one last chance

chapter ten

a/n so heres the next chapter of this story. in my world Angel is starting to become more like connor due to the whole ShanShu thing. its explained more in later chapters. tell me what you think

Chapter Ten

Faith slowly hung up the phone with Buffy. She looked around her own office, much like Buffy's hers weapons racks covered most of the walls. Slightly bigger than her fellow slayer's hers held a punching bag in the corner. Taking athletic tape out of her desk drawer she quickly tapped up her hands and walked over to the bag. Using precise calculated punches she worked off her own frustration. She thought she was done with this shit. The First was supposed to be it. Now they earned some sort of a break. Train the new girls. Slay some demons. Protect the cities, that's it. Maybe advert a few end of the world issues but not this anymore. Buffy had her stint at a hell mouth. Now it was Faiths turn. One day it would be another girl. Hell the hell mouth was the perfect place to train new slayers. Faiths stint here was much easier than Buffy's. They fought their demons. Now it was break time.

"Yeah right girl." she said to herself as she continued to work off her steam, "You sleep when you're dead. And you have no intention of going there."

Like Buffy Faith had her own demons she continued to battle. Also like Buffy hers were named Guilt, Grief and Duty. Sometimes the guilt hit Faith harder. After all if she hadn't agreed with the girls back in the first war she would never had become leader, never led those girls down to the sewers, and never gotten them blown up. But she had. Like Buffy she had the nightmares. Robin would wake up some nights to her thrashing in bed, crying out in her sleep. He would hold her and whisper comforts to her. Often they would have slow gentle but no less passionate sex after wards. They never talked about those dreams. She couldn't yet. Even two years after the fact she felt those were private. The nightmares her own personal penance for her mistakes. Those dreams added to her nightmares of her time working with the mayor.

Her punches became more and more forceful. She hated her conflicted emotions about that time. What she did was wrong. She never questioned that. Not even while she was doing it. But the mayor treated her like a daughter. Loved her even. In more than one way she missed him. Not the evil become a demon and take over Sunnydale part. But the part that told her she could do anything and even if she messed up a bit he still loved her part, that she missed. Buffy understood that part the one time they talked about it. She had Giles, more of a dad than either Faith or Buffy ever had.

Faith had a fourth personal demon, Jealousy. She barely could admit it to herself but she was jealous of the other slayer. Of her watcher, friends and kid sister. No the responsibility though. She knew her limits and Faith knew she wasn't a leader. Sunnydale proved that. But the other stuff. Yeah she wanted that, envied that.

"So are we going to need to buy a new bag again?" Faith turned to the doorway where Robin stood.

"No, I'm not going to punch it off the hook again. Just thinking." She smiled. No matter how envious of Buffy she sometimes got she never regretted her life. It led her to Robin. She wouldn't trade him for anything. Now only if she could say yes. For the past year he proposed to her no less than twelve times. Once a month. Every time she said no, he only smiled and said he'd give her time.

"About?" he asked coming in to steady the bag for her as she continued to punch.

"Buffy needs us." Faith quickly explained what was going on. Robin got what she called his principle face on.

"I'll start calling parents. Those who know what's what we'll just tell the truth. Those students are emancipated anyway so it shouldn't be a problem. The others… we've been invited to our sister school. All expenses paid. That should work."

Faith smiled at her lover. "I'll tell the girls and the watchers. Get them packing. Will you take care of the airplane?"

"Yeah I got it covered." He swooped in gave her a quick kiss and then they both went off to get the job done.

Angel sat on the bed as Cordelia bustled around the suit they used in the hotel. Open suit cases sat beside him half full. By the way she carried herself he could tell she was stressed.

"Cordy, calm down. It's going to be ok."

"Ok Angel? It's going to be ok?" Cordy snapped, immediately feeling guilty she softened her tones, "I guess I'm just a little stressed going back that's all."

Angel looked confused at the statement. Cordy smiled, he may be a great man and a wonderful… well she didn't know what to call him, boyfriend just seemed weird, but he was still a man and sometimes men needed things spelled out for them.

"Not back as back to Sunnydale but back as into seeing the same people again, it's a bit nerve wrecking and I'm kinda reverting back to the old Cordy." She explained.

"But they're your friends." Angel said still confused.

Cordy sighed, she really had to spell this one out for him, "Yes they are my friends. And you're one of those friends' ex-boyfriends, who although is now friends with her again did have this tiny little thing where you guys had sex and you lost your soul and tried to kill everyone. Me coming back and clearly jumping your bones brings up sore memories. Plus my ex is there. I haven't really seen these people sense I left Sunnydale Angel. Now I'm coming back as a half demon who gets visions, dating a souled vampire who may or may not be slowly turning human and a step mom figure woman person to a kid, well not so much of a kid now, whose only about five years younger than me despite him being born when I was twenty one. It makes a girl nervous."

"I get the first couple but the Connor one?" Angel trailed off.

"You only get the Connor one because you're used to it. But think Angel. The super human kid who calls me mom is nineteen. I'm twenty four. That's abnormal in any time period." Finally comprehension dawned on Angels face.

"Ah I see." He said, he looked at her for another moment before asking "so why are you running back and forth between the closets?"

"Because I'm trying to figure out what I want to wear." She stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. She stopped in the middle of the room, her body rose slightly in the air with a blank look coming over her face.

Angel knowing the signs of one of her visions waited until she lowered back to the ground. She swayed on her feet a bit, Angel coming behind her to steady her. Her eyes slowly cleared and as soon as she was steady she started for the door.

"Where are you going?" Angel called out.

"To your son's room. I'm making sure he packs his good shirts and plenty of underwear." She called over her shoulder. She didn't bother to explain her vision so Angel didn't ask. If it was something he needed to know she would tell him soon enough. He turned once again to the suitcases beside him debating on whether or not it was worth it to try and help her pack. Deciding she would only unpack anything he did he left the room and headed for Gunn and Fred's suit.

"Any news boss?" Gunn asked when he answered Angels knocks.

"None new but just wanted to remind you that we leave tomorrow early. I'm on my way to remind Wesley and Lauran to. Make sure your ready or Cordy will have a fit."

Gunn laughed and shook his head at the thought of facing the wrath of Cordelia Chase. Angel allowed a slight grin before turning down the hall to the rooms used by Lauran and Wesley.

He didn't have to like why they were going to London, but he admitted to himself he was looking forward to seeing everyone again. Like Cordy said, it had been a long time.