Part 15<\/b><\/p>\n
As Faith slowly emerged from the warm, comforting blanket of sleep, she tensed, waiting for the inevitable cold to overtake her aching body. Much to her surprise, the familiar arctic chill from the Orb\u2019s possession didn\u2019t occur, and it took a while for her frazzled mind to figure out why. When things finally clicked into place, it all crashed in on her in a rush – last night, the Orb, the fight with Angel and B, drinking the potion and \u2026 oh god, Wesley!<\/p>\n
The slayer\u2019s eyes snapped open and she gazed up at the ceiling, struggling to come to terms with the nightmarish events of the past few days of half-wakefulness. Naturally, she was relieved and thankful to be free of the Orb\u2019s control, but heavy remorse for the things she had done under its influence caused a wave of negative emotion to swamp her initially optimistic reaction to that fact.<\/p>\n
As she turned her head, her troubled gaze settled on a slumbering Angel and Cordelia, and she couldn\u2019t help being warmed by the picture of loving contentment that their intertwined pose portrayed. The vampire lay on his back with one leg stretched out along the length of the sofa cushions, while his other leg was bent at the knee so that his foot was flat on the floor. Cordelia lay sprawled atop of him, her face tucked into the crook of his neck and her hand curled against his bare breastbone.<\/p>\n
The covers had slipped off the couple onto the floor, and Faith grinned to herself as she spotted the position of Angel\u2019s hands. The vampire held his girlfriend close with his left arm looped around her slim waist, and his other hand firmly clasping her right butt cheek. His hand was unashamedly down the back of the shorts of the sleepwear set that the seer wore, the intimate grasp a clear demonstration of his ownership of the woman sleeping contentedly in his arms.<\/p>\n
As if sensing the slayer\u2019s eyes on her, Cordelia began to stir, her slight movements bringing her boyfriend into wakefulness as well. Faith watched as she drowsily lifted her head and proceeded to trail a path of soft, butterfly kisses along the column of Angel\u2019s throat and up over his chiselled chin.<\/p>\n
As their lips met in a series of gentle kisses, the vampire swept his hand up the length of Cordelia\u2019s spine until his fingers tangled in the silky strands of her hair. To the slayer\u2019s amusement, his other hand maintained its firm grip on the seer\u2019s bottom, his long fingers gently massaging the softly rounded flesh there.<\/p>\n
\u201cAhem!\u201d Faith deliberately cleared her throat, reminding the couple that they had company before the embrace threatened to push the boundaries of acceptable public behaviour.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood morning,\u201d Angel greeted the brunette slayer with a small smile, his voice still gravely from sleep.<\/p>\n
\u201cActually, I think it\u2019s probably afternoon,\u201d Faith replied, one eyebrow raised skyward as she pointedly inclined her head towards the intimate position of his hand on his girlfriend\u2019s person.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood afternoon then,\u201d the vampire grinned back unrepentantly at the slayer, seemingly unfazed at having been caught copping a feel. Nevertheless, he was finally forced to remove his hand when Cordelia made a move to sit up.<\/p>\n
Swinging her legs to the floor and rising to her feet, the seer padded barefoot across the room to perch on the edge of the bed, next to her friend. Faith was rather astonished to see unshed tears glistening in her hazel eyes, but Cordelia engulfed her in a tight hug before she was able to question their meaning.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh God! I was so scared we\u2019d never get you back. I missed you so much, Faith.\u201d<\/p>\n
Resting her chin on her friend\u2019s shoulder, Faith\u2019s arms automatically rose to encircle the seer\u2019s back as she returned the hug with equal warmth. Angel had been reasonably tactile with her last night, but it felt good to be held so completely in this way; it was something that the slayer really needed right now.<\/p>\n
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Angel rise from the couch and retrieve some clean clothes from the closet and chest of drawers. He then retreated into the bathroom, respectfully giving the two girls some privacy. As the door shut quietly behind him, Faith rested her forehead against Cordelia\u2019s collarbone, and held onto the life raft of her close friend\u2019s unconditional support for all she was worth.<\/p>\n
When they eventually drew apart, Cordelia shot the slayer a watery smile as they wiped away their tears with the tips of their fingers. At first, Faith smiled back, but then her eyes fell on the yellowing bruise on the seer\u2019s cheek and the significantly shorter length of her dark brown hair, and a stricken look descended over her features.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t,\u201d Cordelia said emphatically. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t you, I know that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI said don\u2019t,\u201d Cordelia quickly interrupted, placing her fingers over the guilt-ridden slayer\u2019s lips to silence her unneeded apology. \u201cYou can\u2019t blame yourself for things that were out of your control.\u201d<\/p>\n
Besides,\u201d the seer added with a bright smile. \u201cI needed a hot new look anyway, so really the enforced restyle was a blessing in disguise.\u201d<\/p>\n
More than aware that her thick, glossy mane of hair had been her pride and joy, Faith knew Cordelia was lying through her teeth, but gratefully received the untruth in the spirit in which it was intended.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re the best, you know that, C.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m still sorry though,\u201d she added softly, needing to express her regret over what had happened nevertheless.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know,\u201d Cordelia replied, reaching out to squeeze her friend\u2019s fingers in understanding.<\/p>\n
Their fingers locked affectionately together, the two young women sat in silent contemplation for a short while, before a loud grumble of hunger from Cordelia\u2019s stomach rudely disturbed the poignant solemnity of the moment. They both dissolved into uncontrollable giggles at the growling sound, the noise puncturing the tension between them like a pin would a balloon.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that\u2019s my cue to go and find us something to eat,\u201d Cordelia said, once she\u2019d gotten her laughter under control. \u201cHow does coffee and waffles with maple syrup sound?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLike complete heaven,\u201d Faith replied expansively, patting her washboard stomach as the seer tugged on her robe and slipped her feet into a pair of big blue slippers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell that\u2019s a good thing, cus my repertoire doesn\u2019t extend any further than coffee and waffles, despite Angel\u2019s repeated and tireless efforts to teach me how to cook,\u201d Cordelia admitted with rueful candour.<\/p>\n
\u201cTell Mr Salty-Goodness that I\u2019ll bring him up a cup of O-pos, \u2018kay?\u201d she said over her shoulder, as she walked towards the door.<\/p>\n
\u201cSure thing,\u201d Faith replied, running her fingers through her wavy cascade of dark hair. Linking her fingers together, the slayer raised her arms above her head and stretched, working the kinks out of her lithe body.<\/p>\n
Cordelia stepped out onto the landing and pulled the bedroom door partially to behind her, leaving it slightly ajar. Crossing to the top of the spiral staircase, she slowly began to descend the steps, wary of her less than practical footwear. The huge slippers adorning her feet kept her cold-prone toes warm and toasty, but they were unfortunately severe tripping hazards as well.<\/p>\n
As she rounded the corner to take the second flight of steps, she unexpectedly came face to face with Buffy, who was nimbly ascending the stairs in the opposite direction. Not having heard the other girl\u2019s light footsteps, the seer let out a startled yelp and had to grab at the banister to prevent herself from tumbling headlong down the stairwell.<\/p>\n
\u201cGeez! I thought it was only Angel, who did the stealth thing,\u201d Cordelia exclaimed, bringing her hand to her heart in reaction. \u201cI suppose it\u2019s kind of an advantage to be able to sneak up on the bad guys, being slayer girl an\u2019 all, but couldn\u2019t you stomp your feet just a little when you\u2019re not in Little Miss Like-to-Fight mode? You could just, you know, like this\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
The seer exaggeratedly walked on the spot to illustrate her point, the rubber soles of her humongous slippers making heavy thuds each time they connected with the polished wooden step under her feet.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not that difficult surely?\u201d she appealed to the bemused slayer, her hazel eyes wide and earnest as her chin-length dark hair bounced in time with her energetic movements.<\/p>\n
Someone who knew the seer better would have played along, but Buffy, unaccustomed to Cordelia\u2019s quirky character traits, just stared back the dancing brunette in utter bafflement.<\/p>\n
\u201cUmm \u2013 I take it Faith\u2019s awake?\u201d she asked instead, \u201cAnd Angel?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah \u2013 go on up and say hi if you want. I was just going to get us all some lunchfast.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLunchfast?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah \u2013 breakfast at lunchtime \u2013 lunch-fast,\u201d Cordelia explained her bizarre terminology.<\/p>\n
\u201cIsn\u2019t that brunch?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDuh! Brunch is breakfast and lunch combined. And, it\u2019s eaten late morning, not at one in the afternoon. No, this is definitely lunchfast.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOkaaay,\u201d Buffy rolled her eyes at Cordelia\u2019s light-hearted jesting. \u201cI\u2019m going upstairs to see Angel and Faith now,\u201d she said rather patronisingly, as she moved past the seer and continued on her way up the flight of steps.<\/p>\n
\u201cGeez! Get a sense of humour why don\u2019t you?\u201d she heard Cordelia mutter under her breath, just before she was out of earshot.<\/p>\n
The slayer shook her head in mystification; she couldn\u2019t fathom out why a man, as sensible and serious as Angel, willingly put up with the vacuous, flighty creature that was Cordelia Chase. The woman must constantly drive him up the wall, so what was the attraction? She just didn\u2019t get it.<\/p>\n
When she reached the landing area, Buffy crossed to the second door on the left, lifting her hand to knock on the wooden panel before she entered. Noting that the door was slightly ajar and hearing the quiet murmur of voices from within, the slayer lowered her hand back down to her side without knocking. She lingered outside the door, her curiosity getting the better of her – Faith\u2019s voice reached her first.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe went to get us some breakfast.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCordy?\u201d Buffy could tell Angel was lifting his eyebrows from the amused tone of his voice. \u201cBe afraid, be very afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAngel!\u201d Faith\u2019s rich laugh rang out. \u201cYou are so bad. It\u2019s only waffles and coffee \u2013 she can\u2019t mess that up, surely?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, I wouldn\u2019t better on it,\u201d the vampire replied with a warm chuckle.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile we\u2019re on the subject \u2013 C is alright, isn\u2019t she?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, she seemed okay in herself, but she looks like one of those anorexic Hollywood chicks. I remember her saying she wanted to go into acting – some bastard director didn\u2019t tell her she was too fat, did they?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo \u2013 at least, I don\u2019t think so. I know she\u2019s lost some weight, but anorexic might be going a bit far, Faith,\u201d Angel softly reproved.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe \u2013 but you know what I mean. Surely you\u2019ve noticed the change in her appearance?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, of course I have. Cordy\u2019s recent weight loss is mainly psychological though. We\u2026 um\u2026 had a major falling out a few months ago, and things were very rough between us for a while. I think she stopped eating properly due to the stress of it all.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut earlier, on the sofa\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, I know,\u201d Angel\u2019s tone noticeably softened, the slight tension leaving his deep voice. \u201cWe\u2019re coming out the other side of it now. We still have a few issues to work through, but we\u2019re back on track, I swear. That\u2019s mainly thanks to Wes – he walked back into our lives at exactly the right moment. It really helped to have his outside perspective on things, and he got us communicating properly with each other again.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a long story \u2013 some other time, yeah? Cordy\u2019ll be back soon, and I don\u2019t want to drag up the painful memories again. She\u2019s eating properly now, I promise, so there\u2019s no need to worry about her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAlright, I believe you. I guess I have a lot of stuff to catch up on, huh? Wolfram and Hart, the Powers That Be, not to mention the fact that you\u2019re a bona fide PI now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBona fide might be stretching it a bit,\u201d the vampire replied with a self-depreciating grin. \u201cHow do you know all that anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Orb knew all about the Powers That Be and Wolfram and Hart, and your lawyer friends filled me in on all the rest. You\u2019re a major thorn in their side, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGlad to hear it. It\u2019s my aim to piss them off on a regular basis.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, I think you\u2019re succeeding,\u201d Faith replied with a conspiratorial wink. \u201cAngel Investigations was C\u2019s idea, right? Getting paid for saving the world and helping people \u2013 wish I\u2019d thought of that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe ganged up with Doyle to persuade me it was a good idea.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDoyle?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPart of the \u2018lot to catch up on\u2019\u201d Angel explained. \u201cHe was my seer \u2013 the PTB\u2019s sent him visions of the people they wanted me to help.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re talking about him in the past tense,\u201d the slayer quietly noted.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah – he died a couple of months ago,\u201d the vampire\u2019s voice dropped in volume. \u201cHe sacrificed himself to save a tribe of Lister demons from a light beacon that had the capability to kill anything with human blood.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d Faith said with genuine regret. \u201cSo now you\u2019re seer-less?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUmm, no \u2013 Doyle passed his visions onto Cordy before he died. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve entirely forgiven him for that yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe visions are a heavy burden to bear, Faith. Cordy accepts them as a gift from Doyle, and sees them as her destiny. They cause her so much pain though, and that makes it extremely hard for me to view the situation in the same way. The visions are my link to the Powers That Be, so it feels like everything she suffers is my fault.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, I can definitely relate to that,\u201d Faith said in a subdued tone, the vampire\u2019s words immediately making her think of the horrors she had watched Wesley go through the previous day. \u201cOh God Angel \u2013 how am I ever going to be able to look him in the face again?\u201d<\/p>\n
Through the gap between the door and its frame, Buffy saw Angel cross to sit on the bed by Faith\u2019s side. The vampire lifted his arm to run a soothing hand up and down the distraught slayer\u2019s back, as she buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t honestly think Wes will blame you for what happened, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, of course not. It\u2019s just that the Orb became so much a part of me; that it was as if its enjoyment of his suffering came from some, previously hidden, part of myself. It feels like that evil is still there, lurking somewhere deep inside of me, and that really scares me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Buffy hadn\u2019t heard the majority of the second half of Angel and Faith\u2019s conversation; she was too busy rejoicing over her discovery that Angel and Cordelia\u2019s relationship wasn\u2019t quite the bed of roses that it appeared to be. Shaking herself out of her silent exultation, she decided to make her presence known, not realising she was interrupting an important t\u00eate-\u00e0-t\u00eate between the vampire and her friend.<\/p>\n
Knocking sharply on the door, and then pushing it fully open, the blond slayer stepped over the threshold and smiled brightly at the two occupants. \u201cHey!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHey B \u2013 how ya doin\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGood, I\u2019m good,\u201d Buffy leaned down to give the brunette slayer a quick hug. \u201cAre you feeling better now?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, I\u2019m fine.\u201d Faith shot Angel a warning look before she smiled reassuringly at her blond friend. \u201cNice moves last night, by the way. You go girl \u2013 that back-flip was way cool.\u201d<\/p>\n
Buffy puffed up with pride. \u201cIt did turn out rather well, didn\u2019t it? But then, me an\u2019 Angel always did work together like a well-oiled machine. It was just like old times, wasn\u2019t it Angel?\u201d<\/p>\n
The petite slayer leaned over Faith and laid a warm hand on the vampire\u2019s knee, smiling up at him with a soft twinkle in her sapphire blue eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cErr, yeah sure.\u201d Angel said, his tone distinctly non-committal.<\/p>\n
Frowning slightly, the vampire rose to his feet, pointedly moving away from his ex-girlfriend\u2019s gently caressing touch. What the hell did Buffy think she was playing at? He did not need the hassle of constantly having to fend off her unsubtle come-ons, on top of everything else.<\/p>\n
He had more than enough on his plate helping his closest friends come to terms with the terrible ordeal that they\u2019d just been though, as well as re-building his relationship with Cordelia. He was going to have to have words with the annoyingly persistent slayer if she continued with this unacceptable behaviour.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo how are things in good old SunnyD?\u201d Faith asked Buffy, while Angel paced agitatedly back and forth across the carpet.<\/p>\n
\u201cGreat! Me and Will share a dorm room together at college. My first roomie turned out to be a bit single-white-female-y in a demon-y kinda way. Xander is well Xander, and Giles \u2013 he\u2019s big with the mid-life crisis right now. You know \u2013 jogging, dressing up as a Mexican on Halloween, coming to the Bronze to see a gig \u2013 you know the kind of thing. I think he just doesn\u2019t know what to do with himself now he has no musty books to play with. I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll find something to occupy his time soon though.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd Oz?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, he left, and came back, and left again, and Willow \u2013 well she\u2019s gay now, has a girlfriend called Tara.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay,\u201d Faith took that revelation in her stride. \u201cAnd how\u2019s it with you on the love-life front?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, there\u2019s Riley\u2026 he\u2019s\u2026 um\u2026 downstairs, so you\u2019ll get to meet him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAll right, so who\u2019s for up for waffles?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia\u2019s cheery voice interrupted the slayers conversation, as she shouldered open the door and came into the bedroom. The seer was carrying a large tray with three mugs, two plates, and a jug of syrup balanced on its surface. Placing it on the bedside cabinet, she turned and handed a plate, and a knife and fork, to Faith.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou want syrup?\u201d she asked, holding up the small jug.<\/p>\n
\u201cYep,\u201d the slayer replied, lifting her plate.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay, say when,\u201d Cordelia instructed, as she drizzled the sweet, sticky liquid over the food.<\/p>\n
Her breakfast served, Faith folded her legs up underneath her and balanced her plate in her lap. Holding her utensils in her hands, she paused, eyeing up her food with trepidation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d Cordelia asked, noting her friend\u2019s hesitation.<\/p>\n
The slayer shot a quick glance over at Angel and the seer\u2019s eyes narrowed suspiciously, as she caught her boyfriend trying to suppress an amused grin.<\/p>\n
\u201cOww!\u201d Angel exclaimed when Cordelia punched him hard on the arm. \u201cWhat was that for?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI can make waffles!\u201d the seer protested, her full mouth settling into a dramatic pout.<\/p>\n
Chuckling at his girlfriend\u2019s exaggerated huffiness, Angel reached out and hooked an arm around her waist, pulling her closer. He dipped his head and dropped a soft gentle kiss on her upturned lips.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re so cute when you get all pout-y,\u201d he said, his rich voice vibrating with warm affection.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese are pretty good, C,\u201d Faith commented, around a mouthful of waffles and maple syrup.<\/p>\n
\u201cSee \u2013 at least *someone* appreciates my cooking, Mr I\u2019d-Be-A-Cordon-Bleu-Chef if I wasn\u2019t an Ex-Evil-Vamp seeking redemption,\u201d Cordelia said, scrunching her nose up in mock indignation, and poking her boyfriend in the ribs with her forefinger.<\/p>\n
Angel nuzzled affectionately at her temple, breathing in the sweet smell of her hair before stepping back and releasing her from his embrace. He tapped her lightly on the bottom, and pushed her towards the tray of food, reaching around her to pick up the cup of warm blood that she\u2019d prepared for him.<\/p>\n
\u201cEat up,\u201d he quietly instructed.<\/p>\n
The two of them sat, side by side, on the sofa and, for a short while, the only sound was the clink of cutlery against crockery and the slurp of liquid being drunk from mugs.<\/p>\n
Buffy sat in silence on the bed next to Faith, glowering at the couple seated close together on the couch. Why did they persist in acting as if everything in the garden was rosy? Now that she knew that their relationship was in trouble, this fake display of togetherness totally grated on her nerves.<\/p>\n
\u201cI rang the hospital.\u201d Cordelia eventually broke the, mostly companionable, silence. \u201cWesley\u2019s doing okay \u2013 he said they\u2019ll probably discharge him later on today. That\u2019s provided that they\u2019re happy that he\u2019ll have someone to take care of him at home, of course. I told him he\u2019d have no worries on that score.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou spoke to him?\u201d Angel asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah \u2013 he was awake so the duty nurse put me through to his room.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll go and see him in a bit \u2013 the hospital has underground access. Probably best not to overwhelm him with visitors though \u2013 just you, me and Faith\u2019ll go.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUm\u2026 I might stay here \u2013 make his room nice for him,\u201d Faith said, her eyes firmly fixed on her near empty plate.<\/p>\n
Cordelia shot Angel a concerned look, but he placed a gentling hand on her arm and shook his head. The vampire could understand the slayer\u2019s reluctance to face her watcher. In hindsight, it was probably best that that unavoidably painful reunion happened away from the public eye. Wes would understand; he was sure of that.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay,\u201d he agreed in an easy tone. \u201cMe and Cordy\u2019ll go and keep him company, and then bring him back here with us later.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell,\u201d Cordelia said brightly, setting aside her clean plate and getting to her feet. \u201cI think I\u2019ll go have a shower and get dressed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Buffy watched in growing annoyance as Angel\u2019s eyes affectionately followed his girlfriend\u2019s every move, as she retrieved her clothing from the cupboards before vanishing into the bathroom to get ready.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Wesley lay in the narrow hospital bed, his head fuzzy from the strong painkillers that he\u2019d been given to numb the agony from his many injuries. There was a light tapping on the door and he opened his eyes, wincing at the pain this slight movement caused him.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome in,\u201d he croaked through a parched throat.<\/p>\n
Cordelia and Angel entered the room with smiles on their faces, but were unable to conceal their twin looks of shock as they took in his bruised and battered appearance.<\/p>\n
\u201cHi,\u201d he said as the worried couple sat down in two chairs, positioned on opposite sides of the bed.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey you,\u201d Cordelia said softly, reaching out to curl her fingers around his. \u201cHow you feeling?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been better, but I think I\u2019ll survive,\u201d Wesley replied. \u201cIs it just you two?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, \u2018fraid so. I don\u2019t think Faith is quite ready to face you just yet.\u201d It was Angel who answered his question.<\/p>\n
Wesley nodded. \u201cShe\u2019s otherwise okay though?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s been better, but I think she\u2019ll survive,\u201d the vampire replied, echoing the ex-watcher\u2019s earlier statement.<\/p>\n
Wesley closed his eyes with a sigh. \u201cSorry guys, I don\u2019t think I\u2019m going to be very good company. I\u2019m still groggy from all the drugs that they\u2019ve given me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t worry about it,\u201d Cordelia assured him, stroking his face lightly with a soothing touch. \u201cYou just rest \u2013 we can amuse ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust make sure your amusements are G-rated, \u2018kay?\u201d the ex-watcher mumbled, as a wave of drowsiness overwhelmed him.<\/p>\n
His weary body succumbing once again to sleep, Wesley was only vaguely aware of Angel and Cordelia\u2019s quiet laughter in response to his teasing remark.<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
Faith sat in the centre of the bed, her arms curled over her head as she sobbed out her anguish. Image flashes of Wesley\u2019s torture at her own hands, the horrible feeling of emptiness inside, and the evil she was sure she could feel hovering just below the surface of her skin, all combined in a whirlwind of horror and confusion that only added to her growing distress.<\/p>\n
Facing Wesley later on tonight was rapidly becoming the stuff of her worst nightmares, and she didn\u2019t know how she was going to handle it. She wanted to run away from the approaching encounter, but the thought of dealing with everything alone filled her with dread. She just wouldn\u2019t be able to hold it together without her friend\u2019s, and especially Angel\u2019s, help.<\/p>\n
The slayer felt like the souled vampire was the only one, who could really understand what she was going through, and she desperately wanted to cling onto his solid support and never let go. Angel had his own troubles to deal with though and, after what she learned today, there was no way she could justify monopolising his time, twenty-four seven. He and C needed time to themselves to work through their problems and, as their friend; she had to give them that space.<\/p>\n
Faith raised her head, blew her nose and scrubbed her face clean of its tears, somehow finding the strength to steel herself for the inevitable. She could do this, she could. She knew she had too. It was sink or swim; do or die, and she was not the type to quit. Taking the easy way out was simply not part of her genetic make-up. If the Orb of Ravaclesh thought it had the power to destroy her, then it was severely mistaken.<\/p>\n