"Angel Investigations, we help the homeless."

"Is Faith there?"

"There's a lot of faith here. Just the wrong kinds."

"I meant Faith McCormick."

"She's not here."

"Can you give her a message for me?"

"What's that, Lindsey?" Angel asked bitingly. "You're going to be late for your date because you and Lilah have to go perform a ritual killing for your evil employer?"

Lindsey sighed. "Think whatever you like, Angel. I have no reason to try and justify my decisions to you. Faith's opinion of me is the only one that matters, and despite your judgemental misgivings, she likes me."

Angel growled at the haughty lawyer. "You're an asshole, McDonald."

"And you're a self-righteous bastard," Lindsey responded calmly. "What's your point, Angel?"

"If you hurt Faith in any way, including her recovery, I'll hunt you down and torture you until you beg for death," Angel threatened.

Lindsey chuckled. "If you really had it in you to kill me, I'd be dead by now," he said casually. "Don't make threats. They're weak."

Angel was about to retort angrily when Faith walked in. "Hey Angel, who's on the line?" she asked as she popped the top on a can of soda.

Lindsey heard her voice. "Is that Faith? Let me talk to her," he demanded.

Angel reluctantly handed the phone over to Faith. "It's Lindsey," he muttered, waiting until she had the receiver firmly in hand before he stomped to the other side of the room.

"Hey babe," she said easily, cradling the phone between her shoulder and ear, rooting around in the lobby fridge. She pulled out a small slice of blueberry cheesecake and plopped down on the closest couch. "What up?"

Angel pretended to be working on paperwork, but kept his ears closely attuned to Faith's end of the conversation. He muttered several vulgar epithets when he heard Faith mention his name.

"Yeah, he's riding my case too. I know, I know, self-righteous bastard. Needs to lose his soul for a good staking. I know, I know. Hey, feel sorry for me, I actually live with the guy. Not only that, I actually call him a friend. You don't really give a shit if he likes you or not, but I have to stay on his good side." Faith looked up. "Hold on a second, Lin. Hey Angel Boy! Like what you're hearing? No? Then go away." She took her gaze away from Angel, who glared spitefully at her raven head, and resumed her conversation.

Twenty minutes later, Angel breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Faith tell Lindsey she'd see him that night, and hung up. He pounced on her as she set the receiver in the base, before she could walk away.

"Where are you two going tonight?" he asked.

Faith smirked. "What are you, my baby-sitter?" she retorted.

Angel smirked in return. "No, the angel on your shoulder," he shot back. "The one who reminds you at every step that what you're considering doing is dangerous to your soul."

Faith exhaled loudly. "I think, after how far I've already come, that Lindsey can't do anything to set me back. Especially when he's trying so hard to do the right thing himself. We're good for each other," she said softly.

Angel rolled his eyes. "Right, that's why he's still trying to kill children for Wolfram and Hart." Faith stared at him silently. She stared for so long that Angel got slightly uncomfortable. "Faith?"

She continued to stare. Just when Angel was beginning to get extremely creeped, she sighed. "Lindsey quit Wolfram and Hart three weeks ago. He's been working at Caritas for the Host."

Angel blinked disbelievingly. "You're kidding me."

Faith shook her head. "Nope. He's been working as a bartender since Ramon got fired, and on his breaks he plays and sings for the guests. He gets paid to bartend, and he gets tips from bartending and singing both, so he's not doing too badly. And it's all honest money."

Angel's mouth hung open. He didn't know what to say. He could still bash Lindsey, but apparently he wasn't justified anymore. And the little rat hadn't even bothered to deny Angel's assumptions about Lilah and Wolfram and Hart, even when he had every right to.

Faith turned around. "Sorry, Angel Boy, but I gotta jet. Cordy and I are going shopping for something that doesn't involve leather, and we need to go and be back before seven." She headed for the stairs, pausing momentarily to look back at Angel. "I know it's hard for you to discard all your misconceptions about Lin, but can you try? For me?"

Angel nodded dumbly. He had a lot of thinking to do.