"What the hell are you thinking?!" Angel stormed into the lobby, leveling his most furious snarl on the defiant brunette sitting on the couch.

"That maybe, for once, I found someone who both understands and appreciates me in a way you haven't been able to," she shot back. "You try pretty damn hard, Angel, but he can do something for me you can't."

"What's that, love you?" Angel snorted derisively. When the brunette's eyes flashed angrily, he stopped short, running a hand through his hair and sighing. "Not that I don't love you. I do. But I know you mean in a way that I can't. But do you really think he's capable of love?"

She laughed. "You really think I care about his love?" she asked, mimicking his derisive tone. "Love is a four-letter-word to me, you know that. But there is the fact that he gets what it's like to be torn between two worlds."

"And I don't?" Angel exploded. He sat down on the chair across from her, then shot to his feet again, resuming his frustrated pacing.

"With you, it's this whole big redemption thing," she pointed out. "Every soul you save is another step on the path to becoming human. You keep focusing on the bigger picture. With us, it's different. It's about living day to day and struggling to take the higher road instead of giving in."

Angel protested. "He always gives in. He's evil."

"The same could have been said about me before you stepped in and knocked some sense into my sorry ass," she pointed out with a small sigh.

"Faith, I just don't understand where this is coming from," Angel admitted. He sat down beside her and put a hand on her knee. "When did I leave you alone long enough for you to run to Lindsey McDonald?"

Faith smiled. "Blame Cordelia. She took me by Wolfram and Hart, and we got the wild and crazy idea to walk in there with disguises and stir the place up a little. How was I supposed to know that Lindsey could see right through them?"

"You should have known that nothing gets by Lindsey. Nothing," Angel reminded her.

Faith shrugged a little. "Not that it really matters now anyway. I'm glad he saw through them. Although I have to admit I was not exactly cheering when he told Lilah to escort Cordelia outside, but made me stay in his office."

Angel's eyebrows jack-knifed. "You stayed with Lindsey in his office without anyone else around to come to your aid?"

Faith rolled her eyes. "Chill, Angel Boy. I can take care of myself, you know. A few minor little details that come wrapped up in pretty paper as part of the Slayer package."

"But, still. He was a psychotic lawyer and you knew nothing about what was going through his head."

Faith shrugged. "You think that's ever mattered to me? I mean, who really can get into another person's head and know exactly what's going through their mind? If I could have taken a best guess, I would have thought that Lindsey either wanted to execute me or try and charm me back to their side. No way in hell would I have imagined he was trying to get up the nerve to ask me out."

Angel snorted. "Lindsey McDonald, destroyer of innocents, was nervous about asking you out."

Faith smirked. "Well, yeah. I'm a Slayer, and he'd once tried to get me to kill you, the very person I'm now helping. I could have handed him the hand you didn't chop off on a silver platter."

"Why didn't you?" Angel countered.

Faith smiled. "He was kinda cute. And strangely vulnerable. I wanted to see how far he'd take it."

"And how far, exactly, did he take it?"

Faith laughed. "To dinner, dancing, and a quick patrol through the park that ended up turning into a make-out session. Which he ended, not me," she added quickly, seeing Angel's growing horror and revulsion. "As much as he liked me, he knows that I have a fierce protector in you, and he wants you to know that he's not going to abuse me or take advantage of me."

Angel rolled his eyes. "And I'm supposed to believe that because he was smart enough to not ride you like a bronco in the park on the first date, that he's suddenly Mr. Good Intentions?"

Faith glared at him. "Do I really look like I care what you think?" she snapped.

"Yes," Angel insisted.

Faith sighed irritably. "Okay, so maybe I do. But that doesn't mean I'm going to let you dictate who I see and what I do with my life. Lindsey's good for me, no matter what you think about it. And screw you to hell and back if you try and stop me from seeing him."

Angel held up his hands in mock-surrender. "Like I could even try," he acknowledged. He sighed. "I don't like it, Faith, but I know there's nothing I can do about it," he said slowly. "Just promise me that when Lindsey pulls his tricks, you'll let me kick the shit out of him?"

Faith glared at Angel. "Don't even think about touching Lindsey," she warned him. "I may owe you a lot, but I won't let you do anything to him."

"He hurts you, and I'd like to see you stop me," Angel countered.

"He hurts me, and you'll have to stand in line to slaughter his dead ass," Faith said with a smirk.

"Good. Just so we're clear," Angel said with a note of finality.

"Crystal."