Adult-FanFiction.org : Buffy

Common Ground	By : QueenC Category: AtS/BtVS Crossovers > Het - Male/Female > Connor/Dawn Views: 3633 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BtVS) or Angel, the Series (AtS); nor any of the characters from them. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 2
- 3
Disclaimer: Nope, still haven't become Joss Whedon. For other info, see chapter one.
Part 7
For at least a full minute, total silence reigned on the Summers porch. The only sound that filled the air was the slight rustling of the trees due to the warm wind. Then, when Spike's claim had finally sunk in, total chaos erupted.
"He isn't dead?"
"Well, where in the hell is he?"
"But, I *saw* him get staked! I watched as he turned to dust!"
The blonde vampire sighed, trying to listen to everyone at once. Looking at Fred, he nodded. "Right, he isn't dead." Turning to Gunn, he shrugged, "You got me, mate. I'm not sure where he is, but he *is* close." Finally, his gaze landed on Buffy, his normally hardened face softening. "Look, pet, I'm sure there's some explanation for what you saw. We'll get to the bottom of it. We always do."
Buffy nodded, the pain she had been feeling moments before quickly turning to anger. "Damn right we will," she muttered, getting to her feet. "And, when we *do* find him, I'm going to beat him within an inch of his life!"
Heading into the house, she continued her rant, her voice growing louder as her temper increased. "Stupid vampire, deciding to try *another* mind game on me. Like he didn't learn his lesson the last time. Hello?! I sent him to *Hell*! But, no. He loses his soul and what's the *first* thing he does? Comes here to play another game of 'Let's make Buffy a raving loon.' Well, this time he's gone *too* far. Thanks to him, Dawn's run off with Evil Undead Junior, going God only knows where and doing God only knows what! Oh, he thinks he's so bad just because he was given some stupid nickname a century ago. Ha! He might have been The Scourge of Europe, or whatever, but *I'm* the Slayer, and I think it's time that he learns what that *really* means." Suddenly, she reemerged on the back porch, a sword in her right hand and a crossbow in her left. Oblivious to the open-mouthed st she she was receiving, she tossed the crossbow at Spike, who easily caught it, and proceeded to stomp down the stairs and cut across the yard. Once she got to the sidewalk, she called over her shoulder, "Well, let's go! I don't have all night!"
Spike shook his head, quickly following her. "Wait just a bloody minute! What's all this gibberish about Nibblet? And what do you mean he lost his soul? When were you planning on telling me this?" he demanded, easily falling into step beside her.
Slowly, Xander turned his attention from the yard to the unknown couple on the porch. "Um, so, yeah. I'm Xander, by the way. Friend of Buffy's," he offered awkwardly.
The man smiled, standing quickly. "I'm Gunn. This is Fred. We work with Angel, in LA," he replied.
Xander nodded, his mind still spinning from what he'd just learned. Aloud, he stated. "Ok. Nice to meet you." He suddenly laughed, running his fingers through his hair. "Say, you two wouldn't happen to have *any* idea of what's going on, would you? Because, I've gotta say, I'm really confused right now, not to mention just a little bit freaked."
Fred smiled gently, her eyes wide. "Well, we know what Buffy told us. That Angel showed up here, with Cordelia. Except he wasn't really Angel," she said.
"He was Angelus, right?" Xander asked.
"Well, yes and no" she stated. "She said that he still had his soul, it just wasn't in charge. And," Before she could continue, Gunn spoke up.
"Look, I'm all for the catching up. But, don't you think we should be out there, trying to find Angel, Cordy, and Connor?" he suggested.
"Nah. Buffy and Spike pretty much have that covered," Xander shrugged, not at all worried about it.
"Yeah, but, blondie didn't seem too happy when she left. And, from what I've heard about her, she's kinda the stake first ask questions later type of gal. Which means,"
Fred quickly interrupted Gunn, her face becoming pale. "It means that she's likely to *really* dust Angel. Before he gets a chance to explain where he was and why he did what he did." Gasping, she faced Xander, her voice taking on a desperate tone. "Charles is right. We need to find them!"
Xander sighed in resignation. "Alright. We'll go inside, load up on weapons, then head out." As they walked into the house, he shot Fred a puzzled look. "Who's Charles?"
******
Dawn stared at the door, her feet planted firmly on the ground. Slowly, she turned fear filled eyes to her boyfriend, her voice shaking when she spoke. "M-Maybe you should go in first, tell her who I am, then come and get me once she's calmed down," she suggested.
Connor sighed, shaking his head. They had been standing in front of his apartment for nearly ten minutes, repeatedly having the same discussion, with no end in sight. Ever since Dawn had realized that his 'mother' was the same woman that had attacked both her sister and Spike a few days before, she had been too terrified to even consider meeting her. She seemed convinced that the older woman was going to hate her simply because of Buffy.
"Dawn, I'm telling you, she isn't going to dislike you just because of your family," he insisted, trying to keep the exasperation out of his voice. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he stared into her beautiful face, giving her a small smile. "She's going to think you're wonderful, just as I do," he said softly, kissing her gently on the lips.
The former Key returned his grin, biting her lip uncertainly. "But, what if she tries to attack me before you get the chance to explain? What if,"
The Miracle Child's face darkened at the mere mention of any harm coming to her. "If she were to even *think* about it, I would kill her," he said, his voice deadly serious. Gently, he ran his fingers down the side of her face, stroking her soft skin. "As long as I am alive, no harm will ever come to you," he vowed.
Dawn knew that her mouth was hanging open. However, she didn't care. Out loud, she merely asked, "Yoe kie kidding, right? You wouldn't *really* kill her, would you?"
"If she were to attempt to hurt you, I would, without a second thought," he answered instantly, no hint of remorse in his voice. He saw the shock and small amount of fear cross her face and he frowned, not understanding the problem. Then, he remembered the young woman he'd met when he had first arrived in this reality. Sunny. She had mentioned that it was good that he hadn't killed the man that had hurt her.
The young woman shook her head, trying to keep her voice even when she spoke. "Steven, you can't say things like that!" she exclaimed. "You can't just murder people when they do something you don't like, ok?"
He still didn't understand why. However, he decided that now was not the time for a lesson in the morals of this world. So, he merely nodded. "Very well. Then, if Justine were to attack you, I would stop her. Is that better?" he asked.
She laughed softly, wanting nothing more than to kiss him. "Yeah, that's fine," she took a deep breath, looking at the door again. "Ok. I think I'm ready to go in." She gave him a hopeful smile. "The most she can do is hate me, right?"
Connor nodded, smiling. "Yes. Although, I'm certain she won't." He wrapped his large hand around her smaller one, squeezing it gently. Then, with his free hand, he opened the door, stepping inside.
Justine looked up as the door opened, her right hand tightening around the knife she was holding. She quickly placed the stake that she had been sharpening beside her, standing. Once she realized it was Connor, she slowly sat back down, watching silently as he led a teenage girl into the room.
"Steven, you brought someone home. I wasn't expecting any guests," she said softly, raising an eyebrow when the girl, whom she assumed was the infamous Dawn, jumped slightly, whirling around to look at her. The redhead put a smile on her face, although her eyes conveyed her confusion.
Connor glanced at the woman posing as his mother, returning her smile. "Dawn, this is Justine, the woman who has been acting as my mother since my father was killed. Justine, this is Dawn, Dawn Summers," he introduced.
To say that Justine was shocked would have been an understatement. "Summers?" she repeated slowly, once more rising to her feet. "That's quite an interesting coincidence. See, I met someone a few days ago named Buffy Summers. You wouldn't happen to be any relation to *her*, would you?"
Swallowing, Dawn nodded, her eyes darting from the woman's face to the knife. "Yes, ma'am. She's my sister," she practically whispered, instinctively taking a step back as Connor's 'mother' narrowed her eyes.
Not looking away from the girl before her, she spoke. "Steven, what in the *hell* is going on? Why did you bring her here?" Then, she realized what he'd said a moment before and she quickly looked at him, her voice low. "You *told* her, didn't you? About who you really are?" When he nodded her look turned from one of shock and anger to pure rage.
"Let me get this straight. You told the sister of that vampire *protector* that you were the bastard son of two evil, soul less creatures, then brought her *here*?" she spat, gripping her knife so tightly that her knuckles turned white.kingking him up and down, she got a disgusted look on her face. "What, did that bitch Slayer convince you that not *all* vampire are evil? Are you just here to get your things, then it's off to save dear old dad from the ocean's floor?"
Suddenly, Dawn placed her hands on her hips, finding her voice. "Excuse me? First of all, my sister may be a bitch, but she's *still* my sister. Call her something like that again, and *you'll* be the one who needs protecting. And, just so you know, Angel's *dead*. Steven staked him earlier. Now, how about you just sit down, *shut* up, and give him a chance to explain what I'm doing here before you *really* start to piss me off."
Justine stared at the girl, shock filling her. Shaking her head of her mental ramblings, she placed the knife on the table, then began walking towards them. "I don't know you very well, Dawn," she began, her voice calm. "In fact, *all* I know is what I've heard from Steven and what I've just learned. But, you have guts, and I can respect that. So, I'm going to listen to what you both have to say, then I'll decide what to do." Standing inches in front of the girl, she stared into her eyes and stated, "However, if you *ever* speak that way to me again, I'll show you what a few years on the streets has taught me in the way of fighting. Got it?"
Once again feeling intimidated, Dawn merely nodded. She relaxed slightly when she felt Connor's hand on her shoulder, reminding her that he was still there, and still on her side.
"Enough, Justine," he suddenly stated. "Dawn isn't an enemy and I'm *not* going to allow you to harm her. Now, just sit down and we'll tell you everything that happened."
Nearly an hour later, Justine had been informed about the events of the evening, and had stepped outside to clear her head, leaving the two teenagers alone in the apartment.
Dawn watched intently as Connor sharpened stake after stake, his motions signifying the struggle he was having. Finally, she was unable to take anymore.
"What's wrong?" she asked quietly, sitting beside him.
The young man shook his head, not ceasing in his movements. "Nothing," he mumbled, his head lowered so that his brown hair covered his face.
Rolling her eyes, she placed her hand on his arm, causing him to stop. "Yeah, right. Because you *look* like nothing is bothering you at all," she stated. Then, in a softer voice, she said, "Please tell me what it is. Don't shut me out."
An eternity seemed to pass as he contemplated what to say. Eventually, he raised his head and locked eyes with her, his face a picture of conflict.
"Tell me about him," seeing her puzzled look, he elaborated, "Angelus, or Angel, or what ever you called him. Tell me what you know about him, what he was like. I wish--" he trailed off, sighing deeply. "Please, just tell me."
Dawn nodded silently, her eyes wide. "Um, ok. Let's see," she allowed her mind to wander back to the memories, albeit false ones, that she had of the brooding vampire. "He used to brood, a *lot*. Even when he was with Buffy, he was usually thinking about something he had done. And, he really liked the whole cryptic guy routine." She laughed memories of Angel quickly coming to her. "I used to think that he either didn't speak English, or had some kind of mental problem because he was so quiet. In fact, I don't think I heard him say ten words the first year I knew him."
"You weren't afraid of him, once you found out who...what he was?" Connor asked quietly, truly intrigued by the fondness of which she spoke of the vampire he'd been raised to hate.
Dawn shook her head, smiling. "Afraid of Angel? No way." Suddenly, she grew serious, her face paling slightly. "Now Angelus, *he* terrified me. I was pretty young when I met him, but I still have nightmares about him."
"How can you separate them so easily? They are the same creature." Connor stated.
The young woman sighed. "See, that's where you're wrong. Angel and Angelus are two completely different people. They just share the same body. Angel I would trust with my life. Angelus would try to kill me just for fun."
Suddenly, he asked the question he'd been wondering since he'd returned from Quortoth. "Is it....do you believe that Angelus could pretend to be Angel? That the demon could act as if he had the soul, to fool people?" he wondered softly.
Dawn thought about the question a moment, finally shaking her head. "I don't think so. I mean, I'm not an expert on Angel, or Angelus, or whatever, but he didn't seem like the type to pretend he's good just to trick someone." Her eyes lit up as an idea crossed her mind. "But, if you *really* want to know, I think I know someone we could ask. He knows Angelus better than anyone."
"Whom?" he questioned warily.
"Spike."
******
Angelus paced the small confines of the hotel room, his face contorted with rage. He hadn't believed that his own son would *actually* stake him. Even when Cordelia had told him that it would happen, that they had to be prepared, he still hadn't believed it, not really. He had hoped that, for once, the Seer would be wrong. Of course, she wasn't.
Snarling in anger, he glanced at the clock on the nightstand. "Where in the *hell* are you, Delia?" he growled deep in his chest. "I need to get out of here and go teach that insolent brat of mine some manners. It's one thing to torture me. *That* I can respect. But, to kill me?" he laughed cruelly, shaking his head. "That's just unacceptable."
"Ok, first of all, you need to calm down. I *told* you it was going to happen. It's your own fault if you didn't believe me. And, secondly, you can't go to him, not yet." Cordelia stated, suddenly appearing behind him.
Angelus spun around, glaring at her. "Just who do you think you are, telling me what I can and can't do?" he snapped. "I think you've forgotten that I'm not that pathetic, sniveling soul that you're in love with."
The young woman raised an eyebrow, matching his look with one of her own. "And I think *you've* forgotten just who it is you're talking to, Angelus. I'm not the scaring little girl that you tried to kill in high school, nor am I the wannabe actress that you attacked a few years ago. Now, why don't you just sit down and shut the *hell* up before I show you what new powers I learned while on another plane," she shot back. "You can't leave yet, not until the time is right."
He stared at her, momentarily shocked. However, he quickly snapped out of it, shaking his head. "I'm not afraid of you, Delia. You love Soulboy too much to actually harm me," he said simply. "Now, you're more than welcome to sit here and wait for *whatever* it is that you're waiting for, but I'm going out." Not bothering to look at her, he stalked towards the door.
Instantly, Cordelia was standing in front of him, blocking his only means of escape. "Maybe you didn't hear me the first time, Angelus," she said in a quiet voice. "You. Can't. Leave. Yet."
Angelus took a step back, convincing himself that he was retreating because of the sickeningly sweet feeling he had whenever he touched her. It had *nothing* to do with being afraid. Because he wasn't.
He shook his head, refusing to listen to the soul's taunting comments.
A sharp laugh sounded inside him.
He looked at the young woman, who was eyeing him warily, a smile filling his face.
To his complete shock, the soul took that suggestion rather calmly.
"We'll just see about that," Angelus growled softly, facing Cordelia, a smirk on his face.
"What was that?" she asked, resisting the urge to read his thoughts. However, once she saw the hungry look in his eyes, she instinctively took a step backwards, wincing slightly when the doorknob hit the small of her back.
He raised an eyebrow, surprise filling his face. "You're solid," he stated evenly. "How did that happen?"
She shrugged, refusing to show any fear. "I'm not sure. I guess, between transporting you out just before you got staked and giving Buffy that extra boost of energy, I somehow became non-Phantom Cordelia." Quickly, she added, "But, I still have my powers, so don't go trying anything!"
He held up his hands, walking to her slowly. "I'm not going to do anything," he promised, stopping inches in front of her. As he placed his hands on either side of her head and leaned in towards her, he whispered in her ear, "At least, not anything that you don't want me to do."
Cordelia felt her breath catch in her throat, her eyes closing as she reveled in the sensation of being so close to him. Finally, she opened her eyes, staring into his face. "Angelus, what are you doing?" she asked.
He smiled at her, gently tracing her cheek with his fingers. "Something that we've both been craving," he replied. Then, he pulled her to him, kissing her passionately.
Ignoring the warnings going off in her mind about how *wrong* this was, Cordelia instantly wrapped her arms around his neck, returning the kiss with equal passion.
After a moment, he broke the kiss, moving to her neck, nipping and sucking at her pulse point, enjoying the mewls of pleasure that escaped her lips.
"Angelus, wait," she gasped, reluctantly pulling his mouth away from her, looking into his passion filled eyes. "We can't," she said.
The vampire growled, tightening his hold on her. "Don't tell me no, Delia," he warned. "I'm don't enjoy being teased."
The young woman rolled her eyes, sighing. "No, I meant, we can't right *here*," she explained. "There's a doorknob sticking me in the back."
He laughed, nodding. Easily, he lifted her up, kissing her neck once more. "Wrap your legs around me," he said huskily. Once she'd complied, he made his way to the bed, depositing her on it. Then, he took a step back, staring down at her.
Cordelia raised herself on her elbows, smiling at him. "Like what you see?" she asked playfully, slowly unbuttoning her shirt.
Angelus smirked, lying beside her, swatting her hands away. "Very much so. You're simply exquisite," he stated. Then, he lowered his head, latching onto a bra-clad nipple.
The former cheerleader tangled her fingers in his hair, moaning softly, arching her back into him. "Angelus, please," she begged, "I want you, now. Save the foreplay for later."
"A woman after my own heart," he said, grinning at her. Then, he stood, quickly removing his clothing. He watched, under hooded eyes, as she did the same thing. Once they were both naked, he quickly laid over her, resting his weight on his arms.
Cordelia wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him to her. She felt him pressing against her entrance and whimpered slightly, running her fingers down his back. "Please," she repeated, gasping in pleasure when he finally complied.
They moved together as one, their speed building as their release drew nearer. Finally, Cordelia screamed his name, baring her neck to him, as she became lost in sheer ecstasy.
Growling, Angelus quickly sank his fangs into her neck, following her into the abyss. After a few moments, he raised his head, locking his amber eyes on her flushed face. "Mine," he said forcefully.
Before she could respond, the door flew open and Buffy came storming in, Spike right behind her. However, what the Slayer saw caused her to stop in her tracks, her jaw hanging open in shock.
"I...I...I" she stammered, unable to think of anything to say. Finally, she weakly managed, "I think I have the wrong room." Then, she calmly turned on her heel and walked out.
Part 8
As Buffy made her way off the elevator, that thought was the only thing rattling around in her brain.
Wiping the tears from her eyes, the blonde Slayer quickly exited the hotel, ignoring the British accent shouting her name from the lobby. Staring straight ahead, she darted across the street and began running as fast as she could. As her feet pounded on the pavement, her breath began to come in short gasps due to the sobs that racked her body. Slowly, her thoughts began to make more sense, trying to make logic out of what she had seen and her feelings.
However, she knew that wasn't the problem. It wasn't so much that she felt betrayed. It was more the fact that, while she'd been devastated at the thought that Angel was gone, *he* had been having sex with Cordelia, of all people! Finally, she stopped running, leaning over and placing her hands on her thighs as she caught her breath.
"I am *not* going to let them upset me!" she said quietly. "If he wants to sleep with someone, he can. If *Angel* wants to sleep with someone, *he* can. And, no matter how wrong it is, they deserve the chance to explain themselves." Looking around, she suddenly realized where she'd run to. With a slight groan, she sighed. "Alright. Seeing as how I'm already here, I guess I'll do some quick patrolling, then head back to the hotel and get to the bottom of whatever in the hell is going on."
Her decision made, Buffy pulled a stake out, realizing that she must have dropped her sword on her mad dash earlier. Shrugging, she began weaving between the tombstones, focusing on her Slayer senses and attempting to make her mind blank. After nearly ten minutes, she froze, her sensitive hearing noticing sounds of a struggle up ahead.
Quickly, she melted into the shadows and silently moved towards the noise. Finally, she came into a clearing, just in time to see a vampire preparing to sink his fangs into the neck of a young woman. Instantly, she began running towards them, instinctively knowing that she was going to be too late. However, to her surprise, the vampire suddenly exploded into dust seconds before he had bitten his potential victim.
Buffy immediately came to a halt, the stake she'd been holding becoming lax in her hand. "You have *got* to be kidding me," she said, rolling her eyes as the woman she had been trying to save jumped to her feet. "Of all of the people I *so* didn't want to see tonight."
Justine glared at the blonde standing in front of her, her foul mood suddenly lifted slightly. "Hello, Buffy," she replied, a smirk filling her face. "I must admit, I'm surprised to see you here tonight. Don't you have a sister you should be looking for? Or, maybe a dead lover to be crying over?" she taunted.
The Slayer gasped, her eyes widening in shock. Narrowing her eyes, she got into a fighting stance, dropping the stake to the ground. "Ok, I'll give," she stated coolly. " How in the *hell* did you know that?" she demanded.
The redhead shrugged, easily matching the position of her opponent. "I have my ways. I know many things about you. Things that I'm *sure* you wouldn't want anyone to know."
Buffy raised an eyebrow, her mind trying to determine the best way to attack. "Alright, let's try this a different way. Either you tell me what I want to know, or I'll beat you until you tell me." Slowly, she smiled, her typical cocky banter covering the confusion she was feeling. "Now, if I were you, I'd pick door number one. But, seeing as how I've had a *really* bad night, the second choice sounds pretty damn good to me."
Justine laughed hollowly, raising herself to the balls of her feet. Every fiber of her being was screaming at her to teach this little girl what fighting really was and she fully intended on doing just that. "I keep hearing about how wonderful a fighter you are, that you've yet to truly meet your match. Personally, I think you're all talk," she shot back.
"Really? Well, let's see who will be the one doing the talking," Buffy retorted, launching herself at the woman. As soon as she was close enough, she swung with her right arm, her fist connecting sharply with the other woman's cheek. However, to her surprise, Justine merely shook it off, quickly retaliating with a sharp jab to her ribs.
The Slayer exhaled sharply, doing a back handspring to escape the next punch. As she flipped away, she kicked out with her feet, landing a harsh blow to the redhead's chin. She then followed up with a roundhouse kick to her midsection, watching with partial glee as the woman stumbled back, clutching her stomach.
"Care to tell me now? Or, should we keep going?" Buffy asked, spreading her legs to even out her balance, her hands on her hips. To her amazement, Justine easily regained her footing, shaking off the pain.
"I'm just getting warmed up," she spat, throwing a punch at her.
The blonde smiled, calmly raising her arm and catching the fist directed at her head. Squeezing it slightly, she peered into the woman's emotionless eyes. "Cool. So am I." Then, she twisted her hand, causing Justine's arm to spin painfully behind her. Using her foot, she kicked out, sweeping the woman's legs out from under her.
As the redhead fell on her stomach, she felt her breath rush out of her and her chest contract painfully. Suddenly, she realized just how out of her league she really was. Frantically, she looked around, trying to find something she could use to her advantage. Finally, her gaze landed on the Slayer's discarded stake, lying only a few feet away.
Buffy stared down at the woman, resisting the urge to kick her a few times while she was lying there. Clearing her throat, she crossed her arms over herst. st. "So, are you going to give up now?" she questioned.
Justine laughed. "Not likely," she replied, suddenly rolling away. She could feel the Slayer following closely, and knew she would only have one shot. Snatching the weapon off the ground, she jumped to her feet and spun around, striking out.
To their surprise, the stake made contact.
Crying out, Buffy stumbled back, staring in shock and horror at the piece of wood protruding from her upper thigh. Slowly, she turned wide eyes to the woman that, up until now, she hadn't considered a threat. "Ok, *now* I'm mad," she exclaimed. Clenching her jaw, she yanked the stake out of the wound, then, moving quicker than most vampires, she charged at the redhead.
Justine was ecstatic. She'd actually hurt the little bitch! However, her merriment was short lived when she suddenly found herself toe to toe with one very pissed off Slayer. She tried to gasp and take a step away, only to find that she couldn't move. Or breathe.
Frantically, she began to struggle, clawing at the iron-tight grip around her throat. All that caused was the pressure to increase.
Buffy stared emotionlessly into the woman's frightened face. She could feel the blood running down her leg from the stake wound. It only fed her anger. Tightening her grip, she easily lifted her and began walking, finally slamming the redhead against the door of a crypt... a very familiar looking crypt.
Looking the woman directly in the eye, she calmly said, "Now, here's what is going to happen. I'm going to let go of you and you're going to tell me everything you know. If you don't, I'm going to break your legs and arms and leave you here as a midnight snack for the next vamp that comes along. Understand?"
By this time, Justine would have agreed to virtually anything if it meant being able to breathe. She nodded, collapsing to the ground and gasping for air as soon as she was released. After a moment, she slowly raised her head, her face a picture of defeat. "Fine, you want to know what's *really* going on?" she asked hoarsely.
Buffy nodded, glaring down at her, her arms crossed over her chest. She tensed slightly when the woman slowly got to her feet, preparing to physically keep her there if necessary.
Leaning against the cold wall behind her, Justine sighed, resigning herself to the inevitable. "Alright. The truth was bound to come out and, quite frankly, I'm tired of all of the lies," she murmured, more to herself than anything.
The Slayer cleared her throat, her face darkening even more. "Enough stalling. Tell me, now," she ordered in an icy tone.
Justine took a deep breath, looking her in the eye. "It started with a man named Daniel Holtz." Her voice wavered slightly at the mention of the only person, besides her twin sister, that she had ever truly loved. However, she quickly composed herself and continued. "As well as the vampire that you know as Angel."
******
Connor had a problem, a very large problem that he didn't know how to fix. Walking silently beside Dawn, he tried to chalk it up to the fact that they were in a cemetery, at night, in search of a vampire that Dawn claimed to be a good friend of hers. However, he knew that wasn't what was causing the sick feeling in his stomach. No, his problem ran much deeper and was much more difficult to fix.
He was feeling guilty. He, the infamous Destroyer from the darkest of the dark worlds, was experiencing remorse.
Dawn jumped slightly when she heard the soft growl coming from her boyfriend. She quickly began scanning the area, wondering who, or what, he was growling at. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, at least for a graveyard, she gave him a quizzical look, raising an eyebrow. "Ok, I give. I don't see anything at all. So, what's with the grumblies?" she asked quietly.
He glanced at her, his brow furrowed in confusion. "Grumblies?" he repeated. Then, his eyes widened and his face flushed as he realized what she was referring to. "Sorry," he whispered. "Sometimes, when I'm upset, I make sounds." He looked away, his voice ending on a self-loathing tone. "Often they are similar to the demons I kill."
The young woman nodded, smiling. "Cool," she said simply.
Connor gasped, his mouth hanging open. "Cool? You...you aren't upset, or disgusted by it?" he questioned incredulously.
Dawn laughed, shaking her head. "Disgusted? No way! I think it's cool! It makes you unique," she explained.
He sighed, lowering his eyes. "I am unique enough without sounding like an angry beast whenever my emotions get the better of me," he muttered.
She rolled her eyes, suddenly stopping. Once he'd done the same, she faced him, smiling tenderly. "Listen to me. I care about you no matter what, ok? I'm not going to just stop liking you because you act different, or do something wrong, or whatever. I don't care *who* your parents are, or where you were raised, or anything else. I *only* care about you. So, don't be afraid to be yourself around me, and *don't* beat yourself up for doing something that's natural to you," she said gently. "You shouldn't be ashamed about being different. Believe me, it isn't that bad."
Connor stared at her, his heart constricting at her words. Suddenly, everything that he'd been told his entire life seemed wrong. For some reason, that thought had never really crossed his mind before. He'd become so accustomed to hearing how he was created by evil, that he wasn't supposed to be, that he'd never even considered that being different could have its advantages. Then, the last thing she'd said caught his attention.
"What do you mean, believe you? Because of who your sister is, you are no different than any other human." However, he knew that wasn't true. Something about her was different and it called to him, beckoning him closer.
Dawn's eyes widened. "Um," she paused, swallowing. "Ok, how about I tell you all about that *after* we've found Spike and stuff?" she asked meekly. Her head was beginning trt mrt merely at the thought of having to explain her true origins. < I *so* don't want to have to explain this right now, not with everything else that has happened. I just want to get this done then go to sleep, for about a month or so. >
He nodded, able to see the weariness on her face. "Very well. However, we *are* going to talk about this later," he agreed. Then, taking her hand in his, he kissed her softly on the mouth, and resumed walking.
They walked in silence for a few moments, before Dawn finally looked at him, a slight pout on her face. "You still didn't tell me why you were growling a few minutes ago!" she accused.
Connor swerved away, unable to look at her. "I...I'm feeling..." he suddenly grew silent, ceasing his movements and tilting his head to one side.
Dawn studied his face, straining her ears for a hint as to what he was hearing. Silence was all that greeted her. Unable to take the suspense any longer, she whispered, "What is it?"
"Shh," he shook his head, pulling gently on her arm. "This way." Then, he was leading them through the graveyard at a fast pace, the tombstones whipping by in a blur. However, they made no sound, scarcely disturbed the air around them.
Finally, they stopped, the sound of a woman's voice very clearly carrying through the air.
"That is Justine and she's speaking to your sister," Connor said, his voice so low it was almost inaudible. "I believe they are on the other side of that crypt," he added, pointing to the large building in the distance.
Dawn gasped, her mouth hanging open. "That's *Spike's* crypt!" she stated. She turned wide, fear filled eyes to him. "We have to get over there! If Justine sees Spike, she'll stake him!"
Connor squeezed her hand, a reassuring smile on his face. "Spike isn't there. No vampires are near. I would sense them if they were," he assured her. Then, something that Justine was saying caught his attention and he spun his head towards the crypt, his eyes narrowing and the smile fading.
"So, upon their return from Quortoth, Daniel devised a way to make certain that Steven would make Angel pay for every sin he'd committed. At first, I wasn't willing to help him. I...I didn't want to lose him. However, he told me that his time was over, that he had one last bit of revenge to attend to, then he was ready to die. Finally, I agreed to assist him." Justine said, her voice thick with emotion.
Still in shock over what she'd learned thus far, Buffy numbly asked, "What did you do?"
Justine's voice dropped as she confessed to her greatest sin, although Connor could still hear her with ease.
"I killed him and told Steven that it was Angelus who had done it."
With a snarl, the Miracle Child released Dawn's hand and darted towards the crypt. Not even slowing down, he jumped, scaling the building. A second later, he dropped down the other side, directly behind Buffy.
Justine gasped, her eyes widening as she saw the look of pure rage on the young man's face. "S-Steven," she whispered, instinctively knowing that he must have heard her.
Calmly, Connor, grabbed Buffy, pulling her away from the redhead and pushing her to the side, his eyes never leaving the object of his anger.
"My *name*," he said coldly, "Is Connor Angel. Steven Holtz doesn't exist. He was merely an evil creation by the cruel, heartless bastard Daniel Holtz. *I* am Connor, son of Angel and Darla, and you, you lying manipulative bitch, are about to die." That being said, he quickly reached out and grabbed Justine, pulling her to him. Then, he placed one hand on the back of her head and his other on her chin, preparing to break her neck.
"Connor, stop, now." A voice suddenly called out, causing the young man to paused, his head whipping up.
"No," he whispered, his face paling as he saw who had spoken.
Angelus stepped out of the shadows, Cordelia and Spike directly behind him.

Part 9

Total silence settled on the graveyard as Connor stared at his father, his face a picture of shock. "I-I killed you. You're dead," he whispered after a moment. Shaking his head, his grip on the petrified Justine tightened, his eyes becoming cold once more. "You are *dead*!" he exclaimed, his voice harder.
For once, no one decided to comment on the fact that Angelus was already dead. They could all sense that correcting the distraught young man would be a very, very bad idea.
Angelus smirked, slowly walking towards the young man. "Oh, come on, son. You've heard enough stories about me by now. You should know that I wouldn't be that easily destroyed," he answered, stopping a few feet from him. "Although, I have to admit, I was impressed that you actually had the nerve to stake me. Not many people are that brave, or that stupid." His grin widened as he saw the look of indignation cross the teen's face. "Now, why don't you let that bitch go and I'll explain why I'm not dust."
Connor's eyes narrowed, his grip not faltering in the slightest. "Why do you care if I kill her or not?" he questioned suspiciously. "You've killed hundreds of people without remorse. People that did *nothing* to deserve it. Why try to save the life of someone whose crime merits the punishment?"
The vampire laughed, his eyes shining. "Actually, I've killed thousands, *not* hundreds. Moreover, I don't care if you kill her. Go ahead. *I* certainly won't lose any sleep over it." He watched with delight as his son nodded, preparing to do just that. Quickly, he added, "Of course, if you just break her neck, then you won't get to torture her. You'll never know the joy that her screams of terror and agony will bring you."
Instantly, a collective gasp erupted from everyone who had been observing their interaction. They all watched in abject horror as a purely evil smile filled the Miracle Child's face.
Suddenly, Dawn walked towards them, her eyes wide. "What? You can't! Steven! Ste...Connor, no! She's human!" she exclaimed.
Angelus looked at her; a low growl erupted from his chest. "Stay out of this, little girl. This is a family affair. It doesn't concern you," he snapped.
Dawn's face paled as the vampire glared at her. However, she placed her hands on her hips and glared at him, refusing to back down. "It does *too* concern me! I love him! I'm not about to just stand by and watch while he does something he'll regret the rest of his life!" she cried.
Connor watched the exchange between his father and his girlfriend, unsure who to listen to. Yet, another part of him was arguing profusely.
Angelus stared menacingly at the presumptuous girl standing before him. "You had better go hide behind your sister, Dawn, before I rip your throat out!" he threatened.
Connor turned quickly to face his father the instant the threat reached him. But, before he could say anything, a voice interrupted him.
"You'd best watch yourself, Angelus. I won't stand to have you threatening her. Not on my watch," Spike said, coming to stand beside the now shaking girl. He placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly, and almost immediately felt her relax. He stared unflinchingly at his Sire, daring him to do something.
"You don't have a say in this, Spike," Angelus stated.
The bleached blonde smirked, his blue eyes shining. "Now, see, *that's* where you're wrong, Peaches. You already said this was a family bit. And, last time I checked, you were still my sire," he retorted.
"Enough," Connor finally spoke, causing everyone to turn their attention back to him. He looked at Dawn, his face full of sorrow. "I'm sorry. I don't expect you to understand, or forgive me," he whispered. He then looked at his father, pushing Justine towards him. "Let's go."
Dawn shook her head, her voice breaking. "Connor, no. Please," she whimpered. However, he didn't even look at her, merely turned on his heel and began walking away.
Angelus gave one last smug look at the shocked people staring his way, winking at a horror-stricken Cordelia. "See you later, lover. It was fun," he said, then followed his son.
As he walked, he tightened his hold on the struggling Justine, whispering in her ear, "I'd start pleading if I were you. Maybe you'll get lucky and he'll take pity on you. Although I highly doubt it."
Connor had gotten a few feet away when he suddenly heard a loud cry, followed by a sharp "No!" Spinning back around, what he saw made his mouth open in shock.
Angelus was kneeling on the ground, Justine backing away from him, her eyes wide. He had his arms wrapped around himself, his face contorted in agony, and a low moan pouring from his lips.
"Dad?" Connor asked,ing ing a few steps towards him.
The vampire looked up at his son, a small smile on his face. "It's been fun. See you around." Then, he collapsed.
"Dad!" Connor cried, running to his side. He knelt beside him, hesitantly placing a hand on his shoulder.
"He's fine, Connor," Cordelia said softly. The young man glanced up at her, his eyes filled with tears. She smiled gently, looking past him to the vampire. "Angel," she stated, "Don't just lay there. Let your son know you're ok."
Slowly, the souled vampire raised his head, shaking off the pain. He gave Connor a shaky smile. "I'm fine. I just...I had to take control again, and it wasn't easy," he explained.
The teenager frowned, confusion replacing the fear. "Take control?" he repeated.
Angel nodded, slowly standing. He offered him a hand, joy filling him when he son took it. Pulling him to his feet, he answered, "Yes. In order to escape the ocean, I allowed the demon to be in control, with the agreement that it would behave. Then, when I realized what he intended to do to Justine, what he planned on showing you, I knew I had to come back." His face became serious as he peered into his child's face. "I couldn't allow you to hurt her, Connor. The guilt...it doesn't go away."
Cordelia blinked back tears as she watched them embrace, Connor burying his face in his father's chest.
"I'm sorry, dad," he mumbled, his voice muffled. "I should have..."
Angel swallowed, trying to dislodge the lump he felt in his throat. Hugging him closely, he whispered, "Shh. It's alright. It's over now." He looked at his Seer, happiness etched on his face. "Thank you," he mouthed.
"Ok, we're here!" Xander called, suddenly coming out of the surrounding trees, followed closely by Fred and Gunn. "We've been all over Sunnydale, talked to every person I could think of, which, by the way, I *really* need to meet more people, but, we've *finally* made it." He froze at the scene before him, stopping in his tracks.
Buffy and Spike were standing beside one another, the blonde vampire fretting over the Slayer's leg wound. Dawn was hovering nearby, seemingly torn between going to her sister or the young man who was currently hugging Angel.
"I think we're a little late," Fred spoke up. "It looks like the excitement already happened."
Gunn groaned, shaking his head. "You mean we've ran all over this town for the past few hours for nothing? Man, I *knew* we should have just stayed at that bar," he said. However, he couldn't help the smile that crossed his face as he observed the emotional reunion between Angel and Connor.
Cordelia smiled at the three newcomers, waving. "Hey guys! It's about time you showed up," she teased. A second later, Fred had come up to her, hugging her tightly.
"Hey Cordy! Sorry. We would have been here lately, but the truck kept breaking down. We blew out three tires and ran out of gas six times from LA to here!" Taking a step back, the physicist smiled sheepishly. "And you weren't talking about that, were you?" she asked.
The Seer laughed. "No, but, I'm glad you mentioned that. I'm sorry for causing all that trouble with the truck, but, I couldn't have you getting here before everything happened."
Gunn's eyes widened. "*You* did all that to my baby?" he demanded, his eyes betraying the anger in his voice.
The former cheerleader shrugged. "Well, I *had* to! If you had showed up and stopped Connor from attacking Angel, or seen Justine and ran her out of town, it would have ruined the course of things," she explained. Looking around, she frowned. "Speaking of the Little Miss Psycho, where *is* Justine?"
"She, uh, ran off. I-I don't think she's coming back, though," Dawn suddenly spoke up, her eyes locked on Connor.
The young man pulled back from his father, turning to face her. "Dawn," he breathed. As he saw the hurt expression on her face, he looked away, guilt filling him. "I'm sorry," he whispered. Then, to his shock, she suddenly ran to him, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him.
"Dawn!" Buffy scolded, watching her sister. Spike smiled, wrapping his arm around her waist to help take some of the weight off her leg.
"Let her be, Slayer," he said softly.
She gave him an incredulous look. "What? Spike, do you *see* what she's doing? How can you be okay with this?" she wondered.
The blonde vampire shrugged. "She's sixteen, pet. She's supposed to be doing that. At least this way, we know who the bloke is. And, if he hurts her, I'll rip him limb from limb, ok?" he offered.
Angel shot his childe a dark look. "I'd like to see you try it, William," he said quietly. Grinning, he added, "Connor would wipe the floor with you."
Buffy and Cordelia rolled their eyes as the two vampires began bantering back and forth. Then, smiling good-naturedly, they looked back at the two teens, still locked in a passionate embrace.
Finally, Angel cleared his throat, causing them to jump apart. Dawn and Connor exchanged chagrin looks, then smiled at one another.
"I'm going to walk Dawn home, dad. I'll catch up with you later," Connor said after a moment.
"Just a second, son." Angel looked at Buffy. "Buffy, could he stay at your house tonight? Cordelia and I have some...things...we need to discuss," he asked, giving his Seer a meaningful look.
Buffy's eyes widened. "You're kidding, right?" she replied. "I'm not letting those two sleep under the same roof!"
"Don't worry, luv. I can stick around, help you keep an eye on them," Spike murmured in her ear.
Buffy's breath caught in her throat. "Um," she said lamely.
"Tell you what. They can crash at my place for the night," Xander offered. "You guys go, have fun."
"Really? Thanks, Xander!" Buffy exclaimed, smiling. Taking Spike's hand, she gave Dawn one last look. "Be good, Dawn. I'll see you in the morning," she stated, letting her sister know that everything that had happened was forgiven. Then, she walked off, Spike beside her.
Angel chuckled, shaking his head. "Ok. Let's go."
The rest of the group headed out of the cemetery in relative silence, save a comment or two from Xander concerning what had happened.
Once they reached the gates, Angel and Cordelia began walking towards the hotel, promising to see Connor the next day, and Fred and Gunn left to get a hotel room of their own.
After a few moments, Angel glanced at his Seer. "I'm sorry if I ruined your plans," he said.
Cordelia looked at him, frowning slightly. "How do you mean?" she wondered.
"When you came back, you told Angelus that he was still in control because he was needed. I'm sorry if me regaining control interfered with that," he explained.
The brunette laughed, shaking her head. "Wow, I'd totally forgotten I'd even said that," she admitted. Seeing his confused look, she smiled. "Angel, I never had the power to put you back in the driver's seat. Only *you* could do that. I just told Angelus that I could so he would listen to me."
Angel's eyes widened, shocked. "You lied?" he questioned.
She nodded, still grinning. "Yep."
He smiled, suddenly pulling her to him. "You know," he murmured in her hair, "I'm going to have to punish you for sleeping with him. You're mine. You should have known that."
Cordelia pulled back, her grin widening. "Sounds like fun. Let's get there, huh?" Taking his hand, she led him into the hotel.
Meanwhile, across town, Connor and Dawn were following Xander to his house, their fingers intertwined.
"So, you're probably going back to LA with your dad, huh?" Dawn asked, a hint of sadness in her voice.
Connor sighed, shrugging. "I'm going to see if I can stay here for a little while. There are still many things I need to work through, and I don't think LA is the place to do that," he answered.
Dawn grinned, her eyes lighting up. "Cool! Maybe Buffy will let you move in!" she exclaimed excitedly.
"Yeah, and maybe Spike and Angel will take up sunbathing," Xander commented from in front of them, grinning at Dawn over his shoulder. "Which means, it's highly doubtful. But, if he wants and Deadboy agrees, he can stay with me."
The girl squealed. "Really? Thanks Xander! You're *so* cool!"
Connor laughed, the dark weight that had seemed to have covered him his entire life nearly lifted. Suddenly, he looked at Dawn once more, his face serious.
"You lied to me again," he accused.
She frowned, staring at him. "What?! I did not!" she denied.
Calmly, he nodded. "Yes, you did. You told me that you would explain what you meant by not being normal once this was over. Now, it's over, and you have yet to explain," he replied, his face breaking into a large grin.
Dawn groaned, playfully slapping his arm. "You jerk! You scared me!" she said.
Xander sighed, rolling his eyes as their playful bickering continued.
The End
- 2
- 3
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Common Ground