Turning back towards Faith, Angel asked, “Hungry?  Thirsty?  Need anything?  What’s been happening?”

 

Faith laughed, putting her hands up in surrender. “No, No, No and…” Angel listened as she gave him a brief description of what life had been like since Sunnydale became a big hole in the ground. 

 

“What’s up here… aside from the obvious,” Faith said, motioning toward the door.  “Does anyone stay dead anymore?”

 

“Not the ones you wish would,” Angel said, smirking.  “I’m running an evil law firm.”

 

“Yeah, kinda hard to miss,” she said looking around.  “Looks like it has perks.”

 

“I’m dating a werewolf,” he said, sheepishly.

 

“Get out!” Faith exclaimed, punching him in the arm.

 

“I was a puppet.” Angel noticed the disbelief register on Faith’s face and quickly added, “I had a sword.”

 

Angel knew it was time to turn the conversation toward the more serious.  He quietly told her about Cordy and Fred.

 

Faith sighed loudly.  “A higher power and a God.  Sometimes, I just don’t get it,” she said.

 

Knowing that she was shocked, Angel motioned for the couch and they both sat down.

 

“I’m sorry, Angel.  I had no idea; I hadn’t heard anything from anyone.  Guess I’ve been out of it too long.”

 

Angel shrugged. “You had your own stuff going on.”

 

“Kind of been a shitty year all the way around, hasn’t it?” she asked.

 

“Let’s hope it doesn’t get worse.”  Angel paused and then asked, “Why are you here?”

 

Faith stood up.  “Look, I could leave.”

 

“Not what I meant and you know it,” he replied, grabbing her arm and dragging her back down toward the couch.

 

Angel watched as Faith physically relaxed again.  “I would say I don’t have no where else to go, but that would sound pathetic.”  Faith stretched her arms out in front of her.  “Let’s just say I missed L.A. and leave it at that.  Okay?”

 

Angel smiled.  “Welcome back.”

 

XXXXX

 

“She’s here?” Wesley asked, surprised.

 

“Up in Angel’s office,” Harmony said.

 

Didn’t take Wesley much time to figure out how excited Harmony was to be the one to tell him.

 

“What is this Faith you speak of?” Illyria asked, tilting her head to one side.

 

“An old… friend,” Wesley said.  “What is she doing here?” he asked Harmony.

 

“Beats me,” she stated simply as she exited the lab.

 

“Why does she want to be beaten?” Illyria asked Wesley looking even more confused.

 

“It’s an expression meaning she doesn’t know,” Wesley informed her absently. 

 

Wesley was surprised that Faith was back.  From what Angel had said, the group from Sunnydale had finally accepted her.  Wesley knew Faith craved acceptance even though she’d never admit to it.  He would have assumed she would have stayed with them.

 

Wesley tried not to think of it as something else he needed to worry about.  He already had enough on his mind.

 

XXXXX

 

“I heard you had company,” Eve said, walking into Angel’s office.

 

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Angel muttered, standing up.  “What do you want Eve?” The sarcasm dripped from his voice.

 

“We have a Slayer in town.  One that’s not crazy… But come to think of it, that could be questionable.”  Eve smiled coolly.  “Figured I’d check it out for myself.”  Eve moved to study Faith.

 

Faith gave Eve the once over.  “I just met you and I already don’t like you,” she glowered, standing.

 

“Wow.  Kind of harsh.”

 

“You think that’s harsh?  Trust me, you haven’t seen harsh yet,” Faith said, meeting her gaze head on.

 

Angel stepped between them. “Eve, get out.” He pointed to the door.  “Now.”

 

“Okay.  Okay,” she said turning to walk away.  She glanced at Faith.  “We’ll chat later.”

 

“Don’t count on it,” Faith whispered as Eve left Angel’s office. 

 

“Who’s the kewpie doll?” she asked.

 

Angel replied tersely. “Our liaison to the Senior Partners.  You know what they say…”

 

“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer?” Faith provided.

 

“That would be what they say,” Angel agreed.

 

XXXXX

 

Angel spent the next couple of hours showing her around.

 

Faith was impressed by the surroundings, but her Slayer vibe said it wasn’t a good place.  Angel acknowledged that and reminded her about the ‘keeping your enemies closer’ comment she had made earlier.  They both agreed that Wolfram and Hart was about as close to evil as you could get, in this dimension anyway.

 

They were just entering the lab when Wes emerged.

 

“Faith!”

 

“Wes,” she greeted him with genuine warmth.  “How’s tricks?” 

 

Faith could see how much he had changed.  The stress was visible on his face.  If she didn’t know better, she would’ve thought that Wesley had aged ten years since she last saw him.

 

“Good.  Fine,” he stammered.  Turning to Angel.  “Illyria’s gone again.  I need to find her.  Faith, good to see you.”  He gave her shoulder a quick squeeze and walked away.

 

“What was that all about?” Faith asked.  “Illyria?  The she-god, right?”

 

“Yeah.  She has a tendency to disappear.  Makes Wes a little crazy when she does that,” he said.

 

“A little?  He’s not lookin’ so good.”

 

“Wes is torn between feeling frustrated and feeling guilty,” Angel replied.  “You ask me?  I think guilt is winning.”

 

XXXXX

 

Faith was bunking down at a Holiday Inn in Downtown L.A.

 

She and Angel had argued about her staying there.  Angel wanted her to stay someplace closer, but she held her ground.  He didn’t want her going out alone or being so far away.  Faith had to remind him for the tenth time, that she’d be fine, she was after all, a Slayer.

 

They finally reached a compromise.  Faith would keep in touch with him, let him know what was going on and if she stumbled across anything he should be aware of, she’d let him know.

 

“Since when did you become my Watcher?” she asked him lightly on her way out. 

 

Angel gave her one of his crooked sorta smiles in response.

 

XXXXX

 

After checking in, Faith stopped by the newsstand, grabbed a paper and finally made her way to her room.  She hated to admit it, but she was tired.  It had been a long day and she figured she had a solid four hours before dark.  A long hot shower, a nice nap, and she’d be ready to patrol.

 

Faith woke up exactly three hours later.  She didn’t feel as rested as she thought she would.  Her sleep had been fitful and uneasy.  She dreamed, but she couldn’t remember what about.  Attributing it to her new surroundings, she shook it off, threw on her clothes and headed out.

 

Faith was hungry and she was tempted to stop at a taco place before she went on patrol, but she knew that Mexican food and slayage didn’t mesh very well.  And after her not so fulfilling sleep, she didn’t need any help feeling sluggish. 

 

Faith decided on something small. She ran into a coffee shop, finally getting her coffee and donut.

 

She was alone, but she didn’t feel alone.  She knew she had friends and confidantes close by.  People who cared about her, understood her, and would be there in a flash to help her if she needed it. 

 

Sometimes, Faith wondered why they bothered, but she banished those thoughts as quickly as they came.

 

Angel, of all people, had given her a cell phone to keep in touch.  He hated them and ended up saddling her with one.  She found it rather ironic and she smiled to herself. 

 

Faith made her way to the business district.  Not as quiet as she thought it would be, with people bustling about everywhere.  She thought Vegas was the city that never slept.  Or was that New York?  She was bummed that she couldn’t quite remember

 

“Why the long face pet?” The voice came from somewhere in front of her.

 

“Shouldn’t you be out saving the world or something?” she said.

 

Spike came out from the shadows smiling.  “Did that once, ‘spect I’ll try something different now.”

 

“I’m not even going to ask,” Faith said, continuing on with her patrol.

 

Spike caught up with her.  “What? Where’s the Warm-n-Fuzzies?”

 

Glancing over her shoulder she muttered, “I’ll get back to ya.”   Faith swung a hook kick to Spike’s left, just missing his head.

 

Spike bent back just in time.  A vamp was coming from the alley they had just passed. 

 

“Slayer’s back in town,” he said, happily.

 

“Won’t you guys ever learn?” she asked the vamp.  By the looks of him, he was turned in the seventies and had the wardrobe to prove it.  “The clothes dude.  They give you away every time.”  Faith swept his legs out from under him, dusting him before he even hit the ground.

 

Spike clapped. “Bravo!  Gotta be a bloody record!  Less then a minute; slayer wit included.”

 

Faith finally looked at him and smiled.  “I said it once, I’ll say it again.  Everyone is just full of surprises.  You were so dusted.  Burnt to cinders. Postcard to Smokey the Bear.”

 

Spike gave her the once over. “Still got that right cross down. Still have the doe eyes. Missing the black leather though.”

 

Faith glanced down at her blue jeans and white t-shirt. “Things change. Clothing for example. Vampires that don’t stay dead. Vampires that have souls. Thousands of slayers running around.  Need I go on?”

 

“Prob’bly not.”

 

As they walked, Spike filled her in on his return.  Not so much the how or the why, but that he was back and ghostly for a while.  He figured eventually they would figure out why, but he really wasn’t in any hurry.

 

“Why you hanging here?” she asked.  “Figured you’d be sniffing after B once you got back?”   Spike’s steps faltered momentarily and Faith caught it.  Stopping and turning to him, she asked, “She doesn’t know you’re back does she?  That is so whacked.”

 

“Don’t much want to talk about it.” Spike began walking faster, away from her.

 

“Then don’t,” she stated matter-of-factly once she caught up with him. 

Spike acknowledged the truce and they continued on their way.

 

Sunrise was only a half an hour away.  Between the two of them, they dusted a measly five vampires.  Faith had expected more, but she did like the fact that Spike was with her. 

 

Faith was surprised, but she actually enjoyed his company.

 

XXXXX