Angel dribbled the basketball against the polished basketball court. His sneakers squeaked slightly as he moved, shirt discarded to the side.
He stopped, and took a shot, nodding in satisfaction when it went through.
Sam
Sam sidled up to the court, watching Angel as he played.
Standing on the sidelines, he kept his eye on the ball, not wanting to interrupt.
Angel
Without turning, Angel nodded.
"Sam."
Sam
Sam smiled slightly.
"Sorry. Didn't mean to break your concentration."
Angel
"It's ok."
Angel took another shot, sank it, then moved to catch the ball again.
"Faith sleeping?" he asked, tossing the ball in Sam's direction, a non verbal invite to join him.
Sam
Sam caught the ball, hesitating before he stepped forward and bounced it.
"Yeah. Figured I should give her some alone time," he said, looking up at the hoop.
Angel
"Yeah," Angel said, giving Sam a sidelong glance.
"She can get bitchy when she's had no sleep. Well, that and... you know, has died."
Sam
"Yeah," Sam sighed, throwing the ball and missing.
It bounced back and he passed it to Angel.
"I know the feeling."
Angel
"Yeah," Angel returned, taking another shot.
"How's the stomach, by the way? All healed up now?"
Sam
"Like it never happened," Sam shrugged, catching the ball as it bounced and passing it back.
"Thanks for that by the way."
Angel
"Well," Angel considered, taking another shot and sinking it.
"If anything happened to you, Faith would kill me. Besides, I have no real objection to you being alive."
Sam
Sam grinned heartily, going to fetch the ball.
"And I appreciate that."
He dribbled the ball, finally relaxing a bit, and finally sinking it through the hoop. After retrieving it he threw it back to Angel.
Angel
Angel smiled, catching the ball easily.
"Plus, the more time she spends with you, the less time she has to mooch off me."
Sam
"Not that you seem to mind," Sam pointed out.
"You seem to have a big brother thing going on."
Angel
Angel chuckled slightly, then tossed the ball towards the hoop.
"Yeah, guess so. We're all each... we were all each other had."
Sam
"I hear you," Sam tilted his head as he turned to watch the ball.
He caught it as it bounced off the back wall and aimed for the hoop again.
"Same deal with me and Dean."
Angel
Angel retrieved the ball, dribbling it for a few seconds, before lining up his next shot.
"Well, it's a lonely way of life," he said thoughtfully. "So, if you find someone who doesn't drive you completely insane, it's a good thing."
He took the shot, then added, "although, sometimes she drives me insane."
Sam
"I hear you there too," Sam agreed, "but, that's family for you."
He retrieved the ball again and dribbled it for a bit.
Angel
"Yeah," Angel agreed. "You put up with it because you love them."
He paused.
"I know I've said this to you before, but I really am glad she has you. At least I know she's in safe hands."
Sam
Sam glanced over at him awkwardly, before aiming and shooting. He missed the hoop and it bounced back toward Angel.
"As long as she has you too," he breathed, "I'll sleep better at night."
Angel
"Unless I lose my soul and try to kill her," Angel shrugged.
He caught the ball easily.
"Although, I'm really not planning on that happening."
Sam
"Ditto, that's my problem," Sam agreed.
"But at least if one of us does go darkside, she'll have the other. You know?"
Angel
"What makes you think you'll change?" Angel asked, glancing at him.
He took another shot at the hoop.
Sam
Sam hesitated, knowing how well the last time he trusted someone with the intel ended up going.
"The blood of Azazel coursing through my veins," he said finally, catching the ball and spinning it in his hands.
"When I was six months old, the demon Azazel came to me. Bled into my mouth. That's why I have these abilities."
He glanced a Angel sheepishly but couldn't hold the gaze.
"I was suposed to be the leader of his demon army. Until my brother killed him anyway."
Angel
Angel nodded slightly.
"Choices, Sam," he said. "The ones we make, the ones we don't. I mean, look at me, I'm a 242 year old vampire who has a soul and owns a lawfirm. The closest person to me is a Vampire Slayer, when, by all rights, we should be trying to kill each other. Oh, and if I even have a moment of pure happiness? I lose my soul."
He shrugged.
Sam
"Now that has to suck," Sam's eyebrows rose, passing him the ball again.
"Is it like... euphoria exclusive, or just pure happiness?"
Angel
"I've only lost it once because of pure happiness," Angel replied, catching the ball.
"The other times, it was something magical. But... yeah. Pretty little thing. Also a Vampire Slayer."
He shook his head, taking another shot.
"Guess I have a weakness for them."
Sam
"Apparently so," Sam shrugged.
"This other slayer wouldn't have been Buffy?"
Angel
"You saw her?"
Angel looked at the ground for a moment.
Sam
"She's been around," Sam shrugged.
"Not for long, but I've seen her."
Angel
"Uh, yes," Angel said awkwardly. "The very funny joke from The Powers That Be."
He scratched his chin.
"Faith's a little... touchy about the Buffy subject. There's a tricky history there."
Sam
"So I gathered," Sam nodded.
"I haven't been able to get anything out of her, which is unusual."
Angel
"Ah yes," Angel smiled slightly. "Once she opens up, she'll be pretty forthcoming with information. If you're not on the inner, then you'll never know what's going through her head."
He paused.
"I'm not sure what I can tell you, what is my place and what isn't... but I trust you know about Wesley's involvement back then?"
Sam
"Not really, no," Sam admitted.
"And to be honest that's the one story that's bothering me not knowing. I just thought she might be protecting him by not telling me."
Angel
Angel nodded, thinking for a second.
"It wouldn't be about protecting Wesley," he said quietly. "It would be about protecting herself. I don't know if she could actually explain that story, even if she wanted too."
He sighed slightly.
"She was different back then. We all were. She was young, and they... they gave up on her. I tried to help her once, but Wesley got wind of it and he broke in, just as I was getting through to her, with the Council, and he made damn sure she'd never trust another living soul again."
He paused, almost sadly.
"They levelled a lot of things at her back then. I did too for awhile. Faith was already pretty fragile when I first met her, after witnessing her first Watcher's death, on top of her childhood... Wesley just helped to nudge her over. The way he spoke to her and the way he treated her... he never quite understood why I believed I could save her."
Sam
Sam caught the basketball again and held it under his arm thoughtfully.
"If they gave up on her back then, why are they so reluctant to let her go now?" he asked, concerned.
"They've come after her once, and being such a big shot organisation I can see them doing it again."
Angel
"It wasn't the Council that gave up, back then."
Angel glanced at Sam, almost ashamed.
"It was us. We intervened when the Council tried to take her away, but... as far as they're concerned, they still need her. There are hundreds of Slayers out there now, but Faith? Well, you know. She's strong. She's probably the strongest one they have. Or had."
Sam
"And the last one on their payroll," Sam smirked, shaking his head with annoyance.
"Well, not anymore."
He bounced the ball twice and sank it through the hoop.
Angel
Angel nodded.
"It's... it's been an interesting ride with Faith, I admit."
Sam
"Sure sounds like it," Sam agreed, fetching the ball.
"And I'm sure it won't get any smoother. I mean, look how much has happened since we hooked up. It's almost like together we're a magnet to demonic energy."
He paused to think about that seriously.
Angel
"Mmm," Angel agreed. "I mean, she's always going to be a target, and so are you."
He caught the ball from Sam and shrugged, bouncing it a few times.
"But I don't think that's a good reason to not be together. You'll both be targets whether you're together or apart. And together, you're both probably stronger. Happier too, I suppose."
He aimed for the hoop.
"She hasn't smiled this much... ever, actually."
Sam
"People keep telling me that," Sam shook his head with a small smile.
"I guess because I never saw that other side of her, I'm partial to disbelief."
Angel
Angel smiled faintly.
"Yeah, I've seen a few different sides to that one," he mused. "But believe me, this is my favourite so far."
He considered the statement for a moment.
Sam
"You're welcome," Sam smiled teasingly, dribbling the ball again.
Angel
Angel chuckled, shaking his head slightly.
"Yeah, yeah, it was all you."
He paused.
"You gotten the 'you're a bad match' chats yet?"
Sam
"Oh yeah," Sam nodded.
"Particularly from Kim. The second last reason my stitches got tore open. In all honesty I think the only people who disagree are ourselves, you and Dean."
Angel
"Ah."
Angel nodded.
"I think you'll find you have a few people here rooting for you two to work out. My uh... girlfriend, I guess? She's particularly hoping that Faith won't be back for some time."
He smiled faintly.
"Little threatened, I suppose."
Sam
"Your girlfriend?" Sam asked, sure he hadn't been formally introduced to her as such.
Angel
"Yeah," Angel shrugged.
"I don't know. We've been out a few times, and she's calling me her... her boyfriend. She hasn't even met Faith, but... well, the team here are a little vocal about her."
Sam
"I take it wouldn't know her from anyone then," Sam smiled a little, taking another shot at the hoop.
"You don't sound so.. commital."
Angel
Angel shrugged, retrieving the ball.
"As Faith once put it... 'big love, big loss, should deal and move on, but I don't'. I admit, my relationship with Buffy has sort of... stunted my moving on."
Sam
Sam nodded, knowingly.
"Yeah, I had a hard time moving on from Jessica. The girl I was about to propose to before Azazel killed her," Sam seemed to be in the sharing mood.
"In fact I never hought I would be able to. Until Faith came along. But even then, I think she's still worried she might be living in her shadow."
Angel
Angel nodded thoughtfully.
"I think it would be intimidating to anyone, it's hard to be in a position when you know that you may just be the filler, you know? So it's hard for anyone - let alone for a girl who has had pretty serious issues with men since she was a little girl."
He shrugged.
"I don't know what she's told you about growing up, but, it wasn't really... it's a little amazing she made it out of Boston alive, frankly."
Sam
"It's a little wonder any of us are still alive really," Sam sighed.
"You know, my Dad and my brother keptthis world a secret from me until I was eight? And by then I'd already been attacked at least twice that I know of. Maybe more. Dean doesn't like to talk about it."
Angel
"Sometimes fathers think they're protecting you, when they're not doing quite the bang up job they think they are."
Angel shrugged.
"Although, you know, I killed my father, so... I probably don't really have good advice on them."
Sam
Sam shrugged.
"In a way I feel like I killed mine," Sam said sullenly.
"Because again, Azazel. It was like he did nothing but target our family just to get to me."
He couldn't help but clench his jaw as he shot another hoop.
Angel
"I wish I could tell you it gets easier, but, I've been doing this for over one hundred years, and it's still not exactly a walk in the park."
Angel caught the ball, and made his own shot for the hoop.
Sam
"I've noticed already," Sam agreed, catching the ball.
"Demon's been dead for almost two years and nothing's really changed."
Angel
"Still," Angel reflected. "There are moments when it you don't think about it as much."
He shrugged.
"Of course, you're usually feeling bad about something else."
Sam
"Usually," Sam nodded, passing him the ball.
"Or I'm working a case. Or I'm with Faith."
Angel
"Aww," Angel teased, before taking a shot.
"So, it's all up and up?"
Sam
"For now," Sam shrugged, pausing to put his hands on his hips.
He wondered for a moment if he should ask, but...
"If you don't mind me asking, how did you get your soul back?" Sam asked cautiously, "I mean, in all our years of hunting, you and Spike... are truly unique."
Angel
"Ah."
Angel turned focused on the ball, bouncing it in front of him while he spoke.
"I killed the a princess of a gypsy tribe, the Romani. They cursed me with a soul, so that I would remember every single thing I ever did without a soul."
He paused.
"And Spike... well, he went and asked for his back. I'm not clear on how, but I know he had to complete something like seven tasks."
Sam
Sam's eyebrows rose.
"He must have wanted it badly. I don't understand how a vampire could even want a soul, though. I mean no offence, but we were told to believe they were just animals."
Angel
"Yeah," Angel said softly. "He wanted it for... for Buffy."
He cleared his throat.
Sam
Sam's eyebrows rose again.
"Oh," he nodded, "I'm... ah... sorry. Amazing how we keep going in circles, huh?"
Angel
"No, it's ok."
Angel shrugged.
"Anyway... I guess you're not staying long? Just long enough for Faith to get better?"
Sam
"Yeah," Sam nodded.
"Our friend Bobby called us earlier asking for help with something in New Orleans, but I don't want to go anywhere until I know Faith's ok. And until Dean gets here with the car. Why, itching to get rid of us?"
Angel
"Yep, can't stand the sight of you," Angel joked.
"No, stay as long as you like. It'll give me some time with Faith, anyway. Our phone conversations have been pretty short lately, because she's always wanting to spend time with someone else."
He grinned faintly.
Sam
"Sorry about that," Sam shrugged.
"But hey, the job keeps us on the road."
Angel
"It's ok," Angel assured him.
"We've had our hands pretty full here, as of late. What with finding replacements for... our staff changes."
Sam
"Yeah," Sam sighed.
"Also my fault. Well, bar Wesley. That's something else I don't get... if it's because of him that Faith is the way everyone says she is, why keep him on the payroll? You know, why give him that chance to get close again?"
Angel
"I think they... they sort of worked things out when he broke her out of jail. They were getting along a lot better."
Angel shrugged.
"We're not in the business of giving up on people, I suppose."
Sam
"Not always a bad thing," Sam shrugged.
"But then, there are always some beyond redemption."
Angel
"Time was, people said that about Faith."
Angel shrugged.
"So sometimes, you just have to take a chance."
Sam
"I'd like to," Sam assured, "I really would. But I am about 98% sure that if he comes near her again, I'll kill him. And I've been killing a lot lately, so it's not even as if it'll mean that much."
Angel
Angel was silent for a second.
"You care about her that much, huh?"
Sam
Sam stared at him for a moment, then went to fetch the ball from where it had rolled away.
"I'd do the same for Dean," he said once he'd picked it up, "but sometimes I worry it is the demon part taking over."
Angel
"Well," Angel shrugged. "If that happens, we'll try to get you help, but... failing that... we'll kill you."
He paused.
"No offence."
Sam
"No I appreciate it," Sam insisted.
"Dean couldn't do it, but it might need to be done."
Angel
"If I had too," Angel said, nodding.
"I think it would kill Faith to do it."
Sam
"I do too," Sam nodded.
He hesitated, then smiled sadly.
"You know, my Dad actually told Dean, right before he died, that he had to either save me or kill me? I think those were last words he ever said."
He chewed his bottom lip.
"Dean hated him for that."
Angel
"I think I would too," Angel said carefully.
"It's not really something you ever want to hear from a family member. It's a lot of pressure."
Sam
"Yeah," Sam nodded.
"A lot changed when he died. A lot changed when any one of us died, actually. Starting right from our grandparents."
Angel
Angel nodded.
"Still, I suppose you try to make the best of the hand you're dealt."
Sam
"Got no other choice really," Sam shot another hoop then threw the ball to Angel.
"I'm gonna head back to Faith. See if she's awake. Wanna come?"
Angel
Angel caught the ball easily.
"No, you go. I'll drop by a bit later."
Sam
"See you there," Sam nodded, and left the court.