Faith
Faith stood on the rooftop of Hyperion, looking down at the world below. Things were less complicated up here, away from people, away from responsibility. It was just simpler.
She sat down, her legs dangling from the roof. It was a scary sort of feeling, but exhilerating. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't even notice when Angel came up from behind her.
"Penny for your thoughts?"
Faith turned and sat him. She moved away from the edge and sat down again. This time, a few metres from the edge. Glancing up at the sky, she noticed it seemed alive with the twinkling of stars. Stars she had never realised were there before. "Feel like running again."
"And going where?"
"Anywhere, nowhere, I don't care."
"Why?"
"Makes life simpler."
"Yeah, it might, but it doesn't make it better. Faith, if you run everytime something gets hard, don't you think you'll be running for the rest of your life?"
"Probably."
"And my bet is, it'll be a pretty short run."
"It's too hard."
"So you'll just leave? And let everyone pick up the pieces once you've gone?"
"Who's gonna care? Once I'm gone, who's gonna care if I was ever here at all?"
"Your friends?"
"They'll deal. I'm not that big a part in anyone's life. I'm just not - "
"Zac." Angel didn't bother to finish his sentence, and it didn't matter anyway. Faith fell silent as soon as he said Zac's name.
"He'll deal."
"Maybe he will, but will you? You said yourself that you loved him, why punish yourself and him, by running again?"
"I'm not doing it to punish him."
"Then what are you doing it for? What are you running from?"
"I don't know, ok? Things are just not good, you know, and I don't know how much I can take, so isn't it easier to just run, find another Hellmouth and start all over again there?"
"And when your past catches up with you, what do you do then? Run again? Go back out into the darkness? Faith, honestly, you'll be making a mistake. You run now, and you'll always be running. And that's not you. You're a fighter."
"Was."
"You still are. You think that you're not because you got hurt? Wake up, everyone get's hurt, everyone is fighting their own personal battles, not just you. Don't think that you're in this alone."
"But aren't I? Life of a Slayer has always involved loneliness. It's like a Catch 23."
"22."
"Whatever. You can't stop me."
"I know, but what I'm saying is go back to Tulsa. Even if it's just to say goodbye. You owe them all that much."
Faith nodded and looked at Angel, his face half hidden in the shadows. "Don't you ever get tired of giving me pep talks?"
"Not really. It's what I do." Angel smiled at her. "So you gonna go back to Tulsa?"
"Tomorrow night. I can't face the trip tonight."
"Well then I'll drive you. Or Wes can, but I'll come along. Sound fair?"
"Very." Faith stood up and reached for Angel. They hugged. "I was going to run you know, tonight."
"I know."
"But I'm not now."
"Good."