Hero: Return of the Fangel
by rockangelz25
Buffy yawned. She was tired. Despite everything that she'd thought she would do, she hadn't gotten home last night until after everybody else--even Willow--was in bed, asleep.

There was a car in the driveway below; that was what had woken her up. She looked down and saw that the windows were blackened. For a moment she clenched her fists, but caught herself. It wasn't Spike. It was fine. He wouldn't dare. Not in a car.

But it was worse. The door opened, and out came Faith. Brown, curled hair; kick-ass outfit.... Nothing had really changed. She twisted her lip a little in disgust. So who else was here?

The passenger door opened, and she caught her breath. There was only one vampire--one other vampire--that would allow himself in daylight, that would come here, that would be with the Slayer and yet still be alive.

"Angel?"

"He loves you, you know. Just not in the same way as you used to. Don't take it personally." She whirled around to see Maria in the door, crossing her arms and smiling sadly.

"What're--why are you here?"

"I heard the car doors downstairs. You've got the best upstairs view. And you're having doubts."

"I am not having doubts. Angel and I are forever."

"Then how do you explain Spike?"

"Spi--" Buffy's jaw dropped. "How do you--"

"Never mind. I just do. But you and Angel will always care. It just changes; the way that you do."

"How do you know about us?"

"She doesn't." Nibu came up behind her. Although he was short, Buffy somehow found him intimidating.

"She acts like she does." Buffy narrowed her eyes.

"She's making it up as she goes along. Come on, Wordstreamer. We can go to L.A. now, and figure out exactly what's going on."

"Yea," said the girl sarcastically as they left Buffy's room together.

Buffy just stared after them, involved with what they had said. Spike....

**

"Angel brought psycho slayer?" asked Cordy. "Great."

"The little brunette? She's a Slayer, too?" Gunn looked on the girl with new respect.

"Yeah, the same one that tried to kill Wesley and me. And Angel. And all so that Angel would kill her. She is really screwed-up."

"Faith," said Gunn, finally getting the point.

"Yes. Faith."

"I'm cool with it. As long as she doesn't try killing us again, it's all good." He shrugged.

"You didn't have to worry about her. I know her, Gunn. She's.... Different," said Cordelia finally, at a loss for words.

"As long as she doesn't turn on us, I don't care what she is."

Faith pushed open the front door to let Angel in, but stood on the doorstep, watching Buffy come down the stairs to greet them.

"Faith," she said.

"Hey, B," Faith replied weakly.

"So, you got sick of prison?"

"No. Wes came for me last night. Said Angel needed me."

"Angel might. I don't."

"B, I had to come with him. I'm sorry, okay?"

"You're sorry; and you think that helps?"

"No. Not for that--no, look, can you try to understand me? I'm sorry I'm here. I know that I can't apologize enough to you.... For what I did..... I want to, but I can't."

Buffy stared at her for a moment longer.

"You can come in, Faith. But get out soon."

"That's better than what I thought I'd get," muttered Faith, pushing the door shut behind her. "I figured you'd just go all 'stay away' on me again."

"Faith, just..... Don't," said Buffy, not having the patience to deal with this.

Willow came down the stairs, fairly cheerfully. "Hey, Buffy!.... Faith. Faith's here. Faith is here why?"

"I'm with Angel, Willow." Faith cocked her head to the side a little, crossing her arms.

"Oh. That's good. Is that good?" She turned to Buffy again.

"They're here for Cordy, Gunn, and the other two."

"There's more? Up there?"

"Yes. Maria and Nibu. They're both strange, strange people. They know a lot more than they should; about everything."

"Think they could be in training? Future Watchers, or something?"

"Maybe. I don't know."

"You're Faith," said the girl on the staircase.

"Guessing you'd be Maria." Faith kept her hands folded.

"Yeah."

"You're Maria," said Willow.

"Yeah. And you're Willow."

"Yeah." They stared at each other for an instant. Maria looked away first, almost blushing.

"So..... I heard that we're supposed to save you and your friend," said Faith, trying to break the silence.

"Yeah. I guess so."

"Faith!" said Cordelia, smiling fakely.

"Hey." She tried to smile back, but failed completely. "Long time no see."

"Yeah, not since you tried killing our boss!" She grinned even more widely.

"Yeah. Not since then."

"So, you're Faith?" Gunn was behind Cordelia.

"Yeah. You would be?"

"Charles Gunn." He came down the stairs more, holding out his hand.

"You're not.... You know me, and you aren't afraid. Huh." Faith shook hands.

"Nope. As long as you don't go evil again, we're good."

"Five by five, Charlie-boy." She regained some of her confidence.

"Wordstreamer?" Nibu appeared on the stairs, above Cordelia.

"Nibu," she said, smiling as she turned around to meet him. Cordelia finally followed them all down the stairs.

"Hormone fest '02; here we go," she muttered under her breath.

**

"Buffy. Can we talk?" asked Angel.

"Why?"

"We should," he said. She frowned a little, but followed him into the kitchen.

"How've things been going for you?" He swung his hands back and forth anxiously.

"They've been.... Hard," she finally said.

"I'm sorry."

"It was bad, coming back. Takes some getting used to."

"I heard, you know. Dawn told Cordelia about it last night. Where you were; what you felt." Envy flashed across his face for a moment, then it blanked again.

"Yeah. Heaven." She didn't really like this.

"And it must've been...." He grabbed her, pulling her closer to him, kissing her. Then he pulled away, growling.

"What? Angel, what is it?" Her heart started sinking back down.

"You have him on you," he said.

"Who?"

"Spike," he said angrily. "I can smell him all over you."

"Did anybody ever tell you guys; you vampires, that the smelling thing is really gross?"

"You're sleeping with him?"

"I.... I have to...." she said, unable to explain.

"Why?" He grabbed her hands, trying to understand, wanting to understand.

"To feel....."

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