1 The Connor and Dawn Chronicles
Part One: A New Beginning
Dawn Summers crept out of her sister Buffy's window. She softly landed on the ground with a thud; she hoped that Buffy wouldn't hear it. She had left a goodbye note on the nightstand next to Buffy's bed telling everything. Dawn took one final look at her home and then jogged off into the night.
It was nearly one o'clock in the morning when Connor heard his father turn out the lights to the Hyperion hotel. He pulled back the white sheet on his bed and stood up. He knew that if Angel caught him, his cover would be blown. He opened the door to his room and quietly snuck down the stairway to the lobby.
Every little sound echoed in the vast lobby as Connor tip toed across the tiled floor. He grasped the door handle when the lights came back on. Connor's heart skipped a beat and he turned to see his father standing in the doorway to his office.
" Going somewhere? " he asked in a stern tone. Connor looked across the room at his brooding father. " Um just out for some air, I'm going crazy being locked up in here. " he lied. Angel walked closer to his sixteen-year-old son. " You're not a prisoner here Connor, this is your home. " Angel said softly.
Ugly thoughts of his previous home flashed into Connor's mind. " I know Angel, it's just going to take some time to get used to it. " he said. Angel looked hurt at the sound of his own name. Try as he may, Connor couldn't bring himself to address Angel as his father, he had a father, one who had raised him since he was an infant, Holtz.
" I'm going upstairs to bed, but if you want to talk, you know where I am. If you go out, don't get into trouble. " Angel said in a angry tone. Connor realized that he'd hurt his father by not saying his name. He almost felt guilty, but then he thought of Holtz and how sick he was.
Angel turned out the lights to the lobby and went upstairs. Connor unlocked the door to the hotel and stepped out into the night air.
Dawn leaned forward in her seat and looked at the passing homes and cars. She sat uncomfortably in her bus seat and she was impatient. She wanted the bus ride from hell to be over with, and she wanted it to over with right now. She sighed as her mind drifted off to the events of the past week.
Not more than three days before, Dawn had held Tara McClay's lifeless body in her arms. Tara had become like a mother to Dawn in the months since her own mother had passed away. Buffy was a fine sister, but Tara really held things together in Dawn's life. She'd bonded with Tara all summer long when Buffy was dead, and then when she'd came back, things went wrong with Tara and her girlfriend Willow Rosenberg and Tara had moved out of the Summer's home.
Tara had managed to stay in contact with Dawn even though she and Willow were not speaking. Dawn was so happy to hear that Tara and Willow eventually got back together, but their happiness was cut short when Tara was shot at and killed. Dawn assumed that Willow and Buffy had flown into a rage and forgotten to do anything with Tara's body, that's when Dawn had found it. It was almost like seeing her mother's dead body all over again. Dawn had broke down, cradling Tara's cold body in her arms.
Tears dripped from Dawn's eyes as she thought about Tara. Nothing in the world could bring her back, not like Buffy. Tara had died a natural death, not a mystical one like Buffy. There was nothing that could help bring her back. Dawn needed time to be alone, she figured that Buffy would come looking for her soon, but what time she had, she was going to make the most of it.
Dawn looked ahead and saw a welcome sign. " Welcome To The City of Angels " it proclaimed in bright red letters. She couldn't help but laugh at the irony of sign, it welcomed people inside, but Los Angeles was one of the most dangerous cities in the country. It couldn't be as bad as Sunnydale she thought to herself.
Connor stalked along the shadows of the Los Angeles sewer system. He was tracking his prey. He'd watched helplessly as a drug dealer had stabbed a young girl when she couldn't pay for her drugs. The girl had slumped lifelessly to the ground. She was pretty, perhaps fifteen years old, with bright red hair that was probably fake and green eyes that were full of life. In some ways, she reminded Connor of a girl he'd met when he first came to the city, her name was Sonny, and she had overdosed on crack. Connor had still not forgiven himself for letting her go like that.
He'd leapt from his hiding place in the alley and drop kicked the drug dealer. He fell to the ground alongside the girl. Connor stood before him and was about to hit him again when something hard had hit him from behind. The drug dealer didn't work alone. Connor fell to the ground and watched as the two men ran off into the distance. He waited until his strength returned and then got up as he heard police sirens getting closer.
He could smell the scent of the man who'd killed the girl, it was strong and Connor knew how to follow it. He followed the scent onto the sidewalk and felt it disappear into an open manhole that led to the sewers below the city. Connor jumped down and into the murky pit.
Dawn waited until the bus stopped and then she got up with her duffle bag. She stepped off the sweaty bus and into the sweltering heat of the Los Angeles bus station. She went into the bathroom and changed out of her clothes and put on fresh ones. She checked her hair in the cracked mirror and pulled it back to keep it off her face. She exited the bathrooms and went out onto the streets of the city.
Hundreds of people passed by Dawn in a whirlwind of sound. She was amazed at the sight; she'd never seen so many people before. It was like stepping into a new world or something. She realized that she must have looked like a kid in a candy store, but she didn't care, this was her life and she was going to live it how she wanted too, not by anyone's standards.
She started to wonder the streets aimlessly; she stopped at a department store and went inside to the air conditioning, which was like pure heaven. She noticed a few of the sales girls staring at her, but she figured it was perfectly normal seeing as she probably looked awful anyways. She browsed through the colorful clothing and then stopped when she was tapped on the shoulder. She turned to see a stern faced security guard.
" Excuse me Miss, but are you planning on purchasing anything at our store? " he asked in a deep voice. Dawn felt that she might tremble, but at the same time it was exhilarating. She smiled warmly and almost flirtingly and spoke.
" Yes, but I'm just not sure what to pick out for mom, she really loves Versachi, but I seem to have not found anything yet. " she lied. The security guard's face changed and he smiled. " I'm sorry Miss, it's just that we've had a lot of theft here lately and I was just doing my job. " he explained. Dawn smiled back. " I'm sure you were officer. " she said in a childish voice. She went along her way until something shiny caught her eye. A bracelet.
She knew from the moment she saw it that she wanted it. She saw the price and gasped. The pretty silver bracelet was almost one hundred dollars. She looked around quickly to see if anyone were watching. She slipped the price tag off the bracelet and slid it onto her wrist. She acted as if it were her own and started to walk out. Again, she noticed sales girls looking at her.
She remained calm until she saw the security guard at the exit to the store. He smiled again. " Not find anything Miss? " he asked. Dawn smiled back and nodded her head no. He opened the door for her and she walked out. She giggled to herself as she walked down the street, she'd have to tell her friends about this one. She was beginning to like L.A.
Connor crept along the shadows still tracking his prey, the scent was getting stronger and he knew he was close. He looked ahead of him and saw daylight; they must have gone back up, he thought. He climbed the ladder up into an alley.
He smelt in the fowl smell of the city. Once again he picked up the scent of his prey. He started to walk in the alley when he saw the drug dealer from a distance. The drug dealer's friend had left somewhere, but Connor wasn't really concerned with him anyways. He had his sights set on this guy.
Dawn couldn't get her mind off the bracelet. She kept looking behind her to see if the store security guard was following her, she couldn't believe she'd gotten away with it so easily. She passed a darkened alley and felt someone's strong arms pull her in. She was about to scream when a smelly dirty hand covered her mouth.
She bit down hard on the hand and spun around to see her attacker. The man was tall, maybe 6 feet; he wore a dirty brown trench coat and a toboggan over his dingy blond hair. " Nice bracelet little girl. " he said in a husky voice. Dawn put her arm behind her as to guard it. The man reached for it and jerked it towards him. Dawn screamed and the man slapped her across the face with his other arm.
Just as she was about to scream again, she saw a man, well a teenage boy step up behind her attacker. He was sort of tallish, with wild brown hair and green eye. He grabbed the man's throat and choked him. The man dropped his release on Dawn and tried to fight back, but the boy threw him to the ground. The man looked unconscious.
Dawn's rescuer grabbed her by the arm and pulled her after him. He started running down the alley way and Dawn came running behind. She yelled at him to slow down but he didn't hear her. She looked back and saw the man start to get up. She was filled with fear again and ran even faster.
The boy opened a manhole and pushed Dawn into it. She fell down into the sewer with a thud. She jumped when the boy landed down beside her. He grabbed her arm again and they ran through the murky water. He pulled her into a little doorway and put his hand over her mouth. She stifled a deep breath. The boy gave her a reassuring look that things would be okay. She felt safe suddenly.
They waited for what seemed like an eternity and then the boy took his hand off Dawn's mouth. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered.
" We have to be quiet, I'll take you someplace safe. Don't worry. "
Dawn felt even better after his words. She followed him as he led them both down into the dark tunnels. Dawn felt scared when she heard sounds and clung onto the boy. He would tense up each time she touched him, but then relax and hold her tighter.
Finally, they came out into a clearing, where the sewer ran into a river or something. Dawn was relived to see sunlight again.
" You'll be safe if you just follow this tunnel on out and then to the sidewalk. " the boy said. Dawn shuffled her feet nervously. " Well thanks and all, for saving my life. I owe you. " She said. " Don't worry about it, just be safe okay. " He said. She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.
" I'm Dawn by the way. " she said. The boy looked amazed. Dawn was startled.
" Is there something wrong with my name? " she asked. The boy scratched his head. He took her hand in his. " I'm Connor, I think we have something in common. " he said. Dawn was puzzled. " And what exactly is that? " she asked. Connor lowered his head and then looked back up at Dawn. " My father. " he said stoically.
Part One: A New Beginning
Dawn Summers crept out of her sister Buffy's window. She softly landed on the ground with a thud; she hoped that Buffy wouldn't hear it. She had left a goodbye note on the nightstand next to Buffy's bed telling everything. Dawn took one final look at her home and then jogged off into the night.
It was nearly one o'clock in the morning when Connor heard his father turn out the lights to the Hyperion hotel. He pulled back the white sheet on his bed and stood up. He knew that if Angel caught him, his cover would be blown. He opened the door to his room and quietly snuck down the stairway to the lobby.
Every little sound echoed in the vast lobby as Connor tip toed across the tiled floor. He grasped the door handle when the lights came back on. Connor's heart skipped a beat and he turned to see his father standing in the doorway to his office.
" Going somewhere? " he asked in a stern tone. Connor looked across the room at his brooding father. " Um just out for some air, I'm going crazy being locked up in here. " he lied. Angel walked closer to his sixteen-year-old son. " You're not a prisoner here Connor, this is your home. " Angel said softly.
Ugly thoughts of his previous home flashed into Connor's mind. " I know Angel, it's just going to take some time to get used to it. " he said. Angel looked hurt at the sound of his own name. Try as he may, Connor couldn't bring himself to address Angel as his father, he had a father, one who had raised him since he was an infant, Holtz.
" I'm going upstairs to bed, but if you want to talk, you know where I am. If you go out, don't get into trouble. " Angel said in a angry tone. Connor realized that he'd hurt his father by not saying his name. He almost felt guilty, but then he thought of Holtz and how sick he was.
Angel turned out the lights to the lobby and went upstairs. Connor unlocked the door to the hotel and stepped out into the night air.
Dawn leaned forward in her seat and looked at the passing homes and cars. She sat uncomfortably in her bus seat and she was impatient. She wanted the bus ride from hell to be over with, and she wanted it to over with right now. She sighed as her mind drifted off to the events of the past week.
Not more than three days before, Dawn had held Tara McClay's lifeless body in her arms. Tara had become like a mother to Dawn in the months since her own mother had passed away. Buffy was a fine sister, but Tara really held things together in Dawn's life. She'd bonded with Tara all summer long when Buffy was dead, and then when she'd came back, things went wrong with Tara and her girlfriend Willow Rosenberg and Tara had moved out of the Summer's home.
Tara had managed to stay in contact with Dawn even though she and Willow were not speaking. Dawn was so happy to hear that Tara and Willow eventually got back together, but their happiness was cut short when Tara was shot at and killed. Dawn assumed that Willow and Buffy had flown into a rage and forgotten to do anything with Tara's body, that's when Dawn had found it. It was almost like seeing her mother's dead body all over again. Dawn had broke down, cradling Tara's cold body in her arms.
Tears dripped from Dawn's eyes as she thought about Tara. Nothing in the world could bring her back, not like Buffy. Tara had died a natural death, not a mystical one like Buffy. There was nothing that could help bring her back. Dawn needed time to be alone, she figured that Buffy would come looking for her soon, but what time she had, she was going to make the most of it.
Dawn looked ahead and saw a welcome sign. " Welcome To The City of Angels " it proclaimed in bright red letters. She couldn't help but laugh at the irony of sign, it welcomed people inside, but Los Angeles was one of the most dangerous cities in the country. It couldn't be as bad as Sunnydale she thought to herself.
Connor stalked along the shadows of the Los Angeles sewer system. He was tracking his prey. He'd watched helplessly as a drug dealer had stabbed a young girl when she couldn't pay for her drugs. The girl had slumped lifelessly to the ground. She was pretty, perhaps fifteen years old, with bright red hair that was probably fake and green eyes that were full of life. In some ways, she reminded Connor of a girl he'd met when he first came to the city, her name was Sonny, and she had overdosed on crack. Connor had still not forgiven himself for letting her go like that.
He'd leapt from his hiding place in the alley and drop kicked the drug dealer. He fell to the ground alongside the girl. Connor stood before him and was about to hit him again when something hard had hit him from behind. The drug dealer didn't work alone. Connor fell to the ground and watched as the two men ran off into the distance. He waited until his strength returned and then got up as he heard police sirens getting closer.
He could smell the scent of the man who'd killed the girl, it was strong and Connor knew how to follow it. He followed the scent onto the sidewalk and felt it disappear into an open manhole that led to the sewers below the city. Connor jumped down and into the murky pit.
Dawn waited until the bus stopped and then she got up with her duffle bag. She stepped off the sweaty bus and into the sweltering heat of the Los Angeles bus station. She went into the bathroom and changed out of her clothes and put on fresh ones. She checked her hair in the cracked mirror and pulled it back to keep it off her face. She exited the bathrooms and went out onto the streets of the city.
Hundreds of people passed by Dawn in a whirlwind of sound. She was amazed at the sight; she'd never seen so many people before. It was like stepping into a new world or something. She realized that she must have looked like a kid in a candy store, but she didn't care, this was her life and she was going to live it how she wanted too, not by anyone's standards.
She started to wonder the streets aimlessly; she stopped at a department store and went inside to the air conditioning, which was like pure heaven. She noticed a few of the sales girls staring at her, but she figured it was perfectly normal seeing as she probably looked awful anyways. She browsed through the colorful clothing and then stopped when she was tapped on the shoulder. She turned to see a stern faced security guard.
" Excuse me Miss, but are you planning on purchasing anything at our store? " he asked in a deep voice. Dawn felt that she might tremble, but at the same time it was exhilarating. She smiled warmly and almost flirtingly and spoke.
" Yes, but I'm just not sure what to pick out for mom, she really loves Versachi, but I seem to have not found anything yet. " she lied. The security guard's face changed and he smiled. " I'm sorry Miss, it's just that we've had a lot of theft here lately and I was just doing my job. " he explained. Dawn smiled back. " I'm sure you were officer. " she said in a childish voice. She went along her way until something shiny caught her eye. A bracelet.
She knew from the moment she saw it that she wanted it. She saw the price and gasped. The pretty silver bracelet was almost one hundred dollars. She looked around quickly to see if anyone were watching. She slipped the price tag off the bracelet and slid it onto her wrist. She acted as if it were her own and started to walk out. Again, she noticed sales girls looking at her.
She remained calm until she saw the security guard at the exit to the store. He smiled again. " Not find anything Miss? " he asked. Dawn smiled back and nodded her head no. He opened the door for her and she walked out. She giggled to herself as she walked down the street, she'd have to tell her friends about this one. She was beginning to like L.A.
Connor crept along the shadows still tracking his prey, the scent was getting stronger and he knew he was close. He looked ahead of him and saw daylight; they must have gone back up, he thought. He climbed the ladder up into an alley.
He smelt in the fowl smell of the city. Once again he picked up the scent of his prey. He started to walk in the alley when he saw the drug dealer from a distance. The drug dealer's friend had left somewhere, but Connor wasn't really concerned with him anyways. He had his sights set on this guy.
Dawn couldn't get her mind off the bracelet. She kept looking behind her to see if the store security guard was following her, she couldn't believe she'd gotten away with it so easily. She passed a darkened alley and felt someone's strong arms pull her in. She was about to scream when a smelly dirty hand covered her mouth.
She bit down hard on the hand and spun around to see her attacker. The man was tall, maybe 6 feet; he wore a dirty brown trench coat and a toboggan over his dingy blond hair. " Nice bracelet little girl. " he said in a husky voice. Dawn put her arm behind her as to guard it. The man reached for it and jerked it towards him. Dawn screamed and the man slapped her across the face with his other arm.
Just as she was about to scream again, she saw a man, well a teenage boy step up behind her attacker. He was sort of tallish, with wild brown hair and green eye. He grabbed the man's throat and choked him. The man dropped his release on Dawn and tried to fight back, but the boy threw him to the ground. The man looked unconscious.
Dawn's rescuer grabbed her by the arm and pulled her after him. He started running down the alley way and Dawn came running behind. She yelled at him to slow down but he didn't hear her. She looked back and saw the man start to get up. She was filled with fear again and ran even faster.
The boy opened a manhole and pushed Dawn into it. She fell down into the sewer with a thud. She jumped when the boy landed down beside her. He grabbed her arm again and they ran through the murky water. He pulled her into a little doorway and put his hand over her mouth. She stifled a deep breath. The boy gave her a reassuring look that things would be okay. She felt safe suddenly.
They waited for what seemed like an eternity and then the boy took his hand off Dawn's mouth. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered.
" We have to be quiet, I'll take you someplace safe. Don't worry. "
Dawn felt even better after his words. She followed him as he led them both down into the dark tunnels. Dawn felt scared when she heard sounds and clung onto the boy. He would tense up each time she touched him, but then relax and hold her tighter.
Finally, they came out into a clearing, where the sewer ran into a river or something. Dawn was relived to see sunlight again.
" You'll be safe if you just follow this tunnel on out and then to the sidewalk. " the boy said. Dawn shuffled her feet nervously. " Well thanks and all, for saving my life. I owe you. " She said. " Don't worry about it, just be safe okay. " He said. She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.
" I'm Dawn by the way. " she said. The boy looked amazed. Dawn was startled.
" Is there something wrong with my name? " she asked. The boy scratched his head. He took her hand in his. " I'm Connor, I think we have something in common. " he said. Dawn was puzzled. " And what exactly is that? " she asked. Connor lowered his head and then looked back up at Dawn. " My father. " he said stoically.