Title: When in Rome
When in Rome
Ch. 1
I know this has been rendered moot by the comics, but in my defense I wrote this before the comic came out.
Anything in italics is thought.
Anything in bold is Italian as I speak none.
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the characters I have created.
"Tour the old Roman catacombs for the experience of a lifetime," a young man with shaggy brown hair read aloud from a flier taped outside the hotel where he and his friends were staying. "What do you think guys? …Brad? Kelly?"
Looking over his shoulder at the couple who were still debating what to do that night not arguing, of course, debating they call it he rolled his eyes and counted to ten before shouting, "Hey, Dr. Jeckle, Mrs. Hyde!"
"What!" Was the unison reply as two pairs of brown eyes turned their attention to him. The young man just pointed at the flier.
"Oh, come on Connor, you really don't expect the 'experience of a lifetime' in some moldy old tunnel do you?" Kelly asks sarcastically.
Well, I have before Connor thought but didn't say, oh no, can't tell them that, they don't know, no, they don't know and I hope they never will. Instead he looked to Brad for support and got it.
"Come on, Kelly it could be fun, and anyway you did drag us on an all day 'shopping adventure' yesterday. I think you deserve some mold after all the mannequins you put us through."
Kelly glared at Brad darkly so he tried a different tact softening his voice, "Don't worry baby, I'll protect you from the mold monster. I won't let anything down there get you. Anyway, catacombs, architecture, get to see how they were designed first hand. I know you're more into above ground stuff but hey, a house has a basement right?" The silly grin on his face and reference to her architecture passion finally broke her foul mood. He ruffled her short blonde hair as they hugged. "All right, basements and all that," she muttered into his chest.
Later that night.
"The tour starts at an abandoned church?" Kelly muttered in disbelief.
"Well, why else would a guy stand next to a sign stating 'the catacomb tour starts here'," Brad snapped back at her. "And hey, in English and Italian; nice for those of us whose Italian is only so-so."
Connor glared at them for a moment before turning his back on the glaring couple to study the sign guy. I feel something is not right about this guy. Man, I wish I had brought weapons; hell, I wish I could hide a sword in jeans and a tee, damn. Oh well, it wouldn't have gotten through customs anyway. Hell with it, let's get a closer look, "Hi, are you the catacomb tour guide?"
The man at the sign cracked a wide, friendly smile, "Yup, and I, as a former American, would love to show the 'wonder under' Rome to what from your accent sound like a countryman. My name is Stan, and your names are?"
Okay, so far so good; there is some kind of demon in there but usually if they mean you harm they don't care who you are, here goes nothing. "Thanks for the English, it's easier. I'm Connor and they are Brad and Kelly, if they start bickering just ignore them," he stage whispered the last part and Stan grinned in response. Connor didn't bother to dodge the slap he felt coming that was followed by, "I heard that!"
"Kel honey, I think that was Connor's way of politely telling us to behave. Okay baby?"
"Okay sweetie." She pulled him down by his goatee for a kiss, rubbing his shaved head with her other hand.
Stan smiled at them and Connor turned away uncomfortable. God, why do I get so bugged by pda's? Probably cause the only woman I've ever felt passion for turned out to be an evil higher being and Tracey, well we were always more friends than boyfriend/girlfriend. Okay, we fooled around some, but never more than like, I don't know, pg-13 style. Even before my memories came back I felt like there was something, someone out there, someone else that I should be with. Hey, stop moping or you'll get all broody and I so don't need to go there.
"So Stan how much is this tour?" He asks to break his introspection.
"There is no set fee, we run on donations, at the end of the tour you give what you feel it was worth."
"Wow, I bet you get stiffed a lot; I mean people are really cheap," came a girls voice behind them. They turned to see three girls walking up to them.
"Actually, we never get stiffed; we go all out to make sure the tour is one of a kind. After all the advertising states the experience of a lifetime, does it not? Are you ladies here for the tour?"
There's something about the girls, they aren't demons, but they are something different. Strange, they feel, light, yeah, light, that's odd. The thought flashed through Connor's mind as Stan introduced himself and ask their names.
"Vi," the tall redhead.
"Anne," the short blonde.
"Dawn," Connor hardly heard the others; his attention was so focused on Dawn. She has the most beautiful blue eyes and her hair, so few girls have their hair so long and it looks so silky. That's weird she feels different than her companions, even lighter, glowing almost, so pure. Please let her be single and not possessed by something evil, please not evil.
"Dawn, do you know that guy? He is making with the really hard staring," Anne whispered. "Dawn?"
Oh my god. I feel like a deer caught in headlights, he is so hot. His eyes are like these bright blue wells I could just fall into and those lip, soo kissable. Look at him so lean and muscled, I can tell even through his t-shirt he is cut. She imagined running her hands over his hard chest. Wow, down girl, you don't even know him and here you go all slut-tastic thinking. What would Buffy do? Oh, his eyes, they look like they've seen a lot, kind of sad.
Dawn's thoughts are interrupted by Anne pinching her arm, "Dawn, pay attention to the guide."
"Okay people, once more, I am Stan. These three ladies are Vi, Anne, and Dawn; these two gentlemen are Brad and Connor, the lady with them is Kelly."
The two groups waved at each other as their names were said, Dawn and Connor locked eyes for a moment before they both looked away blushing. Anne looked at Connor suspiciously before staring at Dawn worriedly until Dawn smiled and shrugged at her.
"All right, everyone please pay attention, the entrance is inside. It was discovered a few years ago after the church burned down and part of the basement collapsed. We have to go down a couple of ladders so if anyone has a problem with climbing this is your stop. Anyone?" The group shook their heads. "Alright, I will go down first so I can turn on the lanterns. That way you all can see and thereby not fall and sue us," Stan chuckled at his own joke electing faint laughter from the group. "Now, wait here until I yell, it'll just be a minute."
As they waited Anne whispered to Dawn, "What was with the sparkage between you and that Connor guy?"
"Sparks, sparks is all you saw? I felt lightning bolts," Dawn whispered back.
"What! He didn't have a letterman jacket on did he?" Came the mock-horrified question.
"No, god, don't be stupid I am sooo over the mystical attraction thing. But, I don't know there's something about him; I mean, more than just hey hottie. Something I like." Dawn stated.
Connor was listening so hard to the girls that when Brad and Kelly whispered in his ear he almost flailed out at them. "Did you find something you want man?" "No way Brad, you know Connor only likes older girls, right?" Connor could hear the smiles so plainly in their voices that he didn't bother looking to see them.
"I don't know what you guys are talking about," said Connor in a pseudo-serious voice, frustrated that he couldn't hear the girls over his friends. Mystical attractions, what was that about?
"Oh please, you all but started drooling when you saw that Dawn girl. You can't tell me you don't know what we're talking about."
"Kelly honey, he was mocking us he so knows what we mean, right man."
"Okay, okay, yeah I like, I really like, hell I'm going to ask her out after the tour!" Connor laughed at the choking sound that came from Brad.
Kelly chuckled, "It's about time, I mean I was staring to think you were a closet case. I was even starting to plan a party for when you came out; I guess now I don't have to, do I buddy?"
"Quiet."
"What, Connor? I was joking don't get all-,"
"I'm not mad, I heard something." They all listened a moment then Brad said, "I don't hear anything man."
"I heard something just let me listen," Connor insisted.
"Look, if you're trying to scare me you can just stop right now!" Commanded Kelly.
"I hear a tapping, I'm not trying to scare anyone," Connor assured her.
"Is it 'tapping at my chamber door'?" Brad grinned.
"Great Connor, get the English major going," groaned Kelly.
"Hey Poe is cool!"
"Yeah okay, that's why he killed himself."
Connor tried to hear the tapping over their squabbles but gave up and just smiled at them. Wow, listen to them go, I'm gonna have to give them some alone time after this; they bicker then boink, freaks. He thought fondly to himself.
"Something I like," Dawn stated.
"Dawn be careful, there is something wrong with him. Wait, hear me out; he isn't a vamp so at least you're not going there again. But something feels not human about him alright," Anne warned her.
"Oh yeah, every time I'm interested in a guy he just has to be evil. Riiight. God, you always do this!" Dawn mutters.
"I always do what? Lets examine the evidence; vamp boy, demon at the wedding, jacket boy. To be fair he wasn't evil, just his jacket, but come on Dawnie that's some mighty hefty arguments against him. Hey, maybe he's a half-breed they sometimes are okay. Just until we know be careful. Okay, sis?" Anne snapped back.
"Or maybe you're just overprotective and still bitter cause of your last fiasco," Dawn shot back at her.
Vi decided to interrupt before they got anymore heated, "Dawn might be right, he doesn't feel evil. Anyway, be quiet I think I heard something tapping."
"I don't hear anything."
"You couldn't Dawn, just be quiet so we can hear," Vi said in a conciliatory tone.
This is so not fair, every time I try my relationships all end a screwed up as Buffy's. I bet it's just cause all I'm around are demons and demon fighters. Oh come on, I don't stand a chance. Even the boys at school don't work cause they all seem so stupid, I mean all this stuff happens around them and they don't see it. It's just like Sunnydale; okay, not as bad as Sunnydale cause no Hellmouth but still-
"Dawn."
"Huh?"
"Do you remember any Morse Code?" Anne asks.
"What?"
"Morse Code, the tapping."
"Oh, sorry but I don't, I only glanced at that book when I was helping Andrew organize the libraries. It's in the military wing, third case on the left with the other communication volumes. I'm research girl, not photo memory girl, remember."
"Damn, well I think we need to be extra alert now, because I think I heard an answering tapping. Got it?"
"Got it," Vi and Dawn affirmed.
The sudden flare of light inside the church stopped all conversation. "Is everyone still up there? Please sound off."
"Connor here." "Brad." "Kelly present." "Anne reporting." "Dawn." "Vi."
"Great, now come inside; you will see a gate, open it and climb down. Be sure that the last person to come down closes the gate. We don't want someone to fall in, now do we?"
"No sir, consider it shut," came Vi's voice from above.
When she got down Vi ask, "Who is this 'we'? I mean how many people you got in that head?"
"Oh, sorry, the tour group is the 'we'. I am just one guide in the company. Don't worry, there's only one person in my head, totally not crazy," Stan replied laughing. "But seriously folks, I need you all to stay together and not wander down any side passages, cause I don't want to lose anyone. Agreed?" He waited to continue until everyone had agreed verbally or by nodding, "Alright, here is a lantern for everyone; the batteries should be fresh, so let's go have fun!"
As they walked down the tunnel through various chambers and eternal resting places, Connor found that he couldn't concentrate on the babbling guide and only half noticed his surroundings. His attention was riveted on Dawn. I love how she moves, the confidence of a woman combined with the carefree charm of a child. Her eyes, they sparkle as she looks around and when she smiles, she glows. Please God, let her not be possessed. Okay wow, when you work up the nerve to ask her out don't be a dork, don't drool, and don't scare her off.
Wow, he is so staring at me! Please don't be evil, he is so cute. But they are right there is something about him, how he moves, it reminds me of someone…… It's like he's super alert or something. Please, please don't be evil. Okay when this is over I've got to talk to him, but what to say? 'Hi I'm Dawn and if you're evil my sister Buffy will have to kill you; so let's go for coffee.' Yeah right, he would think I'm a spaz and an insane spaz at that. Arrgg.
Dawn and Connor were concentrating so hard on each other that when the group stopped at Stan's instruction they both ran into Kelly. "Will you wake up Connor, she isn't that hot," the last part was a hissed whisper.
"Where is Vi, the girl with red hair? Where is she?" Stan ask, worry written in his expression and voice.
"Here I am, sorry I had to get a rock out of my shoe," Vi tells them as she runs to catch back up.
"For the love of God don't do that! If anyone needs to stop, for whatever reason, tell me and we will all stop. Man, you really scared me," Stan berated her.
"Okay, okay I'm sorry, promise not to again, okay," Vi reassured him.
"It's okay I just don't want to lose anyone. Anyway, I stopped everyone not just to find you, but also because I need everyone when I say 'now' to turn off their lanterns and take hands. I'll take Vi's, Vi take Anne's, Anne Dawn's, Dawn Connor's, Connor Brad's, and Brad Kelly's. I will then lead you into this last cavern in darkness so that when I hit the lights the impact of the sights in this particular cavern will be heightened. To be materialistic, we have found that donations have gone up since we stared doing this. Neat huh? Is everyone ready? Ready NOW."
At his command they took hands and turned off their lights plunging them into darkness. Walking in the black Connor rubbed his thumb over the back of Dawn's hand, she flushed and squeezed his hand back causing a silly grin to appear on his face; each were glad the other couldn't see their reactions.
"Guys we are stopping now, Vi I'm letting go to get the lights. Nobody move until the lights come up," Stan's voice came out of the dark.
Connor felt the presence of demons a second before Kelly screamed and he was thrown into a wall; he was midair when Brad's shout for Kelly was cut off. Damn, if I'd been a regular human I'd be unconscious if not dead. Do I still have my lantern? Yes, good I can see to fight. As he turned on his light the girls did the same and left Dawn protecting the light while the other two started fighting the vampires that had surrounded the tour group in the dark. Where did Vi get that sword and how are they able to fight like that? Dawn is the most 'normal' fighter of the group, she is good for a regular human but the other two are moving in a way no normal person could they are too fast, too strong. Never mind, focus, Kelly and Brad where are they? Frantically he scanned the room and finally after what seemed an age he spotted them being fed on. With a roar he launched himself across the room throwing vamps out of his way.
"Connor, catch!" Dawn shouted and threw him a stake. He caught it and several vampires exploded into dust in the blink of an eye. The vampire who had Kelly saw him coming and ran, taking her with him; the one on Brad foolishly stayed to fight. Even before its dust had settled Connor was dragging an unconscious Brad over to Dawn.
"Keep him safe for me, even if I don't come back, keep him safe," he begged her.
"Safe, got it," she assured him and raised a lighter and an aerosol can to dust a vamp that was sneaking up on them. He smiled at her ingenuity as he ran after the vamp that had Kelly.
As Kelly screamed and Connor was torn away from her Dawn dropped to the ground, feeling an arm sweep through the air above her head, and turned on her lantern.
"Buffy behind you!" Before the warning was complete the blonde had dusted the vamp.
Vi already had her sword out and beheaded two vampires as she tossed Dawn her lantern. Dawn lit it and took Buffy's light as Buffy told her to keep them safe and lit. Dawn nodded taking a stake, lighter, and hairspray from her bag. Buffy rolled her eyes and joined Vi in the fray, with a stake in each hand she parried and staked in one fluid motion. Dawn backed herself and the lights a few feet so she had a wall at her back and staked the first vamp that noticed her. Luckily for her they were mostly concentrating on the slayers. She was surprised to hear the guttural roar that Connor emitted and was even more surprised to see him throwing vampires like rag dolls. Without even thinking, she yelled and threw him her stake. As he dragged Brad to her she got out holy water and oil. She wanted to tell him not to even think about not coming back, but instead reassured him that she would keep Brad safe and flamed a vamp that came at Connor from behind. As he ran out of her sight she wondered if he even felt the gash that ran along his hairline from forehead to below his ear. Shrugging she uncorked the holy water and poured it all over Brad so just in case a vamp got passed her he would have some extra protection. Then she made shallow ditches on either side of them and poured some oil in and lit it. She smirked at a couple of vampires that recoiled from her walls of flame and when they came at her again she hairsprayed them.
"Hey I found a breaker or something!"
"See what it turns on."
When Vi hit the switch the cavern flooded with light. Thank goodness we already had some light or we would be so blind now Dawn thought.
Buffy and Vi dispatched the last few vampires they found hiding near a cage holding, shockingly enough, some still living people. After they were tested with holy water Buffy let them out and checked them for injuries.
"They seem to be alright, a little shaken but unhurt, so we'll take them to that safe house Giles set up and we'll see how good these New Council Councilors are," Buffy said as she led the prisoners away from the cages. "And hey, it looks like your hairspray idea worked, I stand corrected. Just remember if the vamp is old it won't work."
"That's great, but Buffy, Connor ran after a vamp and he isn't back yet," Dawn told her worriedly.
"Which way did he go?" Dawn pointed, "I'll find him." Buffy ran down the tunnel Connor had taken earlier.
Connor ran round a blind corner smack into vamp-Stan, it smiled, "Experience of a lifetime, huh kid?" and hit Connor. Connor unleashed a whirlwind rage and Stan was a broken, bloody pulp at his feet before Connor staked him. Pickling back up the lantern he didn't remember bringing with him much less dropping, he searched for Kelly and when he found her sprawled on the ground like a broken doll his anger drained out of him as his knees collapsed and he dropped to the ground, staring at her corpse.
Buffy found Connor still collapsed in a heap next to Kelly's body. When she touched his shoulder he leapt up with a snarl shoving her away, "You knew didn't you!? You had stakes, you knew! Why didn't you warn us! Why-," his tirade was ended when she backhanded him.
"Look, I know you're upset, but this won't bring her back. And just what the hell were we supposed to say, 'Hey we're here to kill you nasty vampires, so why don't you let these nice people leave and then lead us to your nest'," she shot back at him.
"He just seemed so, so nice. If I hadn't trusted him, but I thought he might be a blender; you know a harmless demon type that just wants to live and let live," Connor choked as he fought tears.
"Wait a minute, you felt his demon?" Buffy was startled.
"It's a long story. Don't worry, I'm not a demon."
"Well then you can explain later, so you only have to do it once. But now we have to get out of here; your friend needs a doctor, like now."
They left the tunnels, Buffy carrying Kelly, Connor carrying Brad; Vi led the freed people to the cars that the safe house sent to take them to said safe house while the rest waited at Buffy's car for the ambulance. The story they told was that Connor's group had been attacked by muggers; Buffy and Dawn saw, drove up and scared away the attackers. They emptied Connor and Brad's wallets of money before the police and paramedics arrived to lend veracity to their claims.
At the hospital Brad woke briefly and muttered something about Kelly taking the covers. The girls were hailed as good Samaritans and heroes by the police, but they deflected the praise and said that if they were really that good they would have been able to save Kelly. The cops nodded in understanding and left off the praise after that. When the doctor was done with Connor and told him he couldn't stay with Brad, Dawn convinced him to go home with them.
Andrew opened the door in his robe, "Oh, company. Star Wars anyone?"
"Andrew, I know these DVD's don't come out until September, how did you get them so early?" inquired Buffy with a smile.
"Uhm, I know not to abuse the connections I have as a Council member, but I mean, Star Wars!" he squirmed under her gaze.
"Alright, you slide this time, but as your punishment you have to give up your room. Connor is going to stay with us a while."
"Sure the TV is bigger out here anyway," he chirped and then turned serious, "Is he trouble or in trouble?"
"I'm not evil if that's what you mean," Connor growled at him.
"Yeah okay, and the menace in your tone is really reassuring," Andrew looked at Buffy and Dawn for help as he edged away from Connor.
Dawn touched his arm causing him to look at her, "Connor, we want to help you, alright. Andrew just has a tendency to say whatever he's thinking. Okay?" she said while rubbing his arm hoping to calm him.
"Okay, you want to help then tell me what your real names are? Anne isn't the name she gave the cops so somehow I don't think you've been entirely truthful," he pulled his arm away from Dawn not wanting to be comforted. He wanted to be angry.
"Okay, in brief, Dawn and Vi are really Dawn and Vi. I am Buffy Anne Summers who until recently was The Vampire Slayer, but am now just one among many; Vi is one of the Slayers, Dawn is not. She is my sister and Andrew here is training to be a Watcher, a Watcher helps slayers train and research. Now, who are you that you can sense demons?"
"Buffy, you're Buffy?! THE BUFFY!? Ha ha haaaaaaa!" He started laughing hysterically.
"Um, maybe you should slap him," Andrew suggested after a few minutes of cackling.
"Somehow I'm thinking violence, not the best choice, let me try something else. Connor, Connor, come back to us. Come back to me, Connor, Connor," Dawn turned his face to look at her. Her tactic worked and he calmed a little, well calm enough to start babbling.
"You're Dawn she's Buffy and I'm the bastard son of two vampires, namely Angel and Darla only thing is I got raised in a hell dimension by Angel's sworn enemy who lied to me all my life until I came back here and then I was lied to some more by someone I thought loved me and then when Angel got Wolfram and Hart he had this kind of mind wipe done to me and I got these new memories put in my head so I thought I was normal and had a normal life only that was a lie to thing is I'm not normal and my real memories came back and they are in with the fake ones and NOW I'm sitting here talking to my real dad's ex-girlfriend and one of my best friends is dead!!" His tirade stopped when he wound down enough to notice everyone staring at him open mouth, stunned. "What you ask. You wanted to know what I am. I'm a freak, my parents, my real parents are vampires and I'm human, only kind of different. I remember being normal, I remember a normal childhood, my parents, my sister, and I remember what really happened. I don't know if my family remembers now that I'm not really theirs, they still act the same, but how long until they throw me out of their life and I'm alone again."
"I don't think they will," Dawn whispered.
"What do you know?" He demanded.
"About four years ago some monks took this world destroying, dimension opening; ball of energy called The Key and turned it into me. Then this hell-bitch came after me and Buffy and our mom stood by me even after they knew the truth. Buffy even died to save me."
"You died?"
"Willow brought me back."
"Willow, red hair, got back Angel's soul?"
"That would be her," Buffy smiled. "But when did you happen? Wow, did that ever come out wrong, but you know what I meant."
"Yeah I know, well, I happened about three years ago. Darla was pregnant with me by Angel and she staked herself so I could live and Holtz, this man whose family had been killed by them back when Angel was evil over a hundred years ago, was brought to the present, three years ago, by this demon that I was foretold to kill, anyway, Holtz kidnapped me, baby me, and we lived in a demon dimension for about sixteen years only it was only a couple of weeks here. I made it back here and he followed me and framed Angel for killing him and I sank Angel in a coffin in the ocean. Wes fished him out and eventually things were okay until everything went nuts with the whole Jasmine thing and when that ended I was going to kill myself until Angel had the memory wipe done. But then the spell got sort of broken and here we are."
"Sort of broken? How do you sort of break a spell? Usually they either break or they don't," Dawn wanted to know.
"Well, I still have the fake memories but they seem just as real as the real ones. They let me live normal, even though I know what's out there. So I try to focus on those memories and live as normal as I can while still watching out for the people I love," his face fell at the self-reminder of Kelly's death.
"Well, that's how we try to live, cause most people happily have no idea what is really going on. We fight evil, save the day, and then go to the mall." Dawn said, in her best valley girl voice, trying to lighten the mood.
Connor smiled weakly, "That's what we were here to do, have fun. We live together at school and when I didn't get this internship I wanted we all blew off summer classes and came here. We've only been here a couple of weeks and Kelly's dead and Brad might still die. She was going to be an architect, she always joked about designing a house for the three of us. She said she would integrate a cornucopia of styles to make our home a one of a kind. Cornucopia, that's one of Brad's words, he's and English major; he loves it when she used his words and now she never will again and it's my fault."
"No, it's the fault of those vampires; I mean if you hadn't been there we might not have made it out, there were more vamps than we anticipated," Buffy told him.
"Look it's been a long night, let's try to sleep, it'll be better tomorrow," Dawn gently led him to Andrew's bedroom. When he lay down she went to her room.
Dawn woke hearing Connor thrashing and moaning in the next room. As quietly as she could she crept into his room. He was tangled in the blankets and crying in his sleep. When she couldn't wake him she carefully climbed in bed with him and held him, rocking him until his fitful thrashing stopped, running her fingers through his hair until they both fell into a restful sleep.
He was trapped in nightmares; he saw his family, all his friends, dead and they screamed at him, why, why did he let them die. He cried telling them he tried so hard, please, please forgive me, I tried. They ignored his cries, hurling venom and hate at him. In the midst of the pain a soft light crept in, pushing the dead away, quieting them; they faded away and peaceful dreamless sleep overcame him.