Faith walked out of the bathroom, wet hair making her shirt wet as she started throwing some stuff into her bag. She dropped to her knees, searching for some underwear under the bed, while also mentally replaying the phone conversation with Gunn in her head.
She bit her lip, reaching far under the bed to grab the lacy scraps of material she could see.
Dean
"Going somewhere?" Dean asked absently, not looking in her direction.
Faith
"Yeah," Faith said, coming back out from under the bed.
"Emergency in LA. I'm flying out in a few hours."
Dean
"Nice to know," Dean turned the page, "but when were you gonna tell Sam?"
Faith
"I only just found out," Faith said to him.
"So... whenever he gets back, I guess."
Dean
"Good luck with that," Dean scoffed, turning another page.
Faith
"You think he's going to have a tantrum?" Faith asked.
She thought for a minute.
"Guess if I do it in public, there's less of a chance he'll cry."
That cinched the deal for her, and she grabbed a jacket.
"Which diner was he going to?"
Dean
"Three blocks north east. Little Cino's," Dean pointed absently.
Faith
"Thanks handsome," Faith said, already half out the door. "I'll get you extra pie."
She closed the door behind her, heading in the direction Dean had indicated.
Dean
"Yeah right," Dean rolled his eyes.
He glanced up at the window to see her shadow moving past, then got back to his studying.
Faith
Faith reached the diner a few minutes later, pushing through the door and spotting Sam almost immediately.
She took a moment, tilting her head with a smirk on her face as she looked over the back of him.
Sam
"Thanks," Sam nodded to the waitress before turning to leave.
He stopped in his tracks.
"Hey," his eyebrows rose, before handing Faith her lunch, "I said I wouldn't be long."
Faith
"I know," Faith said, taking the bag from him. "But I... couldn't wait to see you."
She really had to get better at lying to Sam. Everyone else, she had down pat.
Sam
"Right," Sam mused.
He started to lead the way out.
"What's really on your mind, that couln't take a phone call?"
Faith
"I'm gonna disappear for a bit."
Maybe the bandaid technique was the way to go. Get it out in one quick motion.
Sam
Sam froze in shock.
"What?" he frowned.
Faith
"Angel's gone missing," Faith said, looking up at Sam. She put her hand on his arm lightly.
"I'm just going back to check in. See what I can do."
Sam
Sam's frown deepened,, and he stood back a little.
"And you don't want me to come with?"
Faith
"I need you to keep after this guy," Faith said, trying to placate him.
"Look, there's not going to be a whole lot to do in LA anyway. I'm just checking in, helping keep them under control for a few days."
Sam
"Then what's the point of you going?" Sam shrugged, stepping forward to touch her arm.
"Seriously. We need you to help us here."
Faith
"They're my family too, Sam," Faith pointed out.
"It's only going to be four days at the most. I just need to... I just want to be there, in case something comes up."
Sam
"And stopping the apocalypse isn't as important. Yeah, I get it," Sam nodded, starting to walk back down the street.
Faith
Faith grabbed him by the arm before he got too far, jerking him back.
"Don't," she snapped at him. "I'm in this, Sam, I really am, but right now, I have another battle to fight. Angel's my person."
Sam
"I said I get it," Sam insisted.
"And if we're gonna fight this battle alone, we're going to hit the road."
Faith
"Stop," Faith ordered.
"Why are you being such a dick?"
Sam
"I don't know, maybe because I'm sick of feeling like the third wheel. Or just a convenience," Sam shrugged.
"Maybe I feel like if one of them and one of us were on our death beds you'd take them over us without a second of thought."
Faith
"I'm not taking sides here, Sam!" Faith told him.
"This isn't easy for me, you know? They were there before you guys were, they were my family first, but that doesn't mean..."
She took a step towards him.
"I'm not picking Angel over you. You're not being replaced. This isn't me running out and breaking up with you. I love you, you loser."
Sam
"I know, I'm sorry," Sam shook his head.
"And I know it sounds like I don't think Angel's worth it, but I just think that the end of the world is a more pressing issue. And Angel has people there to cover it already, whereas the three of us are all there is against this particular force."
Faith
"I know," Faith looked at the ground for a second.
"But I just need to make sure they're all ok. I have to make sure they're not going to disappear too. I can't afford to lose all of them. I don't have enough people who give a crap about me to throw away."
Sam
Sam took a deep breath and sighed, before pointing a her.
"Four days," he said sternly, "and only because we've sucked at finding this guy anyway."
Faith
"Oh Sam," Faith said, pretending to swoon. "I love when you take charge like that."
She smiled impishly up at him.
Sam
"Just promise you'll be careful," Sam insisted, turning to walk down the street again.
Faith
"I promise I'll try."
Faith followed him down the street.