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“Angel Investigations, we help the homeless.”
“Is Faith there?”
“There’s a lot of faith here. Just the wrong kinds.”
“I meant Faith McCormick.”
“She’s not here.”
“Can you give her a message for me?”
“What’s that, Lindsey?” Angel asked bitingly. “You’re going to be late for
your date because you and Lilah have to go perform a ritual killing for your
evil employer?”
Lindsey sighed. “Think whatever you like, Angel. I have no reason to try and
justify my decisions to you. Faith’s opinion of me is the only one that
matters, and despite your judgemental misgivings, she likes me.”
Angel growled at the haughty lawyer. “You’re an asshole, McDonald.”
“And you’re a self-righteous bastard,” Lindsey responded calmly. “What’s your
point, Angel?”
“If you hurt Faith in any way, including her recovery, I’ll hunt you down and
torture you until you beg for death,” Angel threatened.
Lindsey chuckled. “If you really had it in you to kill me, I’d be dead by
now,” he said casually. “Don’t make threats. They’re weak.”
Angel was about to retort angrily when Faith walked in. “Hey Angel, who’s on
the line?” she asked as she popped the top on a can of soda.
Lindsey heard her voice. “Is that Faith? Let me talk to her,” he demanded.
Angel reluctantly handed the phone over to Faith. “It’s Lindsey,” he
muttered, waiting until she had the receiver firmly in hand before he stomped
to the other side of the room.
“Hey babe,” she said easily, cradling the phone between her shoulder and ear,
rooting around in the lobby fridge. She pulled out a small slice of blueberry
cheesecake and plopped down on the closest couch. “What up?”
Angel pretended to be working on paperwork, but kept his ears closely attuned
to Faith’s end of the conversation. He muttered several vulgar epithets when
he heard Faith mention his name.
“Yeah, he’s riding my case too. I know, I know, self-righteous bastard.
Needs to lose his soul for a good staking. I know, I know. Hey, feel sorry
for me, I actually live with the guy. Not only that, I actually call him a
friend. You don’t really give a shit if he likes you or not, but I have to
stay on his good side.” Faith looked up. “Hold on a second, Lin. Hey Angel
Boy! Like what you’re hearing? No? Then go away.” She took her gaze away
from Angel, who glared spitefully at her raven head, and resumed her
conversation.
Twenty minutes later, Angel breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Faith tell
Lindsey she’d see him that night, and hung up. He pounced on her as she set
the receiver in the base, before she could walk away.
“Where are you two going tonight?” he asked.
Faith smirked. “What are you, my baby-sitter?” she retorted.
Angel smirked in return. “No, the angel on your shoulder,” he shot back.
“The one who reminds you at every step that what you’re considering doing is
dangerous to your soul.”
Faith exhaled loudly. “I think, after how far I’ve already come, that Lindsey
can’t do anything to set me back. Especially when he’s trying so hard to do
the right thing himself. We’re good for each other,” she said softly.
Angel rolled his eyes. “Right, that’s why he’s still trying to kill children
for Wolfram and Hart.” Faith stared at him silently. She stared for so long
that Angel got slightly uncomfortable. “Faith?”
She continued to stare. Just when Angel was beginning to get extremely
creeped, she sighed. “Lindsey quit Wolfram and Hart three weeks ago. He’s
been working at Caritas for the Host.”
Angel blinked disbelievingly. “You’re kidding me.”
Faith shook her head. “Nope. He’s been working as a bartender since Ramon
got fired, and on his breaks he plays and sings for the guests. He gets paid
to bartend, and he gets tips from bartending and singing both, so he’s not
doing too badly. And it’s all honest money.”
Angel’s mouth hung open. He didn’t know what to say. He could still bash
Lindsey, but apparently he wasn’t justified anymore. And the little rat
hadn’t even bothered to deny Angel’s assumptions about Lilah and Wolfram and
Hart, even when he had every right to.
Faith turned around. “Sorry, Angel Boy, but I gotta jet. Cordy and I are
going shopping for something that doesn’t involve leather, and we need to go
and be back before seven.” She headed for the stairs, pausing momentarily to
look back at Angel. “I know it’s hard for you to discard all your
misconceptions about Lin, but can you try? For me?”
Angel nodded dumbly. He had a lot of thinking to do.
Part 3