Sam's eyes fluttered open as a book he'd been holding dropped suddenly to the floor.
He sat up on the bed, eyes squinting in the room lights, and caught sight of Dean asleep at the table.
Rubbing his eyes he swung his legs off the bed and groaned tiredly as he sat on the edge.
"Dean?" he tried.
His brother was fast asleep.
He frowned.
"Faith?!" he called a little louder.
He got up to look in the bathroom, then gulped a little when he noticed her wallet was gone. But her clothes were still there.
He remembered her going for dinner as he looked at his watch. 2:47am.
"Great. Dean!" Sam went over and shook his shoulder.
Dean jumped awake at the touch, instinctively hitting Sam s he did so.
"What?" he grumbled, rubbing his eyes.
"Faith never came back."
"So? She does it all the time."
"Dude, she was getting you pie."
Dean stood from the table.
"Then what are we waiting for?"
Faith
"Ugh," Faith moaned, opening her eyes slowly. Her head pounded heavily and she squinted in the darkness, feeling the ropes tied around her wrists and ankles.
"Of course," she muttered.
She tilted her head slightly, to see that she was strung up against a wall, arms and legs spread apart and tied firmly down.
Sam & Dean
Sam broke into a jog when he saw the knife on the pavement.
"It's hers!" he called back to Dean, kneeling down to fetch it.
Dean picked up the nearby plastic bag and smelt inside it.
"Dude..." he gaped, looking at Sam with furrowed brows, "it's steak, mushroom and cheese."
Sam huffed and rolled his eyes, before looking either way down the street.
"I guess the alley's the way to go," he nodded to it.
"When isn't it?" Dean pulled a face and he pulled out the ant-covered containers.
Faith and Angel
Faith struggled against the ropes on her wrists, twisting her hands to loosen them in their restraints. The skin rubbed red and raw, and drops of blood smeared across her hands, but she pulled a little harder.
The white masked man stepped down the stairs, the knife glinting in the moonlight streaming in from the window.
~*~*~*~
He ran through the woods, shoeless feet barely skimming the ground as he moved. He growled, scaring off anything that would dare interfere in his purpose.
Sam & Dean
"FAITH? Where are you?"
"You ok?" Sam jumped as Dean's hand touched his shoulder.
"Yeah, fine," Sam brushed him off as they continued walking.
He hoped even though Faith no longer had telepathic abilities that he'd be somehow able to hear her.
Faith
Faith cringed at Sam's sudden shout echoing through her head, and in the second that she was distracted, the man in the mask slid the tip of the knife from just below the rope on her wrist to her elbow.
"Ow..."
She smashed her forehead against the man's and he stumbled back a few steps.
Sam & Dean
Sam fidgetted nervously as he got no response, but led Dean in an almost direct path regardless.
"Maybe she's below ground somewhere," Dean suggested, "you know, if she's still in the same state and country."
Faith
Faith managed to get one the injured arm free, the blood helping to slide her wrist out from under the rope, and while the masked man was recovering from the blow to his head, she worked on trying to free the other arm.
He came at her again, and she punched him, sending flying back into the opposite wall, shattering the mirror with a loud crash.
Sam & Dean
Sam jumped to the ground after his brother, grimacing at the smell of the sewer main.
"There better not be any rats down here," Dean grumbled, pulling out his Colt handgun loaded with silver and placing his fashlight against the barrel.
"You're in the wrong place Dean," Sam taunted, before following him through the main tunnel.
Faith
Faith managed to free her other hand, ripping the skin from around her wrist as she wrenched it free, then bent to untie her feet quickly. She glanced up, noting the masked man was still unconscious.
One freed, she quickly looked around for weapons, but not finding one, she headed for the stairs.
Dean & Sam
Dean threw open the first door they came to, and Sam used the opportunity to snake in front of him.
He walked straight past he next three doors, and stopped at the fourth to listen carefully.
"Dude?" Dean looked confused as he caught up to him.
Faith
Faith was halfway up the stairs when the hand curled around her ankle. He yanked her down and she grappled for the railing, missing it by an inch and falling face first down onto the staircase.
Blood trickled from the side of her mouth.
Sam & Dean
As Sam heard the noise, he kicked the door in. His eyes widened when he saw the scene on the stairs.
"FAITH!" he rushed down.
Dean stood shocked in the doorway for a moment, but soon shook himself out of it and followed Sam.
Faith
Faith let out a groan as the man in the mask pulled her completely down the stairs by her ankles. She hit the basement floor with a smack and kicked backwards to free herself.
"Sam!" she called out.
Sam & Dean
Sam made it to the ground floor and grabbed Faith's arm to pull her to her feet, quickly pulling her to the side as Dean made it to the bottom and started firing rounds at the masked attacker.
Faith and Angel
Faith coughed, spitting a mouthful of blood out onto the floor. She wiped her mouth on her sleeve, leaning into Sam.
~*~*~*~
He scented the air, jumping down easily and taking off again.
Dean & Sam
"SAM! IRON!" Dean yelled when the perpetrator barely budged.
Sam quickly pulled his Taurus with his free hand - filled with iron rounds - and put him to the ground.
Faith and Angel
Faith watched him fall to the ground and pulled away from Sam for a moment. She was about to say something when she heard more footsteps on the stairs.
Bracing herself for another fight, she stared in shock as Angel appeared, shirtless and scratched.
He closed the distance between them, falling to his knees in front of her.
"Faith," he managed, then wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing his face into her stomach.
Faith's eyes widened slightly, and she lay her hand on the back of Angel's head.
"Angel," she breathed.
Sam & Dean
Sam stood back, slight rejection on his face.
He and Dean shared a confused glance, before Dean swiped Sam's gun and turned his attention to the body on the floor.
Faith and Angel
Faith stepped back as Angel let go, and she helped him to his feet.
"Are you ok?" he asked her, nodding at her arm.
"Yeah," she replied, then squinted slightly. "Uh... are you ok? How did you get here?"
"I ran," he said. "I don't really... it's all a little unclear."
She handed him her cell phone.
"Thanks," he said, then glanced at Sam and nodded a greeting.
Sam & Dean
Sam nodded back, awkwardly.
"What is he?" Dean asked Faith in business tone.
Faith and Angel
"Not sure," Faith said, taking her place next to Sam again. "Not human, I'm guessing."
Angel went upstairs to get enough reception to make a phone call to Wolfram and Hart.
Sam & Dean
"What was that?" Sam asked Faith.
"SHould we beat it, or beat him?" Dean interrupted.
Faith and Angel
"I don't know," Faith said, glancing up at Sam. "I think he's... better."
She reached for his hand.
"Is he dead?"
~*~*~*~
Angel organised with Gunn for someone to come collect him. As soon as he worked out where he actually was.
Dean
"You tell me," Dean shrugged.
"If it's a 'he', then yes. But I think it's an 'it', so probably not. Iron rounds ward off, they don't kill."
Faith
"Alright, so... we kill it."
Faith held onto her bleeding arm.
Sam & Dean
"How?" Sam shrugged.
"Only way we know for sure will work on something coporeal," Dean pulled out his lighter and lit it up.
Faith
"Well..." Faith glanced towards the stairs. "I'll let you handle it. I think I should check on him."
She touched Sam's arm.
"Unless you need me here?"
Sam & Dean
Sam held her arm for a moment, gently.
"Dean, you can't do that down here."
"Why not?" Dean lookd over his shoulder.
"Ah... gas pipes?" Sam pointed out.
Faith
"Guess we better get it above ground then," Faith mused.
She glanced up at Sam.
Sam & Dean
"You sure we should touch it?" Sam frowned as he let her arm go.
Dean landed a few more rounds in the body.
"We should be able to now," he shrugged.
Faith and Angel
"Alright," Faith said, patting Sam's side softly.
"I'll meet you guys up there. I should probably go check on crazy. Or... ex-crazy."
She disappeared up the stairs, appearing moments later beside Angel.
"Hey," he nodded. "How's the arm?"
"Healing," she replied. "How are you feeling? You were a little... crazy for awhile there."
"So I've heard."
Sam & Dean
Sam watched after Faith, his earlier facial expression returning.
"Dude?" Dean snapped him out of it.
"What?"
"What's wrong with you?" Dean demanded.
"Nothing," Sam scowled, walking over to help him lift the body, "what are we gonna do, just dump him in the street?"
"It Sam, it," Dean grunted as he hefted, "and yeah, pretty much."
Angel and Faith
"Gunn said you'd been sick," Angel said.
"Yeah," Faith replied. "Giles thinks it's a specific Slayer illness. The girls at the school have all got it. Tru came down with it too. It seems to be more severe for them though."
"And you and Sam?"
"What is this, twenty questions?" she grinned, raising an eyebrow.
"Hey, I've been AWOL for months, excuse me for wanting to catch up."
Sam & Dean
Sam and Dean soon made it to the door with the body.
"Excuse us," Sam grunted, before pushing past Angel and heading for the nearest ladder to the surface.
Faith and Angel
"You know, I'm meant to get Halloween off," Faith muttered to Angel.
Angel cracked a smile. "Well, you did technically. No vampires to kill."
"Yet," she warned him. "You got a lift?"
"Yeah, Gunn's organising a teleporter for me."
Sam and Dean
When the brothers finally made it back onto the street, they dumped the body in a dumpster and set it alight. As they stood and watched it burn, Dean tilted his head towards Sam.
"You're not cool, are you?" he frowned.
"What do you mean?" Sam turned to him.
"I mean you're not cool about Angel suddenly showing up and sweeping Faith off her feet."
Sam sighed, then turned his back.
"Would you be?"
Sam began walking back to the motel, leaving Dean to make sure the flames burnt down.
Faith and Angel
Faith yelped in surprise as the teleporter arrived.
"Jumpy tonight?" the older man asked, smirking faintly.
"Well, it's Halloween," Faith replied dryly. She looked at Angel.
"Call me later," he told her. "That look says we need to talk."
Faith nodded. "Glad to have you back, Dark Avenger."
"Don't call me that," were his parting words, as they disappeared.
Faith sighed slightly, and then climbed the later back up to the surface.
Dean
"You look like crap," was Dean's greeting as he saw her over his shoulder.
Faith
"Yeah, I know. It's shower time, I think. I'll catch you at the motel," Faith told him.
She turned and started jogging back.
Dean
"Great, that's nice," Dean said to himself with an annoyed smile.
"So if the psycho killer comes alive again, Dean has to face it on his own even though he won't know how to kill it. Great. Thanks, guys. Really. No no, I'm grateful..."
Faith
Faith opened the door to the motel and heard Sam pottering about in the bathroom.
She immediately headed for there and walked in, blocking the doorway as she grinned at him.
"I think you need to join me in the shower," she said, taking a step towards him.
Sam
"I think you need a real shower first," Sam poined out.
"And you need that arm dressed."
Faith
Faith sighed, then grabbed Sam's arm, pulling him towards her. She reached up and kissed him deeply for a long moment, before pulling back.
"I love you, not Angel, so please don't feel rejected because he was here tonight," she said softly. "I know I went to help him, but I'm here with you, Sam. I'm here. So... please... dress my arm and then join me in the shower?"
Sam
Sam looked her in the eyes for a long moment, unable to look anything but upset, but nodded.
"Ok," he agreed.
He finished drying his hands and went to find the med kit.
Faith
Faith ran her arm under the tap in the sink, washing away the dried blood. She sighed softly, and then went back out to the room to have Sam dress her arm.
"Thanks for saving the day," she said to him.
Sam
Sam glanced up as she spoke before returning his attention to cutting the bandage lengths.
"You looked like you could have had it under control," he shrugged.
Faith
"Well, yeah," Faith agreed, sitting down at the table.
"But still... always nice to have some help."
She paused, watching him.
"So... what's wrong? Really."
Sam
"Nothing, I promise," Sam forced a smile in order to tease her as he started bandaging her arm.
"Just let me play doctor."
Faith
Faith watched him quietly, letting him bandage her arm.
"Mmmhmm."
Sam
Sam ignored the response and finished his work.
"Ok, that should be good for the shower," he assured as he packed up the kit.
Faith
"You decided if you're gonna join me?" Faith asked, quirkingan eyebrow.
She tucked some hair behind her ears.
Sam
"I am pretty dirty," Sam said, putting his puppy eyes to work.
Faith
Faith stood up and leaned over to Sam. She brushed her lips across his.
"Yeah, you should probably join me. You know, to save water and all."
Sam
"You are so environmentally conscience," Sam said over-sincerely.
Faith
"Oh, I know," Faith nodded.
"I'm all about saving the world. In any way I can."
Sam
"Oh I know," Sam smirked, standing up to go and put the med kit away.
He took his shirt off while he was over there.
Faith
Faith grinned and pulled her shirt over her head, careful of her bandaged arm.
She pulled her pants off and walked into the bathroom, unclasping her bra as she walked.
Sam
Sam soon joined her in the bathroom, just as she was getting the water right.
"Arm ok?" he made sure.
Faith
"Yeah, it's almost closed up now," Faith assured him. "I'm pretty certain I am 100% now."
She stepped into the shower.
Sam
Sam shrugged and finished getting undressed, before getting in with her.
He quickly brushed off the majority of the dirt.
Faith
Faith looked up at him, water cascading over her face.
"So," she smirked. "Have I told you lately how good you look all wet?"
Sam
"Have I told you lately how good you look when you're wet?" Sam mused.
Faith
"Not in so many words, no," Faith grinned.
She pulled him closer to her.
Sam
Sam ran his fingers through his hair, then brought them down to her waist as he leant in and kissed her.
Faith
Faith slid her arms around his neck, kissing him back slowly.
"So, I guess I am forgiven?"
Sam
"You will be," Sam breathed with a grin, pushing her back against the tiles as his hands ventured lower.
Faith
Faith laughed and hitched herself up, wrapping her legs around his waist.
~*~*~*~
"Well," she breathed. "I don't think we saved any water."
She grinned faintly.
Sam
"I'm sure we saved something," Sam smirked, turnig the taps off and stepping out.
He grabbed a towel and started drying off.
Faith
Faith grinned and stepped out of the shower. She reached for the other towel.
"Saved... your sex drive?"
Sam
Sam shrugged.
"We saved the pipes from being unused."
Faith
Faith wrapped the towel around her body as she went back out into the other room to get some clothes.
"We're such a considerate pair."