A Place Called Home

[not_the_shell]

((Cont from HERE))

The Slayer continued to speak strangely to me, and as I attempted to discern exactly what she meant, the one known as Hamilton also required my attention.

"Didn't realize I was comin' to a meetin' of Ass Kissers Anonymous."My head unmoving but my eyes straying slightly toward the Slayer, then back to the almost-mortal before me

Comments

[fivebyfiverogue]

"Threatening... in a kind of cute sort of way. Faith, isn't it? Well, Faith, you had your shot with the firm, and decided to go the other way. So please, this is Wolfram & Hart business."

I clenched my jaw, but Blue gave me a look that showed me she had it under control, so I kept my mouth shut. I would step in if I needed to.

"Great lord Illyria, I have secured lodgings for your magnificent self, apart from both those who have turned their backs to you and those who might seek to manipulate you. Though it is humble, it is very impressive by human standards. Shall I show you?"

I rolled my eyes. Was this guy for real?

Blue nodded and looked at me.

"You may come along, if you desire, to approve of the new surroundings."

I gave her a shrug. I mean, hell, if she wanted me to come along I would go. Seemed to me her sayin' that meant I better stick close to her. Ya know, just in case.

"Sure why not?"

Not like she could crash at Team Angel's digs anymore. Not when they was thinkin' she was a murderer and shit. Damn, can I just say how much this shit seems like I'm talkin' about me? Plus, it had to be totally weird to hang out with someone who looked just like you, minus the whole crayola effect.

We climbed in the ride and headed off to the new place. I kept my eyes on the suit, wonderin' what he had up his sleeve. Blue was watchin' him too, her hand feelin' around his face. Man, this was like a bad acid trip.

The car came to a stop and I crawled out after them, lookin' around and tryin' to see if I could sense anymore evil nasties lurkin' around.

"Why do those lesser than us, without the touch of the power we have tasted, so seek to weaken us? Abuse us, use us until we are dried up, withered and... no longer necessary?"

Lookin' at Blue, I cocked my head to the side, thinkin' about what she just said. She definitely had a point.

I shrugged, reachin' into my jacket to get smoke. Puttin' in between my lips, I covered it with my hand as I lit it up and took a long drag. Takin' it away from my mouth, I exhaled, lookin' at Blue's nice new crib.

"You know, Blue you got a point. Guess they can't deal with the power we got, so they try to make us feel like we ain't worth nothin'." I shrugged again. "Or whatever."

[evil_suit_n_tie]

"You may come along, if you desire, to approve of the new surroundings."

"Sure why not?"

I really didn't like the idea of having Faith, as loose a cannon as there ever was, tagging along as I showed Illyria her new living arrangements. Unfortunately, it was becoming clearer and clearer to me that the former god-king had found in the Slayer some sort of kinship. I didn't know how, and I didn't know why, and I could've given half a crap about either. Those kinds of questions were for one's employees, the ones specifically hired because they didn't skip out on Pysch 101 in freshman year.

All I knew is, I had one extra passenger in the car answering to the name of 'Faith'.

We arrived at the new apartment quickly. Located in what once had been the most industrialized part of Los Angeles, what had once been empty factories and warehouses were now being converted into high-end luxury apartments. Situated in what I figured would be 'neutral territory', about equidistant from both the Hyperion and Wolfram & Hart, the apartment was massive, taking up half of the former gas works' top floor. Four bedrooms, four and a half baths, a large living/dining/entertaining area's open plan facing a bank of ten-foot-tall windows, looking at the city.

I was about to go into the same spiel that the landlord had recited to me when Illyria spoke up.

"Why do those lesser than us, without the touch of the power we have tasted, so seek to weaken us? Abuse us, use us until we are dried up, withered and... no longer necessary?"

Something in Illyria's tone quieted me, and forced me to think about my own ambitions, my own desire for power and position. When (not if) I rose to the rank I thought I deserved, what then? Would the people on whose back's I'd stepped-- the ones that were still living, anyway-- try to get back at me? I was still thinking when Faith answered.

"You know, Blue you got a point. Guess they can't deal with the power we got, so they try to make us feel like we ain't worth nothin'. Or whatever."

Raising my eyebrows, I nodded.

"An excellent observation. Power frightens the lesser being, makes them feel small and fear the loss of whatever they might have. If they have the chance, they use whatever means they have to bring down the powerful."

Shaking off the sudden burst of thoughtfulness, I put my smile back on.

"So, ladies? What do you think? It's the very latest and very best of everything, and I happen to be just one flight down."

[not_the_shell]

I entered what should have been a confining space, one that would choke me, yet the windows that let in the lightness from the outside world called to me and with each step toward them, what should have been my heart felt as though it were pounding. A gloved hand finally reached out and touched the glass as my mouth opened slightly in silence.

"You know, Blue you got a point. Guess they can't deal with the power we got, so they try to make us feel like we ain't worth nothin'. Or whatever."

I nodded. The Sla-- Faith was correct. My head turned to face her, palm still flat against the chill of the glass, as the words I spoke confirmed what all three of us more than mortals felt.

"We... we are not worthless. They underestimate us in more ways than one."

What that would mean for the future, I was not entirely certain...

"An excellent observation. Power frightens the lesser being, makes them feel small and fear the loss of whatever they might have. If they have the chance, they use whatever means they have to bring down the powerful."

What might have passed for a smile was what greeted the other with us, the one who had beaten me, bloodied me, and left me to die in my humiliation. Odd, then, how he understood me now so completely...

"Then they shall not get that chance," were the words whispered as my hand left my link to the outside and I turned inward -- inward to the box that now held me, and inward to myself.

"They shall not murder me..."

For was that not what they wished? Why? Why was my death something they desired -- even after I was the only one amongst the group to speak the truth to The Shell about the events leading to the mortal's demise?

Untruths seemed to be quite common among them...

"So, ladies? What do you think? It's the very latest and very best of everything, and I happen to be just one flight down."

Stepping until Faith was beside my form, my hand reached out to hers and touched the air about her, sending what small amount of energy I had left within me after Wesley had raped and drained me of my power. I thought about this wolf's words, this... plan of sorts and inclined my head in acceptance.

Perhaps between the three of us, the balance of power could truly be restored along with our dignity.

In the words of The Shell (for she was not Fred to me, not any longer after the anger that washed over her spilled into me), I drew forth the memory and whispered.

"This will do."