Xander sighed as he sat on the couch as he waited for Willow get her bearings. He knew she still held guilt about Angel going to Hell. He watched as realization entered her face when she acknowledged that Xander had in fact said what she thought he said.

"He's back. Are you sure?" She sat down carefully in the chair opposite the couch.

"Yep, Just got back from seeing him." Xander smiled, trying to reassure her, knowing she was probably concerned.

"He's. alright?" Willow spoke after a minute. "In one piece? Not. Angelusy?"

Xander laughed. He couldn't help it. He knew that the Angelus issue would have been a concern despite what they had learned about what happened with Acathla, but only Willow would ask first about Angel's physical condition, and secondly worry about the state of his soul.

"Yeah, he's Angel." He paused, not sure if he could explain what he said next. "Permanently."

Faith's eyes shot up at that little revelation. She didn't know Angel personally, but she had heard all about him, both from Red and Xander, as well as a smattering of information from the Fashion Queen.

Faith eyed Xander carefully trying to figure out exactly how it was the boy knew Angel's soul was permanent, and how he could be so sure that it was. The way she understood things, Angel and Xander had had a troubled relationship, and that was putting things mildly. Although Xander rarely spoke about the vampire other than general facts and information. And he never talked about their relationship, if there had been one.

"How do you know?" The Slayer asked her new friend.

Xander flinched slightly. That was one question he didn't have an answer to. "I just do." He stood up and stretched slightly. He was exhausted. "I'm trashed... you think I can crash?" He looked hopefully at Willow.

Willow nodded, her mind still trying to understand what Xander had said. It was clear that he didn't want to answer anymore questions, but she had so many that needed answering.

Xander kissed her on the cheek and ran up the stairs to one of the spare bedrooms.

Once she heard the door close, Willow turned to her roommate and friend. "Something's going on there."

Faith moved to the couch so she was facing the redhead. "Something? Like what?"

Willow shook her head. "I don't know, but something. Angel and Xander have always had a. tense relationship."

"They hated each other." Faith nodded, remembering what Cordelia had told her once.

"No, never that. That's the way it seemed, but it was never about that."

Faith raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying they. dug each other. as in bump and grind?" She grinned, not finding the idea all that unpleasant, event though she didn't know Angel personally. Xander had always seemed a little fruity to her.

Willow laughed. "I don't know about that." She frowned as another thought struck her.

Noticing Willow's look, Faith grew concerned. "Would it bother you?"

"What?" Willow looked up, her green eyes getting caught but the look in Faiths.

"Would it bother you if they were. involved? I mean, with them both being. guys and all? Does that sort of thing bother you?" She know she sounded ridiculous asking this question, knowing that her interest had nothing to do with Xander's sexual orientation, but her own.

Willow smiled. "No. Xander's gay. I've known that for awhile now." She looked down at the floor, not wanting to see Faith's expression at her next words. "Besides, that would be sort of hypocritical of me, wouldn't it?"

******

Rupert Giles slept an uneasy sleep, as he had for many months now. He hadn't truly slept fitfully since before Jenny's death. He knew that Angel wasn't to blame for the actions of his demon, just as he knew that Jenny could not be faulted for keeping her families history a secret.

He had spent the months since her death going over everything that he could have done differently, and had found nothing that could have been changed. Likewise, he had spent much of his waking hours since Buffy's disappearance wondering if there was something he should have done, something he should have said to make things easier on his Slayer.

He had recently come to the conclusion that there was nothing that could have been done. Nothing could have changed what happened. He knew it was unlikely Buffy would be returning, and he had come to terms with that reality. The arrival of Faith had forced him into that realization.

The brunette Slayer was nothing like Buffy, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. She was different, and seemed to have fit in nicely with the rest of the small group. She had formed strong relationships with Xander, Cordelia and especially Willow, and had taking to her calling with a fervor Buffy had rarely showed. She didn't seem weighed down by her destiny, although she was a handful, and couldn't be controlled. Giles was quick to recognize the differences and never once tried to compare the two.

He was slowly starting to feel comfortable with his charges one again, knowing they were his family, no matter what had happened, or what was to happen in the future. However, this knowledge did nothing to assuage his restless sleep.

The watcher sat up straight in his bed. He looked around with bleary eyes. Something had woken him, but he wasn't exactly sure what it was.

"Rupert."

Giles looked around frantically for the source of the voice. He couldn't possible have heard what he thought he heard.

"Jenny?" He asked more to himself than the voice itself.

"Yes, Rupert, its me."

Giles looked up at the voice. There, right before his eyes, his love materialized. She didn't appear to be completely solid, but otherwise didn't look any different than the day she did.

"No, you're not real."

Jenny smiled. "What is real, Rupert? I am here, in spirit, if not in body."

"Why?"

"It's time to forget, Rupert. It's time to move on. A Change is coming. You will all need each other."

"A change?" Giles asked, ignoring the ludicrously of the situation.

"Yes. All has been made right. My peoples error ahs been remedied."

"Mistake?" Giles was trying to understand her words, and wanted desperately for her explain them, but just as soon as she spoke she started to fade. "Wait, don't go"

"Be strong, Rupert." Her words trailed off and Giles was left alone once again.

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