Awkward moments

[the_god_illyria]

I didn't bother to answer Wesley when he asked if I would be joining him with Angel. I simply shook my head lightly and watching walk way, disappearing through the door. I had said what I needed to say to Angel, and I assumed Faith had done the same. Angel was not the being he has once been, and it was rather disturbing to see him in such a

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[the_god_illyria]

It was hard to look at Wesley and not remember what had happened. Those last moment. It was hard to look at him and not remember the moment in which he held his Winifred in his arms, in much the same manner as I held him, and watched her die.

But that was the past. A past that came to haunt me every now and then... but it was all that was, nothing more. That part of my life was over, I was no longer that being. And I- I had moved on... still, I couldn't deny the bitter after taste that was left in my mouth.

But his presence here had been to rash, too sudden, to uninvited almost. Something so unexpected, something that I had not allowed the proper time to prepare for simply because I never once imagined that a moment such as this would be possible.

I crossed my arms and frowned. Something was not quite as it should be. I tilted my head slightly, sensing the agitation from both of them. Especially from Wesley. I shifted my gaze to the door, and realized they were the only ones that had walk through it just now. I had heard voices earlier, one set had been Wesley's and Angel's- distinct and masculine, but further away, there had been other voices. Tara, Connor... and that of Faith.

I hadn't seen her come in after Wesley left my side to talk to Angel and naturally I had assumed that she had stayed outside with them. But then I realized that it hadn't been the case.

Walking towards then, I too voiced my concern. "Where is Faith? Was she not with you?"

[mr_angel]

From the looks and comments from both Illyria and Wes, it seemed that I wasn't the only one who thought something was off about all this. Faith had obviously been outside from the voices we all had heard, but something was.. just wrong.

But was it so terrible that I was happy Wes and Illyria felt the same way? Sure it would've been better for everyone else if they didn't, but for my own peace of mind I was glad that for once I wasn't the only one with that eerie feeling I'd come to know so well.

Turning to Illyria I shook my head. "No. She came inside after we.. talked. I haven't seen her since." Except for hearing her, which I suppose could've been something or someone else. After all, it would be the first time in the past ten years that I've heard or seen something that wasn't really there.

"But I thought.. I thought I heard her outside," I said looking back at Wesley. "You heard her there, right?"

I took a small step towards the back door and wondered if we should go outside to see what happened, or if Faith was just fine and we were all going crazy. Please tell me I wasn't rubbing off on everyone else around me.

"Should we.. check?" I asked hesitantly.

[_wes_pryce_]

As Illyria and Angel spoke, I was starting to recognize the feeling in the pit of my stomach. I'd not felt it often; there hardly was any danger in Limbo. Certainly no danger of dying. Faith and I were both as dead a could be. But it had been there a few times. Even stronger once we found ourselves out of Limbo and on our little journey.

Fear. Fear for Faith. Something was definitely wrong. Very wrong.

I tilted my head, tuning out both Angel and Illyria. It was then I noticed I could no longer feel her. She was no longer close by and as I listened I most certainly didn't hear her voice anymore, or any others.

"Dammit," I muttered pushing past Angel. Should we check. Bloody right we should check. And not stand around asking obvious questions, which had once been my task. "Something is very wrong."

Speeding up my pace, the sense of dread curling up in my stomach, I stormed out the backdoor and into an empty garden. "Faith?" I turned around several times, giving Illyria and Angel who had followed me a helpless look. "Faith! Dammit! This isn't funny!"

[the_god_illyria]

I was not sure what was going on. Somehow Faith had gone missing. From what I had gathered she still possessed her slayer strength. Where ever she was, she was probably alright. Still, it was strange. Too many unexplained things had happened and something such as this shouldn't be overlooked.

Angel seemed hesitant, not knowing what to do. I still not accustomed to seeing him in such a state. A state that almost reminded me of the border line between sanity and panic.

And Wesley, his demeanor had changed drastically. It was not obvious to me that there was something that connected the two of them in such a way, something beyond words, something that just barely scratched the surface. I collected myself, and let my senses take control.

While Wesley checked the back I checked the front, Angel following me. I knew that's where they had come through, but still, I had to check. Finally I walked around the house and met up with Wesley in the garden.

"Nothing?" I asked, and he shook his head. I looked around, trying to look for signs on the ground. The faint smell of cigarettes lingered, but nothing else.

I frowned and tilted my head, "Could she have gone anywhere else? To patrol? To look for clues?"

[mr_angel]

Wesley moved past me and I wasn't really sure what to think about it all yet. He seemed concerned, genuinely concerned for Faith but there was something else. Something I couldn't quite place. Sure, they'd spent the time together in whatever the hell 'limbo' was - nothing apparently - and I guess they had their time to 'bond' or..you know, something.

Something I hadn't had or even tried to have with anyone or anything except myself for the past decade. Until now anyway.

I followed Illyria to the front door then out back joining Wes. Frowning, I took a few steps into the yard and breathed in some unneeded air. Something was wrong. Something else besides the normal. I looked around the back yard for a moment then back at Wesley and Illyria.

"Someone else was here.. something else was here." Could whatever that had been here possibly have taken her? All the time I'd known Faith, I'd really never known her to get taken anywhere she didn't want to go - well, besides dying but that was another issue entirely.

[_wes_pryce_]

Alright, this wasn't helping. Faith was gone and we were just standing here. Well, we did a quick sweep, but still now we were standing here. We needed to *do* something. Find her! She's no doubt in trouble. The girl is a trouble magnet just as much as I am.

It's surprising to know that after all those years in Limbo sometimes wishing she would just go away for a while? I most definitely do not want that now. I want her here and I want to know she's safe. The bond which has slowly been growing and I've been feeling even stronger when we were brought back to live, feels empty now. Something's happened, I just know it.

When Angel said someone or something had been here, a cold fear gripped me. I'd know it, but hearing it didn't make me feel any better. Pushing down on any feelings, I narrowed my eyes and scanned the garden. They'd have to have been observing here before they took her. Walking over to the bushes on the edge of the garden, I grouched down.

"Someone or something sat here. Waiting. Whom or whatever it was, it took her. The question is where and why?" Standing up, my face took on a grim expression while I pull out my 'borrowed' guns. "We need to find her."

[the_god_illyria]

I walked around trying to see if I could find more clues but there were none that I could follow, other than the obvious things that were pointed out. I looked to Wesley, then Angel, than back to Wesley again.

It was apparent that he had feelings for the Slayer. I had sensed this earlier on, but now it was plainly obvious. I shifted my gaze and looked out into the street, everything seemed empty like it usually did. I wondered how she had disappeared without one of us knowing it. The Slayer strength was legendary, and I couldn't imagine how would be able to overpower her.

"Someone must have found out she was back," I offered. "Someone, or some- thing." I looked at Angel and studied him for a moment. I couldn't tell what it was that he was thinking, but I could see the worry behind his eyes.

"Angel," I said. "Do you think you can track whatever was here? Do you think you can follow its scent? Or even Faith's for that matter?" I asked.

[mr_angel]

I watched Wesley go over to some bushes and examine the area. Nodding, I looked around some more. Kneeling down I saw two or three cigarettes that hadn't been fully smoked. For some reason that struck a fear inside of me on top of everything else. It was something small, but Faith wouldn't leave two or even one of these half smoked just on the ground.

Picking up one of them, I watched as some smoke drifted from the end. I lifted it to my face and besides the obvious smell of smoke, there was something else and it wasn't Faith. Narrowing my eyes, I let out a lowly growl and flicked the thing away.

Standing, I turned back to Illyria and Wesley. I gripped my hands at my sides and then froze for a moment when I heard Illyria. I wanted to find Faith and the thing that took her, but tracking? I hadn't done that since.. well, it'd been a while.

Even still, my senses were filled with whatever had been here earlier. That and Faith. I turned to Wesley and could tell he was ready to get moving as fast as possible. I nodded slowly and stratched the back of my head. "I-..I can try-.." Try? Come on you idiot you can do better than just try. Hadn't Faith done more than just try to get you off of feeling sorry for yourself. If she'd just merely tried, I'd probably still be sitting on the ground out front. "Yes, I think so." I nodded towards the direction the scent led. "They went off that way and back down the street."

[_wes_pryce_]

My eyebrow rose as I stared at Illyria. It was on the tip of my tongue to say that I'd just said that. Apparently she still had some of her former godlike tendencies. Annoying ones at that, but they gave me a familiar feeling. Still, I didn't say it in my opinion we were wasting too much time talking already.

Moving further into the garden, I checked the guns to make sure they were loaded. If found whomever had done this, there was going to be hell to pay. And trust me, I know hell. Several kinds in fact. I glanced up at Angel with a frown as he stammered at Illyria's question. It took him a damn long time to really answer her as well. Things in Angel land really weren't well yet. Far from it in fact.

I was about to try and snap him out of it, hit him if needed, but it would seem he was getting a grip. I don't know exactly what Faith and he had talked about, thought I did know something about the how, but it seemed to have helped somewhat. There's no fooling me, I know exactly how Faith 'talks'. And quite frankly her way might just be what Angel needs right now.

"Then what are we waiting for," I said grimly when Angel nodded into a direction. "Standing around here is not going to get me...us...Faith back." Giving them both a hard look, I narrowed my eyes and then took off into the direction of the street. Time to get moving. We needed to get Faith back, and unharmed. If anyone harmed her, they're going to pay.