demon whom had been busy emptying the vault. Faith felt a pain in her leg and howled. The demon got up and charged the officers. Guns fired. Determined to see this through Faith gritted her teeth and sat up. She could feel blood running down her leg. Guns still fired. Gathering another stake she bolted to her feet and ran down the demon. In hindsight, both her and Kate would agree that she must have been crazy for going into the middle of a gun battle. It didn't worry her at the time. Grabbing the demon's arm with one hand she used her other to thrust down and stake the son of bitch. He fell backwards into her still alive. Grabbing him she jerked his neck breaking it. Down he went but she didn't care. There were two other demons on the loose outside plus the one being pounded with bullets. She chose to deal with the two outside first.

"Faith!" Kate rushed to her side as she stumbled out the door.

"Get out of my way." Faith brushed her aside and set her sights on the alley the demons had taken before. Kate followed. "I said get gone."

"You're hurt." Kate tried to grab her arm.

"Not as hurt as they're gonna be." Faith spotted both demons waiting in a car oblivious to the action inside the bank. She literally ripped the driver's side door off and reached in for the demon. Methodically she stabbed him. She looked up to see Kate stab the other one. Pretty sure the one left in the bank was not going too be much trouble, she took off running hard. Kate tried to chase but lost her in the police and bystanders. She turned to the lead officer on the scene and shrugged her shoulders after he gave her a questioning look. She was going to have to explain a lot.

*******************

After an arduous time at the precinct, Kate finally made it back to her apartment. Harlan was pissed off at her, so were the officers in charge of robbery not to mention almost everyone else who was either whispering about her behind her back or giving her glares. She'd scrape through it. Her reputation would take another battering, but her results would speak for themselves. She turned the lights on and moved into the kitchen. Faith had been busy. The place was a mess. She noticed a smear of blood on the counter.

"Faith?" She looked around. Moving from one end of the apartment to the other she ended up outside her closed bedroom door. Carefully opening it she peered in. "Faith?"

"Here," a small voice answered.

"Thank goodness," Kate breathed out. "It seems like I'm always asking if you're okay."

"Why bother?" Faith reached out and turned on the lamp.

"Comes with the job." Kate sat down on the bed taking in Faith's curled form. "So are you?"

"Whatever." Faith shut her eyes.

"Bleeding stopped?" Kate resisted the urge to reach out her hand.

"Think so."

"I'm not going to arrest you," Kate said verbalising the words she had going around her head all day. Faith never moved. "What you did today, only you could have done. Not even Angel."

"Buffy."

"Buffy," Kate sighed inwardly at the name, "is in Sunnydale protecting the Hellmouth. You Faith, are here protecting LA." She paused hoping that Faith was listening to her. "No one, and I mean no one on earth, would have been able to stop those demons except you Faith. I'm not about to obstruct what you are doing."

"Fine," Faith rolled on her back.

"Is that all you have to say?" Kate moved closer and placed her hand on Faith's thigh.

"I killed, Kate, how am I supposed to pretend I didn't take someone's life?"

"I never want you to pretend it didn't happen. I'm going to help you deal with that. You said that it wasn't the first time a Slayer has killed."

"Accidentally was the key word there." Faith sat up and leaned against the wall. "Angel was right."

"Angel?" Kate's expression turned sour.

"I had a power thing going on over it."

"When did he say this?"

"The time he did a kidnap on me. Talked a little sense. I shoulda listened." She couldn't believe how right the vampire was.

"Would it help to talk to him again?" Kate asked reluctantly.

Faith thought about that before answering, "Maybe."

"I have his number, I'll leave it near the phone before I go to work tomorrow. You can do whatever you feel comfortable with. Okay?" Kate drew herself next to the slayer and leaned on her a little.

"Five--"

"By five. I know." Kate smiled and was relieved when a faint one crossed Faith's lips too. "Faith, your crimes are going to be with you for the rest of your life," she said seriously, "there's no cure for that. For me, the fact that you feel so much remorse over them is enough."

"You don't hate me?"

"Never," Kate answered without hesitation. "It's going to take a while for me to let this go, but I'm up for it. Angel's out there trying to redeem himself and he's a vampire. You are human and deserve a lot more support. The difference is the prison system tries to do it with you behind bars."

"It takes away freedom because criminals don't deserve."

"I don't normally say this, but Faith, you're a special case. The world needs you free to fight and kill demons."

"What about the Sunnydale cops? Warrants? Police reports? I know the mayor covered for me, but there is still evidence around." Faith looked at Kate knowing the cop was taking an enormous risk.

"I'm not sure yet." Kate hadn't thought that far ahead. "We'll figure something out. Those cops have no idea what's going on up there, I'm sure another case slipping through the cracks is not going to be as big a deal as in another county."

"So does a cop still want to sleep with a killer?" Faith pretended to study the bed covers.

"No, this cop wants to sleep with a reformed killer." Kate gave her a grin.

"So what's the next step?" Faith let out a breath. She still had her cop. Just as well, ain't no one else gonna put up with her.

"I would have thought you knew that." There was a sly grin on her face but Faith pushed off of the bed turning it into a frown. "Is there something wrong?"

"It seems too easy." Faith paced in the small room.

"When has it been easy?" Kate asked. "Ever since I've known you, you've been struggling with your life. Maybe it seems you've been let off lightly, but you are punishing yourself now and might never be able forgive yourself."

Faith stopped and stared at her. "How do you always know what to say?"

"Instincts," Kate smiled.

"You're a good person, Kate." Faith came and kneeled on the bed

"I hope so."

"Too good for me." Still she leaned in and captured her lover's lips for a gentle kiss. She couldn't believe how much of a different person she was around the cop. Must be all that morality and righteousness that Kate stood for, she thought as she tenderly nipped at Kate's bottom lip.

"You can be a good person too, Faith." Kate drew back and wrapped her arms around her waist. "You just need a little guidance. I'm willing to help you out."

"I guess that means you want me to stick around?" Faith asked confidently, sure Kate was behind her all the way.

"Never a question." Kate nodded as Faith smiled widely. "Together we are going to do some serious damage to the demon population in the city."

"Together?" Faith shook her head slightly.

"With you leading, of course."

"Of course." Faith chuckled. "But not tonight, love, I have a headache."

"Are you really okay?" Kate relaxed her grip on Faith and ran her eyes over the body searching for the injury.

"Yeah. Bandaged and healing." Faith ran a hand over her left thigh.

"Hurt?" Kate put her hand over the leg and stroked it gently.

"No."

"Too bad, I was going to offer to kiss it better." Kate laughed when Faith gave her a look.

"Well," Faith said as she started working her pants off, "best be safe." Kate stilled her hands and tackled Faith down on the bed. She dived in for a hard kiss as she moved Faith's hands out the way and took over their task. Breaking the kiss, she drew the pants down and off the legs.

"Missed you," Kate breathed hovering above Faith.

"Wanna prove it?" Faith tried to reach out, but Kate drew further down her body. She settled for gripping a shoulder.

"I'm going to do a lot more than that." Kate gave her a smile.

"Promise?" Faith watched as Kate leaned in and gave the bandage a kiss. She then worked her way back up to Faith's lips.

"Feel better?"

"Need more." Faith pulled her down for another kiss. She was glad that Kate was here. She had missed this so much. As Kate tenderly laved her body with her lips and tongue, Faith started flashing back to that night she spent with Riley. Kate was being as gentle as the beefstick had been. No, this wasn't right.

"Stop." She roughly pushed Kate aside and sat up.

"What?" Kate looked at her, panting.

"Just stop." Faith couldn't bring herself to look at those eyes, the swollen lips and the curves that were being revealed to her. She jumped off the bed.

"Faith?" Kate leaned back on the wall.

"When I have sex. I like it rough. None of this gentle crap. Don't treat me like you love me."

"Why not?" Kate's heart started beating faster.

"Because you don't. I don't want you to. So stop," Faith said firmly. She jumped back on the bed and started tonguing the cop's mouth with ferocity. Forcefully, she started unbuttoning Kate's shirt as her tongue continued thrusting into the mouth. She could feel the body write underneath her. Now this was more like it. As she bared Kate's breasts to her eyes she took one last thrust in the warm cavern then moved down to lavish attention to them. That's when she felt herself being pushed off the warm body.

"Faith." Kate struggled to take control.

"I thought you liked this." Faith took a lick at a nipple. Kate moaned in spite of herself.

"Faith." Kate cocked her finger in a 'come here' motion. Faith gave her a seductive look and moved her lips to less than an inch from Kate's. "I want to make love to you."

"Bullshit," Faith scoffed and tried to get up but Kate had a tight hold on her back.

"Let me love you. You know you want to," Kate taunted.

"You're playing me," she said angrily. She twisted her way out of Kate's hold. "We're so over."

"No we're not." Kate's eyes never wavered from Faith. "I know you can't admit it to yourself, but you care deeply for me. It is only in this last week that I finally realised how I felt about you."

"And how's that, love?" Faith sneered.

Kate stood, using her height to look down on Faith. "This goes beyond sex. We both know that. When I made my choice to not turn you in I tried to be objective, but I couldn't." Kate looked away trying to gather her thoughts and courage. "Every time I thought about doing it, I felt sick. I don't want you to go."

"I'll stay, just don't use the L word." Faith wished Kate would back off so they could get back to having a good time. She didn't want to go, but Kate was wigging her out.

"What's wrong with the L word?" Kate decided to risk it all. There was no point going on if Faith wasn't feeling the same as she. Casual sex wasn't going to do it for her. Not after feeling the emotions that were going through her.

Faith laughed. "Other than the fact that it serves no fucking purpose but hurt."

"Would it be better if I said I feel absolutely nothing for you? I'm just in it for the sex." Kate waved her arm around.

"You lying?" Faith challenged.

"Of course I am," Kate said exasperated. "I won't use the L word, Faith, but it doesn't change how I feel."

"I can't believe you fell in love with me." Faith laughed but she didn't know why. Kate wasn't talking much sense to her.

"I can't believe you fell for me." Kate smiled falsely.

"You wish," Faith said smugly.

"Oh it's more than that. I know."

"Is that a fact?" Faith tried to keep up her bravado.

"You know it."

"The only thing I know is that you are going all Miss-I-Love-You on me. Get off it." Faith searched for her pants and found them near the wardrobe.

"I never said I love you." Kate watched as Faith prepared to put her pants back on.

"Sure sounds like it." Faith stopped and gave her a stare.

"No," Kate shook her head. "I never said the L word. That was you."

"Ah, excuse me. I want to make LOVE to you." Faith sat on the bed and pulled her pants up. "I think that requires the fucking L word."

"Fine." Kate straightened up. "But at least I can admit it."

"You saying you're better than me?" Faith laughed as she tugged the pants into place.

"No, you're twisting my words." Kate sighed. "I told you before love can be a good thing. All I want is a chance to prove it to you."

"No chance." Faith closed her eyes for a brief moment. "I'm outta here."

"You are such a coward, Faith. Why don't you stop running for a change? You might even find something you like." Kate took a step and blocked the door.

"Till I get hurt again." Faith tried to keep her voice even, but Kate's words were striking close to her heart.

"So you're going to leave me? Hurt me? For what?" Faith felt like she'd been hit as Kate's words sunk in. "For what, Faith?" Kate pressed on seeing the girl weakening.

"None of your business," Faith snapped back trying not to let Kate get to her.

"Then do one thing before you go."

"What?" Faith was unable to resist. After all Kate was one of the reasons why she was not rotting in a jail right about now or worse.

"Tell me when was the last time someone loved you?" Kate watched Faith's confidence whittle away as she pondered the words.

"You don't play fair." Faith felt her control slip away. Her mind replayed the scene in Riley's bedroom that night.

"Nor do you." Kate gave a brief smile. "Don't you think you deserve to be loved?" Faith looked away. "You don't even know what love is."

"I told you--"

"I know. It hurts. So answer me." Kate crossed her arms across her bare chest. "When was the last time someone said they love you?"

"Just stop it," Faith shouted. "You can't know what it's like." As Kate waited for more she stepped closer to where Faith had bounced down on the bed. "You can't love me."

"Why not?" Kate sat down leaving a little room between them. "Sometimes I think I do. Sometimes it feels like it. Up until now I wasn't really sure what love was, but I'm starting to think this is it." Faith looked sideways at her, shaking her head. "I'm not like all those other people. You know what I'm about and it's not sex, it's not taking advantage of you and it is not hurting you." Kate stressed the last words and reached out for Faith's hand. As they connected, she threaded her fingers through the shaking ones. "If you leave," Kate's voice quivered involuntary, "I don't know what I would do. You've helped me so much."

"Hey," Faith called out, "please don't cry." Touched by Kate's sincerity, Faith's own walls crumbled down. "I don't know what love is either," she finally admitted scared. "I�"

"You don't have to say anything." Kate turned away embarrassed at this outpouring of emotion from herself.

"No," Faith said firmly. "You're right, I'm a coward. I can't say I love you right now, but I do care. Very much. More than I ever have in my whole life."

"I know you do," Kate smiled.

"So we cool?"

"We cool." Kate leaned in and cupped her chin.

"Wanna make love?" Faith asked trying out the term.

"I know this is your first time so I'll go slow," Kate grinned and allowed herself to be pushed down on the bed as she heard a groan from above her.

"I think I know what to do." Faith slowly pulled at Kate's lips with her own marvelling at how good it felt to savour every action. Kate made sure they took their time, finding Faith tender and loving when she wanted to be. For the first time in their lives, they both come to understand what making love was all about.

Faith came up for breath and moved Kate on top of her. "How does that feel?" Kate brushed Faith's hair away from her face.

"Better than expected. Wicked fun. " Faith looked up at Kate's flushed face. "Might try it again sometime."

"How about now?" Kate moved her thigh between Faith's and thrust down a couple of times.

"I'm up for that," Faith groaned as Kate's lips fell on hers again. This time around the sex was faster and harder but no less passionate.

************************

"You sure this is okay?" Faith stood awkwardly looking past the rows of headstones back to where the car was parked.

"I'm sure." Kate squatted and laid a bouquet of flowers at the foot of her father's name. Faith followed suit then stood and took Kate's hand in her own.

"Trevor, nice name," Faith commented. Okay, so it wasn't the most comforting thing to say, but Faith wasn't so good with the whole visiting the grave thing. The only time she had, it was to stake some vamp or demon.

"Never really thought about it." Kate gave a little chuckle and squeezed the hand holding hers.

"Well, since you called him Daddy all your life�" Faith trailed off glad Kate wasn't breaking down in tears at least.

"Yeah," Kate nodded. She looked down at the stone. Sometimes she couldn't believe that he had gone. Daddy, she thought, I hope wherever you are, not sure where that is these days, that you can see how happy I am. Faith may not be who you thought I should be with but she is a whole lot better than I've had. Sure, we don't always get along and I have my work cut out in trying to help her deal with some issues, but for all the areas that she is less than perfect there is something about her that I can't let go of. Maybe that is what being with someone you love is about, I don't know. After you left Faith came along and taught me that life has to go on. I know that now. I love you and I don't understand why you did what you did, but this is the time to try to let go of all the bad memories. I can do that with Faith.

Faith stood there watching the emotions flicker across Kate's face. She waited until Kate turned back to her and gave her a smile. "You five by five?"

"Getting there." Kate took one last look at the headstone then with her hand still in Faith's led them on the path back to the car. "You?"

"Will be once I get over the strange dream about some wicked ugly thing calling itself the First Slayer I had last night." Faith shook her head, not interested in remembering much about it, and followed her lover back to the car. As they got in Faith wondered if Buffy had similar dream. It all went out of her head as Kate leaned in for a much-needed kiss. Buffy, Sunnydale and everything that went on there was in the past. She broke from Kate and pressed her hand on a warm thigh. Way in the past, she thought, and there's nothing that I would change in the present. She smiled at Kate in adoration and love. No, nothing at all.

END