*****

Detective Kate Lockley tapped her foot impatiently as she waited in the Angel Investigations outer office. Cordelia seemed to be intently clicking away at the computer, although she was smiling, so Kate didn't think it could be work.

"I'm sure he will be up any minute," Cordelia looked up from her work.

"He said 11:00, I know you don't keep to any schedule, but I have work to do." Kate stared at Angel's assistant. "I don't even know why I'm here."

"You don't? That's Angel for you." Kate raised an eyebrow, silently questioning Cordelia. "You know it goes with the whole I'm-a-vampire-with-a-soul brooding thing he has."

"Right," Kate nodded slightly.

"No common courtesy at all," Cordelia continued before the computer made a beep. "Ooh mail." She went back into her own little world.

Minutes later Angel finally made his appearance, "Kate, thanks for coming." He guided her into his office.

"What's this about, Angel," Kate got straight to the point after refusing the chair he offered her.

"I need a favour."

"Go on," Kate frowned slightly.

"I know you probably won't agree, but I don't think Cordelia or Wesley would be willing to do it." He looked at her with a blank face. "I have someone who is being released from jail tomorrow, she needs picking up."

"And you want me to play chauffeur?" Kate asked incredulously.

"The thing is I don't think she wants to be released, I'm worried she is going to run."

"They don't want to be let out?"

Angel sighed, "The charges were dropped, but she wants to be punished, if she can't have that she might seek it out."

"Why me?"

"Because you were the arresting officer and the only other person she knows in LA, well apart from Wolfram & Hart."

"You're talking about, um what was her name?" Kate asked although she knew it. Faith's confession to her had been very unusual to say the least. Stabbing a mayors assistant with a wooden stake, killing a professor on orders from a mayor who died in mysterious circumstances, assault victims in LA and town called Sunnydale, not to mention a contract with W&H for killing a vampire. She wondered who this teenager was, but never got the opportunity to question her alone.

"Faith."

"The charges were dropped? She confessed."

"Apparently the evidence got thrown out at a Probable Cause hearing. I thought you would have known."

"I wasn't called to give evidence."

"All I'm asking is for you to make sure she gets here before anything happens."

"Why don't you send a taxi? Or one of your employees. Frankly Angel you're wasting my time."

"She doesn't trust either of them and-

"She doesn't trust me, she doesn't know me."

"Yes she does." Kate silently asked a question with eyebrow. "She wrote to me not long after being arrested, telling me how she was. She mentioned that you seemed nice for a cop." Angel smiled briefly.

Kate sighed, "Alright, I'll do this."

"Thank you." He gave her the details and she left wondering what she was getting into.

"Thanks baby," Faith winked at the guard as he delivered her to the lobby. He grunted as he none to gently let go of her. She looked around for the person who was supposed to be picking her up. Detective Lockley: blonde, blue eyes, would be a babe if she weren't a tight-ass cop, actually treated her humanely the couple of times she had seen her, and lastly a friend of Angel's. She didn't see her around, and there was no way she was going to stick around a prison, so she made her way down the steps to the parking lot.

"Faith," she heard her name called and turned to see the aforementioned blonde walking from the opposite direction. She was wearing typical detective clothes, Faith noticed, conservative but stylish

"That's my name." Faith smiled. Hey, the cop may have volunteered for this job, but the didn't mean she had to like it.

"My car's over here." Kate pointed behind her. She slowly approached the teenager assessing her state. She seemed unconcerned about the situation, but Kate knew the brunette probably had a myriad of emotions running through her at the moment.

"Lead the way, Detective," Faith smirked. She could run, but this might be interesting. "So how did you end up with doing Angel's dirty work?"

"It's a favour."

"A favour huh?" Faith found that interesting. "As in 'I'll scratch your back, you do mine', or something a little more personal?"

"Jealous?" Kate masked her uncomfortableness.

"Hardly, been there, done that." Kate whipped her head around, surprised. Faith took that in. "Good kisser, except those fangs get in the way, you know."

"Actually I wouldn't." Kate unlocked the car and got in, Faith jumped in the seat next to her.

"Yeah, you probably remind him too much of B," Faith continued once she buckled up.

"B?"

"Buffy," Faith said the name, thinking of the person in question and not in a good way.

"Buffy?" Kate had a good idea who she was, but she wanted to see what information Faith would divulge.

"You know the girl that was there that night trying to get Angel to stop covering for me."

"Right, the blonde who accused me of trying to murder a vampire, if that's even possible."

"Yeah, also been there, done that."

Kate nodded, "Not my first time either."

"Ooh, you got a pair on you, Detective. I like that." Faith smirked and turned on the radio finally finding an alternative station. Kate looked over at her then turned it off. "Well that probably was my," paused thinking, "fourth time trying to dust him, so I'm ahead of you there. So how did you find out he had no pulse?"

Kate turned to the young woman wondering if she was just making small talk or was actually interested. It might good to talk about it with someone. There had been no one to talk to since she had learned about evil evil things.. "He was fighting one of his creations and I was on the scene trying to solve a series of murders."

"Let me guess, all with teeth marks on the neck." The detective nodded. "Was it Dru, Spike, no wait he has a chip in his head?"

"What?" Kate saw for the first time Faith knew a lot more about Angel than she thought possible. "How did you find out he was a - a"

"A vampire?" Kate nodded again. "Long story cut short, I can't remember when I found out, but it's my job to know."

"Job?"

"You don't know. Shit, you thought one of them might have the courtesy to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"I'm a Vampire Slayer, like B." Kate stopped the car on the curb in shock. They sat in silence for a couple of minutes while Kate took this in and Faith let her.

"Well I guess that explains why you tried to," Kate made a stabbing motion.

"Dust him."

"You said Buffy is one too?" Kate thought Buffy was trying to protect Angel.

"Gee, you don't know at all, do you?"

"Well, everyone's been reluctant to talk about it." No kidding, she thought.

"Not even Queen C, herself?" Faith clarified when Kate gave her a questioning look, "Cordelia."

"No, although I know about the latest fashion thanks to her, we don't share information." Kate smiled faintly at Faith's name for the assistant.

"You know I'm hungry, I'll tell you a story if you feed me," Faith leered, but Kate was already pulling out and into the moderate traffic. "Is that a no?"

"I have work to do."

"Right," Faith said disappointed. Life had been looking at least interesting with this detective prodding her for information, may have even had a chance for a fuck if she swung that way.

"What are you doing for lunch?" Kate decided to risk the awkward situation for a chance to hear what the young woman would say.

"You DO want to feed me," Faith leered. "You feed me, I'll feed you." She couldn't help herself, the woman looked so good, and this was her first day out of jail for several weeks. Hell her last session in the bed that she could remember was with Buffy's beefstick. She mentally grimaced.

Kate ignored the suggestive remark, "I'll pick you up around 12:30."

"Your place or mine," Faith turned her head towards the woman, trying gauge her reaction. Disappointingly for her, Kate again ignored the comment.

"I know a little caf� not far from Angel's office."

"Ooh, public place, you're not a vanilla girl are you Detective."

"You'll never find out." Kate said as she gunned the car from a traffic light. Faith nodded smiling. So, the detective wasn't afraid to speak her mind. She was warming up to her, though still she couldn't forget that fact that this was a cop she was in a car with.

"I'm surprised you want to have lunch with a nut job." Faith looked out the window at the familiar streets.

Kate felt a pang of sympathy for the hatred in the woman's voice. "I don't see you that way." She steered the car into the street where the office was situated.

"Violent and unpredictable, those were your words if I recall."

Kate pulled up outside the building and turned towards Faith, "You want a chance to change, to start fresh?" Faith nodded. "That's what I'm doing." Faith sat back in the car seat, stunned at the woman's sincerity. She briefly closed her eyes, then grabbed the door handle and in quick motions exited the car. She leaned back in and looked into the detective's clear blue eyes.

"You shouldn't trust me, but thank you. I'll see you later." She closed the door and without looking behind her she walked into the building with her bag slung over her shoulder. Kate watched her go in, a feeling of protectiveness felt somewhere deep in her heart. She wasn't sure what a Slayer was, only the name gave some clue, but Faith's confession made a lot more sense than it did before. Whatever it was, it certainly shouldn't be given to young women still finding their place in world, no wonder the dark haired Slayer found the responsibility hard. She at 27 still couldn't believe the things she'd seen and as a detective she had seen plenty.

"I'm glad to see you really do work here, Cordy," Faith said as she entered the office.

"Just to let you know, I don't agree with having you here but hopefully Angel knows what he's doing." Cordelia never looked up from the information she was adding into the computer.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Faith tried for joking but it came out more serious. That made Cordelia look up.

"Hey, Angel is not into democracy. I had no vote whatsoever. So where's cop lady?" Her head went down to the papers in front of her.

"Back at work. Where's Soul Boy?"

"In his office, he's waiting for you." Faith slowly walked to the door and opened the door. Angel looked up from the book he was reading and smiled slightly. Faith looked tired, but otherwise healthy.

"Nice chauffeur service you got going, big guy, not bad looking either." She plopped down in the chair opposite the desk

"You okay?" He crossed his arms and leaned back.

"Five by five." Faith said evenly.

"You okay?" He asked again. Faith bowed her head looking intently at the scratch patterns on the desk. "It's okay if you're not, Faith. I know it must be hard to be here."

Faith looked at the tortured vampire, "I can't believe I'm out. I mean one minute I'm there and while I don't like being in a cell, it was helping, then some fucked up lawyer decides to make it his number one passion to get me off. I mean how am I supposed to change if it's all too easy," Faith spat out the last sentence. "One slap on the hand and I'm home free. It wasn't meant to work this way."

"How was it meant to work, Faith?"

"I was supposed to be out of action for ten to fifteen, way past slaying age, then I don't know retire to Florida."

"Have you thought what you want to do?" Angel asked carefully.

"Apart from giving another Slayer a shot at it?"

"Faith," Angel couldn't find the right words, "that's not what I meant."

"Chill. I don't know. I guess Sunnydale is out. No way B is gonna want me back up there. I really haven't got anywhere," Faith's voice dropped out as she realised her situation.

"That's what I thought. So I'm offering you a job."

"Angel, I don't want your charity or pity," Faith steeled her voice.

"That's not what I'm saying." Angel sighed wishing he were better at this kind of thing. "I'm talking about helping you get back on your feet, until you decide what you want to do. You can train here, with me if you like, and we'll find somewhere for you to stay. Faith, I know you didn't get satisfaction from the justice system, but you took a very important step in the right direction. You just have to find another way to seek your way back." They sat in silence while Faith digested this information. Angel returned to reading as he waited for her answer.

Faith thought about the offer, it sounded good. B wouldn't be pleased she was working for her ex, but these days B didn't figure much in Faith's plans. While still not over her feelings for the other Slayer, she was slowly accepting that B and her together was just not gonna happen, not after the body-switch and certainly not after B coming to LA for vengeance. No matter how it hurt, the Slayer bond they once had going was over.

A thought occurred to her, "What about the Council?"

Angel looked up, "They are not going to try and retrieve you after the last time."

"How do you know?"

"Believe me, Faith, they might be fools, but they are not total idiots. They lost valuable men last time. Besides if they do come we'll tackle that when it comes."

"What about Wesley, I don't think he's gonna be pleased at seeing my face every fucking day reminding him that I fucked him over." Faith didn't want to see her ex-Watcher.

"You'd both have to face that, but he was willing to let you come here today." Angel remembered how calm Wesley was when Angel laid out his plan to him and Cordelia.

"And Cordelia?"

"She'll cope," Angel gave her a wry smile.

"Wolfram & Hart?"

"Believe me Faith, if the best they can do is one measly slime demon we'll be fine. Sunnydale was much more dangerous in terms of players trying to take you off the map."

"Right," Faith smiled at the memory of good times in Sunnydale. "Angel...I don't know... I'm not sure I can do this." Faith crawled back into her shell at the thought of trying to start again.

"Faith, I told you it wouldn't be easy. Sometimes it feels better to give in to that feeling and loss of control. But YOU can do it. You've already taken the first step."

Faith laughed, "You read that in some self-help book. Got that speech ready for all those lost souls who walk through this door."

"Is it working?"

Faith looked down again then grinned, "Yeah, you got me."

"Good." Angel nodded and put the book down.

"So when do I start, boss?"

"When you're ready."

"Do I get to slay?" Faith's face brightened.

Angel looked hard at her, "We'll work on that slowly."

Faith let out a breath, "Wicked cool."

"You must be hungry, I'll have Cordelia get some food."

"No that's alright."

"Faith, you can't-"

She held up her hand, "I have a lunch date."

"Already," Angel said puzzled.

"Relax, Detective Lockley offered. Seems someone didn't tell her anything about the current situation."

"Faith," Angel warned, "Kate has had a hard time accepting and learning about the demon world."

"She asked, Angel. Besides, she seems to want to learn all she can. That can't hurt." Angel glared at her in disagreement. "But if you don't want me spilling the beans on Sunnydale life or your varied past, I won't."

"I just don't think giving her all that information in one lump is a good idea. It is a lot to take in."

"Yeah, she nearly swerved into the sidewalk when I told her I was a Slayer. At least we'll be sitting down." Faith smiled in memory of the morning's events.

"Tread carefully, she hasn't had the best time being introduced to this other side of life."

"Big hurt?"

"Oh yeah," Angel said, "she lost someone close to her who was screwed up in dirty demon dealings."

"Ouch," Faith said in empathy thinking back to her first watcher, the pain from that experience still fresh in her mind as it had been the day she witnessed her torturous death.

"Be careful, Faith, sometimes ignorance is bliss."

"Another clich�, Angel, gee you're becoming a regular shrink."

"Never." Angel said joking, yet they both knew that he wasn't.

"I'm going for walk." Angel started to protest, his face betraying his concern. Faith gave him a smile. "Don't worry I need to stretch my legs for a bit, feel the semi-fresh LA air. I'll be back before Detective Lockley comes."

Kate stood outside Angel's office, inexplicably nervous about going in. Maybe it was the thought that the woman she was having lunch with could throw her across a room with a flick of the wrist. 'Violent and unpredictable,' did have some truth in it. Though she was willing to give Faith a chance, it didn't mean that Faith would take it in good faith. She had even said not to trust her. Drawing a big breath and letting it out she opened the door.

"Detective Lockley, come in," Wesley invited, "Faith is in Angel's office."

Kate opened the inner door to see Faith sitting seemingly staring out the window, except the blinds were down.

"Hey," she gently called out. Faith turned her head and flashed a quick smile. Then she remembered Kate was a cop, a person that enforced that law, not broke it. Kate looked around, almost nervously, "Angel not around?"

"He's downstairs," Faith saw Kate's relief. "Was is it with you two?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You both act uncomfortable when I mention the others name. You sure you haven't gotten a little bit personal with him?"

"No, him being dead is a real turn off," Kate deadpanned. "Come on, I'm getting hungry." They made their way out the car in silence, each taking time to appraise the other. Faith felt mildly comfortable in the detective's presence. She hadn't judged her too harshly for her crimes and seemed to be willing to understand what Faith had gone through. In fact, Kate seemed like the kind of person Faith should be friends with, not those losers she had hung around in Boston or the rent-a-friends in Sunnydale. Plus her beauty was a bonus.

Silent minutes went by as they drove a few blocks down a small caf�. Kate, for not the first time, wondered what was going through the teenager's head. One minute the girl was flirting with her, the next her face would go blank as in a daze. What secrets were hidden behind those eyes and what had turned a young woman into a brutal killer? Kate wanted to know, and not just out of curiosity, but so she could understand and maybe even help this girl. The feelings of wanting to watch over her came unbidden and she couldn't understand her own motives. As a police officer, she knew she shouldn't become involved personally at any level, but here she was.

After sitting down and watching Faith order enough for two courses, Kate decided to get straight the point of this meeting.

"So you are a Slayer. What exactly is that?" Faith grinned and launched into a brief history of how Vampires Slayers were called, the Council of Watchers, what Buffy was doing in Sunnydale and how Faith herself was an anomaly in the system.

"So Wesley was your Watcher?" Kate asked when Faith finished. As Faith had talked, she had polished off half her lunch, while Kate ate more leisurely listening intently to the young woman's story that had filled in many blanks for her. Kate found herself feeling even more sympathy for Faith and even for Buffy. To be told your destiny was to fight demons and to be expendable on top of that, that had to be rough.

"Yes, until I went to the dark side." Faith looked down before facing the hostility she expected from the law enforcer

"The dark side?" Kate kept her eyes on dark unreadable ones.

"Literally." Faith stated, surprised the detective showed no signs of wanting to run out the door and pull a gun her. Kate silently urged her on with a look. "I teamed with a demon who was to be his Ascension and devour everyone and everything he could." She struggled to keep her voice even.

"Ascension?"

"He turned into a big snake thing." Faith clarified.

"Right," Kate nodded not understanding at all. Faith looked down not able to keep eye contact. She hadn't talked about the boss or his demise to anyone, and the thought that B had killed him still hurt although she knew it was imperative that it was done. Kate seeing Faith's remorse over her crimes reached across and placed a hand on the one tightly gripping a fork. Faith looked up amazed at the concern and care that the detective had etched on her face. There were no words spoken, but both of them felt a connection. Kate slowly withdrew her hand worried the slayer was going to break down from the turmoil going on in her head.

"You obviously regret that and I'm glad you realised your mistakes. It takes a strong person to do that and I've seen so many more criminals go down the easy road." Kate praised her.

"I hurt a lot of people." Faith returned to blank stare.

"But the demon didn't win."

"No, B killed him." Faith stated with a hint of bitterness in her voice. She started eating again to give her time to compose herself. Kate noticed the bitterness, but didn't want to press Faith's fragile state.

"Are you from Sunnydale?" Faith shook her head, still eating. "Where is your family?"

"Dead." Faith never looked up.

"Same here," finally Kate had found some common ground. Faith stopped chewing and took a drink. She gestured for Kate to continue, but Kate couldn't find the words.

"Oh." The bomb dropped for Faith. "You recently lost them?"

"No," she said then became suspicious, "Angel told you about me?"

"Not really. He said you were new to the knowledge of vamps and shit and that you recently lost someone close to you. That's all he told me. I swear." Faith didn't want to anger the detective, and make her close up just as they were getting somewhere, wherever that was.

"My mother died when I was young, my father..." Kate searched for her voice, angry with herself that she couldn't keep it steady, "A few of months ago. Yours?"

"Dead alcoholic mother, never knew my father, he's as good as dead." Faith finished her food yet continued to push her fork around.

"Rough life."

"Bet you've seen hundreds like me, huh?" Faith challenged the almost pity in Kate's voice. Kate nodded.

"But they don't all have the responsibility of saving the world." Kate replied and felt satisfied as a flicker of surprise went across Faith's face.

"I even screwed that up," Faith laughed roughly.

"Big job, you're bound to make mistakes." Kate gently tried to offer Faith an alternate point of view on her life.

"B doesn't. No, she manages college, friends, family and a boyfriend while she's out slaying those demons." Faith's eyes turned dark in self-disgust. Kate was taken aback by this passive display of aggression. She knew she had just glimpsed the Slayer.

"She's never made a mistake?" Kate asked sceptically.

"Well of course, I mean not staking Angel was a big one, but she rectified that."

Kate became confused as to Faith's words, "She did?"

Faith realised what she had just said, "Forget I said that."

"Why?" Kate pushed.

"It's complicated. Angel and Buffy."

"Angel and Buffy?" Kate nodded as Faith filled in a few more blanks.

"Yeah big love, big loss. Caused a lot of hurt. Then there's Angel, B and me. Not the prettiest situation."

"I can imagine."

"Actually I don't think you can." Kate glared at her. "No offence, but understanding vamps with souls and Slayers is not easy.

"Slayers fall for vampires with souls?" Kate joked

"No, one Slayer fell for the vamp, the other..." Faith didn't need to get into that.

"Tried to kill him?" Kate guessed.

"Yeah." Faith let Kate think that was the end of the explanation, but Kate was in cop mode.

"Because you were just doing your job?" She peered intently at the slayer

"At first yeah, plus I thought he'd gone all wiggy again."

"Wiggy?" Kate smiled at the teenager's slang.

"Evil, Angelus, lost his soul." Faith shrugged

"That can happen?" Kate asked worried, maybe Faith had the right idea when she tried to stake him.

"Only on a certain occasion, or by extremely powerful magic." Kate wanted Faith to continue. "I don't think it's a good idea to tell you, not many people know about the escape clause in Angel's curse. Even Angel didn't know until it happened."

"Oh, is it likely to happen again?"

"No, it only happened once in a hundred years, plus I don't think Angel will ever find himself in the same situation again." Faith smiled thinking of the way he and B skirted around the sex issue. Too bad B wasn't up for a little one on one Slayer action. Don't go there, she thought.

"You seem to trust him," Kate said noticing the small smile playing on the slayer's lips.

"In non-Slaying matters yes, but if he ever goes evil again, I'd stake him."

"Just like that?" Kate felt a little safer.

"Yes, I wouldn't think twice about it, others might, but I wouldn't."

"Are you going back to Sunnydale?" Kate drank the last of her iced tea.

"No, bad things seemed to happen up there and I'm not just talking about demons. Besides B would probably run me out. Angel's offered me a job for a while, just to get me started. I don't know what happens from there." The detective noticed that Faith seemed to open up more once the conversation turned to the future. "Not much work out there for a dropout who's really good at using a wooden stake." She shrugged her shoulders. They fell into a comfortable silence and Faith found herself wanting to spend more time with the blonde cop, but there was no way a detective was gonna hang out with a violent teenager just gone good. Talk about opposites.

"I need to get back to work," Kate said interrupting both their thoughts.

"Right, of course," Faith said nonchalantly. She stood up and waited by the door while Kate paid the bill. They silently got in the car and drove back to the office.

"Thank you for sharing. I appreciate your honesty and I know how hard it must have been."

Faith laughed, "That's gotta be the first time someone's thanked me for my HONESTY, when I wasn't actually lying."

Kate gave a wry smile, "I guess I should be really thanking you for being honest, then."

"Yeah, I figured you needed more information, demon fighting is harder while being kept in the dark ... I should know."

Kate placed on hand on Faith's leg, "Faith, you're going to be fine." Faith looked from Kate's eyes to the hand on her leg and back again. At first, she thought Kate wanted something from her, but she realised that this person was, but it wasn't anything to do with sex.

"Thanks," Faith choked up. "Will I see you around?" Desperately hoping the answer was yes.

Kate smiled warmly, "Of course." She took out her purse and handed Faith a business card. "This is my direct line at work, I'll try and help you out if I can."

"Will do," Faith tucked the card in her jacket. She reluctantly told herself to get out of the car, but she didn't want to leave the friendly detective. "I'll see you around, then," she finally said and opened the door. They locked eyes for a moment before Faith got out and didn't look back as she made her way into the building. Kate watched her go, amazed at the courage of the young woman. Maybe Faith was like many other teenagers she had come across, but Faith had something none of them had: ability to want to change her life.

*****
Part 2:

Faith crashed downstairs after coming back from lunch. Angel tried to ask her about how it went but Faith, emotionally exhausted, fell asleep. Unlike jail, she drifted off straight away and fell into a dream filled sleep.

"Uh!" Angel rushed downstairs hearing a scream from his apartment. Faith was tossing around, profusely sweating.

"Faith," he tried to hold her still, "Faith, it's alright. Faith, hey." Slowly the words sank into her consciousness.

"Angel?" She opened her eyes and wrapped her arms around his cold body. Whimpering she clutched the vampire's back.

"Nightmare?" Angel said gently. He felt Faith's answering nod as she tried to bury her hands deeper in his back.

"Wanna talk?"

Faith slowly pulled back, "Knife ... B ... blood." She looked down at the bedspread. "Same old, same old." She pulled herself back in Angel's arms. They stayed like that for a while, before Angel's phone rang.

"I have to get that." Faith was laying back when Angel came back. "I have to go out for a while."

"A job?" Faith asked keeping her eyes closed.

"Sort of." He pressed some money in her hand. "Go get something to eat, I don't know when I'll be back. Hopefully it won't take long. No one is upstairs."

"Okay."

"Faith," he paused looking at the non-responsive girl, "you don't have to go anywhere, you are welcome here as long as you want."

"Okay."

"Will you be here when I get back?" Angel tried the direct approach. Faith opened her eyes and looked at him blankly.

"I'm not gonna run."

"Good." Angel grabbed a weapon or two and went out into the early evening. Faith drifted in and out for another couple of hours before waking up with a massive appetite. She grabbed her jacket and made her way to a half-decent take away shop. It didn't have the atmosphere of the caf� the detective took her to earlier in day. People waiting in the shop were the people she was used to. Those fucked by the world, hidden from the glamour the city projected to the outside world, those who lurked in the shadows, surviving on government handouts and petty crimes. She took a booth in the back corner, wary of the group of teenage boys talking in hushed tones and surveying the other customers with contempt.

After eating her fill, she felt restless. Normally she would be out on the prowl for her two favourite things; sex and violence. As a Slayer, she lived for the night, the excitement that at any moment she could be called to use those instincts and to feel the blood flowing and adrenaline pumping through her body. Then after a good fight that bloodlust could be tempered by a good fuck. She shook her head; she couldn't or shouldn't do that tonight. She didn't need to get back into that groove. Yet, there was nothing to do at Angel's except sleep and watch TV. After being in jail doing exactly those things she needed to feel her freedom, embrace the fact that at least someone wanted her on the streets.

She found a club, drawn by the heavy beats that could be heard from the street. Making her way in she let the smoky air draw her in and onto the dance floor. Letting loose was exactly what she needed. Dancing, spinning, capturing several men's attention, her body moved to the rhythm of the music. One young man in particular kept coming back, almost begging Faith to show an interest in him. Faith found him a good distraction from her earlier feelings and led him to a table.

"Can I buy you a drink?" he asked leaning in close so Faith could hear him. Faith shook her head and kept moving to the music.

"I'm going to get one," he said his breath blowing on Faith's cheek. God, he smelled good, Faith thought as she indicated that she understood. When he came back Faith was ready for some action. Cheekily taking a gulp of his drink she pressed her open mouth to his and shared his drink. Responding to Faith's invitation, they shared several heated hard kisses. Faith thought it was time to leave and was just about to suggest it, when the music stopped. A commotion came from the bar as police forced their way through the crowd. Confusion seeped into the place and the crowd quickly became panicked.

"You wanna go get outta here?" Faith turned to lover boy.

He grinned, "Sounds good to me. My place is about ten minutes away."

"Best offer I've had all night," Faith took his hand and was just about to go when she thought she heard her name. Turning she came face to face with a pissed off Detective Kate Lockley.

"Detective." Faith nodded, putting her arm around her date. "I was just going." She gave a sexy smile to her date and turned back to the detective. "Nice to see you again." She looked at the cop then for show kissed lover boy who had no complaints. He pulled her along anxious to get out of there.

"Hold it," Kate grabbed Faith's arm.

"You gonna arrest me?" Faith shook her arm loose.

"No. Does Angel know you're here?" Kate was concerned, the girl had only been out of jail a few hours and here she was going god-knows-where with a stranger.

"I don't need his permission. I haven't had fun in a while, thought I'd celebrate my freedom." Faith smiled back at her date who showed no signs of wanting to leave.

"You go girl," her date cheered her on. Faith gave him another kiss, while she knew Kate was watching intently. She saw the detective narrow her eyes. Jealously? She asked herself.

"I'm taking you back to Angel's." No, just anger.

"Oh please, try me." Faith challenged.

"Back off bitch," her date finally had enough of this cop ruining his night. "She doesn't want you interfering." Kate moved a step closer to the couple.

"You know I'll be telling Angel," Kate threatened, running out of options bar handcuffing the teenager. Actually now she thought about, "How did you get in anyway, you're underage."

"Come on, Detective. I've been clubbing for years, it's not that hard. A wink there, a promise here."

"I'm either taking you back or I'm arresting you for being in this club."

Faith laughed, "Yeah right." But one look at Kate taking her cuffs off her belt and she realised the detective was actually serious. She couldn't afford to be arrested. "Fine, I'll go with you."

"Hey wait a minute, this is police harassment." Her date wasn't going down without a fight.

"Sorry, my boss knows her. Give me your number, we can do this again," Faith calmed him down, not feeling calm herself. He quickly gave it to her. Faith kissed him again, long and hard, making the detective wait until they were finished. "I'll call you when I can."

"Don't wait too long," the man leered at her and strolled away. Faith glared at the detective but followed her to the parking lot where several people were being read their rights and herded into police cars. She waited while Kate had a few words with another policeman while pointing at Faith. Then they got into Kate's the car, but Kate didn't make a move to turn on the engine.

"Satisfied, I sure know I'm not gonna be tonight," Faith looked out the windshield looking but not seeing the activity happening several yards away.

"There are safer activities to choose for fun." Kate didn't know how to proceed with the slayer. Sexual tension rose off the woman and she knew that she had just interrupted a very private moment, but she couldn't help but want to stop Faith having a meaningless one night stand.

Faith snickered, "I don't like playing it safe, too boring."

"That's what got you in trouble the first time, I DON'T want that happening again." Kate knew she had hit the mark when Faith flinched yet the slayer continued to stare out the window.

"Why should you care?"

"Because I do," Kate quietly admitted. Hearing the sincerity in the cop's voice Faith turned to face her.

"Racking up points with my boss?"

"No," Kate took a breath, "trying to win points with a Slayer."

"Trying to arrest me, funnily enough not doing it." Faith couldn't figure out what this detective was about. It was almost as if she really did care about her, which was just not possible.

"I'm sorry about that."

"No you're not," Faith smirked, "you would it again, if you had the chance."

Kate raised both eyebrows in response, "You're right."

"So don't you have to get back to arresting people other than me?"

"I'm taking you back." Kate started the car and started backing out of the parking lot.

"Angel's probably not gonna be there. He went out for a while." Faith didn't know why she shared that. God, the detective could have dropped her off and she could relieve some of the tension she was feeling by getting back out in the city again. Having the beautiful blonde sitting next to her wasn't helping her body tell itself there was gonna be no fun tonight.

"If I take you back are you going to stay there?" Kate could see the answer in Faith's body language.

"Of course."

Kate smiled, "It would make it easier if you didn't lie to me."

"It comes naturally, you're a cop. Brain's not programmed to be truthful to one." Faith's mood was coming back around. Too bad the woman wouldn't offer to relieve Faith's cravings.

"Oh I see." Kate passed a fast-food joint and remembered she hadn't had any dinner save a coffee and pastry. "You hungry?"

"And horny." The words passed Faith's lips automatically. "Sorry, my bad. For me the two go together. Slaying always does that to me."

"You went slaying tonight?" Kate asked as she pulled into the drive-thru lane.

"No. I'll just have some fries." Kate shook her head as she waited for the order. Certainly, life with Faith was not dull by any means. No wonder Wesley lost any authority he had over her. He was more the buried in a book type than any superhero mentor.

"Hold on to that," Kate passed her order to Faith and drove out.

"Mmm, non-prison food," Faith chomped down on the fries. She handed a couple of bills over to the detective. "You forget there is something that tastes better than undercooked vegetables."

"My treat," Kate handed the money back. She decided she had got her money's worth at the look of delight on Faith's face when eating fast-food fries. Who knew the slayer could find pleasure in something so simple.

"Thanks." Faith mumbled through her eating. "So what was going down at the club? Drugs?"

"Drugs." Kate stated as she made her way through the streets towards Angel's for the third time that day.

"Never got involved with that. The high I get when Slaying has always been enough."

"It makes you feel powerful?"

"Shit yeah. There's nothing like it. I have no idea where our powers come from, but when I'm in that zone it's like I'm invincible."

"Addictive?"

"Very. Especially when you know that you are stronger than any man, and a lot of demons. That is quite an advantage in a fight."

Kate once again pulled up to the curb outside Angel's and cut the engine.

"Thanks for the lift," Faith opened the door and got out. She sighed when she realised that she couldn't shake the detective.

"Nice try," Kate smiled as Faith lead the way down to Angel's apartment. No one was home, something that Faith was thankful for. Kate invited herself in and proceeded to start in on her food while Faith flopped in a chair across from her. The slayer looked the detective up and down, blatantly staring. Kate once again felt the sexuality roll off the young woman, making her wonder if Faith may have needed to blow off some steam. Maybe it was part of being a Slayer.

"What other advantages are there to being a Slayer other than increased strength?" Kate rolled up the paper bag the food had come in.

"I come more alive during the night. The hardest thing about jail was trying to function before ten in the morning." Faith leaned her elbows on the table

"Makes sense, since most creatures come out during the night," Kate remarked trying not to stumble on the word 'creatures.'

"I don't really know anything else, from what I've learned Slayers aren't a factory line, we all are different."

"You and Buffy?" Kate sensed there was quite a lot of history between the two Slayers.

"She likes to think we're totally different, but we're not. She has the same darkness in her as well. She just has a lot of self-control. A whole lot," Faith emphasised thinking about B's famous control.

"You don't get on?" Kate dug deeper, sensing Faith hadn't put up her barriers yet.

Faith's eyes darted to the stairs, "We did at first, but B wasn't too pleased that there was another Slayer. You know, she had the deal where she was the Chosen One, then she had to deal that a second Slayer was active. Cut into her pride."

"I would have thought a second Slayer was a good thing," Kate stated watching Faith's evasive body language closely.

"B's ... well, as I said she likes control. When I went off the rails, she and I were so close to..." Faith trailed off thinking back to that fateful night where she saved B's life only to turn up on the Mayor's doorstep.

"To what?" Kate wondered what happened, was it Buffy that made Faith feel the dark side was better for her?

Faith could either go for the truth or lie, but she didn't know which one. For some reason, lying to the detective was becoming an unpopular choice. Faith bowed her head and softly answered, "To being really close." Kate took that in, wondering if Faith was implying a more than friendly relationship or if she was reading more into it because of Faith's earlier actions.

"She abandoned you?"

"Well, yes and no. She tried, but B's all holier-than-thou sometimes. It came across as if she was judging me too harshly for something that we were both at fault for."

"So you found a better deal with this demon?" Kate felt she was getting somewhere with Faith as she hadn't completely closed up yet, like other times.

"Basically," Faith smiled weakly at the detective. "Stupid, huh?"

"Probably," Kate tried to keep her voice noncommittal. Judging Faith was not going to help, especially if Buffy had already fulfilled that role. "Does Buffy know you are out?"

"Angel's said nothing, but I bet he has called her. She'll be down in a day or two."

"For what?"

"Who knows, last time it was to kill me, maybe she'll give me a little break this time."

"She was going to kill you!" Kate shook her head; there was no way that was going to happen. She may be a demon fighter, but that didn't mean that she could kill humans..

"Yeah may have had something to do with me trying to ruin her life." Faith shrugged as if she thought Buffy was justified in her actions.

"That doesn't mean she has the right to kill you." Faith could see the detective riled about this news. Maybe she was telling the truth and she did care about Faith.

"Think about it, she's the only one who could stop me."

"She could have taken you to the police -"

Faith laughed, "The only reason I was in jail is because I chose to be there. I found a way to break out within a few hours when I was first put in. Those guards are so strict in their patterns."

"Oh," Kate's perspective on Faith's redemption had just changed. Angel's worry the day before had been warranted.

"Yeah," Faith nodded and stood up. "B is -" A noise stopped Faith and she whirled around ready for battle.

"Relax, it's me," Angel closed the door at the top of the stairs. "Kate."

"Angel, I found her wandering the streets, thought I'd give her a lift back," Kate stood as the vampire came down the stairs. Faith gave her a glance and a smile before turning back.

"Good night?"

"Yes." Angel took off his jacket and looked at the women.

"I'd better be going," the detective wanted to get out of there.

"Thanks," Faith turned to Kate and gave her a warm smile.

"It's alright, just don't go wandering around the streets in the dark again," Kate pointed a finger at her, also smiling.

"I'll be a good girl, Detective, I promise," Faith mocked pleaded. Kate chuckled before heading out. "She's alright, Angel." Faith said after she had gone. Not just alright, Faith thought, she covered for her. The cop knew how to bend the rules.

*****