"You really think the big guy'll be into this?" asked Faith, looking
doubtful.

"Of course he will! What better to bring him out of his big, broody
shell than an artistic outlet for his emotions and lots of bright
colours?" Cordelia looked knowingly at Faith; "Being an actress
means I understand how the arts can help us to express our feelings
without actually saying stuff out loud."

"I see," said Faith, smiling. "So, d'you think that I should express
myself with paints?" She pulled Cordelia back against her body and
whispered in her ear. "D'you think that I'd look good in an artist's
smock?"

Cordelia turned her head slightly and cupped Faith's cheek. "Oh
yeah" she almost growled, "Especially if you weren't wearing anything
underneath." Faith grinned at this mental picture and kissed
Cordelia full on the lips. The stallholder saw her potential sale
slipping away on a cloud of lust so she `ahemed' her way back into
the conversation.

"These particular paints are on special – 10% off plus you get this
set of brushes and a water pot free of charge." Faith looked
decidedly peeved at being interrupted mid-smooch but Cordelia's eyes
had lit up at the mention of a discount.

"We'll take them!" She continued to make small talk with the woman
while she filled bags with art supplies. Faith made do with holding
Cordelia from behind and resting her chin on her shoulder. When the
transaction was finally complete, Cordelia and Faith each picked up a
bag and walked away, hand in hand.

"You think you got enough stuff babes?"

"Well, if something's worth doing it's worth doing right." Cordelia
squeezed Faith's hand. "Isn't that one of your mottoes?"

"Only in some situations C." Faith said, slipping the arm that wasn't
laden with Angel's new hobby around Cordelia's waist, pulling her
close for a hug. A second later she felt Cordelia's body go rigid
and immediately knew what was happening. Damn those visions.
Faith's bag hit the ground only a fraction after Cordelia's did.
Cordelia grabbed her head and cried out in pain. Faith caught her as
her knees buckled and held her tight, supporting her, feeling every
wave of pain as it rippled through the young woman in her arms.
Faith hated these visions, probably more than Cordelia did. If there
was one thing Faith detested it was the feeling of utter
powerlessness that overcame her whenever the girl she loved was
wracked with pain and there wasn't a single thing she could do to
stop it or make it better. This time was no different and Faith only
released the breath she didn't know she'd been holding when she felt
the stiffness ease out of Cordelia's body indicating that the vision
was ending. People were looking at them. Wondering if Cordelia was
alright. Faith paid them no heed, focussing solely on Cordelia. She
pushed the hair back off her face gently.

"Hey, you OK Cor?"

Cordelia smiled weakly, she loved it when Faith called her that.
However, she usually only used the affectionate abbreviation when she
was concerned about her health. She leaned her forehead against
Faith's, trying to regulate her breathing.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"What was it?" Concern still clouded Faith's dark eyes.

"It was?" Cordelia stopped as she felt another vision hitting her,
hard. She let out a bloodcurdling scream and collapsed to the ground
clutching her head before Faith had a chance to catch her. Faith was
on her knees in an instant trying to calm the convulsing girl. A
crowd started to gather around them.

"Someone call 911!" A voice in the crowd yelled. Faith was about to
protest when she was struck by a frightening realisation. The vision
had been going on far too long. It wasn't ending. Cordelia thrashed
around on the ground, screaming and crying, ripping Faith's heart out
of her chest. Faith somehow managed to manoeuvre Cordelia into her
arms where she cradled the hysterical girl, whispering words of
comfort which had absolutely no effect. Tears streamed freely down
Faith's face as she struggled to hold Cordelia still.

"Come on Cor, shhhhh, I got you?please baby?please?shhhhhh." Faith's
voice was strangled by the sobs that overtook her body. Anger slowly
worked its way to the surface. "Why don't you bastards leave her
alone? Doesn't she do enough for you, huh?" Faith's rage was
directed at the sky. The assembled crowd, having no knowledge of the
PTB, wondered if her words were meant for the heavens. She went back
to rocking Cordelia, speaking to her in a low voice. "Come on baby,
you're scaring me?we both know I don't scare easy?God Cor please,
please stop this?I can't stand seeing you like this?"

After what seemed like an age the squeal of an ambulance siren
mingled with Cordelia's cries of agony. Paramedics got out and
coaxed Faith into letting them take Cordelia from her arms and strap
her onto a gurney, she continued to scream and cry. Faith was also
in pain. More so than when Buffy had sliced through her gut with her
own knife. This pain was much worse. It was the pain of loving
someone. Love was accompanied by fear; fear of that person being
hurt, fear of that person leaving, fear of that person no longer
being in your life. Faith had never experienced these feelings
before. As she stepped into the back of the ambulance she looked
into Cordelia's wide, wild eyes. Cordelia did not see her; she was
seeing other things, forced to witness terrible things that Faith
wanted to protect her from. Pain and fear gripped Faith's heart and
squeezed until she thought she might die from it.

The ambulance doors were closed and the siren started up again.
Faith sat holding Cordelia's hand. She was not reassured by the fact
that they were heading for a hospital. She was only more frightened
by the knowledge that the doctors wouldn't be able to do a thing for
Cordelia's suffering.

"I'm gonna help you." She knew Cordelia couldn't hear her but she
felt the need to say the words out loud. "I'm gonna help you, I
promise."

At the hospital Angel crashed through the swinging doors. He stopped
at the information desk.

"Cordelia Chase?" he demanded.

The nurse tapped something into her computer and Angel had to calm
himself down to stop his vampire face making an appearance. The
nurse looked up from her screen.

"She was just admitted, the doctors are with her now, you can wait in
the?wait! Come back! You can't go in there." Angel ignored her and
ran in the direction of the heart-rending screams he could hear. He
barged into the room where 4 medical staff were attempting to
restrain Cordelia and administer drugs.

"You can't be in here sir." Again he ignored the voice. He went to
the bed and grasped Cordelia's arms, trying to stop her flailing
around.

"Cordelia! Cordelia!" he shouted, trying to get her attention. But
she did not or could not hear him. Her cries were cutting through
him like a knife. He allowed the doctor to push him aside and inject
something into Cordelia's arm. "Drugs won't help her," he mumbled
softly. The doctor fixed him with an annoyed stare.

"That's what her sister said, do you two know something you're not
telling us about this young woman's condition? Because if you do it
would be in her best interests to tell us immediately. I don't know
what else we can do for her."

Angel shook his head slowly. "No, she has seizures from time to time
but not like this." The doctor's words sunk in. "Her sister?"

The doctor nodded. "She came in with her in the ambulance, she was
very upset – I thought we were going to have to get security to
restrain her." She sighed, "Understandable, it must be terrifying to
see someone close to you in a state like this."

"Where is she?" Angel asked, knowing that if seeing Cordelia like
this was hard on him, it would be?he couldn't even imagine how it
would be for Faith.

"She's in the relatives room where you're going to join her," said
the doctor as an orderly came and ushered him out and along the
sterile corridor into a small dark room. At first he didn't see
Faith but a small movement in the corner of the room caught his eye.
Faith was huddled up in the corner, hugging her knees to her chest.
Her face was hidden, bent down with hair falling over it. She was
rocking herself back and forth.

"Faith?" He approached her cautiously, he didn't want to startle her
or aggravate her in any way. She didn't look up.

"I couldn't help her."

"What?"

"I was so useless, I just sat there holding her and she was in all
this pain and I couldn't do a fucking thing and then they made me
leave her in that room alone with those doctors and they're not gonna
be able to help her." Her voice was full of venom and self-
loathing. She eventually looked up at Angel with a tear stained
face. "Can anyone help her?" This time her voice was small, a
whisper from a very frightened little girl needing reassurance.
Angel kneeled down next to Faith and put his hand on her shoulder.

"We'll help her." His voice held more conviction than he
felt. "There must be a way, someone's doing this to her and we'll
find them and?"

"Beat the shit out of them." Faith finished.

"We'll do whatever we have to do to get her back." Faith nodded
back at him, her big brown eyes trusting in what he was saying,
because she had to believe it. Suddenly she moved forward and fell
into Angel's arms sobbing pitifully. Angel held her tight, rubbing
her back in comforting circles.

"I can't lose her Angel, I need her, she's?hell she's the reason I'm
still here, the reason I'm not in some shallow grave somewhere or a
loony bin or the big house?I need her, I love her so much."

"Me too," said Angel, realising it for perhaps the first time.
Cordelia was his friend, he loved her, he needed her. But he knew
his feelings were insignificant compared to Faith's. He also
realised what a lot of people had forgotten, that Faith was just a
young girl who needed love, despite her hard-ass outward act.
Faith's sobs were easing off now and she pushed herself away from
Angel, wiping her face with her sleeve.

"Sorry," she mumbled, embarrassed to have shown her emotions to
Angel, emotions she normally reserved for Cordelia in the safety of
their apartment.

"Don't be sorry Faith, we can both be strong for each other when we
need it. You needed it just now." At that moment there was a soft
knock at the door and the doctor popped her head in.

"Can I interrupt?"

Faith was on her feet in a second. "Is she OK? What's happening?
Can I see her?"

"Well, she appears to have calmed down a lot, but she is still
experiencing the seizures. However, she's no longer crying out or
convulsing. We don't think this is a reaction to the drugs we gave
her as they would have acted much earlier than this but we don't know
what else it could be. She's still not responding to speech or
touch, it's like she's looking at something we can't see." The
doctor looked down, ashamed that she couldn't tell them more, the
girl's sister looked heartbroken at this news.

"Can I see her?" Faith repeated in a shaky voice. The doctor was
about to say no but there was nothing further that could be medically
done for Cordelia. Why not let her sister be with her? She nodded
her agreement. Faith turned to Angel.

"You coming?"

"No, you go be with her. I'm gonna go see if Wesley has come up with
anything else. I'll be back later. Call me if anything happens."
Faith nodded, looking like a lost, scared little girl again. Angel
reached out and pulled her into a hug.

"She'll be OK, we're gonna help her, remember that." He whispered in
her ear. When he released her she looked at him and nodded once.
Then she turned on her heel and headed to Cordelia's room. Watching
her go, Angel sent up a silent prayer to anyone who was listening
that his words to Faith didn't turn out to be lies.
Faith took a deep breath and stepped into the room. She tried not to
look at all the hospital paraphernalia that surrounded Cordelia's
bed. She walked over and stood next to Cordelia's prone figure. Her
eyes were still open. For some reason Faith had expected them to be
closed. When the doctor had said she'd calmed down, something inside
Faith had hoped that she was sleeping peacefully. Unfortunately this
wasn't the case. Cordelia was staring straight ahead of her,
unfocussed eyes wide, seeing nothing and yet seeing so much. She was
quiet now but was obviously still in pain. Her breathing was erratic
and every now and then a whimper would escape from her mouth, letting
Faith know when the worst of the pain hit her. Faith looked down at
the restraints holding Cordelia's arms and legs. She doubted they
were needed any more as Cordelia wasn't moving at all.

Faith slowly bent down and kissed Cordelia's forehead gently. She
moved her head so that her nose was pressed against Cordelia's
cheek. The tears had come again and she needed to be close to her at
this moment. Cordelia gave no indication that she knew Faith was
there and that tore Faith up inside. She wanted Cordelia to look at
her. She wanted to see the love and the acceptance and the trust
that her eyes always conveyed. Each time Cordelia's gaze fell on
Faith her stomach tightened; no one had ever looked at her the way
Cordelia did.

For a while Faith had fought against her feelings for Cordelia,
feeling herself to be unworthy of love from anyone, let alone someone
like Cordelia. But in her own inimitable style, Cordelia had told
her to wake up and smell the coffee before the pot was empty. Want,
take, have had been Faith's mantra in a past life. Cordelia had
changed all that, showing her there was more to life than quick
sexual gratification and empty relationships. For the first time in
her life Faith had not just jumped straight into bed with the object
of her desire, she had waited for the right time and it had been the
most wonderful experience of her life. Cordelia was not experienced
in that department but in spite of, or maybe because of that fact,
she was the most skilled lover Faith had ever had. Perhaps it was
because she was actually IN love with Cordelia, Faith mused. Maybe
that's what makes the difference. Sure she'd enjoyed sex before but
it had always been about getting off, she had never cared whether or
not her partner was enjoying the ride. But now she would gladly
fulfil Cordelia's needs forever and a day if that's what she was
asked to do.

Faith sat down on the edge of the chair that was next to the bed.
She reached out and took Cordelia's hand awkwardly, as the restraint
didn't allow for much movement. She laced her fingers through
Cordelia's, trying to force their connection through to the mind she
knew was trapped inside this unresponsive body. Squeezing the hand
gently she began to speak.

"Ummm?this is kind of weird, I don't know if you can hear me but I
have to talk to you or I'll go crazy. Fuck, now I don't know what to
say?I guess I should just tell you what I'm thinkin' huh? I'm scared
Cor?I've never been so scared?I guess this is the reason that I never
let anyone get close before, I was afraid that this would happen?well
not this exact thing but that somethin' bad. Bad stuff always
happens around me?I tried to tell you that but would you listen?
Nope, not you?not Queen C. I wanted you to stay away from me so
you'd be safe?maybe I shoulda just left LA and you would have been
OK. But I was selfish, I wanted to be with you so I stayed and I let
you get close and now you're?I'm sorry. I'm feelin' all sorry for
myself again."

Faith sniffed and looked up, hoping for some sign that Cordelia could
hear her. But there was nothing, just the same vacant, haunted stare
as before. Faith looked back at their joined hands.

"I?I should have told you this long before now?I love you Cordelia?I
know I haven't said it out loud but I guess I hoped you knew?I tried
to show you?oh God please tell me you know I love you?"

Faith stood now and placed her head on Cordelia's stomach and cried.
Faith had never cried so much in her life as she'd done that day.
She held on to Cordelia's torso and wept for a long time. As her
crying subsided she stayed in the same position feeling comforted by
the closeness. She traced a pattern on the bed-sheet, directly above
where Cordelia's scar was. She knew it by heart, a circle of scar
tissue where an iron rod had pierced all the way through,
miraculously missing anything vital inside. She had a matching wound
on her back. Faith often wondered what she had been doing the night
Cordelia was hurt – why wasn't she there helping in the search for
Xander and Willow? She closed her eyes in shame as she came to the
realisation that she was probably out screwing some random person
instead of helping the people who had tried so hard to be her
friends. Maybe if she had been there things would have been
different, maybe Cordelia wouldn't have been hurt. Even then she
knew that Cordelia had feelings for her but she'd played with them
cruelly, just as she did with everything.

Faith tried to think of that period as another lifetime, separate
from what she had now. Sometimes she succeeded. Usually when she
was curled up in Cordelia's arms or when she was fighting a vamp and
winning – for the side of good. But a lot of the time she couldn't
forget the things she'd done. Cordelia tried to convince her that
she was a different person now, if Cordelia could forgive her why
couldn't she forgive herself? She stood back up and arranged some
stray hairs on Cordelia's brow. She marvelled at Cordelia's beauty,
even in here, under harsh hospital lighting, with hair matted and red
ringed eyes Cordelia was the most beautiful creature Faith had ever
seen. She gently stroked Cordelia's smooth cheek.

"Hey?sorry I lost it for a bit there?I just hate seeing you this way
and not being able to do anything about it?but we are gonna help you,
Angel and Wesley are looking for a way to help you right now?I
promise we'll get you back?we all need you back?" To prevent herself
from dissolving into tears again Faith decided to change the
subject. "Hey, I told the nurse I was your sister and she believed
me?even said there was a resemblance?funny how people see what they
want to see?sisters, yeah right, we'd be arrested for the stuff we
get up to quicker than Angel can down a blood bag?you're so beautiful
Cor?" Faith leaned down and kissed Cordelia's cheek. She was
startled by the sound of the door opening and abruptly stood up
straight. "Angel! Did you find anything? Is Wesley with you?"

"Wesley's?Faith there was an explosion at the office and?"

"Oh God, he's not?he's not?"

"No, no, he's OK, he's a bit worse for wear. He's in a room along
the corridor." Faith breathed a sigh of relief. "No change in her
condition?" Angel enquired.

"No," said Faith dejectedly.

"OK, we're gonna have to leave her here for a while, me and you have
somewhere to be."

"But I don't want to leave her alone?"

Angel cut off her protests. "Look Faith, we're running out of time,
we have to do something quickly or we may not be able to help her."

Faith nodded. She leaned down and kissed Cordelia again, whispering
something Angel couldn't quite hear but could guess what it was
about. She stood up again.

"OK, let's go."
Faith paced impatiently. Back and forth and back and forth. She
needed to be doing something and all Angel had told her to do was
wait. Wait for him to come back. Waiting was not one of Faith's
favourite pastimes. Where the hell did he go when he saw these PTB
guys? And why couldn't she go with him? Just as she thought her
head might actually explode with frustration a bright flash of light
signalled Angel's return. He was carrying a scythe covered in
blood.

"Jesus! What happened? Did they get rough?"

"They're dead" Angel kept walking and Faith fell into step beside
him.

"You killed them?" Faith asked incredulously.

"No, they were dead when I got there, the thing that killed them is
the thing we need to find."

"So?.how do you know this if they were already dead?"

"They told me"

"OK, I'm lost"

"I'll explain on the way, we have to go get Gunn to look after Wesley
and Cordelia while we go get the scroll back."

"Why? You think they might try to hurt them again?" Faith's voice
was high with rising panic.

"I'm not going to give them the opportunity to hurt anyone I care
about again." Angel's voice was so authoritative that Faith allowed
herself to be convinced. They reached the car and sped off in some
direction that Angel knew Gunn would be.

*****

Angel pulled up alongside Gunn's Mad Maxesque contraption. After
calling off his henchman, Gunn proceeded to cajole Angel into
exchanging pleasantries with him, Faith was in no mood for this. In
a fluid movement she leapt out of the car and grabbed the front of
Gunn's jacket roughly.

"Listen pal, we'll kiss your ass later. Right now there's something
important we gotta do and we need you to watch our friends while we
do it. Got it?" Gunn nodded, silenced by Faith's impassioned
speech. Angel put a hand on Faith's shoulder softly.

"C'mon, let's go." Faith let go of Gunn and climbed back into the
convertible, leaving Angel to explain the plan.

*****

Faith and Angel couched outside a large window, observing the ritual
that was taking place.

"I thought the scum bags would be here." Faith whispered.

"They'll show." No sooner had the words left Angel's lips than the
staff of Wolfram and Hart strolled in, as casually as if they were
turning up to a board meeting.

"Do we have a plan?" Faith asked, more nervous than she'd have
liked. There was a lot riding on this. Too much. She tried to
block it out.
"We kill the big guy and we get that scroll."

"Right?OK." Faith struggled to get her head clear. Images of
Cordelia in pain kept flashing before her. She couldn't afford to go
into this fight distracted.

"OK?now." And without further instruction he launched himself at the
window, crashing through it. Faith followed him and the fight that
ensued became a blur to her. She was aware of being hit and
returning blows but beyond that the only thing she knew was that she
had to get the scroll. Vocah had dropped it and Lindsey had picked
it up. She started towards him but was halted by the sight of Angel
fighting for his life with the big dude in the hood. This was the
guy who had hurt Cordelia. Suddenly everything became clear. A fury
unlike any other emotion Faith had ever experience rose up from deep
within. She hurled herself at Vocah, throwing him off Angel. Once
she had him pinned down she unleashed all of her considerable
strength, raining down blow after blow on the demon. She was
relentless, she wanted him to suffer. Angel, now recovered,
witnessed Faith's rage and decided to intervene. Risking non-life
and limb, he readied himself and pushed Faith off the demon. He
raised the scythe and with one smooth strike, ended Vocah's power.

Faith was on her feet and incensed by Angel's behaviour. "What the
fuck did you do that for? I had him! I wanted to?I was?"

"You were hurting him, not killing him."

"The bastard deserved a lot more pain than he got. I shoulda?"
Faith's rant was interrupted by a flash of white light, reminding the
arguing duo what was taking place. After their eyes had adjusted to
the light, they saw the huge box containing whatever had been raised
being dragged out.

Lindsey stood regarding them smugly. He was holding the precious
scroll. Faith made a move towards him.

"Ah ah ah!" Lindsey warned. "Come on now, this is a momentous
occasion, let's take a moment to reflect."

"Let's not." Faith's reply was an animalistic snarl.

"OK, have it your way." Without warning he thrust the scroll into
the flames of a ceremonial torch. Time stood still as Faith watched
the fire flicker around the edges of the scroll. Her body felt like
lead as she tried to make it move. She'd heard that your life
flashes before you when you die; hell, she'd experienced it once or
twice herself. But as the yellow fingers curled around the parchment
a different life flashed before Faith – the life she could have had
with Cordelia that wasn't going to happen if the scroll was
destroyed. She saw herself and Cordelia strolling along a beach at
sunset, opening presents on Christmas morning, lying on the couch
watching old movies, spooned together in bed, happy and satisfied.
She badly wanted that life.

A bright streak of metal and a scream of agony jump-started time once
more. Before Faith was fully aware of what had happened she was
plucking the scroll out of the fire, ensuring that it was in tact.
Only when she was positive it was unharmed did she realise that
Lindsey's hand and wrist had parted company from his arm courtesy of
Angel and his scythe. As she watched the lawyer writhe on the
ground, cradling his bloody stump, Faith felt nothing. She couldn't
even muster up hatred. All she wanted to do was get to the hospital
and end this ordeal.

"C'mon." she told Angel on the way out the door. As she got into the
car she heard Angel and Lindsey exchange a few words but she couldn't
have cared less what was said. She wanted her life back. And she
was going to get it
The journey to the hospital passed in silence. When they arrived
they parted without a word, Angel heading for Wesley's room and Faith
for Cordelia's. Faith approached the bed with conflicting emotions
fighting it out in her stomach. There was hope that Cordelia was
going to be OK, but there was terror that it might not work?every now
and again hope would look like it was going to win, but then terror
would make a comeback and the struggle continued. Cordelia was in
the same catatonic state as she had been. Only now she looked worn
out – the experience was taking its toll on her.

"Hey baby," said Faith, softly. "Did ya miss me? I'm sorry I was
gone so long?Angel had to visit the Power guys and then there was a
big fight but we got it!" Faith held up the scroll even though she
knew Cordelia couldn't see it. "This is gonna stop these visions?and
then we'll all get back to normal?well, as normal as we get, what
with us bein' weird and all?well not weird but you know, slayers,
vampires, seers, watchers?oh God, I'm channelling Willow!" Faith
clamped her mouth shut to stop the babbling. But she was nervous and
couldn't help it. Faith leaned down and rested her forehead against
Cordelia's. "I love you," she whispered. It was amazing how easy it
was to say those words when there wasn't going to be a reaction.

"Shall we get started?" Wesley's voice broke into Faith's mind and
she turned to look at him. She held out the scroll they'd saved from
the flames, at the expense of Lindsey's hand. Along with the singed
parchment she handed him her hopes and her prayers. Everything
hinged on this. Wesley knew he was being entrusted with a task of
the utmost importance. He looked into Faith's eyes and gave the
smallest of nods. He was ready. He cleared his throat.

"Just a minute!" Faith opened the restraints holding Cordelia's
wrists. She picked up one of her hands and held it in both of her
own. "OK, go."

Wesley read the scroll, enunciating each word carefully and
purposefully. Faith and Angel kept their eyes locked on Cordelia's
face. There was no sign of change at any point during the reading of
the incantation.

"?Three times shalt thou say these words, unbind, unbind, unbind."
Before the third unbind had fully escaped Wesley's lips there was a
blinding flash of light. Faith's heart was in her mouth as she
looked at Cordelia. After a few seconds she was rewarded by a sharp
intake of breath and rapid blinking from a very confused Cordelia.

"Cor?" Faith's voice was a whisper.

"Faith?" Cordelia's gaze settled on the slayer. Her face crumpled as
tears spilled down her cheeks. In an instant Faith had gathered her
in her arms and was hugging her close, rocking her slightly in a
comforting motion. Cordelia clung to Faith and cried into her
shoulder.

"Shhh, it's OK now?you're OK?I've got you?shhhh." Faith stroked
Cordelia's hair and tried, without success, to hold back her own
tears. They sat holding each other for a long time. Eventually
Cordelia looked up at Angel.

"I saw them, I saw them all." Faith released her hold slightly so she
could look at Cordelia's face. "There's so much pain?and suffering?
we've got to help them." Angel reached out and took Cordelia's
hand.

"We will, I promise." He squeezed her hand for reassurance.
Cordelia nodded and turned once more to seek out solace by burying
her face in Faith's neck. Faith held her tight, a smile brightening
her features for the first time since the start of the ordeal.

"Um, we should probably go get the doctor." said Angel.

"I want to come home," Cordelia said quickly, looking pleadingly into
Faith's eyes.

"Well, there's no real reason to keep you here now, they've found
nothing medically wrong with you." Wesley put in helpfully. The
doctor entered with Angel and was shocked to see Cordelia sitting up,
wrapped around her `sister'.

"Well, Ms Chase, I see you're back with us!"

"100%! Can I go home now?"

"I hardly think so, you've been through a severe psychotic episode.
There are tests and examinations to be carried out?" Cordelia
interrupted her.

"You won't find anything." The simplicity of the statement and the
utter certainty with which it was delivered made the doctor stop
short.

"Well?I'll have to examine you now?if everything is normal?I
shouldn't really?but I'll allow you to go home if you promise to make
an appointment to come back for more tests."

The doctor had worked in an LA hospital long enough to know that
there was more to life than science could explain rationally. She
was happy to accept this but was reluctant to probe any further,
preferring to stay in the shadows of uncertainty rather than the
stark light of total knowledge. Upon hearing the news that Cordelia
could return home, Faith had kissed her in a very non -sisterly
manner. The doctor raised an eyebrow, but nothing really surprised
her in this city anymore.

"OK, you'll have to wait outside while I carry out my exam."

Angel pushed Wesley's chair out into the corridor and Faith
reluctantly left Cordelia's side, promising not to go far.

"I'm going to take Wes back to his room." said Angel. "I'll come
back to see if you need a ride home. Faith nodded and Angel turned
and started pushing Wesley's chair. After a second Faith spoke.

"Angel." He stopped and turned back around. "I just wanted to say?
thanks?you too Wes?just for everything you guys did and? I mean?
thanks?" Seeing Faith's discomfort Angel stepped in.

"No need for thanks Faith, she's our friend too, she would have done
it for any one of us, and so would you." Faith smiled and
impulsively ran to grab both men in a hug, which was pretty difficult
with Wesley being in a wheelchair. When she released them they stood
in an embarrassed but happy silence until the door opened and the
doctor spoke.

"You can go in now, she's just getting dressed."

Angel addressed Faith. "I'll give the two of you a minute while I get
Wes settled."

"Sure" said Faith over her shoulder as she sprinted past the doctor.

Th doctor looked at Angel, he cringed a little, hoping she wasn't
going to ask for an explanation. She shook her head. "I don't want
to know." And with that she turned and headed off.

*****

In Cordelia's room, Faith stood watching Cordelia get dressed. She
hadn't announced her presence. She just wanted to observe the wonder
that was Cordelia Chase and thank whoever had brought her back to her
from the terrifying place she'd been.

"Are you a peeping-tom in your spare time or what?" Cordelia's voice
startled Faith back to reality. She looked up to see that a fully
dressed Cordy was staring at her, an amused and affectionate
expression on her tired face.

"Who would I spy on? I already got the hottest girl in the world."

Cordelia smiled and approached Faith with arms outstretched. Faith
accepted the embrace gratefully, inhaling Cordelia's distinctive
fragrance and revelling in the warm circle of her arms. After a few
minutes Cordelia put her mouth next to Faith's ear and whispered,

"I love you too."

This took a moment to compute. Faith pulled back slightly and looked
into Cordelia's eyes. "You could hear me?"

"Mmm hmmm." Cordelia nodded, creasing up her brow, trying to
remember. "It's like I could hear you but I couldn't understand the
words. So I can remember what you said, it's only now I actually
know what you were telling me."

"Oh." Faith didn't really know how to respond to this. She had
poured out her soul, she wasn't used to being so emotionally raw,
even with Cordelia. A hand cupped her chin and forced her to look up.

"Faith, I want you to know that you can say anything to me, you can
tell me how you feel and it won't ever make me feel any different
about you. I know it's hard for you to talk about stuff and yes, I
did know that you loved me, I didn't have to hear you say it, but
when you did it made me realise how much you cared for me. You
dropped your barriers and actually told me you loved me, and that's
really special."

Faith listened in wonder. No-one had ever taken the time to speak to
her like this. Which was probably part of the reason she found it
difficult to articulate her feelings. But with Cordelia she felt
secure, she felt safe. Safe enough to allow herself to be vulnerable.

"I love you." There. She'd said it. And Cordelia was fully
conscious and aware. She tentatively looked up into Cordelia's dark
eyes. The love and happiness she saw there were more than enough to
tell her she had nothing to feel worried about. Without saying
another word Cordelia leaned in and captured Faith's lips, trying to
convey everything she felt for the slayer into that single gesture.
Faith returned the kiss with equal passion and fervour. They broke
apart when they sensed that Angel was lurking outside the door,
trying to be inconspicuous.

"Let's go home." said Faith.

Cordelia beamed. "Let's go home." she repeated. "I need to soak in
a hot bath for about 3 days, wanna join me?"

"When have I ever turned down an invitation like that from you?"

"True?" Cordelia took Faith's hand as they headed for the door. "Oh,
one more thing." They both stopped. "I thought you were really cute
when you were babbling." She grinned mischievously. Faith blushed.

"Yeah...well?I've never babbled for anyone else."

"Let's keep it that way." Cordelia stole another quick kiss before
pulling Faith behind her through the door.

Although the experience had been horrifying, both girls individually
realised that they felt more content afterwards than they had
before. They followed Angel out to the car, engaging in gentle
teasing and light petting, heading home to the rest of their lives.
Together.