Title: The Lonely Vigil 

Author: Sweetness

Rating: PG-13 

Pairing: None.

Disclaimer: It all belongs to Joss Whedon and Co.

Distribution: my site (http://fanfiction.angel-buffy.com), other sites I have given permission to (just let me know that you’re taking it), otherwise ask.

Notes: Set during ATS’s Season Four “Orpheus.” This is Lorne’s POV as he watches over Faith.

Feedback: Yes please J



I am sitting here watching over a Slayer that might wind up dead, if only she could sing for me, and then I would be reassured. However unconscious people don’t sing. Wesley told us what happened, and I was shocked. She risked her life with a possible overdose, as well as from the blood loss, to save the world. Well, if not the world then a lot of lives, I can’t see Angelus not wreaking havoc in L.A. before moving on. I am still surprised over how small she is. I know that Buffy, the Slayer in Sunnydale is much smaller; I knew that a long time ago, before I ever saw her. Being able to see peoples’ futures meant that sometimes I could see what they were running for. And there’s a lot of demons and vampires running from the Slayer in Sunnydale, some were just making a stop in L.A. to recuperate before they went back, others were only stopping here before leaving for greener pastures, after all Sunnydale is the Slayer’s turf, and L.A. is the vampire with a soul’s turf. The same vampire that Faith risked her life to save. I am not too happy about that; I think if it had come down to it, Faith and Wesley should have staked Angelus. But knowing how skilled Angel is when it comes to fighting I am pretty sure that this was a last case scenario. Or perhaps it was a worse case scenario. I know Wesley told me that it was her choice, and even though I don’t want to believe him, I know in my heart that he’s not lying to me. But there’s no way the girl could have known the risks of shooting junk like that into her. It’s not the first time I have seen this drug that vampires and humans share. Trust me, I didn’t come to this dimension owning Caritas. I can sympathize with her, Cordelia told me her story one day when the two of us were having lunch together. It’s a sad story, and I can almost see myself in her. It’s not easy being different, and for her it had have been worse. She was a Slayer, and she could never compete with the other Slayer. And I am sure at their young ages it was easily turned into a competition over who was the best champion. If I knew who had caused the Slayers to come into existence, I think I would cause them some physical harm. Not only are most Slayers extremely young girls just entering puberty, but also they have such short life spans, and their calling isn’t an easy one. I can’t imagine being responsible for saving the world and having to do it all by yourself, with the exception of some stuffy upper class Brits telling you how to do it. It’s hard enough for Angel and he has us, but for someone as young as Buffy and Faith must have been when they were called. And for Faith, who came from a bad family life, it must have killed her to see Buffy surrounded by such a strong group of friends who supported her without a doubt. I can see why she turned evil, if this Mayor guy offered her even an ounce of affection, it would be easy enough to do. 

I was once faced with a similar dilemma, when I had first come here; I had nothing, and no way to survive. Getting something like Caritas took me a lot of hard work and some of it was dirty. If I hadn’t gotten Caritas, well I could see myself turning to the evil side. Working at Wolfram and Hart or for other some evil firm or person. Trying to make sure I got by, it’s hard even in L.A., especially with evil being everywhere. But I eventually made enough money to open Caritas and was able to stay good. But I did things I was ashamed of, and every day I make up for it by helping Angel. Still for this girl to risk every thing she has to save him, that shows how much she’s found redemption. She’s tossing on the bed, in pain and now she’s crying. The bruises and cuts on her body are horrible to look at. Especially when you know that Slayers heal faster than normal humans, and that they heal faster than vampires. If Fred hadn’t rushed up here to tell me that Willow was going to come to restore Angel’s soul, there would be nothing but dust where they had locked up Angelus. I am almost positive that she’s going to die, which would be another Slayer being called. But I don’t want that, I want her to live. I want her to prove to Buffy and the world, that she’s like Angel, that she’s found redemption. 

Connor comes into the room. I am hesitant around him, there’s something about him that I can sense that I don’t trust anymore. Not that I really trusted the kid when he came back and I couldn’t change his diapers anymore. He’s too full of rage and hate, and I can see him destroying this one, as easily as his father, if she stood in his way. I know without him singing me a song that he’s waiting for her to die so that he can kill the person responsible. And it won’t matter to him if it’s Angel with his soul or Angelus without the soul standing in front of him. And I know that Faith wouldn’t want that, whether she knew the full risks, she took the risk to save Angel. She wouldn’t want him to be dead. I raise my eyebrows when Connor says she died in battle, doesn’t he realize that she’s still alive, that if she dies now it won’t be in a battle? Connor and Wesley leave the room and I am left with Faith, and I am trying to tell her that her sacrifice will be worth it, but it’s not. She sits up but she’s still in the coma, and I know something more powerful is going on. I can sense it in her gasp, there’s not just a battle between Willow and whoever holds Angel’s soul, but there’s a battle still going on between Angelus and Faith. I know there’s a battle going on when I see her poor battered body getting covered in more bruises. This isn’t right, I start telling her to wake up, calling to her, begging and pleading with her. I have never begged in my life for something like this. But I can’t let her die. I stop saying anything when I realize the words aren’t getting through to her, I hold her hand and hope for the best. I would pray but I am afraid that all the Pylean gods have deserted me. 

She wakes up for real this time, she runs out of the room so fast, that I am left sitting there in shock. I know that something serious is going on this time. Something that means she has to protect Angel and Willow, and that she’s might be walking into her death for the second time this night. I follow her; she might need me for whatever it’s worth. I can see that my suspicions of Connor are correct when I see her beating him up. I have faith in her, as corny as that sounds. I see Angel grab for Connor to end the fight, I have never been happier, Angel’s back and Faith is alive. 

Willow and Faith are leaving; her search for redemption isn’t quite over. Before she left I got a chance to read her. She’s on the right path, and only has to do one more thing before she finds it. I can’t tell if she’s going to live or die, but my heart tells me this one is a warrior and that it’s going to take a lot more than the world coming to an end, again, for it to stop her. 

** END **